The cracks are still there.
Huge cracks lay across the ground, like wounds left by the world itself. The surrounding land was cracked inch by inch under the erosion of Abyss's breath, and the charred cracks spread around like spider webs, devouring the once fertile soil.
Some cracks are so deep that you can vaguely see the glimmer of light shining in the depths.
Occasionally, a trace of purple mist seeps out from the cracks in the ground, exuding an evil and chaotic atmosphere.
The wind and snow fell around the cracks, and the white snowflakes covered the charred cracks, but they could not hide the sense of decay coming from the depths. It was like the breathing of some living creature, slow and lasting, spreading outwards all the time.
"How are Northern Frontier going to deal with this rift?"
Afra did not leave directly.
She stopped opposite Red Iron Dragon, her robes fluttering in the biting wind, and her long silver-white hair blown away by the wind, but restrained by some invisible force so that it would not be too messy.
At the same time, she tilted her head slightly and asked, "Does Your Majesty want to directly eliminate them all like last time? Or do you want to take a gentler approach and disperse them bit by bit?"
The crack itself is just a passage.
The real danger comes from the chaotic Demon at the other end.
Now, Archdemon has been beheaded, Demon General has been put to death, and other Demon are also escaping to death. This lonely crack seems to be harmless for the time being. No Demon emerges from it anymore, only the occasional surge of evil aura, proving that it is still connected to Abyss.
But this is just an appearance.
In the knowledge of Dragon Inheritance, there is a professional vocabulary to describe this phenomenon.
Chaos Level.
Whenever a Abyssal Rift takes root in Material Plane, the Chaos Level in this world will grow accordingly.
Just like a wound becomes more susceptible to infection after suppuration, the higher the Chaos Level, the easier it is for Abyssal Rift to be born and appear. They are the lesions of the world and will attract and strengthen each other.
Not only that.
Large-scale war, Calamity, catastrophe----
These turmoils will also cause the world's Chaos Level to rise.
All in all, the higher the Chaos Level world, the easier it is to be targeted by Demon or other evil beings from Lower Planes. Once the invasion begins, if the fundamental contradiction cannot be resolved immediately, lowering Chaos Level, the war will further expand, causing Chaos Level to accelerate its rise, attracting more Abyss attention, spawning more cracks, and ultimately forming a self-reinforcing vicious cycle.
This is a typical path for a world to slide towards destruction.
"Atlant, no, because of the actions of the three empires, the entire Bernardo Chaos Level is soaring."
"Every day, every night, it is improving almost every minute and every second. According to the summary in the inheritance, Bernardo's Chaos Level is already above 40%."
Red Iron Dragon was silent in his heart, assessing the world Chaos Level.
What does 40% Chaos Level mean?
This means that civil wars continue around the world, Calamity occurs frequently, Demon begins to invade on a large scale, the borders of the kingdom are on fire, city-states attack each other, farmland is deserted, and refugees are displaced.
In some fragile places, large areas of land have been reduced to scorched earth.
If we go one step further, more than 60% of empire-level existences will be on the verge of collapse.
Those once invincible behemoths will gradually collapse in internal and external difficulties, and will be destroyed in the continuous war.
Under the empire, there was a narrow escape from death. Kingdoms were destroyed, city-states were destroyed, countless lives were lost, and the fire of civilization was swaying in the darkness and could be extinguished at any time.
Now Bernardo, not to mention like a candle in the wind, has already reached the edge of the cliff.
However, as long as Chaos Level does not exceed 80% and the world coordinates are not completely marked by Abyss and cannot be reversed, Demon cannot come unscrupulously on a large scale...
Then there is still a chance of recovery.
"If the world Chaos Level exceeds 60%, and I haven't broken through to Crown Rank----"
"At that time, we will consider an evacuation plan to Fey Wilds."
Garos is thinking about the worst plan.
Immediately, he gathered his thoughts, lowered his head, and re-examined Abyssal Rift.
Straighten it out immediately, or handle it more gently and slowly?
This is a problem.
The former is simple and crude, once and for all.
Once Dragon Emperor's Alternate Dimension hits it, nothing will be left.
The cracks, debris, and remaining traces of Demon will all turn into dust, the breath of Abyss will be completely dispersed, and the pollution will be erased.
