He felt his "wallet" shrinking rapidly, his heart aching as though clutched by a great dragon.But upon seeing Im's pained expression, Rayder gritted his teeth and decisively clicked "Confirm" in his mind.As soon as the operation was complete, a soft, life-infused green energy flowed along Rayder's arm, which was pressed against Im's body. Like a living thing, the energy burrowed into the Black Dragon's massive frame.In an instant, Im was enveloped by a faint green glow. The dragon's hideous wounds, broken scales, torn wing membranes, and even skin scorched by intense heat began to regenerate at a visible pace.In just a few breaths, Im seemed reborn—completely renewed, as if the brutal battle had never taken place.The Black Dragon regained its vitality and let out a joyful, thunderous roar that sent ripples spreading across the surface of the sea.Then, like an overly affectionate cat, Im excitedly and forcefully rubbed its massive head against Rayder.Caught off guard, Rayder was knocked off balance by the immense force and landed flat on his backside in the soft sand."Cough, cough! Im, lighten up!" he groaned, brushing sand off himself. He patted Im's snout gently, trying to calm the exuberant dragon.Once Im was taken care of, Rayder turned to Red Dragon Egon, whose condition was no better.Taking a deep breath, he repeated the same action—placing his hand on Egon's equally scarred and battered body.The system once again presented a detailed diagnostic report, but Rayder didn't even glance at it this time. He went straight to the energy settlement screen.When he saw the cost—1500 energy points—his brow furrowed even more. That was 400 points more than Im had required!It would nearly drain his entire energy reserve.The heartache was undeniable, but looking at Egon's weakened state, Rayder didn't hesitate. He knew this was no time to be stingy.He clicked "Confirm" without a second thought.Once more, the green light appeared, gently enveloping Egon.Time seemed to slow. Minutes passed—longer than it had taken with Im—but finally, Red Dragon Egon began to heal. His wounds closed, and his body regained its former splendor. Though the dragon still looked somewhat weak, the worst had passed. He just needed time to recover his strength.Unlike Im, Egon didn't display any overly affectionate gestures. He simply stood tall and silent.But in his ancient, wise eyes, when he looked at Rayder, there was warmth. Kindness. Approval.It was the look of an old and weathered elder gazing at a promising successor.A warm feeling surged through Rayder's chest. He gently patted Egon's wrinkled, bark-like neck as a silent reply.Then, turning back to his system interface, Rayder looked at his remaining energy points—just over 500.He let out a bitter laugh.Months of effort and accumulation, gone in an instant. Two healing sessions had completely depleted his reserves.Back to square one.His "wallet" was empty, but his companions were alive. Was the trade worth it?Rayder didn't need to ask. He already knew the answer: Absolutely.He began analyzing the current situation. Eventually, his gaze turned toward a direction filled with uncertainty—the continent of Westeros.The decision was based partly on familiarity. He could roughly determine the timeline by recognizing certain historical markers or landmarks.But more importantly, it was about the wights beyond the Wall.The Night King's vast undead army—feared and legendary—was composed of the dead.And the dead might just hold another form of abundant energy.For someone in Rayder's current situation, that was a massive temptation.Of course, he was also acutely aware of the danger.If the wights—or the Night King himself—were far stronger than expected, beings he couldn't yet defeat, then he would have to make a grimmer decision:To prey on humans.He would rely on system rules, or perhaps hunt weaker human targets that required fewer energy points.He glanced at Egon, who had only eight years of life remaining, despite his recent recovery.Then at Black Dragon Im, who, though currently healthy, was still a precious and hard-won ally.Rayder couldn't bear the thought of losing either of them—not to age, not to battle, and certainly not because of his own hesitation.This solidified his resolve.From the pile of books he had scavenged earlier in the Valyria Ruins, he pulled out a crudely drawn ancient map. Despite its rough lines, it was just good enough to estimate the location of Westeros.Aligning himself with the setting sun in the western sky, casting a blood-red afterglow over the Yan Sea, he made his move.Without the slightest hesitation, Rayder climbed onto Im's back and gestured to Kidora and Egon to follow.The three dragons let out low growls, spread their massive wings, and took to the sky.With Rayder on Im's back, they soared into the unknown, flying toward the direction marked on the map—a path filled with risk and mystery.They disappeared into the crimson sunset, leaving the ruins of Valyria behind.---For several days and nights, they flew across the sea, flapping their wings intermittently but tirelessly.The winds were cold and relentless. The clouds seemed endless. But finally—finally—a lush and vibrant continent emerged on the horizon."Land!" Rayder whispered, his voice trembling with excitement.After so many days drifting over the dead waters of the Yan Sea, and nearly half a year in the Valyria Ruins, he had almost forgotten what land looked like.More importantly, he hadn't eaten normal food in far too long.Lately, their only sustenance had been fish caught from the sea. While it was fresh, the repetitive meals had become unbearable.At this moment, he would trade anything for a bowl of hot soup, or even a piece of dry bread.As they flew higher, the swirling clouds began to part. The closer they drew to the landmass, the clearer the view below became.Through a gap in the clouds, a massive city came into view—towering walls, densely packed rooftops glinting under the sunlight.Rayder squinted, recognizing the city immediately.Valantis.The southernmost of the Free Cities, marked clearly on the ancient map.However, he did not instruct the dragons to dive toward it.-
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