Chapter 407 Legendary Traits, The Arrival of the Old Golden Dragon
The red iron dragon stood in the sky, while the sword saint lay silent beneath the shattered earth.
With the conclusion of today's battle, the infamous name of the Iron King will surely sweep across every corner of the Wilderness of Sel, and even cross mountains and forests to reach more distant lands.
The eyes of the retinue burned with worship and fanaticism for their leader.
The cheers and roars were deafening.
On the opposite side, the human legion that had come with the legendary swordsman was now deathly silent, as if an invisible giant hand had gripped their throats. Countless soldiers were pale-faced and had empty eyes, unable to believe what was happening before their eyes. Their fighting spirit and discipline crumbled at this moment.
They really didn't expect this outcome.
A household name in the kingdom, a legend.
And so he died right in front of them.
"Those who surrender live! Those who resist die!"
High in the sky, a dragon horde led by the iron dragon Sorog and the red dragon Samantha circled and roared, their enormous wings casting vast shadows that completely enveloped the human army below. At the same time, on the ground, a fully armed and menacing army of monsters began to advance with heavy steps, causing the earth to tremble as if beating war drums for this victorious army.
It's unclear which soldier was the first to break down, but with a clatter, he dropped his spear, buried his head in his hands, and knelt on the ground.
This seems to be a signal.
Clang! Clang! Clang—!
Like dominoes being toppled, the sounds of metal weapons hitting the ground rang out incessantly.
The heavily armored warriors in the front row, who should have been the backbone of the army, the archers in the back holding longbows, and even the high-ranking mages who usually accompanied the army... all turned pale, dropped their weapons, and knelt down like a tide, their bodies trembling.
A few officers with some backbone tried to reprimand the officers and restore order.
But their faint voices sounded so pale in the face of the legion's overall collapse.
Soon, overwhelmed by the suffocating dragon's might and the atmosphere of despair, they themselves gave up resistance and ultimately chose to surrender.
Soon after, Long Qun led the Ironforge legion warriors forward and began to systematically receive prisoners, collect the mountains of weapons, and inventory and organize various military supplies.
Iron Dragon Sorog and Red Dragon Samantha flapped their wings and flew higher into the sky, flanking the Red Iron Dragon.
Samantha spewed hot sparks from her nostrils and excitedly wagged her tail, as if the glory of victory belonged to her alone.
She proudly declared: "In the face of our great Ironforge tribe, mere human legends can only turn into dust of history, becoming stepping stones to the Ironforge's fame! When I, Samantha, also reach level 20, I will personally slay a legend and etch this feat into my dragon heritage, so that future generations of dragons will sing its praises!"
Iron Dragon Sorog glanced at her and timely poured cold water on her enthusiasm.
“Look at the shocking injuries on Garros’s body.”
"Although we won this battle, it was by no means an easy victory. If you challenge a legendary character at level 20, you'll probably just be giving them materials."
As he spoke, he turned to the Red Iron Dragon and asked, "Garos, what is the specific nature of your injuries?"
The armor on the red iron dragon's body had been removed, and its arrogance had subsided.
His powerful dragon body was covered with crisscrossing, deep sword marks that revealed the bone, and it was almost impossible to find a single intact scale.
In many places, the skin was torn open, and you could even see the muscles wriggling and the bones cracked underneath.
Several deep cracks were also left on his imposing and heavy mask, as if an inch deeper would damage his skull.
One of his dragon horns was cut off in large chunks, the cut surface as smooth as a mirror. But the most serious damage was the gaping hole in his chest and abdomen, its edges charred black, with black and red flames constantly burning and intertwining inside.
Galos said, "The injuries are quite severe, especially since some sword energy remains in his body. He will probably need to sleep for a while to fully recover."
Sorog pondered for a moment, then asked another question.
"If... you were facing not a Sword Saint, but a level 21 Legendary from another class path, such as a Legendary Spellcaster or a Legendary Ranger, do you think you could be guaranteed a win given your current state and previous combat experience?"
Upon hearing this, a thoughtful glint flashed in Galos's eyes.
He was not blindly confident because he had just killed a legend. After a moment's thought, he shook his head slightly.
"uncertain."
He objectively analyzed, "The situation will be completely different when fighting against different types of legends."
"Conservatively speaking, a draw is more likely, but I can't guarantee a sure win."
Legends achieved through different paths have vastly different fighting styles and trump cards.
Take the recently deceased Sword Saint as an example.
After his legendary domain was forcibly destroyed by Garros with brute force, his human body was indeed much more vulnerable in terms of defense and life compared to Garros.
This is normal.
While the physical attributes of legendary humans can be greatly improved with leaps in life level, they are still generally no match for level 20 dragons, let alone monsters like Garus, whose physical strength far surpasses that of their kind after repeated adaptations and evolutions.
but.
The swordsman's attack was so powerful that it cost Garos his life, leaving him battered and seriously injured.
Galos's usually proud defense was as fragile as paper in the face of the Sword Saint's blade.
