Chapter 209 Smaug

"Within this lies the Seventh Kingdom of House of Durin..."

The Dwarves looked at the inscriptions on the stone wall that had been passed down for centuries and couldn't help but mutter.

These homeless exiles had finally returned. After a moment of emotional outpouring, it was time for Bilbo to take the stage.

If everything went smoothly, Thorin, upon obtaining the arkenstone, could officially ascend the throne as king. At that time, by gathering the strength of the seven Dwarf tribes, they would still be able to kill the evil dragon.

However, there was one thing Thorin and the others had not anticipated.

At this time, the evil dragon had actually awakened from its slumber. Stealing the arkenstone right under its nose was completely beyond Bilbo's capabilities.

Balin looked at the Hobbit who had traveled with him all this way, feeling inevitable hesitation in his heart.

Was he really going to let him face such danger?

Bilbo himself had already made up his mind, looking at the road ahead with determined eyes, showing no intention of backing down.

"If you really run into danger, just shout for help. I promised Gandalf I'd protect his Burglar."

Chen Nuo said, patting Bilbo on the shoulder.

"If it really comes to that, I'll definitely shout louder than anyone."

Bilbo curled his lips into a smile and glanced at Thorin. For some reason, he felt that after entering his kingdom, the king's state seemed a bit off, as he was frequently spacing out.

But now was not the time to think about that.

Bilbo walked forward cautiously, his small and light body soon almost merging with the shadows.

The journey's adventures had already tempered him into a qualified Hobbit Burglar.

The Dwarves huddled together, waiting anxiously.

Bilbo headed all the way down. His eyesight was excellent; guided by the faint light filtering through the cracks in the architecture above, he slowly reached the steps above the main hall.

Looking down from here, he could see a sea of gold.

That was the treasure the Dwarves had unearthed from underground over thousands of years. Gold filled the entire hall like seawater, and brilliant, sparkling gems served as embellishments, like shells on a beach.

The evil dragon had built a nest for itself using endless treasure.

Even for Bilbo, his heart couldn't help but skip a beat upon seeing this scene.

He was not a greedy person, but the golden light was indeed a bit blinding, faintly carrying a certain alluring magic.

But then Bilbo remembered his purpose and dove into the endless gold coins.

Amidst this shimmering gold, Bilbo really didn't know how he was supposed to find the arkenstone Balin had mentioned.

Just as he lowered his head, piles of gold coins slid like an avalanche, nearly burying him; fortunately, he dodged just in time.

Before he could even celebrate, a massive, hideous silhouette appeared before Bilbo's eyes.

Looking at an eye socket larger than his own head, Bilbo subconsciously covered his mouth and nose, fearing that even the slightest sound would wake the other.

Smaug.

The most famous evil dragon of the Third Age of Middle-earth.

Generally considered a descendant of the First Age dragons Ancalagon or Glaurung, Smaug attacked and destroyed Dale, drove out the Dwarf kingdom of the Lonely Mountain, and occupied its treasures for 171 years.

He was also the last recorded evil dragon in Middle-earth.

Although Balin and the other Dwarves had constantly told stories and rumors about Smaug.

Hearing with one's ears and seeing with one's eyes were completely different matters.

Upon the first sight of this giant creature, an instinctive biological fear nearly took over Bilbo's entire body.

According to the Dwarves' records, this dragon's body length exceeded 140 meters. The sword in Bilbo's hand would be pathetic even if used as a toothpick for it.

Just as Bilbo was at a loss, what made his heart stop was Smaug opening one of its snake-like eyes.

Oh, it's over.

Bilbo wailed in his heart.

Wasn't it agreed that the dragon was in a deep sleep?

"Let me see, a Halfling Thief?"

Smaug's voice, as heavy as a mountain collapsing, felt as if it would knock Bilbo to the ground.

As a high-level legendary life form that survived from the First Age and was essentially close to a Maiar, Smaug's intelligence was not low, and he was proficient in various languages, able to communicate normally—provided he was in the mood.

"Oh, Smaug the Wealthy, you misunderstand. I am no Thief. I have only come to witness your magnificent elegance, to see if you are truly as grand as the stories say."

