The thick, black velvet night sky shrouded the Serel Wilderness. Sparse stars, like diamonds scattered at random, cast a faint, cold light over the Sinkhole Territory, barely outlining the massive silhouettes of two dragons confronting each other.
Opposite the Red-Iron Dragon, who was so magnificently robust that it defied belief.
The composure and dignity that should have belonged to the Steel Queen had vanished from the Iron Dragon Mother, Leticia's face.
That expression, a mixture of extreme shock, bewilderment, and disbelief, could be clearly felt even through her thick, cold, and hard metal visor.
Gradually.
When she had repeatedly confirmed the familiar aura deep within the Bloodline, as well as the irrefutable details in the other's words, the overly exaggerated look of shock on her face finally receded like a tide, calming down, though deep confusion and bewilderment remained in her huge dragon eyes.
For a moment, she was actually speechless.
Her throat seemed to be gripped by an invisible force, unable to find any suitable opening line.
Garros considerately did not continue to speak, just standing quietly, his eyes calmly watching the other party, patiently waiting for the Iron Dragon Mother to calm her churning emotions and recover from the massive shock.
"You… Garros?"
After a long silence, Leticia's voice finally sounded again, with obvious hesitation, as if every word needed to be weighed.
She spoke in an uncertain, almost questioning tone:
"The crystallization of the Red Dragon and Iron Dragon Bloodline… my… half-breed offspring?"
Hearing the Iron Dragon Mother's uncertain question, Garros slightly turned his massive head, his rugged, winding dragon horns tracing a majestic arc.
"Indeed."
He gave a short and affirmative answer, his voice deep and magnetic, appearing exceptionally clear in the silent night sky.
After a brief pause, he carefully examined the Iron Dragon Mother, who was much more slender than himself—her body length might have had a slight advantage, but in terms of pure power and heft, she could no longer rival him.
"It seems that my growth and changes over these years have left a deeper impression on you than I expected, Mother."
He said.
After completely calming down, Leticia did not lower her guard; her body remained tense, as if facing a strange and dangerous dragon. She stared tightly at the Red-Iron Dragon, her sharp gaze sweeping over the thick scales on his body and the explosive muscle lines he possessed.
"If my memory hasn't failed, you left my territory when you were nine years old."
"Leaving the protection of the mother dragon to hone one's scales and claws in a wider, more cruel world can indeed allow a young descendant to grow and mature faster."
"But regardless."
"It has only been about fifty years since you left."
Leticia's voice was full of skepticism: "What have you eaten? How could you have grown to this extent in such a short time?!"
Even among dragons of the same species, there can be personality differences between different individuals, and the differences can be as vast as a chasm.
Leticia was a standard Iron Dragon, Lawful Evil, and a pragmatist.
But compared to most other Iron Dragons, her nature carried more caution and suspicion.
She did not lower her guard because of Garros's words.
Deep down, she even began to suspect whether this powerful Red-Iron Dragon before her was disguised by some powerful being proficient in transformation or illusion?
Perhaps the goal was to lower her guard and wait for an opportunity to plot against her territory, her treasure, or even her life.
"Mother, you should know better than any dragon—"
Garros said unhurriedly: "—the word 'impossible' doesn't seem to apply to me."
"Do you remember when I was about four years old and took the initiative to ask you to whip me with your dragon tail for training? I recovered from those lacerated wounds very quickly, and my scales became harder than before."
"At that time, that recovery and adaptability, which far exceeded that of ordinary Wyrmlings, also made you feel it was impossible."
After mentioning a bit of childhood past as evidence, the Red-Iron Dragon continued calmly to correct her: "Also, regarding the time I left, you seem to have misremembered one thing."
"I didn't leave at the age of nine."
"To be precise, I was over seven, not yet fully eight years old, when Samantha, Gorton, and I left the Sinkhole Territory together."
From the Iron Dragon Mother's words and demeanor, Garros keenly captured the deep-seated suspicion and probing.
Immediately, he lifted a giant claw covered in dull scales.
In the center of the claw lay an object quietly—a metal ring that was already somewhat broken, covered in cracks, and had completely lost all magical luster.
Garros held the broken ring up before Leticia, allowing her to clearly see every detail.
"This Alchemical Item gave me immeasurable help during those initial difficult years."
"Unfortunately, it was ultimately too fragile; during a high-intensity use, I accidentally broke it."
This was the gift the Iron Dragon Mother, Leticia, had given Garros at the time of their parting—the lightning tail ring.
It was precisely because of the existence of this Tail Ring that Garros first realized he could use external Alchemical Items to stimulate himself and complete directed evolution in certain specific directions.
It was the key that opened Garros's path to the Frenzied State evolution, and it played a very important role in his growth process.
Opposite him, Leticia listened carefully to the Red-Iron Dragon's clear and detailed narration, her gaze falling on the damaged lightning tail ring that could never be easily forged by an outside dragon.
The extremely guarded posture of her whole body finally visibly relaxed a little.
However, the dragon scales on her body were still slightly bristled, and her muscles remained in a semi-tense state, not completely relaxed.
Long-term solitary living and the dangers of the wilderness had made her develop the habit of never easily letting down her guard.
"Garros, your growth speed and the final form you present are indeed astonishing to me."
She bared her sharp teeth, which flashed with cold light, her pupils constricting into two dangerous thin lines, and asked straightforwardly: "Then, tell me, have you returned today just to show me your current strength? Or do you have other thoughts about this territory I have managed for so long?"
The Iron Dragon Mother's overreaction at this moment did not exceed Garros's expectations.
This was not because she was overly sensitive or mean.
