Garos slowly rises from the bottom of the lake.
Cold Sacred Spring The lake water slipped from his body, and he could feel that his body had returned to its best condition, even a little stronger than before.
The life essence in Sacred Spring seeped into his scales, muscles and bones.
It was like a comprehensive tempering for his body.
When he surfaced, he found a figure standing on the shore.
Silver Dragon King, Nereus·Alektra.
She was still wearing the deep Blue Dragon dress, and her long silver-white hair was gently fluttering in the breeze.
With his back to the lake, he seemed to be looking at the continuous Mountain Range in the distance, and his slender back was particularly quiet.
But Garos knew that she was not admiring the scenery, but waiting for herself.
"You seem to have had a wonderful dream."
Nereus didn't look back, his voice floated in the wind.
Recalling the dream just now, Garos said, "Yes, a beautiful dream."
"How's your recovery going?"
Silver Dragon King Change the topic.
"Very good."
Red Iron Dragon swam to the shore and climbed up the rocks on the lake shore.
"It's better than expected. The effect of this Sacred Spring - I'm amazed."
He shook his huge head, and water droplets splashed in all directions, falling on the surrounding rocks and grass. Then he stopped next to Silver Dragon King, keeping an appropriate distance.
Although Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm is friendly to him, he still needs to be polite and measured.
Metal Dragons care about this.
"Your Majesty," Red Iron Dragon said politely, "I have a request."
"Say it."
"I hope to come here again in the future and use Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm's sacred place."
Garos looked directly at Silver Dragon King's side face and said, "It's not free, I can exchange it at equal value, whether it's treasure,
Information, materials, or anything else Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm needs."
"As long as I can get it, just ask."
Silver Dragon King turned his head, with a hint of amusement in his silver eyes.
"Exchange of equal value?"
She laughed softly.
"Garos, do you know what this Sacred Spring means to the Dragon Realm? It is a strategic place for the Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm, and it is a heritage accumulated over countless years."
"Although your kingdom is vast, its foundation is shallow. I don't think you can produce anything of equal value."
Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm has a long heritage and profound foundation, while Garos's kingdom was established in too short a time and accumulated too little. The gap between the two cannot be bridged by a few heroic words.
Garos was silent for a moment.
"Well, you are right." He admitted frankly and said, "But I can promise that one day in the future, when Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm needs me, I will lend a helping hand here, no matter who the opponent is."
Among Five Great Dragon Realms, Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm and Garos have the closest relationship.
In the battle between him and Bronze Dragon Xiano, they almost died together.
The brutality of that battle still makes Garos feel frightened when he thinks about it.
It was Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm who gave him shelter and kept him here despite Raging Tide Dragon Realm's constant pressure, allowing him to smoothly recover from his injuries and stabilize Legendary Realm's realm.
This time I provoked Demigod, but Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm still didn't shut him out.
Silver Dragon King said it simply before, but she must also know that for the Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm, Demigod is not something that can be messed with at will, but he is still accepted here and treated for his injuries.
Garos is not an ungrateful character.
He kept these favors in mind.
"Okay." Silver Dragon King nodded, with a hint of satisfaction in his tone.
"Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm's door will be open for you, Garos, not because of your promise of future assistance, but because-" She paused, then said, "I believe you will be an ally worth making."
"As for equal exchange." She waved her hand, "I don't need it."
"You have given me what I wanted."
Garos asked, "What is it?"
"Your promise," Silver Dragon King said, "Is what I want now."
She turned around and faced the lake, her voice becoming a little ethereal. "Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm seems powerful, but there are many hidden dangers. Metal Dragon people have been comfortable for too long, and we old guys are hard to the Immortal Realm. Sooner or later it will end."
"Once the real crisis comes----"
She didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was already obvious.
The prosperity of the Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm is built on the foundation of several veteran Dragon King. Once they fall, no one knows how long this building can last.
And whether those young dragons can take over this burden is even more unknown.