But the price is that the affected land will no longer exist, and the surface structure will suffer a devastating blow.
For the latter, people need to be stationed for a long period of time, deploy Magic Array little by little purification, and slowly dispel the Abyss atmosphere.
This takes years. During this period, we must beware of the harassment of the remaining Demon, the resurgence of cracks, and the Demon that may sneak in from other cracks, as well as the evil objects attracted by Abyssal Energy. The soldiers stationed there will have to withstand long-term erosion, and both their spirit and body will be tested.
The advantage is that the land will not be devastated.
As long as the purification is completed, it will soon be restored to life.
After the contaminated soil is conditioned, the Abyss smell is completely removed. Within a few years, weeds will grow again, then shrubs, then trees... the cycle of life will begin again.
The former is straightforward, but the cost is clear; the latter is prudent and conservative, but it only increases variables.
Red Iron Dragon weighed it slightly and gave a two-word answer.
"Easy."
Hearing this, Afra raised his eyebrows.
Her eyebrows are very thin, with carefully modified arcs. When they are raised, there is a kind of quiet surprise. It is just a small change in expression, but it is enough to convey her surprise.
"Your Majesty, have you thought about it?"
"I've thought about it."
"But----" Crown of Magic paused, thinking about his words, and then continued, "The traces left by you when you smoothed the cracks last time are still there. You should know, right?"
Garos didn't respond, just looked at her.
Under the gaze of the giant dragon, Afra said in a straightforward manner, "No grass grows, the land is scorched, a hard shell like glass has formed on the surface, and even the underground water veins have been evaporated. Nearly a year has passed, and there is still no life there. Not even the toughest moss has grown. There are no microorganisms, no insects, and no signs of life. I don't know when it will recover."
"If this blow falls, this land will also look like that."
She raised her hand and pointed at the battlefield below where the battle had just ended.
"Isn't it a pity that the territory Northern Frontier just acquired was destroyed like this? Moreover, I can vaguely feel the pain of Atlant. This land is traumatized and it is groaning."
Garos's dragon has no expression on his face.
His facial scales cover his muscles, and his emotions are always difficult to identify when he is calm.
"What a pity."
he said.
"Then...
"Time will heal everything."
Garos interrupted her.
Afra was stunned for a moment.
Red Iron Dragon's eyes fell on the charred land, then he raised them and looked farther away.
In the wind and snow, the outline of the Mountain Range could be faintly seen in the distance, as well as the forest that had not been affected by the war.
Those trees still maintain a deep green color, with white snow on their crowns. Occasionally, hardy birds fly over the forest tops, leaving fleeting shadows in the gray sky.
"What you're seeing now is land being destroyed."
The giant dragon spoke slowly, his voice low and calm, "What I see is that in ten years, the first cold-resistant grass will begin to grow here; in fifty years, shrubs will cover the ground, and mosses and lichens will come back first; in a hundred years, the forest will become lush again, and animals will migrate back——"
"Two hundred years from now, no one will remember any harm done here."
Afra was speechless and said no more.
After all, the thinking of immortal species is different from that of humans.
For her, even if she is Crown Rank Spellcaster and her lifespan is far longer than that of ordinary humans, one hundred years is still a long time.
She couldn't imagine a perspective that thought in terms of hundreds of years, just like she couldn't imagine how fast time would flow during the dragon's long life.
However, Afra can understand this difference in thinking.
"Your Majesty has a far-sighted view. It was me who was abrupt."
She lowered her head slightly and performed a simple mage salute.
Red Iron Dragon did not answer, but turned his gaze back to the crack.
"If Your Majesty wants to disperse gently, I can send someone to help."
Afra said, "Magic Array, purification ceremony, long-term stationing, all of them are fine - we have a dedicated Abyss countermeasure team, which has done many similar things and dealt with Abyssal Rift many times. Although the scale is not as large as this, we still have experience."
"We can provide spell support and send people to guard the area in shifts."
After saying that, she turned around and flew towards the south.
The suspended magic tower followed her, carrying many Legendary Realm Spellcaster, gradually turning into blurry spots of light in the wind and snow, and finally disappeared into the sky.
