Chapter 376 The Mad King is dead, and the territory should rightfully be inherited by me!

Under the impact of the Red Iron Dragon's solidified aura, the Blue Dragon Zoraya felt her mind go blank, all her thoughts were frozen, and she couldn't utter a single word.

She felt as if an invisible claw was gripping her throat and slowly tightening.

The aura of death was so close, as if it would completely engulf her at any moment.

To rise up and resist at all costs?

The thought had barely crossed Zoraya's mind when she subconsciously rejected it.

She was absolutely certain that under these circumstances, any form of resistance would only hasten and worsen her death.

Just then, the dragon's might that had been suffocating her suddenly vanished without a trace.

Zolaya's limbs went weak, and she almost collapsed to the ground. She gasped for air, staring at the red iron dragon with some fear.

Galos acted as if nothing had happened, his tone returning to its previous calm as he commanded, "Contact your father."

Zolaya was filled with confusion and unease, completely unable to fathom the intentions of the Iron King at this moment.

She hesitated for a few seconds, but under the other person's calm yet unquestionable gaze, she ultimately dared not be negligent in the slightest.

She nodded silently and took out a strangely shaped, dragon-scale-like communication alchemy tool from under a scale on her body.

Sizzle sizzle sizzle—!

As she injected her lightning-shaped magical energy, fine blue arcs of electricity immediately crackled across the surface of the alchemical artifact, and runes lit up one by one.

Meanwhile, far away in the central region of the Sel Wilderness, lies the territory of the Dominican dragon herd.

The blue dragon leader, Perest, the Thunderheart, has just finished frantically absorbing the energy of the surrounding thunderclouds.

The sky above this area was still thick with dark clouds, but there was no sign of lightning.

On his deep blue, majestic body, dazzling white arcs of electricity still occasionally leaped, as if the entire dragon had transformed into a dragon-shaped thunderstorm.

At this moment, he was lying prone on a steep cliff with a wide view.

The surrounding area was piled with all kinds of flesh and blood food and minerals containing energy.

Like Galus after he ended his slumber, Perest is also rapidly replenishing the energy and substances he consumed during his slumber by eating large amounts of food.

Thanks to his extensive experience with deep sleep, he recovered extremely quickly.

His aura had become very stable, deep and powerful, far surpassing that of an ordinary young blue dragon.

Sudden.

He paused slightly as he tore a large piece of meat, as if he had sensed something.

The blue dragon leader deftly retrieved a similar-looking alchemical tool shaped like a dragon scale from beneath the thick scales on his neck.

Within the Dominic dragon herd, there is a giant dragon who specializes in alchemy. These are products he created for communication and coordination within the herd.

"She did not die in the territory of the Iron King..."

Perest's eyes flickered slightly.

After hearing the rumors about the Iron King, he judged him in his mind to be a cruel and evil dragon.

The dispatch of Zoraya was ostensibly to propose negotiations, but deep down, there was also a plan to use her as a tool to kill the dragon, thus ensuring the death of this daughter whose prestige was rising and who might threaten his rule.

Zoraya respected and even admired him immensely. He was exceptionally capable and was indeed a son she could rely on.

However, Perest noticed as soon as he awoke that among the many dragons who greeted him and reported on the current state of the horde, only Zoraya was able to present everything clearly and comprehensively.

All the other dragons seemed to have tacitly agreed that she should be the main speaker.

Only one red dragon, who was always irritable and thoughtless, blurted out a few words without thinking.

These subtle signs suggest that during his slumber, Zoraya had subtly built up considerable prestige by managing the dragon pack on his behalf, and even gained a degree of trust from the dragon members.

Although Zoraya managed the dragon affairs with great efficiency and always maintained respect and trust for him, just like her late mother... Perest would not allow any dragon, not even one of his own bloodlines, to have the slightest possibility of challenging his absolute rule.

After this awakening, there is still a long time before the next long period of slumber.

