Chapter 485 Win-win means I win twice!
Keldrog.
After the legendary ancient dragon from the Helmod dragonflight finished speaking, he quietly gazed at the red iron dragon opposite him, awaiting his reply.
On the other side, Galos was speechless for a moment.
You stinking outsider, you've come all the way to Aura to beg for food!
These words inexplicably surfaced in Hong Tielong's mind at this moment.
Although the specific circumstances are somewhat different, his thoughts at this moment are somewhat similar.
The power of the Helmod Dragonflight is undeniable. Their ability to remain active despite the encirclement and suppression by the Raging Dragon Domain and multiple coastal city-states, and even to establish a fearsome reputation in the Boiling Sea region, is proof of their strength.
Moreover, they are the dragons on the side of order, at least that's what they claim.
No matter how they try to embellish it, they cannot change the fact that they are a gang of robbers and a group of pirates.
Looting merchant ships, plundering ports, demanding ransoms... these acts of burning, killing, and looting have long been recorded in the wanted posters of coastal countries and sung by countless sailors as terrifying stories.
"Forming an alliance with them might provide a powerful ally."
"But the image that I and the Kingdom of Aura have cultivated over the years will collapse and be destroyed in a short time. I will be dragged down by the Helmod dragons and become a target of hatred for the entire continent."
Galos weighed the options silently in his mind.
That's too risky.
Aura has just ended its war with the Kingdom of Theo. The newly conquered lands need to be digested, internal construction needs to be promoted, and diplomacy with neighboring countries needs to be maintained... Now is definitely not the time to openly ally with a notorious dragon clan.
However, what if you directly and forcefully refuse?
Kel'Thorg represents the entire Helmod dragonflight, a group that has stood firm in the Boiling Sea for centuries, and its leader must be no ordinary being.
Galos was never one to make enemies easily.
He needed to find a suitable excuse to reject the Helmod Dragonflight's request for an alliance without completely severing ties.
Even better would be to avoid openly forming an alliance with this dragon group, thus preventing trouble, while simultaneously finding a way to utilize their power and turn it into an asset.
Hongtielong's silence has lasted for quite some time.
This silence led Kel'Thuzad to misunderstand.
He assumed that Garros was seriously weighing the pros and cons of the alliance and was hesitating rather than considering rejection, so he decided to strike while the iron was hot and further elaborate on the benefits of allying with the Helmod dragons.
"Your Majesty Ignas."
"When we choose our landing site and establish a kingdom belonging to Helmod, if the Kingdom of Aura can give us formal recognition and support and publicly conclude an alliance, we will surely reward them handsomely."
He leaned forward slightly, making his words carry more weight.
"The vast seas controlled by the Helmod Dragonflight, the seabed mineral veins, rare marine products, magical materials..."
"All of these will be open to Aura first, for trade on the most favorable terms."
"More importantly, no matter what threats Aura faces in the future, whether it is the allied forces of the human kingdoms or the covetousness of other hostile dragons, with just a summons, the raging waves and thunder of Helmod will descend."
"We will make it clear to all our enemies that attacking Aura is tantamount to being our enemy."
As he spoke, fine crackling electricity rang out from the tips of his dragon horns and the edges of his wings, making the surrounding air glow slightly.
"Your Majesty, this is a win-win situation, no, it is a victory for all dragons with lofty ambitions."
"You have already torn a rift in the Dragonspine Mountains of the North, proving with iron and fire that dragons can establish their own kingdoms outside of human rules. Now, let Helmod drive another thorn into the western coast."
"We are positioned to the north and west, forming a pincer movement, supporting and assisting each other."
"The kingdoms on land will be under our control. In time, the entire continent's coastline and hinterland will be covered by the wings of the dragon."
"Evil dragon..." Garus frowned slightly at the scales on his forehead.
Kel'Thora kept calling them "evil dragons" as if it were their own, as if Garrosh were one of them.
