Chapter 379 Don't ask, the answer is sweat.

After the war council ended, the Ironforge tribe, which had been quiet in the northwest region for some time, once again revealed its sharp teeth and claws.

Ogres, centaurs, snake people, werewolves, kobolds, lizardmen, gnolls.

...Countless iron soldiers of different races, but equally fierce, were already fully armed and exuding murderous intent.

Following this, through the dragon and the leaders of the lower and middle ranks, the commands from top to bottom quickly mixed and assembled the followers, eventually forming a war legion that seemed capable of crushing any obstacle in its path.

That's not all.

On Lionheart Plains, there are shadowless jungles, mysterious swamps, and lush woodlands.

Several feudal lords, each leading their own legions of ferocious beasts and monsters, which were different in style but equally powerful, marched out of their territories from different directions like rivers flowing into the sea, gradually merging with the main force of the Ironforge tribe.

The earth trembled slightly as they marched, and the air was thick with the growing atmosphere of war.

Whew! Whew! Whew!

Enormous dragons with massive bodies and menacing scales circled and flew beneath the low-hanging dark clouds, casting suffocating shadows. Among them, the most conspicuous was the Iron King.

"The Golden Dragon Alberto and the Iron Dragon Leticia will also come to join the battle."

Hong Tielong's gaze was sharp as a knife as he surveyed the massive army formation that was gradually taking shape.

"The objective of this battle is clear: to crush the Dominican dragon herd in one fell swoop and give those blue dragons no chance to take advantage of their speed."

He thought to himself.

The first battle is the decisive battle; one battle will decide the fate of the world!

This is the war strategy adopted by the Ironforge tribe.

Simple, direct, and brutal.

This also aligns with Galos's current desires.

As time passed, the anger generated by his maniacal rage quietly accumulated within him, and he needed to vent it. The Dominic dragon swarm would be a perfect target.

Soon after, a dazzling golden dragon shadow, like sunlight tearing through the gloom, sped in from the distant horizon.

The dim sky beneath the dark clouds could not completely conceal the golden scales that shone with a noble luster.

He quickly approached, revealing his full appearance.

It was Alberto, a golden dragon whose muscles were bulging and whose strength surpassed that of a red dragon of the same size.

However, Alberto's majestic and cold dragon face was now shrouded in an obvious gloom, clearly indicating that he was in a bad mood.

Having just had a brief exchange, Galos knew perfectly well why he was in a bad mood.

Alberto's painstakingly developed territory was located in the northeastern region. However, not long ago, while he was away, the giants under the Mountain King launched a surprise attack, destroying his territory with overwhelming force and causing his years of hard work to go to waste.

"I'm very angry right now."

Alberto hovered in front of the Red Iron Dragon and said, "Garos, your news comes at just the right time. I am not yet a match for the Mountain King and cannot take revenge directly, but I can vent my anger on those ignorant Blue Dragons and personally destroy their evil order that disgusts me!"

He made no attempt to hide his anger at that moment.

“You can beg me to avenge the Mountain King for you.”

Red Iron Dragon chuckled and said, "If your request is sincere enough and satisfies me enough, I might consider agreeing. Those flightless giants, barring any unforeseen circumstances, will most likely be easier to defeat than the Blue Dragon Swarm."

Alberto the Golden Dragon shook his head decisively.

"No, I will handle this matter on my own."

His tone rose slightly as he said to Red Iron Dragon, "I have a strong feeling that my slumber of adolescence is coming soon. Perhaps, after the stimulation of this battle, I will officially enter my slumber."

"When I wake up next time, I will be an adult, and with my talent and the effort I put in, my life level will most likely be able to be directly raised to level 18."

Newly matured golden dragons are usually around level 16 on average.

Alberto is still in his juvenile stage, but he is already comparable to an ordinary adult dragon.

He was confident that he could reach level 18 through this slumber and transformation, surpassing Garros in terms of life level.

