Chapter 451 Two Heads and Four Arms, Fearless in the Face of Death, A Sign of War

Dragon Ridge Mountains, behind the Royal Court.

The rugged cliffs stood silently in the north wind.

The red iron dragon coiled in the center, its body unmoving, its body radiating a fiery, living flame.

The flames were no ordinary fire, but rather streams of fire that spontaneously ignited from the gaps in his scales and around him, scorching the air and causing it to twist and sway, forming a scorching and turbulent barrier.

Opposite the red iron dragon were two heroic spirits with very different appearances.

One of them was the legendary paladin Mien.

He was tall and imposing, his body radiating light that solidified into armor, and the greatsword in his hand was ancient and heavy. The other was Charles, the flower knight who was the first to follow Garos.

Ciel has departed from his former illusory and hazy soul state, transforming into a more stable and powerful heroic spirit body.

He was radiant with light, exuding heroic spirit, and his handsome face held a sharp, sword-like expression.

"With blade as shield, I will uphold my oath!"

Paladin Mien let out a low shout, his voice like a deep bell.

He took a step forward, and the greatsword he held in both hands suddenly burst forth with a dazzling light comparable to the blazing sun.

The light extended and condensed, transforming into a magnificent blade of light tens of meters long. Carrying the pure belief of severing all things, it slashed fiercely down from above, with the force of splitting mountains and shattering peaks, onto the Red Iron Dragon's fiery domain.

Click—!

A piercing cracking sound rang out.

A clear crack was cleaved open on the surface of the vast, endless fiery domain by this sword strike.

Wherever the blade of light touched, large swathes of surging flames were extinguished, revealing the blurry dragon silhouette of Garus.

However, the domain's resilience was beyond imagination. Almost the instant the damage occurred, more flames roared and converged, quickly filling and repairing the crack.

Within a few breaths, the domain returned to normal, though its overall light dimmed by a barely perceptible amount.

The paladin's powerful strike was still quite far from breaking through the upper limit of the field's defenses.

Prior to this, he had launched several similar attacks, causing considerable damage, but the domain's tenacious repair capabilities always quickly smoothed it out.

“Mien, don’t worry about breaking the domain harming me. Go ahead and unleash your full power. I need even more pressure.”

Garros shook his heavy head, his deep dragon language still clear amidst the roaring flames, reminding the paladin to intensify his attack.

He intends to gradually hone and strengthen his domain power through the process of repeatedly defeating and reshaping the domain.

However, Hong Tielong is currently unsure whether the effects of "adaptive evolution" can be applied to the domain, and can only try it out first.

The paladin remained silent for a moment, a hint of embarrassment flashing across his face, which was adorned with light.

He said in a low voice with shame, "My lord, I have sworn an oath of watchfulness and am good at holding the line and protecting the enemy. When it comes to attacking and breaking through enemy lines, it is really not my forte."

When Mien first clashed with Garos, he was able to hold off the Red Iron Dragon because of the summoning enhancement spell cast by the Lucky One and the various spell buffs randomly granted by the Spell Thief's End Technique.

On his own, he was indeed unlikely to pose a real threat to Garus.

Galos turned his gaze to another Heroic Spirit and said, "Charles, you give it a try."

A smile of eager anticipation appeared on the handsome face of the Flower Knight.

Instead of charging immediately, he walked steadily towards the direction of the red iron dragon.

Surprisingly, with each step he took, the light around him solidified and intensified, and his aura rose steadily; at the same time, the light around the paladin Mien dimmed at a visible speed, and his momentum declined.

When Xia Er reached the front of the Red Iron Dragon's Blazing Domain, the energy fluctuations emanating from his body had already broken through that boundary and reached the legendary level! On the other hand, Mi En had temporarily fallen back below the legendary level.

This demonstrates another powerful effect of Valhalla.

It can concentrate the power of other heroic spirits and temporarily strengthen one of them, causing it to unleash combat power far exceeding its usual level.

Of course, this energy transfer is not lossless; there are losses in the process.

The original level 22 Watcher Paladin has fallen from Legendary status, while the enhanced Flower Knight only reached level 21 in terms of energy level, failing to fully inherit the former's strength.

However, the area where Sharl excels is completely different from that of the defensive paladin.

"Your Majesty, please enlighten me."

Charles nodded slightly, and light flowed in his hand, quickly condensing into a slender and elegant cross-shaped sword.

The gentle smile in his eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a sharpness like that of a hawk.