"I will remember today's conversation." Garos said, "I will keep Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm's help in mind, and besides——
My children are growing up, I have blood relatives taking root here, and I will not stand idly by either emotionally or rationally."
Silver Dragon King smiled.
"Yes, your heir, Gabriel·Ignas, his dream is to replace me and become the king of the Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm, or even the king of all Dragon Realm."
Red Iron Dragon was silent for a moment.
Has this traitor made his "ambition" public? He really doesn't know how to restrain himself, or he lacks education.
"Gabriel is arrogant and overconfident."
He said, "Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm can give him some more lessons."
Silver Dragon King nodded lightly and said, "Since you want to be Dragon King, you must take on the corresponding responsibilities. I appreciate his ambition and hope that he can really grow up before I end."
Her voice paused slightly and she smiled.
"As for training and lessons - I have already arranged corresponding trials for him, it won't be easy."
Red Iron Dragon also grinned and said, "That's good, please give him more difficulty. I believe he will thrive in the Dragon Realm's trial. I'll wait and see."
At this time, Nereus suddenly turned his head.
She looked directly at Red Iron Dragon and said, "Sometimes, I really wish you were Metal Dragon."
This sentence came a bit suddenly.
Red Iron Dragon tilted his head slightly and looked at her.
But then, without waiting for Garos to respond, Silver Dragon King shook his head again and denied the statement. "No, if that were really the case, you might not have achieved what you have today."
"Why do you say that?" Garos asked.
"Because Metal Dragon's life is very fragmented."
Silver Dragon King said in a complicated tone, "Old guys like me have experienced too much over a long period of time and know that this world is not gentle. Dragon Race is being pushed to the edge by the torrent of the times, so we continue to become stronger, accumulate, and move forward with a heavy load, trying to hold up a sky for the entire ethnic group."
She paused, looked at the lake, and sighed slightly.
"But what about the new generation? Most of them were born in comfort and grew up in comfort."
"They know that there is danger outside, and they know that the glory of Dragon Race is no longer there, but that is just a knowledge, like a description in an inherited memory, rather than an understanding that is truly engraved in their bones."
"They enjoy the protection of the Dragon Realm, but few of them have really thought about what they paid for this protection."
Dragon King are carrying heavy burdens and moving forward, while the young dragons are living in peace.
This is probably the current situation of Bernardo Metal Dragon.
"Comfort wears away the will."
Red Iron Dragon said calmly.
"Yes." Nereus withdrew his gaze and looked at Red Iron Dragon again, "Evil Dragons grow up in a high-risk environment, and their mortality rate is much higher than that of Metal Dragon, but some powerful and special individuals always emerge among them."
"Such as you."
"I can feel that sense of urgency from you. You seem to know that something is chasing you, so you keep moving forward without stopping."
"This kind of characteristic is almost absent in the current Metal Dragon."
Garos Listening to her words, a strange feeling surged in my heart.
There was a hint of relief in Nereus's tone, and an almost indifferent tiredness in his eyes, even a bit like he had already felt that he had no hope of life and was explaining his funeral arrangements.
This is not what a normal dragon should look like.
Of course, the status of Nereus is indeed abnormal.
"I thought of a question." Garos said.
"What?"
"Twilight——what does it feel like?"
Garos asked.
Dragonkin's lifespan also has a limit, but unlike most biological races, it will quickly die once it reaches the limit. After Dragonkin's lifespan reaches its limit, it will enter a twilight state, which is a special stage between life and death.
If you can survive the twilight time and time again, you can still continue to become stronger.
Even, break through the limit of life span and move towards a higher realm.
However, few dragons can survive the dusk. Most of them struggle in it, Damnation, and eventually die completely. The dusk is like an invisible threshold. If you cross it, you can continue on. If you can't cross it, it is the end.
Nereus's expression didn't change much, but her eyes narrowed slightly.
This question is too direct and even a little offensive.
Asking a giant dragon about its feelings about aging and death is like asking a dying old man what it feels like to die of old age. It is the most private and painful experience that is usually not easily shared with outsiders.
