Chapter 446 The Path of Evolution, Ultimate Dragon
"Your Majesty, this vast ice plain is about to become a new territory on the map of the Kingdom of Aura."
"You will surely be crowned the true Lord of the North."
"The Wilderness of Sel, the Borderlands, the Permafrost Tundra... From this day forward, the vast North will be under your dragon wings! Any being that dares to defy your will will be reduced to ashes!"
In the biting wind and snow, two young dragons, their faces filled with excitement and awe, expressed their longing to their emperor.
Red Iron Dragon simply nodded calmly, his gaze sweeping across the vast ice plains.
"It's too early to talk about these things now."
"Let's wait until everything settles down and we truly have the frozen tundra under our control before making any further moves."
His tone was calm and composed, without a trace of pride or impatience.
This nonchalant reaction only deepened the young dragons' admiration for them.
They felt that their king was unfathomable, possessed inner majesty, and never showed his emotions.
"My lord, the self-proclaimed leader of the frost giants is dead, but he still commands a sizable giant tribe and has united many scattered tribes and clans on the ice plains."
"What should we do next?"
Blue Dragon Heriam stepped forward and asked in a low voice.
Dragon Tooth Fortress was, after all, just a forward outpost with limited manpower. It was difficult for them to fight against the still sizable Frost Giants on their own.
Galos was naturally aware of this as well.
"The Kingdom Council shall immediately assemble a legion to march north to the Ice Plains, quell all discordant voices, and plant the dragon banner across this land."
He said in a deep voice, already having chosen his candidates, "The legion will include those two newly surrendered lord-level leaders."
He was referring to the Golden-feathered Griffin and the Eight-Headed Serpent Leopard.
Now is the time for them to prove their worth and loyalty to the Kingdom of Aura.
Without any legendary experts present, these two powerful monsters, with a life level of 20, second only to the legendary, along with the kingdom's army, are enough to sweep across the frozen tundra.
"We will do our best to provide the northward-bound army with all the necessary logistical support and intelligence assistance."
The blue dragon Heriam lowered his head slightly and said.
However, Galos slowly shook his head and said, "No, they are only responsible for carrying out combat missions."
"The responsibility of formulating the overall strategy and coordinating the command of the legions will be entirely yours, Heriam, with Cahill assisting you from the side." Garros gazed at the blue dragon and continued in a deep voice, "I want you to clean up the remnants of the giants, complete the unification of the permafrost tundra, and afterwards, the responsibility of consolidating this territory will also be entrusted to you."
Blue Dragon Heriam was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, not expecting to be entrusted with such an important responsibility.
He hesitated slightly before saying, "Your Majesty, those two lord-level leaders are far more powerful than I am..."
Both Heriam and Cahill are currently level 16.
Thanks to their innate racial advantages, dragons can contend with ordinary level 17 or even level 18 ferocious beasts and monsters, but compared to level 20 creatures, the gap is still huge.
Moreover, the lord-level leaders of the Kingdom of Aura are all quite intelligent, and they may not be willing to obey the orders of commanders who are weaker than themselves.
Galos's eyes were sharp, and he saw through the blue dragon's concerns.
He asked in a deep voice, "In our Kingdom of Aura, what is the most fundamental principle for measuring status and determining hierarchy?"
The red dragon Cahill immediately raised his right claw and answered without hesitation: "Power! Absolutely power!"
Galos shook his head slightly, denying her statement.
Cahill flicked his tail in frustration and began racking his brains for other answers.
At this moment, after a brief moment of thought, the blue dragon Heriam slowly raised his head and said, "Your Majesty, it is your will."
"In the Kingdom of Aura, nothing, no rule, is as important as your will."
Under his tense gaze, Hong Tielong finally nodded slightly, giving an affirmative response.
You're right.
"Since I have appointed you to be in charge of clearing the ice plains, then this is your duty. Do not forget why the kingdom is named 'Aura'."
In the Kingdom of Aura, dragons are revered and considered the foundation of the kingdom.
No matter how powerful a lord-level leader is, they can only demonstrate their value under the wings of a dragon.
Moreover, for pure-blooded dragons like Heriam and Cahill, breaking through to the legendary realm is almost only a matter of time, while other lord-level leaders, although they also possess legendary potential, are still unknown whether they can truly take that step.
