(Big chapter, please vote for me)
This winter is not long.
Less than a month later, spring has quietly arrived.
The wind in early spring is still slightly cold, but the earth has woken up and quietly bloomed with the vitality that had been dormant all winter. Grass buds emerged from the soil, and even tough wildflowers squeezed out of the rock crevices, bright yellow and light purple, dotted with stars.
Phew!
Without warning, the flames roared past.
The hot air flow instantly swallowed up the newly sprouted vitality. The delicate flowers didn't even have time to sway, and together with the surrounding grass blades and moss, they turned into a wisp of green smoke and some scattered ashes.
With Red Iron Dragon as the center, raging flames burned, creating a fiery field with a huge diameter.
The air twisted and deformed under the high temperature, and the ground turned red like lava. After more than half an hour of continuous burning, the flames that turned half of the sky red slowly converged inward and dissipated, revealing the majestic dark red figure among them.
Garos lowered his head and looked at the scattered sparks flying on the scorched earth.
He blew out a hot sulfurous breath from his nose and shook the dragon's head slightly.
Garos's evolution in the field is not ideal.
Take this Flame Domain as an example. With the improvement of his own Life Level and his daily training and adaptation, the intensity and temperature of this area have indeed grown, which can also weaken the effect of spell attacks to a certain extent.
But this is still far from the result Garos expected in his heart.
"The field, it was born because I set foot on the Legendary Realm."
Red Iron Dragon kept his head held high, lost in thought.
"But I always feel that it is like a kind of... recognition, or a gift, from the rules of the world to the Legendary Realm's life. It does not completely and 100% originate from myself, and it does not belong to me alone."
This judgment stems from his own clear feelings and cognition.
The evolution of the field was too slow, so slow that he couldn't clearly feel it.
The field has always been a relatively weak link for Garos, and its progress has been slow, far behind his growth in physical strength, spell resistance and other aspects.
And it's not just him.
According to the information in Dragon Inheritance and the communication with other dragons, for most dragons, the domain is not that important to rely on, far less than their natural body and various characteristics awakened as they grow.
"Perhaps, my expectations for the field are too high."
Garos swung the dragon's tail and thought in his heart.
"Being comprehensive is only the most ideal goal, but in reality, resources, time, and energy are limited."
"I have to make a choice."
"I should give priority to exploring the potential of my own talents, followed by tempering the power related to characteristics. The priority of the field... should be moved back."
Choosing the right direction of effort is far more important than blindly working hard.
He did not intend to completely abandon the exploration of the field, but decided to reduce its weight in his own cultivation plan, reduce the energy and time invested in it as appropriate, and shift his focus to other more growth-promoting aspects.
Of course, this is just the current strategy.
If one day in the future, the root cause of the slow evolution of the field is discovered.
Or when he encounters a special opportunity that can promote qualitative changes in the field, or when the growth in other aspects reaches a certain limit that is difficult to break through, he will raise the priority of the field again.
Gululu...
A deep and loud roar came from the abdomen, and a strong sense of emptiness was born.
Continuous high-intensity exercise consumes an astonishing amount of energy.
Garos paused his thoughts and took out a mountain of meat from the space props.
They were high-grade monster leg meat and ribs that had been processed in advance and were rich in Magic Energy. Each piece was very huge.
He opened his dragon's kiss and began to eat, while mixing in the essence Black Oil, which was as thick as asphalt, and some magic gems that shone with the light of the elements.
The hard teeth can easily chew bones and gems, and then swallow the mixed meat and liquid.
It wasn't until a large amount of food measured in tons was eaten that the hunger just now slowly subsided.
After Sated State, Garos did not rest, but began to temper the basic attributes. He wanted to convert the energy he had just absorbed into real growth as soon as possible.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A dull thunderous sound echoed across the mountains.
In the blink of an eye, another seven days passed.
Garos has just finished a round of physical exercise, and is still a little unfinished. He is ready to make some adjustments before starting the next round of other exercises.
At this moment, the feeling of emptiness in my stomach came again.
He moved for a moment, and the fine scales on his forehead wrinkled slightly.
"In the past, such a meal was enough to support me to complete two to three rounds of high-intensity attribute training."
Red Iron Dragon raised his front paws, looked at his toes that were glowing with cold metal, and thought in his mind, "Did my exercise intensity increase again, or... my body's consumption rate became faster?"
Legendary Realm Life can absorb the elements of heaven and earth, and can replenish part of the energy consumption between breaths.
But this is not enough, especially after high-intensity battles or exercises, a large amount of high-energy resources must be relied on to make up for the deficit and maintain what is needed.
For a giant dragon like Garos, it is even a drop in the bucket.
With his physique and daily training intensity, his resource consumption is terrifying, far exceeding that of any giant dragon of the same level.
