Black Dragon Awakens

Transitional chapter, see the title.

Rein had no idea what the Monkell Civilization had looked like at its peak.

But one can only imagine how cruel the world Beyond the Mist must be.

In the ancient Monkell Civilization, there once stood the "Black Emperor" Moises and his seventy-two divine generals, a multitude of god-level powerhouses. The Extraordinary Sequence they left behind still linger on the Ice Ridge Wasteland. Those wondrous potions and incredibly powerful unique skills all testify to the sheer might of those deities.

Even so, this powerful super-civilization was still buried in the long river of history.

This made Rein feel a sense of urgency.

He longed to see just how wonderful that endless world outside truly was. But his cultivation at the Fourth Tier of the Transcendent was probably nothing more than an ant in the eyes of those high-level experts from beyond the realm.

Moreover, the existence of the Ice Ridge Wasteland has now been discovered by people from outside the region, and they no longer have time to develop in peace.

They want to become stronger, and they must break free from this foggy world.

However, they still had to guard against enemy attacks.

Therefore, becoming stronger is the most urgent task.

Having tasted the benefits of "secret cultivation," Rein has been spending almost all his time at Canossa's mansion these days.

In that luxurious manor, a sharp, resonant sound, like the tolling of a bronze bell, would always echo through the night, often lasting all night long.

That stunningly beautiful lady was like a ripe peach, sweet and juicy with every bite, but Rein wasn't just after pleasure; he was also cultivating his spiritual practice.

The effect was immediate. He and Canossa, who had reached the pinnacle of the "Divine Steel Realm", secretly practiced according to the method on the stone slab and successfully broke through their original body refinement realm in just a few days.

The strange creature, covered in gold paint, gradually turned into a light bronze color.

Both muscle strength and defense have reached a whole new level.

They touched upon the realm of body refinement that the Great Shaman Mafat had comprehended!

That wonderful state of "perfect harmony" allowed Rein to take a shortcut.

He, who originally needed several years to accumulate experience, has begun to try to understand the "Power Law" that only fifth-order Transcendent can comprehend.

Moreover, it's not just the surface, but the complete "legendary rules".

The original profound and inexplicable understanding of the laws became unobstructed because of the "secret cultivation" method.

The legendary powerhouse Canossa built a bridge for him; her insights were those of Rein.

This saved him from taking many detours.

As for Ren's understanding of the secret method of "Gang Thread" and [Condensing Qi and Transforming Gang], Kanosha also felt the same way. After practicing secretly, she was able to gradually understand some of the secrets.

Their abilities gradually merged, and through daily intensive training, their Transcendent realms increased day by day.

Rein was also very much looking forward to seeing just how strong Canossa would be after mastering the [Condense Qi into Gang] technique!

The interrogation of the "Blood Shark Phantom Thieves" was nearing its end, and Black Dragon City finally had a general understanding of the outer world.

Then, the high-ranking officials of Black Dragon City held several meetings and approved Metternich's proposal.

That is to wipe out the Radiant Kingdom to prevent future troubles!

More than a year ago, the events in the Oma Imperial Capital made everyone in the Ice Ridge Wasteland aware of City of Radiance's despicable methods of spreading the Evil God Worship.

After more than a year of sanctions and isolation, no more hunters or refugees have gone to City of Radiance.

Those still remaining in City of Radiance are all devout followers of that Three-Eyed Evil God.

In other words, they are all enemies.

Even so, there are at least 20 to 30 million people.

They were initially hesitant due to the large population, as City of Radiance was once humanity's only "City of Freedom," and many residents had some connection to Master Cavo.

But now it seems that those evil gods worshipped in City of Radiance have made contact with beings outside the realm, harboring malicious intentions.

There is already confirmed information that the "Holy Light Alliance," to which the Three-Eyed Race belongs, is attacking the "Dark Alliance" and may arrive at the region where the Ice Ridge Wasteland is located at any time.

One can imagine that when those guys invade the Ice Ridge Wasteland, it will be an absolute catastrophe for the humans on this land.

They will either be brainwashed into becoming Evil God Fanatic, or they will be completely destroyed, just like the Monkell Civilization back then.

The dire situation left no room for hesitation from the Black Dragon City leadership.

Therefore, they chose to first eliminate this den of Evil God Fanatic.

Even if it means bearing the stigma of "massacre".

City of Radiance is strategically located, protected by the Alkolon Mountain Range, making it virtually impossible for ordinary Mechanical City to attack.

However, Black Dragon City still maintains absolute Air Superiority.

Therefore, the entire Wyvern Legion was mobilized the day after the high-level decision.

If they don't fight now, and wait for the enemy's airship fleet to enter the Ice Ridge Wasteland, they will have no advantage whatsoever.

