Chapter 338 Golden Dragon: Don't let me encounter any descendants of Gorsas, otherwise...
The conversation taking place in the realm of the mind gradually came to an end.
Soon after, Galus's consciousness detached from the invisible network and refocused on reality.
He raised his head and looked up at the sky above the conifer valley.
It was midday, the clear sky was cloudless, and the sunlight was intense but not glaring, carrying a lazy warmth.
The golden light sometimes coalesced into sacred pillars, piercing through the layers of coniferous canopy and stabbing straight into the forest; at other times, it was cut and crushed by the swaying branches and leaves in the mountain wind, turning into countless leaping and shimmering spots of light that danced in the forest clearings.
They landed on the red iron dragon's broad back, as if gilding his scales with a layer of shimmering gold leaf.
The sense of battle damage formed by the Crimson Lotus Form was temporarily concealed.
Galos slowly closed his heavy eyelids, shutting out the light and shadow from the outside world.
He is resting, and more importantly, adjusting.
He was conserving his energy for the upcoming war.
Back when the Horde was forced to make a strategic relocation, both Iron Dragon Thorog and Red Dragon Samantha strongly suggested that the Leyline Pond be completely destroyed because there was no way to move it.
Since we cannot take it with us, we must not leave it to future enemies, thus supplying them with provisions.
However, Galus refused.
In his view, temporary strategic forbearance is not a permanent retreat, but rather a way to accumulate enough power to tear apart all obstacles.
Choosing to leave is for a stronger return.
From the day he chose to retreat, he had made up his mind that one day he would lead a stronger Ironforge tribe to make a comeback, return to this land, and take back everything that belonged to him.
And now, he has returned.
He brought with him a far more powerful Ironforge than before, and he successfully reclaimed the territory of Scaled Earth Rift, inflicting heavy losses on his arch-enemy, the Albert family.
The ley line symbiotic pool that he left to the enemy back then, along with the Quenching Highlands, will soon be brought back under his personal control.
call--!
Galus's nap did not last long.
Before the sun had sunk behind the western mountains and the sky was still bright, a sudden, fierce mountain wind howled into the coniferous valley, swirling up fallen leaves and dust, emitting a piercing whistle that shattered the tranquility of the forest.
Galos suddenly lifted his heavy eyelids and looked towards the distant horizon.
In the field of vision, a dazzling golden streak of light was breaking through layers of clouds at an astonishing speed, rushing toward the direction of the Conifer Valley.
The stream of light drew closer, its form becoming increasingly clear—agile, strong, and covered with a body that shimmered with golden scales as if forged by the blazing sun.
It was Alberto the Golden Dragon.
He folded his wings and landed in front of Garus, then habitually raised his neck, his gaze exuding an air of majesty, full of power and holiness.
But his next words shattered that feeling.
"Here, take stock of this debt and keep it safe."
“I, Alberto, always keep my word. Although I cannot pay off all my debts at once, I will never be a shameless person who defaults on my debts.”
Alberto tried to appear nonchalant and carefree, pushing a heavy-looking metal box over with his paw.
only.
If you look closely, you'll notice that his facial muscles are slightly stiff and his eyes are unfocused, clearly indicating that he is going through some kind of extremely intense and painful struggle inside.
Galos used the tip of his claws to pry open the lid of the box and glanced at it.
It was filled with raw ore containing all sorts of magical gems.
Uncut and unpolished, with rough edges and even some dirt on them, their pure, magical radiance and naturally formed, magnificent colors silently proclaim their high value.
This is clearly freshly harvested from the wilderness and hasn't had time to be processed.
Under Alberto's gaze, which was barely concealed and slightly twitching, Garus expressionlessly closed the entire box, hooked his claws, and pressed them down under his hand.
He paused for two seconds, then said, "Alberto, I know your speed very well. Next time you come, just land directly. There's really no need to create this 'the wind arrives before the dragon does' atmosphere."
"Staying in one place and desperately flapping its wings to create a gale seems like a lot of trouble."
Alberto, whose previous actions had been exposed, suddenly felt his breath catch in his throat, and his proud head seemed to shrink an inch.
But Jinlong reacted quickly.
He quickly straightened his back, and his face regained its noble and indifferent expression.
"I don't know what you're talking about. That's just the airflow I naturally create when I fly."
Galos shook his massive head slightly, too lazy to delve into such a trivial matter.
In his mind, the Golden Dragon should have been a model of majesty, nobility, and proper manners, and that was indeed his first impression of Alberto.
However, as time went on, the filter of brilliance on this golden dragon had long since shattered.
at the same time.
Alberto's gaze fell upon the dragon scales on Garos's body, which were covered in fine cracks.
The Holy Dragon's extremely keen perception of evil and abnormal states also allowed him to detect the cursed aura clinging to him like a malignant tumor.
Galos's obvious weakness and slightly fluctuating breathing confirmed his judgment.
"You seem to be under some kind of rather troublesome curse?"
He took a half step closer, carefully observing Galos, and said, "In exchange for a reasonable reduction in your debt, I can remove this vexing curse from you."
