Chapter 495 The Red Emperor: Become My Adopted Son or Daughter
The wind from the north swept across the snowfields, carrying ice crystals and a biting chill.
Red Iron Dragon spread his broad wings, like a black and red meteor streaking across the sky, but his flight speed was not fast, and could even be described as slow.
Four baby dragons followed closely behind.
Compared to their father's massive frame, they appeared exceptionally small.
"Father, it's so cold here."
Garclaw raised his voice and shouted, his voice breaking and trembling in the wind.
The little red dragon naturally felt aversion and resistance to the frigid, icy environment.
Tiny ice crystals condensed in the gaps between his scales, and the sparks he exhaled with each breath were much dimmer than usual.
Moreover, it wasn't just Garclaw; of the four sons, apart from the little silver dragon Isanora, who seemed quite happy due to her natural affinity for ice and snow, the other three all showed varying degrees of discomfort in the biting cold wind.
"A true strong person is not afraid to go against the wind."
Garros's deep, resonant voice pierced through the wind and snow, reaching the ears of every young dragon.
"Here, you will meet a large number of your kind, and you will also meet the dragon teachers who will guide you in the days to come."
teacher?
The four little dragons perked up, their eyes filled with anticipation.
Those who could be recognized by their father and guided by him must be the best among the dragons, or at least powerful ancient dragons, right?
They wondered what kind of dignified appearance and imposing presence the "teacher" should have.
After flying for some time, the outlines of buildings gradually appeared on the snow-covered land below.
It was an academy of astonishing size.
The dark gray walls cast long, deep shadows on the snow, like a giant beast lurking on the ice field. Towering towers, a wide training ground, and many buildings of various shapes are scattered around, with many dragon shadows moving among them.
Isanora blinked her silver eyes, her vertical pupils reflecting the bustling scene on the training field below.
She murmured to herself, "It looks...so noisy."
Red Dragon Garkro excitedly flapped his wings and sped forward a short distance: "Finally, I can see the real five-colored dragons! Those metal dragons in the Dragon Realm are too well-behaved, always talking about order and honor, so boring."
Galos did not respond to his children's comments. He simply adjusted his flight angle slightly, folded his wings, and swooped down toward the widest open space in the center of the academy.
The moment he landed, his heavy body caused the ground to tremble slightly, and the snow spread out to reveal the frozen, hard earth beneath.
The lively scene on the training field was briefly interrupted.
The young dragons, whether they were fighting, practicing their breathing techniques, or undergoing strength training, all stopped what they were doing.
Pairs of dragon eyes, each a different color, all turned toward the descending figure.
When the young dragons see their emperor, they immediately lower their bodies, droop their heads or necks, and express the highest respect in the manner of dragons.
Galos slowly looked around.
Wherever the eye could see, the young dragons were even more respectful.
"Continue with your business."
He said.
Upon hearing this, the young dragons resumed their activities, but their movements became noticeably more energetic and focused.
The sounds of impact, the roar of breath, and the low growls of muscles straining rang out again, even more intense than before. Each dragon seemed to be giving it its all, wanting to show its best side to the emperor of the kingdom.
At the same time, their gazes couldn't help but wander over the four unfamiliar young dragons.
Especially when they saw that there was a silver dragon among them, many dragons showed surprise and curiosity. However, this attention did not last long, and discipline quickly brought their attention back to their training.
The four baby dragons curiously observed everything around them.
They had never seen so many five-colored dragons gathered in one place before.
Blue dragons, red dragons, green dragons, black dragons, white dragons... the scales of all colors stood out vividly against the snow, especially the blue dragons, which seemed to be the most numerous.
"They are all very strong."
Little Red Dragon Laria couldn't help but comment in a low voice.
He noticed that these young dragons undergoing training generally had exceptionally well-developed physiques.
Not far away, a teenage blue dragon was repeatedly lashing a specially made metal target with its muscular tail. With each tail swing, the muscles on its back and sides undulated violently like waves. Another red dragon of similar size was practicing shoulder ramming. When it rammed into the thick stone wall, the bulging muscles on its shoulders almost burst its scales.
