The morning light first appeared, coating the mountains with a layer of light gold.
The mist is like a gauze, flowing slowly on the mountainside, dyed into a light rose red and orange by the morning glow.
Dragon Court is a wide platform on the east side. The gravel and dust have long been cleared away. The ground is flat and the view is wide.
At this moment, the place has become lively.
The red dragon Samantha stretches its wings as bright red as burning. The wing membranes are almost transparent in the sunlight, and you can see the subtle blood network intertwined like dark red thin lines.
She flicked her tail happily, and her eyes fell on the four Hatchling Dragon in front of her who arrived at the appointed time.
Galkro, Laria, Isanora, and Ophelia.
Four Hatchling Dragon stand in a row, with an average body length of ten meters. They are already huge ferocious beasts to ordinary humans, but they are actually less than eight years old. The luster of their scales has the unique softness of Hatchling Dragon.
Their postures at this time were different.
Galkro held his head high, Laria stood calmly, Isanora lazily half-squinted his eyes, and Ophelia turned his head from time to time to look around.
"Very good, not late at all."
Samantha said with a smile.
She took two steps forward and said, "This is a reward for you. If your next performance satisfies me, there will be more."
As she spoke, she turned her front paws over and four Gold Aura appeared in her palm.
This is a standard gold coin minted by the Aura Kingdom. On the front are the emblems of mountains and dragon wings, with fine anti-slip textures on the edges.
The gold coin looked very small in the red dragon's claws, but it shone with an alluring luster.
She tossed it gently, and the gold coin drew four arcs and landed accurately in front of each Hatchling Dragon.
The coins made of gold shine with a brilliant and warm luster in the early morning sunlight, as if the sunlight has been condensed into a solid entity.
The gold coins made a crisp jingling sound when they hit the ground, and the sound was extremely pleasant to Hatchling Dragon's ears.
Hatchling Dragon's eyes were all bright, showing expressions of unabashed happiness.
Laria carefully picked up the gold coin with his paws, brought it to his nose and smelled the unique cold smell of metal; Isanora fiddled with it with the tips of his flexible claws, letting the gold coin roll on the scales, and his silver pupils followed the trajectory of the gold coin; Galkro directly opened his mouth to hold it, and repeatedly brushed the surface of the gold coin with his tongue, feeling the smooth and hard touch; Ophelia quickly stuffed the gold coin under a loose scale on the side of his neck, and looked around vigilantly to make sure no one noticed his treasure trove.
No matter what their personalities are, their behavior in front of gold coins is similar.
It was pure joy.
When Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm was a child, Hatchling Dragon's mother was very strict in controlling her wealth, and her pocket money was very little.
Metal Dragons believe that early exposure to large amounts of wealth will corrode the character of Hatchling Dragons, so they are only allowed to own very few private properties.
The private collection of a few Hatchling Dragon only consists of some worn copper coins, a few worthless variegated stones and shells.
The edges of those copper coins have been worn smooth and the patterns on the surface are blurry, but even so, they will be carefully stored in the corner of the lair.
The brand new Gold Aura is already a big fortune for them.
It is heavy, with sharp edges and clear emblems.
Seeing their unpretentious expressions of joy, the red dragon Samantha grinned with a nostalgic smile.
When she was young, her love for wealth was exactly the same as theirs, and even far exceeded theirs.
At that time, she was a miser who couldn't bear to show even a copper plate to Bie Long. It was absolutely impossible for her to take out her treasure. Every time she got something, she would immediately hide it in the most hidden corner, and she would get up to check it several times at night.
But since I followed my brother Garos, established a tribe, participated in founding a country, and expanded territories...
Her wealth accumulated at an astonishing rate.
There were piles of gold coins, boxes of gems, and pearls like sand... so many that she couldn't remember the exact number. She only knew that several holes deep in the lair were filled to the brim.
Sometimes when I wake up and turn over, I hear the sound of gold coins falling from underneath me.