He has not officially entered the prime of life after two hundred years old, but the total amount of various rare resources consumed has probably exceeded many Primordial Dragon who have lived for thousands of years.
Just the amount of Black Oil he drank was already an astronomical amount, far beyond ordinary people's imagination.
This is also the fundamental reason why he wanted to establish a kingdom.
"My body is too strong now."
Garos felt the power and emptiness in his body and realized a problem.
"Black Oil Crystal, high-grade Warcraft meat, magic gems... these resources that once brought sufficient satiety and energy replenishment, now seem to be somewhat insufficient."
"Perhaps only the flesh and blood of the Legendary Realm creatures can give me a long-term sense of satisfaction."
"But that's not realistic."
"I can't possibly feed on the Legendary Realm all the time."
Moreover, the problem does not stop there.
As he continues to grow stronger, his demand for resources will only increase. The top resources in this world are limited. If you want to obtain more, you will inevitably conflict with more forces.
What's more...
"It's not essentially a question of quantity of resources."
"My body's absorption and conversion efficiency can't keep up with the consumption rate of certain parts, especially those parts that have undergone key evolution."
"My body is a whole, but evolution is not evenly synchronized."
"Some parts have made rapid progress under targeted exercise and have become extremely strong. Although other parts have also been strengthened, the increase is relatively small. Over time, I am improving as a whole, but the relative strength of some internal systems cannot keep up..."
"The digestion and energy conversion system, now it seems, has become my shortcoming."
He grasped the key to the problem.
Next, is to find a solution.
"At present, it seems that there are two clear directions for strengthening."
Garos walked slowly to a mountain spring, bowed his head to drink water, and thought at the same time.
One is to enhance the absorption efficiency of free energy in the environment.
The focus is on evolving the lungs, with the goal that in the future, breathing alone will be able to meet most daily consumption."
The second is to increase the energy conversion rate of ingested substances.
Focus on evolving the entire digestive system so that the same resources can extract more energy.
Garos quickly clarified his thoughts.
Moreover, he did not intend to do multiple-choice questions.
Considering the already terrifying consumption at present and the almost inevitable growth trend in the future, these two directions are crucial, and it is best to do both.
As for how to specifically exercise the lungs or intestines and guide them to start directional evolution in the direction you want, this is a question that needs to be carefully considered and practiced.
He paused his regular strength training and started eating again.
But this time, he ate extremely slowly, chewing every bite carefully.
At the same time, a bright light shone in his eyes, using True Eye to penetrate his scales, muscles and fascia, go deep into his body, carefully observe every detail of peristalsis from the esophagus to the stomach pouch, and then to the intestines, feeling the complete process of secretion of digestive juices, food decomposition, and energy being absorbed and transported.
In this way, he spent two whole days and nights amidst the slow and continuous sounds of chewing and swallowing.
In the early morning of the third day, Garos changed his approach.
He clung to a steep rock wall, dug out a large piece of hard gray-white rock with his sharp claws, put it into his mouth, and slowly ground it with dragon teeth strong enough to chew steel.
Click, click...
The coarse stone powder is mixed with saliva and swallowed into the stomach.
He concentrated on it, feeling the rhythm of his intestines and stomach in response to this food.
"After all, we will inevitably reach this point... eating dirt."
An idea passed through his mind.
According to Dragon Race's internal incomplete statistics, more than 90% of Chromatic Dragon have had the experience of eating rubbish when they lost the protection of their elders, survived alone, struggled Hatchling Stage, or encountered a lack of resources.
It's not because they like it, and it's not just embarrassment.
This is also an extreme manifestation of Dragonkin's powerful physique.
Even from the most barren soil and rocks, the dragon's digestive system can extract a tiny bit of energy and minerals from it, ensuring that it will not starve to death, but its growth will become extremely slow and stunted.
And it's not just soil.
Bark, grass roots, and even plenty of drinking water are all Dragonkin's means of surviving in difficult situations.
Many intelligent creatures have wondered why Evil Dragon's early living environment was harsh, but powerful individuals were always born from time to time, and the group did not decline because of this?
Except for the vague shadow of Deity behind Dragon Race, which makes large-scale hunting more scrupulous.
The most fundamental reason is that Dragonkin's strong body gives it extremely tenacious survivability.
"The dragon's natural digestive system is already powerful, and in my case it has also been strengthened due to overall evolution."
"It's just that the evolution in other aspects has been too prominent, causing this relatively ordinary digestive system to gradually become unable to cope with it."
Garos also pulled up a thick Iron Fir plant growing in a rock crevice and stuffed it into his mouth with the roots and leaves.
In the past two days, he tried almost everything he could find nearby.