"Uh... wait, the root of this curse is quite stubborn, like the last stand of some powerful evil creature. I'm afraid it will be difficult to completely remove it in one go."
"However, with my power, I can at least significantly weaken its effect."
“We can take it slowly, in several sessions, and we will eventually be able to resolve it completely. You can completely trust the Holy Dragon’s talent for purifying evil.”
As a symbol of order and justice, the Holy Dragon truly possesses unique advantages in purifying curses and combating evil.
Galos's answer was simple and direct: "No need."
Sensing the weakness and unstable aura emanating from the Red Iron Dragon, Alberto was filled with doubt. He had a feeling that Garos did not seem to reject the curse, but rather regarded it as something good.
"Could it be that the curse is too powerful, affecting his mind and preventing him from making the right judgment?"
"Perhaps I can first cleanse part of it for him, restore his consciousness, and then we can talk about reducing the cost of subsequent treatment."
As Alberto thought this, he slightly raised one of his front paws, and the tip of the paw began to gather the energy of the sacred oath.
He prepared to cast a small-scale purification spell on the red iron dragon, targeting its head.
Just then, he suddenly met Galos's deep eyes.
What do you want to do?
"Garos asked."
Upon hearing the other person's calm question, Alberto suddenly felt a jolt of alarm, and alarm bells went off in his mind.
He had an incredibly strong intuition that if he were to cast the purification spell on Garos right now, regardless of his initial intentions, his fate would likely be far from pleasant.
After a brief moment of thought, he raised his dragon claw again, but dissipated the purifying energy on it and scratched the base of his rugged dragon horns.
"It's nothing, I just got a little itchy from flying for so long, so I scratched it."
Alberto said naturally.
Galos glanced at the golden dragon a few times, seeing through his thoughts, but didn't point it out.
He said, "I'll keep this curse for when I need it, but I am indeed in a very weak state because of it and the intense training I just finished."
Before he could finish speaking, Alberto immediately shook his head vigorously.
"Stop! I'm here today to repay part of my debt. My purpose is very simple, nothing more. I have absolutely no interest in taking this opportunity to challenge you, not even a little bit!"
He could indeed sense Galos's weakness at that moment.
In the past, given his competitive nature, he might have impulsively issued a challenge.
But Alberto has already made up his mind that he must endure until he completes his next slumber and further enhances his strength before he can avenge himself.
Before this, no matter how 'luring' Garus looked, he would never take the bait.
Moreover, he had a vague feeling about it.
Even though Galos looks weak, he seems to have some kind of terrifying and extremely powerful trump card hidden within him.
Taking action rashly could lead to unpredictable outcomes.
On the other side, seeing that the attempt to lure him into a battle had failed, Garos readily changed the subject, asking, "Where did you get all these gemstone ores? With the meager output of your territory, it's not enough to support this quantity and quality."
Alberto's spirits lifted instantly at the mention of the gem's origin!
He raised his chin again, regaining his noble and dignified posture, his golden eyes gleaming with wisdom.
"Don't easily forget my identity—I am a golden dragon revered by countless intelligent beings!"
"I only need to gracefully display my figure above those human settlements, and people will rush to offer gifts, hoping to exchange them for a blessing or a symbolic promise of protection from me."
It turns out that Alberto's previous experience of being employed by Garros to work in Riverwood unexpectedly gave him inspiration.
After several cautious attempts, he discovered a way to make money that was virtually risk-free and highly profitable.
For human nations that uphold order, a golden dragon willing to show a friendly attitude is, to some extent, a symbol of good fortune and power, which can greatly boost morale and public confidence.
Based on this...
Alberto began selectively visiting some human duchies on the edge of the Sel Wilderness, and even border outposts of kingdoms.
He would choose to hover high in the sky or land in a conspicuous place under the watchful eyes of many guards, and deliver some grand and solemn blessing speeches, such as "May the light of order protect this place" or "Evil will surely be repelled," to reassure the guards.
This is practically a risk-free business.
All you need to do is show your face and say a few nice words.
In addition, as the wilderness grew increasingly chaotic and various evil creatures became more and more rampant, Alberto was also constantly fulfilling his duty as a golden dragon to punish evil and eliminate wickedness, eradicating evil lairs and driving away ferocious monsters. He not only gained fame but also seized a lot of ill-gotten gains from the enemy's lair.
With this two-pronged approach, Alberto's wealth accumulation finally began to steadily increase.
"At this rate, it won't be long before I'm able to pay off all the debts I owe you."
Alberto Jinlong said with no small amount of pride, though he wasn't quite sure what was so great about it, but his tone was certainly quite smug.
Galos neither confirmed nor denied this, but simply nodded slightly, which was a form of encouragement.
Paying off his debts won't be that easy.
After a brief moment of thought, Red Iron Dragon spoke again, steer the conversation toward a more serious topic: "Alberto, do you remember the Red Dragon Gorsas you mentioned to me before?"
“Of course I remember!” Alberto’s tone instantly turned serious.
