Chapter 366 Valhalla, the Eternal Dragon (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
Iron Dragon Sorog suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils shrinking to two thin lines in the rain, his heart filled with solemnity.
This wasn't the first time he'd heard the name Alia.
According to intelligence gathered by the tribe, this being known as the "Good Fortune Messenger" briefly appeared in Riverwood and attempted to proselytize. After Lord Sharl clearly informed her that Riverwood did not welcome the spread of any faith, she calmly departed and disappeared without a trace, as if she had never existed.
I never imagined that I would hear this name again at this time, in this place, and in this way.
More importantly, judging from the domain characteristics displayed by this invisible barrier and the voice transmission that resounded directly in his heart, this Alya is very likely a legend, and may also be a favored one protected by the gods, a big figure that the current Ironforge tribe should not mess with.
"Hello, Lady Alia."
“My name is Sorog, the Iron King of the Ironforge.”
Facing a legend, Tie Long responded in a deep voice, revealing his identity while maintaining sufficient courtesy and restraint.
He paused slightly, organizing his thoughts, and continued, "The item in your hand, our Ironforge tribe has invested a great deal of time and effort in searching for its whereabouts, and has even sacrificed many loyal members."
The lucky charm Aliya nodded slightly, her face remaining calm.
"I know."
Her voice resonated directly in his mind, saying, "It was by following the footprints and traces left by your exploration team that I was able to easily locate this place."
She gave a simple explanation.
In fact, after leaving Riverwood, this lucky charm had been wandering aimlessly in the wilderness.
A chance stop led her to notice the sentry post that the Iron Smelting Tribe had set up in the abandoned mine.
Ordinary people might not pay attention to these outposts that can be found everywhere in the wilderness.
But those who are lucky are different.
As the title suggests, her luck has always been outrageously good, even earning her the favor of Lady Luck and making her a rare person blessed by the gods.
Since then, her luck has become even more incredible.
Wherever she went, opportunities and treasures would appear before her as if drawn by a magnet.
When she saw the mine post, some inexplicable intuition told her that this was not a meaningless coincidence.
Perhaps, something extraordinary is hidden beneath that bottomless mine.
With this premonition in mind, she displayed astonishing patience, secretly observing for a long time before finally getting there first and arriving at this long-sealed underground hall.
Suppressing his inner turmoil, Sorog tentatively asked, "In that case, Lady Alia, would you please return this item? We are willing to pay any other price as payment for retrieving it for us."
He knew the chances were slim, but he still wanted to fight for a glimmer of hope.
The messenger of good fortune slowly shook his head.
"Iron Smelting Tribe, I know about you."
“I know you are not those chaotic and evil people who are completely unable to communicate and only know how to destroy and plunder, so I am willing to say a few more words to you.”
Her gaze fell on the white orb of light floating in her palm.
"It is called the Hall of Heroes."
She said, "The Hall of Heroes is a legendary creation painstakingly crafted by the master blacksmiths among the Grey Dwarves, modeled after the famous Heroic Realm plane."
"It is a self-contained space with its own demiplane, capable of absorbing and carrying the souls of dead creatures, allowing them to exist within it as heroic spirits, and to be summoned to the material world to fight."
The Heroic Realm... Sorog knows this plane.
It is an extremely special one among many planes. Countless warriors, tyrants, wise kings and other beings with heroic qualities from countless worlds have the opportunity to be attracted to this plane after death, transforming into immortal heroic spirits within it, living on in eternal glory and battle.
"However, Valhalla is far from being as sacred as its prototype, and it is also an extremely dangerous thing."
Alia said solemnly, "Its creation and loss of control directly led to the destruction of the Marnes Underground City. Countless gray dwarves perished in that disaster, and only a very few souls were absorbed into it and became heroic spirits."
"These heroic spirits, in a sense, are also eternal prisoners."
“The holders of Valhalla can command and control them at will, showing mercy or inflicting torture.”
Her gaze lifted again, as if she could pierce through the layers of rock walls and see the iron dragon above the mine: "Imagine if this thing fell into the hands of an ambitious, unscrupulous schemer or a follower of an evil god, the wave of disaster it could unleash could cause devastation and make the earth bleed."
At this point, her tone became extremely serious.
“I know that you have put in a lot of effort and sacrifice to find it and explore this dangerous path to it.”
"I did not turn a blind eye to this effort."
"However, considering the potential risks, it is more appropriate for me to take charge of Valhalla at present."
Upon hearing this, Tielong fell into a brief silence, with only the soft sound of raindrops pattering on its scales.
Without a doubt, the Hall of Heroes is an incredibly powerful legendary item.
Putting everything else aside, if they could master it, the Flower Lord, who perished in the previous battle against the Mad King, might be resurrected as a heroic spirit, and the tribe's followers would become even more fearless, since death would no longer be the end.
However, the reality is that Valhalla is in the hands of this lucky man.
He can't take it back.
Even if Garos were to come at his peak, it might not be possible, let alone now that Garos is seriously injured and asleep, and the Ironforge tribe is leaderless.
This lucky person is indeed fortunate; appearing at this time allows them to easily obtain the legendary item.
