"Happy cooperation, this will be a win-win situation for Aura and Helmode Dragon Brood."
The spherical token surrounded by tiny electric lights was suspended in the air. Red Iron Dragon looked at it quietly and said.
Only a few days after Kaelzrog left, the response from Helmode Dragon Brood arrived.
The result is as expected by Garos.
Those Blue Dragons entrenched in the distant Boiling Sea, after internal discussions, finally agreed to secretly cooperate and no longer insisted on asking for a formal covenant and recognition.
The dragons chose a handshake in the shadows rather than an oath in the sun.
"Blue Dragon... a born profit chaser."
"When dealing with Elf, humans and even other Dragonkin, they can always restrain their innate arrogance and destructive desire better than other five-color counterparts, and put pros and cons before their emotions. This is their advantage."
Garos thought quietly.
"But cooperating with such a being... is still essentially trying to gain skin from a tiger."
"In the end, who will become the hunter and who will become the prey depends on their own methods. The ideas of the Helmode Dragon Brood leaders are probably the same as mine."
After calming down his surging thoughts, Garos raised his dragon head, faced the thunderball token, and asked in a steady voice, "Helmode Dragon Brood, when are you planning to land?"
After a brief silence in the token, the voice of Kaelzrog sounded.
"Soon, for us, this is not a long wait... probably, a hundred years from now."
Garos was silent for a moment.
One hundred years? Soon?
This time span is enough for him to go through a complete sleep cycle and steadily step from the Adult Dragon stage to the Mature Dragon stage, resulting in a qualitative leap in strength.
He shook his head slightly and then realized that there was nothing wrong with it.
Dragonkin's concept of time is completely different from that of short-lived species, and for those Ancient Dragon and Elder Dragon that have survived for a long time, their concept of time is also different from other dragons.
"That's fine."
"A hundred years later, I will have a more solid foundation and strength. When I face Helmode Dragon Brood, I will be even more confident."
Garos thought in his heart.
He knows very well that ordinary ancient blue dragons may not have a very high life level due to their slow growth, but it is absolutely extraordinary to be the leader of a group of dragons and the leader dragon that has made waves in the crisis-ridden Boiling Sea for many years.
This type of dragon is inherently very talented and enjoys a large amount of resources.
Their strength is often far superior to others of the same age group.
Each of the three leaders of Helmode Dragon Brood needs to be treated with caution and must not be taken lightly.
"I'll wait and see."
Garos responded in a deep voice, then changed the subject and made further requests, "However, now that the cooperation has been finalized, I need to talk directly with the leaders of Helmode Dragon Brood instead of always passing the news through a messenger."
"This helps us build more direct understanding and trust."
On the other end of the thunderball, Kaelzrog's voice was respectful and steady. "Your Majesty, I'm sorry for this."
"It is currently inconvenient for the three leaders to conduct direct interrogations. Please understand that I am responsible for communicating with you. This is by no means a slight to you, but is the best choice based on efficiency considerations."
Inconvenience?
Combined with the time point of a hundred years... is it undergoing a critical slumber to break through the bottleneck?
Or are you in a secret place where you cannot easily contact the outside world, or are you dealing with some difficult matters?
Red Iron Dragon did not keep the speculation public.
He is not unreasonable. Sometimes, asking for details can destroy the fragile tacit understanding that has just been established.
"I understand." Garos's tail gently swept the ground behind him, bringing up some dust. "In this case, I won't force it. Just keep the channel of dialogue open."
"Thank you for your understanding and tolerance."
Kaelzrog breathed a sigh of relief, and his tone became slightly more relaxed, "In addition, to express our sincerity for this cooperation, Helmode Dragon Brood will present a gift to the Aura Kingdom in three days."
"May the flame of the Aura Kingdom never go out."
As soon as the voice fell, the light of the thunder ball token quickly dimmed, and the communication was cut off.
Garos put the token away and continued the previous exercise.
Although the war with Theo has ended, Garos's time has become increasingly tight recently, with almost no leisure.
The growth in strength never satisfied him, and the sense of crisis always followed him.
Basic physical exercise and resistance training are required daily courses.
Apart from these.
Eyes of True Sight, Spell-Annihilating Claw, Anti-Magic Domain These are the directions that he is currently focusing on, and he has invested a lot of time in this.
Garos never tires of it.
He could clearly feel his slow but steady progress on this path.
Time passes quietly in the hard work.
The three-day period is here in the blink of an eye.
On this day, a piece of news came from the distant direction of the Boiling Sea. With the help of wind whispers, business travelers, spies and even magical transmissions, it quickly swept through the Romanian Plains countries.
Red Emperor, Garos·Ignas, as descendants of Evil Dragon, actually associate with the hypocritical Metal Dragon, and under his rule Aura Kingdom colludes with the despicable human nations.
Such actions are a complete betrayal of the blood of Evil Dragon flowing in the body and of one's own noble race.
In view of this, Helmode Dragon Brood officially declares war on the Aura Kingdom!
From now on, whenever Helmode Dragons and his subordinates encounter Dragons of Aura and his people, Blood War will never die!
