Chapter 280 Burn, Fuse! Blood Flows Like Rivers (Daily 10,000 words, seeking monthly votes)

"I can't just attack you like this for nothing."

Alberto's expression quickly shifted from one of enjoyment and satisfaction to one of utter solemnity.

His golden vertical pupils stared directly at Garros, and he continued in a solemn tone, "Garos, there were far too many interfering factors in the previous battle."

"Whether it was the siege by your dragons or the distraction I had to deal with myself, I was unable to truly appreciate you, especially the full power of you when you were surrounded by astonishing lightning."

"At this moment, please let me experience it more directly."

Are you sure you want to do this?

A hint of surprise flashed in Garros's dragon eyes as he confirmed in a deep voice.

"Absolutely certain!"

Jinlong's answer was resolute.

Since the other party was so insistent, Hong Tielong naturally wouldn't disappoint him.

Sizzle! Sizzle!

A chilling crackling sound of electricity suddenly shattered the tranquility above Dragon Valley.

Black and red dragon energy and surging golden lightning burst forth from Garos's body, greatly increasing his aura and exuding a terrifying sense of oppression.

Alberto dared not be careless, and simultaneously activated the Crown Oath and the Conquest Oath.

First, a divine armor, solid as a substance, appeared and adhered to the body's surface. The gleaming golden crown further enhanced its defensive effect and was then plated with a layer of rich golden light.

The very next second after the double holy oath defense was completed.

The thick dragon claws, imbued with dragon energy and surging lightning, clenched into a hammer shape and rammed straight at him.

Crack! Bang!

The armor was cracked and broken.

Red Iron Dragon's fierce blow landed heavily on Alberto's chest.

The immense impact caused Alberto's massive golden dragon body to shudder violently.

"Well--!"

A suppressed groan escaped his throat uncontrollably.

Under Garus's heavy blow, the once sturdy and magnificent dragon scales on his chest visibly caved in and collapsed.

The immense force even reached his back, causing the tough dragon scales there to crack slightly.

Alberto's body involuntarily arched forward abruptly.

"As expected...very...very strong..."

Jinlong endured the excruciating pain and tremors churning within his body, and very slowly, bit by bit, straightened his hunched body again, his voice carrying a suppressed gasp.

"...However...it is indeed...within my tolerance range."

Before he finished speaking, he didn't linger for a moment. His huge golden dragon wings flapped violently, creating a strong gust of air. Like an arrow released from a bow, he rushed straight towards the direction of the Sel Wilderness and quickly disappeared into the deepening twilight sky.

Garros hovered silently in place, its massive red iron dragon wings fluttering gently in the evening breeze, its expression calm and undisturbed.

However.

As Alberto's golden figure gradually disappeared from sight, becoming smaller and smaller until it vanished on the horizon... Galos's calm and collected expression crumbled.

He bared his teeth and reached out a claw to touch the mark left on his chest by the Holy Slayer's Slash.

Perhaps it's related to his bloodline, or perhaps it's because his personality also falls into the category of evil.

All the effects that the Holy Slash had on evil creatures were applied to Garus.

"I haven't experienced this kind of pain, which is a bit unbearable, in a very, very long time."

Galos took a few deep breaths of the cold night wind.

It seems... should we specifically seek out a powerful paladin in the future? Or at least a creature with similar holy power to a paladin?

Their attacks are a way to repeatedly train and adapt to their resistance to this divine punitive power.

Only in this way can I be truly calm and fearless when facing attacks like the Holy Slash in the future, just as I have shown before.

As for his family, the mixed-race woman Elvie.

Although her attacks also carry holy attributes, she is not a paladin after all, and the effect is still far from sufficient. It is probably not enough to train resistance.

at the same time.

On the far, distant side.

Alberto struggled to stay airborne while constantly glancing back warily until he was absolutely certain that no one was watching him.

Whoosh! He could no longer hold on, and his enormous golden dragon body crashed down like a meteorite onto a remote, rocky slope.

*Pfft!*

As soon as he landed, before he could even retract his dragon wings, his throat churned violently, and a mouthful of scalding dragon blood was uncontrollably sprayed onto the rocks.

"Aww!"

Alberto let out a painful roar, his massive dragon body could no longer maintain its majestic posture, and he collapsed to the ground in a sorry state, then rolled and thrashed uncontrollably on the gravel-strewn ground.

It hurts, it hurts so much.