Garos looked at the direction she left, then turned to the other side.
A huge and sturdy figure was approaching him.
Ancient Blue Dragon, Lord of Thunder, Lamorien.
He flapped his wings unhurriedly, and fine arcs of electricity were entwined between the wingspans. Every flapping of the wings made the surrounding snowflakes tremble slightly, and as he got closer, he could even hear the low thunder rolling between the scales.
"Garos."
He said hello, calling her by his first name, and his eyes swept over Red Iron Dragon's body.
Garos's wound has mostly healed.
The new dragon scales cover most of the exposed flesh and are slightly lighter in color than the surrounding old scales. However, in some of the deepest wounds, the new bones underneath can still be vaguely seen.
But even so, Garos's aura was still calm, not like he had just experienced a life-and-death fight.
Killed a Archdemon, but didn't look weak.
"Well played."
Lamorien said, with sincere admiration in his voice, "Archdemon, who has weakened himself to the level of Crown Rank, would have to spend a lot of money to win if it were me, but you don't seem to have suffered any irreversible injuries."
Garos stared at him.
There was no emotion visible in the ember-like black dragon eyes.
"You came just to praise me?"
he said.
Lamorien grinned, showing an expression similar to a smile, and the sharp teeth shone coldly in the snow light.
"I compliment you sincerely, but it's not all just to praise you."
The voice paused, and Ancient Blue Dragon looked away from Garos, looking towards the direction where Eastern Alliance Legendary Realm were leaving. Over there, Varta and other Eastern Alliance Legendary Realm had already disappeared into the eastern sky.
"Did you notice the way Monk looked at you before leaving?"
He looked away and asked.
Garos's pupils narrowed slightly. "What do you want to say?"
"I want to say that he wanted that drop of Tear of Immortality, but you refused. On the surface, he was fine, but in his heart——"
Primordial Dragon shook his head, the dragon's kiss opened slightly, revealing a row of sharp teeth.
"Human beings are like this. They are respectful on the surface but keep it in mind."
"Especially that kind of old guy who has lived for hundreds of years and is very deep in the city. He will not fall out on the spot or let you see his dissatisfaction, but he will remember it."
"One day, one month, one year, ten years - as long as there is a chance, he will dig out this dissatisfaction."
"When you are at your weakest, he will not hesitate to add insult to injury."
He stared at Garos and said bluntly, "That guy's talent in the Monk path cannot be underestimated. Three Paths Unified is infinitely close to Destiny Rank. In some aspects, it is better than us."
"However, given his situation, it is basically impossible to really reach the Destiny Rank level."
Breakthroughs above Crown Rank mainly depend on one's own status and lifespan.
To break through Destiny Rank, what you need is to make full preparations while you are at your peak and go all out.
If you fail the first time, if there is no accident, the success rate will only get lower and lower in the future.
"Think about it, you don't have long to live, there is no hope of breakthrough, your lifelong pursuit is right in front of you but you can't get it."
Lamorien said, "But at this moment, a treasure appears that can allow you to reach a new level and regain your vitality. Will you do anything to get it?"
"Oh, he won't really give up."
"Human memory is sometimes very good, especially when it comes to holding grudges."
"So?"
"So, you should think about how to deal with potential enemies."
Morien lowered his voice, leaned forward slightly, and said with a sincere expression, "Last time, I was too anxious. Then I thought about it, these humans Crown Rank should not be underestimated. Maybe they have some powerful trump card."
"But I'm sure that as long as we work together, nothing will be a problem."
"You and I join forces and find an opportunity to kill them all. When they are all dead, Atlant will be our dragon's world."
He raised the dragon's claw and drew a large circle in the air. Thunder and lightning jumped at the tip of the claw, outlining a vague outline.
"You get the whole Northern Frontier, and I occupy the west and govern Atlant together. Isn't it better than having to guard against them everywhere now?"
He pointed in the direction of Eastern Land, then pointed at Southern Domain, "What were they doing when you and Archdemon were fighting for their lives just now? They hope that both you and Archdemon will lose. They like to take advantage. You know this in your heart, and I know it in my heart too."
"What's the use of keeping this kind of person?"