The next moment, he unleashed all three skills almost simultaneously.

Those are derived from the Arcane Knight's [Enchanted Blade] and [Weakness Insight], and from the Border Walker's [Dimensional Piercing]!

The blade of the cross sword was instantly covered by a layer of dark magical energy plating.

The trajectory of the energy flow in the Flame Domain was reflected in Charles's eyes, locking onto the weakest point.

Immediately afterwards, he flicked his wrist, and the sword seemed to ignore the barrier of space, thrusting out with a dangerous silence!

Sizzle—!

There was no earth-shattering noise, only a faint sound, like cloth being torn by an extremely sharp object.

The thick wall of fire in the Blazing Domain met its nemesis before the tip of Xia Er's sword, being silently pierced and torn apart inch by inch, revealing a deep hole that kept extending inward.

The sword's momentum hadn't subsided when it pierced through the domain.

Finally, a shallow but clearly visible blood hole was pierced into the thick, dark red scales on the Red Iron Dragon's shoulder.

Char's attacks are characterized by highly concentrated power and spatial damage that is difficult to defend against.

Even with Galus's defenses, he could not be completely immune.

However, Sharl's attack range was too concentrated. To Garos's massive dragon body, it was like being pricked by a sharp needle, causing a brief stinging pain.

Feeling the stinging pain, Red Iron Dragon was not angry at all; instead, a look of satisfaction flashed across his face.

He growled, "That's it! Keep going!"

Charles nodded, and his figure suddenly became blurry.

Instead of launching a direct assault, he transformed into a fleeting streak of light, creating countless afterimages that were difficult to distinguish from reality, and began a relentless, swirling attack centered on the Red Iron Dragon.

His sword light fell like raindrops across the fiery domain.

Each thrust carried the power to pierce through space, capable of penetrating the domain's defenses and producing a dense, penetrating sound.

Time passed amidst the fierce back-and-forth.

About half an hour later, the Red Iron Dragon's once magnificent and powerful fiery domain had become riddled with holes, with the flames flickering erratically, and the speed of repair was far slower than the speed of destruction.

Finally, after a concentrated barrage of thrusts, the entire domain let out a mournful cry of despair and collapsed with a deafening roar.

It transformed into a sky full of fiery flames, which gradually died out in the air.

Having witnessed the shattering of the domain, the Heroic Spirit Ciel finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The dazzling light surrounding him had dimmed considerably, and his figure even appeared somewhat transparent.

The Red Iron Dragon did not dodge at all, and the continuous high-intensity output made Shar feel that his strength was being greatly depleted.

He stopped what he was doing, took a deep breath, and habitually straightened his collar, which was now slightly dimmed by the light. An elegant smile returned to his face as he spoke, "Your Majesty, I have fulfilled my mission... uh?"

Before he could finish speaking, Charles's smile froze, and his eyes widened.

Before the embers of the raging flames had completely dissipated, the space around the Red Iron Dragon began to fluctuate violently once again!

Countless steel materials, gleaming with a cold metallic light, appeared out of thin air.

They were not randomly piled up, but rapidly changed and combined to form countless cold weapons such as knives, guns, swords, halberds, shields, and spears. These cold metal creations were densely packed and layered, slowly rotating around the red iron dragon, forming a steel domain that was completely different from the previous fiery domain, full of a chilling and resilient aura.

Ciel fell silent, his body formed of light stiffening for a moment.

Only then did he realize that His Majesty the Red Iron Dragon actually possessed two domains with different attributes.

Garos raised his eyelids, looked at the somewhat dazed Flower Knight, and said calmly, "Continue, Charles."

The flickering light on Charles's body flashed violently a few times.

Even though the Heroic Spirit didn't need to breathe, he still took a deep breath and gritted his teeth.

Under the watchful gaze of the distant paladin Mien, tinged with sympathy and understanding, Charles once again raised his cross-shaped sword, his figure flashing as he began a new round of "gua sha" work.

This time, the target is the more robust and durable steel sector of Hongtielong.

After a long and fierce attack, when the last cross-shaped sword light finally managed to tear through the steel domain, the entire domain disintegrated and vanished like a collapsing metal mountain.

At this moment, the Heroic Spirit Ciel was in extremely poor condition.

He had almost completely transformed into a blurry silhouette of light and shadow, his surroundings glowing so faintly that it was like a flickering candle in the wind, its light uncertain and uncertain, as if a slightly stronger mountain gust of wind could blow him away completely.