Then, while the two great empires of Sid and Omar were completely dumbfounded, the Black Dragon City's Wyvern Legion launched an aerial bombardment of City of Radiance that lasted for nearly a month.

The Mechanical City is clumsy; even if it could move, it would only be a sitting duck for air raids.

Moreover, Master Cavo founded City of Radiance, and he knows almost everything about the city's layout.

Blind spots in city defenses, weak points in Magic Array, the layout of Magic Tower, and methods of attack.

The Flying Dragons learned of this intelligence and carried out precise and efficient bombing.

The Radiant Kingdom has five Behemoth-class Mechanical City, plus some secondary Mechanical City owned by lords, bringing the total to over forty.

But these big guys couldn't hide in the wasteland at all, and the whole bombing went smoothly.

Even with the invincible power of King Kipling Winster, possessed by the Evil God's Will, the surprise attack of thousands of dragons could not stop them in the slightest.

Wherever the Wyvern Legion passes, not a blade of grass grows.

During the month of continuous bombing, it was almost completely destroyed, with corpses strewn everywhere.

West of the Alkolon Mountain Range, there are massive Beast Tide and zombies. Without towering, sturdy city walls to hold them back, it is almost impossible for any human settlement to survive.

Destroying the Mechanical City would be tantamount to severing the foundation of the Evil God Fanatic in City of Radiance.

Although some High-tier Extraordinary might survive by sheer luck, destroying the main base at least leaves no place for those extraterrestrial beings to settle if they ever break in someday.

News of the bombing and destruction of City of Radiance spread to both the Sid and Omar Empires in no time.

Back in the Oma Imperial Capital, Rein used this method to breach the Oma Royal Academy of Sciences.

This tactic shocked all the lords at the time.

At the time, they still clung to a sliver of hope, thinking that there were some restrictions on this bombing.

But now, Black Dragon City has wiped out the "Radiant Kingdom" in just one month, causing great fear among the lords of the two great empires.

The fact that Black Dragon City could bomb and wipe out the Radiant Kingdom without losing a single soldier means that their Wyvern Legion could also easily destroy any other territory.

That high-altitude bombing tactic now seems to have no way to be countered.

Faced with "absolute Air Superiority," the Anti-aircraft Artillery in the Mechanical City seemed utterly powerless. No matter how much thicker the barrels or how much more powerful the cannons were, they couldn't harm the agile flying dragons in the sky.

Black Dragon City's overwhelming technological superiority, with its Wyvern Riders charging right at them, completely silencing the two great empires.

For the first time, the lords experienced the fear of being dominated by military power.

A tiny city managed to overwhelm two great empires.

They used to covet everything in Black Dragon City, but now it seems that they have no other choice but to move their territory far away from Black Dragon City.

I can't beat you, so I can only hide.

Of course, Rein also informed the high-ranking officials of the two empires about the existence of the "extraterrestrial" realm.

This claim left the high-ranking officials of both empires skeptical.

Believe it or not, it's up to them.

It doesn't matter.

The purpose of this announcement is for the benefit of all humanity in the Ice Ridge Wasteland.

So that when a real disaster strikes, those guys won't be caught off guard.

As for Steam Machinery Airship, Black Dragon City informed them of their existence but did not provide any technological support to the two empires.

It's best to keep such a powerful weapon in your own hands.

Giving this technology to those with ulterior motives makes it unlikely they'll unite to resist external enemies. Those lords who prioritize their own interests will probably use it to fight amongst themselves before any external enemies even arrive, using it to conquer and expand their own interests.

Besides, it wouldn't make a difference even if I gave it to them.

The technology of the Outer Realm Mechanical Airship surpasses that of the Ice Ridge Wasteland by decades or even centuries. Apart from the Black Dragon Mechanical Academy led by Old Man Tuster, no other force can manufacture them.

Even if the blueprints were given to the two great empires, they still wouldn't be able to build the machines that far exceeded their technological capabilities.

After the fall of City of Radiance, Black Dragon City entered a period of stable development.

Every day, a large influx of people enters Black Dragon City.

The city's area grew larger and larger, with large steel mills springing up and various large and small Mechanical City being established.

Although the two great empires of Sid and Omar tried their best to prevent their citizens from going to Black Dragon City, they were ultimately unable to stop them.

Because the most important means of survival for humans on the Ice Ridge Wasteland is "hunting".

While the lords wanted to block their people from escaping, they also couldn't prevent the hunters from hunting in the wilderness.

This departure means population loss.

Often, out of ten Scavenger Gang that go out, only five or three return.

They say he died in the wilderness, but if you inquire, you can always hear news of those Scavenger Gang doing very well in Black Dragon City.

As for the method of information blocking, it was quite effective in the early stages.

However, as time went by, the rumors were disproven.

The current "free trade" system in Black Dragon City has revitalized all industries in the Ice Ridge Wasteland.