Red Iron Dragon has never admitted to belonging to the evil dragon camp, at least not in public.
While Aura's path to establishing its nation was accompanied by war and conquest, it was conducted within the established framework of rules among the nations.
He had the testimony of the Metal Dragon Realm, a relatively legitimate reason for declaring war, and the signing of a post-war treaty... all of which were completely different from the naked plundering of the Helmod Dragon Swarm.
“Keldrog, I need to correct your statement.”
Hong Tielong said directly.
Blue Dragon paused slightly, his gaze focusing on Red Iron Dragon.
“The rise of the Kingdom of Aura from the wilderness and its establishment in the North does not mean that ‘dragons can easily establish a kingdom.’ These are two different things.”
"My success is based on specific timing, strategies, and... a certain degree of external recognition."
"If the Helmod Dragonflight wants to land and establish a kingdom, given your infamous reputation and well-known evil deeds, you will face far greater resistance than Aura did. You will not only have to contend with the garrison at your target location, but may also attract the joint intervention of several surrounding kingdoms, or even a formal punitive expedition from the Metal Dragon Domain."
He looked directly into the blue dragon's eyes and continued, "I am not belittling Helmod's power, but merely stating a fact."
“I admire your ambition; but you must also recognize that the path you have chosen is difficult.”
On the other side, Kel'Thuzad did not show any anger when he heard Red Iron Dragon's blunt, even somewhat sharp, words.
In the traditional dragon's value system, infamy and evil deeds often carry a certain alternative connotation of praise, signifying power and intimidation.
He simply grinned, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth perfectly suited for tearing apart prey.
"Your Majesty, the Dragon Clan is naturally aware of what you have said."
Kel'Thuzad said, "We have been dealing with the Boiling Sea and the Raging Dragon Realm for hundreds of years, and have had countless conflicts with other coastal city-states. We know very well how many bounties are on our heads and how many hateful eyes are behind us."
His enormous head was slightly raised.
"However, since we, the Helmodian dragons, have decided to land and establish a nation, we are prepared to meet all challenges."
"We will not fight a battle we are not confident of winning; we will not implement a plan we are not sure of succeeding in."
Blue Dragon's words revealed a strong sense of confidence.
This confidence is not blind arrogance, but rather a strength that has been forged through countless storms and bloody conflicts.
"Does this dragon herd have some special advantage that emboldens them to make such a decision?"
Galos thought to himself.
Upon closer examination, the rulers of a group of evil dragons that remain active and even grow stronger despite the continuous attacks from the Raging Dragon Domain could not possibly be reckless fools.
Their decision to plan their landing and nation-building at this time must have been carefully considered, after assessing the risks and benefits.
They may even have obtained some key intelligence or leverage.
Just as Red Iron Dragon was making his calculations, Kel'Thuzad's voice suddenly lowered a few decibels.
"Your Majesty, regarding you... I have heard many interesting rumors, but I don't know if they are true or false."
"What rumor?" Galos asked.
The blue dragon's vertical pupils narrowed slightly, and lightning crackled around the edges of its eyes.
"It is said that you have a close relationship with certain metal dragons, or even certain metal dragon domains."
Kel'Thora said slowly, "You once won a championship in a competition held in the Evershield Dragon Realm; you were ambushed by a legendary bronze dragon during a journey, but with the guarantee of the Fubo Dragon Realm and the decree of the Golden Dragon King, you left the Dragon Realm unharmed... These stories have different versions, but what I say should be closest to the truth."
The scales on Garus's forehead wrinkled slightly.
The fact that a metal dragon witnessed the founding of the kingdom of Aura is widely known, so it's not surprising that the blue dragon knows about it.
However, the champion of Yongyao Dragon Domain, the ambush by the Bronze Dragon, the intervention of Fubo Dragon Domain... these things are not widely known to the outside world.
Where did you hear about these things?
He asked.
Kel'Thuzad smiled slightly.