Laria even saw several blue dragons that were about the same length as herself.
Its muscles were so full and the lines so clear that they even surpassed those of the red dragon, which was known for its strength.
Moreover, there is more than one such blue dragon.
"...Looks so tired."
The little silver dragon Isanora instinctively shrank her neck, sensing something was wrong.
Beside him, Galcro's eyes gleamed with excitement.
He liked the primal power of the scene, the clash of muscles, the roars of exhaustion, and the undisguised competitive spirit—it suited his taste better than the training methods of the Metal Dragon.
"My dear father."
He turned his head, his eyes gleaming, and asked, "Can I also receive the training here? Like them?"
“Of course,” Galos replied, his gaze sweeping over each of his offspring.
"Here you will learn how to become stronger, learn truly effective combat skills, and... how to survive in this world."
Just then, a crystal-white figure gracefully leaped down from a tall observation platform on the side.
The movements were fluid and agile, and the landing was almost silent.
The white dragon Therese landed before Garus, her long, graceful neck bowing respectfully: "Your Majesty, welcome to the Academy."
The voice was clear, cool, and steady.
Even when facing the emperor, she did not show excessive humility or excitement, but maintained a proper level of respect.
Galos nodded slightly: "Therese, I've brought the children."
"The arrangements for the next period will proceed as we discussed before. From now on, they will spend six out of every seven days with you."
"As you wish, Your Majesty."
The white dragon turned to the four young dragons, its gaze sweeping over them one by one with meticulous detail.
She had already learned from the emperor that these offspring were exceptionally talented and each had their own unique abilities.
Seeing it with my own eyes now, I can truly feel their difference.
It's not just the mixture of scale color and bloodline, but also the eyes, posture, and even the subtle aura that it exudes, all of which are quite different from ordinary young dragons.
"I am honored to take on the responsibility of teaching."
Therese's lips curled into a slight smile, "I promise I will do everything in my power to help them grow into outstanding dragons that meet your expectations."
Just then, Garclaw took a step forward.
The little red dragon raised its head, its deep red eyes staring directly at Dean White Dragon without any hesitation.
He looked her over, his gaze sweeping over her slender yet muscular body before settling on her head.
"Are you the director here?"
Garclaw's voice still carried the childishness unique to young dragons, but his tone revealed a condescending attitude.
"A white dragon?"
He said it with a hint of disdain.
Although the young dragons on the training field were still training, many of them had their ears perked up and were secretly glancing over in this direction, paying attention to this sudden confrontation.
Therese first looked at the red iron dragon.
Galos showed little expression, only giving her a barely perceptible nod with a calm gaze, indicating that she should handle it herself.
Dean Bai Long's face showed even greater pleasure.
She turned her head and gazed at the proud little red dragon before her.
"Yes, I am Therese, the administrator of the Royal Dragon Academy of Ignas."
"You are Garcolo Ignas, His Majesty's eldest son, are you?"
“That’s right!” Garclaw puffed out his chest.
“Since you are a dragon under my father’s command, you should show me the respect I deserve. Moreover,” he paused, then emphasized, “you are merely a white dragon; you should understand your place.”
Although the other three baby dragons did not speak directly, their eyes revealed similar emotions.
White Dragon?
They had expected that their instructor would be at least a powerful ancient red dragon, but instead it turned out to be a white dragon, and clearly not even a legendary one.
"I don't quite understand why the White Dragon can serve as a mentor for young dragons; it should be an important position."
The usually composed little red dragon, Laria, expressed his dissatisfaction.
Ophelia, the little iron dragon, muttered, "Yeah, I thought it was at least a legendary dragon."
The silver dragon Isanora didn't say anything, but there was no respect or approval in her eyes.
On the other side, Garus, like a silent mountain, simply watched quietly, without any intention of intervening.
Therese remained silent for a moment.
Then, she took a step forward very slowly.
This simple step instantly brought her closer to the baby dragons.
Only now did the young dragons realize more clearly that although the white dragon's size was far from comparable to their majestic father, it was still as enormous as a mountain in front of them.
The shadow she cast was enough to completely envelop the four of them.