A heart-wrenching pain surged through Alberto's body.

He carefully felt it, and oh, it wasn't just a feeling, but his heart and lungs were indeed injured.

If it were an ordinary young white dragon, he would probably be pierced through by this blow and sent to hell.

Despite the suffocating pain, Alberto trembled as he raised his dragon claw and cast several powerful Healing Spells on himself.

After a while, he felt the churning pain subside slightly, and his violently heaving chest was finally able to breathe steadily, although with each inhale, a persistent, needle-like dull pain still came from deep within his body.

To think that Garus, at only a teenager, already possessed such terrifying and overwhelming power, enough to crush him.

The proud Alberto fell into a brief silence.

A few seconds later, his gaze hardened, and he decided to make a ruthless vow to himself to motivate himself to surpass Red Iron Dragon.

"I, Alberto Aurelius, hereby swear this sacred oath, by the blood of my people, by my honor, and by the Golden Law which I have pursued my entire life!"

"Before completely surpassing—the Red Iron Dragon Garo Ignas!"

"I will reject all entertainment and leisure! I will no longer allow myself any meaningless rest or laziness! I will work tirelessly day and night to hone my claws, temper my scales, and forge my will and strength!"

"Until I become stronger than him! Undeniably stronger!"

"If I break this oath, may I, Alberto Aurelius, be reincarnated and reborn as a white dragon!"

With a whoosh, as his last vow syllable faded, an invisible, incredibly heavy force suddenly descended.

Alberto immediately felt as if an invisible, intangible, yet icy and sharp sword was hanging high above his head, its tip pointing directly at his soul, and it was slowly descending.

This is the binding force of the sacred oath.

It clearly reminded Alberto that although he was in extremely poor condition, with severe internal injuries and mental exhaustion, he was far from needing to lie down and rest completely, thanks to the Golden Dragon's extraordinary physique.

Any slackening or laziness would be a desecration of this solemn vow.

Alberto felt a chill run down his spine and dared not be negligent in the slightest.

He gritted his teeth, enduring the churning pain and deep exhaustion within his body, and then flew into the deep night sky.

"With the bond of this oath, and with the talent of my Golden Dragon bloodline, I will be able to surpass Garos sooner or later."

"I'll take a good rest then."

Alberto thought optimistically as his figure, bathed in the glow of the sunset, gradually disappeared into the distance.

As Alberto departed and night fell completely, the deep, inky darkness, like a giant velvet curtain, slowly enveloped another land steeped in history—the Alva Valley.

This valley, winding through the mountains, is located precisely at the border between the Principality of Abel and the Principality of Haltai, making it one of the most sensitive and complex areas along the long border between the two countries.

Among them, the Duchy of Haltai has always been the most loyal and obedient supporter of the Kingdom of Lorthern. Its status is almost equivalent to that of a vassal territory of the Kingdom of Lorthern, and its every move is deeply influenced by the will of its suzerain state.

Meanwhile, on the other side was the Principality of Abel.

It maintains a close and friendly relationship with another major power within the Federation—the Kingdom of Reipos.

The Kingdom of Reibos, a nation holding a pivotal position within the Federation, possesses national strength and influence second only to the powerful Kingdom of Lorthern, making it the undisputed second pole within the Federation.

Let's get back to the main topic.

Due to some extremely complex and special reasons involving the early history of the two countries and even further back, the long border between the Principality of Haltai and the Principality of Abe has never been accurately surveyed on the ground by both sides, nor has it ever been jointly signed a formal border treaty that is fully recognized by the two countries and has the highest legal effect.

The two countries have vastly different interpretations of historical evidence, understanding of ancient agreement clauses, and perceptions of traditional jurisdiction.

This has resulted in large areas of overlapping sovereignty claims along most of the border between the two countries—both claim indisputable sovereignty over the same territory.

Moreover, the geographical environment of the Alva Valley is particularly complex and varied: towering mountains, deep and precipitous valleys, and swift and winding rivers... This varied terrain itself is highly prone to controversy.

What's more troublesome is that this area is also frequently affected by natural river course changes, sudden landslides, and even small-scale geological subsidence... These continuous geographical changes further exacerbate the difficulty of accurately determining specific boundary control points.

So the final result was:

There are huge and irreconcilable differences between the two sides regarding the specific direction of the border line they advocate.

In the maps drawn by the two countries, the lines representing sovereignty claims often intersect in large, jagged areas of disputed territory that are not recognized by either side.