"Fortunately...fortunately...I have not failed...my mission..."

Charles felt the scene before him was swaying and blurry, and his words came out in broken sentences.

Red Iron Dragon slowly stood up, stretching its massive body.

At the same time, he glanced down at his own scales.

The tiny, pinhole-sized wounds that Xia Er had previously inflicted through his domain had already healed completely thanks to his endless regeneration.

A legendary heroic spirit with extremely high offensive power nearly exhausted himself, but only managed to shatter his domain.

His stronger physical body, however, remained almost completely unharmed.

Galos was not entirely satisfied with the results of this training.

His purpose in testing the possibility of strengthening the domain through shattering and reshaping was only one aspect. After training in the domain, he also wanted to use spatial attribute attacks to specifically hone his resistance to spatial damage.

Currently, only Charles under his command is capable of shouldering this heavy responsibility.

But judging from Ciel's current state of near exhaustion, he was clearly overwhelmed.

"If Charles can break through to the legendary rank, and then undergo concentrated strengthening in the Hall of Heroes, the strength and sustainability of his attacks will be greatly improved, and he will be able to better serve as my sparring partner."

Galos pondered to himself.

The levels of Heroic Spirits are not fixed; they can continue to grow and become stronger.

Since it is essentially a highly condensed spiritual entity, the key to its enhancement lies in whether it can obtain rare resources that nourish or amplify the spiritual entity's strength.

Furthermore, the Hall of Heroes itself is extraordinary, possessing rare growth potential!

By absorbing treasures that resonate with the attributes of Heroic Spirits or Spiritual Bodies, the spatial capacity of the Hall of Heroes, the upper limit of the strength and number of Heroic Spirits it can accommodate, and so on, will gradually increase.

No wonder the lucky one was unwilling to return the treasure no matter what.

Its potential and value are extremely high, enough to serve as a crucial asset for the foundation of a kingdom.

Galos has already placed the Life Box into Valhalla to strengthen his connection and control. He has also placed a considerable amount of spiritual resources into the Valhalla, intending to focus his resources on nurturing Charles and pushing him to the legendary level.

Heroic spirits cannot shape domains like living legendary warriors.

However, given Ciel's natural talent and combat skills during his lifetime, once he breaks through, he will inevitably surpass ordinary human legends.

For the Kingdom of Aura, which is currently rich in resources but lacks legendary figures, investing in Shar is a sure-fire way to make money.

The only tricky problem is that, in order for a heroic spirit to break through to the legendary level, in addition to normal nourishment, it also needs a rare core material called "high-grade spiritual crystal".

The conditions for producing this thing are extremely demanding.

Either a massive number of intelligent beings need to die in a short period of time, and then use necromantic magic arrays to collect and condense the essence of those broken and scattered souls; or, one needs to hunt legendary undead creatures and extract it from their cores.

What's more troublesome is that high-grade spiritual crystals are extremely difficult to preserve.

If not used immediately, its inherent pure spiritual essence will rapidly dissipate, its quality will continuously decline, and it will eventually become like an ordinary soul, gradually disappearing.

This has resulted in an extremely limited number of its surviving specimens.

Charles is now a level 20 Heroic Spirit, just one step away from becoming a Legendary. What he lacks is a suitable High-Grade Spirit Crystal. Once he obtains it, the Kingdom of Aura will have a new Legendary, and one who will be absolutely loyal.

"Alright, you should all go back and rest, and recover as soon as possible."

Red Iron Dragon calmed himself down and spoke to the two weakened heroic spirits.

Ciel and Mien nodded together, their figures gradually fading until they transformed into two streaks of light, returning to Valhalla to recuperate.

Next, Red Iron Dragon turned his attention to himself and began to review his progress and skills across the three pathways.

First, there's the Star Path I initially embarked on.

The number of skills available through this path is relatively small; you can only acquire a new skill every three or four levels.

After the fierce battle with the Good Fortune Messenger, Galos's Star Path level broke through to level fourteen, and finally, after the Star Body, he mastered a brand new skill - [Star Head].

call--!

Red Iron Dragon took a deep breath, and its already massive body suddenly trembled. Thick and condensed black and red dragon energy surged out of its body like a volcanic eruption, swirling around it.

Immediately afterwards, these powerful dragon energies seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, frantically converging, compressing, and shaping above the right shoulder!

