"Excuse me, where are you taking me?"
Braving the scorching mountain wind, Loughshinny asked the Red Dragon that was gripping her torso a question.
Zekrom rolled his eyes slightly, revealing a look of disdain.
This Dragoness was not only surprisingly weak, but she also lacked even the basic confidence that a dragon should have.
From the moment he trespassed into the territory until he was taken away, he waited for a long time without even putting up a fight, only receiving a greeting in return.
"Roar--" (Returning to the nest)
With a short shout, and regardless of whether Loughshinny understood, Zekrom increased his flight speed.
After rounding the rugged valley bend, the cliffs ahead became increasingly open, and the temperature rose accordingly.
As she rounded another bend, strands of her wind-blown hair brushed past her eyes, and what came into Loughshinny's view was a vast lake of lava.
"This is... the nest?"
Even with their own physiological tolerance to the high temperatures of lava, it's still quite surprising that they consider this harsh environment their home.
Loughshinny realized the power of the Gods' People Overlord.
With such power, perhaps it really could make Tara...
"Roar--!"
With a roar of return, Zekrom circled the lava lake before finally coming to rest on the cliff edge.
At this moment, Loughshinny also spotted the strange object in the lava lake.
Two topaz crystal pillars, with sharp and complex patterns, diagonally emerge from the fiery lake.
What is that?
"Roar--!"
He roared again, this time with a hint of impatience.
Loughshinny's heart skipped a beat; in contrast, she felt the cheers of the flames and the tremors of the heavens and earth.
A completely different growl, not loud, but with a heavy, penetrating force.
The crystal pillars that penetrated deep into the fiery lake rose upwards, followed by the gray-white Daichi.
Loughshinny's eyes widened.
The fiery lake parted to both sides, and viscous lava slid down the cracks in the gray-white Daichi, forming a spectacular lava waterfall.
Behind that burning waterfall, a light brighter than lava transformed from lines into circles.
Those are the eyes of a dragon.
"Roar--!!!"
Roaring angrily in his morning grumpiness until he had shaken off all the sticky lava covering his body, Reshiram looked at his brothers, and... the other dragons.
In an instant, the dragon's pupils narrowed to pinpoints.
"Roar--!!!" (Intruder!)
Loughshinny's mind went blank, and the instinctive fear in her body made her tremble uncontrollably, even the flames burning between her tails grew weaker and weaker.
"Roar--!" (My prey!)
With a slightly smaller but still majestic roar, Zekrom covered Loughshinny beneath him with his dragon wings and glared back with displeasure.
Lashiram's climbing momentum instantly waned, his Charge stance disintegrated, and he sat back down on the fiery lake.
"Hoo?" (Food?)
"Roar!" (No!)
Reshiram, having received a response, was even more puzzled and looked at Loughshinny more closely.
The Dragoness is so small...
"Roar..." (We're not adults yet...)
"Roar!" (I'll surpass you sooner or later!)
Misunderstanding his brother's meaning, which he interpreted as a disrespect for his size, Zekrom grabbed Loughshinny and flew towards a higher cliff.
The reason for waking Reshiram was simply to inform them, since it was their shared territory, and to prevent a sudden attack upon waking.
Reshiram felt a bit confused, but thinking that the weak Dragoness couldn't hurt him, he indifferently climbed back into the fiery lake.
Loughshinny only recovered from her stiffness after the lake surface began to ripple rhythmically.
"That is... the true Red Dragon Overlord."
"Roar--!"
"I am dissatisfied, "Zekrom roared.
He's a hegemon, but I'm not?
"Feel sorry."
Long-established habits made Loughshinny subconsciously apologize. Zekrom raised his dragon head and growled softly, urging Loughshinny to use fire.
Loughshinny silently activated her staff.
With a low, pleasurable growl, Zekrom savored the pain of his growing body.
It works! This shortcut to growth is the right one!
Jackrom was about to have Lavshini increase the firepower when he suddenly felt a void in his body.
Loughshinny collapsed; she was too weak.
"Roar--!!!"
In a panic, the young dragon grabbed it, determined not to watch it die, having only just found hope for growth.
Are you hungry? Or injured?
Sensing Loughshinny's presence and remembering his empty food reserves, Zekrom steeled himself, scraped off his own scales, and fed himself with dragon blood.
In an instant, Loughshinny's eyes widened, and she convulsed like a fish thrown ashore.
It's so hot!
A surge of heat flowed from her mouth into her abdomen; Loughshinny had never felt such a burning sensation, and the weak flame at her tail instantly burst into a massive blaze.
