Chapter 341 Heroes Rise, Regional Kings
"Victory belongs to the dragons!"
"Victory belongs to the Ironclad Tribe!"
"Victory belongs to the great Lord of the Crimson Wings!"
“.”
The eastern sky was just beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn; the sun had not yet risen.
But atop the Quenching Highlands, amidst frenzied shouts that tore through the morning mist and soared into the sky, the battle, which had lasted for some time, finally ended with an undisputed and complete victory for the Ironforge tribe.
"The Earth Vein Symbiotic Pool... Excellent, its scale is more than ten times larger than before."
In the very center of the stronghold, in a heavily guarded area, Garos once again saw that familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar ley line symbiotic pool.
Completely different from how it was abandoned in my memory, the symbiotic pool now covers an area more than ten times larger.
The pool walls were reinforced with some kind of magical obsidian and metal. Just by getting a little closer, Galos's Iron Dragon bloodline talent was frantically warning him that the area ahead contained extremely pure metal and mineral essence.
Galos strode heavily toward the edge of the pool, lowering his massive dragon head to gaze into the distance.
Iron marrow, red steel marrow, carnelian, dark gold marrow... all kinds of top-grade rare minerals and metal crystals seem to have a life of their own, growing and spreading wildly on the bottom and walls of the pool, shimmering with an alluring luster.
Their absolute number may not be enormous, but it is certainly not small.
More importantly, its quality is extremely high, almost all of which are top-grade materials that are hard to find on the market, making it very valuable.
"They're all good stuff."
The red iron dragon shook its head, its thick, long tail nimbly extending and coiling to pry off a fist-sized piece of refined iron marrow, gleaming with a dark metallic luster, from the pool wall, and then tossing it directly into its massive mouth filled with sharp teeth.
After chewing it a couple of times and eating it, Hong Tielong showed a slightly satisfied expression.
These minerals will nourish and strengthen every scale, every bone, and every muscle in his body, making him stronger at an even faster pace.
With this pool of top-quality minerals, plus the black oil crystals that Elena continues to invest in, and various magical gems containing elemental energy... he no longer needs to worry about resource scarcity.
Even if my current life level is higher, the rate of improvement will not slow down.
"Leaving this symbiotic pool of ley lines was the right decision."
"After humans occupied this place, they poured enormous resources into its cultivation and upgrading... But now, all of this, along with the interest, has returned to us."
Iron Dragon Sorog also descended, guided by the strong instincts of his bloodline.
Upon seeing the massive symbiotic pool, even with his composure, a hint of heat flashed in his dragon eyes.
The Principality of Raymond has amassed a large army here, not only because the Quenching Highlands themselves are an important strategic stronghold, but also because of this upgraded and transformed leyline symbiotic pool.
If the fighting on the southern front hadn't been so intense, drawing up most of the duchy's top-tier forces, the number of powerful warriors stationed here would likely be far greater than this.
Without any hesitation, Galos used its tail to curl up several pieces of minerals of different colors, stuffed them into its mouth, chewed them, and swallowed them.
After a moment of contemplation, he suddenly flapped his wings and soared into the sky.
Bang!
The Red Iron Dragon circled once above the Quenching Highlands, surveying its newly regained territory, before crashing down onto a section of the still-standing but cracked and scorched city wall, its sharp claws digging deep into the hard iron surface.
He raised his proud head and looked around.
He looked down at the thousands of his subjects below, some cheering, some busy, and some resting.
At the same time, he spread his dragon wings to the maximum extent, displaying them as flamboyantly as the most prominent battle flag.
"My people! This victory is only the beginning!"
His deep, resonant voice rolled across the highlands like thunder, reaching the ears of every living creature.
"From this day forward! The Ironforge tribe will be invincible and unconquerable under my protection!"
"The dragon banner forged in fire and iron will eventually be planted on every inch of the wilderness of Sel!"
"Victory and glory belong to me! To the tribe! And to every one of my people who fought for me and never retreated!"
He looked up at the sky and let out a resounding dragon roar that shook the heavens, announcing the arrival of a new era.
Galus was not one for ostentation, but after such a resounding and complete victory, it was necessary to make some inspiring pronouncements to boost the morale of the entire army and consolidate and strengthen his authority.