Legendary status is not easily attained.
There are countless creatures that are stuck at level 20 and can never advance further.
"As for how to get those monsters who are temporarily stronger than you to obey your orders, that depends on your own methods and wisdom."
"If you are not up to the task, there are other dragons in the kingdom who can take your place."
Galos was frank, offering both an opportunity and clearly stating his requirements.
He is willing to give his young dragons more opportunities, but only if they demonstrate the corresponding abilities and value and can seize these opportunities.
The blue dragon Heriam bowed his head deeply.
He solemnly promised, "I will do my utmost and never fail His Majesty's trust and expectations!"
Galos nodded slightly, then added specific instructions: "Remember, during the cleanup, be careful to select the weaker, easier-to-control frost giants, and eliminate the unruly, brave and warlike ones."
He planned to use a method similar to genetic screening to try to tame and enslave a portion of the giants for the kingdom's use.
Upon hearing this, Cahill immediately let out an excited growl and said, "Leave the killing to me! I can't wait to see the ice plains stained red with the blood of our enemies!"
After that, Hong Tielong briefly explained some details.
call!
He flapped his sky-covering dragon wings, and his enormous figure quickly rose into the air, disappearing into the vast snow curtain in the blink of an eye, leaving only swirling air currents that gradually subsided.
Flying south, the surrounding environment subtly changes.
The heavy, violent snowstorms on the permafrost tundra gradually became thinner and milder.
When Garus crossed the border and officially entered the airspace of the Sel Wilderness, only a few fine snowflakes remained in the sky, drifting lightly in the wind.
He looked down with his head down.
The earth here is still covered with a layer of silver-white winter clothes, but the thin layer of snow cannot hide the burgeoning vitality in the wilderness.
"The threat in the north has been eliminated. Immediately begin preparing the legion and send troops north to take full control of the permafrost tundra."
"The legendary frost giant is confirmed dead. Now, we no longer need to worry about the surveillance of the Kingdom of Theo."
Galos conveyed the instructions to the Iron Dragon Sorog via telepathy, and then returned directly to the training grounds located in the back mountains of the Dragonspine Range.
The battle with the legendary frost giant was of little use to him; it was merely a warm-up to stretch his muscles.
The minor damage to the scales on my body is not a big deal and does not require special rest to recover.
"The Eye of True Sight..."
Garros took out the legendary item he had obtained in exchange with Lorthorn, held it in his huge claw, and examined it carefully.
In his understanding, legendary items can be roughly divided into three categories.
Firstly, there are weapons and armor, which are equipment used directly in combat. Their effects are simple and direct, and they significantly enhance immediate combat effectiveness.
The [Burning Pleasure] and [Earth Ripper] that he had previously fought belonged to this category.
Secondly, they are the cutting-edge crystallization of complex gold refining industries, and are often strategic assets of the nation.
For example, there are devastating cannons that can threaten legendary powerhouses, powerful war golems, and magical satellites hanging high in the sky.
Thirdly, there are rare items with various special effects. They may not directly enhance lethality, but they often produce unexpected and amazing effects in specific areas.
The Eye of True Sight, Valhalla, and the Golden Robe of All Beings all belong to this category.
At this moment, two crystal balls, orbiting each other along a specific trajectory and slowly rotating, are suspended at the tip of Garus's claw, emitting a soft and mysterious halo, which looks quite magical.
He examined it for a moment, then without hesitation, began to continuously inject dragon energy into it.
Buzz—!
The rotation speed of the [Eye of True Sight] suddenly increased, becoming blurry and indistinct, while its entire form began to rapidly become ethereal.
As it blurred, its shape gradually changed, eventually coalescing into the outline of a pair of eyes.
The color and structure are exactly the same as the eyes of the red iron dragon!
Ultimately, it completely blurred, as if merging into the air and disappearing.
At the same time, with a burning sensation, Red Iron Dragon suddenly closed his eyes.
A few seconds later, he slowly opened his eyelids again.
Within his deep, dark eyes, countless intricate runes flashed by as if they were alive, rising and falling, flowing and turning. At first glance, it seemed as if his eyes contained a miniature starry sky in the process of evolution, captivating all who looked upon them.