At the same time, the weakened body instinctively draws nutrients from the blood.
Seeing Loughshinny recover, Zekrom immediately healed and looked at the wound with heartache.
"Thank you..."
Feeling the surge of power within her body, Loughshinny's resolve grew ever stronger.
There are two overlords, and they have descendants. Does that mean there are even more Red Dragon overlords?
Many people probably don't realize this.
If we could bring one back to Tara, everyone's lives would surely improve...
Urged on by Zekrom, Loughshinny did not light the fire, but instead performed an ancient ritual as taught by her elders.
"Loughshinny Dublin, a descendant of the Red Dragon, begs her ancestors to return and restore the light of the past to the people of Tara."
"Roar?" Zekrom narrowed his dragon eyes.
He didn't understand what "returning to the light" meant; in his mind, Loughshinny was demanding payment from him.
As expected of a greedy dragon, even though he had already given her several drops of blood.
Sharpening his dragon teeth, Zekrom attempted to negotiate a lower price.
Loughshinny breathed a sigh of relief; as long as she wasn't rejected immediately, there was still hope.
So, the two dragons communicated for a long time using that vague consciousness.
Zekrom raised his head, his gaze towards Loughshinny filled with even more contempt.
He believed he understood the other person's thoughts.
First, this Dragoness was driven out of her territory by her sister.
No wonder they're so weak; they were the ones who lost the battle for territory.
Not only that.
Instead of trying to strengthen himself and avenge his previous defeat, this guy came to their territory intending to invite them for help.
Bah! I despise dragons like you who have no dignity!
That being said, Zekrom did not look down on the sister that Loughshinny mentioned.
Although Loughshinny is weak, judging from the fact that the other party is terrified of her sister, that sister must be a qualified dragon with sufficient strength and cunning wisdom.
Yes! It's a great place to test your skills!
"Roar--!" (Use your flames to enhance my strength, and I will help you reclaim your territory.)
Receiving a vague answer instantly eased Loughshinny's tension.
Great! They've found their ancestor, and Tara will regain its light.
I did it, sister...
Seeing Loughshinny slumped on the ground, Zekrom suddenly had a brilliant idea.
Come to think of it, they are twins...
Zekrom couldn't help but think of his older brother; would they also have conflicts in the future?
I can't even imagine that stupid face arrogantly telling me to get out.
Even if that situation really happens...
No fighting!
Thinking of the Iron Fist that would smash into his head after a fight, Zekrom's eyes immediately cleared up.
No, no, no, let's plan the duel later. We should focus on getting our bodies bigger first!
Glancing at the lava lake, Zekrom decided not to let his brother notice his actions and simply prepared to find a new nest.
Imagining that dumbfounded face, Zekrom flapped his wings and let out an excited growl.
Seeing her ancestor's happy expression, Loughshinny also relaxed and smiled easily.
Are you happy?
"Yes, I'm very happy!"
Young Caprinae nodded happily, holding his parents' hands and skipping out of the Sunset Hall.
"After all, it's a rare musical event, and everyone put in their best effort to perform."
"Thanks to this event, even rap music, which is rarely seen in the past, can be seen on stage."
Magna Naumann, the mother, gently patted her daughter's head and asked softly.
"Is there anywhere else you'd like to go? Mommy and Daddy have plenty of time to play with little Adele."
"Hmm! I'd like to buy some more decorations for the Little Black sheep, is that alright?"
"No problem, my little darling."
Katia Naumann, the father, smiled as he picked up his daughter and placed her on his shoulders.
"The Svel Volcano eruption is still some time away. Until the scheduled observation time arrives, we can accompany you, my little darling, to do everything you want."
"Really? You're not leaving suddenly. Tomorrow, the day after... is that okay?"
Professor Katia felt embarrassed by the disdainful looks from those around her.
"No, Dad and his colleagues have already surveyed the area beforehand. The volcano's geology is very stable, and it's unlikely to erupt for at least another month."
Ring ring ring-- Ring ring ring--
The communicator rang at an inopportune moment, Adele's bright eyes quickly dimmed.
Katia was at a loss, but fortunately his wife was understanding and hugged their daughter, giving him enough space to work.
Connected--
[Professor, the Svel Volcano erupted ahead of schedule! You absolutely can't imagine how beautiful the scene is!]
"An early eruption? Wasn't it surveyed beforehand...?"
[I know, but it just happened. I'll send the data to... Oh! Damn it! The lava has changed course, get out of here!]