Furthermore, the reason he had so many injuries was not only because of his large size and easy target, nor simply because the Sword Saint's attack speed was too fast to completely dodge.
The key is that the Blademaster's attacks contain a certain 'guaranteed hit' characteristic.
Galos could rely on his speed and reflexes to narrowly avoid vital organs such as the heart, head, and eyes at the last second, but every sword strike from his opponent would eventually land on some part of his body.
Even the Sword Saint's final, life-burning ultimate strike was something Galos couldn't completely avoid.
Its initial target was Galos's head.
Galos relied on the burst of speed brought by his evolved wings to perform a desperate maneuver, thus avoiding this fatal blow, which allowed the sword beam to pierce through his chest and abdomen.
Otherwise, if his head were blown off, even the Dragon Jade inside his body would probably be unable to bring him back to life.
The combination of 'almost ignoring physical defense' and 'inevitable hits' is already terrifying. It is only because Galos's physical attributes are also incredibly strong that he can withstand the Sword Saint's attack, break through the opponent's domain, and then kill him completely in one fell swoop.
If his physical attributes or recovery were even slightly worse, he would probably have been chopped into mincemeat long ago before the domain shattered.
However, it is precisely because the Legendary is so powerful that the Red Iron Dragon's ability to defy the Legendary seems so incredible.
Before him, the only recorded instances of mortals defying legends on the entire planet Bernardo were thousands of years ago. Even King Lorthorn, at level 20, only managed a draw against a legendary figure.
In addition, Galus learned the origin of those characteristics through the transmission of knowledge.
When a creature's life is elevated and it reaches the legendary realm, it can not only comprehend the destiny that shapes its domain, but also has the opportunity to transform and sublimate some of its original extremely powerful skills or expertise, making them even more powerful 'legendary traits'.
Therefore, theoretically speaking, the characteristics possessed by each legendary powerhouse are not exactly the same.
Even if you encounter another legendary swordsman at level 21 in the future, the opponent may not have the characteristics of ignoring defense and guaranteeing that their attacks will hit, but they will likely have other equally troublesome strengths.
Regarding legendary traits, there are many other names for them in different traditions and records.
Specialties, templates, and names vary, but the concepts they refer to are generally the same.
At the same time, the number and strength of legendary traits usually increase and strengthen as the legendary realm level increases, and are also closely related to the innate potential of the legendary creature itself.
Whether a legend is powerful among their peers depends heavily on their unique characteristics.
For example, on average, the number of traits possessed by legendary dragons would certainly exceed those of legendary humans of the same level.
"No legend, regardless of race or profession, should be underestimated."
"Who knows, maybe some seemingly ordinary legend possesses a certain characteristic that will be a perfect counter to me?"
Galos did not become arrogant or complacent after defeating a legendary swordsman; his mindset remained calm.
Meanwhile, an idea began to form in his mind.
"Can my Adaptability talent work against Legendary traits? For example, can I evolve corresponding Legendary resistances to weaken or even completely neutralize those troublesome traits on me?"
He was deep in thought.
This is undoubtedly a direction of evolution with great potential.
Unfortunately, it's clear that there's no way to find a living legend to assist him with this endeavor right now; we'll have to wait and see if a suitable opportunity arises later.
At the same time, Iron Dragon Sorog looked down at the dark mass of prisoners on the ground and raised a practical question.
"There are quite a few of these human prisoners. What should we do with them?"
Samantha immediately revealed her ferocious nature, her dragon eyes flashing with cruel light, and proposed, "Kill them! Turn them all to ashes! Use their blood and screams to proclaim the supreme authority of our dragon race, and let all those who dare to covet the Wilderness of Sel know clearly the consequences of being our enemies!"
Her murderous suggestion was completely ignored by both Sorog and Garros.
Red Iron Dragon pondered for a few seconds and said, "Let's see if the Kingdom of Theo is willing to pay a sufficient price to ransom their soldiers."
He was never the kind of evil dragon who took pleasure in killing and cruelty.
Given the right conditions and sufficient benefits, he is willing to resolve issues at the negotiating table, which often brings more long-term benefits than simple massacres.
“A precious legend has died, so many soldiers have been captured… they may not be able to swallow this.”
Iron Dragon Sorog said in a low voice, "After decades of relative peace, the land of Sel Wilderness will probably soon be shrouded in the smoke of war again."
Upon hearing this, Samantha showed no concern whatsoever; instead, she nodded emphatically, her eyes burning with a warlike glint.
"The wilderness belongs to us! It did, it does, and it always will!"
"Anyone who wants to seize territory from the dragon's jaws must be prepared to pay a heavy price! It may not erupt immediately, but it is inevitable and will eventually come!"
After seeing how Garus could crush legends, her caution and wisdom vanished, and now her mind was filled with thoughts of rivers of blood.
Hong Tielong didn't comment further; he simply raised his head and gazed at the distant, tranquil sky.
In the previous battle, he prioritized using external items such as the Nine Dragons Elixir and the armor lent by Natasha the Golden Dragon, rather than immediately using Frenzy and Frenzy State, and did not choose to go all out and reveal all his trump cards.