An invisible sense of oppression followed.
"Your Highnesses, you are right."
White Dragon Therese spoke, her voice even carrying a hint of amusement, "I am His Majesty's subordinate, loyal to His Majesty, and I manage this academy for His Majesty."
She paused, her pupils contracted slightly, and the smile on her face quickly faded, replaced by a cold seriousness.
“But His Majesty is His Majesty, and you are you.”
"This does not mean that I need to show you the respect you imagine, to some young dragons that are currently pitifully weak."
Garquero's scales opened slightly, and two streams of scorching breath escaped from its nostrils, turning into white smoke in the cold air.
He was so directly refuted by a white dragon that he considered to be of low status, and a surge of intense anger welled up within him.
"How dare you..."
Before Little Red Dragon could finish speaking, a sudden change occurred.
A chilling gust of wind suddenly arose out of nowhere and instantly engulfed all four young dragons.
That wasn't a natural wind; it contained magical power that was difficult to resist.
Garclaw felt a sudden dizziness, his body tumbling and spinning uncontrollably. Everything in his vision became a blurry patch of color. He managed to turn his head and saw that his three blood relatives had also met the same fate, struggling and rolling in vain in the biting cold, like leaves being toyed with by an invisible hand.
No matter how hard the young dragons flapped their wings and twisted their bodies, they could not break through.
This process lasted only a minute, but for the young dragons, it felt like an eternity.
The cold wind suddenly dissipated, and the four little dragons fell from several meters above the ground like dumplings, thumping onto the hard frozen soil and snow.
The strongest of the Garclaws struggled to his feet.
However, the intense dizziness and cold made his limbs weak and his movements unsteady. In the end, he collapsed to the ground with a thud.
Seeing this, many of the Five-Colored Dragon Academy students around silently grinned, revealing meaningful smiles.
However, no dragon directly made a sound of mockery.
After a while, when the young dragons had recovered slightly from the intense dizziness and cold and were able to refocus their vision and control their bodies, the white dragon Therese slowly spoke again.
"Now, young princes."
“Let’s talk again about what respect is and what position is.”
She said, "Respect among dragons, especially among the five-colored dragons, is never something that can be easily obtained by bloodline. It is earned little by little through strength, battle record, and what you can actually do."
"As for the location,"
She lowered her head slightly, looking down at the still trembling young dragons. "Your father is Emperor Aura, the ruler of this land, but that doesn't mean you are the emperor, at least not now."
"In this academy, all dragons, regardless of their origin, have only one identity: students."
"And I am the dean, the general manager, the highest superior of all students here, and the one who makes and enforces the rules."
"You may defy me, or even insult me, of course, provided that you possess greater power than me and are completely unconcerned about my subsequent retaliation. Otherwise, your current actions are nothing but self-humiliation."
She looked down at the young dragons and concluded, "This is the first reality you've learned at the academy."
A white dragon, and it's so powerful!
Garclaw rolled over and got up, baring his teeth and glaring at Therese, a low growl rumbling in his throat, but this time, he didn't pounce on her recklessly.
The other three young dragons, though equally frustrated and dissatisfied, did not adopt any more obvious aggressive stances.
They seem to have a stronger restraint than ordinary dragons for the arrogance that comes from their bloodline. No wonder they are the offspring of Garus.
Upon seeing this, a hint of surprise flashed across White Dragon Therese's eyes, but then she felt that it was only natural.
Normal baby dragons need at least three rounds of suppression to become obedient and well-behaved, but these baby dragons are clearly more rational. Even the seemingly most irritable little red dragon, Garkro, has a level of rationality far exceeding that of a normal red baby dragon.
At the same time, the four little dragons all turned their attention to their father.
Galos spoke slowly: "If you want to earn respect in this academy, if you want to obtain the position you believe you deserve, you can only rely on yourselves."
“I will not grant you any special privileges; that would be of no benefit to you.”
Well... the young dragons vaguely understood their father's intention in bringing them here.
This is not a comfortable haven, but a competitive place where they need to prove themselves.
Are you angry? Are you resentful?