He no longer needs Zoraya as a major combat force and manager.

Therefore, murderous intent quietly arose.

However, he could not attack Zolaya directly without reason, as that would inevitably arouse suspicion and wavering among the other dragons, which would be extremely detrimental to his rule.

There are plenty of opportunities...

The blue dragon leader suppressed the murderous intent surging within him and activated the alchemical artifact.

"Hello, leader of the Dominic dragon herd."

A calm voice, seemingly suppressing a subtle gasp, came through the prop: "Some intelligent beings call me the King of Molten Iron, and I am also the Lord of the Ignas Dragonflight."

The other person paused for a moment, then continued, "I've heard that you seem to have something you'd like to discuss with me."

Perest's expression immediately turned serious and earnest, and he replied in a deep voice, "King of Molten Iron, I do indeed have something to discuss with you."

“I heard that your Ignas dragonflight has taken in several traitors from my ranks.”

Galos's voice remained calm: "Oh, yes, that's true."

“Hriam, Cahill, Ludwig, Serafina… all four of them have explicitly told me that they come from a blue dragon clan called Dominic.”

"However, in my impression, your ethnic group's traditional territory seems to be in the coastal area, located on the shore of the Boiling Sea."

“I thought I wouldn’t have a chance to encounter your members in the remote wilderness far from the coast. But the current situation seems to be different from what I expected.”

Hong Tielong asked politely, "Could you please answer this question that has been bothering me?"

“Tell me why you chose to abandon your long-established coastal territory and go through all the trouble of trekking through mountains and rivers to come to the wilderness.”

The wilderness is indeed full of opportunities, but the dangers that come with it are also increasing.

Under normal circumstances, a mature dragon clan will never easily abandon its long-established territory unless it is forced to do so.

Based on the information previously revealed by the blue dragon Zolaya, Garros speculated that the migration of the Dominic dragon herd was likely related to the storm giants she had mentioned.

Thunderheart on the other side remained silent for a few seconds.

This question seemed to touch on some things he was unwilling to discuss.

"In order to seek broader development space."

He finally replied in a slightly stiff tone: "I grew tired of the unchanging scenery of the sea, and the unchanging enemies and conflicts. Therefore, I made a strategic decision to turn the future of the dragons to this wilderness full of infinite possibilities."

This is a whitewashed lie.

But he couldn’t very well admit that it was because the Dominican Dragon Clan suffered heavy losses in their war against the Storm Giants along the coast that they were forced to abandon their ancestral territory and migrate to the wilderness in a sorry state.

After giving a perfunctory answer, the Blue Dragon leader subtly steered the conversation back on track, his tone becoming increasingly forceful.

“No orderly and dignified dragon clan can tolerate the existence of traitors. Rules are the cornerstone of maintaining the unity and strength of the dragon clan, and are of paramount importance.”

His voice, like thunder brewing in rain clouds, said, "You and I, as lords of the dragons, should be able to understand my meaning and should also understand my firm determination to punish traitors."

Galos was not intimidated by the opponent's imposing manner.

He asked, "According to the rules of your dragon race, how are those traitors you speak of usually punished?"

Blue Dragon leader Perest declared resolutely and emphatically: "Public execution!"

"In front of all members of the Dragon Clan, conduct a bloody public execution that will deter all those with ill intentions!"

"Only the blood of traitors can wash away the shame they brought and uphold the dignity of the rules."

Upon hearing this, Galos shook his head slightly: "It sounds like there's no room for maneuver."

The Blue Dragon leader's attitude was exceptionally firm, leaving no room for negotiation.

"Of course, traitors must die! If there are no swift and decisive measures to deter them, other dragons will gradually develop rebellious intentions."

"All dragons must be made to clearly understand that betraying the dragonflight comes at a terrible price."

Across from him, Galos remained silent for a few seconds, then suddenly asked in a slightly playful tone:

Why not try looking for the problem within yourself?