Against this backdrop.

When the armed forces of both countries, such as scouts, sentries, and patrols, stationed along the border unexpectedly encounter each other in these sensitive and disputed areas, it is highly likely that a tense standoff or even a fierce conflict will occur.

However, for a long time in the past, because both sides were under the loose but effective framework of the Federation, and because there were two more powerful "gods" above them, the Kingdom of Lorthern and the Kingdom of Rebos, who coordinated and exerted pressure, the Duchy of Abel and the Duchy of Haltai always maintained considerable restraint.

Both sides strictly adhered to the unwritten rules.

— Keep the level of conflict to a minimum, limited to pushing, shoving, verbal altercations, or small-scale hand-to-hand combat, and try to avoid the use of lethal weapons, let alone escalating the conflict into a real war.

However... tonight, an unusual atmosphere seems to permeate this land of the Alva Valley, which has been repeatedly claimed.

Beneath the calm surface, undercurrents are surging.

The night was as thick as ink that could not be dissolved, and a pale, cold crescent moon cast a pale silver light, barely illuminating the rushing waters of the Alva River Valley and the steep silhouettes of its banks.

A border patrol team belonging to the Principality of Haltai is conducting a routine patrol along their designated "own" border, strictly following the established route.

Their steps were heavy, and their bronze scales gleamed with a bluish-green hue in the cold moonlight.

Unbeknownst to them, they had stepped into a disputed area that both sides insisted belonged to, with a high degree of overlapping sovereignty.

As expected.

Almost at the same time they stepped into this sensitive area, on the other side of the valley, a guard from the Principality of Abel, who was also on patrol, emerged like ghosts from the shadows of the taiga.

Heavy breastplates forged from black iron covered their upper bodies, appearing exceptionally somber and menacing under the moonlight, as if they had absorbed all the light.

Under the cold moonlight, the surface of the rushing Alva River was cut into countless leaping and shimmering silver scales.

The soldiers on both patrols emerged warily from the edges of the dense coniferous forests on either side of the valley at almost the same time, their gazes clashing like swords across the not-so-wide water.

The captain of the guard of the Duchy of Hartai was exceptionally burly, and his signature thick red beard trembled slightly in the cold wind.

He gripped the hilt of his longsword firmly with one hand, and raised the other to signal the column to halt its advance.

"Back off! Abel!"

Captain Todd's thick red beard trembled violently with his shout: "This is the sacred territory of Haltai, personally designated and indisputable by the Kingdom of Lorthen! Leave immediately! Otherwise, you will face the consequences!"

opposite.

The leader of the patrol of the Principality of Abel was a one-eyed sergeant with a rugged face and sharp eyes.

A gruesome scar, like a centipede, tore and crawled from his forehead down to below his neck, looking particularly terrifying in the moonlight.

Faced with Todd's warning, the one-eyed sergeant named Patton not only did not back down, but instead grinned and cursed angrily.

"Old Todd, you're talking bullshit!"

Patton retorted gruffly, his voice like a broken gong: "Get your bunch of Hartai bastards back to your southern mountain valleys! Every inch of this valley, every stone, has belonged to our Principality of Abel since ancient times! It is our inseparable territory!"

After saying that, Patton unhesitatingly unbuckled the belt of his sword, letting the heavy steel longsword, scabbard and all, fall with a clatter onto the gravel on the ground.

Then, he removed his heavy arm armor, and the steel gauntlets slammed heavily against his chainmail, producing a crisp, piercing metallic clang.

He stretched his thick neck, making a soft cracking sound, and then walked step by step toward the other side of the river, toward the group of Hartai people.

The Abel soldiers behind him, without needing any verbal commands, moved in perfect unison, unloading their weapons—swords, shields, short axes—and throwing them heavily to the ground.

Fists covered in calluses clenched tightly, the knuckles cracking with a chilling sound.

On the other side, the warriors of Hartai were equally determined.

"Disarm!"

With a deep, powerful command from Todd, all the metal weapons—bronze scale armor, swords, spears—were disarmed and discarded.

The engines of the golems that had been silently following behind them instantly shut down and went into standby mode.

Hartai's soldiers clenched their fists, facing the approaching Abel people with the dignity and indomitable spirit of warriors.

soon.

The oppressive atmosphere reached its peak. Then, a low, angry roar, seemingly from nowhere, ignited a fuse—the battle instantly began!