"It seems these stories are true."
"As for the source, our dragon clan has been entrenched in the Boiling Sea for many years, and it is commonplace for us to be enemies with the Raging Dragon Domain. As for our enemies, we must do our best to understand them and collect all possible intelligence information."
"It was during the process of sorting through this intelligence that we happened to hear about your deeds."
"A vicious dragon with the bloodlines of both chromatic dragons and sub-iron dragons, maintaining a close yet distant connection with multiple metallic dragon realms... This in itself is intriguing enough. Digging deeper along these clues, more details emerge."
Garros stared at the blue dragon.
He pondered for a few seconds, then asked, "Since you already know that I have dealings with the Metal Dragon Domain, and may even have some kind of relationship with it, why did you come here to try to form an alliance with me?"
"Aren't you worried that I'll reveal your plans to the Metal Dragon Domain, or distance myself from you?"
Upon hearing this, Kel'Thuzad let out a low, muffled laugh.
"Please forgive my bluntness, Your Majesty."
He stopped smiling and his tone became serious.
"You possess the bloodlines of both chromatic dragons and amorphous dragons, which is inherently at odds with the nature of metallic dragons, like water and fire that are incompatible."
"Can those self-proclaimed kind and noble people really understand your ambition and hegemony? Will they truly wholeheartedly support Aura's future expansion?"
The blue dragon leaned forward, closing the distance between itself and the red iron dragon.
"The friendship of the metal dragon is built upon your current superficial compliance with the order and your restraint of your own ambitions."
“Once you demonstrate a stronger desire for conquest, or in any other way violate their core beliefs, do you think those metal dragons will still stand by your side without hesitation?”
"Perhaps there are a few metal dragons who have a good personal relationship with you and will not be your enemy."
"But most metal dragons will definitely see you as someone they must eliminate."
Galos did not answer immediately, but listened quietly.
Blue Dragon's words were not wrong in some respects.
Galos himself never fully trusted the Dragon Domain; he always maintained a certain level of vigilance and distance.
However, it cannot be denied that the background of the Dragon Domain is indeed very important to him now. This relationship has shielded him from a lot of unnecessary trouble and bought him time to develop.
As for what the future holds... that's not something we need to think about now.
“Look at history, Your Majesty.”
Kel'Drog's voice continued: "How many times have metal dragons joined forces with human mages and paladins to nip our ambitions in the bud?"
“They see us as the embodiment of evil and disaster, and are even willing to join forces with other races to harm their own kind.”
The blue dragon's words grew increasingly passionate, and the electric light around its body became more active, leaping and flashing among its scales.
"Your Majesty, the blood of a dragon flows in your veins after all."
"And the dragon should be associated with the dragon."
"Instead of pinning your hopes on those metal dragons that will eventually leave due to ideological conflicts, it is better to ally with the Hermodian dragons who truly understand you, support you, and share the same innate pursuits as you."
"Those metal dragons? They've never been entirely trustworthy."
"Leaving aside other dragon domains, let's just talk about the Raging Waves Dragon Domain."
“Now, dramatic changes are taking place there. The number of dragons that see evil dragons as enemies that must be eradicated is surging. In the future, their attitude towards you will not be any different from their attitude towards us.”
“And we, the Helmod Dragonflight, are the allies you should truly choose.”
"We will not bind you with false doctrines; we only believe in the strong bond formed by power and interests."
After speaking, the blue dragon leaned back slightly, giving the red iron dragon space to think and awaiting its final response.
Galos remained silent, his mind racing as he weighed every point in the blue dragon's words.
It must be said that Kel'Drog, as the messenger of the Helmod dragonflight, truly possesses outstanding eloquence and insight.
His words were not entirely without merit.
The friendship within the Metal Dragon Domain is uncertain. As Aura develops in the future, the possibility of ideological conflicts certainly exists, and a powerful dragon ally can indeed provide considerable assistance.
However, Galus was equally clear-headed.