When the amount of wealth became a vague concept rather than a specific treasure, her obsession with wealth naturally faded away.
Gold coins are just gold coins, and gems are just gems.
They accumulate there and will not decrease, but will increase day and night.
What's more, her brother has always taught her that wealth is a tool and an extension of power, not a prison. Real strength does not lie in how much you have, but in whether you can use them to achieve your goals.
Nowadays, she likes to reward the younger generations with some treasures and watch them jump for joy, so that they are more willing to follow her arrangements.
The process itself also brings a new kind of pleasure.
This is the joy of control and gifting.
Seeing the Hatchling Dragons' eyes shining brightly for a gold coin, she seemed to see her former self, but she was beyond the simple possessiveness.
"Okay, little money fans, now that you have collected your money, it's time to get down to business."
Samantha clapped her paws and made a crisp sound, attracting Hatchling Dragon's attention back. Her tail tapped lightly on the ground.
"Laria, Isanora; Galkro, Ophelia."
She clicked on the names of the four Hatchling Dragons in turn, her vertical pupils flashing with amusement, and her eyes stayed on each Hatchling Dragon for a moment.
"You two and two stand together, and then walk to both ends of the platform."
Hatchling Dragon looked at each other, a little confused.
Isanora and Laria looked at each other and slowly came together.
Silver Dragon's movements are elegant and lazy, while the red dragon appears more cautious.
Galkro looked at the little Iron Dragon Ophelia next to him. The latter was lowering his head and using his paws to confirm whether the gold coin was securely hidden. When he noticed his gaze, he raised his head and jumped to the side of Galkro.
"Aunt Samantha, what are we going to do?"
Ophelia asked, his voice clear and clear
"What to do?" Samantha's tail tip swung happily, "Of course it's playing games. Of course, it can also be understood as fighting."
"Fight?"
The four heads Hatchling Dragon spoke in unison and had different expressions.
Galkro immediately became excited, the scales on his neck opened slightly, and his nostrils blew out hot breath; Ophelia retreated behind his elder brother, lowering his body slightly; Laria looked thoughtful, his eyes moving between the opponent and his teammates; Isanora looked uninterested and yawned.
"Yes, the game is called "Gift of the Red Dragon Queen"."
Samantha cleared his throat and began to speak in a measured tone.
"The great and wealthy Red Dragon Queen, in order to encourage the young dragons, gives them the opportunity to please the queen. Young dragons who perform well will also receive generous rewards from Red Dragon Queen."
"Red Dragon Queen is me, and you are those young Dragonkin."
Samantha slowly finished talking about the background of the game, and then started talking about the actual rules. She slowed down her speaking speed to ensure that each Hatchling Dragon could hear clearly.
"You two versus two, engage in actual combat."
"Laria is a group with Isanora, Galkro is a group with Ophelia."
"There are no complicated rules, just use all the means you know now to attack your opponents and protect your teammates until all one party falls or I call stop."
"The winning team will be rewarded with gems."
Samantha was addicted to similar games when he was a child and never tired of them.
At that time, she would mark an area on the ground and mark it with stones and branches. From the insects and ants at the beginning to the family members and Alchemical Constructs at the back, she would treat them as her own legion, and then simulate various battle scenarios.
Now that she has grown up, her personality has become much calmer, but essentially she has not changed much. She still likes to play this type of game, and has changed the control objects to her brother's descendants.
Watching these little guys work hard for the reward gave her a wonderful sense of satisfaction.
Samantha said, "Now, go to both ends of the platform and give you one minute to prepare for the break-in."
In order to get the gift from "Red Dragon Queen", the four Hatchling Dragon quickly separated and ran to the opposite ends of the platform. Even the little Silver Dragon Isanora was not lazy.
Their claws made a dense clicking sound on the ground, and their wings were half-open to maintain balance.
The platform is very wide, with enough distance left in the middle to serve as a buffer and combat area.