In Red Iron Dragon's perception at this moment, the entire world had completely changed.
He looked around and the once familiar landscape presented an unprecedented new look.
The earth beneath his feet and the distant mountains were no longer opaque, solid barriers. In his eyes, they became like transparent amber, their internal structures as clearly discernible as a network of biological blood vessels. He could see both the surface and the different layers underground.
Countless colorful and dazzling energy streams floated in the air.
Elements with different properties shimmer with their own unique brilliance.
The earthy yellow of the earth, the pale blue of the water element, the silvery white of the metal, the crimson of the fire... they intertwine, entwine, and flow together to form a grand and dynamic energy picture.
He doesn't even need to look around deliberately to "see" the precise distribution and flow of various magical energies around him.
Everything became clear.
Immediately afterwards, he focused his gaze on the imposing mountains before him, his dragon eyes narrowing slightly.
His focused gaze easily pierced through the now-transparent mountain, revealing a much wider world outside.
The magnificent outline of the Crimson Flame Royal City came into clear view of him. He could clearly see countless points of light representing life in the city, twinkling like stars on a summer night, and he could distinguish the energy intensity and outline features they represented.
The protective array being constructed within the royal city, with its internal energy runes and structural nodes, was also clearly visible to him.
He can even pinpoint the relatively weak energy convergence points.
"interesting……"
Red Iron Dragon muttered to himself, the runes in his eyes seeming to accelerate as well, like the stars spinning.
However, this extraordinary vision comes at a price.
Galos could clearly feel that his spirit was being continuously depleted, and at the same time, his eyes began to feel hot and dry.
And this was exactly what he wanted.
Immediately afterwards, Red Iron Dragon, with True Sight activated, began his daily physical training.
To his surprise, since his eyes can now see through his own scales and flesh, he can clearly "see" the operation of his muscles, bones and even dragon energy from multiple dimensions. Based on this real-time feedback, he can adjust the posture and force of each exercise movement with extreme precision, making the exercise effect close to perfect.
After a while, the discomfort in his eyes became more intense, turning into a burning, stinging pain.
This is the burden caused by prolonged overload of True Sight.
Galos was not surprised but rather pleased.
While enduring the stinging pain in his eyes, he keenly sensed the possibility of evolution based on his familiarity with his talent.
This means that the Eye of True Sight, this wondrous object, can indeed stimulate his visual organs to transform into a higher level.
At the same time, an idea gradually became clear in his mind.
Collect all kinds of legendary items, especially those with unique functions, and then select the ones that are most suitable for you. In this way, you can continuously trigger adaptive evolution and keep taking steps on the road to becoming the ultimate dragon!
This idea did not come from nowhere.
Galus had a similar idea long ago: to guide its own evolution through external stimuli.
Furthermore, this approach has indeed been successful, helping him to construct the Frenzy state and the Bloodlust state.
However, as he improved rapidly, most ordinary alchemical tools became of little use to him, and their stimulating effect was not even as good as his own hard training. The Dragon Jade and Red Lotus forms were achieved through his own breakthroughs.
Dragons rarely rely on external objects.
This is because, for truly powerful dragons, their own bodies are often more reliable than most external objects.
However, legendary items, especially rare items, are completely different.
Their unique effects can still provide significant and lasting benefits even to legendary dragons like Garros.
The only problem is that legendary items are extremely valuable and rare.
"I now possess the Kingdom of Aura, with countless subjects under my command, and the Ser Wilderness itself is rich in resources."
"As the kingdom continues to develop, these can be transformed into enormous wealth. With enough effort and time, one will surely be able to collect even more legendary items."
Galos was patient with this.
Time is always on the side of long-lived dragons.
Just like countless days of arduous training in the past, he silently endured the continuous stinging sensation in his eyes, maintaining the load on his True Sight Eyes while continuing his high-intensity physical exercise.
Pain and reward coexist, and he finds joy in it.
While Garus was diligently training in the back mountains of Dragonspine, the situation in the outside world was also progressing steadily.
The Iron Legion quickly assembled and marched north, heading straight for the Ice Plains.