If a public alliance were to be formed with the Helmod Dragonflight, the disadvantages would definitely outweigh the advantages.
Regardless of whether they intend to use me or the Kingdom of Aura as a shield, even if their sincerity can be guaranteed, this "friendship" is accompanied by too many risks and uncertainties.
As for the metal dragons, the Raging Dragon Domain under the Bronze Dragon King's command may cause trouble in the future.
However, both the Eternal Radiance Dragon Domain and the Subdued Wave Dragon Domain currently hold a clearly friendly attitude towards Garos.
This relationship was hard-won, and he couldn't easily give it up for a pirate dragon pack.
"I need to think of a way..."
Galos said to himself.
"We must avoid being immediately bound to Helmod's chariot, while making the most of the dragons' power, and even using them against them."
Hong Tielong pondered for a few seconds, his thoughts gradually becoming clearer.
A feasible solution is slowly taking shape.
“I am well aware of the ambitions of the Helmod Dragonflight and your praise of me.”
"The picture you painted truly captivated me; the hidden dangers you pointed out to me are not without reason..."
Upon hearing this, the expression of the blue dragon and the ancient dragon did not become relaxed, but rather slightly solemn.
He lived a long enough life to have witnessed countless negotiations and interactions.
An opening statement like Galos's, which begins with affirmation and understanding, is often followed by a "but," and what follows that "but" is usually a rejection or a significant modification of the conditions.
Noticing the change in Gu Long's eyes, Garos paused only slightly in his voice.
Then, without mincing words, he changed the subject.
"However, I cannot agree to your demands for national recognition and the conclusion of an alliance."
Kel'Thuzad's neck muscles visibly tensed, but he suppressed any other reactions and simply asked in a deep voice, "Your Majesty Ignas, I have come across these mountains on behalf of the Helmod Dragonflight with the utmost sincerity."
"If you intend to explicitly reject our alliance, please at least give me a sufficiently convincing reason."
"So that I can truthfully report to the leaders and let them understand your considerations."
His tone remained polite, but a hint of displeasure was subtly revealed beneath.
Galos nodded slightly.
“I also hope to see another dragon-dominated kingdom rise, which would mean we are no longer an isolated case, and that the age of dragons may truly be returning.”
"I also hope to have a strong ally who can support me in critical moments."
"However, the timing and the costs do not allow me to make the choice you expect."
"The Kingdom of Aura is still in a precarious position. It has just ended a war with the Kingdom of Theo and signed a treaty. It also needs time to digest and integrate the newly occupied territories. At this moment, if it were to openly form an alliance with a notorious Blue Dragon pirate group, it would immediately become the target of the entire continent."
Kel'Drog opened his mouth, as if he wanted to refute.
He said, “Your Majesty, risk and reward always go hand in hand. Our Helmod dragonflight also has other dragon allies. As long as we are well-prepared and act swiftly…”
Galus raised one of his front paws, making a pause gesture to interrupt him:
"Let me finish speaking, messenger."
Kel'Thuzad took a deep breath, swallowed back the words he hadn't finished saying, and remained silent.
"I am not rejecting Helmod's friendship, nor am I denying your strength."
Galos said unhurriedly, "On the contrary, I think the Helmod Dragonflight is worth befriending. Maintaining contact with you and cooperating on some levels would be very beneficial to the future development of Aura."
"But the way we cooperate needs to be changed."
Kel'Drog's vertical pupils narrowed slightly, revealing a look of inquiry.
"What does Your Majesty mean?"
Galos said, "There will be no formal alliance between Aura and the Helmod Dragonflight."
“We need to keep our distance from each other, and even maintain a hostile relationship in the eyes of other races.”
Upon hearing these words, a look of contemplation and sudden realization flashed in Lanlong's eyes.
"You mean..."
"On the surface, we are enemies, or at least strangers, but in secret, we can exchange intelligence, provide material support, and even carry out some covert cooperation."
