Burning Steel Fortress, Fourth Level.
Under the bright and brilliant afternoon sunlight, the Red Iron Dragon stood silently at the rough and sturdy edge of the lookout post.
He lowered his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the wide training ground below in the Dragon Valley, which was covered in claw marks and scorched imprints.
There, a confrontation of vastly unequal strength was unfolding.
White Dragon Tracy's massive and cold body, like an ice hill, was using her absolute strength advantage to suppress two Young Dragons, who, though several sizes larger than their Childhood, still appeared small in front of her.
Seraphina, entirely black, and Ludwig, with emerald green scales.
A fierce combat training session was underway under the Red Iron Dragon's watchful eye.
Within the training ground, energy surged, and Dragon shadows soared.
Bone-chilling ice blades and cold winds howled, cutting through the air and bringing forth streaks of white frost.
Highly poisonous magical vines burst from the ground like living creatures, their corrosive green glow twisting and tearing.
Invisible weakening curses, like maggots on bone, attempted to erode the White Dragon's will and defenses.
And then there was the most primitive and direct Dragon combat—shining, cold claws fiercely tearing, massive bodies covered in thick scales colliding with immense force, emitting ear-splitting metallic scraping and heavy thuds.
Various attack methods emerged endlessly, like a torrential storm, continuously bombarding the unmoving, pale figure.
However.
This seemingly fierce siege did not last long.
White Dragon Tracy let out a powerful roar, relying on her age advantage, which far surpassed her opponents, and the resulting huge difference in size and strength.
She forcefully pushed forward, enduring the Black Dragon's curse erosion and the Green Dragon's poisonous vine strangulation.
Her giant claws, covered in thick frost, swung out like battering rams, brutally tearing apart the Young Dragons' seemingly tight defenses with an unrivaled, savage force.
Finally.
With a dull thud, she, with the force of thunder, firmly pressed one giant claw onto the Green Dragon Ludwig's neck, while the other giant claw, like a mountain, suppressed the Black Dragon Seraphina's spine.
The immense force, combined with the continuous flow of bone-chilling cold air from beneath her claws, cold enough to freeze steel, instantly eroded the Young Dragons' muscles and joints, pinning them down like nailed specimens onto the cold, hard ground, unable to move.
"Green-skinned brats and black-scaled brats."
White Dragon Tracy held her head high, with a victor's delight, her gaze disdainfully sweeping over the two "little ones" completely subdued beneath her claws, her voice loud and full of mockery.
"Too weak, you are simply too weak. Even after undergoing the baptism of slumber and successfully entering the Young Dragon stage, possessing greater strength, your pathetic attacks still cannot make me—the noble Pale Wing—shed even a single drop of insignificant blood."
Green Dragon Ludwig and Black Dragon Seraphina were indeed no longer the small hatchlings they once were.
After several years of slumber, like a chrysalis transforming into a butterfly, their ages had now both exceeded sixteen, officially entering the more vigorous and significantly stronger Young Dragon period, and their bodies had also grown several sizes larger than before their slumber.
Unfortunately.
In front of the adult White Dragon Tracy, who possessed decent talent, their growth seemed insignificant, still unable to bridge the gap.
As for the other two Young Dragons in the tribe.
Blue Dragon Heliam and Red Dragon Kahir, these two older and stronger Young Dragons, had just entered their crucial period of slumber, where they accumulated power.
Next time they awoke from their deep Dragon slumber, their life level would undergo a leap… most likely advancing to the Adolescent Dragon stage, with even greater strength and size.
White Dragon Tracy greatly enjoyed the feeling of completely suppressing her opponents.
With a malicious glee, she deliberately ground her ice-covered giant claws on the unmoving Black Dragon and Green Dragon again.
Only when she could no longer feel any resistance beneath her claws, and no longer heard the Young Dragons' unwilling roars, only heavy and suppressed gasps remaining… did she finally release her restraining giant claws with satisfaction.
Relieved of the unbearable pressure, the chests of the Young Green Dragon and Black Dragon heaved violently like bellows, greedily gasping for the thin, cold air.
They struggled, slowly crawling up from the cold ground.
The sight of their bodies was shocking.
Large areas of their Dragon scales were shattered and curled, like metal tiles ravaged by hail, and threads of hot Dragon blood continuously seeped from their wounds, staining the cold ground with dark red marks; their originally bright and shiny scales were covered in dirty mud, gravel, and dust from the training ground, appearing utterly disheveled.