"Today we can watch you die, and tomorrow we can watch Abyss swallow the entire continent. Instead of counting on them, we should do it ourselves."
That's right----
Red Iron Dragon showed a playful expression.
"Oh? Did I remember it wrong? You don't seem to be serious about fighting Demon General."
Ancient Blue Dragon looks as usual.
He said seriously, "This is because you misunderstood."
"Dragonkin, who is also noble and powerful, how could I let you fight alone? I mainly wanted to guard against those people, so I held back."
"If they suddenly attack, I must have enough strength to deal with it, right?"
He spread out his dragon claws and looked candid.
"Yes, I believe it."
Garos nodded, but then changed the subject, "However, your proposal still doesn't work well."
Primordial Dragon's eyebrows wrinkled slightly.
To be more precise, the scales between the eyebrows wrinkle.
The giant dragon has no eyebrows. This movement is a habit left by the humanoid form. Even if it shows its original shape, it will unconsciously make a similar expression.
"Why not?"
"Because Atlant is too big."
Garos raised the dragon's claw, pointed at the ground beneath his feet, and then pointed into the distance.
In the wind and snow, you can vaguely see the continuous Mountain Range and the endless plains. These are the lands that have just been divided up. Some people have already been stationed, and some are still deserted, waiting for development by new owners.
"Look at this land."
"Northern Frontier, West, Eastern Land, Southern Domain----How many times wider than our original territory?"
"With Aura's current size, even if all other forces are wiped out, they still won't be able to control it."
"Governance requires manpower, time, and stable order. We haven't even digested our newly acquired territory yet. How can we have the energy to annex the entire continent?"
Garos has never been an ambitious person.
The current Northern Frontier is enough for the development of Aura for a long time. Even the size of Aura may not be enough. In this case, even if the entire Atlant is obtained, it will only be a heavy burden. It is a bottomless pit that requires the investment of countless resources but cannot be produced.
"Besides, there are those things on top of your head."
Garos raised the dragon claw and pointed upward.
Above the clouds, Floating City is looming.
Those silent behemoths still hang in the sky Central Continent, casting huge shadows day after day Sun-Earth like Sword of Damocles hanging over everyone's heads.
"It is basically certain that once this Floating City falls, it will cause cracks to appear."
"And judging from previous signs, I think there will be more Floating City crashes."
"If there are too many Crown Ranks on the surface, and next time Archdemons and High Demon Generals come at the same time, I won't be able to resist them alone, and neither will you."
Lamorien's eyes darkened. "You can't trust yourself so much?"
"I can trust myself."
Red Iron Dragon said, "But, I don't fight a battle I'm not sure about."
Lamorien was silent.
The wind and snow roared between them, rolling up the snow on the ground and forming small vortices in the airflow stirred by the dragon's wings.
At this time, Garos suddenly asked a seemingly irrelevant question.
"Lamorien, why did you know in advance that Floating City was going to fall? Tell me the specific source."
"No."
Blue Dragon answered simply and without thinking.
Garos said, "You have to hide basic sources of information, how can I trust you?"
Lamorien shook his head, and the scales on his neck rubbed against each other, making a soft metallic sound, "It's not important. We have a common goal, that's enough, as long as you know I won't harm you."
Since he still didn't want to say anything, Garos didn't pursue it any further.
There is no point in asking someone Primordial Dragon, especially when the other party has made up his mind to hide it.
However, based on this alone, he was unwilling to cooperate in depth with Lord of Thunder.
Although there is no evidence or definite news, Garos always feels that this guy is planning something, he is unkind and cannot be trusted.
Compared with human Crown Rank, this Crown Dragon is actually more worthy of vigilance.
Garos thought for a while and suddenly said, "Let me ask you a question."
"Say."
"When we really deal with those humans Crown Rank, aren't you afraid that I will target you?"
Lamorien was stunned for a moment.
Then he laughed.
The sound was loud and echoed in the wind and snow.
"Afraid?"
The giant dragon laughed loudly, its wing membranes trembling slightly from the laughter, and said, "Of course I'm afraid, you are so good at fighting, Archdemon can kill you alone, even if it is an incomplete Archdemon, it is not comparable to the ordinary Crown Dragon."
"I have calculated that if I fight you to the death, my chance of winning is only 37%."