"This way, we can form a powerful alliance without being immediately perceived as a huge risk by the countries on the mainland, thus preventing them from joining forces against us."
Galos nodded in satisfaction.
He acknowledged Blue Dragon's rapid understanding.
“That’s right. This kind of relationship is more flexible and harder to target than an alliance that is out in the open.”
"We can adjust the depth of cooperation according to the actual situation, without being bound by publicly stated treaty obligations."
Kel'Drog lowered his massive head slightly and fell into a long silence.
Clearly, Red Iron Dragon's proposal was completely beyond Helmod Dragon's expectations, and he needed time to digest it and assess its pros and cons.
A few seconds later, he raised his head again, his gaze sharp as he looked at Galos.
"However, this also means that the Helmod Dragon Squad will have to face all the pressure during the landing process alone, which is inconsistent with our original intention of seeking allies to share the risks."
This Gu Long is indeed not easy to fool...
Galos thought to himself, but his expression remained unchanged.
"Keldrow, you're right."
Hong Tielong did not refute it, but instead readily admitted it.
“In this mode, the Helmod dragon swarm does indeed have to face enormous pressure on its own.”
He paused slightly, narrowed his eyes, and said, "However, since the Helmod Dragon Clan dares to plan to land and establish a nation, and appears so confident, they must have already made full preparations for the difficulties they are about to face."
“Aura’s covert support will effectively reduce the difficulty of your success and minimize unnecessary losses.”
"If, based on this, the Helmod Dragonflight still lacks the confidence to establish itself... I think we may not need to conclude a formal alliance."
The value of allies lies in increasing the chances of winning, not in taking on the risk of certain defeat.
Galus's meaning is very clear.
If the Helmod Dragonflight itself is not confident of victory, then any form of alliance is just a castle in the air.
Kel'Thuzad remained silent.
His massive head was slightly lowered, and lightning flashed rapidly in his vertical pupils, as if thunderclouds were brewing in his eyes.
Clearly, he is rapidly weighing the pros and cons of the proposal.
Red Iron Dragon's plan was completely different from the original plan of the Helmod Dragon Group, but upon closer examination... it did not seem to be impossible.
While covert cooperation cannot immediately alleviate the pressure on the surface, it can provide substantial assistance and avoid premature exposure that could lead to a full-scale encirclement and suppression.
A few seconds later, Kel'Thuzad raised his head.
"Your Majesty's proposal... I need time to carefully consider it, and I also need to discuss it in detail with the leaders of the dragons."
Keldrog said, "This matter is of great importance and cannot be decided by me alone."
"I will bring back the entire content of today's conversation, as well as your specific proposals, to the Boiling Sea and report them to the leaders. The final decision will be made jointly by them."
"That's how it should be."
Galos nodded. "Whatever your final decision, I hope we can maintain channels of communication."
"It's always better to have one more friend than one more enemy."
"A win-win situation is what I look forward to."
Kel'Drogo gave the Red Iron Dragon a deep look, trying to glean more information from its majestic face covered in dark red scales.
A moment later, he spread out one of his front paws, palm facing up.
A few arcs of electricity gathered between his claws, eventually forming a fist-sized azure sphere. Inside the sphere, lightning and vortexes seemed to flow endlessly, emitting a faint but steady magical fluctuation.
"This is a token; Your Majesty, please accept it."
Blue Dragon handed over the sphere: "We will contact you through it once we have made a decision."
Galos extended its claws, gently picked up the sphere, and examined it closely between its claws.
Seeing this, Kel'Thuzad spread its wings completely, and the patterns on the wing membranes lit up one by one.
“Your Majesty Ignas, the deep sea and volcanoes may be thousands of miles apart, but burning ambition knows no boundaries.”
call!
The enormous wings flapped suddenly, creating a powerful whirlwind.
