Chapter 403 Decision: Galos's Confidence and Insurance

"The King of Fungi's territory has been attacked, and war has broken out."

Upon hearing the urgent message from Iron Dragon Sorog, Red Iron Dragon's eyes narrowed slightly, a thoughtful glint in them.

The King of Fungi's territory is vast, covering almost the entire southern region of the Sel Wilderness.

The south, however, is precisely the region that borders the southern countries most closely and bears the brunt of the conflict.

If any kingdom were to implement a so-called purge plan in the wilderness, the King of Fungi's territory would inevitably be the first target.

Moreover...

Covering the ground with an ever-expanding fungal carpet, and teeming with lifeless creatures controlled by fungal spores... from the perspective of its sheer threat and visual impact, the Fungal King is the one among the regional kings that most needs to be eradicated immediately.

Galos had anticipated this during previous internal discussions.

Therefore, the Iron Smelting Tribe had already taken precautions and deployed a large number of scouts around the King of Fungi's territory.

Among them were intelligent scouts skilled in concealment and judgment, as well as numerous domesticated or utilized flying birds and beasts, all for the purpose of being prepared in case of emergency.

Once the King of Fungus's territory is attacked on a large scale, the Ironforge tribe will be able to receive an early warning immediately.

In terms of intelligence gathering and deployment, the Ironclad Tribe has always been the most thorough among the regional kings.

And the advance planning has finally paid off.

"Scouts at the front witnessed firsthand that a sword beam tore through the sky, soaring straight into the clouds, and even shattering the clouds into huge holes."

Iron Dragon Sorog's voice grew increasingly heavy.

He added, "Judging from this performance... I think it's highly likely that a legend personally intervened."

The regional kings of the wilderness are not easy to deal with. For the human kingdoms to deal with them safely and efficiently, sending legendary powerhouses to oversee them is almost the only option.

Legendary pondered the word, and Red Iron Dragon felt a little uneasy.

Only a legend can defeat a legend.

Legends are hard to defeat.

Beneath the surface of legends lie only ordinary people.

Similar thoughts echoed in his mind, making him feel tense and uneasy, as if his life was threatened, and his gaze suddenly turned cold and sharp.

Galos hadn't felt this way for several years.

This matter is of utmost importance.

Sorog quickly pulled the spirits of Iron Dragon Gorton and Red Dragon Samantha into the mind network, explaining the general situation as fast as possible.

"Should we go to support the King of Fungi immediately?"

Immediately afterward, Iron Dragon Sorog said quickly, "If the Southern Regional King is quickly defeated, the next target will likely be our Central Region. If the regional kings can temporarily join forces, they might be able to buy some time to jointly resist the Legendary's offensive."

Galos suppressed the turbulent thoughts in his mind and shook his enormous head slightly.

He said, "Sorrog, you're getting a little impatient again."

"There is no real point in rashly joining forces with other regional kings at this moment."

Upon hearing this, Iron Dragon Sorog took a deep breath, gradually calming his agitated emotions and regaining his usual composure and rationality.

Compared to Galos, he still lacked composure in the face of a great crisis.

"You're right, I was indeed a bit impatient just now."

Sorog admitted.

After calming down and thinking it over carefully, he realized that there was no need to join forces with the other regional kings.

Regardless of whether the regional leaders can truly set aside their past grievances and unite against external threats without reservation.

Most importantly, there is a seemingly insurmountable gap between the legendary and the non-legendary.

The power of a legend cannot be resisted by a few non-legendary powerhouses simply joining forces.

If sheer numbers could crush a legend, then this life threshold, which has troubled countless heroes and even dragons need countless years to overcome, wouldn't seem so formidable and despairing.

"The power of the legends is undeniable, but we dragons are by no means weak!"

Samantha, the red dragon, rang out in the mind network with a fierce voice: "Just like when we joined forces to hunt Gorsas, by combining the power of the dragon horde to encircle and annihilate him, we might just be able to kill a legend together!"

“No, Samantha, this situation is completely different from when we hunted Gorsas.”

Sorog immediately dismissed this overly optimistic idea, stating rationally, "First, we no longer possess precious magical items like the 'Gladiator's Array Disk' that can restrict movement; second, even if we did, it wouldn't be able to trap a Legendary figure."

"Moreover, the other party did not come alone; he was accompanied by a well-organized legion."

A legendary figure leading an army is far more dangerous than the lone red dragon Gorsas.

At this moment, Hong Tielong's steady voice rang out again: "Immediately dispatch more elite scouts and use all available surveillance methods to keep an eye on everything happening in the Fungus King's territory."

Sorog immediately replied, "Understood!"

He paused, then asked, "So, should we simultaneously summon all the lords and the entire dragon horde to a state of war readiness? Or... should we first prepare for an evacuation from the wilderness if necessary?"

Hong Tielong did not answer immediately.

This is a major strategic decision that could affect the future of the tribe, and even his own path, and must be made with utmost care.

At the same time, Iron Dragon Gorton, who had been silent for a moment in the mental network, suddenly spoke, bringing unexpected information.

