Burning Steel Fortress, fourth floor.
Under the bright and brilliant afternoon sunlight, the Red-Iron Dragon stood quietly on the rough and sturdy edge of the observation deck.
He lowered his head slightly, his gaze overlooking the vast training ground in Dragon Valley below, which was covered in claw marks and scorched marks.
There, a confrontation with a vast disparity in power was unfolding.
The White Dragon Tereshi, with her massive and cold body like an ice hill, was using her absolute power advantage to suppress two Young Dragons who, although several sizes larger than when they were in their young stage, still appeared petite before her.
The jet-black Serafina and the emerald-scaled Ludwig.
An intense combat training session was underway under the gaze of the Red-Iron Dragon.
Inside the training ground, energy surged, and dragon shadows darted about.
Piercing, icy wind blades whistled as they cut through the air, whipping up gusts of white frost.
Poisonous magical vines burst from the ground like living creatures, twisting and tearing with corrosive green light.
Invisible curses of weakness, like maggots on bones, attempted to erode the White Dragon's will and defenses.
And there was the most primitive, most direct Dragonkin combat—sharp claws flickering with cold light tore viciously, and massive bodies covered in thick scales collided with immense force, emitting teeth-aching metallic friction and heavy thuds.
Various attacks emerged one after another, bombarding the towering, motionless pale figure like a torrential rainstorm.
However.
This seemingly fierce siege did not last long.
The White Dragon Tereshi let out a powerful roar. Relying on her age advantage, which far exceeded her opponents, and the resulting massive size and power gap, she forcibly pushed forward while enduring the Black Dragon's curse erosion and the Green Dragon's poisonous vine entanglement.
Her giant claws, covered in thick frost, swung out like siege hammers, brutally tearing through the Young Dragons' seemingly tight defenses with an unrivaled, savage posture.
In the end.
With a dull, thunderous boom, she moved with lightning speed. One giant claw firmly pinned the Green Dragon Ludwig's neck, while the other claw, like a mountain, suppressed the Black Dragon Serafina's back.
The immense force, combined with the bone-chilling cold that could freeze steel pouring relentlessly from under her claws, instantly eroded the Young Dragons' muscles and joints, pinning them to the cold, hard ground like nailed-down specimens, unable to move.
"Green-skinned brat and black-scaled brat."
The White Dragon Tereshi held her head high, filled with the joy of a victor, her gaze sweeping disdainfully over the two "little ones" completely subdued beneath her claws, her voice loud and mocking.
"Too weak, you are simply too weak. Even though you have experienced the baptism of Dragon Slumber and successfully entered the Young Dragon stage, possessing greater power, your pathetic attacks still cannot make me—the noble Pale Wing—shed even a single insignificant drop of blood."
The Green Dragon Ludwig and the Black Dragon Serafina were indeed no longer the small Young Dragons they once were.
After experiencing several years of Dragon Slumber, akin to a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, they were now over sixteen years old. They had officially entered the juvenile stage, where their vitality was more vigorous and their strength began to grow significantly; their size was also several times larger than before their sleep.
Unfortunately.
Before the White Dragon Tereshi, who was in her prime and possessed not-so-bad talent, this bit of growth seemed insignificant and still could not bridge the gap.
As for the other two Young Dragons in the tribe.
The Blue Dragon Heriam and the Red Dragon Cahill, the two Young Dragons who were older and slightly stronger, had just entered their critical Dragon Slumber period to accumulate power.
The next time they awoke from their deep Dragon Slumber, their Life Level would undergo a leap... they would likely be promoted to Young Dragons with even greater strength and size.
The White Dragon Tereshi enjoyed the feeling of completely suppressing her opponents.
With a wicked sense of humor, she used her giant, ice-covered claws to deliberately grind against the helpless Black Dragon and Green Dragon.
Until she could no longer feel a shred of resistance beneath her claws, nor hear the unwilling roars of the Young Dragons, leaving only heavy and suppressed gasps... she finally released her giant claws with satisfaction.
Losing the unbearable heavy pressure, the chests of the Young Green Dragon and Black Dragon heaved violently like bellows, greedily gasping for the thin, cold air.
They struggled and slowly climbed up from the cold ground.
The sight of them was shocking.
Dragon scales were shattered and curled over a large area, like metal tiles ravaged by hail. Wisps of hot-smelling dragon blood kept seeping from their wounds, spreading dark red marks on the cold ground; their originally bright and beautiful scales were covered in dirty mud, gravel, and dust from the training ground, making them look wretched.