"How could I not be afraid?"
As he said that, he stopped laughing and looked at Garos, the thunder and lightning condensed into sharp light spots in his eyes.
"Garos·Ignas, I have seen your power. You are stronger than I expected. You are so strong that I have to re-evaluate the consequences of being your enemy."
"So, I've thought about it, and I won't tell you any nonsense about co-governance."
Ancient Blue Dragon said boldly, "Let's get rid of the others together first."
"When only the two of us are left, let's fight. Let's have a battle that belongs only to us, and let our blood relatives and people witness it."
"When the time comes, whoever wins will become King of Atlan."
"If I lose, I am willing to respect you and serve you. I swear in the name of you Dragon God that all the dragons in my tribe, including me, will surrender to you."
Garos narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at this Ancient Blue Dragon, looking into its eyes with flashing lightning.
There was something fiery in it, not like lying, but not completely sincere either.
Would an ambitious and determined Primordial Dragon like Lamorien be willing to succumb to other dragons?
No, absolutely impossible.
There is a high probability that he has something to rely on or some back-up to think that he can win in a one-on-one duel.
No matter what Lord of Thunder's true thoughts are, no matter how sincere he appears, Garos will not agree to cooperate with him without trusting him.
So, he said calmly, "My goal is not to fight."
Garos raised his head and looked at the sky.
Above the clouds, Floating City is looming, and further away is the endless sky, the distant space, and the direction of the stars.
His eyes seemed to penetrate the clouds and the atmosphere, and see something more distant.
"I gained a lot from this fight with Archdemon."
"When I finish digesting this, I will accumulate enough strength to step towards the Crown Rank gate - this is what I care about most now. Becoming the king and dominating can be put aside later."
Garos withdrew his gaze and looked at Blue Dragon with a calm tone.
"When I become Crown Rank and the kingdom under my command develops to another stage, then I will take action without you needing to tell me."
"When the time comes, if you are willing, we don't have to fight against each other."
"It would be too lonely to be alone at the top. I am happy to rule Atlant with other dragons and let the world know that the so-called Evil Dragon in their eyes can also coexist harmoniously. Who said that two dragon kings cannot be born on the same continent?"
"We can draw boundaries, govern separately, and respect each other."
These words are more sincere than Lamorien.
But----it's also a bit condescending.
Blue Dragon was silent for a few seconds, then grinned.
"Okay, with your growth potential, when you break through Crown Rank, I probably won't be your opponent. Haha, by then, I won't humiliate myself and challenge you again. My winning rate may not even be 10%."
"As for the idea of co-governing Atlant, don't mention it again."
"All this time, I just want to see Dragon Race be great again."
"If you can single-handedly sweep all other kingdoms and restore the glory of my Dragon Race on this continent, I, Lamorien, am willing to swear by my surname that I will lead the entire Helmode Dragon Brood to be loyal to you under your dragon wings."
Garos smiled and said, "Okay."
"I promise that Aura Kingdom will reserve a position for you, and it will be a position no lower than that of my blood relatives."
Lamorien nodded, the wing membrane unfolded, and thunder and lightning jumped between the wing bones.
"I'm looking forward to this day. However, there are still kingdom affairs to deal with now. See you next time."
"Go well."
Primordial Dragon turned around, whipped up a gust of wind across his wings, and led the dragons waiting on the other side to fly towards the west, like a moving thundercloud, gradually disappearing into the snow.
After flying far away.
It wasn't until Red Iron Dragon's figure had disappeared that Blue Dragon, the one next to Lamorien, spoke in a low voice.
"Brother, are you really willing to be loyal to him?"
"That's not your style."
"How can we recognize other dragons as kings?"
Hearing this, Lamorien paused slightly and asked calmly, "No way? We are both dragons and have the same goal. We can fight for this goal together, so why should we fight to the death?"
"He is strong and he gets the upper hand. I am weak and I surrender. What's the problem?"
Even so, the thunder and lightning around him gradually became violent.
Fine electric arcs jumped between the scales, making a crackling sound. The surrounding snowflakes were directly vaporized as they approached him, forming a small snow-free area. A thundercloud became thicker and denser, almost engulfing his figure.