He chuckled softly, his voice coming through the alchemical tools, and said, "Is it possible that there are some problems with the management style of your dragon clan, which led to the betrayal of the younger members?"

When Garros first took in the dragons like Heriam, he already knew about the ruling structure within the Dominik dragon pack.

It's a top-down pyramid structure that relies on absolute high pressure and ruthless exploitation to keep running.

Almost all dragons below the age of juvenile are treated like slaves within their own kind, forced to obey and serve unconditionally.

Only after reaching adolescence do they barely gain the right to exploit younger members of their own kind, but they still have to endure exploitation and oppression from older and more powerful dragons.

This model might be appreciated by White Dragon Therese.

It fits her niche theory very well.

However, everything should be done in moderation; too much of anything is as bad as too little.

In Galus's view, the Dominicosaurus colony was already riddled with problems and rife with undercurrents of conflict.

The young dragon's betrayal and Zoraya's patricide are, in a sense, bitter consequences inevitably arising from this distorted management model.

Of course, there is another crucial factor.

Perest, the leader of the blue dragons, is not "strong" enough.

Or, to be more precise, he failed to instill in all members of the Dragon Clan an absolute sense of security and worship, a feeling of "omnipotence and invincibility."

The other members will fear his immense power.

But deep down, the ambition and dissatisfaction of "I can take his place" will also arise.

In contrast, consider the Ignath dragons and the Ironforge tribe under Garros's own rule.

Whether it was other dragons or their various followers, almost all of them had an almost blind trust in him, believing that this king of dragons was omnipotent.

Even if they encounter temporary setbacks, they firmly believe that the Dragon King will soon be able to recoup everything with interest.

Even though Garros claimed that he could kill legends right now and was going to be an enemy of legends, the dragons believed he could do it and were willing to follow him through fire and water.

Moreover, Galus was well-versed in the art of profit sharing.

Those who follow his dragons can truly share in the benefits of development, with their efforts and rewards being proportional, and they often receive rewards beyond their expectations.

“I know better than any other dragon how to manage a dragon colony; the other dragons don’t need to worry about that.”

The blue dragon leader abruptly interrupted Garos.

"The problem we need to solve now is those traitors."

He steered the conversation back on track, his voice growing increasingly low, and said, “Hand over those four traitors from Heriam, along with the four dragons in total. I will pay you gold equal to their weight as a reward for finding the traitors for me.”

When the Dominican Dragon Group occupied the coastal area, it discovered and controlled a giant gold mine with rich reserves.

What they have no shortage of is this bright yellow metal.

To be fair, the price offered by Thunderheart is quite tempting for many profit-driven and greedy dragons, who might very well agree.

However, Galus was not one of those short-sighted people.

He ruled the dragons not only by his powerful intimidation, but also by his own charisma that earned the trust and loyalty of his subordinates.

If he were to easily hand over his subordinates for some seemingly plentiful gold, allowing other dragon groups to publicly execute them, how would the other members of the dragon group view him?

The dragons that followed him, and his loyal followers who swore to serve him to the death.

The trust and loyalty in their hearts will inevitably be damaged beyond repair.

"The so-called traitors you speak of are, in my eyes, just a few pitiful little dragons forced by the cruel environment to flee their native dragon pack in order to survive."

Galos's tone was relatively flat.

He continued, "Considering that your Dragon Clan did protect my members for a period of time, I can pay you some compensation."

He proposed his own solution: "Accept the compensation, and this matter will be considered closed."

"After that, our two dragon clans can sit down and discuss the possibility of forming an alliance, and jointly explore the rich resources and opportunities of the wilderness. What do you think of this proposal?"

The Blue Dragon leader did not hesitate.

He stated decisively, "We can explore the possibility of an alliance."

"But before that, executing the traitor is a necessary prerequisite. Rules are rules, and there is no room for negotiation on that."

His attitude was very tough.