However, in stark contrast to this wretched appearance was their current demeanor.
Unexpectedly calm.
They did not lose their minds or roar in rage because they had suffered a complete defeat and blatant humiliation from the White Dragon... deep in their eyes, there was instead a kind of restraint and forbearance that far exceeded what was expected of ordinary Young Dragons.
The reason... was actually very simple.
Similar scenes had... long since played out more than once in past training sessions.
After being repeatedly crushed and insulted by harsh words countless times...
As a Black Dragon, naturally adept at forbearance and deep in thought, and a Green Dragon, who was more cunning and understood how to assess the situation... they had already learned, through countless painful grindings, how to forcibly suppress and deeply bury the boiling anger and intense humiliation in their hearts.
They gradually became accustomed to this restraint, viewing it as a required course for survival and growth.
"Not bad performance."
The White Dragon Tereshi still maintained her condescending posture, her tone carrying a hint of charitable praise.
"It seems that after so many 'friendly' exchanges, you two brats have completely recognized your humble niche in this valley, before the great Pale Wing."
The Black Dragon Serafina stuck out her dark red tongue, slowly licking the dragon blood seeping from a wound on her arm that was deep enough to see the bone.
She raised her deep, dark dragon eyes and looked at the White Dragon.
"Wait until Heriam and Cahill wake from their Dragon Slumber, and their strength advances further." The low, hoarse voice paused slightly, then continued: "Noble Pale Wing, I hope you can still maintain this enthusiasm then and personally come down to conduct combat training with us."
"I look forward to admiring your heroic posture as you take on one against many, simultaneously fighting all four of us dragons, defeating and insulting us."
She enunciated the last two words with extreme clarity.
The implicit threat and challenge in her words were self-evident.
If all four Young Dragons, who had experienced Dragon Slumber and increased their strength by one age stage, joined forces, the situation would indeed be completely different.
With the tough body of the Wild Dragon (Red Dragon Cahill) in front to take damage.
With the Nature Dragon (Green Dragon Ludwig) in the rear providing a steady stream of healing and life support.
With the violent thunder and hurricanes of the Storm Dragon (Blue Dragon Heriam) pouring out devastating damage.
And even the eerie, unpredictable curses and Soul manipulation of the Necro Dragon (Black Dragon Serafina) to restrain and interrupt.
Under such coordination and superposition of power.
Even the prime-aged White Dragon Tereshi would absolutely not dare to say she could be sure of victory. Even if she could eventually win, the process would surely be difficult; it would never be as easy to crush them and be as relaxed as she was now.
Obviously.
Tereshi's seemingly crude but actually sharp nerves instantly caught the provocative meaning in the Black Dragon's words.
She let out a cold laugh filled with disdain, and her cold breath condensed tiny ice crystals in the air.
"Hmph, that is something to consider in the future."
"Now, black-scaled brat, instead of worrying about the distant future..."
Her gaze pierced toward the Black Dragon.
"...you had better worry about your current situation."
If the four dragons joined forces, their niche would be significantly elevated.
How could the White Dragon Tereshi not understand this simple truth?
There was no need for the Black Dragon's "well-intentioned" reminder at this moment; she had long considered this possibility in her heart.
But—
She didn't care at all; one could even say she had long had a response plan.
Her response method was very simple.
In one-on-one battles, even if they were promoted to Young Dragons, for a considerable period of time, they would still not be a match for the prime-aged White Dragon alone.
By then... 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 little dragons' strength completely surpassing hers?
Of course she had considered it too.
And Tereshi's way of dealing with this... could be called simple and brutal to the extreme.
At that time, she would just lie flat and admit defeat, begging for mercy.
Let them hit and scold her, let them insult and vent, and that would be the end of it.
In her view, this was just a little bit of hardship on the journey of dragon life.
Tereshi did not mind this at all.
Ever since she realized the Niche Theory, she had become enlightened, as if having an Epiphany, and possessed an extremely "open-minded" view of dragon life.
Anyway, no matter what.
No matter how powerful or arrogant those little dragons became later... they could not change an iron-clad fact that had long been carved into history—they had all once been beaten severely by her, Tereshi.
And not just once.
This glory and record were enough for her to stand tall at any time and then continue to train other newly arrived little dragons.
"Remember."
The White Dragon Tereshi's voice was like the biting winter wind as she said: "Do not try to play any self-righteous tricks in front of creatures with a higher niche than you, otherwise..."