In an instant, the outline of a thick, ferocious neck appeared, followed by a head covered in heavy energy scales, jagged dragon horns, vertical pupils gleaming with cold light, and a gaping maw filled with sharp teeth...

A second dragon head, entirely composed of dragon energy, appeared prominently above Garus's right shoulder!

It is not directly rooted to the shoulder; its base maintains a tiny floating gap with the shoulder, similar to the construction principle of the previous Star Arm.

Therefore, this "Star of Me" can rotate flexibly, with a viewing angle covering almost 360 degrees.

At the same time, Galos felt that a new, clear perspective had appeared in his consciousness, and his perception had become more comprehensive and acute than ever before.

This is one of the basic effects of [Star of Me].

Moreover, apart from lacking independent consciousness, this dragon's head possesses almost all the functions of the red iron dragon's main head.

It can breathe fire and launch fierce attacks and bites.

Its hardness is closely related to the dragon aura that makes it up. Although it cannot compare to the real scales and bones of Garus's body that have undergone countless enhancements, it is by no means something that can be destroyed by ordinary attacks.

Buzz—!

The dragon energy surged once more, and two thick, powerful dragon arms condensed slightly above and behind Garus's shoulder.

The tangible dragon aura outlined clear muscle textures, covered with hard scales and sharp claws, while its arms burned with incessant black and red flames.

At this moment, Garus has completely broken away from the conventional form of a dragon.

A terrifying behemoth with two heads and four arms stood silently among the mountains. The black and red flames rolling around its body distorted the light and steamed the air, making the space within a radius of hundreds of meters seem to have been transformed into a scorching, oppressive, and destructive hellish scene.

Multiple perspectives provide a comprehensive and seamless sensory experience.

This body is capable of simultaneously dealing with attacks from all directions and launching an overwhelming counterattack.

A pure and terrifying aura of dominance emanated naturally from the dragon.

It was as if he himself was a natural disaster, a moving wasteland.

Any enemy who dares to approach will be torn into primordial dust within the death domain formed by his dragon head, massive arms, wings, and tail blade.

“Very good... Compared to my physical body, this enhanced version of myself, with added attack and perception dimensions, is now more suitable for my fighting style.”

The red iron dragon's main body and the head of its dragon aura shook simultaneously, and its four dragon arms clenched into fists, producing a slight muffled sound as if the air was being squeezed and burst.

A clear look of satisfaction appeared in his eyes.

The skill "Star Body" is quite powerful. In the fierce battle against the Bronze Dragon, it was precisely because of the extra protection it provided that Garros was able to withstand a lot of the direct pressure and energy impact from the legendary realm.

However, ever since he himself ascended to legendary status and successfully created a dual realm.

The effects of Star Body and Domain partially overlap, thus reducing their importance.

The situation is different for Star Lord.

It can further expand Garos's attack dimensions, perception, and sustained output limits on the solid foundation of his existing dual domains and twelve powerful characteristics, achieving a synergistic effect greater than the sum of its parts.

While maintaining the dual-headed, four-armed form of the powerful Garus, it took him some time to familiarize himself with and coordinate his movements and senses.

He then turned his attention to the second path to eternal death.

The number of skills in the Eternal Death Path is similar to that in the Star Self Path; they are also rare, but each one has a unique and powerful effect.

After battling the Lucky One, Garus's Path to Immortality also broke through, reaching level six, and he gained a new skill in the process.

[Life-threatening!]

— Lock onto a specific target, deprive and absorb its life force to restore your own losses or enhance your own condition.

This is a powerful single-target skill, and its effectiveness depends on the resistance check of the Constitution attribute.

In other words, as long as Galos's physical strength surpasses that of his target, he can directly take their life.

Considering Garus's abnormal physical attributes resulting from multiple evolutions, this skill can almost be considered effective against the vast majority of enemies.

The current environment is not suitable for finding live targets for testing.

Galos temporarily suppressed the idea of ​​trying out the Life-Taking skill.

He turned his gaze to the last wild path.

Unlike other methods that steadily acquire various skills, this method revolves around a wild state of "the angrier you are, the stronger you become."

Thanks to the existence of the Madfire, Garoth's Wildness level increased rapidly.

Now, his Wildness level has surpassed the Path of Immortality, reaching level 10.

In addition to the basic Fury, Berserk, and Wildness, he also gradually mastered skills such as Reckless Strike, Zealot Might, and Berserker Charge.

However, these skills have one thing in common.