"Hello? Hello!?"
The call ended, and Katia turned around to see Adele nestled in her mother's arms, looking at him pitifully.
"... I'm sorry, darling."
When it came to the safety of her colleagues, Katia crouched down and solemnly said:
"I promise I'll be right back as soon as I'm done."
Adele nodded sullenly, and Katia breathed a sigh of relief, looking at his wife.
As a loving couple, they are also close business partners.
"I'll leave the trip to you alone this time."
Magna shook her head apologetically, watching Adele's eyes gradually brighten.
"While volcanoes are beautiful, our little darling is also a unique treasure."
After a brief moment of surprise, Katia smiled and agreed.
"Of course! The world's most beautiful treasure!"
He kissed his wife and daughter on the forehead, looking back as he ran outside.
"Wait for Daddy, Daddy will definitely be back before the concert starts!"
She waved goodbye to her father, and only after his figure disappeared did Adele look up.
"Mom, does what you just said still stand?"
"Of course, you're allowed two cups of hot chocolate today, and you can even sleep with the Little Black sheep."
"Great! Can I tell you a story tonight?"
"Of course, what story would you like to hear, little Adele?"
"I want to hear a research report on volcanic ecology!"
Good heavens, do the children of Leithanien even read this kind of book as bedtime stories?
Watching the happy mother and daughter walk away, the tall man who had also walked out of the theater silently lit a cigar.
Strangely, the smoke he exhaled rose upwards from his waist.
If Magna and her daughter turned around, they would definitely recognize them as the contestants who had just performed rap on stage.
The man walked slowly along the street, the smoke drifting behind him, gathering strangely slowly.
"Let me make this clear beforehand: if you dare to come near me, I'll shove a gun barrel right down your ass."
"How arrogant! It was clearly you who came uninvited, Your Emperor."
The approaching smoke froze in mid-air, then exploded with a bang, turning into a pink cotton candy.
Crown head emerged from within, and a strange, sheep-like creature swayed and floated to the man's waist.
"So you came here because you've thought of some fun game again? Doli, I'm very curious."
(Doli: A sheep-shaped Beast Lord. If you don't know much about Beast Lord, you can think of them as magical little animals that can talk. They have a certain level of strength and immortality.)
"No, I'm not one of those stupid wolves, where would I get so many games?"
"Then what are you doing here?"
"Tch! Those bastards at Monster Siren Records actually said my record wouldn't be popular in Leithanien, so they refused to promote it."
The man's eyebrows furrowed deeply behind his sunglasses.
"I'm going to prove to them that my Emperor's music can be a hit no matter where it is."
"This musical extravaganza in Leithanien, this stage, I will rule!"
"... I can roughly imagine what it would be like for you to be shot to death."
Doli rolled her eyes, surprised by the boring answer.
"Then why are you hiding your appearance? Wouldn't it be better to just show your true form on stage?"
(Fun fact: Beast Lord can influence how others perceive them, but pure humans like the Doctor, who are unaffected by Originium, cannot.)
"Unlike you, who causes trouble with volcano surfing, I'm quite popular."
With fewer people around, the Emperor simply lifted the effect and, like Doli, concealed himself.
In an instant, a cool and roguish penguin dressed in a jacket, white hat and sunglasses made a grand entrance.
"Who do you think I am? I'm the Emperor! Do you know how troublesome it is to be surrounded by fans?"
"Of course I know, that's why I don't like appearing in front of humans."
Where is that child?
"Adele is different; raising children is a lot of fun... But never mind, it's pointless to argue with someone as lonely as you."
The Emperor pulled out a small pistol and poked the cotton candy with dissatisfaction.
"Hey, hey, hey! Explain yourself clearly, what do you mean by 'all alone'?"
"Who cares who's being talked about?"
Doli floated higher and higher, and the Emperor paused for a moment, then raised his gun and shouted.
"Fine! Then I'll prove it to you!"
He shook his head, looking around, and his eyes lit up when he saw the logistics station next to him.
"I'm going to start a company, hire a bunch of employees, and laugh at you mercilessly."
Raising children and raising employees are two different things...
Without saying it outright, Doli had already planned to turn around and mock the other party years later.
"I wish you success. I suggest you learn from Duck Lord's methods for recruiting employees."
"Why should we learn it? Isn't it simple?" The Emperor put his hands on his hips.
"As long as you're unique enough, capable enough, and cool enough, that's enough!"
That would only attract a bunch of problem children...