Rocks, soil, different types of trees, and herbs are all delivered to the mouth, just to observe every detail of gastrointestinal function from the most extensive original materials, and to find possible paths for its strengthening and evolution.
Just when he had just swallowed a mouthful of soil mixed with broken rocks and carefully tasted the difference.
In the distant sky, a rapidly enlarging green dot appeared, and there was the sound of wing membranes breaking in the wind.
A sizable adult Green Dragon is gathering its wings, lowering its height, and gliding towards the mountain peak where Garos is located.
He has emerald-colored scales, a slender and well-proportioned body, smooth muscle lines without losing a sense of strength, a rather long dragon tail swinging gently, and his whole body exudes a rich and fresh breath of natural life.
Green Dragon, Ludwig.
Aura Kingdom is one of the elders who followed Garos when he was still in the Molten Iron Clan period.
In addition to being jointly responsible for the important Dragonforged Transformation Ritual with Black Dragon Seraphina, because of his flexible mind and meticulous handling, he also assists in handling many external affairs of the kingdom, especially those related to the Theo Kingdom.
On weekdays, his immediate superior is Iron Dragon Sorog, and all routine matters report to Sorog.
Now because Sorog went to the Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm and has not returned yet, and the matter was of great importance, he chose to meet the emperor directly.
Green Dragon landed on a rock platform lower than Garos's position, lowering his head respectfully.
"Your Majesty, there is something important that I think needs to be reported to you personally."
Garos lowered his eyes and asked, "Dragonforging Ritual has a breakthrough, or is it Theo's side?"
"It's Theo, Your Majesty." Green Dragon said, "Recently, Theo has increased the tariff rate on my country's exports by ten percent. In addition, they have also suppressed my country's exports of various minerals, Warcraft materials and some manufactured products by setting up non-tariff barriers and secretly supporting their own competitive industries."
Red Iron Dragon's pupils shrank slightly and turned into vertical pupils.
"I remember that <Nolton Treaty> has clear provisions on bilateral trade."
His voice was low and gentle as he said, "The upper limit of the tariff rate is five percent, and Theo shall not use any administrative or legal means to restrict or hinder the normal circulation and fair competition of Aura goods."
That treaty is not a piece of paper.
It was entered into in the form of a powerful Magic Contract under the watchful eye of God of Justice.
Any party that violates the contract will suffer backlash from the contract.
Calamity occurs frequently, the national destiny declines, the royal bloodline encounters misfortune, and the difficulty of breaking through the Legendary Realm increases dramatically... the price is heavy.
"I would rather pay such a price than break the contract..."
Garos quickly weighed in his mind, "Either, Theo Royal House fell into madness and made a desperate move; or... they have received some kind of strong support or commitment, and they are confident that they can offset, or at least withstand the cost of breach of contract."
The latter is highly likely.
Theo just signed the so-called New Federation Pact with Lothern. This is probably the reason why they dare to test their bottom line and straighten their backs.
"Your Majesty."
Green Dragon Ludwig raised his head, a stern look flashed in his eyes. "Perhaps we have been silent for too long, which has caused some Theo people to have misconceptions, forgetting their proper place and the pain they once felt."
"It's time for them to think back and... hurt to the core."
As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of rapid running and leaping came from the mountain road below.
A green shadow rose and fell among the rugged rocks like a gust of wind, approaching quickly.
It was a large wolf-like creature, but fine black scales were faintly visible under the hair. The claws were extremely thick and sharp, especially the pair of forelimbs, which had bulging muscles and a structure closer to the claws of a raptor.
Dragon-blooded Werewolf, Russell.
After decades of dedicated development, coupled with the resource tilt of Garos, this follower whose talent was not top-notch at the beginning has also improved Life Level to twenty, but has not reached the limit yet, and is still some distance away from the Legendary Realm.
However, once he breaks through, the probability of him awakening the Beneath the Dragon Throne characteristic is extremely high.
After stopping in an open space under Red Iron Dragon, with a flash of light cyan light, Giant Wolf's figure disappeared, replaced by Werewolf who stood upright.
He is tall and burly, with a wolf head and body, covered with green and black hair and fine scales, and has sharp claws.
"Your Majesty, we have urgent information."
Red Iron Dragon slightly adjusted his posture and turned his huge head downward. "Is it also about Theo?"
Russell was slightly surprised. He raised his head and glanced at Green Dragon beside him, and understood immediately.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Our observers at Theo confirmed that Theo Royal House and several of its great nobles are concentrating a large amount of rare resources to cultivate and support several Quasi-Legendary Realm strong men at all costs, trying to give birth to new Legendary Realm in the short term."
"This has seriously violated the provisions on arms limitation in <Nolton Treaty>."
Red Iron Dragon listened quietly, his huge head slowly raised.
