New Calendar 361, Borderlands, Ignas Dragon Academy.
Nearly three years have passed since the fourth son came here, and now it is the end of the year and the day of the challenge.
The huge ring-shaped martial arts arena is located in the center of the academy and is made of neatly cut gray rocks. The snow in the center of the venue has been cleared away, revealing the hard ground below that has been stepped on and reinforced countless times.
The auditorium was already packed with people.
Dragon scales of various colors reflect the colorful colors under the winter sky.
The focus of all eyes, except for the four figures in the preparation area on the sidelines, is the position directly above the main stand.
In order not to affect the competition of the young dragons, Red Iron Dragon did not come in full dragon form.
He sits on a huge obsidian throne in the form of Dragonborn, which retains the characteristics of double horns, dragon tail, and vertical pupils.
He was tall and tall, with dark red scales dotted on his neck, shoulders and back, which were particularly obvious. His deep black eyes looked down calmly, like a king looking at his territory and minions.
The arrival of Red Emperor made the originally noisy venue quiet for more than a minute.
On the sidelines, four Hatchling Dragon stood quietly.
Three years of rigorous training left deep marks on them.
The red dragon Galkro has the most significant growth in size.
His shoulder height is already higher than that of many Adolescent Dragon. His dark red scales are thick and shiny, and his muscles are clearly defined, as if they were forged by cooling lava. Just standing there exudes an irrepressible, almost substantial sense of power.
The red dragon Laria has a more well-proportioned and solid physique, a calm posture, and sharp eyes.
Iron Dragon Ophelia's scales have a cold metallic luster on the edges, and the body lines are smooth and bulging, full of a sense of strength that is ready to go.
Silver Dragon Isanora's silver scales become more pure and dazzling.
Although her body is not as strong as her brothers, she is still well-proportioned and strong, especially her pair of slender and huge dragon wings with sharp edges. There is something sharp in the depths of her usually lazy eyes at this moment.
Today, the rules of the challenge are simple.
Any young dragon student can challenge any of the four sons by name.
However, the challenge is not without cost.
They need to pay a sum of treasure to qualify for the challenge.
In addition, if the challenger is of a higher age and is already Young Adult Dragon, he or she must accept restrictions in order to create a relatively fair environment as much as possible.
For example, the young Adolescent Blue Dragon cannot use any spells and breaths, and the young Green Dragon cannot use poison...
These restrictions cannot completely eliminate the gap, and the so-called fairness is only relative.
But the dragons admire strength and don't care about some injustice. They value the strength and will shown under limited conditions.
"Let's get started."
Red Emperor's voice was not high-pitched, but it overwhelmed all the noise in the field and reached the ears of every dragon.
"Young dragons, I look forward to your performance."
As his words fell, the challenge officially kicked off.
"Come, my challenger!"
The eldest son of the red dragon, Galkro, raised his head and roared, his voice as loud as a bell.
"Galkro will defeat you all after accepting your treasures and make you succumb to my power!"
His declaration ignited fighting spirit.
Soon, several aggressive Young Adult Dragon appeared, mostly Blue Dragon and Red Dragon.
They were physically strong, had scorching eyes, and were determined to prove themselves. After selecting their opponents, they launched a fierce attack on the four sons.
The martial arts arena suddenly erupted with fierce collisions, roars of breathing, and sharp sounds of scales tearing.
The flames of the red dragon are intertwined with the lightning of Blue Dragon.
Claw shadows flew, and the dragon's tail swept up clouds of snow dust.
Ignas's fourth son performed well.
Not only do they have outstanding talents, but in the past three years, in order to defend the honor of being the emperor's heirs, they have put in hard training that is far beyond that of dragons of the same age.
Galkro's physique is so powerful that his opponents despair, and ordinary claws often only leave shallow marks on his body.
Laria's Red Lotus Form allows him to burst out with terrifying speed and power in a short period of time, combined with precise spell-like use, making it difficult to parry.
Ophelia naturally masters Exhilarated State, and his fighting style is steady and strategic, and he can always win at the minimum cost.
Isanora relies on its pair of huge wings that are different from ordinary dragons to gain unparalleled mobility. Often, fatal wing attacks are already coming before the opponent can react.
The battle was fierce, and some challengers even gained the upper hand due to their rich experience.
However, the four sons dealt with it more and more calmly, and there was basically no suspense about the final victory.
The discussion in the stands gradually started, including admiration for the four sons' growth speed, but also a hint of disappointment.
