Chapter 251: Chapter 251: Deep Underground
Anxiety was etched on the faces of the kobolds.
Their uneasy mood made their speech disjointed and hard to follow. Initially, Garon could still grasp a few sentences, but it soon became almost incomprehensible gibberish. The kobolds' Draconic language was inherently awkward to his ears.
Moreover, one should not overestimate the intelligence and linguistic abilities of kobolds.
Even under normal circumstances, it was challenging to glean clear information about specific events from their narratives.
Garon's gaze grew sharp.
A formidable dragon aura radiated from him.
Affected by Garon's dragon aura, the kobolds stiffened in both expression and movement.
"Don't rush; speak slowly," Garon said calmly.
The dragon aura receded, and the kobolds' demeanor gradually returned to normal.
After calming down, the kobold recounted the events in the mine using its limited vocabulary.
Soon, Garon learned the general course of events from the kobold.
He frowned slightly, his face reflecting deep thought.
"Falling unconscious upon touching the glowing underground veins?"
"Could it be some kind of highly radioactive dangerous mineral?"
Garon pondered silently.
However, he quickly dismissed this thought. If it were a highly radioactive magical mineral, the affected kobolds would have suffered more than just unconsciousness.
"Bring the unconscious kobolds of your tribe here," Garon ordered after some thought.
The unconscious kobolds had been dragged out of the mine by others, but despite all efforts, they showed no signs of recovery. The tribe had also attempted to investigate the mine, but anyone approaching it fell into the same unconscious state. Even the magical shields cast by the tribe's lower-level spellcasters were ineffective. The other kobolds dared not approach the mine anymore.
The underground world always harbored unknowable dangers.
A slight misstep could threaten the lives of miners.
In such cases, the kobolds usually chose to avoid these areas, but now they awaited Garon's command.
Quickly, several kobolds brought the unconscious ones to Garon.
His gaze fell on these kobolds as he scrutinized them with his mental power.
They bore no visible injuries, their breathing was calm and regular, and their faces showed no signs of pain. Garon noticed that they were also unaffected by magical forces.
"Could there be something dangerous beneath the surface of Planet Karla?"
Garon extended his dragon claw, casually inspecting an unconscious kobold.
The sharpness of his claw made the other kobolds tremble in fear.
Garon's fingertip touched the forehead of a kobold.
With his massive size, a slight pressure would be enough to crush the kobold's head.
When examining the kobold's head, Garon's gaze sharpened.
An intangible, immaterial force lingered deep within the kobold's brain, causing its unconsciousness.
"Could it be?"
Garon remained composed.
A powerful dragon aura burst forth from him.
With precise control, the tangible aura targeted the unconscious kobolds, forcefully impacting their frail minds.
Dragon auras possess a certain mental force.
Under Garon's oppressive aura, the kobolds' expressions gradually showed signs of pain.
Meanwhile, the aura, like a storm, effortlessly scattered the strange energy dwelling in their minds.
To the amazement of the other kobolds, those affected by Garon's aura slowly regained consciousness.
"Great Eternal Dragon, oh, you are omnipotent," the kobold chief flattered, as was his habit.
Garon ignored the chief.
He then inquired about the incident in the mine from the awakened kobolds.
Having experienced the event firsthand, they provided clearer details than the chief.
"All right, take them down for now," Garon instructed.
"As for the mine, wait for my command before further action. Put a halt to mining for now."
After hearing Garon's command, the kobolds slowly left.
Garon recalled his encounter with the invisible force while his aura interacted with it.
His mind felt as if it had touched tangible energy.
Through the records of dragon heritage and his own careful perception, he now understood the nature of the force that caused the kobolds' unconsciousness.
Psionics.
A strange and rare force.
Compared to the nearly limitless applications of magic, psionics focus solely on the mental realm.
Mind control, extrasensory prediction, mental projection, psychic barriers—these are areas where psionics excel.
In comparison, enchantment spells share some similarities but lack the specialization of psionics. Enchantment spells have broader uses than the singular focus of psionics.
There are no casters on the Noah Continent who specialize in psionics. However, in the entire material world, a certain proportion of casters are known as psychic spellcasters, masters in the realm of psionics.