"I just gave Elena a general overview of the situation and asked her for relevant information."

"Elena used the planetarium to remotely observe the situation in the King of Fungi's territory for us, and then fed back some key information to me."

He paused, then said clearly, "The one carrying out the purge and attacking the King of Fungi's territory is the legendary swordsman of the Kingdom of Theo, 'The Unfinished Sword' Kairos."

"This person is a legend who broke through and advanced during the previous federal civil war."

"He is a relatively 'young' legend, level 21."

With the end of the civil war in the Lorthen Federation, the trading relationship between Elena and the Dragon Clan has effectively ceased.

However, perhaps because of her special connection with Gorton, or perhaps because she still has a long-term investment vision for the dragons and Garros, she doesn't seem to be prepared to completely sever this connection.

At least for now, the information she provided is extremely crucial to Galos.

Hong Tielong's spirits lifted immediately, and he said, "Tell Elena that there will be a reward in the future."

Then, he said to Sorog in a deep voice, "Prepare for both war and retreat simultaneously."

His voice was steady, yet contained a certain firm resolve; he had already made his choice.

With two plans prepared simultaneously, it means that Red Iron Dragon is inclined to fight the legendary swordsman head-on! As for whether to retreat in the end, they'll decide after they've fought.

Before this, he had been unable to make up his mind for a long time, the biggest uncertainty being that he knew nothing about the enemy's legend.

The unknown is the greatest fear.

Now, he knows the other party's identity, career path, and exact level—level 21.

This is crucial for Red Iron Dragon.

Even among legendary powerhouses, there are differences in strength.

While the gap between level 21 and level 22/23 legendary beings isn't as vast as the chasm between ordinary beings and legendary beings, their strength levels are definitely different.

If the one arriving is a seasoned, high-level legend, then temporarily avoiding confrontation and preserving strength is undoubtedly the best option.

However, a level 21 legendary human swordsman who had just been promoted?

Galus was cautious by nature, but he would not be timid without reason.

Through the knowledge passed down by the dragon race, the information gathered from various sources, and the accumulation of his own experience, he gained a general understanding of the legendary realm.

He knew that while legends were powerful, they were not entirely invincible to beings at the pinnacle of mortal existence.

For example, a normal level 20 dragon, while unlikely to defeat a level 21 human legend, might still be able to do so by maintaining its strength and vitality for a period of time.

They certainly wouldn't be instantly killed upon first meeting.

With the dragon body of Garus, at the peak of mortal level 20, he has become powerful through repeated adaptation and evolution.

Aside from the domain, the legendary creatures' numerical attributes are definitely far inferior to his.

Moreover, the Sword Saint is an advancement from the Warrior path, whose strength lies in attack and damage, but is very lacking in support and control skills such as wide-area control, strange curses, and spatial blockade.

This means...

Even if he is ultimately defeated in a head-on confrontation, Garus is quite confident that he can retreat immediately with his evolved, more powerful and swift dragon wings.

At the same time, Sorog sensed Garros's intentions from his words.

He did not offer any advice such as "it is too risky to go against a legend."

He had been observing his brother's behavior for a long time.

Galus never fights a battle he is not confident of winning.

Since he has decided to fight a legend, it at least shows that he believes he has the ability to save his life, and even... has the possibility of winning this battle.

Without hesitation, Sorog replied solemnly, "Alright! I'll make the arrangements right away and pass on the orders!"

After a brief and quick exchange, this emergency spiritual communication came to a temporary end.

At the border, on the training field, Red Iron Dragon slowly exhaled a scorching breath, which condensed into a brief white mist in the air.

Instead of panicking and flying into the wilderness upon learning of the legend's approach, he remained where he was, methodically stretching and relaxing all the muscles and joints of his body. His massive body, covered in black and red scales, reflected a cold, hard metallic luster, like a war machine that was warming up.

At the same time, he used communication tools to contact his family members who were developing in the south.

Recent developments in the Kingdom of Theo, as well as intelligence on the Unfinished Sword, were quickly gathered by the Gem Merchant Guild and the Starfire Monastery and reported to him through Nick.

"What happened? Your breathing suddenly became very heavy."

Alberto, the golden dragon standing nearby, noticed the change in Garos's condition, stopped training, and came over to inquire.

"I may soon be facing off against a human legend."

Galos didn't hide anything and gave Alberto a general account of the attack on the Fungus King's territory and the appearance of the legendary swordsman of the Kingdom of Theo. Then, he asked, "If I fight a level 21 legendary swordsman, what do you think my chances of winning are?"

Alberto had personally witnessed and even experienced the power of the legendary dragon.

His understanding of the legendary realm was more intuitive and profound than Garros's, and Garros was well aware of this, so he was not ashamed to ask questions.

"A human legend... thankfully, not a dragon legend."

Alberto looked thoughtful upon hearing this.

He carefully examined Galos's imposing and powerful physique and said, "I can't guarantee the other dragon domains, but as far as I know of the Fubo Dragon Domain, apart from those seniors who have already stepped into the legendary realm, among all the young and adult dragons, there is no dragon that can be as imposing as you."