But Silver Dragon King is not angry.
She sat down on a rock by the lake and patted the spot next to her.
Red Iron Dragon stepped over and crouched down nearby. The huge dragon body was like a mountain, completely covering Nereus's figure under its scale wings.
"The feeling of twilight----"
Silver Dragon King looked at the lake and said slowly.
"It's like there is endless sleepiness, not ordinary fatigue, or fatigue that can be recovered by taking a rest, but an irresistible sleepiness that surges up from the depths of the soul."
"A bit like when sleep comes, but completely different."
"Sleep is for recovery and strength, and is a need of the body, while the sleepiness of death is the soul telling you that enough is enough, stop, don't continue."
"The most unbearable thing is that you will lose interest in most things."
She continued, her voice getting lower and lower, as if she was talking to herself or confiding to Garos.
"When you see the sun rising in the morning, you no longer feel excited, but think about the beginning of another day; when you see Hatchling Dragon practicing flying in the sky, you no longer feel happy, but think that one day they will come to me."
"The battles that once made your blood boil, the ambitions that once kept you awake at night, the treasures that once made you ecstatic——"
"Everything has become boring."
"You just want to sleep, forever."
"But once you really fall asleep, it will be the death of the Eternal Realm."
Garos listened quietly, and could feel the horror of Chui Mu in his heart. If he could not break through the Immortal Realm at his peak, he would have to face Chui Mu and experience the same torment and struggle.
"I'm fighting against twilight all the time."
"Every morning I wake up, it's a victory and a new war. I can't remember how long this struggle lasted, and I don't know how long I can hold on."
"This is the fate of the dragon."
Silver Dragon King said softly, "We have lived too long, so long that even death seems long."
The lake is as calm as a mirror, reflecting the gray-white sky. A few waterbirds fly past from a distance, making sparse calls. The breeze blows across the lake, causing fine ripples, shattering and reorganizing those reflections.
Garos looked at the ripples in the lake and thought for a few seconds.
"In my impression, most of you Metal Dragon admire Deity. Can't you ask Dragon God to bless you? At least--if you can't persist in the end, you can choose to be promoted to the Divine Kingdom after death and achieve Immortal Realm in an alternative way."
Silver Dragon King chuckled, as if hearing an innocent question.
"We admire Dragon God, Garos, but admiration is not belief."
Her tone became solemn and she said word by word, "I will not return to the Divine Kingdom. That is not my choice. I believe that other Dragon King have the same idea as me."
"Why?"
Red Iron Dragon asked.
He has many questions now, and Silver Dragon King can answer them very well.
Nereus was silent for a few breaths, and then said lightly, "Because the great Bahamut, to a certain extent, is similar to Queen of Colors, and is not worthy of belief."
Hearing Silver Dragon King call Deity by his first name, Red Iron Dragon's expression changed visible to the naked eye.
His pupils shrank, the thorns on his body stood up slightly, and his whole body tensed subconsciously. He looked around subconsciously, as if to confirm if there was any invisible force watching here.
Garos came to his senses and reminded, "Please be careful when talking about Deity's real name."
Nereus looked at his reaction and laughed instead, the fine lines at the corners of his eyes stretched.
"Don't worry."
She said, "The great Bahamut was a strict father. He had very high demands on Metal Dragon, sometimes almost harshly. His path was full of justice and sacrifice, but at the same time he could tolerate the comments and even questions from his people."
"Justice and mercy are not dogmas he talks about, but his principles."
"This is one of his few strengths.
"So, I will not be punished by God for saying such things. The great Bahamut will not punish me for this, just like----well, he doesn't even bother to do so."
Red Iron Dragon was speechless for a moment.
He didn't know what to say.
Silver Dragon King's words were full of disappointment and doubts about Deity, which could even be said to be blasphemous, but her tone was so calm and matter-of-fact, as if she was just stating the facts.
"Now that I've said this, Garos, I'd like to give you some advice.
"Bahamut and Tiamat seem to be opposites, but they are actually similar."