Besides feeling it's unnecessary, there's another reason.
He always had this feeling.
—There are eyes in the sky.
His duel with the legendary swordsman might have been witnessed and recorded by a magical satellite high in the sky.
Ever since he learned of the existence of the planetarium, Galus had often considered this possibility.
Elena used it to provide many conveniences for the Ironforge tribe, but there might be others using similar things to secretly target him.
It's important to know that the Kingdom of Lorthorn isn't the only one with a magical satellite surveillance network.
Other kingdoms of some size also possessed similar technologies or magical devices to varying degrees.
Even though it cannot compare with Lortherne in terms of quantity and quality, it is more than enough to monitor important events taking place in the Sel Wilderness.
"Alchemical creations with counter-surveillance capabilities should be put on the agenda."
Galos turned his gaze away, thinking to himself.
He didn't want his every move to be monitored and broadcast live.
At this moment, two golden dragon shadows flapped their wings, flew into the sky, and approached.
With a look of regret on his face, Alberto the Golden Dragon said, "Garos, I regret it. I should have insisted on fighting alongside you! In that case, this legendary feat of defying the odds would have been a part of my glory, enough to leave a strong mark on my dragon life."
Beside her, Natasha's face was filled with excitement and curiosity, almost overflowing.
"What does it feel like? What does it feel like to kill a legend?"
She flicked her shimmering golden tail and eagerly asked Red Iron Dragon a series of questions.
"When you ruthlessly shatter the domain that made a legend famous with your dragon claws, do you feel your blood boiling and your soul trembling?"
"When you finally crush him to death on the ground, do you feel a wonderful sense of control over life and death, of trampling on a legend?"
To be honest, no.
Galos's fighting purpose has always been pure and direct—to win, to achieve strategic objectives, and to show his muscles and fangs to all potential enemies.
The process and feeling of the battle itself were not his main focus.
However, under Natasha's excited and expectant gaze, Garus decided not to be a spoilsport.
He grinned and said, "Of course, it feels great."
Upon hearing this, Natasha's eyes lit up, and she wagged her tail even more excitedly, saying, "You won this victory wearing the armor I lent you!"
"In a sense, it's like the two of us fought together and joined forces to take down a human legend!"
"I share in this glory!"
Galos nodded and agreed, "Yes, you could say that."
As if suddenly remembering something crucial, Natasha the Golden Dragon hurriedly said, "That's right! Where's my armor? Give it back to me quickly, I need to put it on right away and savor the lingering warmth and aura it retains! It must feel incredibly wonderful!"
Upon hearing this, Galos hesitated for a moment, then handed the armor back to Natasha.
Natasha couldn't wait to put it on herself.
She took a deep breath, savoring the lingering scent of Garos and the intense heat of battle on her armor. Then, she closed her eyes slightly, a look of utter rapture and satisfaction on her face, as if she were still reliving the battle.
But soon, she sensed that something was wrong.
Natasha suddenly opened her eyes and looked down to examine her armor closely.
On the once perfect and magnificent armor, there was now a very conspicuous huge hole. The surrounding defensive runes were broken and extinguished due to the destruction of the structure, and were now dim and without light.
Her breath hitched.
Hong Tielong explained, "The Sword Saint's final desperate attack was too strong, exceeding the armor's limit and destroying it. Fortunately, I killed the Sword Saint in your place, making him pay the price of his life for destroying this precious armor."
On the other side, after a brief moment of shock and heartache, Natasha, the Golden Dragon, quickly regained her composure.
She murmured to herself, "No wonder Father sent so many messages just now; he probably sensed that the armor had shattered."
Alberto asked, "What did the old man say?"
Natasha shook her head slightly: "Garos and the legend's battle is in full swing, and I'm enjoying it, so I declined them all."
She tried to contact her elderly father, who lived far away in the Fubo Dragon Domain.
However, all her messages went unanswered, as if they had been thrown into the ocean.
It seems they're doing something with complete focus over there.
Beside him, Alberto was slightly taken aback at first, then his expression changed as if he had thought of something.
"Garos, see you again sometime!"
"I suddenly remembered that there is an important matter concerning my life that I must attend to, so I must take my leave now!"
Before he could finish speaking, he was already impatiently flapping his dragon wings, his body shimmering with golden light, about to slip away.
However, Natasha reacted even faster.
She swiftly extended her dragon claws and grabbed the end of Alberto's tail tightly.
"Let me go!"
Alberto struggled and growled in frustration.
Natasha grabbed his tail and whispered, "Shut up, you idiot! You only think about running now? It's too late! You'd better calm down and think of a decent excuse to come up with later."
At this moment, Hong Tielong had already raised his head and looked towards the distant western horizon, his gaze solemn.
At the edge of his field of vision.
A dazzling meteor, seemingly composed of pure golden light, was tearing through the sky at an unbelievable speed, ruthlessly shattering all the clouds in its path, and hurtling straight toward their location at a terrifying pace.
With each passing moment, the golden light magnified rapidly in the field of vision, becoming increasingly clear.
(End of this chapter)
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