The other dragons remained silent, but flew more orderly.
They have followed Lord of Thunder for a long time and naturally know his character.
This Primordial Dragon is full of joy and anger, but when he speaks calmly but cannot control the power of his thunder, it is often when he is at his most dangerous. Under the calm appearance, there is surging anger or a triggered murderous intention.
At the same time.
To the east, about three hundred miles away from the battlefield.
Several Legendary Realm surrounded Varta, and the atmosphere was solemn.
They were flying at a very low altitude, almost touching the treetops. Monk's monk's robes rustled in the wind, but he himself was like a stone statue, not even his hair swaying. "Tear of Immortality is your only chance to break through."
Another human being, Crown Rank, who is not as famous as Varta, said in a deep voice.
He is a Crown Rank warrior of the Farrell Kingdom. He is older, his beard and hair are all white, and his face is full of traces of time.
"Varta, if you miss it, it will be almost impossible for you to break through to Destiny Rank by yourself."
"And we, Farrell, will also lose the opportunity to have a Destiny Rank being in charge. You know what this means. In possible conflicts in the future, we will be at a disadvantage."
Varta was silent, looking into the distance, and did not respond immediately.
Another Legendary Realm spoke.
This is a middle-aged man, wearing heavy armor and carrying a huge sword that is almost as tall as a man.
His voice was rough as he said, "Except for Tear of Immortality, that Red Emperor is now so powerful that he is comparable to Crown Rank and can even kill a Archdemon. When he really reaches Crown Rank, he may dare to challenge the real Destiny Rank."
"Once he turns his back and wants to annex us, who can stop him?"
"So, I won't wait for him to reach Crown Rank."
Varta finally spoke and said slowly.
"We did not expect the previous situation and did not prepare in advance. It is not suitable to force it. At that time, Afra might have intervened, and Lord of Thunder Lamorien might have taken the opportunity to attack."
"There are too many variables."
The voice paused slightly, Varta turned his head and looked at the companions around him.
His eyes were bright, like polished obsidian. There was no anger in them, just deep thoughts.
"Now, we can make careful plans."
Another Legendary Realm couldn't help but ask, "What are your plans?"
"He just killed Archdemon alone. Although Archdemon is not at its peak, it also proves his strength. In a head-on conflict, we may not have a chance of winning. Even if we win, the price will be high.
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"So there is no direct conflict."
Varta's eyes became deep and he said slowly, "The giant dragon has the weakness of the dragon. They have a long lifespan and powerful talents, but there is a flaw that cannot be ignored."
"That is, deep sleep."
This word made several Legendary Realms startled.
Sleeping? Isn't this an excellent talent of the dragon clan?
"The dragons will fall into deep sleep every once in a while. This is part of their lives. This mechanism is one of the reasons why Dragonkin is powerful. While sleeping, their strength will increase, their injuries will heal, and they can even break through bottlenecks."
"But for them, sleep is not all good."
"Everything has pros and cons."
Varta glanced at his companions to make sure everyone was listening carefully.
"While sleeping, the dragon has instinctive warning, but it is not awake after all."
"Their perception will drop to about 10% of normal conditions, and their reaction speed will also be greatly reduced."
"When waking up from a deep sleep, it is also the time when its breath is sluggish, weak and hungry. This window period is very short, especially for the dragon emperor who controls countless resources. It may only be a few days or even a few hours, but it does exist."
Old Crown Rank's eyes lit up: "You mean----"
"He has to sleep anyway."
Varta said in a calm tone, "Based on the information we collected before, combined with the general rules of Dragonkin's growth, the next time he falls asleep will not be too far away, and he will need a long sleep to digest."
"After the war, this process may be advanced."
"According to my estimation, his sleep will last for about a hundred years, and while he is sleeping, the Kingdom of Qimosa will always become conservative and introverted. This is a common problem of the Dragonkin Realm. The monarch is sleeping, the dragons are leaderless, and the dragons under his command and their dependents dare not move rashly."
The voice paused, and Monk's eyes became sharp.
"When the time comes, we will prepare in advance, calculate the time accurately, and encircle and suppress them in one fell swoop."
"Take advantage of his weakest moment and kill him before Crown Rank."