He opened his huge mouth and let out a deafening roar of laughter. The sound was so loud that the surrounding rocks fell and the trees shook violently.
After a few seconds, the laughter suddenly stopped.
The dragon's face instantly turned cold and hard, showing no emotion at all.
"Issue a formal diplomatic announcement."
"Sternly condemn Theo Kingdom's behavior that violates <Nolton Treaty>, and clearly inform them that if they continue to act arbitrarily, they will be responsible for all the consequences."
He said in a calm voice.
Is it that simple?
Both Ludwig and Russell felt a little surprised.
According to their understanding of His Majesty Red Emperor, a more violent reaction seems to be more in line with his style.
But they knew that His Majesty's wisdom and strategy were not superficial. Since this decision was made, there must be a deep meaning.
The two suppressed their doubts and responded in unison, "As you command, Your Majesty."
They respectfully withdrew and went to carry out the order.
"Trade privileges, arms restrictions, and bypassing Aura to secretly conclude an alliance with Lothern..."
Garos flapped its wings and flew to the top of the highest nearby mountain. Looking south, it seemed as if its vision penetrated thousands of mountains and rivers.
"In addition to the territory that has been ceded and the compensation paid, they have almost tested all the core terms of <Nolton Treaty>. Maybe it won't be long before they even dare to raise objections to the sovereignty of those two provinces."
Theo's current breach of contract, looking at each item individually, has caused limited actual damage to Aura.
But this is an extremely dangerous signal. It is the other party's test and challenge to Aura with the support of Lothern.
It cannot and will never be ignored.
New Calendar Four hundred and seventeen years, spring.
Aura Kingdom issued a strongly worded diplomatic notice through official channels, officially condemning Theo Kingdom's violation of <Nolton Treaty> and requiring it to immediately stop all violations, otherwise it will bear unpredictable serious consequences.
Shortly after the announcement was released, Theo had no response, but Lothern Kingdom responded first.
They issued a statement stating that under the current main theme of peace and development, the historical issues between Double Aura can be resolved through "friendly, equal and fair renegotiation".
The allies of the Lothern Kingdom and New Federation are willing to provide "impartial witnesses" to this negotiation.
For a time, these announcements caused quite a stir among the plain countries. Many forces were waiting and watching, wondering how Red Emperor, which had been silent for many years, would react.
However, apart from the condemnation notice, Aura took no further action.
He showed no interest in negotiating, nor did he mobilize troops to march on the border, as if the condemnation notice was just a piece of paper with a harsh tone and an empty heart.
This kind of weakness and retreat gave some onlookers some ideas.
Many people feel that this is a concession gesture that Aura had to make under the huge pressure brought by Lothern and its New Federation system.
In the blink of an eye, spring is getting stronger.
A month passed quietly under the seemingly calm surface.
Aura Kingdom North, deep in the mountains.
Red Iron Dragon was lying quietly on a huge exposed rock formation with his eyes closed.
His chest rose and fell violently, and every inhalation was like a hurricane rolling back, causing the surrounding airflow to become chaotic; every time he exhaled, a scorching airflow was sprayed out, mixed with a little bit of sparks and sulfurous smells.
The sound of heavy breathing echoed like endless muffled thunder.
Garos is feeling his respiratory system carefully.
Just as he was concentrating, two tiny black spots suddenly appeared in the distant sky and expanded at an alarming speed.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Two black figures swooped down from the clouds like meteorites, carrying unparalleled power. However, as they approached the top of the mountain, they drew two perfect arcs, slowed down sharply, and finally landed steadily on the open space in front of Garos.
The dust settled for a moment, and two gigantic figures emerged.
On the left is Iron Dragon, which is over thirty meters long.
His whole body is covered with thick black scales that are as shiny as refined steel. Each scale has cold lines, sharp edges and corners, and is closely inlaid to form a seemingly indestructible armor.
Underneath the scales are majestic muscles full of explosive power.
Just standing still, he exuded a sense of oppression as heavy as a mountain.
Iron Dragon, Sorog·Ignas.
On the right is a red dragon whose size is larger than Iron Dragon.
Her limbs, neck, and long tail. Every part of her body is covered with muscles, full of strength, far beyond the strength of an ordinary red dragon.
The scales on her body were as bright red as solidified magma, and like the brightest rubies, shining in the sun. When she unfolded her huge dragon wings, lines burning with dark red luster were clearly visible on the wing membranes. The majestic dragon horns snaked backwards, and the sharp fangs even protruded from the outside of her lips. When she closed her mouth, they crisscrossed up and down, making it even more ferocious.
Samantha·Ignas.
Both of them exude the stable and powerful Legendary Realm pressure.
Like a mountain, like a sea, like a tide.
