Chapter 356 Gorsas: King of Molten Iron? His domineering aura is overwhelming; he deserves to die!
After the battle in the Dark Jungle came to an end.
The Eye Demon was completely dead, while the Phoenix and the Holy Spirit Deer officially submitted to the powerful Ironforge tribe as feudal lords.
Thus, the short-lived dispute between the map kings came to a complete end.
Among the several regions in the vast wilderness, the Northwest region has taken the lead in emerging as the first true regional champion.
—The King of Smelting Iron.
If it were any other young and ambitious dragon, after achieving such a glorious victory, it might become complacent, believing that its strength is now unmatched in the wilderness, and thus eagerly declare war on the entire wilderness, igniting a new wave of conquest.
However, the King of Iron was not blinded by victory.
He calmly chose a completely different path.
Galos knew very well that this victory and the resulting title of regional king were nothing more than empty and meaningless titles.
His ability to subdue all the map kings in the Northwest region was based on his own strength, but to a large extent it was also due to luck, as he seized a fleeting and excellent opportunity.
In other vast regions, there may also lurk powerful beings with unfathomable strength.
However, their movements are relatively slow, and they have not yet completed integration.
Take, for example, the Mad King, the Red Dragon Gorsas, who entrenched himself in the central region.
He was already infamous in the central region, his brutality and destructive power inspiring fear in all who heard of him.
Compared to expending effort to unify his territories, Gorsas was clearly more indulging in the pleasure derived from pure destruction and annihilation.
He might even, on a whim, recklessly invade other territories, unleashing a bloody rampage.
And then there's the mushroom king from the southeast region who has never shown his face.
It advances slowly, inch by inch, covering the ground with its unique fungal carpet and gradually transforming the surrounding environment and ecology.
This piecemeal development strategy requires a much longer time to develop compared to the steady and methodical approach previously adopted by the Ironforge tribe.
therefore.
Even if a similar opportunity were to arise in the southeast region.
Given the King of Fungi's expansion model, it would be impossible for it to grasp it firmly like Garus did.
With these powerful creatures present, it is very difficult for the Ironforge tribe to continue expanding beyond the northwest.
If they face off against regional champions who have also emerged from fierce competition, and if they cannot quickly resolve the battle, the entire Ironforge tribe is very likely to be dragged into a protracted war, ultimately losing all the gains they have painstakingly accumulated.
Moreover...
The abundant resources currently controlled in the Northwest region are more than enough to meet the needs of Garoth and the entire dragon race; in fact, they are more than sufficient.
Taking all these factors into consideration, Galus ultimately decided to halt his external expansion.
After a series of fierce and intense battles, the dependents began to systematically withdraw their forces and turn their energy inward.
Led by experienced leaders, they ventured deep into the Northwest to excavate and mine various rare resources.
Establish strong outposts and strongholds in key strategic locations and transportation hubs.
Efforts should be made to maintain the stability and smooth flow of important trade routes.
Through these meticulous and pragmatic measures, the tribe is continuously consolidating its control over the northwest region.
Even so, given the current size of the Ironforge tribe, it still seems somewhat beyond their capabilities to fully control this vast map.
The Iron Smelting Tribe urgently needs to increase its population and extend its influence to every inch of land, so that the dragon flag symbolizing the Iron Smelting Tribe can truly be planted in every corner of the Northwest, thereby thoroughly consolidating its ruling foundation.
Only after this foundation is solid can the tribe truly have a solid possibility of continuing to expand into other areas.
Right now, the most urgent task is to concentrate our efforts on extracting all kinds of valuable resources from this newly conquered land and fully digest the rich fruits of this victory.
As time quietly passed, the changes that occurred in the Northwest region gradually spread throughout the wilderness.
The emergence of a new regional king has undoubtedly aroused high vigilance and caution among many map kings.
Even though the Iron King had clearly stated his intention to halt expansion, his very existence still instilled a deep sense of unease and fear in many powerful creatures of the wilderness.
Just imagine it.
As fierce competition in other regions has just ended and a new champion has emerged, they are at a crucial moment preparing to reap the rewards of victory.
The iron smelting king of the Northwest region has very likely already achieved further breakthroughs by integrating and utilizing the resources of the Northwest.
Will he be able to suppress his burning ambition to continue expanding when the time comes?
Even though Galus solemnly declared to the entire wilderness that he was completely content with the vast territory of the Northwest and had no desire for other regions.
This is probably hard to believe in the existence of those wilderness areas.
on the other hand.
The reason why the Wilderness Map Kings have launched such a fierce war is that, taking advantage of the Federation's significantly weakened control over the Wilderness, various forces have seized the opportunity to rise and compete for hegemony.
The vast majority of those participating in this competition are below the legendary level.
Many of them, including Galos, are eager to use the abundant resources hidden in the wilderness to quickly break through to the crucial legendary realms.
If the Federation had restored its former stability and strong control before this, it would have been a different story.
Then all the efforts and sacrifices made in the wilderness will eventually be in vain.
If one does not reach the legendary level, once the Federation's powerful figures return and regain control of the wilderness, all non-legendary beings will be forced to go into hiding again.