Just as he finished speaking...
His family members, who were listening to his words, erupted in cheers.
Centaur warriors pounded the earth with their iron hooves, creating a thunderous war drum rhythm; ogres pounded their bone-armored chests with muffled thuds; werewolves raised their heads and let out long, bloodthirsty howls at the fading night sky.
Countless gnolls, kobolds, war lizardmen... all members of the Ironforge tribe were expressing their excitement and fervor in the most fervent way possible for their race.
Countless gazes, a mixture of awe, fervor, and worship, focused on the majestic dragon silhouette atop the ruins of the city wall.
Several tens of seconds later.
Under the watchful eyes of all its followers, the Red Iron Dragon once again spread its wings, its massive body spiraling upwards into the gradually brightening sky, tearing a long, comet-like, scorching trail across the pale blue heavens before finally disappearing into the distance.
The clamor and cheers on the high ground gradually subsided as he left.
Then, as planned, the red dragon Samantha flapped her wings and returned to the Shattered Ridge Hills, which was gradually transforming into an alchemy industrial zone, under her jurisdiction.
The young blue dragon Heriam and the red dragon Cahill returned to Riverwood together.
They rested and reorganized while strengthening the defenses of their main stronghold.
Iron Dragon Sorog chose to temporarily garrison the newly captured Tempering Heights.
He methodically instructed the leaders of the local tribes to immediately begin cleaning up the battlefield, carefully sorting and collecting all intact alchemy machines, armor, weapons, and other valuable spoils of war, and properly disposing of the mountains of corpses and some useless waste.
Not long after.
Serbian wilderness, coniferous valley.
Red Iron Dragon folded its wings and landed on a familiar open space next to its nest.
The slimes, who had been waiting there for a long time, instinctively surrounded him, only to be driven back by his deep rebuke.
Until they had completed a round of high-intensity exercise with a sense of unfinished business.
Galos, slightly out of breath, gradually relaxed and commanded, "Come on."
Once granted permission, the slimes immediately swarmed forward like the most dedicated servants, using their soft, sticky bodies to carefully wipe and clean Garus's dragon scales inch by inch.
A cool, slippery sensation washes away impurities and brings a refreshing feeling.
"The tempering of the highlands is just the beginning."
"Our short-term goal now is to take over the entire Northwest Wilderness region."
Galos closed his eyes and pretended to sleep, enjoying the cool, soft touch of the slimes as they moved through the gaps in his scales. He enjoyed this moment of peace and cleanliness, while silently pondering his next strategy.
The vast wilderness of Ser is enough to make even the most powerful kingdoms blush with shame.
This land is dotted with numerous duchies, kingdoms, and even secret strongholds of certain powerful organizations; the Northwest region alone is far larger and more extensive than the border areas.
but.
Today, the elite forces and top experts of those human nations are almost all involved in the unprecedented civil war on the southern front, fighting each other on their own territory or on the main battlefield.
Rather than remote wilderness outposts.
As long as they are not afraid of the possible retaliation from the Federation, these outposts set up in the wilderness by the Federation countries are not a big problem for the Ironforge tribe now.
At present, the strategy of the Ironforge tribe is quite clear.
As long as you don't actively provoke strongholds belonging to the Kingdom of Lorthen, you won't attract any additional trouble.
Conversely, if they actively attack the strongholds belonging to the Kingdom of Reipos, they can even obtain substantial financial and material support from Princess Elena of the Crystal Kingdom.
At least until the dust settles on the Union Civil War, this tacit understanding will continue.
What we really need to be wary of and pay attention to is...
In fact, they are like the necromancer Phillips from before, or like the red dragon father Gorsas... similar to the Ironforge, powerful beings who no longer restrained themselves and emerged during the civil war and the collapse of order in the Federation.
"The wilderness is vast and primitive, containing many resources, and is the best soil for the growth of great strength."
“When the Federation was at its zenith and its order was strict, countless powerful creatures chose to lie dormant, hiding in secret caves, ancient ruins, or the depths of remote and desolate places, silently licking their claws and waiting for their chance.”
"And now, the time has come."
"Those hidden beasts and venomous snakes will only gradually reveal their sharpness and claws, and there will be more and more of them."
Galos silently analyzed the situation in his mind.