Therese asked at the opportune moment: "Is it an unbearable humiliation to be so easily suppressed and mocked by me, by a white dragon of low status in your eyes?"
The baby dragons did not answer.
However, their eyes, their tense bodies, and the way their scales were slightly raised said it all.
“Very good.” Therese nodded, quite satisfied.
"Remember this feeling, remember it well. Then, with this feeling in mind, come to your first formal class at the academy."
Her gaze swept over all the young dragons present, including the four newly arrived young dragons, as well as those that had been training.
"All dragons, assemble!"
The command was brief, and the young dragons immediately stopped training, quickly gathered in front of the observation platform, and formed a relatively neat queue.
Their movements were swift and orderly, clearly indicating they were accustomed to such instructions.
The four young dragons hesitated for a moment, then, at Garus's signal, they also stepped forward to the front of the line.
Therese leaped onto the observation platform, looking down at the young dragons below.
Her body stood out exceptionally tall in the wind and snow, her crystal-white scales shimmering with a cool, ethereal light.
"You all saw what just happened."
Dean Bai Long began, “These new students, these noble princes, thought they should automatically receive special respect beyond their strength because of their innate bloodline. Then, they learned their lesson.”
Her gaze fell on Garclaw, who stiffened his neck and stared back at her.
“Your Highness Garclaw,” Therese said, addressing him by name, “you’re probably thinking that if you were given enough time to grow, ten years, decades, you would become incredibly powerful and eventually defeat me, avenging your defeat, right?”
Garclaw snorted, without denying it.
"you are right."
Tracy affirmed this to his surprise.
“I have no doubt that with your bloodline and talent, in a hundred years, or even less, you will become much stronger than me. It’s almost inevitable.”
She then changed the subject: "But that's the future. It's something that hasn't happened yet."
"And now, right here on this training ground, I am stronger than you."
"Based on this reality, I can suppress you and teach you a lesson repeatedly. In fact, if I were not the dean of this place, but a wild and malicious dragon, I could insult you for my own amusement, or crush you like an ant."
"And you, in the present moment, can only accept it and cannot put up an effective resistance."
Garclaw's breathing became heavy, and tiny sparks flew from his nostrils again, but this time, beneath the anger lay more reflection on his words and a forced acceptance.
Deep down, he knew that the wretched white dragon was right.
No matter how great his potential or how outstanding his talent, it cannot change the fact that he is currently just a young dragon.
Those hidden powers have not yet been converted into real strength by time.
Therese raised one of her front paws and pointed to a teenage blue dragon in the queue below.
"Leander, step forward."
A particularly robust blue dragon stepped out from the queue in response.
His scales are a deep blue-purple, and most striking are his exceptionally well-developed muscles.
Its shoulders, pectoral muscles, and hind limbs are full and explosive, and its strength even makes many red dragons of the same size pale in comparison.
He walked to the front of the line, stood still, and remained composed.
“Leander is one of the top students in the academy right now,” Therese introduced to the young dragons. “His lightning breath is impeccable in terms of power, range, and control precision among his peers, and his close combat skills are second to none.”
Then, she pointed to another green dragon in the queue, a boy whose size was significantly smaller.
"Viser, step forward."
A green dragon with dark green scales and a much thinner body cautiously stepped out.
The white dragon's gaze returned to the blue dragon Leander, and he slowly spoke, proposing a hypothetical scenario.
"Now, imagine that you meet unexpectedly in the wild."
“There are no rules to follow, no companions, and no third party who could interfere.”
"Leander, as a superior, what would you do if you faced a young green dragon like Viser? Think carefully, and then answer."
Blue Dragon Leander did not answer immediately.
He pondered for a moment before slowly speaking.
"First, I will quickly assess the level of threat Visser poses to me, as well as his intentions."
“If he shows obvious hostility, or tries to take away the resources I am protecting or eyeing, and I am certain by observation that he is weaker than me... then I will launch an attack.”
"The goal is either to completely dismantle his hostility and ability to resist, rendering him no longer a threat."
"Either we kill him to eliminate any future trouble."
“But what if he chooses to run away immediately, or clearly shows a submissive or yielding attitude?” Therese pressed.