They can only be instinctively unleashed and exert their maximum power when the Wild Dragon is completely out of its mind; the more lucid it is, the less effective it becomes.

During the deadly battle with the Bronze Dragon, Garoth was convinced that he had used these wild abilities.

But when he came to his senses from the madness, his memory of how exactly he used these skills was very vague.

What truly made Garoth value this was a key skill that could be obtained around level 14 using the Wild Path.

Enraged beyond measure!

Extreme anger will refuse to die!

When the master of the Wild Path dies in combat, this skill will be triggered, granting them a terrible status that grants them immunity to death for the next three minutes.

As long as the battle can be completely ended and the powerful enemy eliminated within the duration of the fearless rage.

In its extreme rage, the Wild Dragon can seize a sliver of hope and turn death into near-death.

"Once I continue to improve my Wild Path and master Fearless Fury, I will be able to add another powerful trump card to turn the tide of life and death in critical moments."

Hong Tielong silently calculated in his mind, his eyes flashing with light.

"It's a pity that my Dragon Jade was triggered when I was almost dead, rather than when I was truly and completely dead."

"The Dragon Jade's activation probably can't simultaneously activate the Fearless Wrath effect... Otherwise, if I had two chances to refuse death, I could practically walk sideways."

A slight sense of regret flashed through my mind, but I quickly suppressed it.

The path to strength is long, and every step must be taken firmly.

Time passed slowly, and Garus calmed his mind, continuing to familiarize himself with the new skills he had mastered.

As the sun gradually sets in the west and the night deepens.

Suddenly, Galos paused slightly.

He paused.

At the same time, Iron Dragon Sorog's deep voice resounded directly in his consciousness through telepathic connection.

"The official reply from Lorthen has just arrived. They say that the kingdom's stock of high-grade spirit crystals has indeed been exhausted and they are currently unable to provide any more, for which they deeply apologize."

Upon hearing these words, a hint of surprise flashed across Garos's eyes.

The fact that the Kingdom of Aura itself did not have reserves of such rare items was within his expectations.

However, he originally thought that the Kingdom of Lortherne, which had experienced countless large-scale battles and witnessed countless deaths during the long-running civil war, would likely have some reserves, which is why he sent Sorog to negotiate.

After all, while high-grade spiritual crystals are extremely precious, their practical applications are very limited.

The fact that Lorthern so readily admitted to having exhausted their resources was indeed somewhat unexpected for him.

Instead of immediately delving into the other party's true situation, Galos asked, "What about the other allied nations? Have they contacted their envoys stationed here?"

Through its alliance with Lorthen, the Kingdom of Aura indirectly established connections with several other kingdoms that were aligned with it.

In order to obtain the high-grade spiritual crystals needed by Valhalla, he also instructed Sorog to make contact with these countries.

Tie Long's deep voice came again from the mental connection.

This time, the content surprised and puzzled Galos even more.

"All items indicate no inventory."

Sorog paused for a moment, then continued:

"Based on information revealed or subtly implied by those ambassadors, their countries originally possessed high-level spiritual crystals."

"However, before and after the outbreak of the first civil war, almost all of them were acquired by the Kingdom of Lortheron at high prices or exchanged for other strategic resources."

This has created a rather peculiar situation.

The Kingdom of Lorthen once spared no expense in plundering and amassing this particular resource from its allies and perhaps even from a wider range of sources.

But now, the Kingdom of Aura, which is in a honeymoon period, has claimed to have exhausted its resources.

So here's the question.

What exactly were these numerous, but narrowly defined, high-grade spiritual crystals used for?

Galos's mind instantly sparked with countless ideas, rapidly processing and connecting the existing fragments of information.

In the blink of an eye, a conjecture almost burst forth, violently impacting his thoughts.

Holy King!

It is highly likely that it is related to the Holy King Lorthern who reappeared at the crucial moment and turned the tide!

Those high-level spiritual crystals that were gathered together were likely the price and foundation that supported his re-enactment or maintained his special state.

Galos could not be 100% certain that his conjecture was true.

However, based on the existing clues, the probability is definitely not small, and may even be very high.

"Sorrog, what are your thoughts on this?"

Galus asked through telepathy, wanting to hear his judgment.

Iron Dragon Sorog was silent for two seconds, then he clearly uttered five words: "Holy King Lorthene".

He was astute and shared the same guess as Galos.

“High-grade spiritual crystals…” Galos mused to himself, “Unlike certain forbidden weapons or strategic resources, these things are not subject to widespread regulation and attention, and countries are relatively less vigilant about their flow.”