He was well aware that these powerful beings, who shared similar ambitions and craved power and resources, were the most threatening enemies that the Ironforge tribe needed to take seriously next.
If they choose to emerge from seclusion at this moment, their purpose must be to seize certain resources, expand their territory, or realize some long-dormant ambition.
Unlike the fixed-outpost legions of those duchies or kingdoms, they are mainly for defense and will live in peace as long as they are not provoked.
These rivals of the Ironforge tribes were themselves the source of chaos and expansion.
However, Galus did not find this troublesome or difficult.
On the contrary, he believed that this chaotic era of numerous heroes rising up was exactly what he needed.
For a descendant of a dragon like him, who is naturally prone to being attacked and targeted, this chaotic world where no one can control everything provides an excellent space for growth and expansion.
He gathered his scattered thoughts and refocused his attention on the specific intelligence regarding the Northwest region.
Long before the Ironforge tribe had unified the border region and before the full-scale civil war broke out in the Federation, he had taken precautions and sent a large number of elite scouts to the Sel Wilderness to infiltrate and gather intelligence on all sides.
Today, these initial investments have yielded a considerable return.
According to the compiled intelligence...
With the Federation's control over the wilderness rapidly diminishing, the Northwest is like a beast breaking free of its restraints, and the power structure is undergoing a dramatic reshuffling.
Among them, five individuals have already risen to fame and become renowned for their formidable strength and rapid expansion.
[Deer King]
The Four-Headed Python King
【Hundred-Eyed King】
Lion King
And him, the "King of Smelting Iron".
Some well-informed intelligent beings, who knew the general situation, collectively referred to these five most powerful beings in the Northwest region as the "Map Kings" or the "Five Kings of the Northwest".
Leaving aside his own identity as the King of Smelting Iron.
Among the other four map kings, the Deer King is a high-level monster with extremely high intelligence and the ability to control powerful elements. Its appearance is that of a lithe and elegant white doe.
He commands a large number of powerful monsters with varying levels of intelligence, which are entrenched in the Misty Forest in the northwest.
The Python King and the Lion King are two ferocious beasts with infamous reputations.
Unlike other ferocious beasts that act solely on instinct, they possess intelligence no less than that of humans, and each has its own unique skills and special abilities. They cannot be regarded as ordinary ferocious beasts. They command and rule powerful herds of beasts, respectively occupying the Lost Swamp and the Echo Rift.
As for the Hundred-Eyed King, he is a relatively rare eye demon with incredibly powerful spiritual energy.
The Hundred-Eyed King, through his terrifying mind control skills, enslaved numerous races, including humans, humanoids, ferocious beasts, and monsters, constructing a twisted yet powerful territory, with his lair located in the Dark Forest.
"That lich necromancer... if he hadn't been unlucky enough to run into me first, given time, there might have been another lich king in this northwest region."
Garus thought to himself.
Any creature that can win the title of king at the beginning of a chaotic world can never be weak.
The Ironforge tribe's expansion in the northwestern wilderness will not be smooth sailing, and conflicts with its neighbors are almost inevitable.
at the same time.
The slimes finished cleaning and quietly retreated. The refreshed red iron dragon opened its eyes, gazing at the vast sky and other directions of the wilderness.
The victory at Tempering Heights was just the prologue.
Not only in the northwest, but also in other areas of the Wilderness of Sel—the east, south, and center—there are similarly powerful map kings.
It is foreseeable.
As time goes by, these rising map kings will inevitably engage in more brutal conflicts and annexations, ultimately vying for the title of regional king who can truly rule the entire region.
And on this vast, desolate stage.
Only by becoming a true regional king can one have the qualifications and strength to compete for the ultimate title of King of the Wilderness.
It is worth mentioning.
The Red Dragon Gorsas is mainly active in the central wilderness region, and also has a corresponding name.
——【The Mad King】
Because of his chaotic and unruly style, he did not deliberately eliminate other lords in the central region. However, due to his arrogant and reckless behavior, he was already showing signs of becoming a regional king. As long as nothing unexpected happens, it was only a matter of time.
The new postpartum nanny was unreliable, so I fired her yesterday. Now I can only provide intermittent daily stipends, and I can't maintain that level consistently. Please understand.
(End of this chapter)
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