You seem... a little angry.
The messenger of good fortune remained calm as he said, "I understand how you feel, and I know that your interests have indeed been harmed by my actions."
"But, I'm sorry."
"For the reasons I just stated, I cannot hand over Valhalla to you."
"Besides, I haven't been completely ungrateful; I've already made amends for your losses to some extent."
Tie Long's heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "What compensation?"
Alia's lips curled into a slight smile: "Haven't you felt your luck has been exceptionally good lately?"
"After I noticed you and decided to take this item, I bestowed upon your tribe a blessing of good fortune."
"This blessing will grant you all your wishes and bring together many seemingly coincidental good fortunes around you."
Is that true?
Sorog paused for a moment, then carefully recalled the tribe's recent experiences.
It seems... I'm really lucky.
The Holy Spirit Deer and the Eye Demon were both severely injured, and the Phoenix also rushed over at the same time. In the end, the tribe took advantage of the situation and wiped them all out.
And then there's the red dragon Gorsas, that chaotic and insane mad king, his father.
Sorog's trap, the rumors spread using the Mad Fire as bait... he didn't actually have high expectations deep down.
Firstly, information transmission takes time, and given the vastness of the wilderness, it's uncertain whether the message will even reach Gorsas's ears.
Secondly, given Gorsas's unpredictable thinking and behavior patterns, whether he would be interested in this bait or follow the trail is highly uncertain.
Sorog originally predicted that this would be a long fishing trip.
However, in reality, Gorsas was attracted at an unimaginable speed, took the bait directly, and ran headlong into the trap. Only one lord died during the encirclement and annihilation, and that was only after the entire army was enraged and their intelligence was reduced.
This perfectly timed stroke of good luck seems quite unusual now.
Tie Long took a deep breath of the cold air mixed with the smell of rain and earth, forcibly suppressing the chaotic thoughts and the trace of unwillingness in his heart, and letting reason prevail.
"Thank you for letting me know. Looking back now, I do indeed feel the power of that blessing."
Iron Dragon's voice regained its composure, and he said magnanimously, "You are right. The Hall of Heroes is too dangerous and is indeed not something that our Ironforge tribe can control at present."
"It is undoubtedly more secure and safer to have someone as powerful as you safeguard it."
This answer clearly surprised the lucky one.
A hint of surprise flashed in her eyes.
In her view, she had already apologized and given some compensation, which was not insignificant.
If the other party were ungrateful and tried to steal it, showing malice, she would have a reason to punish them or even kill them. However, she did not expect that this iron dragon could accept reality so calmly and even express understanding.
"very good."
Aliya's smile became more genuine, and her voice softened.
"I genuinely enjoy communicating with intelligent beings like you, Iron King Sorog. Since you understand and agree with my actions and stance, then good luck."
She nodded slightly and said, "I think I should leave."
Iron Dragon Sorog spoke up to persuade her to stay, saying warmly, "Lady Aria, why are you in such a hurry? If you don't have anything particularly urgent to attend to, why don't you move to Riverwood Territory to rest for a while?"
"I will host a banquet with the highest honors to welcome you."
The messenger of good fortune shook his head slightly and declined the invitation.
"No, I've already been stuck in the wilderness long enough."
She also has other identities and responsibilities, and needs to return to the church to handle some affairs. The Valhalla she just acquired also needs to be sealed in a safe and suitable place.
"Your speech and demeanor command my sincere respect."
At the edge of the mine, Iron Dragon grinned slightly, revealing fangs that gleamed with a cold light, and said, "This has changed my previous one-sided view of some gods and their followers, and it has aroused my curiosity."
"If, and I mean if, I want to hear more of Lady Luck's teachings, where should I go to find you in the future?"
Missionary work is one of the fundamental duties of those favored by God, and he grasped this point precisely.
Sure enough, the lucky messenger Aliya nodded with a smile and replied, "In the south, whether it's Lorthion or Rebos, in any major city of a human kingdom, you can find the temple of the goddess of fortune."
"The temple will not turn away anyone who is sincere and wants to hear the teachings of the goddess."
Tie Long went a step further, his tone sincere: "However, the unfamiliar environment always makes me uneasy."
"As you know, not everyone can have the same noble character as you. I often face misunderstandings and prejudices. I hope to have a trustworthy guide like you to answer the questions in my heart."
Aliya understood his unspoken meaning. She played with the gradually shrinking ball of light in her hand and smiled meaningfully.
"Well... that depends on whether you're lucky enough."
As soon as she finished speaking, the ball of light that Valhalla had transformed into completely disappeared from her palm, its whereabouts unknown.
Good luck, and I look forward to seeing you again.
After leaving behind a final blessing, Aliya vanished into thin air.
None of the Ironclad Clan members present, including the perceptive Russell, could detect how she left or where she went.
Russell.
Tie Long's voice rang out again in the hearts of the werewolves, revealing no emotion whatsoever: "Take men in and thoroughly search the hall. Don't let anything of value slip by."
"yes!"
The werewolf accepted the order and immediately led his retinue into the hall.
