Bernardo is the name of the planet beneath Garlos's feet. On this planet, magical culture is highly advanced; every nation spares no effort in developing magical technology. High-level nations have even used magical engines to create interstellar starships, exploring outer space and other planets to acquire cosmic resources.
"Dragons are nearly the top-tier creatures, but even so, they cannot be called invincible in this world."
Garlos looked up at the "false moon" in the sky and blinked. His inheritance memories mentioned that an ancient blue dragon known as the "Wings of Gale" was hunted for a long time by the Lucier Elven Empire after destroying several of its cities. Ultimately, using a city as bait, Lucier trapped the Wings of Gale with a massive magic array. A beam of light descended from the false moon, obliterating everything and killing the dragon.
"Furthermore, other biological races on Planet Bernardo have a poor impression of Chromatic Dragons and Ferrous Dragons. Once discovered, they immediately prepare for a crusade."
There are many classifications of dragonkind. For example, the most common are the Chromatic Dragons, followed by Metallic Dragons, Gem Dragons, and then the Ferrous Dragons. Chromatic Dragons are regarded as evil due to their destructive nature. Ferrous Dragons are seen as the "mad dogs" of the dragon race, frequently killing their own kin, let alone other species.
"I am a hybrid of a Chromatic Dragon and a Ferrous Dragon—specifically, a Red Dragon and an Iron Dragon. I'm afraid I'd be seen as the 'evilest of the evil,' a naturally wicked seed of the dragon race. Terrifyingly so, and absolutely not to be left alive."
The Training and the Ambush
Garlos sat by the lakeside. The young dragon's tail dipped into the water, swaying back and forth. The moonlight shone on him as he felt his tail drifting in the water. The comfort of small fish occasionally cleaning out weeds and dust from his scales put him in a meditative state.
"I should still exercise more and strengthen myself."
"Only by becoming strong can I have the confidence to face potential dangers in the future."
This dragon life had just begun. Garlos hoped to live as long as possible, unlike his previous life, which ended abruptly at eighteen just as he was "hitting his stride" (a pun on a "lucky" accident).
"Let's set a small goal: live to be a hundred."
"Wait, no. Dragons only reach adulthood at a hundred. I hope to live for a thousand years."
Garlos leaned back. The young dragon's body broke the surface of the lake, splashing crystalline droplets under the moonlight. He dove to the deepest part of the lake, enduring the heavy water pressure without breathing.
—Actually, dragons can breathe underwater.
Garlos just wanted to train his lung capacity and his affinity for the water element. Thanks to daily training, his heart and lungs were much stronger than typical dragons; his dragon breath's intensity and duration far exceeded that of a normal hatchling.
Additionally, Iron Dragons and Red Dragons are both fire-type dragons; they usually dislike water. As a hybrid, Garlos was a pure fire-type dragon as well. Attacks with water or ice attributes would deal double damage to him.
"The best way to overcome fear is to face it."
To prevent being countered by his elemental weakness, Garlos had been suppressing his hatred for water for several years, soaking in it periodically for desensitization. By now, his instinctive loathing for water had completely vanished. Although he hadn't faced a true water-based attack yet and couldn't determine his specific water affinity, Garlos felt he would at least no longer take double damage.
Suddenly, a slight ripple came from behind him. A dark shadow approached rapidly and launched an attack on Garlos. Garlos keenly sensed the change in the current. Before the strike landed, he turned his body, raised his claw, and slammed it back.
The Sibling Rivalry
Clang!
Black claws collided with fiery red claws, sending a shockwave through the water. The red claws gripped Garlos's tightly, attempting to wrestle him.
However, Garlos's strength was staggering. The powerful muscles beneath his scales bulged, even lifting the scales slightly. His claws pressed past the red ones inch by inch, forcing the attacker back.
The struggle ended in defeat. The owner of the red claws withdrew, staring at Garlos with a pair of red dragon eyes, speaking in a crisp but displeased voice: "Garlos, you wretched hybrid, I will beat you sooner or later!"
This was Samantha, Garlos's biological sister—a pure-blooded Red Dragon. In the dragon race, hybrids are rare because dragon bloodlines are overbearing and difficult to fuse. For instance, if a Red Dragon and an Iron Dragon mate, they will most likely produce a pure Red or pure Iron hatchling. A hybrid like Garlos, who fused both bloodlines, is extremely rare.
Smack!
Garlos slapped the young red dragon on the head. "Watch your tone and word choice when dealing with a dragon stronger than you."
The slap sent the red dragon's head reeling; she was nearly knocked off balance. He hadn't held back. Among dragons—especially evil ones—power is the only language. Only strength wins respect. Garlos was used to this mode of communication.
Samantha was born a year later than Garlos. When she first hatched, Garlos thought she looked chubby and cute, so he tore off a piece of his own food for her. In response, she took his kindness for weakness. Her evil nature flared, and she demanded all his food. Another Iron Dragon brother who hatched at the same time agreed and tried to extort him as well.
After being refused, the two actually attacked, trying to steal his food. Garlos pinned them both to the ground and beat them until they lost a few teeth; only then did they behave. As a hybrid, Garlos was naturally stronger than a normal Red or Iron Dragon, not to mention he was a year older.
The Dragon Queen
The red dragon sister, having taken a blow, bared her teeth and wanted to retaliate. But seeing the fierce glint in Garlos's eyes, she wisely stood down. Red Dragons worship violence, but when they are weaker than their opponent, they endure until they can surpass and take revenge.
She had been beaten by Garlos many times over the years and knew her "dear brother" showed no mercy.
"My beloved brother," she said, softening her tone. "Mother wants you to come to the dragon nest."
Having delivered the message, she grumbled under her breath, "Always soaking in water every day... you're so weird. You forced me to get in the water too." Her face was full of disgust; she felt completely out of place in the lake.
Finally, when Garlos reached the deepest part of the cavern, his vision cleared as he entered a massive "hollow." This core of the dragon nest was not a crude cave. The surrounding floor and walls were lined with a layer of soft yet tough metal, similar in texture to quicksilver but with iron-rust-colored ripples.
To the north stood a thirty-meter-high tiered metal platform. At the top was the Iron Dragon Queen's throne. It was forged from countless melted swords and halberds—the weapons of the defeated—forming steps, each engraved with Draconic runes.
Garlos looked up. On the throne sat a massive creature twenty meters long. Even her breathing created gusts of wind like a howling gale. A true Great Dragon.