"At that time..."

Alberto's gaze refocused on Galos, a renewed fighting spirit igniting within him: "I will challenge you once again and avenge my defeat!"

The thought that his strength would leap dramatically after he went into slumber, and that his life level would increase significantly, swelled the golden dragon's confidence.

Only then did he belatedly notice that the Red Iron Dragon seemed to have grown even larger and more robust than when they last met, and the life force emanating from its body was even more unfathomable, as if it had made a breakthrough.

His heart skipped a beat, and he asked hesitantly, "By the way, what level are you now?"

The Life Level Detection Technique cannot detect beings of a higher level than oneself. Alberto knew that Garos's level must have surpassed his current level, but he guessed that the difference wouldn't be too great.

At least after they awaken from their slumber, they will most likely be able to overtake them.

"Only level 18, not worth mentioning."

Hong Tielong spoke in a nonchalant tone.

Golden Dragon Alberto: "…………"

He fell silent, as if an invisible hand had gripped his throat. His previously high spirits froze instantly, and he remained speechless for a long time.

"Why did you level up so fast?!"

A few seconds later, Alberto couldn't help but question him.

Hong Tielong said unhurriedly, "It's all thanks to sweat."

Jinlong fell silent again.

There's nothing we can do; something that happened with a low probability of occurrence has happened. There's nothing we can do; it's like the other side has cheated.

"Pretend I never said anything about the challenge."

He withdrew his challenge request.

Challenging Garos at the same level? Forget it. He doesn't even have a 10% chance of winning. To defeat this monster, he would need to be at least one level higher.

Alberto, having suffered repeated defeats, was well aware of the gap between himself and Galos.

"Oh, right, there's one more thing."

Alberto quickly changed the subject to hide his frustration: "My territory was destroyed by the giants under the Mountain King's command, leaving it in ruins. During my slumber, I hope to temporarily stay in Dragon Valley."

While dragons are not particularly weak during their slumber, the effects of their slumber will be greatly diminished if they are disturbed and awakened midway. Therefore, a safe and secluded place is of utmost importance.

Galos nodded: "Okay, Dragon Valley won't miss your spot, I'll take you in."

Alberto Long's face darkened.

He stubbornly insisted, "A noble golden dragon needs no charity! I'll pay!"

Galos tilted his massive head and said, "Am I mistaken? It seems you haven't paid back the money you owe me before."

Jinlong's expression froze for a moment, as if his sore spot had been hit. He flicked his glittering golden tail in annoyance.

"I'm going to start warming up for the upcoming battle!"

He abruptly changed the subject: "Debts and stuff...we'll talk about that later, later!"

Having said that, he immediately spread his broad golden dragon wings and moved away from the red iron dragon. Then, he began to do ordinary warm-up exercises such as stretching and diving in the air not far away.

Jinlong had made a vow, and although he later discovered a way to circumvent the vow, the proud Alberto did not choose to do so indefinitely. Apart from occasionally giving himself a break, he still kept his vow and honed himself through high-intensity training, hoping to catch up with Garus as much as possible.

Galos lowered his eyes and turned his gaze to the Iron Legion below.

Suddenly, he remembered something and summoned Iron Dragon Sorog, who was coordinating the legion's deployment not far away.

Garros's thoughts returned to the battle with the Red Dragon Father, and he asked in a deep voice, "What exactly happened to our father's body afterward?"

"The madness in his body can be transferred and spread through the blood, which is extremely dangerous. But on the other hand, if it can be controlled, it may become a strategic weapon."

Upon hearing this, Iron Dragon Sorog shook his head slightly.

"No, I have conducted many careful experiments since then, and his blood will not cause any creatures that come into contact with it to be infected with the Epileptic Flame."

"Not only in the blood, but also in any part of his body, no trace of epilepsy could be detected. We tried various known modes of transmission, but no infection or metastasis was observed."

Sorog gazed intently at the red iron dragon.