"However, the reappearance of the Holy King has caused a huge uproar."

"Besides those overt probing attempts, there must be countless eyes and intelligence networks carefully examining every unusual change in all aspects."

"Since I can make such a connection based on limited information, those established kingdoms are very likely to have realized this much earlier, and may even have had more conclusive evidence."

If that's really the case...

Galos's mind was even more focused on the possibility of war.

The second war between the nations may break out sooner than he anticipated.

Finally, he said in a deep voice to the Iron Dragon Sorog on the other end of his mind, "Have all channels continue to gather information about high-grade spiritual crystals, and at the same time keep a close eye on the movements of the Kingdom of Theo."

"We must prepare for the Second War of Nations, especially the War with the Kingdom of Theo."

Once war reignites, due to their geographical proximity and belonging to two opposing camps, the Kingdom of Theo and the Kingdom of Aura will have almost no room for maneuver and will inevitably become each other's primary and most direct adversaries, embroiled in a life-or-death struggle.

Conversely, if the Kingdom of Aura wants to go further, it must also overcome the hurdle of Theo.

"clear!"

Iron Dragon Sorog's response was concise and to the point.

After a brief exchange, the two concluded their heart-to-heart talk.

Garros stands in the Dragonspine Mountains.

He raised his head and gazed at the vast and distant south, his eyes seemingly already seeing the sky about to be dyed red by smoke and fire, and hearing the faint echoes of clashing metal and war horns.

A few seconds later, he slowly withdrew his gaze.

While his heart was filled with the solemnity and heaviness of war, another emotion was quietly growing in Hong Tielong's heart.

It was a burning excitement, a subtle anticipation of chaos and challenge.

Once upon a time, he was just an unknown nobody struggling to survive in the wilderness and border areas, growing silently.

It was only because the other countries were mired in civil war and had no time to spare that he was able to seize the opportunity to develop rapidly and eventually build his own magnificent kingdom in this neglected wilderness.

Things are different now than they used to be.

A new war is about to reignite, and this time, he will no longer need to hide in the shadows or struggle to survive between the giants.

Emperor Red Iron Dragon and his newly emerging Kingdom of Aura will rightfully step onto the grand stage of the struggle for supremacy among nations, participating, competing, and seizing their own share with a completely new and undeniable attitude, while continuing to develop and grow stronger in the process.

"High-grade spiritual crystals... Since there are no readily available reserves, we'll make them ourselves."

A sharp glint flashed in Galos's eyes.

The upcoming large-scale war will undoubtedly be its most productive birthplace; the souls of the fallen and the fall of legendary powerhouses are all excellent raw materials for high-grade spiritual crystals.

Red Iron Dragon slowly exhaled a scorching breath.

Then, as the night deepened, he gathered all his chaotic thoughts and once again immersed himself in the tempering and control of his own power.

Being content with the status quo has never been his style.

Time slips away quietly, and several days pass in the blink of an eye.

It was the height of summer, and the winds across the wilderness were exceptionally scorching, carrying dust and dry heat. Amidst this hot wind blew in a visitor whom Galus had not anticipated.

After a brief period of deliberation and consideration, the Red Iron Dragon Emperor decided to accept the visitor's request for an audience.

Crimson Flame Royal City, Dragon Court Palace.

This building is less a palace in the human sense and more a magnificent dome tailor-made for giant beasts.

Aaron Leviberg, diplomatic ambassador of the Kingdom of Reipos.

He was now following two silent, heavily armored dragonborn guards as they walked through a magnificent corridor wide enough for several war elephants to travel side by side.

He maintained a calm demeanor on the surface, but his eyes couldn't help but subtly observe his surroundings.

The walls of the corridor are not the usual exquisite stone carvings or gorgeous murals, but are cast as a whole from some kind of dense dark metal, with an indestructible matte texture.

An invisible yet real pressure permeated the air, not directed at him personally, but seemingly settling into every inch of space, causing him to involuntarily lighten his breathing and subconsciously slow his steps.

At the end of the corridor is a giant door, tens of meters high, carved from a single piece of deep obsidian.

The door was tightly shut, its surface smooth as a mirror, clearly reflecting his tiny figure.

"His Majesty is waiting for you."

The dragonborn guard leading the way stopped, his voice devoid of any emotion.

As soon as he finished speaking, the heavy obsidian gate slowly slid open inward.

