Reborn as a Dragon:Rise of The Draconic King-Chapter 54 - 50 – Eyes in the Canopy
The forest was thick with towering trees and tangled undergrowth, the kind of place where sunlight struggled to reach the ground. From above, the canopy looked almost endless, layers of leaves overlapping like a dark green ocean frozen in place. Down below, however, the world felt smaller, quieter, and far more dangerous.
High among the branches of one of the oldest trees in the area, John remained perfectly still.
His body rested along a thick branch large enough to support his weight. His black scales blended naturally with the shadows cast by the leaves above him, making him nearly impossible to spot unless someone looked very carefully. Even then, the darkness between the branches would likely hide him.
Only his eyes moved.
Golden and sharp, they followed every motion in the clearing below.
A group of elves had gathered there.
John had noticed them earlier while flying along the edge of his expanding territory. At first, he almost ignored them, thinking they were just another group of intelligent creatures passing through the forest. But curiosity had pulled him closer.
Now he watched them carefully.
There were around twenty elves in total. Some looked young, barely past childhood, while others had the calm confidence of experienced hunters. Their long ears and slender figures made them easy to recognize, even from the distance where John observed.
Most carried bows.
The bows were elegant, carved from pale wood that almost seemed to glow faintly in the filtered sunlight. Their arrows were carefully arranged in quivers on their backs, and each elf moved with the quiet grace of someone used to living in the forest.
A few others carried blades.
Those ones stood closer to the center of the group, their weapons resting at their sides but ready to be drawn at any moment. Their posture was different from the archers. More grounded. More prepared for direct combat.
John watched them in silence, studying everything.
From the way they walked to the way they scanned their surroundings.
He had already developed a simple method of judging strength during his time hunting monsters in this world. It wasn’t perfect, but it helped him organize what he saw.
The younger elves were clearly the weakest. Their bodies were smaller, their movements slightly uncertain. They stayed close to the adults, often glancing around nervously whenever the wind rustled the leaves.
They reminded him of the weakest creatures he had fought during his earliest days after hatching.
The adults were stronger.
Their breathing was calm, their steps precise. They moved through the forest without disturbing branches or leaves, as if the terrain itself welcomed their presence.
Then there were the warriors and hunters.
John could tell them apart immediately.
They carried themselves with confidence, their eyes constantly scanning the forest. Even when they seemed relaxed, their bodies were ready to react.
Those were the ones who would likely fight if something attacked.
And then there was the leader.
The difference between him and the others was obvious.
He stood slightly apart from the group, watching everything with a steady gaze. His body was larger than most elves John had seen so far. Not bulky like a human warrior perhaps, but clearly stronger than the others.
Broad shoulders.
Muscular arms.
His weapon rested across his back, a long blade that looked well-used but carefully maintained.
The other elves seemed to glance toward him often, as if waiting for his decisions.
John tilted his head slightly.
If he compared them to the monsters he had hunted so far, the ranking in his mind was simple.
The children would fall into the lowest levels of strength.
The adults were stronger, but still not particularly dangerous.
The warriors and archers stood higher.
And the leader sat above all of them.
Still... none of them felt like a real threat to him.
Not even the leader.
John adjusted his claws slightly against the branch, careful not to scrape the bark. The last thing he wanted was to alert them to his presence.
He wasn’t here to fight.
He was here to observe.
Ever since he realized intelligent races existed in this world, he had grown more cautious about how he moved through the forest. Fighting monsters was simple. Creatures driven by instinct rarely thought beyond the moment.
But intelligent beings were different.
They could plan.
They could organize.
They could become dangerous in ways monsters rarely managed. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎
So for now, John watched.
Below him, the elves continued their movements through the clearing. Some examined tracks in the dirt while others kept their bows half-raised, scanning the surrounding trees.
They were searching for something.
Or perhaps they were expecting something.
The leader suddenly raised his hand.
Every elf stopped moving instantly.
No one spoke.
The silence that followed was deep and tense.
John’s eyes narrowed slightly.
He felt it too.
A faint vibration traveled through the ground.
At first it was so weak that it might have been mistaken for distant thunder. But the longer John focused on it, the clearer it became.
Something large was moving through the forest.
Branches snapped somewhere far away.
Leaves rustled.
The sound grew closer.
Several archers lifted their bows.
The hunters spread out through the clearing, positioning themselves near trees that could provide cover if needed.
The leader stepped forward slowly.
His hand reached over his shoulder and gripped the handle of the blade resting on his back.
John leaned forward slightly.
Curiosity stirred within him.
Whatever was approaching had clearly drawn the attention of this hunting group.
Another deep sound echoed through the forest.
A growl.
Low and heavy.
It carried between the trees like a warning.
Some of the younger elves stiffened immediately.
Even the experienced hunters tightened their grips on their weapons.
The growl came again.
Closer this time.
Then the trees ahead of the clearing began to shake.
Something massive pushed through the undergrowth.
A large shape emerged slowly from the shadows between the trunks.
John’s eyes sharpened.
The creature stepped into the open.
It resembled a wolf, but far larger than any normal animal. Its body was covered in thick dark fur that bristled along its back. Its shoulders were massive, each step heavy enough to press deep marks into the soil.
Its eyes glowed faintly red.
A deep rumble came from its chest as it stared at the elves gathered before it.
John studied it carefully.
He had fought many beasts during his time in the forest, but this one was clearly stronger than most.
Its muscles were thick and powerful.
Its movements were controlled.
Even the way it held its head suggested confidence.
This was not a creature that feared hunters.
Three arrows flew toward it.
The archers had reacted immediately.
The monster moved faster than expected.
One arrow struck its shoulder.
Another grazed its side.
The third missed entirely, sinking into a tree behind it.
The creature barely reacted to the hits.
Instead it lowered its body slightly.
Then it lunged forward.
The ground trembled under its weight.
One of the elf warriors stepped forward to meet it.
Their blade collided with the monster’s claws in a burst of sparks.
The force pushed the elf backward several steps.
Another hunter attacked from the side, aiming for the creature’s leg.
The monster twisted suddenly.
Its claws lashed out.
The hunter barely managed to dodge the strike.
More arrows rained down from the trees.
Two struck the creature’s back.
This time it roared in anger.
The sound echoed through the forest.
Birds burst from distant branches, fleeing into the sky.
The monster charged.
The elves scattered quickly, moving between trees to avoid its attack.
The leader stepped forward.
His blade glowed faintly with a pale green light.
Magic energy gathered along the edge of the weapon.
With a sudden burst of speed, he dashed toward the creature.
His strike landed cleanly.
The blade cut across the monster’s shoulder.
Dark blood spilled onto the ground.
The creature howled in fury and swung its massive claws.
The leader jumped back just in time.
John watched the battle with growing interest.
The elves fought well.
They moved together like a trained unit, attacking from different directions while keeping their distance.
But the monster was powerful.
Far stronger than the beasts John had seen the elves track earlier.
It smashed through smaller trees as it moved, its claws tearing into bark and soil alike.
One young elf fired an arrow too slowly.
The monster turned toward him instantly.
Its jaws opened wide.
The young elf froze.
Before the beast could reach him, the leader moved again.
His glowing blade struck the monster’s side.
The attack forced the creature to turn away from the frightened hunter.
John’s tail shifted slightly against the branch.
This fight had become far more interesting than he expected.
The elves were skilled.
The monster was strong.
And for now...
He would remain hidden.
Watching.
Learning.
Waiting for the moment when the forest revealed its next secret.
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Give me some Powerstones
100 ps = 1 extra Chapter