Strong words and clear stance.
The above is the general content of the message.
"Declaring war... instead of pretending not to know each other, well, this is barely a gift."
Red Iron Dragon whispered to himself.
For Helmode Dragon Brood, the safest approach would have been to completely ignore Aura Kingdom and treat it as if there had never been any contact or agreement and just cooperate secretly.
Such a high-profile declaration of war now will put themselves in a more visible position and lead to more potential hostility.
In contrast, Aura Kingdom's image in the eyes of other countries has recovered slightly.
The notorious Helmode Blue Dragon group regarded them as traitors and declared war, which may further prove that Aura Kingdom is trustworthy.
The reason why I say "reluctantly" is because Helmode Dragon Brood has a good reputation and has a lot of debts.
One more "enemy" like Aura Kingdom will have minimal actual impact on them.
And the little image benefit that Aura gained from this is really not a decisive bargaining chip in the complex game of Romanian Plains.
Moreover, the two countries are separated by vast territories, making it impossible for a real conflict to break out.
Unless there is a large-scale war in the future, this news will soon be forgotten by all countries and become an inconspicuous record in the archives.
Garos No longer dwell on this.
He shook his head, abandoned distracting thoughts, concentrated his energy again, and sank into the boring but rewarding self-training day after day.
Time flies and seasons change.
Dragonspine Mountains The snow melted and accumulated again, and the color of the forest changed from emerald green to golden, and then back to silvery white.
This kingdom on the plains writes its own history in the changing seasons.
New Calendar 346, July.
The exhausted Rybos Kingdom and the dominant Lothern Kingdom sat down at the negotiation table.
They began a long negotiation for mankind regarding a series of terms such as the specific amount of war reparations, the scope and details of territorial cession, trade, garrison, and political privileges.
This marks the end of Romanian Plains Second War of the Nations.
New Calendar 347, May.
With the strong support of the Lothern Legion, Goblin Kingdom Matena's army was overwhelming and finally conquered Dwarf Kingdom Cambrook's last line of defense.
The isolated Cambrook royal family was forced to declare its surrender.
Like Ribos and Theo, it embarked on the humiliating road of defeat and negotiation.
New Calendar 348, November.
The war between Lane and Sack Kingdom, which once belonged to the same ancient kingdom and was divided due to civil war, did not end due to the mediation of other major powers.
Historical grudges, territorial disputes, royal blood feuds.
These drove the two countries to bleed out.
The war ended with the Lain Kingdom's tragic victory.
Sak's royal capital fell, and all members of the royal family were executed. Legendary Realm's strong men either died in battle or escaped, and some chose to surrender to Lane.
New Calendar Year 350, April.
As Ribos and Cambrook successively stamped their national seals on the defeat treaty with strict terms and signed their names, Second War of the Romanian States, this conflict that lasted for nine years finally officially came to an end.
Aura, Lothern, Matena, Lane.
They are all on the list of victors.
The ranks of the defeated countries include Theo, Ribos, Cambrook, and Sack Kingdom, which has disappeared from the map and become a historical term.
"Mien."
In the Dragonspine Mountains, Garos summoned his subordinate Heroic Spirit.
This man was a general of the Sack Kingdom during his lifetime, who fell in the earlier First Federation Civil War period.
"I have some news for you, which may not be good news for you."
Garos said, "The Sack Kingdom you were loyal to during your lifetime no longer exists. Lain Kingdom achieved the final victory."
Mien's body suddenly trembled, and the light around him showed obvious ripples.
He was silent for a few seconds, but in the end he only let out an inaudible sigh.
"Sak...'s people have not really disappeared."
Mien said, "They just... merged into Lane. We have the same blood and similar cultures. We are a country of brothers with two parts."
Red Iron Dragon's eyes were slightly focused, and the dragon's tail behind him was swaying slightly.
"I know the origin history of Sak and Lane."
Garos said slowly, "But I am very curious. Based on your understanding of the motherland, how will the remaining Sak people view the fact that the kingdom was destroyed and annexed by Lane? Will they resist with anger, or... silently accept it?"
Heroic Spirit Mien fell into longer thoughts.
"Most people... may come to accept it."
He finally pondered, "The languages, customs, festivals, and many ancient traditions of the two countries are basically the same."
"Ordinary farmers, craftsmen, and businessmen, their lives focus on survival and family, not on who wears the crown on their head."
"Historical grudges exist more in the hearts of nobles and military officers."
"Now that the outcome has been decided, the winner takes all. For most civilians, accepting the new ruler and continuing to live their lives is the best choice."
He paused and added, "Of course, the rebels, the nostalgics, and those who dream of restoring the country will definitely exist. It is impossible to completely disappear."
"However, their number... will probably be far less than the scale of a normal uprising after a country is subjugated."
Garos listened quietly, his vertical pupils flashing with light of thought.
The war between Lane and Sak was not without external intervention in the later stages.
As an ally of Lane, Lothern Kingdom once intervened to try to get the two countries to stop fighting.
But the jealous Lane did not take the advice of his allies, and Sak also stubbornly chose Blood War until he was completely defeated.