Only those who truly step into the realm of legends are qualified to engage in dialogue with the Federation.
After all, the Federation itself is not monolithic; there is also a complex space for power struggles within it.
Due to these underlying reasons, the competition for supremacy in other regions has accelerated significantly, and the intensity of the wars has increased dramatically.
The entire wilderness, except for the relatively peaceful northwest region, was engulfed in flames of war.
And so, time quietly passed, and several months later arrived in the blink of an eye.
One disappointing piece of news is that the exploration of the Marnes Underground City is progressing extremely slowly.
In that underground city ruin that resembled a vast wasteland, the elites of the Ironforge tribe searched arduously for months, but still failed to find any trace of the legendary item.
As the lord of Riverwood, Charles had to temporarily put aside his exploration work and return to his territory to deal with long-standing matters.
An exploration team composed of elite members of the Ironforge tribe continued to hold their ground in the underground city, searching for possible clues day and night.
At this time, the long, wet rainy season in the wilderness seemed to be coming to an end.
Although the sky was still shrouded in gloom, the thick clouds had thinned considerably, leaving only a light, drizzling rain that continued to fall, adding to the desolation of the wilderness.
In a very secluded cave.
A black cat with bulging muscles and explosive power was walking slowly, accompanied by two giant dragons, one black and one green, as if it were inspecting its territory.
This black cat is none other than Galos, the Iron King who has used transformation magic.
Surrounding him were the black dragon Serafina and the green dragon Ludwig.
Despite being in a shapeshifting state, Garus continued to emanate powerful dragon might.
This invisible pressure spread out as if it were a tangible force, causing the undead creatures guarding the cave passage, whose eye sockets burned with ghostly blue soul fire, to tremble involuntarily, their soul fires flickering violently.
Shouldn't the dragon's might be significantly reduced in the Transfiguration state?
The black dragon Serafina and the green dragon Ludwig exchanged a silent glance, both reading the same surprise and doubt in each other's eyes.
They could clearly sense that the dragon's might emanating from their leader at this moment was no less than that of his true form when they last met.
The leader seems to have become stronger.
In fact.
Galos did not merely appear to have become stronger.
He has indeed become much stronger.
"The resources in the wilderness are far more abundant than those in the border areas. Even the Northwest region under my control is rich enough for me to enjoy to my heart's content."
Galos walked with a cat-like gait, his heart filled with emotion.
Life is so much better now than before.
As the territory gradually became more secure, the tribe began to operate efficiently.
During this period, the Iron Smelting Tribe has seized a massive amount of precious resources from the northwestern land.
The treasures include dazzling magical gems, a wide variety of rare and precious metals, high-grade magical plants with special effects, and an astonishing amount of black oil.
Galus consumed these resources in large quantities almost every day, as if they were ordinary food.
Moreover, he did not just dabble in it, but devoured it like a glutton, without any restraint.
Furthermore, during this relatively peaceful period, the three powerful familiars—the Amethyst Dragon Lion, the Holy Spirit Deer, and the Phoenix—often served as sparring partners for Garus.
They took turns attacking, tempering Galos's body with their respective attacks and increasing his resistance to different types of damage.
The Holy Spirit Deer will also heal Garus's injuries and make him more durable.
This high-intensity exercise is enough to help him digest what he eats quickly and efficiently.
The two work together to allow Garus, even though he is already a young dragon, to seem to still have the rapid growth of a teenage dragon.
If this trend continues...
In a few years, Garus will be able to break through his current level and reach level 18 without having to go through a long period of dormancy.
If, on this basis, one then undergoes another period of dormant evolution, as is expected during adolescence.
Therefore, reaching level 20 at the very moment he entered adulthood was by no means an unattainable goal.
As for level 21, which symbolizes transcendence—the legendary realm.
This is a huge watershed moment, and it is extremely difficult to overcome.
For ordinary level 20 dragons, it usually takes at least two hundred years to take that first step and finally enter the hall of legend.
Galus was certainly no ordinary dragon.
His talent, accumulated resources, and training methods are all destined to significantly shorten the time required for this process.
However, even with such advantages, without other special opportunities, Galos was not entirely confident that he could become a legend in adulthood. It was extremely difficult, and there are very few such cases in the entire history of the lineage.
A few minutes later.
After passing through a long, dark, and secluded passageway and through a hidden door, Galos was suddenly greeted by a breathtaking view.
He arrived at the very heart of this cave of the dead.
What comes into view is countless runes so dense they are dazzling.
The runes, shimmering with a dark light, were not chaotic, but rather meticulously categorized and grouped together.
They resembled chains, extending from an ancient altar at the very center of the space, densely covering the entire vast area.
The ground, the surrounding walls, and even the high dome.
They were all occupied by these runic chains that shimmered with a mysterious luster.
At the very center where all the runic chains converge, on an altar constructed of some kind of black rock, lies a person lying quietly.
This is a human male.
His skin was loose and covered with deep wrinkles, and his face was withered and haggard, but some facial features that Garros found familiar could still be vaguely discerned.
He was none other than Nick, the former leader of the Gem Merchant Guild and one of Galos's earliest followers.