On the other side, the drizzle continued to fall, its cold patter striking the hard scales of the iron dragon Sorog and splashing up tiny droplets.
Even assuming that the compensation promised by the Lucky Guy is real and not just empty talk, it is still negligible compared to the true value of a legendary item.
The Ironforge tribe's previous development strategy has always been steady and cautious. Even without that so-called good luck, those map kings would eventually be defeated and swallowed up by the tribe one by one.
As for the Red Dragon Gorsas...
He is powerful, but his chaotic and insane thinking is his greatest weakness. Even without the allure of the Mad Fire, there are always other ways to deal with him.
A lucky blessing?
Bullshit!
Iron Dragon inwardly scoffed at this, a suppressed rage burning silently in his chest, wanting to smash the other party's temple and twist the head off the Good Fortune Messenger.
But what could he do when faced with a legendary powerhouse who was willing to reason with him calmly and even apologized?
Should we, like a young dragon, rage helplessly and lead our tribe in a suicidal charge?
No, he chose to suppress all his anger, bury it deep in his heart, and remember the events of that day.
Since unifying the border region, the Ironforge tribe had not experienced such a thorough retreat for a long time. Their triumphant advance since returning to the wilderness had almost made them forget the taste of being forced to retreat.
Tasting it again now has a unique flavor.
"If Garus were here, facing an insurmountable enemy, he would probably make the same choice as me."
"Let us be patient for now, silently accumulate strength, until our claws and teeth become sharper than the enemy's, then seize the opportunity to strike and take back everything with interest."
"Of course, this refers to him before."
"Now that Garus is under the influence of the Mad Fire and his mind is in a frenzy, he might just do what the White Dragon did and fight the Fortune Messenger to the death... That would be a very unwise move."
He thought about it calmly.
Having deeply etched the appearance, voice, aura, and every detail of the lucky messenger Aliya into his heart, the Iron Dragon Sorog did not linger. He suddenly flapped his wings and soared into the sky against the dense rain, carrying a damp chill and melancholy, flying straight towards the direction of the Tempering Plateau.
Time flows like water, day and night alternate.
The Ironforge tribe temporarily halted its outward expansion, focusing instead on consolidating its acquired territories. In the northwestern wilderness, its rule became increasingly solid and deeply rooted.
The border region, Dragon Valley, remains a world frozen in ice and snow.
One day, a particularly fierce blizzard struck, threatening to engulf the entire valley.
Just as the wind and snow raged, the red-iron dragon, which dwelled and slept deep within the Burning Steel Fortress, slowly opened its enormous eyes.
"roar--!"
A deep dragon roar emanated from within the fortress, piercing through the wind and snow and echoing through the valley.
Garros stretched out his massive body, which had been dormant for a long time and was slightly stiff. With a series of rapid clicking sounds, countless old and worn-out scales fell off, revealing new dragon scales underneath that were thicker, harder, and shimmering with a dark metallic luster.
His body was noticeably larger than before he fell asleep, the outline of his muscles bulging and undulating beneath his thick scales, exuding an explosive sense of power.
The dragon's might emanating from it became more solid and oppressive.
"The battle with Gorsas was fierce, but the benefits it brought were also very real."
Galos felt the surging power within him and cast a probing spell on himself.
Health Level: 18.
Thanks to the life-or-death struggle fought with reckless abandon in a fit of rage, and the massive resources continuously provided by the tribe, he was able to break through the bottleneck of his life level on his own while not in a dragon-sleep state.
This is a very rare thing for a dragon with a long growth cycle.
At the same time, his combat level naturally rose to level 11, and his control and application of his own power reached a new level.
Galus raised its massive right forepaw, slowly raising a hooked toe as it focused intently.
laugh.
A wisp of solidified dragon energy emerged from the tip of the hooked toe.
But unlike the usual fiery feeling, this wisp of dragon energy carried a sense of cold, deathly stillness.
This means that Garus has officially embarked on the path of the Eternal Dragon and begun to master the associated power.
Furthermore, he naturally mastered the first path to eternal death skill.
Life Extraction – Forcibly extracting a portion of life essence from organisms within a certain radius to restore one's own injuries and vitality.
Galos is lacking in recovery skills.
This was like a timely help for him, making up for one of his shortcomings.
As the path to eternal death advances, other powerful skills await acquisition. These skills, combined with his evolved super dragon body, make him even more powerful.
With no other living creatures around, Galos temporarily abandoned the idea of testing the effects of the new skill on the spot.
He then turned his attention to the depths of his own mind.
The invisible flames representing madness continued to burn quietly in his consciousness, silently accumulating fury points, only at a slower pace as Galos adapted over this period.
"Completely adapting to or even controlling this mad fire is probably not something that can be accomplished in a short period of time."
Galos was not discouraged at all; on the contrary, he was eager to try.
"Very good! Let it serve as the best whetstone. In the struggle against it, my mental resistance is increasing every moment. When I can truly master it, I'm afraid most mental attacks will be completely ineffective against me."
Time always seemed to be on the dragon's side, and he gladly accepted this long and dangerous challenge.
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(End of this chapter)
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