Under the shadow of death, Bilbo's clever brain began to spin wildly, his tongue more nimble than ever.

Clearly, this string of flattering praise did indeed tickle Smaug's fancy.

Since he was an evil dragon, besides greed for treasure, Smaug was also very narcissistic.

One could tell just by looking at his shifting pupils.

Even Bilbo, who had never been in love, could read the underlying meaning.

I like hearing this, say more.

So Smaug shifted his angle to show off his grace.

Well, it was also because a Hobbit like Bilbo truly posed no threat to him, which made him appear so casual.

"Indeed, stories and songs fall far short of depicting your greatness, oh, magnificent Smaug."

"You think these flattering words can save your life?"

In an instant, Smaug showed the fickle and treacherous side of an evil dragon, lowering his head to exhale a foul, turbid breath toward Bilbo.

"N-no..."

"Indeed not. You seem very familiar with me, yet I have never smelled a scent like yours. Who are you, and where do you come from?"

Smaug's words contained a soul-bewitching magic.

However, Bilbo was born with extremely high mental resistance and was not affected. His gaze landed on a starlight-bright gemstone.

At the first sight of it, Bilbo was certain that it was the target of his quest.

The arkenstone.

So Bilbo began to talk in circles with Smaug.

The name "Barrel-rider" began to spread from this moment.

However, an evil dragon was not a patient creature. He had actually long since smelled the scent of Dwarves on Bilbo, and his mood turned volatile in an instant.

"You think I can't smell the scent of Dwarves on you? Where are they hiding?"

"Dwarves? There are no Dwarves here..."

Bilbo tried to explain.

But Smaug's voice instantly drowned him out.

"I don't think so. They sent you in to do their dirty work while they skulk outside. I know the scent and taste of Dwarves well; no one knows them better than I..."

Smaug moved his massive body, and the gold coins beneath his feet surged like ocean waves.

Seeing that he could no longer stall the other with words, Bilbo could only take action and head toward the location of the arkenstone.

The commotion of the dragon's awakening even reached Dale.

Smaug continuously toyed with and chased Bilbo, enjoying his pathetic appearance as he fled and struggled, while boastfully singing of himself.

"My armor is like iron... no blade can pierce it..."

"...It's Oakenshield, that base Dwarf usurper. He sent you in to take the arkenstone, didn't he... Your quest is doomed to fail. Darkness is coming, and it will spread to every corner of the land."

Smaug's awakening was not without reason; he had clearly sensed the revival of a certain power.

Although evil dragons were neutral units, their stance had a natural inclination.

If darkness truly arrived, Smaug would inevitably make a choice.

Gandalf knew this very well, which was why he supported Thorin's quest without hesitation.

Along with the waves stirred by Smaug, the arkenstone rolled to Bilbo's feet.

Both dragon and man noticed this brilliant star.

"I am almost tempted to let you take it, if only to see Oakenshield suffer, to watch it destroy him, to watch it corrupt his mind and slowly drive him mad."

Smaug knew well the sickness within Thorin, for his own greed was no less than a Dwarf's.

What did you think Smaug was doing during these hundred-plus years besides sleeping?

He was counting every single one of his gold coins.

He could remember the differences in every coin, imbuing each with his own scent of greed.

These treasures, which had been with Smaug for a century, had long been tainted with the dragon's own magic.

Those with weak wills could easily be corrupted by it.

This was also the origin of Dragon-sickness.

And this corrupting power was the best trigger for the hereditary mental illness of Thorin's line.

"...But I think I'll pass. I think our little game should come to an end."

Smaug was unwilling to lose even a single gold coin, so how could he possibly give up the most precious arkenstone just to satisfy a bit of his malice?

Seeing fire light up beneath the scales on Smaug's belly as he unreservedly showed his killing intent, Bilbo already anticipated what would happen next.

"So, have you chosen a way to die?"

As the words fell, the dragon's maw lunged toward Bilbo.

*Snap.*

Smaug missed.

Bilbo dodged nimbly and scooped up the arkenstone by his feet.

The moment the treasure was lost, rage turned into a fierce dragon breath erupting from Smaug's mouth.