He soared into the air, heading straight for the sky, while summoning a thick, inky cloud to obscure his figure and aura. He quickly disappeared into the vast sky above the Dragon Ridge Mountains.
Only after the dark cloud had completely disappeared from view did Galos slowly withdraw his gaze.
After a long silence, the white dragon Beskar approached, his tone filled with undisguised admiration.
"Your Majesty, that's truly brilliant."
"Play along with the Helmod dragons and use them as a shield."
"In this way, we can strengthen our influence on the Romanian plains, and at the same time gain more attention and support from the Metal Dragon Domain, making them feel that Aura's stance is firm."
"Haha, a win-win situation means we win twice!"
Galos turned his head and looked at the white dragon beside him.
"Insincere?" Red Iron Dragon repeated the word, then slowly shook his head. "No, Bescal, what I said to Kel'Drog was not a lie."
Bai Long was stunned for a moment.
Garros turned his gaze back to the horizon where the blue dragon had disappeared.
He said, "Working with Helmod is exactly what I wanted."
"A powerful dragon horde attempting to establish a kingdom could divert the attention of more kingdoms and the Dragon Realm of Raging Waves, which would be entirely beneficial to Aura's development."
He paused, a deep light flashing in his eyes.
"However, if something really happens to the Helmod Dragonflight in the future... we can easily distance ourselves from it. As long as there are no formal alliances in the open, everything else will be fine."
Bescal suddenly realized, and a knowing expression appeared on the dragon's face.
It's best to maintain a state of ambiguity between Aura and Helmod, where they can either advance or retreat as needed.
If the Helmod dragonflight goes well, Aura can secretly benefit; if they encounter major setbacks or even collapse, Garros can disassociate himself without hesitation, or even kick them while they're down.
“Garos, you are actually very well-suited to be a mind mage.”
The whispers of the amethyst dragon echoed softly.
"Before this, I always thought that you mainly relied on that Iron Dragon blood relative to handle these kinds of things, which allowed the Kingdom of Aura to develop in an orderly manner, while you only needed to focus on your own strength. But now it seems that I still underestimated you."
"I just don't like complicated negotiations, but that doesn't mean I'm not good at them."
Galos kept his eyes straight ahead, responding inwardly.
A few days later.
In a place where sunlight can never reach, deep in a dark and hidden trench.
The water pressure here is enough to crush steel, and the darkness is so thick it's almost tangible. Only the occasional glimpse of the eerie blue light from certain luminous creatures reveals their enormous and ferocious silhouettes.
A dark current surged and echoed here with heavy, slow breathing.
The three ancient dragon leaders of the Helmod dragonflight have fully understood Garros's intentions and proposals from the information brought back by Kel'Drog.
"Do they not give each other public recognition, and even appear to be hostile to each other on the surface... but secretly form alliances and cooperate?"
The first sound rang out, deep and muffled like thunder at the bottom of the sea, carrying a certain playful tone.
"Ha, that Red Emperor... He was able to establish a dragon kingdom on land. He certainly has extraordinary wisdom and is not some foolish dragon."
The second voice chimed in, its tone devoid of emotion, revealing only calm analysis.
“He wants to use us, not genuinely want an alliance, at least not the kind of alliance we’re hoping for.”
The third voice spoke slowly and incisively.
“That’s right, but aren’t we also trying to take advantage of the Kingdom of Aura?”
The first voice rang out again, tinged with coldness: "So-called alliances are nothing more than mutual exploitation. We and he both know this perfectly well."
A brief silence.
Only the sounds of undercurrents and the breathing of giant beasts intertwined in the darkness.
"In any case, his proposal... does have merit."
The second voice finally said, "Let's agree to it first."
"Cooperating in the shadows is always better than being completely isolated. Let's see who will have the last laugh and be the biggest winner in the future."
"I second that."
"agree."
The whispers gradually subsided.
The undercurrents continued to surge, and in the lightless depths of the ocean trenches, the dragon's will had made its decision.
(End of this chapter)
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