However, in stark contrast to their disheveled appearance, was their current demeanor.
Unexpectedly calm.
They did not lose their minds and roar in fury because of their complete defeat and the White Dragon's undisguised humiliation… instead, in the depths of their eyes, there was a calmness and forbearance far beyond what ordinary Young Dragons of their age should possess.
The reason… was actually very simple.
Similar scenes had already played out many times in past training sessions.
After countless times of being repeatedly crushed and insulted with harsh words…
As a Black Dragon, naturally skilled at forbearance and deep-minded, and a Green Dragon, more cunning and adept at assessing the situation… they had long learned, through countless painful sharpening, how to forcibly suppress and deeply bury the boiling anger and intense humiliation in their hearts.
They gradually grew accustomed to this restraint, viewing it as a mandatory course for survival and growth.
"Well done."
White Dragon Tracy still maintained her condescending posture, her tone carrying a hint of condescending praise.
"It seems that after so many 'friendly' exchanges, you two little brats have fully recognized your humble ecological niche in this valley, in front of the great Pale Wing."
Black Dragon Seraphina extended her dark red tongue, slowly licking the Dragon blood seeping from a deep, bone-visible wound on her arm.
She raised her deep dark Dragon eyes and looked at the White Dragon.
"Wait until Heliam and Kahir awaken from their slumber and their strength further increases." Her low voice paused slightly, then continued: "Noble Pale Wing, I hope you can maintain this enthusiasm then, and personally engage in practical training with us."
"I look forward to admiring your heroic posture as you face multiple opponents, simultaneously battling all four of us, defeating and humiliating us."
She enunciated the last two words with particular clarity.
The implied threat and challenge in her words were self-evident.
With four Young Dragons, all having undergone slumber and advanced an age stage in strength, working together, the situation would indeed be completely different.
With Wild Dragon (Red Dragon Kahir)'s tough body absorbing damage in the front.
With Nature Dragon (Green Dragon Ludwig) providing continuous healing and life support from the rear.
With Storm Dragon (Blue Dragon Heliam) unleashing destructive output with his violent thunder and hurricanes.
And even more so, with Necrotic Dragon (Black Dragon Seraphina)'s unpredictable curses and soul manipulation for restraint and interruption.
Under such cooperation and power stacking.
Even the adult White Dragon Tracy would never dare to say she had a sure victory; even if she could eventually win, the process would undoubtedly be difficult, and it would be impossible to crush them so easily and effortlessly as she did now.
Clearly.
Teresi's seemingly rough but actually keen senses instantly caught the provocative meaning in the Black Dragon's words.
She let out a disdainful sneer, and her cold breath condensed into tiny ice crystals in the air.
"Hmph, that's something to consider later."
"Now, black-scaled brat, instead of worrying about the distant future…"
Her gaze pierced the Black Dragon.
"…you'd better worry about your current situation."
The ecological niche of four Dragons working together would be greatly elevated.
How could White Dragon Tracy not understand this simple truth?
She didn't need the Black Dragon's "kind" reminder at this moment; she had already considered this possibility in her heart.
But—
She was completely unconcerned about it, and could even say she already had a countermeasure.
Her countermeasure was simple.
In one-on-one combat, even if they advanced to Adolescent Dragons, for a considerable period, they would still not be able to individually match an adult White Dragon.
At that time… she could completely rely on her absolute individual advantage to educate and deal with them one by one.
As for the more distant future.
The possibility of the Young Dragons completely surpassing her in strength?
She had certainly considered that too.
And Teresi's way of dealing with it… could be described as utterly simple and crude.
At that time, she would simply lie flat and admit defeat, begging for mercy.
Let them beat her, scold her, and insult her to vent their frustrations, and it would be over.
In her opinion, these were just minor hardships on the journey of Dragon life.
Teresi didn't mind it at all.
Ever since she comprehended the ecological niche theory, she had suddenly seen the light, as if enlightened, possessing an extremely "open-minded" view of Dragon life.
Anyway, no matter what.
No matter how powerful or arrogant those Young Dragons became later… it would not change an iron-clad fact already etched in history—they had all been severely beaten by her, Teresi.
And not just once.
This glory and record were enough to allow her to stand tall at any time and continue training other new Young Dragons.
"Remember."
White Dragon Tracy's voice was like a winter wind, saying: "Do not try to play any self-righteous tricks in front of creatures with a higher ecological niche than you, otherwise…"
Her gaze swept over the Black Dragon.
