Chapter 258 Blackrock Dwarf? Do I look a bit like I used to? (Seeking votes at the end of the month)

A biting wind swept across the gray sky of the border region time and time again, and scattered snowflakes swirled down from the leaden clouds.

The red dragon Cahill's scarred body trembled slightly in the cold wind. Among the crisscrossing wounds, the most shocking was a penetrating wound—an alchemical heavy arrow, barbed and grooved with blood, pierced her lower abdomen and exited from her right back. Warm dragon blood continued to seep from the dark red groove on the arrow shaft.

This alchemically enhanced weapon was lodged between the muscle tissues like a living thing, causing new tears with each flap of the dragon's wings.

"You lowly dwarf bastard!"

Cahill forced out hoarse curses through clenched teeth, his vertical pupils surging with an almost tangible rage.

She made a blood oath in her heart: if she survived this, she would extinguish every furnace in the Blackrock Duchy in dragonfire, and let those dwarves who loved to forge weapons lie forever in peace on the steel anvils they had created.

The oath was so resolute that it even came with the price of being reborn as a white dragon, a curse that the red dragon deeply abhorred.

After making the vow, the red dragon silently flapped her gradually stiffening wings, struggling to fly alone in the vast sky. The biting cold and boundless loneliness surrounded her, causing her mood to sink deeper and deeper into the abyss of despair.

The ambitions I had back then seem so ridiculous now.

When the dragons who escaped from the Cliff Strait first arrived in the Wilderness of Sel months ago, the seven young dragons were full of ambition.

Like most fledgling and juvenile dragons, they were ready to make their mark in this new world.

However, reality soon gave them a harsh lesson.

—While exploring the environment separately, an inexperienced young blue dragon wandered into the territory of a ferocious beast, and by the time reinforcements arrived, only its remains were scattered everywhere.

The two enraged young dragons led their companions to kill the ferocious beast, and in doing so, they shed their innocence and began to act cautiously.

They subdued some weak monster clans in an attempt to establish a solid foundation, but during a battle for territory, they misjudged the enemy's strength, resulting in the annihilation of their entire army.

After that.

Some disheartened dragons decided to lay low and develop cautiously, waiting until all of them were young dragons before emerging from the mountains.

However, weakness is the greatest risk. They want to develop cautiously, but danger and accidents always come knocking on their door, forcing the dragons to wander constantly and making it impossible for them to settle down.

It was only then that they realized that surviving alone in the outside world was no better than enduring exploitation within the Blue Dragon community.

Slowly.

Due to a series of unexpected events, two more dragons died, leaving only four of the original seven dragons.

—Young Blue Dragon, Young Red Dragon, Young Black Dragon, Young Green Dragon.

After careful consideration, they decided that the Sel Wilderness was too dangerous and that it would be better to start over somewhere else. However, during their migration, they passed through the airspace of a mining area and were noticed by the garrisoned legion, which then followed them and launched a surprise attack when they were off guard.

The black dragon and the green dragon were almost instantly captured and severely injured.

The blue dragon and the red dragon were also locked in a fierce battle.

In the end, with its wings shattered and no chance of escape, the young blue dragon fought desperately to cover the retreat of the red dragon Cahill. In the price of being severely injured and captured, it gave her a chance to escape.

Recalling the blue dragon's last silhouette as it spread its tattered wings, Cahill felt an unprecedented surge of complex emotions within him.

The proud red dragon never imagined that he would survive only because of his usual antagonistic blue dragon kin.

This mix of anger and shame burned in her heart, and for a moment she almost turned to her death, but the obsession with revenge ultimately overwhelmed her impulse, allowing her to retain a sliver of clarity amidst her rage.

Time passed by at a leisurely pace.

The sky gradually darkened, and night enveloped the earth.

Under the cool moonlight, the red dragon Cahill flapped its wings, sometimes deep, sometimes shallow.

Due to the long flight and her injuries, she unknowingly flew lower and lower, her speed slowed down, and her consciousness became somewhat dulled. Although she was determined to escape and seek revenge, her severe injuries made her powerless.

Tear!

A piercing shriek suddenly rang out.