In an instant, a surging heat wave rushed towards him, mixed with an indescribable, powerful life force and royal majesty, causing Ambassador Aaron to subconsciously squint his eyes.

He steadied his racing heartbeat, took a deep breath, and stepped into the dragon's royal court.

The sight before him made even the well-traveled Ripple Envoy hold his breath, his heart pounding rapidly.

This is a vast space that cannot be described as a grand hall; its scale completely transcends the scope of human architecture.

The towering, dazzling dome seemed to be its own sky, supported by magnificent pillars all around.

However, Aaron had no time to pay attention to any architectural details at that moment.

Because his entire attention was firmly held by that enormous being in the royal court.

The scorching heat he felt outside the door was nothing more than the residual warmth that naturally dissipated when the being breathed calmly.

The Red Iron Dragon Emperor, Garo Ignas, was entrenched there in his true form.

Aaron's eyes widened in shock, deeply feeling the insignificance of humankind.

What a sight it was!

He simply lay there quietly, his massive body covered in thick, black and red scales, like a sleeping mountain, the undulating lines of his back full of powerful beauty.

His eyes were half-open and half-closed.

Even in the bright light, Aaron could see that it was not a simple vertical pupil; it was deep and mysterious, as if it contained stars.

At this moment, the dragon's eyes seemed to shift slightly, focusing its gaze on the tiny, dust-like humans.

The oppressive feeling was like tangible mercury, enveloping me from all directions.

Aaron felt his knees go weak and his throat go dry.

He knew that the Red Iron Dragon Emperor had not unleashed his dragon might, otherwise he would have already fainted or even died. It was an aura composed of life level, power level, behemoth size, and the majesty of a monarch.

As a diplomatic ambassador, Aaron had seen dragons before.

However, the psychological impact of such a massive and oppressive dragon, especially one that sat as a monarch in his own court, was completely different from that of ordinary dragons.

Aaron forcibly suppressed the pounding in his heart.

He took a deep breath of the scorching air, tried to steady his steps, and walked forward. The faint sound of his boots hitting the ground was particularly clear in the open space.

Finally, Aaron stopped at a suitable distance.

He had to tilt his head slightly to see the dragon's massive and imposing body.

"Emperor of the Kingdom of Reipos, Aaron Leviberg, pays homage to His Majesty the Great Emperor Ignas, Lord of the Kingdom of Aura."

The diplomat's voice rang out in the hall, steady and respectful, his right hand on his chest as he bowed deeply.

He could feel those dragon eyes, like those that seemed to hold the stars, falling on him without any emotion, as if they could see right through his every thought.

The silence that followed felt like centuries, with only the deep breathing of the dragon echoing through the air.

Then, a voice rang out.

It wasn't a deafening roar, but a deep, powerful sound with a certain metallic quality, each syllable carrying a heavy weight.

"The special envoy has come from afar, weary from his journey. Has he brought the friendship of Reberos, or some other message?"

The Red Iron Dragon Emperor didn't even change his relaxed, prone posture; he merely raised his dragon head slightly at an insignificant angle, his gaze casually falling on the messenger.

Aaron felt a chill run down his spine.

He knew that any pretentious pleasantries and lengthy introductions would be superfluous and might even provoke resentment when facing this dragon emperor.

The diplomat took a deep breath, raised his head, and said, "Your Majesty is wise."

"I have come here on the behalf of my country's sincere goodwill."

He took a small step forward, his tone becoming more earnest: "This continent is undergoing turbulent changes, and its landscape is evolving daily."

"Our country is well aware that it is very important to deepen mutual understanding and build a stable and trusting relationship with a powerful, emerging, and dynamic nation like the Kingdom of Aura."

"We are willing to grant priority trading rights for key minerals, share advanced technologies of magical constructs, and give the Kingdom of Aura more say and support in international affairs."

"All of this is for the purpose of forging a sincere and mutually beneficial friendship, and forging lasting peace and development for both countries."

Aaron carefully observed the red iron dragon's reaction.

However, the enormous dragon head remained motionless, showing no emotional fluctuation whatsoever.

After a brief silence, the Red Iron Dragon Emperor's deep voice rang out again.

“I have already perceived the King of Rhebos’s good intentions.”

"The Kingdom of Aura is newly established and needs to build beneficial relationships with all parties to draw nourishment for its development."

Hearing this, Aaron felt a glimmer of hope, thinking there was a way. However, the Red Iron Dragon Emperor immediately changed the subject, saying, "But true friendship is not just a list or a momentary convenience."