"Haha! Garos, my dear brother, I am back! Now, I am also a Legendary Realm dragon!"
The red dragon Samantha raised its long neck and let out a proud roar.
Iron Dragon Sorog was much calmer. He took a step forward and lowered his head slightly. "Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm and his party have benefited a lot. Those Metal Dragon do have some skills. Our Legendary Realm realm has been stabilized and our power is fully under control."
On the opposite rock formation, Garos has opened his eyes.
His eyes swept over the two blood relatives, confirming that they had achieved the Legendary Realm realm, and a glimmer of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.
"Very good, only Legendary Body can stay on top of the coming storm and control his own destiny."
He did not immediately ask for specific details about the Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm.
Those can be discussed in detail later.
At the moment, there are more pressing matters.
"Theo's recent developments, you must have heard about them on your way home, right?"
Garos cuts directly to the topic.
A cold light flashed in Sorog's eyes, and he said in a deep voice, "I heard that, if you violate <Nolton Treaty>, you will go further..."
"It seems that Lothern's covenant has given them some unrealistic courage and illusions, thinking that they can ignore the dragon's anger by finding a backer. Those guys on Romanian Plains who are taking advantage of the situation may also feel that with Lothern uniting other countries to put pressure, we will choose to swallow our anger."
Samantha let out a low and hot breath, and a wisp of fire escaped from the corner of his mouth.
"Negotiation? It's a way for the weak to seek respite. It's what they only need to deal with opponents who can't crush them!"
"As for deterrence... Well, for idiots who are already lucky and self-righteous, verbal warnings have little effect!"
"They only remember Lothern's promise and the so-called alliance, but they have long forgotten what it was like to tremble under the shadow of the dragon's wings and howl in Dragon Breath! Brother, it's time for them to remember it again! Use the hottest flames and the hottest blood!"
Her dragon tail slapped the ground excitedly, causing cracks.
Under the burning eyes of the two blood relatives, Red Iron Dragon raised his head and looked towards the south again.
"Since they choose to use breach of contract to test the bottom line and use the so-called covenant to embolden them, then we will respond in the way they can best understand."
Sorog and Samantha coincidentally opened their dragon wings slightly, fighting intent burning in their eyes, Legendary Dragon's power was released.
Iron Dragon asked in a deep voice, "What do you mean?"
Red Iron Dragon slowly stood up from lying still, his wings fully spread out, casting a large shadow.
"I have been silent for long enough that some people have the illusion that I can provoke Dragon Might."
"It's time... let the entire Romanian Plains, and all intelligent beings, remember the name Red Emperor again."
He paused, and his tone changed from calm to high-spirited.
"At the same time, let us personally ignite this destined fire and let it... burn according to our will."
New Calendar Four hundred and seventeen years, late spring.
Silverglow City, Royal Court lobby.
The huge chandelier spreads light into every corner, projecting the figure of the king sitting on the throne and the ministers lined up on both sides on the bright marble floor.
The young king, Torfin Chapman, sits on the high-backed throne.
He wears a simple yet exquisite platinum crown and a royal uniform embroidered with the Chapman Family. His eyes are gloomy and somewhat excited.
About ten years ago, his father, the old king who was mentally exhausted under the Aura–Theo War fiasco and <Nolton Treaty> humiliation, finally died on the sickbed, leaving this heavy burden in his hands.
Because the human king enjoys the resources of the kingdom, even if he fails to be promoted to the Legendary Realm, his lifespan can usually reach about two hundred years.
In terms of the position of king, Torfin is still young and his reign is not long.
But from the end of his father's reign to his official succession to the present day, the hearts of the entire Theo Royal House and the upper-class nobility have been shrouded in humiliation and gloom.
Cession of two wealthy provinces, astronomical war reparations, strictly restricted arms development, and trade privileges granted to Aura...
Each of these items is like a red-hot iron, burning on the Theo Kingdom's body, leaving deep scars.
And now, a turning point has finally appeared.
"... Your Majesty, <New Federation Pact> signed with the Lothern Kingdom, all exchange documents and magic seals were officially completed last month and declared effective."
A foreign minister dressed in Chinese attire was making a report with an encouraging tone.
"The advance team of the Knights of the Lothern Kingdom has arrived in the southern city of our country and has been warmly welcomed by the people."
"The material assistance, alchemy technology sharing, and necessary military advisors agreed upon later will also be in place within the next three months based on the content of the agreement."
After the minister finished speaking, there was a burst of discussion in the hall, and many nobles showed excitement on their faces.
"Your Majesty," another younger noble came forward with an excited tone.
"This means that we Theo Kingdom are no longer alone! Lothern, Romanian Plains's former and current overlords will become our solid and reliable backing!"
"The haze of the past will be dispersed by the new sunshine disc player!"