"They are both Dragon God. They want to control their own people and regard Dragon Race as their own property. The only difference is that one packages his desires with justice and glory, while the other nakedly displays greed and cruelty."
Maybe it's because having no desires means being strong, or maybe the dying dragon has lost its fear of God.
Garos can feel that her words contain deep disappointment for Deity, and it is not accumulated in a day or two, but more like the accumulation after a long time.
He still didn't answer.
Garos is not Metal Dragon after all.
The patron saint of Platinum Dragon God Bahamut, Lord of the North Wind, Metal Dragon.
Kindness, tolerance, justice--these qualities may be real, but those people never include Chromatic Dragon or Ferrous Dragon.
If he says the same thing, he may be punished by the iron fist of Deity in the next second.
Platinum Dragon God's work style is completely opposite to Chromatic Dragon Queen's.
Chromatic Dragon Queen habitually hides in dark places and likes to make plans in the dark, and because there are too many hostile Deity, he never takes action directly. However, Platinum Dragon God insists on justice and honor, and at the same time is violent and fierce, and cannot tolerate sand in his eyes.
If an evil person is found to be displeased with him, there is a high probability that the gods will descend from the sky and crush him to death.
There is absolutely no concern about the risks that may be encountered when Material Plane Divine Descent.
This is a Deity who dares to act and does what he says.
At the same time, Nereus stood up and patted the non-existent dust on her skirt.
"Garos, I have another suggestion here."
she said.
Garos gathered his thoughts and asked, "What?"
Silver Dragon King said, "Metal Dragon Clan also has different ideas and conflicts within it, but we are all Metal Dragon, and we fight with each other without breaking up. You should know this."
Garos nodded.
If the fight really breaks down, a hole will be poked in the sky above our heads. If a war breaks out between Metal Dragon, it is no joke, and it may lead to the split and decline of Dragon Race.
"Raging Tide Dragon Realm, is now the base camp of the Purification Faction dragon."
"Their behavior is too radical, and our other four major Dragon Realms will not sit idly by and ignore it. This is also an internal matter of the Dragon Realm. It is inconvenient for other Dragon Realms to interfere, and they should not interfere."
After hearing these words, Garos knew what she meant.
He spoke bluntly and asked, "Do you want me to avoid Raging Tide Dragon Realm and avoid any disputes with the Purification Faction dragon?"
Nereus nodded slightly and shook his head slightly.
"I said, this is just a suggestion, not advice."
"The specific choice is your own business."
Her expression did not change and her tone remained calm.
Red Iron Dragon did not answer directly, his eyes looked thoughtful.
"Okay, that's it for today's conversation. I've talked too much, which is not a good thing for an aging old dragon."
Silver Dragon King smiled.
"Let's go, Garos."
She said, "Do what you should do and break the shackles of the times."
Garos solemnly said, "I will set foot on Immortal Path."
Silver Dragon King nodded and said, "When the time comes, I hope I will still be alive and have the opportunity to witness the birth of a Immortal Realm dragon."
After saying that, she turned around.
The deep Blue Dragon skirt drew an arc, walking in the opposite direction to Garos, and the figure disappeared in the blink of an eye, as if it had never appeared.
The light shines on the lake, sparkling, cold and peaceful.
Garos stood motionless by the lake.
He looked down at the water, and his fierce and sharp figure was reflected in the reflection. There was no expression on his scaly face, and he thought of Silver Dragon King's words in his heart.
"The collective malice of the gods and the general trend of the times are not worthy of belief Dragon God."
", Garos has a clearer understanding of his environment.
The current situation is more dangerous than he imagined.
The will of the gods, the tide of the times, and the fate of the ethnic group, these things are intertwined together to form a large invisible network, and he is just a small node in this network.
He didn't say anything, he just stretched out his claws quietly and tore apart the space.
Red Iron Dragon stepped into the crack, and the figure completely disappeared from the Wave-Subduing Dragon Realm, leaving only the gradually subdued ripples on the lake and a small patch of grass on the shore bent by the dragon's body.