Is it possible that this year, there is still no dragon that can shake their status and win the emperor's favor?
The competition proceeds in rounds, interspersed with short breaks to allow participants to recover their physical fitness.
The sky is getting darker, leaden clouds hang low, the wind and snow become thicker, and fine ice crystals rustle on the dragon's scales.
Just as another round of challenges ended, the venue became slightly quiet.
A Black Dragon slowly walked out of the shadows at the edge and walked into the center of the field.
This is a young boy Black Dragon, whose body size is not even half of that of Galkro at this time. It appears to be extremely thin among the young dragons who generally admire majestic physiques.
Her scales are a dull, pure black with no luster, as if they can absorb all the surrounding light.
Her muscles are not bulging, but are as tight as steel wires, outlining rugged and powerful lines, especially the tendons of the shoulder blades, neck and hind limbs, which are clearly visible.
She did not roar and demonstrate like other challengers, but silently delivered the treasure.
Then, she walked straight to Galkro on the side of the field, raised one front paw, and pointed the sharp claw tip at the red dragon.
"I, Salia, challenge Galkro·Ignas."
Black Dragon's voice is hoarse and low, a little cold.
Galkro was stunned for a moment, his huge head tilted, and he looked her up and down, then he opened his big mouth, revealing sharp white teeth, and sprayed out a few sparks from his nostrils.
"Ha! Little one? That's fine. I just finished warming up, so I can use you to stretch my muscles."
He flicked his tail, not paying attention to Black Dragon, which was much smaller than himself.
This Black Dragon is smaller than all its challengers.
On the high platform, Garos's eyes narrowed slightly and fell on Black Dragon.
Under Black Dragon's seemingly inconspicuous appearance, he felt an almost solid focus.
This kind of temperament is rare in young dragons.
White Dragon Tressie squatted beside the stone seat beside him and explained in a low voice at the right time.
"Salia, young Black Dragon, was born with stunted development and a few defects. Her size and strength are far inferior to dragons of the same age, but she trains extremely hard, and her level is unmatched by any dragon in the entire academy."
"She didn't participate in the challenge in the past two years. Maybe she felt that she didn't have enough experience and didn't have a chance."
"This year... her combat skills are better than those of other students. However, she has a gloomy personality and is a loner. She rarely shows her full strength. Except for a few who pay attention to her, few dragons really understand her background."
Garos nodded gently, his eyes never leaving the field.
"It's interesting." He whispered, with a hint of interest in his voice.
On the other side, the battle begins.
Black Dragon Salia lowered his body, almost completely lying on the ground.
Her pair of black dragon wings are not folded, but are fully stretched to both sides in a strange arc. The wing membranes are tight, forming a line full of tension with the body.
The entire dragon seemed to be a fully drawn bow, and every inch of muscle was full of strength.
Whoosh!
The next moment, her figure blurred and disappeared from the spot, quickly passing towards Galkro in a slightly arcing trajectory.
The speed was so fast that a hint of surprise flashed in the red dragon's eyes.
But he didn't react slowly. He raised his thick forelimbs and his huge claws, with a dull sound, hit Black Dragon's head from top to bottom, intending to end the battle with one blow.
However, the moment the claws were about to touch the black head.
Salia's body suddenly twisted strangely.
Her spine seemed to be very flexible, spinning violently at an angle that almost went against Dragonkin's physiological structure. Her entire rugged body slid sideways against the ground, narrowly avoiding the heavy blow.
Not only that.
The moment she passed by, the edge of her fully stretched dragon wings scratched the scales on the outside of Galkro's hind legs.
Tsk!
There was a friction sound, and a slender crack appeared on the red dragon's thick scales. It was not deep and only allowed a few strands of blood to leak out.
"Huh?"
Galkro retracted his paw and looked at the injury on his leg.
Instead of being angry, he grinned, "It's interesting, little bug."
He turned around, his thick and long tail sweeping across like a steel whip, and at the same time, his other claw quickly grabbed the direction where Black Dragon might dodge.
But Salia's reaction was faster, or in other words, her prediction of the red dragon's movements was extremely accurate.
Her limbs stepped on the ground quickly with a very small amplitude, and with the subtle adjustment of the wing membrane, her body was like a weightless shadow, slipping out from the gap between the claw shadow and the tail strike at the last moment, even leaving a shallow mark on the joint of the red dragon's forelimb again.
The battle entered a unique rhythm.
Salia never engages in any form of power confrontation with Galkro.
Her tactics are extremely clear.