"…you will bear the consequences!"
The final warning was delivered with conviction.
Green Dragon Ludwig's keen intuition had clearly detected the strong malice in the air, directed at the Black Dragon.
He subtly and quietly retreated a few steps.
"Just like now! Blackscale, you're going to pay the price!"
White Dragon Tracy's massive, frost-shrouded body suddenly stepped forward, making the solid ground tremble.
Accompanied by a dull, whistling sound of something cutting through the air.
Her thick, ice-covered Dragon tail arced viciously, striking the waist of Black Dragon Seraphina, who hadn't fully reacted yet.
Bang!
With a loud crash, the Black Dragon's heavy body, like a stone projectile launched by a trebuchet, flew uncontrollably off the ground, tumbling through the air before slamming heavily onto the edge of the training ground dozens of meters away, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"Blackscale whelp."
"Looks like you haven't learned your lesson yet. We… will have a one-on-one extra training session."
White Dragon Tracy let out a low growl, then pounced.
While the opponent hadn't truly matured yet, she would repeatedly educate and humiliate her to her heart's content.
Even if she had to repay it later.
This deal, she, Teresi, would not lose out on.
From atop the watchtower, Galos withdrew his gaze from the training ground below.
He slowly raised his head, gazing distantly towards the vast and boundless Serre Wilderness to the south, a land full of opportunities and dangers.
His sight crossed the undulating mountains of the Borderlands, finally settling on the boundless, ever-changing sky of the wilderness.
Whoosh.
A strong current of air swirled, carrying a faint, sharp sound of metal friction.
Copper-Silver Dragon Deborah's elegant figure circled briefly above the watchtower, like a gliding falcon, then precisely and lightly folded her wings, landing beside the Red Iron Dragon.
She adjusted her posture, sitting beside the Red Iron Dragon with her four feet slightly together, in a dignified pose that exuded a noble elegance.
"What are you looking at?"
Deborah's slender neck turned slightly, her eyes fixed on Galos.
She carefully avoided the vicious, sword-like thorns protruding from Galos's body, gently poking the Red Iron Dragon's broad and sturdy shoulder with the flexible and delicate tip of her tail.
"The future."
The Red Iron Dragon's reply was exceptionally concise, his gaze still fixed on the southern horizon.
Upon hearing this, Copper-Silver Dragon Deborah subconsciously followed Galos's gaze, looking towards the distant wilderness horizon to the south.
But soon, she withdrew her gaze, refocusing on the Red Iron Dragon beside her.
"It seems you are ready to return to the Serre Wilderness."
She knew Galos's past—he was forced by circumstances to retreat to this wild and barren Borderlands.
Although in this land, he had gradually built up a vast enterprise, becoming the King of the Borderlands, feared by all.
But in Deborah's view.
A flame deep within Galos had never extinguished.
Whether it was to wash away the humiliation of being forced to leave and redeem himself, or for the wilderness's far richer and more enticing resources and infinite possibilities compared to the Borderlands… his desire to return to that homeland was both reasonable and inevitable.
The Copper-Silver Dragon tilted her head, asking with a hint of curiosity:
"So… what specific opportunity or event… made you finally decide to return to the wilderness at this time?"
She wanted to know the straw that broke the camel's back and led to Galos's final decision.
Galos did not turn his head, merely giving a concise summary of his contact with Crystal Princess Elena.
"Lossern Federation?"
A distinct flash of surprise and worry instantly crossed Deborah's eyes.
"You want to get involved in the internal affairs of that behemoth? Galos, isn't this a bit too risky?"
"That is a massive federation composed of multiple powerful kingdoms, possessing deep foundations and strength. The waters within it are deep enough to drown a Dragon; even a legendary Dragon would find it difficult to manage troubles of the Lothorn Kingdom's magnitude."
Galos shook his head.
"Deborah, you've got one thing wrong."
He slowly turned his head, looking at the Copper-Silver Dragon, correcting her misunderstanding.
"The object of potential cooperation with me, or rather, with our Molten Iron Tribe… has never been the entire Lossern Federation, nor even the Lothorn Kingdom itself."
"The one I am conversing with is merely a princess named Elena."
His voice paused slightly, then Galos said: "Moreover, this Princess Elena, due to her immersion in magic research in her youth and her lack of active participation in the cruel power games within the royal court… she does not hold a position capable of influencing the kingdom's decisions within Lothorn Kingdom's intricate power network."
"However."