Two groups of soldiers from different duchies, each carrying their own loyalty, led by their respective commanders, clashed and merged like two surging tides, engaging in a chaotic melee on the cold banks of the Alva River.

The hard, heavy soles of the military boots crushed the thin ice that had formed on the edge of the riverbank, producing a crisp, piercing cracking sound.

The dull thuds of fists pounding into the opponent's face, chest, and ribs echoed one after another, filled with anger and power.

The heavy chainmail worn by the soldiers rubbed and collided violently during the fierce fighting, producing a continuous, teeth-grinding noise of metal scraping and colliding!

All these sounds, a mixture of heavy breathing, angry roars, and painful groans, echoed repeatedly in the deep Alva Valley.

Todd tackled Barton into the icy stream, his redbeard covered in ice: "Give up and I'll let you go!"

Patton's knee suddenly struck him in the groin, and the Haltai man curled up like a shrimp in pain, but he didn't forget to raise his fist and smash it into the Abel man's nose.

As time went on, the chaotic situation gradually became clear.

Although the soldiers of the Principality of Abel were brave, they seemed to be slightly inferior in terms of numbers and individual physique.

Finally, when the last few Abel guards were slammed to the ground by Hartai's soldiers, groaning in pain and unable to get up... Captain Barton, whose nose was bleeding profusely from being hit by Todd and who was barely able to stand, finally managed to raise his right hand, which was covered in mud and blood and was trembling slightly.

This is a traditional gesture used by one side in border conflicts to acknowledge defeat and signal a halt.

Seeing this gesture, Redbeard Todd, enduring the sharp pain and dizziness emanating from his vital areas, released his left arm, which had been unconsciously gripping Barton's neck, and tried to straighten up.

"snort!"

Todd, panting heavily, his face contorted with the disdain and mockery of a victor, spat a mouthful of bloody saliva at Barton: "Go back to your Abel territory! Don't let me see you in this valley again!"

He thought that tonight's conflict would end there, just like countless times before.

However.

This time, it was beyond everyone's expectations.

Patton, who had just struggled to his feet, did not silently lead his troops away as usual after hearing Todd's taunts.

On his rugged, blood-stained face, a complex expression appeared, a mixture of helplessness, ruthlessness, and a trace of guilt.

In the moment when Todd was completely unprepared and even somewhat relaxed.

Patton's right hand, the one that had just made the gesture of surrender, suddenly reached for his lower back like a venomous snake!

With lightning speed, he drew out an alchemical dagger with a matte finish that did not reflect the moonlight at all!

Without the slightest hesitation! *Pfft!*

The incredibly sharp blade, with a piercing sound like tearing leather, precisely and ruthlessly pierced Todd's unprotected throat.

Immediately afterwards, the blade was pulled horizontally and sharply.

A huge, shocking wound was instantly slashed open! Blood gushed out of Todd's neck like a fountain.

Barton stared at Todd's eyes, which widened instantly in pain and disbelief, then quickly lost their luster. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, it only turned into a barely audible whisper: "...I'm sorry, Redbeard..."

"Tonight, the orders from above... want some... more intense conflict... and I... have no choice..."

Warm, life-giving blood, like the thickest dye, instantly soaked into the cold stream beneath Todd, spreading a dazzling crimson in the moonlight.

Both Hartai's and Abel's soldiers were stunned by the sudden and brutal massacre.

After a brief silence.

"Captain Todd—!!!"

"Patton! You bastard!!!"

Two languages, both filled with extreme anger, sorrow, and unbelievable furious roars, erupted from the mouths of the soldiers on both sides like a lit powder keg.

At the same time! Buzz—Rumble!!!

The alchemical golems that had just had their engines shut down and stood quietly to the side suddenly had their eyes flash with a blinding red light, and their huge gears and drive shafts emitted a deafening roar, instantly activating their heavy steel bodies.

They marched heavily into the battlefield with a thunderous roar.

Clang! Clang!

The swords and knives that had just been removed and thrown on the ground were instantly picked up again by countless angry hands.

The cold metal reflected a deadly glint in the moonlight. The border conflict, which had been strictly restrained within the realm of fists and feet, suddenly spiraled out of control amidst the destructive roar of the alchemical golem engine, the ear-piercing symphony of countless swords clashing violently, and the furious roars of soldiers filled with blood, tears, and hatred.

It escalated into a brutal, bloody, and relentless battle that had completely lost its rationality.

(End of this chapter)