Take advantage of your small size, amazing speed, and far greater flexibility than your opponents to roam, dodge, and counterattack non-stop.
Her evasive movements were full of various small-scale sharp turns, rolling on the ground, and sudden stops and restarts that violated inertia.
Some of the movements were so violent that they even directly tore the thin scales on her shoulders or sides, but she didn't care.
Moreover, every successful dodge was accompanied by a sharp and precise counterattack.
Her targets are the gaps in the joints, the relatively thin abdominal edges of the scales, the roots of the wing membranes, the eyes, the nostrils... these are positions that either affect movement or are vulnerable.
Moreover, Black Dragon's claws have been specially sharpened and strengthened by magic, giving it an unsettling dark luster.
Although Galkro's dragon scales are strong, they are not without their weaknesses.
Under Salia's precise and rapid grasping, scratching, stabbing, and prying, the wounds on the red dragon's body began to increase gradually.
Although each path is not very deep, the accumulation brings pain and obstacles to movement.
Tsk!
A deep gash appeared on the side of the joint of Galkro's left forelimb, causing a slight delay in his claw-waving movements.
Poof!
Under the ribs on the right side, a piece of scale was cleverly pried open by the tip of the claw, and then a deeper stab was made, and blood immediately seeped out, dyeing the surrounding crimson scales red.
Salia's fighting style has no beauty, is insidious and vicious.
She never fights and retreats with one blow. Regardless of whether she succeeds or not, she takes advantage of her small size and fast speed to walk around Galkro's huge body, like a gangrene attached to the bone, specifically looking for the point where the red dragon is most uncomfortable and vulnerable.
Galkro is angry.
He felt like a giant beast surrounded by poisonous bees, with no power but nowhere to use it.
His roars became more and more violent, and his attacks became more wild, but this also revealed more flaws.
Black Dragon is like the most patient assassin, calmly seizing every opportunity, and more and more small but painful wounds began to appear on the red dragon's body. The blood stained the large scales red, and its movements gradually became sluggish.
The buzz in the audience has long since stopped.
The young Dragonkins watched this showdown with great contrast attentively.
They saw that the wounds on the arrogant red dragon's eldest son were increasing continuously, his movements were obviously sluggish, and his breathing was heavy; but the skinny Black Dragon had the advantage.
"Almost..."
Black Dragon Salia's vertical pupils flashed a dark light.
The red dragon's movements have been at least 30% slower than the original, and the threat of counterattack has been greatly reduced.
"But... could this be a trap?"
A trace of doubt flashed through her heart.
Although the red dragon seems to be violent, it is Emperor's Children after all and has extraordinary blood. Will it really be consumed to this extent?
However, his physical fitness is about to bottom out and his speed has dropped unconsciously. This is the only chance to win.
No matter what, the battle must be ended as soon as possible.
The decision was made, and a stern look flashed in her eyes.
Black Dragon once again pretended to rush in from the right side. The moment Galkro waved her claws to intercept, her body shrank suddenly, and then exploded. She kicked off the ground and spun faster than before, leaping over the red dragon's low-hanging defensive forearm, swiftly passing along the arc of his back, and wrapping around the left side of the red dragon's neck like lightning.
The scales there are relatively fine, and underneath is the fatal throat!
The dark claws tear through the air and reach the target!
"You've fallen into a trap! Roar!!!"
Galkro's deep voice suddenly sounded, and the previous fatigue was instantly wiped away.
His huge body jumped back half a step to avoid the dangerous blow. At the same time, his head suddenly sank, and he used the pair of thick and hard horns on his forehead to hit the approaching black shadow hard.
This change of moves was fast and cruel, completely unexpected.
Salia's heart was shaken, and he did not dare to take the headbutt that had been planned for a long time. The force of his sprint was suddenly reversed, and his wings flapped sharply to the side to dodge.
But the distance between the two is too close.
Although the red dragon's headbutt missed, his thick and long tail, which had always seemed to be dragged due to fatigue, had already accumulated enough strength. At this moment, it suddenly bounced up and swept horizontally with a shrill sound of breaking through the air, covering a huge area.
Salia only had time to fold his wings to protect his sides.
Bang!!
Amidst the heavy muffled sound, Black Dragon's petite body was hit hard by the end of the tail. The body's protective wing membrane was torn apart by severe pain, and the scales on the flanks shattered.
She groaned, and her body was carried away by the huge force. She fell heavily on the hard rock ground more than ten meters away, and rolled and slid for several meters, leaving a trail of gravel and blood foam.