With frequent caravan trade, false information could not be concealed.

If the major lords want to block information about Black Dragon City, then they must completely sever all commercial ties with the outside world.

There was no food, no mines, no machinery, no tobacco, no alcohol, and no magic potions.

The circulation of all resources, including...

Unless the lords want to return to an agrarian society and live a life of poverty, it is simply impossible.

Moreover, there are human smuggling organizations in the black market and official slave trading.

The channels for population loss are simply impossible to block.

On the other hand, Black Dragon City's increasingly perfect equality system has allowed the city to grow explosively.

The Black Dragon City leadership frequently hosts various "Technology Expos," "Academy Exchange Meetings," "Number One Martial Arts Tournament," and "Magic Exchange Meetings."

They attract talents from various fields to Black Dragon City for exchanges.

Once they arrive, very few people leave.

Black Dragon City boasts the most habitable environment, the strongest technological heritage, the most "legendary" Transcendent, and the most systematic magical and medical/potion heritage in the Ice Ridge Wasteland.

Here, you can have money, a life, and a future.

Since learning that the Three-Eyed Race from beyond the realm was waging war, the excavation of the Black Emperor's tomb has been put on the agenda.

According to those captured by the "Red Shark Group" thieves, remote places like the Ice Ridge Wasteland, which only have Fifth-tier Extraordinary, are not worth conquering by large alliances with gods.

Even if the gods wanted to gather faith, this number would be equivalent to the population of any random empire outside.

It's not worth making such a fuss.

Therefore, Rein and his men guessed that the other side was probably launching the war for something else.

For example: resources and treasures.

Many secrets lie buried beneath the Ice Ridge Wasteland.

Without comparison, Rein and his men had no idea just how special this land was.

Now, compared to people from outside the region, they realize that this place is full of secrets.

Whether it's the black mist that can enhance the physique of Transcendent, the legacy of the Seventy-Two Divine Generals, or the Black Emperor's tomb, they are all clearly treasures that even the gods covet.

When the Black Emperor Moises sealed this land with the laws, isolating it from the world, it was clearly to protect something.

Although Rein and his men already knew the exact location of the treasure—it was in the western part of the basin.

But there's a very troublesome place there: a black dragon, whose strength is unknown, is slumbering.

The bloodlines of the dragon-like monsters in the western part of the basin are becoming increasingly pure, and the number of high-level dragon-like monsters is also increasing.

Rein and his team didn't dare to act rashly, but instead issued a large number of Scavenger Mission to develop that area.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of countless elite Scavenger Gang, the High-tier Demonic Beast in that area were gradually eliminated.

There are countless Fourth Tier, fifth-tier, and Lord-tier units.

Rein and the others never expected that so many High-tier Demonic Beasts were hidden in that area.

Without the hunters' thorough clearing of the land, even if all the top experts from Black Dragon City gathered, they probably wouldn't gain anything by rashly venturing into that area.

But as the Scavenger Gang ventured deeper into the wilderness, the black dragon was finally awakened.

On this day, in the training room, Rein received news that the Black Dragon Awakens and was causing chaos.

"Lord City Lord, an elite detachment of the 'Three Muskets Scavenger Gang' encountered that black dragon while clearing land in the western part of the basin, and was almost completely wiped out. Subsequently, the black dragon also attacked the branch city we were establishing there, causing us heavy losses."

How strong is the Black Dragon?

"Extremely strong! According to the elders' assessment, that black dragon's combat power is conservatively estimated to be half a major level Transcendent than 'Legendary Transcendent,' or even a whole major level higher!"

"What specific information?"

"It's now almost certain that it's completely immune to fifth-tier magic, and even physical attacks from fifth-tier Transcendent can't break its dragon scales. Cannon fire is ineffective, and fifth-tier mental spells are also ineffective. Its Dragon Might might will exert a powerful and intimidating aura on any magical beast, including fifth-tier 'Lord-tier' creatures. Its attack methods include 'Black Dragon Breath' and dragon claws. The breath is a dark, corrosive force that can easily pierce through the elemental armor of a fifth-tier Transcendent; the dragon claws are extremely powerful, capable of easily crushing and destroying even heavily enchanted heavy mechs."

"."

In general, this black dragon is simply "invincible".

Under normal circumstances, the combat power of a dragon-type monster is half a level higher than that of a regular monster.

This pure-blooded black dragon's combat power is a whole major level higher than that of Fifth-tier Magical Beast!

It is immune to all attacks from a fifth-tier Transcendent, regardless of whether they are magical, physical, or mental.

Then, its attacks were far beyond the reach of human "Transcendent" beings, both in terms of power and its all-corrosive Dragon Breath.

The only good news is that, at the level of laws, that guy is still restricted to the fifth rank.