Sha Sha's First Defeated Foe!

The Dragon-Worshiping Cult was a global organization with branches throughout Terra, even on the New Continent. Its membership was extremely complex, but broadly speaking, it consisted of three major groups: 'dragonblooded', 'True Dragons and intelligent dragon beasts', and 'non-dragonblooded'.

Among them, the dragonblooded formed smaller organizations based on their nations and regions. True Dragons and intelligent dragon beasts operated independently in family units, while the non-dragonblooded were what the public generally imagined as members of a secretive 'mysterious organization'. They hid away in deep mountains, ancient forests, or remote little towns to conduct mysterious research, and once they achieved even slight results, they would bring harm to the surrounding area.

Although it was called the Dragon-Worshiping Cult, even True Dragons did not receive preferential treatment within it merely because of their status. Most earned it through strength. Their goals were generally to use the Cult's long-accumulated research to increase their own power, or, like the Rust-Steel Dragon, to conduct research for the sake of their kin.

The dragonblooded were rather similar to intelligent dragon beasts. For example, Elder Manyan and Ian both wished to obtain the power or knowledge of True Dragons.

The non-dragonblooded, meanwhile, aimed to become dragonblooded.

These were the three major strata within the Dragon-Worshiping Cult.

There were not many True Dragons in the Empire's Dragon-Worshiping Cult. It was primarily composed of different dragonblooded organizations. Here in the Southern Ridge, the Mountain King was more directly affiliated with Dragon Island. He was a 'Dragon Guardian' watching over the Rust-Steel Dragon's treasure. His relationship with the Dragon-Worshiping Cult was more of a private matter—he wished to obtain technology to cure his child—so his ties with the Empire were not particularly close.

This was actually a rather rare situation.

The core figure of the Dragon-Worshiping Cult in the Empire's