“Garos, the madness that has afflicted you is not spread through simple blood contact.”

"It probably affects you directly in some more elusive way."

He said in a deep voice, "I firmly believe that you will eventually be able to take complete control of it, but the origin of this thing is mysterious and unpredictable. We must not let our guard down until we have a complete understanding of it."

The mysteriously vanished meteorite from outer space, the mad fire that transferred to him through unknown means... Galos was well aware of their mystery and danger, but with limited information at the moment, it was difficult to delve into the root cause, so he could only take it one step at a time.

"Let's focus on the war that's about to begin."

Hong Tielong suppressed his surging thoughts, his gaze sharp as he looked at the dark and oppressive sky over the central region.

Sorog nodded, said no more, and turned back to continue directing the final assembly and reorganization of the legions.

After a period of time.

The beastman legions under the command of several lords, each with their own distinct style, have fully merged with the main force of the Ironforge tribe.

A massive legion, composed of countless races yet radiating a unified will and chilling killing intent, was thus formed.

Like a primordial beast awakening, it began to advance steadfastly forward.

Rolling over dense jungles, rolling hills, and rushing rivers... with an aura of destroying all obstacles, they marched in a mighty force toward the central region where the Dominican dragon herd resided!

Meanwhile, in the central region of the wilderness, at the heart of the Dominic Dragon Clan's territory.

“Zoraia, my dear daughter, I am truly happy that you have returned safely from the territory of the Iron King.”

Thunderheart looked at the blue dragon Zoraya, who stood respectfully before him, and spoke in a steady voice.

However, he paused slightly, his dragon eyes, which seemed to flash with lightning, fixed on his offspring, and then subtly changed the subject.

"However, to my slight surprise, our negotiations with the Ignas dragons have broken down and war is imminent. Why hasn't the Iron King attacked you?"

His voice remained low and deep, revealing little about his emotions, as if it were just a casual question, yet it also sounded like an interrogation.

It all depends on what the person being questioned is thinking.

Under her father's gaze, which seemed to see right through her, the blue dragon Zoraya raised her head, her face showing the same expression as always, a mixture of awe and obedience, revealing no sign of abnormality or rebellion.

“Father, I was able to come back alive only because of the extreme arrogance and conceit of that Iron King.”

Zolaya began her explanation: "He took a fancy to me, and his words were full of blasphemy and insults, intending to turn me into his plaything."

She paused slightly, then continued, "However, he seemed to lack genuine interest in toys that were easily obtained."

"He arrogantly declared that he would personally lead his legion to completely crush our Dominican dragons."

“He will make all of us dragons tremble and beg for mercy under his power! Then, he will trample me under his feet with the absolute power of a victor, forcing me to kneel down and submit to him.”

This statement does indeed sound like something that the legendary, powerful, and domineering Red and Iron Dragon might do.

Thunderheart narrowed his eyes, carefully observing every change in Zoraia's expression and listening to every detail in her words.

On the surface, he did not notice anything unusual.

"The King of Smelting Iron, ha, what an arrogant fellow who doesn't know his own limitations."

Perest shook his head slightly and said, "The victory in killing Gorsas has blinded him, giving him the illusion that he can look down on all opponents."

"But it's just a mad dragon that has lost its mind. With the right strategy, it's not too difficult to deal with."

"Did he think that by killing a mad king by chance, he could easily defeat our Dominican dragon herd, which we have been cultivating for hundreds of years?"

Zolaya secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Her biggest worry was that her father would realize her growing rebellious intentions, but judging from the current situation, her carefully maintained facade had effectively lowered her father's guard against her.

The next period is crucial for the battle against the Ignas dragons.

Based on her understanding of her dragon father's extremely selfish nature, she didn't need to worry that he would kill her at this critical juncture while she still had some use to him.

She immediately echoed, her tone full of agreement: "Father, you're right!"

