Black Iron City

Akasha Unquenchable Highlands.

Flames grow wildly across this plateau, lava flows from fissures in the earth's surface, and clouds of high-temperature steam churn across the land.

This is a death zone for Material Plane beings, but Pure Land for the native inhabitants of the Fire Elemental.

However, in a certain area of Akasha Unquenchable Highlands, there is a city of considerable size, the Black Iron City.

The Scorching Shrine of Atonement, which worships the Evil Flame Prince Imix as a deity, and the temple of the Flame Lord Kossuth, both within the city, clearly demonstrate that this city belongs to the Fire Giant.

"By the Flame Lord."

"Imix"

"How could there be such a gigantic dragon? When did we provoke such a monster?"

Meanwhile, the Fire Giant officers and soldiers standing on the black iron city wall gazed into the distance, their expressions extremely solemn, even revealing a hint of fear.

On the distant horizon, a blurry black shadow flapped its wings in the scorching air, stirring up clouds of ash.

"Soul-Devouring Dragon".

A heavy voice came, followed by steady and powerful footsteps.

The soldiers on the city wall made way, and a tall, burly Fire Giant emerged, surrounded by the crowd.

He is the Emil of this Black Iron City — Maciej Galan.

The Emil here is not a spoiled brat like Hamid who only has noble blood, but a seasoned Fighter has just been transferred back from the front lines.

He was once a glorious "Kapukulu," also known as Sultan guard.

He wore a turban helmet with a gilded surface, embroidered patterns, and a leather neck guard attached to the back. A huge feather—the feather of Phoenix —was inserted into the badge on the front of the helmet.

He held a New Moon -shaped Shamshir Scimitar in his hand, the blade of which was not only incredibly sharp but also constantly shimmering with magical light.

Upon hearing Machei's words, the Fire Giant on the city wall were immediately terrified, and a noisy and panicked commotion arose.

"Yes, it's that one!"

"That's the Soul-Devouring Dragon! It really exists!"

"It is said that the terrifying dragon devoured thirteen Emil and thousands of Fire Giant! He was sent by the Holy Flame Prince to punish us!"

"Quiet--"

Machei looked displeased and struck his bronze shield with his scimitar, producing a crisp sound.

The Fire Giant soldiers immediately fell silent, listening attentively to Emil's address.

"O Flame Lord, you cowardly lambs! You've been scared out of your wits by a dragon!"

"As far as I know, that dragon was merely allied with the lowly Fire Dwarf, infiltrated the city by despicable means, destroyed half of the City of Pig Iron, and killed that piece of trash Hamid."

"The so-called Soul-Devouring Dragon is nothing but a myth! It is not an invincible enemy."

Machei raised his scimitar high, its bright silver blade gleaming in the firelight.

"Whoosh—"

He suddenly swung his scimitar, the New Moon -shaped blade slicing through the air and leaving a trail of brilliant flames.

"We are the noble Fire Giant! The natural masters of the Fire Elemental Plane! We are the ones who have always plundered and destroyed others, instilling fear in other beings!"

"There has never been any other living being that we should fear!"

Machei's knife tip pointed at a blurry black figure in the distance.

"Gentlemen—for the great Sultan, defend the Black Iron City and slay that reptile in the sky!"

The Fire Giant are a fanatical, warlike, and extremely arrogant race. Inspired by Machei, they quickly became filled with fighting spirit.

"For the Sultan!"

"Defend the Black Iron City!"

"No one can defeat us Fire Giant in the Fire Elemental Plane!"

The Fire Giant on the city wall worked hard to turn the winches, loading long arrows made of black metal into the ballistae, aiming at the sky and waiting in full battle.

Beneath the city walls, the Fire Giant released the colossal beasts imprisoned in cages, which spewed out clouds of scalding steam and let out low growls.

Machei simply waved his hand, and a colossal, terrifying Flame Wyvern covered in brass armor flew over.

"Fight for the Grand Sultan!"

The Fire Giant Noble roared and leaped up, followed by hundreds of similar Fire Giant cavalry.

However, unlike Machei, these soldiers mostly wore only wool or silk uniforms, carried bronze spears nearly ten meters long, and shields covered with leather and fixed with rivets.

For the vast Fire Giant Kingdom, City of Pig Iron was merely a small border town—while Black Iron City was already considered a rather important military fortress.

Thousands of meters away, the Red Dragon flapped its wings once more, stirring up gusts of hot wind containing ash and Mars.

Keosius narrowed his eyes slightly, his pale golden vertical pupils revealing a look of keen interest.

"That's interesting."

"Magic ballistae, elemental behemoths, Fire Giant cavalry—even the current elite forces of the empire would likely find it difficult to defeat these Fire Giant units."

"And these aren't even their elite troops, just the garrison troops stationed in the city. It's a truly terrifying force."

"It's just a pity they ran into me."

Keosius flapped his wings again, lifting his massive dragon body into the air. Then he raised his head high and let out a roar.

"Roar--"

"Boom!"

A thunderous roar suddenly erupted.

Steam clouds suddenly gathered in the sky, and lightning, which was out of place in the Fire Elemental Plane, also appeared in the rolling dark clouds.

Driven by a powerful force, the dense dark clouds spread rapidly and soon reached the skies above the City of Pig Iron.

And a huge figure was moving and hovering in the clouds.

"Boom!"

"Boom! Boom!"

Bolts of lightning struck down, instantly killing several Fire Giant on the city wall, leaving only a wisp of primordial flame.

"It's Thunder!"

"Quick! Get out of the way!"

"By the Flame Lord, what exactly is that?"

"Damn it, shoot that dragon down!"

The Fire Giant soldiers were somewhat panicked. Under the threat of death, they frantically aimed their ballistae at the sky.

One after another, terrifyingly powerful giant arrows, trailing fiery tails, shot straight into the clouds, but failed to hit their targets at all.

"Boom!"

Thunder roared, and a terrifying aura spread out, the suffocating pressure like an invisible boulder pressing down on the hearts of the Fire Giant.

On the ground, the giant beasts that had just been released were trembling violently, and the chains on their bodies rattled loudly.

These normally ferocious monsters were now screaming in terror like newborn cubs, and some even retreated back into their cages inside the city.

"Boom! Boom!"

Several more bolts of lightning struck down.

The enormous black shadow loomed in and out of the clouds, instilling a deep-seated fear in all the creatures present—even the Fire Giant Emil was no exception.

"Aww~~"

The Flame Wyvern beneath the Fire Giant Noble trembled violently, while most of its companions had already fainted and fallen to the ground.

"Hold on, my old friend."

"That was just a Red Dragon, Akria. We once faced an Ancient Gold Dragon together. This is nothing."

Machei gently stroked the back of the Flame Wyvern's neck and whispered.

But when he looked up at the enormous, indistinct figure in the clouds and at the lightning-stirring dark clouds, his expression became somber and grave.

"How so."

"Flame Lord, you are clearly a Red Dragon."

The seasoned Fire Giant Noble Shamshir Scimitar bestowed upon him by the Sultan, his entire body tense.