This magic-infused fire was enough to melt gold into liquid in an instant.

Seeing that Bilbo was about to be consumed by the dragon breath, he closed his eyes in despair. The next second, his body was lifted into the air and thrown into a pile of gold coins in the distance.

"I told you, shout for help. Don't you even know how to do that?"

Hearing this familiar voice, Bilbo opened his eyes. Before he could rejoice, he saw the dragon breath engulf Chen Nuo.

A wave of immense sorrow instantly threatened to crush Bilbo's soul.

"No—!"

"Get up, quickly!"

Thorin, who had arrived, pulled Bilbo up from the ground and immediately asked.

"Did you find my gem?"

Bilbo was in no mood or state to answer that question. Looking into Thorin's no-longer-clear eyes, he suddenly realized that what Smaug said was true.

At this time, the other Dwarves arrived one after another.

The heat wave from the dragon breath was so hot that their hair began to curl.

However, upon seeing the evil dragon, the Dwarves' first reaction was to pick up their weapons and face it.

"Where is our Ranger?"

"Wasn't he the first to arrive?"

"..."

Looking at the churning dragon breath ahead, the Dwarves realized something, and the air became silent and oppressive.

"Wait, something's not right."

Balin's beard twitched as he noticed the scale of the dragon breath seemed to be rapidly weakening.

Yet Smaug clearly hadn't stopped his output.

A blurry silhouette of a person gradually appeared.

Following it, a heart-palpitating sense of awe spread, steadily overpowering Smaug's dragon fear.

It was a scorching heat that felt as if it would burn one's body and soul.

"Nuo?"

Bilbo recognized the figure within the dragon breath.

But to his confusion, a crown condensed from fire appeared above the figure's head.

"How is this possible? What on earth are you?"

Smaug retreated in panic, nearly biting his tongue as he spoke.

He was all too familiar with the aura emitted by the person before him.

It was the scent of a Balrog.

But there seemed to be a slight difference, though Smaug was in no mood to investigate closely now.

In the First Age, when gods still walked the earth, evil dragons often served as mounts, groveling beneath the Balrogs.

Against a Balrog who wielded authority over fire, an evil dragon was naturally suppressed.

That feeling of fearful submission had long been passed down into the bloodline of every evil dragon.

Chen Nuo did not answer, his eyes burning like torches.

The dragon breath that had not yet dissipated gathered into a pair of fire wings, seemingly lifting him from the ground. In a realm invisible to the naked eye, his flesh and blood were transforming into another higher-order form.

As mentioned before.

Chen Nuo had taken everything from the Balrog before killing it.

As for exactly how he took it, don't ask. He had held on for a long time, and only now had he barely finished digesting and absorbing it.

Although he didn't know what that High God was thinking, judging from the results, He had acquiesced to this.

The authority and status of the Fire Lord had gone dormant with the demise of Gothmog, the Lord of Balrogs, and was now slowly reviving with Chen Nuo's appearance.

The dragon breath Smaug had just exhaled did not disappear into thin air but was absorbed and controlled by Chen Nuo.

It is only polite to reciprocate.

Chen Nuo's body seemed to expand in an instant, like a bellows.

Orange-red flames constricted and erupted from his mouth.

They hit Smaug with an even more violent force, slamming him hard against the stone wall.

"Awooo—!!"

Smaug let out a cry of pain.

As an evil dragon, for the first time, he felt what it was like to be burned by fire.

However, compared to the fear in his soul, the pain in his body was not worth mentioning.

At this moment, Smaug no longer had any illusions, confirming that the one before him was a Fire Lord.

Why not a Balrog?

A Balrog was the result of a fallen Maiar.

Enduring the pain, Smaug turned and slammed through the wall, preparing to flee, with no desire to fight.

At the same time, the Balrog's whip in Chen Nuo's hand extended, turning into slender whips of fire that bound the dragon's body and embedded themselves firmly into its scales and flesh.

The intense pain caused Smaug to erupt with even more terrifying power. He flapped his wings vigorously, creating a massive gale, and broke through the dome, carrying Chen Nuo into the sky.