King Torfin was on the throne, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest of the throne, his eyes slowly scanning the faces below.
Finally, his gaze rested on an old man with a frowning face and a silent figure.
Grand Duke Lawrence, a veteran of both dynasties, had personally experienced the entire process of Aura–Theo War, and worked hard in the difficult negotiations after the defeat. He was one of the few important ministers in the kingdom who truly understood the cruelty of that war and the hardships of the kingdom.
Before the late king died, he once held Torfin's hand and warned him.
If the state affairs are undecided, please ask Grand Duke Lawrence first.
"My lord," Torfin asked, "You seem... to have some doubts?"
Lawrence Grand Duke slowly came out of the procession.
His figure was already a little stooped, and the ducal dress looked a little empty on his body, but his eyes were still sharp.
He first bowed to the throne and then straightened up.
"Your Majesty, I am not opposed to the kingdom seeking a path to self-reliance and rejuvenation, and I am also happy to see powerful kingdoms lend a helping hand."
"Lothern's assistance, if properly utilized, can indeed enhance our country's strength."
He changed the topic and his tone became solemn. "However... Your Majesty, breach of contract is not a trivial matter."
"<Nolton Treaty> is a contract signed under the witness of Deity. You know the price of breach of contract, even with the acquiescence and support of Lothern, it cannot be underestimated."
"Moreover, what we really have to face is not those human monarchs who follow the rules, but Garos·Ignas, that "Red Emperor"."
When Red Emperor was mentioned, there was a slight silence in the hall.
The old prince continued, "By forming an alliance with Lothern, can we influence or even curb the emperor's decision? I highly doubt this."
"That is a giant dragon. We Theo Kingdom have paid the price for angering him. The price was so painful and bloody, mountains and rivers Shatter."
"I hope Your Majesty will think twice and act... more tactfully."
"Leave some room for maneuver and maneuver to avoid pushing the situation into a completely irreversible situation."
Hearing this, some young nobles secretly pouted at these remarks, while a few veterans who had also come from that era had complicated expressions and hesitated to speak.
Torfin King's eyelids twitched.
That's the argument!
This kind of tone and look always reminds him and his kingdom of how embarrassing and humiliating they are, crawling under the shadow of a Evil Dragon!
He's had enough!
As a king, he should enjoy the sunshine and beauty, instead of feeling the constraints of invisible shackles every day, feeling the secret criticism of the royal family for being weak by the people, and feeling the incomparable humiliation!
Today, he has the support of Romanian Plains, recognized as the most powerful country, and the emerging New Federation as an ally system.
Why should I bow down to that damn dragon and swallow my anger?
The king took a breath and forced himself to calm down.
"Lawrence Grand Duke's prudence and loyalty to the kingdom are well known to me and I am deeply grateful."
"But, Grand Duke, times have changed!"
His eyes became sharp and he said, "I, Theo Kingdom, will always live in the shadow of the past, always rely on the breath of that Evil Dragon, and let it take whatever it wants? No! Never!"
"Today's Lothern, reborn from the ashes, with great national power and illustrious military power, is the undisputed number one power of Romanian Plains! <New Federation Pact> has a stable structure and is enough to balance the threat from Aura."
"Breaking a breach of contract certainly requires paying a price, but compared with reshaping the national character, these costs are worth bearing!"
"Look at Aura's reaction!"
Torfin said, "In addition to issuing an empty condemnation notice, did they take any real action? No! This just shows their hesitation, or in other words, their fear of Lothern and our new alliance!"
"What we have to do is to proceed step by step and conduct a long negotiation with Aura under the guarantee of the covenant."
"With Lothern's mediation and support, and the support of our allies, the situation will gradually develop in the direction we expect."
"How can a barbaric country composed mainly of monsters defeat us at the negotiating table?"
His words ignited the fire in many people's hearts.
Yes, why should we always be afraid?
We have allies and backing, and it's time to take back our own dignity and interests!
Lawrence The Grand Duke looked at the king's young face, slowly lowered his head and retreated into the queue.
He knew that some words were useless to say now.
As the older generation who have really gone through the storm gradually pass away, the contemporary kings and most of the young nobles have forgotten what is so terrible about the Aura Kingdom. They have been blinded by the pie painted by Lothern and their desire to get rid of the status quo.
The atmosphere in the hall became warm again.
They began to discuss how to use the covenant and how to strive for maximum benefits in the subsequent negotiations, as if the dawn of victory was within reach.
However, just as King Torfin's confident remarks lingered, and the optimistic atmosphere permeating the hall had not yet settled.
Bang!
A guard officer wearing a guard's armor rushed in with a bloodless face, almost rolling on the ground.