"Gorsas, this guy is infamous and extremely arrogant. He has committed countless atrocities in the wilderness, burning down strongholds, plundering towns, and killing all living things. He is a chaotic and evil creature through and through!"
“A dragon as thoroughly and irredeemably evil as this should be completely eradicated!”
"Otherwise, if we allow him to continue to live and reproduce, he will only give birth to more naturally evil and chaotic dragon descendants, bringing more destruction and suffering to this already chaotic land!"
Alberto became more and more excited as he spoke, and his golden dragon claw slammed heavily onto the ground.
"At his age, he has probably already wreaked havoc on some places and left behind evil descendants!"
“Those offspring who have the blood of Gorsath are bound to be born seeds of chaos! They are a scourge that must be purified.”
"If I were to encounter a descendant of Gorsas, humph! I would strike hard and eliminate him without mercy! I would rid this world of a future threat."
Upon hearing these words, Hong Tielong fell silent for several seconds.
This silence made Alberto's impassioned denunciation seem somewhat abrupt.
Finally, Galos slowly spoke: "Alberto, there is something I think it's time to tell you."
Under the slightly puzzled gaze of the golden dragon, Garus raised his head, which resembled that of the red dragon, and looked directly into Alberto's eyes, saying, "The Gorsas you speak of, whose descendants must be eradicated, is my biological father."
On the other side, Alberto the Golden Dragon's expression froze instantly.
Two or three seconds passed before he suddenly came to his senses. His dragon eyes widened in disbelief as he scanned Galos back and forth. Although there was not much hostility or wariness in his eyes immediately, his shock and bewilderment were almost overflowing.
His gaze finally settled on the distinctive features of Garros that belonged to the red dragon, as if he were truly recognizing their significance for the first time.
The air seemed to freeze.
Faced with the speechless, seemingly brain-malfunctioning golden dragon, Garos leaned forward slightly and asked, "So, didn't you say you wanted to wipe out all of Gorsas's descendants? Come on, he's standing right in front of you now, within arm's reach."
"And as you can see, he's in poor condition right now, very weak, which might be your best chance."
"Kill him, and you will gain an excellent reputation."
Alberto:
Upon hearing these words, Jinlong fell silent for several seconds.
Finally, he let out a slightly embarrassed laugh: "Ha, ha! What I just said was just a little joke to lighten the mood, don't take it too seriously."
“I, Alberto, as a holy dragon who can distinguish right from wrong, would never arbitrarily judge a dragon’s good or evil based solely on its bloodline!”
His gaze was fixed firmly on the red iron dragon: "Garos, you have undoubtedly proven with your own will and actions that you are a dragon on the side of order! You are an ally who can fight alongside the gold dragon."
"I firmly believe this! Bloodline cannot define your soul."
After quickly stating his position, Jinlong changed the subject and asked, "But... why did you suddenly decide to tell me about your background? And why did you specifically mention Gorsas?"
Galos's expression returned to calm.
He said, "Because there is almost no possibility of us coexisting under the same sky."
Upon hearing this, Alberto the Golden Dragon nodded his massive head thoughtfully: "I almost forgot that the father-son relationship among you five-colored dragons, especially the red dragons, is very unusual. My inherited memories tell me that it is often filled with betrayal, devouring, and naked power struggles, without a trace of warmth."
Galos then gave a brief overview of the situation.
After explaining the dangers of Gorsas, the enormous and uncontrollable hidden dangers, and the decision of the Ignas dragons, he formally extended an invitation to Alberto.
"So, Alberto, I need your strength."
"For a better future, and to rid the wilderness of a great scourge, join me in besieging Gorthus!"
"To encircle and annihilate the Madfire Bloodflame? Good, very good."
Alberto didn't hesitate at all, his eyes blazing with eager fighting spirit.
"You must take me with you when the time comes. Eradicating this evil and maintaining order in the wilderness is my inescapable duty, Alberto."
He had no reason to refuse, whether for public or private reasons.
Alberto was very excited about the opportunity to participate in the battle against such a notorious and chaotic dragon.
After discussing Gorsas's possible range of activity, estimated strength, and preliminary encirclement plan, the golden dragon Alberto bid farewell to Garos. He spread his wings, took off, and transformed into a golden streak of light, disappearing into the horizon.
Galos closed his eyes again, continuing his rest to conserve his energy and bring himself to peak condition.
As time went by, the days passed one by one.
Under the efficient and meticulous command of Iron Dragon Thorog, the Iron Horde's legions awoke like sleeping behemoths and began a vigorous mobilization.
The various tribes and clans were preparing their troops and weapons, and a chilling yet intense fighting spirit permeated the Creekwood Territory and its various strongholds.
About five days later.
As the first rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds and fell to the ground, fully armed legions, like unsheathed swords, marched away from their posts in a mighty procession.
Their goal is the Quenching Heights.
The homeland of the Iron Smelting Tribe is about to welcome back its masters amidst a frenzied dance of iron and blood.
(End of this chapter)
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