Her gaze swept over the Black Dragon.
"...you will bear the consequences yourself!"
The final warning was firm and resonant.
The Green Dragon Ludwig's keen intuition had clearly smelled the strong malice spreading in the air, directed at the Black Dragon.
He quietly and unobtrusively took a few steps back.
AI Model: deepseek-chat
"Like now! Black Scale, it's time you paid the price!"
White Dragon Tereshi, her massive body radiating chilling cold, took a heavy step forward, causing the solid ground to tremble.
Accompanied by a dull roar of displaced air.
Her thick, ice-covered dragon tail swept in a vicious arc, slamming hard into the side of Black Dragon Serafina, who had yet to fully react.
Boom!
With a thunderous crash, the Black Dragon's heavy body, like a stone launched from a catapult, was uncontrollably lifted off the ground, tumbling through the air before crashing heavily at the edge of the training ground dozens of meters away, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"Black Scale whelp."
"Looks like you haven't learned your lesson. Let's have... a one-on-one extra session."
White Dragon Tereshi let out a low growl, then lunged forward.
Taking advantage of the fact that the opponent hadn't truly grown yet, she intended to repeatedly teach and humiliate him to her heart's content.
Even if she had to pay it back later,
this deal, Tereshi figured, wouldn't be a loss for her.
On the watchtower, Gallos withdrew his gaze from the training ground below.
He slowly raised his head, gazing into the distance towards the vast, boundless Serel Wilderness to the south, a land full of opportunities and dangers.
His gaze crossed the undulating mountains of The Borderlands, finally settling on the endless, ever-changing sky above the wilderness.
Whoosh.
A strong gust of wind rose, carrying a faint metallic screech.
The elegant figure of Red-Silver Dragon Deborah circled briefly above the watchtower, like a gliding falcon, then precisely and lightly folded her wings and landed beside the Red-Iron Dragon.
She adjusted her posture, sitting beside the Red-Iron Dragon in a dignified pose with an aristocratic elegance, her four paws slightly together.
"What are you looking at?"
Deborah's long neck turned slightly, her eyes looking at Gallos.
Carefully avoiding the ferocious, sword-like spines protruding from Gallos's body, she used the tip of her flexible and delicate tail to lightly poke the Red-Iron Dragon's broad and solid shoulder.
"The future."
The Red-Iron Dragon's answer was exceptionally concise, his gaze still fixed on the southern horizon.
Hearing this, Red-Silver Dragon Deborah subconsciously followed Gallos's gaze towards the distant southern wilderness sky.
But soon, she withdrew her gaze and refocused on the Red-Iron Dragon beside her.
"It seems you are ready to return to the Serel Wilderness."
She knew Gallos's past—he was forced by circumstances to retreat to this wild and barren Borderlands.
Although on this land, he had built a great foundation step by step and become the King of the Borderlands, a power to be reckoned with,
in Deborah's view,
a flame deep within Gallos's heart had never been extinguished.
Whether to wash away the shame of being forced to leave, to avenge the past humiliation, or for the wilderness's far richer and more tempting resources and infinite possibilities compared to The Borderlands... it was only logical and inevitable that he wanted to return to that homeland.
The Red-Silver Dragon tilted her head, asking curiously:
"So... what specific opportunity or event... finally made you determined to return to the wilderness at this point in time?"
She wanted to know the straw that prompted Gallos to make his final decision.
Gallos did not turn around, but simply recounted the situation of his contact with Crystal Princess Elena.
"The Lothern Federation?"
A flash of obvious surprise and concern immediately flickered in Deborah's eyes.
"You want to meddle in the internal affairs of that behemoth? Gallos, isn't that a bit too risky?"
"That is a huge federation composed of multiple powerful kingdoms, with deep foundations and strength. Its internal waters are deep enough to drown even a Dragon. Even a Legendary Realm Dragon would find it hard to handle a trouble of the Kingdom of Lothern's level."
Gallos shook his head.
"Deborah, you've got one thing wrong."
He slowly turned his head, looking at the Red-Silver Dragon, correcting her misunderstanding.
"The potential partner I, or rather we, the Molten Iron Tribe, are dealing with... has never been the entire Lothern Federation, nor even the Kingdom of Lothern itself."
"The one I am speaking with is simply a princess named Elena."
His voice paused briefly, then Gallos continued: "Moreover, this princess, because she was deeply engrossed in magical research in her youth and did not actively participate in the brutal power games within the royal court... she does not hold a position within the intricate power network of the Kingdom of Lothern that could influence the kingdom's decisions."