His helmet was tilted and he was breathing heavily. He didn't have time to completely run to the designated saluting position in front of the throne. He staggered and knelt down on one knee in the middle of the process, and his voice was frightened and urgent.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty! Urgent military situation!"
"North, north border! In the sky above Essen Province... appears, a giant dragon appears! Three Legendary Realm dragons!!"
For a moment, the expressions on the ministers' faces froze.
The confidence, reserve, and thoughtfulness all turned into shock and confusion at this moment, and were immediately replaced by the surprise that quickly crept into his eyes.
Essen Province... That is one of the two major provinces ceded to Aura in <Nolton Treaty>. It is located on the southwest border of Aura and borders Theo.
It's not surprising that dragons appear there, but three Legendary Realm dragons appeared over the border at the same time...
This is extraordinary.
At the same time.
Aura Kingdom Southwest border, Essen Province.
This was once one of the granaries of Theo, and now it has been completely included in the territory of Aura for decades.
The sky was originally clear, with a few wisps of white clouds floating leisurely.
But at this moment, the sky changes suddenly.
Thick lead-gray clouds gathered and hung low in the sky, blocking the sun.
Under the clouds, the figures of three behemoths were clearly visible.
They hovered slowly in the high sky, and every time the huge membrane wings flapped, they made a deep sound of wind and thunder, stirring the clouds below.
Three Legendary Realm dragons.
Iron Dragon, Red Dragon, White Dragon.
They didn't roar, they just existed like this, hovering, looking beyond the boundaries.
At the same time, the nearest Theo Province is here.
Several Legendary Realm received the news and arrived quickly.
They stood ready, their faces so solemn that they looked a little pale.
Not to mention the most terrifying Red Emperor, there are three Legendary Realm dragons here. Unknowingly, the Aura giant beast becomes even more terrifying.
Time gradually passed under the clouds.
However, the dragons were just hovering in the air and had no intention of gathering an army to fight Theo.
Silverglow City, Royal Court.
Torfin After the initial shock, he gradually calmed down.
"Look! Everyone, I was right!"
"They really don't dare to directly invade the border with their troops and launch an all-out war! They only dare to send a few giant dragons to hover on the border and show off their power, trying to use this vulgar way to intimidate us and make us disorganize ourselves."
His words had some effect, and the uncertain expressions of some ministers softened slightly.
"This is exactly the sign of their guilty conscience and hesitation!"
"If we overreact, mobilize heavy troops to the border, or show panic, we will fall into their provocation trap and appear weak."
"Contact Lothern's messenger, we need them to put pressure on Aura immediately."
Last time, Theo was on the wrong team and followed Ribos, but it ended miserably.
This time, Theo firmly chose the side of Lothern.
For this decision, King Torfin feels deeply correct.
Look, just because Lothern is so powerful, even if Aura Kingdom is dissatisfied, it can only make meaningless threats and never dare to actually send troops.
However, it was less than half a quarter of an hour before he finished speaking.
Changes occurred suddenly.
The spell textures engraved on the palace dome and walls fluctuated violently without warning, and countless rays of light circulated and emerged, reflecting the sky directly above Royal Court.
The picture was blurry at first, then suddenly became clear, locking onto a blue sky.
A meteor was falling straight down from the very high sky.
It was just a small dot at first, but it quickly enlarged, and the tail of light it dragged out became brighter and thicker, like a flaming spear dropped by the gods.
Moreover, its goal is extremely clear.
Point directly to where Royal Court is!
"Then... what is that?!"
Some ministers exclaimed in surprise.
After a brief moment of dead silence, the palace's Spellcaster face instantly turned pale.
"Enemy attack! It's a dragon! It's Red Emperor!!!"
"Activate Silverglow Grand Array! Quick! The Iron Wall Formation guarding the palace will also rise immediately!!"
Not just one person noticed the shooting star.
Theo people's reaction is not too slow.
The entire Silverglow City trembled, and the magic runes embedded in the streets, buildings, and ground lit up one after another. The majestic energy surged out and rapidly gathered and intertwined over the city.
A giant magic shield with silvery luster emerged, like a giant upside-down bowl, covering the entire Silverglow City.
Almost at the same time, the Royal Court building complex itself also burst out with intense light, and a second layer of more solid, large shields covered with shields and crests rose from the ground, tightly wrapping the main body of the Palace.
Torfin suddenly stood up from the throne and stared at the dome projection.
His face turned pale, and he finally saw clearly that the shooting star was an extremely majestic and ferocious creature!
The dark red and almost black scales are scorching in the high-speed friction flames, the majestic dragon horns pierce the flames, and the pair of deep black vertical pupils that seem to be like stars even through the magical image are locking here and him indifferently!
"No... impossible... how dare he..."
The king muttered to himself.
Before he finished speaking, he was completely drowned out by the loud noise that came the next moment.