Aside from independent research, some species are naturally endowed with strong psychic abilities and are innate psychic spellcasters. The infamous Mind Flayers are among the most well-known of such species. The appearance of psionics is unpredictable, and almost any species can awaken psychic abilities. However, compared to specific species, this probability is meager.
Like the Crystal Dragons of the Dragon Race.
Crystal Dragons possess mind-manipulating spell-like abilities. Garon has seen Nicolina use mind control to play the White Dragoness for a fool.
Strictly speaking, this is a kind of psychic ability, within the realm of psionics.
"Who would have thought psionic traces would be found on Planet Karla?"
Garon mused deeply.
According to the kobolds, they did not encounter any attacks. They fell unconscious after touching a glowing ore, sparking Garon's immense interest.
"Is it really ore?"
"An ore that emits psionics, causing nearby creatures to fall unconscious."
"If true, the value of Karla's mineral resources... would be immeasurable."
Garon's eyes gleamed, his breath growing heavier.
However, whether it was a unique psionic ore or an unknown subterranean creature's attack remained uncertain. Since the kobolds were influenced by psionics, they might not even be aware of what exactly happened, with their memories possibly altered.
"It would be best if psionic ore exists."
"If there are psionically capable aberrant creatures underground, that would be problematic."
Garon was not adept at burrowing.
If there were legendary aberrant creatures underground, it would be difficult for him to handle them if they stayed hidden. This was true not just for Garon but for most True Dragons who came to Karla. They were not proficient in underground pursuits.
With these thoughts, Garon immediately called for Anya.
"Anya, accompany the kobold tribe into the mine."
"They have been affected by psionics while mining, and it is still unclear whether it's a psionic creature attack or genuine psionic ore excavation."
"I need you to clarify what lies beneath."
With Anya's power as a ninth-circle archmage, she could handle either psionic ore or creatures.
Anya nodded, saying softly, "I understand."
Soon, she ventured into the deep and dark mine with the kobolds.
Garon also visited the kobold tribe's chosen mining site.
The place had been transformed into a simple mining camp.
Amid the chaotic mining tools, dirty kobold miners, and rudimentary shacks, the kobolds knelt in awe and respect when Garon arrived.
The noise and harshness of the Draconic language annoyed Garon, so he ordered the kobolds to silence.
Under his stern gaze, the kobolds trembled and continued their work quietly, occasionally sneaking glances at the majestic dragon.
These creatures were perfect dragon slaves.
They were infatuated with everything about dragons.
Determining whether the veins contained psionic ore or creatures would not take long. Once Anya reached the site, she would likely understand the situation. If the so-called glowing ore lacked psionic energy, it was likely that psionic creatures existed underground.
Garon waited quietly.
Time ticked away.
Half an hour later, the elemental energy of fire near Garon suddenly gathered.
Whoosh!
A flame flower bloomed gracefully.
Anya used a fire elemental teleportation spell, appearing directly before Garon from the depths of the mine.
"My Lord, I found no signs of psionic creature activity."
"The culprit is this."
Under Garon's gaze, Anya smiled slightly, revealing the object in her palm.
Garon looked down to see a peculiar ore embedded in rock and soil in Anya's hand.
The ore resembled several clusters of white crystals, currently emitting a soft white halo.
The white light was gentle, far less bright than the current sunlight, yet seemingly more captivating.
Garon picked up the crystal.
Upon close contact, he felt the psionic energy within, sending ripples through his mind.
"The kobolds were influenced by this crystal."
"My Lord, the brilliance of magic favors you," Anya commented.
"This is a rare psionic crystal."
Garon examined the psionic crystal, a smile slowly forming on his face.
"The treasure grows again."
The exact use of the psionic crystal was still unknown to Garon.
Regardless, a crystal emitting psionics was undoubtedly a valuable resource.
"I wonder how much psionic crystal lies within Karla."
Garon's eyes narrowed slightly.
He hoped for a substantial presence of psionic crystals on Karla.
After pondering for a few seconds, Garon summoned the kobold tribe leader, Hank Pym.
"Hank Pym, I need your tribe to make every effort to find more of these crystals."
Hank Pym hesitated before saying, "Master, our people cannot approach this vein; it affects them into unconsciousness."
Indeed, it was a troublesome matter.
Beings with insufficient mental strength could not mine psionic ore.