It was simply because, in the Law of the Evil Dragon society, kinship is extremely indifferent and thin.
Peers who grew up together might still retain some affection.
But between blood relatives of different generations, there is often a deeper estrangement and potential competitive relationship.
There are no shortage of records in the dragon heritage of elderly dragons who were successfully challenged and even killed by their offspring.
For the sake of competing for territory, treasure, or simply to prove oneself stronger, examples of blood relatives killing each other are not isolated cases.
"Relax, Mother."
Garros's gaze swept casually over the Iron Dragon Vassal Legion around who were still acting as if facing a great enemy, yet trembling and not daring to step forward, and said: "If I really harbored hostility, the thing you should be doing most right now is not questioning me here, but busy collecting the corpses of these vassals of yours."
His voice was calm, as if he were merely stating a simple fact.
However, these words fell into the ears of the manticores, dragon-blooded creatures, and other monsters around, making them all feel a bone-chilling horror and lingering fear.
It was indeed true; if this terrifying Red-Iron Dragon really harbored malice, he could have struck first when the Dragon Lord left the territory, clearing out all the vassals with thunderous means.
Even if he had the idea of taking over these vassals, he would definitely have first wiped out those vassal leaders who were absolutely loyal to Leticia, leaving only those who were easy to tame or control.
Instead of doing as he was now.
Waiting leisurely for the Dragon Lord to return, facing her and her entire Vassal Legion alone.
After careful deliberation and weighing.
The Iron Dragon Mother, Leticia, finally slowly stretched out her limbs, which had been slightly crouched and ready to erupt at any moment, and the strong muscles of her body gradually relaxed.
Like a large feline that had confirmed there was no immediate danger, she tucked her limbs slightly and squatted on the ground in a relatively relaxed posture, her long tail covered in steel scales swinging unconsciously from side to side behind her.
She looked carefully at Garros's impactful physique again and finally asked the core question: "Then, Garros, what is your real purpose in spending time waiting for my return?"
Garros pondered slightly, weighed his words, and then said: "I came here mainly to tell you two things."
"First, life in the Sinkhole Territory back then was an indispensable growth experience for me, and the Alchemical Item you gave me at the end also provided me with huge help at a critical moment."
"Second, based on the fact that we share some similar Bloodlines, I believe we have a better foundation for cooperation than strangers. I hope we can try to reach some degree of alliance or cooperative relationship."
Expressing goodwill and recognition first, then proposing a clear intention for cooperation.
After Garros finished speaking concisely, he said no more, just looked calmly at the Iron Dragon Mother, waiting for her response and choice.
Leticia was also gazing at Garros, her eyes sweeping inch by inch over his torso, which was slightly shorter than hers but whose massive size and robust degree far exceeded her own.
Cooperation?
This proposal was not impossible to consider.
For Leticia, that crazy and powerful Red Dragon, Gorthax, had always been a sword hanging over her head, a huge and unpredictable potential danger.
She was unwilling to leave the Serel Wilderness where she had lived for many years and was already familiar with.
But as long as she remained here, she was destined to deal with Gorthax sooner or later.
And under the current strength comparison, she was completely at a disadvantage.
To deal with Gorthax's threat, Leticia had originally been actively seeking possible allies.
However, there were not many suitable objects.
She had previously tried to unite with the Dominic Blue Dragon Family; although she had not yet received a final reply, the result would likely be a rejection. Those Blue Dragons were too shrewd and realistic to easily take action for ethereal potential risks.
On the other hand, the foundation of any cooperation often lies in two points: trust and a clear understanding of each other's strength levels.
In terms of trust, although the kinship between Evil Dragons is thin, it is ultimately a layer of blood connection and past understanding more than completely strange dragons.
Moreover, in her impression, Garros's temperament was quite different from ordinary chaotic and crazy Evil Dragons, appearing more steady and reliable.
The Alchemical Item she gave away back then could also be considered a kind of forward-looking investment.
As long as Garros was not as extremely crazy and chaotic as his Red Dragon father, then cooperation had a certain possibility.
As for the specific strength level, in this regard, body size often only represents a part of strength, not all of it.
In her long life, Leticia had also hunted many ferocious magical beasts with bodies far larger than her own.
Although the Red-Iron Dragon in front of her looked very intimidating, perhaps there was a possibility that he was all show and no substance. After all, his age was truly too young; perhaps it was because of some adventures that led to the premature development of his body, and his true combat power might not match this terrifying body.
After carefully weighing the pros and cons and risks, Leticia's huge dragon eyes focused on Garros again, and she said: "My dear Garros, today is our reunion after decades, which should be a joyous occasion worth celebrating."
"But before we officially begin to discuss any specific cooperation matters in detail."
"I want to understand more directly what level you have grown to now."
"Your body size surprises me, but as a dragon, you should also know very well that body size cannot represent everything."
She gazed at the Red-Iron Dragon and said.
Garros asked: "How to understand?"
He had actually vaguely guessed the Iron Dragon Mother's thoughts. Nevertheless, he still chose to ask, which was both a form of respect and set the tone for the subsequent communication.
Leticia's head raised slightly, and a steady voice came from under her heavy visor.
She said straightforwardly: "Very simple, a calm sparring match."
"Only the friction of scales against scales, the collision of claws and teeth, and the truest clash of power and technique can allow us to most clearly understand each other's true level."
"I believe that after this, whether it is to cooperate or otherwise, we can better make judgments."
Her proposal was exactly what Garros wanted.
He needed a battle of sufficient weight to establish his deserved status in this mother's heart.
In the world of dragons, verbal promises are often as light as dust; only strength tested by claws, teeth, and flames can forge a truly solid contract or alliance.