Although the Kingdom of Theo had intended to interfere and create trouble for the Kingdom of Aura, the vast Ser Wilderness made it difficult to directly intervene in the Ice Plains. Furthermore, the legendary leader of the permafrost tundra had already fallen, rendering him worth supporting, so they could only helplessly abandon their plans to intervene.
Afterwards, under the command of the blue dragon Heriam, and the ferocity of the two powerful monsters, the Golden-feathered Griffin and the Eight-Headed Serpent Leopard, they were defeated.
The Iron Legion swept across the ice plains with unstoppable momentum.
Gradually, the formidable reputation of the Red Iron Dragon Emperor and the Kingdom of Aura spread throughout this harsh and cold land, carried by the winds of the wilderness.
News of the defeat and death of the Everfrost King Voluk had already spread, greatly damaging the morale of the resistance fighters.
It is worth mentioning that, in order to quickly unify the Ice Plains, Woruk had already conducted a round of screening and incorporation of those tribes and clans that were willing to submit to the stronger ones, which saved the Kingdom of Aura a lot of work in screening and persuading them to surrender.
When the powerful kingdom's army arrived, most of these tribes readily defected and submitted to the kingdom.
The vast majority of frost giants who chose to put up a stubborn resistance were ultimately ruthlessly annihilated by the Legion.
Those individuals who were relatively weak-willed and lacked fighting spirit were selected and temporarily kept, as ordered by Galus.
Only a very few lucky or powerful frost giants escaped the encirclement and disappeared into the vast, perilous depths of the cold ocean, their whereabouts and fate unknown.
Time flies, and six years have passed quietly without us even realizing it.
The Kingdom of Aura has grown stronger and stronger, not only consolidating its rule in the Sel Wilderness, but also planting its dragon banner all over the icy peaks and snowy valleys of the permafrost tundra.
The Red Iron Dragon Emperor, Garo Ignas.
He thus gained a new, representative title.
Lord of the North!
Meanwhile, far away on the continent of Aurotara.
With a perfectly measured smile on her face, the lucky fairy Aliya was talking quietly with several exquisitely beautiful and elegant elves.
A moment later, an elf with skin that glowed with a pale gold luster, who was the leader, stepped forward.
He handed a perfectly round fruit, its color as bright red as a gemstone, to Aliya.
"This is a small gift to express my appreciation, please accept it."
The fruit has a smooth, glossy skin, emitting an enticing fragrance and a powerful, pure surge of life energy.
"Thank you for your generosity; this gift is truly precious."
The lucky charm, Aliya, gracefully accepted the fruit, her smile unchanged.
She gently bit through the thin, cicada-wing-like skin of the fruit and then sucked on the sweet and hot juice inside.
As the fruit rapidly shriveled in her hand, a torrent of scorching yet incredibly pure energy surged into her throat, then swept through her limbs and bones like a river bursting its banks.
Beneath her skin, a soft halo seemed to flow subtly, and the aura emanating from her body rose steadily.
Ultimately, her life level stabilized at a higher level.
Level 24!
The surge of power within her made her unconsciously squint her eyes slightly, revealing a look of joy.
Once you step into the legendary realm, every step forward is no easy feat.
Aliya, the Good Fortune Messenger, is not particularly outstanding in terms of talent and aptitude in the legendary realm. Therefore, her level-up largely depends on various precious external resources. Fortunately, she is blessed with extraordinary luck and can always easily encounter, find, or be given rare treasures that ordinary people dream of.
For example, the red fruit she just ate is called the "Blazing Sun Fruit".
This is a rare treasure that is also of great benefit to legendary powerhouses. It is produced in very small quantities only within the elven territory of the continent of Aurotara. The cultivation method is regarded as a closely guarded secret by the elves, and the fruit is only supplied to members of their own race and is never allowed to leave.
Not long ago, during a leisurely stroll in the forest, Aliya happened to encounter a ferocious magical beast attacking a lone elf.
She casually drove away the monster and saved the little guy.
It was only later that they learned that the child was the most beloved offspring of a powerful elven lord in the area, who had slipped away alone and encountered danger because he was too playful.
To repay this life-saving grace, the elven lord treated her with great hospitality and generously gifted her this Blazing Sun Fruit.