Boom!!!
The projection shook violently, and the screen was once filled with dazzling white light and billowing smoke.
Everyone felt a tremor under their feet, as if the entire Palace was about to jump from the ground.
Silverglow Grand Array, the royal capital Magic Array, which has a long heritage and is said to be able to resist the full attack of Crown-Rank Legendary, let out an overwhelmed wail under the impact of the red meteorite.
Countless runes flashed crazily, flickered on and off, and then exploded one after another.
Silvery white light scattered all over the sky like a torrential rain, and buildings with runes engraved on them collapsed one after another, mixed with masonry rubble that was blown away by the shock wave, and smashed into the streets of the royal capital, causing screams of terror and secondary destruction.
And the speed of the evil star enveloped in red flames has hardly slowed down.
It smashed into the second layer of the palace's shield with the potential to shatter the first layer of defense.
The light was extremely dazzling at this moment, and the shadows of the shield appeared layer by layer, trying to block it.
But all this is of no avail.
After only a few breaths of stalemate, countless shield shadows were like fragile eggshells, dented and cracked inward from the point of impact, and finally completely disintegrated into scattered fragments.
Boom!!!
This time the impact was even duller.
Palace A huge hole was violently knocked open in the dome. Broken beams, shattered murals, and cracked magic crystals, together with scorching air waves and smoke, poured down from directly above the hall.
Dust is billowing and gravel is raining down.
When the diffuse smoke and dust was slightly blown away by the violent airflow, the ministers in the hall, as well as Torfin, who was barely protected behind him by the guards, finally saw clearly the disaster that was befalling them.
A huge crater replaced the original ornate dome and part of the ground. The rubble and molten metal were mixed together, still making noises and emitting smoke.
And in the center of the pothole, a majestic Red-Iron Dragon is slowly folding its wings that cover the sky and the sun.
He is more majestic and majestic than any picture or legend, and more despairing.
The thick limbs stepped firmly on the floor of Shatter, and the long tail coiled around randomly, sweeping the nearby pillars and throne base into pieces.
He lowered his head slightly and looked down at the humans around him who were as small as ants.
Time seems to be frozen here.
The terrified scream was stuck in his throat, and his instinct to escape was suppressed by the vast Dragon Might.
Torfin stared blankly up at Red Iron Dragon, his mind went blank and his crown was tilted.
Red Emperor's eyes fell on the human wearing the crown, and then he simply raised a dragon claw.
"Protect the King!"
Two figures flashed out almost at the same time. One was surrounded by cyan wind blades that were as solid as substance, and the other held empty hands with both hands, condensing a huge warhammer made purely of holy light.
They are Theo Royal House's trump cards that have been hiding in the dark all year round, two strong Legendary Realm who protect Royal Court.
The wind blade tore the air, and the holy hammer carried the power of purifying evil, attacking Red Iron Dragon's neck and flanks from left to right, in an attempt to encircle Wei and rescue Zhao.
Red Iron Dragon just turned his head slightly and glanced at the two Legendary Realm humans indifferently.
Boom! Boom!
Black and red flames exploded out of thin air, blasting the rushing figure away.
And in this short moment, Garos's dragon claws were already revealed.
With a simple grab, the magic accessories worn by the king burst out with light and shattered one after another. One of the space props just lit up, but it could not shake the space that was completely solidified under the dragon's claws.
Red Iron Dragon held King Theo in his claws, like picking up an insignificant flying insect.
This whole process.
--From falling from the sky under the watchful eyes of all Theo people, to breaking through two layers of defenses, then frightening the enemy back and capturing the king, it only took a dozen breaths.
It's so fast that people don't have time to react effectively, and it's like a ridiculous and terrifying nightmare.
A king, in his royal capital, in the deepest part of his Royal Court, became the object in the dragon's claws.
The two Legendary Realm tried to rescue, but they retreated again at the glance of the giant dragon.
Then, Red Emperor raised his head and scanned the devastated hall and the Theo ministers who were slumped on the ground with pale faces.
"Heh."
The giant dragon smiled lowly, without leaving any more words, and its wings suddenly vibrated.
The hurricane swept through the hall, and the red figure rose into the sky, passing through the huge hole that he had opened. King Theo was still firmly grasped in his claws, and in the blink of an eye, he turned into a meteor in the sky and disappeared at the end of the northern sky.
April 15th, 417th year of the New Calendar.
On this day, Red Emperor, who had been dormant for many years, arrived like Calamity, and attacked Theo Royal Capital with Power of One Dragon. In less than a minute, he captured his king alive, completing a surprise attack that everyone did not expect, and shocked all countries.
On this day, Theo's back was completely broken.
On this day, the fragile peace between the countries was completely torn apart.
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