She struggled to get up, but the shadow had already fallen over her.
Boom!
Galkro fell like a meteorite and stepped on Black Dragon's back. His front paws firmly pressed her shoulder blades, and the weight of his body pressed down, making her completely unable to move.
The red dragon was panting slightly, and blood was still oozing from a large number of wounds on its body, dripping on Salia's black scales.
However, his crimson vertical pupils were burning with blazing fighting spirit and the light of victory. He lowered his head and let out a deafening roar at Black Dragon under his claws, declaring his victory.
"That's it! Bugs!"
"You can hit me ten or a hundred times, but I only need one chance to end the battle completely!"
"Do you think that the eldest son of the great Red Emperor is just a stupid dragon with a brain full of muscles?"
The red dragon nodded his huge head and sneered, with undisguised pride in his voice, "Here, there is hidden wisdom that is enough to crush you!"
Salia shook his dizzy head and spit out the blood foam and dust in his mouth.
She felt the heavy pressure on her back and the burning pain in her flanks, knowing that the outcome was decided.
"Your Highness..."
Her voice was still hoarse, but it was filled with resignation.
"Your wisdom made me feel defeated. I lost. Please forgive me for my offense."
She did not resist violently, but instead exposed her soft and fragile abdomen.
"Huh?"
Galkro snorted and stared at Black Dragon who looked completely subdued under his paw.
He felt the stinging pain from the small wounds on his body, which reminded him that the little guy in front of him had indeed caused him a lot of trouble.
After two seconds of silence, he removed the front paw that was holding the other person down.
Then, after a brief pause, he stretched out his claws and pulled Salia up from the ground with a rough but not vicious movement.
Galkro is willing to give basic respect to opponents who show sufficient strength and resilience, even if they are enemies, not to mention that this is just an academy challenge.
"Zong...Black Dragon, you are actually quite good."
He said carelessly and flicked his tail, "In the past three years, you are the first challenger to make me bleed so much. Haha, if you keep up the good work, I hope there will be more guys like you in the future, leaving me some scars worth remembering."
"Defeating a strong opponent makes me appear stronger."
Salia stood firm and was slightly stunned, as if he didn't expect the other party to say that.
She lowered her head and responded in a low voice, "Well... I will try my best not to disappoint you, Your Highness."
Hearing this, Galkro was even more satisfied, and stretched out his paw to pat Black Dragon's shoulder.
Black Dragon Salia was so photographed that he staggered and almost fell down again.
"Your Highness, I wish you continued victory in the next battle."
Black Dragon steadied his body, whispered something, turned around silently, dragged his injured body, limped quietly, and walked quietly down the noisy martial arts field, hiding himself again in the thick shadow cast by a tall wall, as if he wanted to blend into it.
"Who else?! Come on everyone!"
"Challenge me Galkro, and all you will get in the end is failure and awe of my power!"
On the martial arts field, the little red dragon held its head high, roared arrogantly and cheerfully, and was full of high spirits.
In the shadows under the stage, little Black Dragon Salia looked up at that figure full of strength and confidence, with a trace of envy in his eyes.
"It's so... dazzling..."
She stretched out her dark tongue, silently licked the blood on her front paws, and whispered in her heart.
In the next challenge, it seemed that the battle between Red Dragon and Black Dragon took away all the excitement.
Although the subsequent challengers still worked hard, their performance was lackluster and they were unable to pose a real threat to the fourth son.
The descendants of Red Emperor defeated all their opponents cleanly one after another, consolidating their status.
Soon after, the last challenger had the dragon scales on his back cut open by Isanora's dragon wings. The wound was so deep that the bone was visible, and blood flowed profusely. He had no choice but to admit defeat.
"Okay, this year's challenge is over."
White Dragon Dean stood up slowly and announced the end of the challenge session.
The dragons thought that His Majesty the Emperor would leave quietly after the ceremony as he did most of the time, but the next moment, the tall figure sitting on the obsidian throne slowly stood up.
The body in humanoid form looks small compared to the many giant dragons in the field.
But he just stood there, and his invisible majestic aura made him seem more majestic than the sky.
His dark eyes swept across the entire venue. Wherever he looked, the hustle and bustle fell silent involuntarily. Finally, his gaze settled on an inconspicuous shadow on the sidelines.
Salia was curling up there quietly, cleaning the severe laceration on his side.
Immediately afterwards, the voice of Red Iron Dragon penetrated the increasingly dense wind and snow and rang clearly.
