I'm no visual expert, but this is an improvement in your style. :)

Excellent evocation of the original story. Gives the character some depth: he looks so sad, but you know he's not leaving that hoard.

This reminds me of an old illustration of Fafnir. Not identical, obviously, but it looks a lot like the one in the old illustrations (it was from a book, if I remember correctly, and there were more than one of him in it). You did an awesome job in any case, Tojo. I love it.