On the west side, Laria and Isanora are together.
Little Silver Dragon stretched its slender wings, and the wing membranes glowed like pearls in the sun.
She looked at the fourth child and said, "Thinking is very tiring, Laria, you tell me what to do, I completely listen to you."
Laria looks at the opposite group.
Galkro was shaking his head and moving his limbs, while Ophelia was whispering something in his ear.
He thoughtfully said, "Ophelia is your responsibility. She is very cunning and probably won't fight you head-on. You should feint to deal with her first and don't waste too much energy."
"Galkro was taught a lesson by his father before. His mentality may be unstable. He may be eager to prove himself and is prone to rash advances."
"When he gets impatient, use my dragon roar as a signal to break away from the battle with Ophelia, rely on your speed to support me, and attack Galkro first."
"When Ophelia comes to support, we will deal with her at the same time."
Although Laria is a red dragon, his way of thinking is not simple.
He also has the strategic thinking of Iron Dragon and likes to make plans before taking action. His eyes are calm and he analyzes the weaknesses of his opponents and his own strengths.
Little Silver Dragon nodded. "Okay, that's it."
She moved her body, and her silver scales undulated accordingly, "I hate sweating, and I hope it ends soon."
On the east side, Galkro was scratching the ground excitedly, his hot breath blowing out from his nostrils, forming two wisps of white smoke in the early morning air.
"Ophelia, wait, you hide behind me, I don't need your help, and watch me knock them both down."
As Laria speculated.
He was eager to wash away his previous failures and prove his strength.
The memory of being easily broken by his father still lingered in his mind, and he needed a victory to rebuild his confidence.
Ophelia ignored his rhetoric. "Galkro, my dear brother, have you forgotten what your father said? Or do you not want Aunt Samantha's treasure? Don't be impulsive, we need to cooperate."
Her voice was thin and didn't sound powerful.
However, the words "father" and "treasure" are so sharp that Red Dragonet is hard to ignore.
"Cooperate? How to cooperate?"
Galkro took a deep breath and suppressed his impatience.
He forced himself to calm down and looked at the two blood relatives opposite.
"Isanora, she is very fast, but her body is relatively slender and cannot withstand collisions. Remember, Laria is your opponent, but your primary target is her. As long as we hit her once, we will basically win."
"Don't fight with Laria. Don't be angered by him. Watch the right moment and attack Isanora."
Ophelia spoke quickly, very quickly but clearly.
"The time is up, the game begins!"
"Red Dragon Queen is looking forward to your performance."
Samantha's leisurely voice sounded. She took a few steps back and found a comfortable viewing position for herself. Her tail was wrapped around her side and her wings were slightly folded.
The four heads Hatchling Dragon heard the sound and moved.
At the beginning of the battle, Galkro was the first to rise up.
He spread his wings and took two steps forward. Laria also opened his stance and came towards him.
The scales of the two red dragons glowed brightly in the morning light, like two moving flames.
Little Silver Dragon flew away lightly, flapping her wings to bring up the airflow, and dived towards little Iron Dragon who was trying to cut in from the flank. Her movements were smooth and elegant, like a silver streamer.
In the center of the platform, two Red Dragonets are facing each other.
Galkro's eyes were burning with aggressive fire, while Laria was much calmer, his eyes focused, his body slightly lowered, and his center of gravity shifted back.
"Roar!"
Galkro took the lead and rushed forward with his stronger body, intending to crush him with strength. His steps were heavy, and the ground shook slightly with every step he took.
Laria did not attack hard, but dodged sideways, and at the same time slapped the side of Galkro's charging route with a claw.
He imitated his father's previous moves and tried to take Galkro's direction, but because he was not experienced enough and had poor timing, it failed to work.
The claws grazed Galkro's shoulder scales, bringing out a string of sparks.
The two red dragon cubs fought each other instantly.
Clawing, wrestling, biting.