After a pause, the blue dragon leader continued, "Are they really that important to your Ignas dragon pack, just four insignificant teenage dragons?"

"Hand them over."

"This will not cause you any substantial loss, but you will gain a large sum of gold, as well as the friendship with our Dominic Dragon Group, my friendship."

Red Iron Dragon shook his head.

He said, "On this point, my stance is the same as yours just now—there's no room for negotiation."

He is essentially a very tough dragon leader as well.

Occasional forbearance and concessions are all expedient measures taken out of necessity in the face of an absolute disparity in strength.

While the Blue Dragon leader Perest is powerful, he is not powerful enough to make Garos feel that he must give way.

Click!

On the other end, the blue dragon leader remained expressionless, the electric current swirling around his claws surged out of control, and the alchemical artifact could not withstand it. Its surface was instantly covered with cracks, and then, with a series of subtle popping sounds, it completely shattered and turned into dust.

at the same time.

The alchemical tools in front of Garus also became dull and lifeless.

The dialogue between the two sides was thus abruptly interrupted and ended.

This negotiation, which concerned the fate of four young dragons and the future relationship between the two dragon groups, ended in discord.

Throughout the negotiations, the blue dragon Zoraya listened attentively, her heart churning with emotion.

As the conversation progressed, she was surprised to find that this Iron King, whom even dragons feared, did not seem to have any intention of reporting her or using her as a bargaining chip.

This gave her a faint glimmer of hope amidst her confusion.

"What unknown weaknesses or habitual flaws does your father, Perest, the Thunderheart, possess?"

Just as Zolaya was lost in thought, Red Iron Dragon's deep voice suddenly rang in her ear.

Immediately afterwards, although the Iron King did not explicitly agree to her proposal, Zolaya told him almost without hesitation everything she knew about her father.

This includes the opponent's usual fighting stance, preference for specific skills, subtle slowdowns that may occur after a long battle, previously revealed trump cards, and certain habits that even Perest himself may not be aware of.

He revealed everything, big and small.

A moment later.

After pondering for a while, Red Iron Dragon turned to Zolaya and said, "You can leave now and return to your Dominican dragon herd."

Zolaya's dragon face showed hesitation and unease.

She couldn't help but press further, "What exactly do you expect me to do after I get back?"

Red Iron Dragon's gaze swept over her, and he said, "Do whatever you want, it's up to you."

This answer, though uncertain, only fueled the faint flame of hope in Zoraya's heart.

She nodded heavily, as if she understood something, then slowly took a few steps back, flapped her pair of broad, sky-blue dragon wings, and her body gradually rose into the air, eventually merging into the dark night sky and the swirling snow, flying back in the direction she had come from.

High in the sky, a biting cold wind swept over us.

Zolaya turned around and looked once more at that majestic dragon shadow.

She increasingly sensed the power and majesty of this Iron King, yet he was also elusive and unfathomable.

Dragon Valley, at the bottom of the valley.

The red iron dragon watched as Zolaya's figure gradually shrank until it disappeared into the distant horizon.

"The Dominic Dragon Horde. If we can control them, perhaps the Ironforge Tribe can advance to a wider land."

He seemed to be deep in thought.

The rulers of other regions did not believe that the Iron King, after taking control of the entire Northwest region, would be content with the status quo and settle down to manage it.

As it turns out, they were right.

Galos longs to step into the legendary realm as quickly as possible, or at least to raise his life level to the peak of level 20 as soon as possible.

Besides hard work and talent, the support of massive resources is also indispensable.

The initial decision to consolidate his territory was mainly due to a shortage of manpower. Further expansion would be difficult to control, so it was better to first digest the resources. However, if the time is right and conditions permit, Garos would never mind having a larger territory and more abundant resources under his control.

At the very least, he wants to get his hands on the currently unclaimed central wilderness area.

Now that the Mad King is dead, the land he once ravaged should rightfully be inherited by his descendant, Galus.

(End of this chapter)