Muria didn't bother with further explanations to the six dragons. With a sweep of his sleeve, he tore through space, taking them across a vast distance to Synapsis. Actions speak louder than words, and letting them see firsthand the forces he had developed over the years would be far more convincing than any speech. As Muria had anticipated, after the dragons toured Synapsis, they were utterly stunned and immediately filled with confidence in Muria's plan to take over the kingdom.
"Your Highness, with Synapsis's military strength, we could easily conquer the Guishuang Kingdom by force. We wouldn't need a year, let alone a century!" Red Dragon Angelo exclaimed excitedly after learning of Synapsis's legendary combat power. He immediately saw himself as part of Synapsis.
"And what happens after we conquer it?" Muria looked at the red dragon as if he were an idiot. "You're being short-sighted. Or maybe you're just getting ahead of yourself after seeing Synapsis's power."
"After we conquer it, we dragons would naturally rule it," another dragon chimed in, equally excited. Chromatic dragons had an intense craving for power, more so than any other dragon species.
"Rule it? You wouldn't last a few days before human warriors would band together to hunt you down, chop off your heads, and hang them on the city walls for everyone to see," Muria sneered.
Hearing Muria's words, the dragons immediately calmed down and exchanged awkward glances.
"Think about where the Guishuang Kingdom is located," Muria continued. "It's in the heart of human territory. Do you think neighboring human countries would tolerate a nation ruled by dragons, especially dragons powerful enough to destroy a kingdom? No ruler would allow such a threat next to their borders. A human kingdom ruled by dragons would be considered a threat to all human nations. They would unite against you, and they wouldn't stop until every last dragon was dead.
"Can any of you handle the consequences? Even if Synapsis defended you against the first wave of attacks, you wouldn't be able to continue ruling the kingdom. So, using force to conquer Guishuang is out of the question."
"So we can only control Guishuang through intrigue? That's such a hassle," one of the green dragons sighed.
"But it's the only way without risking backlash. We just need to deal with the thirteen legends in the Guishuang Kingdom, and find ways to control or influence them through their friends, families, or other means. If we used force, we'd be fighting against the entire continent's human population. You have no idea how exclusionary humans can be."
"We understand," the six dragons reluctantly agreed, nodding. It was frustrating for them to know that, even with all the power at their disposal, they had to rely on schemes and intrigue to achieve their goals.
...
"Next up is the Dragon Academy," Muria thought after settling the six dragons. His biggest concern now was the lack of teachers and students for the academy.
The issue of students wasn't as pressing. He already had hundreds of dragon eggs incubating, as well as an equal number of hatchlings and young dragons, totaling over six hundred. But that wasn't enough; he wanted more dragons.
The most pressing issue, however, was the shortage of qualified teachers. Currently, only three ancient dragons were capable of teaching: two ancient bronze dragons and one ancient green dragon, which was far from sufficient.
He had his eye on an ancient gold dragon residing on the Evil Dragon Peninsula, but that dragon had left on a journey and hadn't returned yet. Muria had no choice but to wait.
Muria had also contacted the ancient dragons he knew previously, inviting them to join the academy. However, the response was disheartening. Few were interested in Muria's academy. Even those who responded said they would visit and then decide, with none agreeing outright. These old dragons, who had lived for over a thousand years, were more difficult to persuade than Muria had anticipated.
"If there aren't any teachers, I'll just have to find them myself," Muria said, pulling out his Endbringer Staff and activating the Dragon Sovereign's Command within it. As he did so, the auras of several dragons appeared in his senses, and he immediately locked onto the most powerful ones—those of the ancient dragons.
"One, two, three, four… nine. That's it? Only nine ancient dragons? I suppose it's due to the frequent wars on this continent. There aren't many metallic dragons, who prefer peace," Muria muttered in disappointment as he counted the auras representing ancient dragons. But he quickly brightened. "Still, nine ancient dragons should be enough to temporarily resolve the immediate problem."
"Let's start with diplomacy," Muria decided, memorizing the locations of the nine ancient dragons. He returned to the Tulip family's castle, found Mikaela, and with her, tore through space to visit the ancient dragons. His plan was to start by persuading them with kind words, but if they refused, he was prepared to use more forceful means. He couldn't allow his plan for the Dragon Academy to fail; he would gather the necessary teachers no matter what.
...
In a barren desert, a group of travelers was buried waist-deep in the sand, unable to move, with only their heads sticking out. These humans looked utterly despondent.
In front of them lay a small dragon, incessantly telling jokes and recounting various dull legends she had heard from who knows where.
The captured adventurers were forced to grin and bear it, hoping to please the dragon enough to be released. But the dragon showed no signs of letting them go, continuing her endless string of corny jokes.
As the adventurers wore strained smiles, some finally succumbed to the elements and fainted. But just as they closed their eyes, the brass dragon quickly cast healing spells on them, restoring their strength and waking them up to endure more of her chatter.
In the midst of this despair, a spatial rift appeared above the brass dragon, and a black-haired, golden-eyed youth stepped out, accompanied by a girl with platinum blonde hair. The adventurers' faces lit up with hope.
Although they didn't know who this pair was, anything that could disrupt their current situation was welcome. It might be their chance to escape the brass dragon's clutches. They had had enough of this torture.
While brass dragons were classified as metallic dragons and considered benevolent, they were the most despised by adventurers. These dragons were notorious for their incessant chatter and love of storytelling. They were powerful enough that you couldn't simply walk away, which made them particularly unbearable.
"Who are you?" The brass dragon, who had been enthusiastically sharing her stories, looked up warily at Muria and Mikaela as they descended. She spoke in a crisp, childlike voice.
"A young dragon?" Muria, who had been tracking the ancient dragon's aura, was momentarily surprised by the voice. He then glanced at the small dragon below, who was eagerly telling stories, and after a quick look at Mikaela, he closed his mouth and maintained a serious expression.
"Little one, I'm here to speak with your elder."
"My elder?" The small brass dragon looked at Muria with suspicion. "I don't have any elder."
"Yes, you do. I can sense them right here," Muria replied, shaking his head as he gazed at the sand beneath the brass dragon. He could feel a dormant, life-sustaining aura, as if someone was in a deep, meditative sleep.
"An ancient dragon lies beneath you."
"You're lying," the small brass dragon said defensively, her eyes filled with distrust. "What are you trying to do?"
"I don't lie," Muria said, meeting the little brass dragon's gaze. He released a faint trace of his own aura. The brass dragon's eyes widened as she recognized the familiar aura from her inherited memories.
"A gold dragon!" she exclaimed, realizing Muria's true identity. Could there really be an ancient dragon beneath her?
The young brass dragon recalled her tragic past. She remembered being abandoned by her parents when she was very young and living alone in this place. She had always wondered why no other creatures dared to disturb her, even though she had taken over a small elemental ore vein. She had even spotted a few blue dragons once, but they had fled at the sight of her. At the time, she hadn't understood why, but she had instinctively known this place was safe. Now, she realized why no other creatures dared approach.
"Muria of the Elonsas Clan, here to pay my respects," Muria announced loudly, facing the desert. His voice carried visible ripples that spread into the ground. As he spoke, the desert began to tremble...
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