"The Kingdom of Aura and Lorthen currently maintain friendly relations and trade, and the stability of this relationship has also brought tangible benefits to my kingdom."

Aaron immediately responded.

He lowered his voice and said, "Your Majesty's concerns are very valid, but please forgive my bluntness, Lortheron is already outwardly strong but inwardly weak."

The Red Iron Dragon Emperor did not respond, but simply watched the envoy silently.

Seeing this, Aaron continued in a low voice, "The Holy King that Lorthorn relies on... is not in a stable state."

"The so-called deterrence is nothing but bluster."

"Once the situation changes and the war truly begins, Lorthene, this seemingly towering tree, will be vulnerable from within. At that time, the countries tied to it will inevitably suffer collateral damage."

These words were quite direct, without any attempt to conceal anything.

The Red Iron Dragon Emperor finally made a slightly more noticeable move.

He slowly adjusted the position of the dragon head so that he could better look at the messenger below.

This seemingly minor action suddenly intensified the invisible pressure it brought.

"The reputation of King Lorthorn is built upon his proven past achievements."

"As for now... speculation and rumors always spread faster and are more deceptive than facts."

Grass on the wall sways gracefully in the wind, but when the storm truly arrives, it is the first thing to be uprooted and crushed into the soil.

The Kingdom of Reibos's current efforts to win over Lorthene are most likely aimed at counterbalancing Lorthene.

The Red Iron Dragon Emperor found it difficult to trust them.

“I am aware of your goodwill and suggestions.”

"True friendship and solid alliances take time to cultivate and need to be tested by experience."

"Our doors are always open to friends who come with sincerity, and we are willing to explore mutually beneficial paths with all countries that respect Aura's independence and development."

As soon as he finished speaking, Red Iron Dragon seemed to lose interest in continuing the conversation, and his huge head slowly turned back to its original position.

Envoy Ripple knew it was time for him to take his leave.

but!

The Emperor Hong Tielong's words were vague, offering no answer whatsoever.

"Your Majesty's wisdom and vision are truly inspiring."

Aaron bowed deeply again and said, "Our country sincerely hopes to establish a genuine friendship with Your Majesty and the Kingdom of Aura, not just empty words. If Your Majesty still has doubts about the conditions proposed by our country, or has other needs, I am willing to convey them to you."

"For the sake of this friendship, Rebos is willing to show even greater sincerity and try his best to meet His Majesty's requirements."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Hong Tielong raised his eyelids and took a closer look at the special envoy.

"In that case, bring me three high-grade spiritual crystals first."

"Based on this, I will seriously consider cooperation with the Kingdom of Reibo."

After saying that, the giant beast slowly closed its eyes.

"I will forward your message and give you a reply within three days."

The messenger maintained his composure, retreating step by step until he slowly withdrew from the scorching and oppressive dragon palace.

The much cooler air outside the palace rushed into Aaron's lungs, and he felt a strong dryness in his mouth. The back of his robe was soaked with cold sweat.

That Red Iron Dragon Emperor... without glaring or roaring, was already incredibly majestic and unfathomable.

The messenger thought to himself.

The Kingdom of Reibos is a powerful nation, but the envoy himself is not a high-ranking figure. After facing the Red Iron Dragon, he couldn't help but feel a mix of fear and relief.

Meanwhile, inside the Dragon Court.

The Red Iron Dragon Emperor, who was seen as majestic, unfathomable, and profound in the eyes of the envoy, opened his eyes after confirming that the outsiders had left. Then, he casually and nonchalantly rolled over, changing from lying down to standing up, stretching out his massive body.

"Maintaining the emperor's image is quite tiring, but the effect should be very good."

As Galos pressed down with his forelimbs, stretching his spine and making a series of crisp cracking sounds from his joints, he thought casually...

As he stretched his spine, he also clearly realized that war was probably just around the corner.

The arrival of the Reibas envoy was a signal, and the envoy's words were very direct, almost nakedly laying bare their intention to wage war against Lorthen before Garros, leaving him with a choice.

Galos dislikes passive choices.

So he gave the Kingdom of Reiberth a choice.

High-grade spiritual crystal

If the Kingdom of Reipos is prepared to offer it up, it must first consider the possibility that the Red Iron Dragon might turn around and give it to the Kingdom of Lorthen.

This is also the key to determining whether they came with sincerity or were just putting on a show.

(End of this chapter)