"Today, I saw desire, I saw hard work, and I also saw... talent, wisdom and unyielding instinct that impressed me deeply."
His eyes first fell on Galkro, and he nodded slightly.
"My eldest son, Galkro, you have shown strength and wisdom, proving that you are more than just a strong body."
"My other heirs - Laria, Ophelia, Isanora, you have also proven your own growth and value, and are worthy of my bloodline."
The four Hatchling Dragons on the sidelines suddenly held their heads high and their tails swayed slightly unconsciously.
There are very few compliments from Father Long, and because of this, every time they receive one, their hearts are filled with great joy and pride.
Then, under the focus of countless eyes, Garos lifted Dragon Arm, and his claws clearly pointed at Black Dragon in the shadow.
"And you, Salia."
Black Dragon Salia subconsciously raised his head and looked at the mountainous figure on the high platform. He was slightly startled and completely stunned.
"Your body shape is inherently deficient and your strength is weak, so you lag behind most of your kind at the starting line."
Garos states the obvious facts, "But you don't blame others, nor do you settle for being weak. You have found your own path, and know how to make up for your strength with skills, understand your weaknesses with wisdom, and bear the damage with tenacity."
"In your body, there is a strong and tenacious soul that does not bow to fate."
Salia's breathing became uncontrollably heavy, his black chest rose and fell slightly, and a scorching light gradually lit up in his usually gloomy vertical pupils, staring closely at the emperor.
The emperor's voice paused slightly, leaving a brief silence in the audience.
Then, the words that decided fate fell again, loud and clear.
"I, Garos·Ignas, recognize your performance today and the value you have shown."
"From this moment on, you, Salia, are my adopted daughter, the fifth son of the Ignas Family."
"You will enjoy the attention and cultivation as Emperor's Children. I hope you will guard against arrogance and impetuosity, continue to hone your minions and will, serve the kingdom in the future, and contribute your strength and loyalty to me."
His words were not Bloodburst, but they were like thunder, exploding in the hearts of every listener.
Emperor's Children!
This is not an unattainable daydream, nor is it the extravagant wish of young dragons as a joke!
The great His Majesty Ignas, in full view of the year-end challenge, personally announced that he had accepted an adopted daughter!
After a brief moment of dead silence, a huge uproar swept through the entire martial arts arena.
Countless eyes were directed at the thin little Black Dragon who was still curled up in the shadow.
After all, Salia is just a Adolescent Dragon. No matter how gloomy and lonely his personality is, it is still difficult to suppress the overwhelming emotions in his heart at this moment.
She struggled to stand upright, ignoring the pain from the wound on her side, and took a step forward.
Black Dragon completely left the shadows, exposed to all sight and daylight.
She lowered her head so deeply that it almost touched the ground.
"Your great Majesty Ignas, the only sun and guide in my heart! Thank you for your recognition and grace! From now on, my life, my claws, and my soul will only fight for you until death!"
Her voice trembled, a mixture of awe and disbelief.
The emperor looked at Black Dragon who bowed his head respectfully below, nodded slightly, and added, "Pay attention to your title, Salia."
Black Dragon's body visibly shook.
She hesitated for a moment, as if to confirm that this was not a dream, and then in a still somewhat dazed voice, she whispered, "Your Majesty... no... father..."
"Okay."
"The tradition of the Challenge will continue. I am eager to see more shining figures here in the future, discover more gems worth carving, and welcome more heirs."
After finishing speaking, Red Emperor said no more.
In a burst of light, he transformed into a majestic body, then stretched his wings and flew high into the sky. In a blink of an eye, he tore through the wind and snow and disappeared into the sky, leaving only endless majesty and reverie.
Two months later.
Dragonspine Mountains, a cave inside a certain mountain.
Red Iron Dragon is entrenched in it, silently swallowing gems and magic precious metals one after another. Black Oil Crystal all goods are of top quality, without any inferior quality.
"The affairs before sleeping have been arranged."
His huge head rested on his overlapping front paws, his eyes gradually half-closed, and the thoughts flowing inside slowly settled, "This sleep... may be longer than any other time before."
"While I sleep, let the stars shine first."
"When I wake up, the real sun will hang high in the sky and shine on the entire Romanian Plains."
This time, Red Iron Dragon, who fell into a deep sleep, did not have his wings tightly wrapped around his body due to subconscious uneasiness like in the past. Instead, he stretched them at the most comfortable angle, and then gradually fell asleep.
ps: The last day of double doubling, please vote for me