"However."
"The resources she controls—especially that rich magical crystal vein—their value and scale are far beyond what ordinary noble lords can compare with. That 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 Lothern and Ripos... have shown no intention of personally stepping into the fray."
"The ones currently igniting the war and clashing on the border... are merely their subordinate duchies, acting on their behalf, representing their will in the game. Especially the Duchy of Haltai and the Duchy of Abel, who are fiercely confronting each other on the front lines."
"After reaching a cooperation with the Crystal Princess, what we can participate in and have the ability to influence... is probably limited to the 'war stage at the Duchy level.'"
Gallos's Iron Dragon Bloodline granted him an extraordinary strategic vision, allowing him to see the current situation very clearly.
Currently, within the Lothern Federation, there are two major factional camps.
One camp consists of kingdoms and duchies that still regard themselves as orthodox, firmly believing that the great tree of the Kingdom of Lothern will not easily topple, and choosing to continue supporting its leadership.
The other camp comprises nations dissatisfied with the existing order, unhappy with the distribution of resources and power, and eager for a reshuffle. Among them, the strongest and most ambitious is the Kingdom of Ripos, whose overall national power is second only to Lothern.
The core of the two camps—the two behemoths, Lothern and Ripos—are currently exercising restraint, like two silent volcanoes, not personally engaging in combat.
The other kingdoms also remain as steady as a rock.
They have chosen to let their subordinate duchies act as proxies, representing their will on the battlefield.
The significance of the victories or defeats in these Duchy wars goes far beyond the mere survival or loss of the duchies themselves. It also demonstrates the means, strength, and determination of the kingdoms they represent in this proxy war.
Their success or failure will, to some extent, influence the choices of other small and medium-sized kingdoms and duchies that are ostensibly taking sides but are actually still wavering and watching silently.
"—whether to continue supporting the seemingly orthodox but already declining Lothern,
"or to side with the enterprising, ambitious Ripos, full of the desire for change."
"That Crystal Princess Elena is by no means dull-witted."
"She would never naively believe that just by relying on our group of Evil Dragons rising from the wilderness, we could directly shake the deeply entrenched structure at the top of the Federation and change the fundamental situation of the entire Federation."
"But—"
"participating in and influencing the wars among the lower-level duchies, exerting force at the level of proxy wars... that is entirely possible and has room for operation."
For Gallos, leading The Dragon Flight and the Molten Iron Tribe into the Serel Wilderness to seize the abundant resources of that land... would inevitably mean confronting the duchies that occupy those resources.
In this process, if he could also obtain additional sponsorship from the Crystal Princess, whether it be her coveted treasure resources or the valuable intelligence support she could provide regarding internal movements within the Federation... it would undoubtedly be the icing on the cake and a great help to him.
Just as the two were communicating,
he and the Red-Silver Dragon simultaneously detected a familiar aura rapidly approaching from afar.
Both turned their heads in unison, their sharp eyes blazing like torches, looking towards the direction from which the aura came.
On the distant horizon,
a dragon-shaped outline shining with pure golden light rapidly grew larger in their field of vision.
Soon after, Alberto appeared above Dragon Valley, then folded his wings and landed on the valley cliff opposite Burning Steel Fortress.
"Gallos! I challenge you."
For some reason, Alberto seemed somewhat impatient. As soon as he landed, he spoke in a deep voice, with an urgency that was hard to conceal.
Gallos did not answer immediately. His vertical pupils narrowed slightly, his gaze firmly locked on the significantly changed body of the Golden Dragon.
It was different from a few years ago.
Alberto's body had shifted from its previously agile dragon form to a more robust and sturdy build. The contours of his muscles bulged slightly beneath the golden scales. His scales had become denser and thicker, and his claws and teeth seemed sharper as well.
His strength had become somewhat similar to that of a Red Dragon of the same body length, and his Dragon Might aura had also noticeably increased.
However,
Alberto's eyes had gained some bloodshot streaks that shouldn't be there, and his tail kept swinging back and forth. His state seemed somewhat irritable, inconsistent with the dignified calm of a Golden Dragon, as if he hadn't rested for a long time.
"You seem anxious, but don't rush."
After thinking for a moment, Gallos said: "I'm not interested in a challenge without reason or meaning."
"As the challenger, what are you willing to offer?"
"Or rather, what kind of stake are you willing to put up to match the value of this challenge and make me interested in accepting it?"