He carefully chose his words, cautiously assessing the situation: "You may not be a match for those legendary dragons."

"But, facing a level 21 human legendary swordsman? I think... you should at least be able to hold your own against him and fight to a draw. At the very least, with your defense and speed, escaping alive shouldn't be a problem."

Galos pressed further, "Just a draw or a loss? Don't I have a chance to win?"

Alberto shook his head, his expression turning serious: "Garos, you have to understand, that's a legend after all!"

"The existence of their domains makes them almost invincible. It's a qualitative change brought about by the leap in life level. Take Saint King Lortheon for example. When he was level 20, he could only fight to a draw with an ordinary legendary powerhouse and could not completely break through the opponent's domain."

Jinlong solemnly reminded him, "You've never been exposed to a domain, so you don't know how indestructible it is."

"Fighting a legend is fine, but you must never get carried away and disregard the consequences for a moment of pleasure, lest you ruin your escape route."

Galos neither confirmed nor denied this.

He was not entirely unfamiliar with the field.

It is indeed incredibly hard, but it is not truly indestructible.

Otherwise, even in a weakened state, he wouldn't have been able to break through it back then.

However, Alberto's reminder was also valid.

Galos was not a reckless man willing to fight to the death just to show off; he believed that only by living could he have a future.

Red Iron Dragon turned his gaze to Alberto and extended an invitation: "Want to join me in defying the legends? If we succeed, it will be an extraordinary feat."

Upon hearing this, Alberto's face showed great interest.

But in the end, he sighed and shook his head regretfully.

“Garos, I really want to fight alongside you. If I also reach level 20, I will definitely fight alongside you against the legends without hesitation! But right now, the level gap is too big.”

“Rashly participating in this level of combat will not only be of no help, but will also become a burden.”

Then, he changed the subject and said boldly, "However, don't worry! Since we are allies, I, Alberto, will never stand idly by and watch you face a powerful enemy alone, or even be brutally killed by a legend!"

"At that time, I will go to the vicinity of the battlefield to observe the situation."

"If you are no match for a legendary figure, or even retreat becomes difficult, try to stall for time and buy yourself some time! I will immediately send a distress signal to the Fubo Dragon Domain."

Very good, this golden dragon was not taken in for nothing.

They can be relied upon in critical moments.

Galos felt a sense of satisfaction and nodded.

Given his cautious nature, once he decided to challenge the legend, he would naturally try every means to increase his stakes and take multiple layers of insurance.

Alberto's presence undoubtedly acts as a crucial safety valve.

In addition, he knew that this battle was necessary.

His purpose was not to verify the extent of his own strength, nor to pursue the empty fame and honor of a legendary comeback. Galos valued substance and was not interested in these superficial things.

The most crucial issue is:

If the Ironforge tribe wants to preserve its current territory in the Sel Wilderness, this battle is unavoidable!

Now that the Lorthern Federation has been dissolved, the nominal joint rule of the various nations over the wilderness no longer exists. In the future, the competition in the wilderness will be nothing more than a naked survival of the fittest, where each will have to rely on its own abilities.

In the wilderness ahead, the weak and backward will be attacked and ruthlessly divided up!

Galos needs a victory to show the Ironforge tribe its muscles and fangs to all the southern kingdoms that covet the wilderness! To let them know that he is not a pushover to be easily bullied!

—Strike once to ward off a hundred blows!

Only by demonstrating strength that makes opponents wary can one win space for survival and development.

"Vera."

Red Iron Dragon called out in a deep voice.

"exist!"

A slight ripple spread through the air, and the petite figure of the fairy dragon instantly appeared, her face showing surprise at being called out.

Then, somewhat puzzled, she flapped her wings and flew half a circle around Garus.

"Garos, how did you know I was nearby? Has your perception become so strong that you could even see through my perfect concealment?"

Hong Tielong simply replied, "Intuition."

He paused, then instructed, "I am preparing to head to the wilderness. You relay this message to Deborah to reassure her. At the same time, notify all the chieftains in the valley to raise the alert level, but without my order, they must not act rashly."

"Yes, sir! Mission accomplished! Loyalty guaranteed!"

The fairy dragon Vera immediately puffed out her small chest, put on a stern face, and responded in a deliberately serious manner.

Without further delay, the Red Iron Dragon flapped its wide wings, creating a powerful gust of air, and its massive body shot straight into the sky like an arrow.

Seeing this, the golden dragon Alberto also flapped its wings without hesitation and followed closely behind, transforming into a golden streak of light.

High in the sky, a biting wind and swirling snow rushed towards us.

Amidst the howling wind, the golden dragon Alberto asked, "Are we heading straight to the Fungus King's territory to fight that legendary swordsman?"

No, there's no need to be in such a hurry.

Galos shook his massive head, gazing in a certain direction of the wilderness, and said, "Before we officially confront the legends, let's go somewhere else."

Alberto asked, puzzled, "Where are we going? What are we doing?"

"Go see your sister, Natasha," Garros said.

He wanted to give himself another layer of insurance.

(End of this chapter)