The dull sound of impact and the friction of scales could be heard endlessly, and hot breath spurted out from their mouths and noses, causing the surrounding air to slightly distort.
Their tails whip like whips, trying to upset each other's balance.
Galkro's pursuit of power allowed him to suppress Dragonkin's natural laziness.
As early as Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm, he had strict demands on himself and exercised regularly. Physically, he was the strongest, obviously suppressing Laria, who was also a red dragon, but there was no overwhelming gap between the two.
Laria's skill and composure make up for his lack of strength.
On the other side, the battle between Isanora and Ophelia was much quieter.
Ophelia never engages in direct confrontation. Sometimes she feints to attack, and sometimes she distances herself instantly. It's hard to figure out what she wants to do. Her movement trajectory is erratic, like a leaf blowing in the wind.
Isanora was also able to do so with ease. His silver pupils traced the trajectory of Ophelia, launching attacks around her lightly and quickly. The attack was not rapid, but it blocked Ophelia's movement route every time.
Silver Dragon's claws and wings are wrapped in a layer of cold air, leaving traces of hoarfrost in the air wherever it passes.
This went on for a while.
Galkro couldn't attack for a long time, and his heart became angry.
He boasted that his strength was better than Laria, but the opponent's steady blocking and force relief made him feel as if he was hitting a tough quagmire, unable to exert any strength.
Each heavy blow was skillfully deflected, but consumed his own physical strength.
After another fierce attack, Laria twisted to dodge, and after his claws plowed deep grooves on the ground, Galkro's patience ran out.
However, he did not launch an angry attack.
"Roar!"
Galkro roared angrily and decisively gave up the fight with Laria.
He suddenly turned around, exerted force on his limbs, and turned his huge body with blazing wind pressure, rushing towards Isanora who was dealing with Ophelia.
This turn was so powerful that it even left semicircular skid marks on the ground.
"Brother, don't you dare to fight me head-on?"
Laria growled, trying to irritate Galkro, but the other party turned a deaf ear. Galkro's eyes were locked on Silver Dragon, as if it had locked its prey.
Galkro is not as irritated as usual. This change is beyond Laria's expectations.
But Laria did not panic, but his eyes flashed.
The moment Galkro turned, the looming Red Lotus Pattern on Laria's body suddenly erupted and shone with light, as if burning. Those lines started to spread from his back, quickly covering his whole body, emitting a dark red light.
He took a deep breath, his chest rising high.
"Ang--!"
Laria let out a dragon roar with a metallic tremor.
At the same time as the dragon's roar sounded, the surface of Laria's original deep red scales was covered with a layer of cold and hard luster like gray iron at a speed visible to the naked eye, as if it was instantly transformed from a flesh and blood body into a fine iron statue.
The edges of his scales glowed with a cold metallic light, and his entire body looked heavy and solid.
Seeing this scene, Samantha raised his eyebrows, showing an interesting expression.
"Hardened Body?"
This is Spell-like Ability belonging to Iron Dragon. Usually only Iron Dragon and its mixed descendants can master it. It can greatly increase the hardness and weight of the body in a short period of time.
Laria's appearance looks exactly like a red dragon, but it has awakened Iron Dragon's magic-like abilities.
This means that he may be the heir most similar to Garos in terms of blood, and he is Red-Iron Dragon who has less obvious features.
At the same time, Red Dragonet arrived first and slammed into the side and rear of Galkro.
Galkro felt the evil wind coming from behind, but didn't care. He was already prepared to resist its impact, or even turn it into a boosting force.
He tensed the muscles in his back and closed his scales tightly.
BAM!!!!
This impact was solid, and the dull sound was like a giant tree beating a drum.
"Huh?"
Galkro opened his eyes wide.
He felt as if he was hit by an iron mountain, his momentum being forcibly stopped, his whole body was knocked off the ground and tilted to one side, his limbs lost their balance, and he was knocked into the air.
The force of the impact far exceeded his expectations, and his internal organs surged due to the shock.