"Lane won the war, but at a heavy cost."
Garos thought in his heart, "Their gains are also extremely huge, nearly doubling the territory, and the integrated population and resource potential. If they can be digested smoothly, Lane's strength will make a leap in the next few decades, and may even challenge Lothern's position in the alliance."
"But only if... they can stabilize the situation."
According to Heroic Spirit Mien's speculation based on history and culture, the process of Lane integrating Sak should be relatively smooth. The scale of the resistance is limited and not too much trouble will occur. It should be very smooth.
However, the information obtained by Garos shows that the reality is exactly the opposite.
Today, in the Lain Kingdom, in the newly occupied Sak homeland, resistance activities are happening one after another. The Nationalist Army and guerrilla forces are springing up like mushrooms after a spring rain. The wars are going on in various places. The Lane royal family, whose national power has been greatly damaged by the long war and the army is exhausted, is in a state of distress. It has been unable to recover from the trauma of the war, let alone enjoy the fruits of victory.
This is completely different from the result predicted by Mien.
"The countries on Romanian Plains have never been simple allies and enemies."
Garos The heart is like a mirror.
The relations between the countries are complicated, and even within the same camp, there is fierce competition and suspicion.
No country wants to see an overly powerful neighbor suddenly emerge, even if this neighbor is now an ally.
Aura itself is also included in this list.
Although Garos is not directly involved in Lane's affairs, he knows that the undercurrent has already been surging.
"If I had risked everything and forcibly annexed the entire Theo..."
Garos couldn't help but recall the decision he made after breaking through the Emerald Ridge Mountains.
"Not to mention whether Lothern or even other forces may intervene in the process. Even if it succeeds, I am afraid that the internal turmoil and resistance we are facing at this moment will be ten or a hundred times more difficult than the situation in front of Lane."
"Governing a vast land filled with hatred and disparate cultures is far more difficult than winning a war."
"Besides, with my identity here, I will be targeted even more."
This thought made him more determined in his previous strategy of playing it safe and steady.
Power is fundamental, but using power wisely is even more important than power itself.
He dismissed Heroic Spirit Mien who was deep in thought and continued to exercise.
But not long after, a communication from the Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm interrupted his progress.
Light and shadow emerged from Communication Artifact, intertwined and twisted.
Soon, a clear and beautiful dragon-shaped projection appeared in front of him.
It is Red-Silver Dragon Deborah.
There was unconcealable joy on her face.
"Garos."
Deborah spoke briskly, "Our children... have all broken out of their shells."
Garos The moment he heard the news, his spirit couldn't help but be shaken.
Nine years.
From the beginning of Dragon Egg's conception to today's Dragonling breaking out of the shell, it spans the entire journey of Second War of the Nations.
His first direct blood descendants finally officially came into the world.
"How are they doing? Are there any inherent deficiencies?"
"Are they all pure-blooded Red Iron Dragon? Have they inherited some of my... unique characteristics?"
Garos blurted out a series of questions, speaking a little faster than usual.
He still attaches great importance to his own children.
"Patience, my dear, be patient."
A cunning light flashed in Deborah's eyes, and he seemed to enjoy Garos's rare eagerness, "The children are all healthy and full of energy. As for other details..."
She deliberately lengthened her tone to show off her words.
"I will let them live and grow in the Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm for a while."
"Here, they will hear legendary stories about their father, the great Red Emperor, and they will come into contact with more dragons of different ages and personalities, broaden their horizons, and learn basic dragon etiquette and knowledge."
"When they have passed their most vulnerable Dragonling Stage safely and reached the age of six, I will personally bring them to the Aura Kingdom, to Crimson Flame Royal City, and to you."
"As for their names, their special skills, their personalities..."
"By then, you will naturally know. Believe me, Garos, they will definitely surprise you."
Garos took a deep breath and nodded gently.
He understands what Deborah does.
Putting newborn Dragonling in an Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm with a strong Dragon Race cultural atmosphere for early upbringing and education will help them establish a stable Dragon Race cognition and avoid being prematurely affected by chaotic or weak instincts.
This is not a bad thing.
Garos also doesn't want to see chaos among his descendants
But...
Garos's eyes carefully traced the projection of Deborah.
After becoming a mother, her beauty seemed to take on a deeper and fuller transformation.
"Deborah," Red Iron Dragon's voice was low, with a hint of heat, "You have become... more beautiful. The children can stay in the Dragon Realm temporarily and accept the care and instruction of the elders, but you..."
He leaned forward slightly and said:
"Can you return to Crimson Flame Royal City first? I hope you can stay with me for a while."
Adulthood and prime age are the stages when Dragonkin's physical and psychological desires are the most active and intense.
Garos relied on his strong will to fight against his instincts all year round. He devoted most of his energy to improving his strength and lived a very self-disciplined life.
This doesn't mean desire doesn't exist, it just is tightly controlled.
However, appropriate indulgence is necessary.
At the right time, the dam also needs to be opened in a controlled manner to relieve the rapids, which is part of maintaining physical and mental balance.