"Then, I will make a decision based on the specific circumstances."
Blue Dragon Leander replied smoothly: "If there is a greater potential danger in the direction he is fleeing, or if pursuing him would lead me into unfavorable terrain or cause me to expend too much energy, I would choose to let him go and focus on my own objective. Conversely, if the circumstances are favorable to me, I would pursue him to ensure that this uncertainty is eliminated, or at least seize any resources he may possess."
He paused, then continued, "If he shows compliance, I'd better find a way to intimidate and subdue him, and turn him into my own."
Therese nodded, acknowledging Leander's answer.
Then, she looked at the green dragon Viser: "So, Viser, as the lower-ranking party, what strategy would you adopt if you encountered a high-ranking blue dragon like Leander alone in the wild? Again, think before you answer."
The green dragon Viser blinked, pondered for a few seconds, and then cautiously spoke.
"My first reaction would be to immediately assess his intentions and condition."
“If he shows strong aggression from the beginning, such as roaring or adopting an attack posture, I will not hesitate to run away immediately, fleeing as fast as possible to the area with the most complex terrain, the area I am most familiar with, or the area where he is least likely to exert his advantages, such as the depths of a dense forest or a complex underground cave.”
"What if he doesn't attack immediately, but instead observes me warily?"
Therese pressed for an answer.
"I will slowly back away."
"Avoid any movements that could be misinterpreted as provocation or a preparation for attack. Lower your body, retract your claws, avoid direct eye contact, and stay away from him."
Therese asked again, "What if you can't escape? For example, if the terrain is open, or if he has blocked your escape route."
Viser's tail tip twitched slightly.
"Then, I will preemptively show the greatest degree of compliance before I am subjected to any actual attack."
He said, “Lower your head, expose your neck, fold your wings, press your abdomen close to the ground, and let out a low whimper to show that you are surrendering, and make yourself as weak, harmless and not worth the effort to attack as possible.”
"If that doesn't work... I'll fight him to the death."
“Very good.” Therese nodded, signaling the two dragons to return to their respective ranks.
She turned back to face all the young dragons, her gaze lingering for a moment, especially on the newly arrived Ignas whelps.
"This is the most important lesson I want to teach you: recognize your ecological niche and adopt appropriate strategies based on your position."
"As the one in a position of power, you naturally have the right to use your advantages to suppress those in a lower position, acquire more resources, and ensure your own safety and room for development. However, such suppression should be rational and have a clear purpose, rather than stemming from a pure desire to bully or a momentary act of cruelty."
"Excessive oppression, meaningless oppression, will only create unnecessary hatred and potential enemies."
"The weak opponent you humiliated and hurt today out of boredom may very well grow into a deadly threat that returns for revenge at some point in the future."
"Even those in positions of power must assess the potential consequences of their actions."
Upon hearing this, the young dragons seemed to be deep in thought.
“Just like now, if I weren’t the dean of the academy, bearing the educational responsibilities bestowed upon me by His Majesty, but instead a completely wild, unrestrained white dragon.”
"When faced with an emperor's son, I will not directly and forcefully suppress him."
"Because that might invite retaliation when they grow up, or more directly, anger their father and provoke an unbearable rage."
As she spoke, her tone suddenly shifted, becoming dangerous.
"However, if your actions truly enrage me, trigger my killing intent as a dragon, and make me feel that I must completely resolve this trouble... then, in order to ensure that you are eradicated completely and leave no future troubles, I will use every means to utterly destroy you, grind your bones to dust, and make you disappear from this world without a trace, leaving not even the slightest possibility of revenge."
The young dragons remained silent, their anger or discontent gradually replaced by contemplation and lingering fear.
Therese continued, "And as a subordinate, when facing an insurmountable power, your primary task is survival."
"For us dragons, survival means the opportunity to grow, become stronger, and gradually improve our ecological niche."
"This requires wisdom, restraint, patience, and letting go of meaningless pride and self-esteem to focus on what truly matters—to survive and become stronger."
This ecological theory actually contradicts the instincts inherent in the young dragons' blood.