"The resources she controls—especially that rich magical crystal mine—their value and scale are far beyond what ordinary noble lords can compare to, and this is precisely what we need most right now."
"More importantly."
"Up until now, those truly at the pinnacle of power, representing the core of the Federation—kingdoms like Lothorn and Rippos—have shown no intention of personally entering the fray, fighting bare-handed."
"Currently, the ones igniting the flames of war and clashing on the border… are merely their subordinate duchies, representing their will in the power struggle, especially the Haltay Duchy and the Abel Duchy, who are fiercely confronting each other on the front lines."
"After achieving cooperation with the Crystal Princess, what we can participate in, and have the ability to influence… is probably limited to the 'duchy-level war stage.'"
Galos's Iron Dragon bloodline gave him extraordinary strategic vision, allowing him to see the current situation very clearly.
Currently, the Lossern Federation has two major factions within it.
One faction still considers itself orthodox, firmly believing that the great tree of the Lothorn Kingdom will not easily fall, and chooses to continue supporting its leadership.
The other faction consists of those unwilling to accept the existing order, dissatisfied with the distribution of resources and power, and eager for a reshuffle. Among them, the strongest and most ambitious is the Rippos Kingdom, whose comprehensive national power is second only to Lothorn.
The cores of the two factions—Lothorn and Rippos, these two behemoths—are currently exercising restraint, like two silent volcanoes, not personally engaging in direct combat.
Other kingdoms also remain stable.
They have chosen to use their subordinate duchies as proxies, fighting on the battlefield to represent their will.
The outcome of these duchy wars is not merely about the gains and losses or survival of the duchies themselves, but more importantly, about the methods, strength, and determination displayed by the kingdoms they represent in this proxy war.
Their success or failure will, to some extent, influence the choices of other smaller and medium-sized kingdoms and duchies that are seemingly aligned but are actually still wavering and silently observing.
—Whether to continue supporting the seemingly orthodox but declining Lothorn.
—Or to lean towards the ambitious and reform-minded Rippos.
"That Crystal Princess Elena is by no means foolish."
"She would never naively believe that merely relying on us Evil Dragons who have risen in the wilderness could directly shake the deeply entrenched structure of the Federation's upper echelons and fundamentally change the entire Federation's situation."
"But—"
"Participating in and influencing wars between lower-level duchies, exerting power at the level of proxy wars… this is entirely possible and has room for maneuver."
For Galos, leading the Dragons and the Molten Iron Tribe to advance into the Serre Wilderness to seize and acquire the rich resources of that land… would inevitably bring them into conflict with the duchies that already occupied those resources.
In this process, if he could also receive an additional sponsorship from the Crystal Princess—whether it be her coveted treasure resources or the valuable intelligence support she could provide regarding internal Federation movements—it would undoubtedly be a bonus, like adding wings to a tiger, for him.
As the two were conversing.
He and the Copper-Silver Dragon almost simultaneously detected a familiar aura rapidly approaching from afar.
They both turned their heads in unison, their sharp gazes like torches, simultaneously looking in the direction from which the aura emanated.
At the distant horizon.
A Dragon-shaped silhouette, shining with pure golden light, was rapidly enlarging in their view.
Soon after, Alberto appeared above Dragon Valley, then folded his wings and landed on the valley cliff opposite Burning Steel Fortress.
"Galos! I want to challenge you."
For some reason, Alberto seemed a bit impatient; as soon as he landed, he spoke in a deep voice, his tone carrying an undisguised urgency.
Galos did not immediately respond; his vertical pupils narrowed slightly, his gaze fixed firmly on the significantly changed body of the Golden Dragon.
He looked different from a few years ago.
Alberto's body had transformed from its original lithe Dragon physique to a more robust and burly one, muscle contours subtly bulging beneath his golden scales, which had become denser and thicker, and his claws and teeth seemed sharper.
His strength had become somewhat similar to that of a Red Dragon of the same length, and his Dragon prestige aura had also noticeably increased.
However.
Alberto's eyes had more bloodshot veins than they should have, and his tail was constantly swaying from side to side; his state seemed somewhat agitated, inconsistent with the majestic calm belonging to a Golden Dragon, as if he hadn't rested in a long time.
"You seem very urgent, but don't rush yet."
After thinking for a moment, Galos said: "I'm not interested in challenges that are unwarranted and meaningless."
"As the challenger, what are you willing to pay?"
"Or rather, what kind of prize are you willing to put up to match the value of this challenge and make me interested in accepting it?"