"Such arrogance and hubris will inevitably lead him to pay a heavy price for his ignorance!"

That being said, deep down she knew perfectly well that, judging from the previous behavior of the Iron King, he was by no means a reckless person.

If he is simply regarded as an arrogant person, her father will only suffer the consequences in the end.

And this is exactly the situation she is happy to see.

Perest stopped paying attention to his daughter and turned his gaze to the distant horizon.

At this moment, the dark clouds grew even thicker, obscuring the sky. Streaks of lightning, like silver snakes, darted wildly through the clouds, and muffled thunder rumbled in.

The rainy season in the wilderness is not yet over.

In such weather conditions, the Blue Dragon, as a storm dragon, will be able to unleash even greater power, which is undoubtedly an advantageous condition.

However, Perest has not yet fully decided whether to wage a full-scale war against the formidable Ignas dragons in order to execute a few insignificant teenage traitors.

Indeed, the importance of upholding the rules of the Dragon Group is self-evident.

However, if the price to be paid is too heavy, or even shakes the foundation of the dragon clan, then in his view, it would be a loss that does not outweigh the gains.

This blue dragon leader values ​​rules, but he values ​​practical benefits even more, and he is weighing the pros and cons.

Should we go to war, or take a step back and gain an alliance?

The blue dragon leader pondered the matter, leaning towards the second option.

Just then.

A fully grown blue dragon, its body crackling with electric arcs, flapped its wings rapidly and flew from afar, landing hastily in front of the leader.

"Chief! Urgent military situation!"

The adult blue dragon reported urgently, "The Ironforge tribe has assembled an extremely large legion and is advancing towards our territory in a mighty force!"

The assembly and march of a large-scale legion is so massive that ordinary concealment spells cannot completely cover it up.

Therefore, when the Iron Legion crushed the Dominican Dragons' border guard line, they were aware of this enormous threat almost immediately.

Sizzle—!

Sizzle—!

A denser, more dazzling arc of electricity burst forth and leaped from between Perest's deep blue scales.

His expression darkened visibly.

He never expected that while he was still weighing the pros and cons and had not yet made a final decision, the other party would be so aggressive and ruthless in taking the initiative to attack.

Moreover, the enemy was able to assemble such a large army in such a short period of time.

This can only mean that the Ignas dragons were probably already secretly preparing for war before they sent envoys to negotiate!

"Relay my orders!"

Perest suppressed the raging anger surging in his chest and said in a deep voice, "Summon all the dragons in the horde that are capable of fighting! Notify all your followers to prepare for war!"

He raised his head, and his dragon roar echoed across the mountain cliffs.

"Fight according to our established plan! Let those ignorant rabble experience firsthand the thunder and storm wrath of our Blue Dragon Clan!"

Orders are absolute.

In an instant, blue dragon shadows spread their wings and soared into the sky, mixed with a few other evil dragons of different colors, some robust and some agile, some old and some young, rushing off in different directions.

Zoraya did not hesitate at all.

She immediately set off, flapping her wings and flying into the gloomy sky, merging into the streaks of rapidly flying dragon shadows.

Rumble—!!!

In the sky, the thunder between the dark clouds seemed to be stirred by the fighting spirit of the blue dragons, becoming more dense and violent than ever before. Deafening thunderclaps rang out one after another, and silver snakes danced wildly, as if a storm was brewing.

Thunderheart looked up at the battlefield weather that seemed tailor-made for him, and his heavy breathing gradually became steady and long.

"Under such circumstances, let us, the Storm Dragons, wage war."

"Arrogant and ignorant Red Iron Dragon, you will soon regret your decision!"

The middle-aged blue dragon leader whispered as he unfurled his enormous wings, which were covered in countless lightning bolt patterns. His body seemed to transform into a bolt of lightning that defied the heavens, soaring into the sky at a speed too fast for the naked eye to follow, and disappearing into the churning, dense dark clouds in the blink of an eye.

(End of this chapter)