Dragons are naturally arrogant and find it difficult to tolerate being subordinate to other creatures. This is true of the five-colored dragons, and the metal dragons are similar. However, acting purely on instinct often leads to terrible results.
Just then, Garus, the red iron dragon who had been silently observing from the side, slowly spread his broad wings.
His imposing figure slowly lifted off the ground and hovered high in the sky.
"Young dragons, today, four young dragons have arrived here to learn, train, and grow alongside you. They carry my blood and are my own offspring, the children of Garoth Ignas."
The Red Emperor said this.
Upon hearing this, the little iron dragon Ophelia flicked its tail contentedly, a hint of smugness flashing in its eyes.
Heh, Father still can't let us go after all. Now he's going to emphasize our noble birth and background in public... She thought to herself with a smug smile.
However, the Red Emperor's next words stunned her and all the other dragons.
"But nothing in this world is taken for granted, including your respective bloodlines and identities."
"To hold onto your position, you must defend it with ever-increasing strength; and to earn the respect of other dragons, you must prove yourself with victory after victory."
"Therefore, from this moment on, within the boundaries of this academy, my four offspring will be nothing more than students."
"They are no different from you in any essential way."
"They will follow the same rules, receive the same training, and face the same challenges."
The Red Emperor paused slightly before dropping an even more shocking statement.
Instead, I will grant you, all the young dragons in this academy, a privilege.
"At the end of each academic year," he stated clearly, "any one of you may issue a formal challenge to any one of my four sons."
"The challenge will be conducted under the supervision of the college, with specific rules set by the college to ensure basic fairness and safety."
"If you can defeat any one of them in the challenge," the emperor's gaze sharpened, "no matter what tactics or methods you use, as long as they comply with the rules, you will gain my approval."
Even if we fail to win.
"As long as you demonstrate enough courage, wisdom, perseverance, or some remarkable quality in the face of challenges, you will also have the opportunity to gain my recognition."
At this point, the Red Emperor paused slightly before speaking again.
"Any dragon that I approve of will become my adopted son or daughter, and thus become the emperor's son."
“I, Galos Ignas, will regard you as my offspring and will give you appropriate attention, guidance, and… special cultivation.”
The moment the words left his mouth, the entire training ground fell into a deathly silence.
The sound of wind and snow seemed to disappear at that moment.
The young dragons' breathing became extremely heavy, and the airflow from their nostrils formed white pillars in the cold air.
Their eyes almost burned with rage.
To become Emperor Ignas's adopted son or daughter?
They knew exactly what this meant.
As a result, countless gazes, like red-hot iron needles, refocused on the four young dragons.
There is scrutiny, evaluation, eager enthusiasm, greed that sees the other as prey, and an undisguised desire, like a hungry wolf seeing a piece of delicious meat.
The heavy breathing grew more frequent and louder, like countless ferocious beasts suppressing their impending attack.
Under these gazes, the four young dragons felt immense pressure that almost made their scales stand on end.
Red Iron Dragon gazed at his four offspring, taking in their reactions.
He said, “In my kingdom, bloodline is just the beginning, not the end. True value needs to be proven with strength, and the process of proving oneself is never easy.”
Garclaw nodded heavily, his eyes burning with a flame more intense than ever before.
He roared, "Father! I assure you! All those who dare challenge me will only meet defeat! I will defeat every opponent! I will be your strongest descendant! Forever!"
The other three young dragons did not roar out their oaths as directly as Garkro, expressing their true feelings.
But their eyes also changed completely.
The previous laxity and the sense of superiority derived from one's background have vanished without a trace, replaced by a sense of urgency, focus, seriousness, and surging fighting spirit.
They didn't come to this Dragon Academy simply to study.
They, too, came to fight, to defend their position, to prove their worth, and to live up to their bloodline.
Red Iron Dragon turned to Therese: "This rule takes effect immediately."
The white dragon lowered its head: "Yes, Your Majesty Ignas."
Immediately afterwards, Garus turned to look at the four young dragons and grinned.
"My children, welcome to the real world. It is cruel, but I believe you will gradually come to love it."
(End of this chapter)
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