Increasingly certain that the other party could not succeed, Doli did not want to discuss the topic any further and changed the subject:
"Have you heard? What happened in Kazimierz?"
"Of course, it's hard not to know about such big news."
The Emperor pushed up his sunglasses, recalling the terrifying figures of the Red Dragon and the Flame Demon rampaging in the photo.
"Those guys... I thought they were all dead."
"Why don't you try recruiting them? That would be really cool!"
Doli's provocation, the Emperor remained unfazed.
"Go ahead, but remember to call me. I'll take a picture of you turned into a little snack and show it to Duck Lord so they can laugh at you mercilessly..."
The Emperor fell silent. Doli followed his gaze and looked ahead, wondering what had disturbed him.
"Two Pelo, two Caprinae, and one... Sarkaz?"
Dori glanced past the family of four and then Doli observed the Sarkaz girl who seemed to be sulking as she led the way.
Gradually, Doli became serious.
"This aura... am I not mistaken?"
"Of course that's right." The Emperor pushed up his sunglasses.
"Hey, that kid's got a hot temper..."
"Um... did Ceobe Ke go too far?"
Ceobe, one of the "family of four," carefully watched the girl in front of him, while Gregor ruffled her hair.
"It's okay, Ifrit isn't angry with you. You're both good kids."
"What? She clearly provoked us first."
Ebenholz turned his head away, and Gregor saw that Ifrit's pace had quickened even more, so he rubbed his temples in exasperation.
Not long ago, at Vera's suggestion, Gregor was preparing to introduce Ceobe and the others to Ifrit. Since they had just arrived in Vissheim, it would also be a good opportunity for Ifrit to relax.
Unexpectedly, the children's first meeting was not pleasant.
Ifrit was also frustrated.
Upon seeing Gregor again, she excitedly planned to demonstrate to him the power she had gained from mastering the Flame Demon fragments over the past few days.
Before the praise could arrive, two "intruders" appeared first.
"Hehe, are you one of the boss's underlings too? I'm Ceobe, you look younger than me, so can Ceobe be the boss too?"
Are you kidding me?! I can only have one boss!
Having been immersed in Sarkaz culture for some time, Ifrit, believing he had mastered the power of the Flame Demon fragments, challenged the "invaders" to a duel.
Whoever wins goes first!
A great start!
The little goat was slain by the horse; how laughable!
Follow--
The Flame Demon Fragment encountered the Gods' People's Mud Cart, a Cerberus possessing both physical and magical abilities. Despite its best efforts, the Cerberus could not defeat it and suffered a regrettable defeat.
[Think carefully about how to explain this to Ifrit.]
Remembering Vera's warning before she sent Ifrit over, Gregor looked to the side for help.
Jian: "Let them fight a few more times, they'll develop feelings for each other and everything will be fine."
Gregor: "..."
They're still children!
While debating whether to ask others for help, Gregor suddenly overheard a strange conversation.
"Really? You're going to recruit that kid as an employee?"
"If I'm not mistaken, that's the aura of the Flame Demon. Don't you think that's pretty cool?"
"Don't tell me you don't understand how dangerous those guys are..."
"So isn't this asking you to get a feel for what kind of people they are?"
"I want lots of chocolate."
"Make a deal."
Gregor watched the cotton candy swaying towards them, then glanced at the mace beside him.
Can't they see it?
On the other side, Doli, who was about to land on Ifrit's head and sense the girl's emotions, felt a chill run down her spine.
Gregor looked up and stared intently at him.
Were we discovered?
Doli was surprised, but upon closer inspection, she discovered that Gregor was wearing a hood.
Oh, it's just a coincidence...
With a sigh, Doli adjusted his position, preparing to land on Ifrit's head.
Grab it!
Doli: "!!!"
With one hand gripping the suspicious creature, Gregor steadied the black sword with the other.
What are you?
"Meow--!!!"
Sensing the approach of death, a terrifying heat erupted from Doli's marshmallow-like body, but Gregor remained unmoved.
This guy, doesn't he feel pain!?
Unaware of the intense heat for a moment, Gregor belatedly realized he had been attacked and finally drew his black sword.
"Stop! Stop! Stop!"
With an indescribable penguin scream, the Emperor threw down his pistol and surrendered.
"Huh? What's wrong?"
"Get behind me."
"An enemy!?"
"Ah! Delicious cotton candy!"
The Beast Lord revealed himself, and everyone was thrown into chaos.
Looking at that penguin that looked so eerily familiar, Gregor finally couldn't help but complain:
"Tencent has invaded Terra?"