Sending the few spellcasters to mine was not a feasible solution either.
"I understand. For now, continue searching for these crystals underground and mark their locations. There's no need for mining yet."
After hearing Garon's words, Hank Pym nodded, "Just locating the veins, we can do."
Then, holding a few psionic crystals, Garon returned to his temporary dragon lair.
Yuna was not there.
She was still hunting aberrant creatures worldwide, only returning to rest in the domain when weary.
The Dragon Girl was unusually active.
Clattering sounds echoed as Garon opened a dimensional space, pouring out numerous magical materials, mainly magical metals.
"Creating a gadget to resist psionic influence shouldn't be difficult."
Compared to magical tools, ordinary gadgets were easier to mass-produce given sufficient materials.
Psionics stored within the crystals emitted low-level energy. The kobolds couldn't resist due to their weak mental strength. However, Garon didn't aim to enhance their mental strength.
He planned to create gadgets capable of generating psychic shields.
Garon was unfamiliar with high-level spells.
However, he had some knowledge of lower-level spells that enhance mental resistance, psychic strength, and protection from psychic intrusion.
Combining these spells with mechanics, he could create the gadgets he needed.
Although Garon was not a master gadgeteer, the gadgets he aimed to create were not sophisticated. They would be sufficient to shield the kobolds from the psionic crystal's residual effects, preventing them from falling unconscious during mining.
In the following period, Garon focused on crafting these gadgets in his modest lair.
Time passed silently.
On Karla, True Dragons and their respective tribes continued to eradicate aberrant creatures. With each passing day, the desolate planet saw fewer and fewer of these beings.
A week quietly passed.
Garon emerged from his lair, handing over the gadgets he had crafted to the kobold leader.
They resembled slender cylindrical devices, intricately engraved with arcane runes and low-level magic circles on their one-meter length. Gemstone fragments were embedded at the top for power, and a switch in the middle activated the psychic shield. The gadgets had a unique aesthetic, a blend of magic and mechanics.
Garon presented ten gadgets.
"These can withstand psionics."
"Press the middle button, and it will activate a twenty-meter diameter psychic protection field, shielding your people from effects."
"Now, distribute them among your tribe and mine psionic crystals for me."
With Garon's gadgets, the kobolds could begin mining.
As the situation on Karla stabilized, Garon used the Emerald Dragon Scale to summon the Ancient Green Dragon.
Under the magic of the Ancient Green Dragon, vibrant trees bearing bright red fruits, lush grass covering barren ground, and fragrant flowers began to spread across Garon's territory.
However, due to the vast territory, even the legendary Green Dragon couldn't cover it all at once.
Garon wasn't in a hurry.
Each time the Ancient Green Dragon improved an area, he compensated it fairly.
Paying per service ensured fairness.
Garon's minions, under the guidance of magical ships, continued to clear scattered aberrant creatures within the territory. Garon personally handled any challenging targets. The situation now required less of his constant involvement compared to the initial days.
Before long, another month passed.
In Garon's southern hemisphere, several formidable legendary aberrant creatures, like black meat mountains, were discovered elsewhere. However, they were all decisively dealt with in the righteous group assaults of the True Dragons.
Compared to their initial arrival, the Dragonkind had become more adept at handling aberrant creatures, with minimal casualties.
Karla's situation grew even more stable.
According to messages from the legendary Gold Dragon, a few powerful aberrant creatures were found in the northern hemisphere.
Yet, with the efforts of Lockvield and Nehemiah, they were safely dealt with.
Surprisingly, due to multiple collaborations against common enemies, tensions between different dragon species on Karla eased slightly. Garon noticed some Chromatic and Metallic Dragons becoming neighbors without immediate conflicts.
Whether this peace will last after the aberrant creatures are fully eradicated remains uncertain.
"Karla Crystal, what exactly are you used for?"
Since the crystal was mined from Karla's depths, Garon named it the Karla Crystal.
The resources of Karla Crystal were not scarce. In a month, enough had been mined to form a mound.
Garon had spent considerable effort researching the Karla Crystal.
However, due to the short time and Garon's lack of expertise in psionics, he had not yet uncovered its specific properties. For now, the Karla Crystal served as a decorative object in his lair, capable of emitting psionics and a glow.
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