Aliya's own accumulation was also nearing its critical point. After consuming the Blazing Sun Fruit, she naturally broke through to level twenty-four.
However, along with the joy of leveling up, a shadow also rose in her heart.
"The Kingdom of Aura... the Red Iron Dragon Emperor... the Iron Dragon Regent..."
The messenger of good fortune's thoughts drifted involuntarily to the distant land of Atlanta, the land she was about to return to.
About six years ago, she received a message from the church informing her of a dragon kingdom that had risen in the Wilderness of Sel and extending a formal invitation for her to visit.
Out of curiosity about a new kingdom founded by dragons, she agreed.
However, not long ago, she finished her business on the continent of Aurotara and was preparing to return to the continent of Atlanta, planning to visit the Kingdom of Aura along the way.
On the eve of departure.
On a whim, she asked the church for more detailed information about the Kingdom of Aura.
When she read these materials carefully, she was shocked to discover that the Kingdom of Aura was originally the "Iron Smelting Tribe"!
And he himself had taken a legendary item from them.
"I took the Hall of Heroes back then to prevent this powerful artifact from falling into the hands of evil people and to avoid widespread suffering. It is the safest arrangement for me to keep and supervise such an artifact."
Aliya internally reaffirmed the legitimacy of her actions.
"However, those greedy and vengeful dragons will probably only think about the problem from the narrowest perspective and assume that I have harmed their interests."
"After many years, they specifically invited me to visit the kingdom."
"There's probably no good intention behind this. They're probably trying to force me to hand over Valhalla, or there might be some other deeper malice."
She calmly analyzed the situation and felt that her speculation was reasonable.
At this moment, she has three choices.
First, they avoid seeing him.
With her powerful luck attribute, as long as she doesn't want to and deliberately avoids him, that Red Iron Dragon Emperor probably won't even be able to see her face.
Secondly, we should try to turn hostility into friendship.
Taking the initiative to return the Hall of Heroes, along with sufficient compensation and a sincere apology, might be able to quell the other party's anger and end this feud.
Thirdly, it eliminates future troubles.
Before the Red Iron Dragon Emperor grows to a point where he cannot be controlled, strike first and eliminate him completely.
To be honest, deep down, the lucky charm Aliya is not afraid of the current Red Iron Dragon.
No matter how strong it is, it has only been a few years since it was promoted to legendary status, and its kingdom's foundation is not deep. Once the emperor dies, it will immediately fall apart.
Moreover, she has accumulated quite a few legendary items over the years as she travels all over the country.
Among legendary figures of the same level, there are almost none who are richer than her. In addition, her own level is high, and her specialized divine magic path is not weak in combat. There is really no reason for her to fear a level 21 evil dragon legendary figure.
"Your Excellency Alia, you seem to have something on your mind?"
The elven lord, with keen observation, noticed her momentary lapse in concentration and absent-mindedness, and gently inquired about it.
"I did encounter a little annoying problem."
The lucky messenger snapped out of his reverie, looked at the experienced elven lord, and asked, "With your wisdom, how would you normally deal with a potential adversary who hasn't yet truly grown up but could pose a danger in the future?"
Upon hearing this, the elven lord pondered for a moment.
Immediately, a smile appeared on his handsome face, and he slowly said:
“If it’s not a deep-seated hatred that can’t be resolved, then paying a reasonable price to try to win the other party over and turn a potential enemy into a friend is a good option.”
"The more friends you have, the fewer enemies you have."
He paused, his voice still calm, "Of course, we elves have long lifespans and have witnessed too many rises and falls."
"Therefore, in some situations, we also understand the importance of nipping danger in the bud, even if it requires taking some risks."
This elven lord has lived for nearly a thousand years and is powerful and knowledgeable.
Moreover, he was a lord of the Nausir Empire, holding a high position and great power.
The Elf Lord's advice is of great value to the young, lucky one.
"Thank you, your words have been very helpful."
The messenger of good fortune's eyes gleamed, as if deep in thought.
Several days later, the Good Fortune Messenger bid farewell to the Elven Lord and his people, embarking on a journey away from the continent of Aurotara, heading back towards the long-lost continent of Atalanta.
(End of this chapter)
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