The red dragon instinctively dodged to the side, then felt a sharp pain in its wing as it was pierced by an alchemical crossbow bolt.

Looking back, the dwarf pursuers were closing in relentlessly.

Lightly armored cavalrymen rode giant antelopes, swiftly traversing the hard earth of the border region, raising clouds of dust behind them. Several colossal golems made of steel and metal followed behind the column, rumbling forward.

Whoosh whoosh!

The light cavalrymen raised their crossbows and unleashed a rain of arrows into the sky.

Red Dragon Cahill was flying at an altitude of only about 300 meters, which was well within the range of these crossbow bolts. She tried her best to dodge, but she was still hit repeatedly, with bolt after bolt piercing her body, and blood was flowing freely.

The red dragon was swaying precariously, about to crash to the ground.

"We must take at least a few burial items with us!"

Despite the exhaustion and pain in her body, the red dragon felt no fear. Instead, a look of savagery and ferocity flashed in her eyes. With a low growl, she flapped her tattered wings and barely managed to turn around, swooping down towards the dwarven cavalry.

Along the red dragon's path, blood droplets drew a mournful red line in the cold wind.

Her tattered dragon wings tore through the air with a dying shriek, and a final burst of dragonfire brewed deep in her throat—until the sky suddenly lit up with an unnatural red light.

The young dragon looked over instinctively.

The next moment, her pupils suddenly contracted.

Clad in black, heavy armor-like scales, and possessing an absurdly powerful physique that even the red dragon found unbelievable, the majestic and ferocious dragon was reflected in her vision. With just a gentle flap of its wings, its imposing dragon body tore through the night sky like a comet, streaking across the horizon.

Whoosh!

In that brief moment of hesitation, the red iron dragon had already approached the ground.

Only then did the deafening roar, like thunder, finally arrive.

The dwarf cavalry captain was the first to react.

His pupils constricted, and he shouted, "Everyone—"

Before the sound could even fade, it was drowned out by a deafening roar.

Under Cahill's utterly shocked gaze, the red iron dragon crashed into the cavalry formation like a meteorite, turning the dwarves and their mounts into a bloody pulp. As the shockwave spread and the earth churned, it sent the surrounding dwarves flying in circles.

boom!

The engine roared.

Three alchemical golems on the outskirts rushed into the murky, smoke-filled area.

The next second, with a series of rapid collisions, debris flew everywhere like rain.

Red Iron Dragon toyed with the alchemical engine, which resembled a heart, in its claws, and walked slowly and steadily out of the smoke and dust with heavy, unstoppable steps.

Hunting is prohibited for outsiders in the border area.

Red Iron Dragon's gaze swept around, and he said, "Especially, hunting dragons."

Upon hearing the sound and gazing at the terrifying, ferocious dragon shadow, the surviving dwarves almost forgot to breathe.

At the same time, Red Iron Dragon also noticed the dwarves' equipment and the badges on it.

—The Principality of Blackrock.

A subtle change flashed in Hong Tielong's eyes.

More than twenty years later, Garos came into contact with the Principality of Blackrock once again; however, the situation was completely different this time.

"For the Principality of Blackrock!"

With a deafening roar, the dwarf captain unleashed his final act of bravery, leaping up and swinging his warhammer toward the red iron dragon's head, only to be struck by a careless claw at an even faster speed, instantly exploding into a cloud of blood mist.

A nimble dwarf warrior quietly retreated to the back, took out a communication device from his waist, and activated it.

However, something unexpected happened: the communication device seemed to be affected by some unknown interference and could not be used.

"A death throes is more interesting than kneeling and begging for mercy."

Before Hong Tielong could finish speaking, his afterimage had already swept across the battlefield.

Just a few dozen seconds later, the land returned to silence, with only the cold wind carrying the smell of blood sweeping over the wreckage and the imposing, powerful dragon shadow.

Only then did Cahill, who was suspended in mid-air, snap out of his shock.

"What a powerful evil dragon!!"

"A young dragon? Or an adult dragon?"

Looking at that terrifying figure, she felt wary, fearful, and filled with awe.

P.S.: It's almost the end of the month, please vote!

(End of this chapter)