Decades have made Galos more powerful, but have also aged this human to the point of decay.
As early as the beginning of the Undead Nest renovation project, Nick left his merchant caravan under Garros's orders and came to Riverwood to wait patiently.
Now, he has been sent to the core of this cave of the dead to undergo the first dragon-forging transformation ritual.
Out of curiosity and a sense of importance, Galus came here in person to observe the entire ceremony.
"Great Iron King, everything needed for the first Dragon Scale Transformation Ritual is ready."
When would you like the ceremony to officially begin?
Black dragon Serafina and green dragon Ludwig had already reached the altar and were asking Garos a question.
Under their watchful eyes, the muscular black cat's body began to undergo an astonishing transformation.
His body rapidly expanded, and his smooth black fur was replaced by hard scales that shimmered with a metallic sheen.
Majestic dragon horns pierced through the top of its head and grew out, while broad and powerful wings suddenly spread out behind it.
In just a few breaths, the Muscle Cat disappeared, replaced by the imposing and powerful Red Iron Dragon, the King of Molten Iron.
The space here is much more open than the narrow passageway before, enough to accommodate Garus's body.
"Let's begin now."
Hong Tielong said.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Ludwig the Green Dragon immediately responded.
He deftly curled up a specially made, tightly sealed metal bucket with his tail.
The barrel contained the blood of the red iron dragon bestowed upon it by Garus.
Garos's daily training is extremely intense, and he has also gone through many fierce battles, during which he has collected some dragon blood, accumulated and stored up enough to perform the dragon vein transformation ritual.
The green dragon used the tip of its flexible, long tail as a pen to dip into the thick, scalding dragon blood in the bucket.
He then began to use dragon blood to outline and create dragon scale-like contours and textures on certain key parts of Nick's body on the altar.
at the same time.
The black dragon slowly closed its eyes.
A deep, hoarse incantation began to flow from her lips, rising and falling in rhythm.
As the rhythmic roar of the dragon echoed through the cave, the negative energy permeating the space began to surge and boil violently, as if awakened.
On the ground, on the walls, on the dome.
The countless rune chains covering the area lit up one by one as if they had been infused with life, emitting a faint glow.
They coiled and clung to the limbs and torsos of the humans on the altar, tightly connecting them to the entire magical array.
The red iron dragon stood quietly beside the altar, taking in every detail of the ceremony.
At the same time, a transformation ceremony was taking place deep within this cave of the dead.
The central region of the Sel Wilderness.
A massive red dragon, its scales as vivid as blood, as if it had just emerged from a pool of blood, soared freely in the gloomy, leaden-gray sky, unabashedly exuding an aura of rage, ferocity, and chaos.
Wherever they went.
Whether they were birds of prey in the sky or giant beasts on the ground, they were all terrified and scattered in all directions, not daring to approach this overlord of the sky.
—The Mad King, the Red Dragon Gorsas.
He soared aimlessly in the vast sky for a while, seemingly searching for some kind of pleasure.
He quickly identified a nearby human principality's base.
A cruel yet excited smile spread across the dragon's face, and Gorsas let out a deafening roar of laughter.
Then, like a meteorite, carrying with it the aura of flames and death, the red dragon swooped down and descended.
Not long after.
The poor human settlement was completely engulfed and swallowed by raging flames.
The once vibrant camp was instantly transformed into a scorched inferno.
The earth cracked and melted under the intense heat of the dragon's breath.
All the guards who tried to resist were easily crushed and burned to ashes like ants in the face of Gorsas's absolute power, leaving no survivors.
Red Dragon Gorsas wanders among the freshly burned ruins and scorched earth.
Sensing the pervasive atmosphere of despair and destruction, a look of satisfied pleasure appeared on his face, and his bloodlust was temporarily quelled.
However, this brief sense of satisfaction did not last long.
As if recalling something troubling, Gorsas's thorny dragon face quickly turned grim and somber.
"That so-called regional king in the Northwest seems to be getting a lot of attention lately; his name has even reached my ears."
He growled in a low voice, his tone filled with disdain and frustration.
The Iron King, ruler of the Northwest region, and a fellow dragon like himself.
Moreover, judging from those rumors, his reputation seems to be subtly overshadowing mine.
This greatly displeased the red dragon Gorsas, as if his authority had been challenged.
"I heard it's a hybrid created by a red dragon and an iron dragon?"
"Heh, you arrogant bastard! I'll let you be so cocky for a few more days, then I'll come and kill you myself and twist your head off to use as a football."
Gorsas let out a malicious growl.
A hybrid of a red dragon and an iron dragon.
This description stirred a faint sense of familiarity deep within Gorsas, but his volatile temper prevented him from delving into the source of this insignificant feeling.
on the contrary.
Upon learning that the other party also possessed the blood of a red dragon, he felt no kinship whatsoever; instead, it fueled his twisted excitement and destructive urges.
However, Gorsas did not have any immediate plans to head to the northwest.
He has always acted as he pleased.
Before that, the Mad King planned to visit his beloved Leticia and, incidentally, personally verify whether the news of the Mad Fire reappearing in the sinkhole was true.
(End of this chapter)
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