Red Emperor Royal City, Dragon Court.
Above the clouds, the strong wind howled.
A huge crack suddenly tore open in the void, as if the sky itself was forcibly torn apart by some invisible force.
Red Iron Dragon leapt out from it, spread its wings, stabilized its body, and then fell towards Dragon Court.
Here, at this moment, he is the only dragon that exists.
The clone of Star-Self Dragon that was originally entrenched here has disappeared.
"When fighting Giant King, I activated Shining Form. The consumption of Star-Self Dragon was unbearable and it dissipated on its own."
Garos thought in his heart.
There is no doubt that Star-Self Clone is powerful, but its limitations are equally obvious. When the main body engages in too fierce a battle and cannot continue to supply sufficient Dragon Qi, Star-Self Clone will disperse on its own and cannot be maintained.
He stepped to the edge of Dragon Court and looked down.
The clouds were rolling and surging under his feet, like white Ocean, being blown by the strong wind from high up and constantly changing shapes. Through the gaps in the clouds, one could vaguely see the vast land below, with vast undulating forests, winding rivers reflecting silvery white light in the sun, dotted towns scattered among them, and magnificent cities that were constantly expanding.
Red Emperor Royal City is located in the center of this land, like a deep red gem embedded in the earth.
The city wall is tall and thick, the buildings in the city are lined up in rows, there are many towers, and the various functional areas are clearly divided. The figure of Dragonkin shuttles back and forth in the sky, casting majestic shadows.
This is his kingdom.
Step by step, with claws and flames, with wisdom and strength, he built the kingdom with his own hands. No one gave him charity. Every inch of the land was bought with blood and fire.
"If I were born Metal Dragon, it would be difficult for me to stand at this height at the same time."
Garos thought to himself.
Soon after, Iron Dragon was called and flew up from the clouds.
Gordon's wing membrane tore through the floating clouds, leaving a long trail in the sky. The air flow made a low roar beside him. When he got close to Dragon Court and saw Garos's appearance clearly, there was an obvious look of surprise on his face.
"You...
Iron Dragon stopped, his eyes swept back and forth over Garos, carefully observing the other party's changes.
"Garos, my dear brother, how did you become like this? How could there be such a huge change in such a short period of time.
"You seem surprised."
Garos looked at Iron Dragon's reaction and said, "I told you, I went to Orotara because I have something serious to do, and this change is one of my goals."
Iron Dragon looked suspicious and blurted out subconsciously.
"Oh? Isn't it because you are greedy----"
Before he finished speaking, he stopped in time, as if biting his own tongue.
Under the dangerous gaze from Red Iron Dragon, Iron Dragon quickly adjusted his expression, pretending that nothing had happened, and put on a serious face.
"You might as well come back now, I have something important to tell you."
Gordon cleared his throat and changed the subject.
"What's the matter?"
Gordon walked to the edge of Dragon Court, stopped beside Red Iron Dragon, and looked in the direction of the Braketon Kingdom.
"It's the message sent back by Reinhart."
He said, his tone lowered, "About Lord of Thunder."
Garos turned to look at Iron Dragon and motioned for him to continue.
"Lamorien----Breakthrough."
"Breakthrough?"
Garos raised his chin slightly, revealing a hint of surprise. "From Crown Rank to Destiny Rank?"
"Yes."
Gordon nodded with a solemn expression, "And it's not just an ordinary breakthrough."
"Reinhart said that his appearance changed drastically, his size increased dramatically, the color of his scales changed from bright Blue Dragon to deep indigo, lightning-like patterns appeared on the wing membranes, and the dragon's horns also changed from one horn to three pairs, spreading symmetrically from left to right----"
"Although there was no fight, Reinhart intuitively felt a strong danger."
"He said that it should be difficult for him to compete with Lord of Thunder at this time."
While talking, Gordon took out a photo prop.
The light intertwined in the air, gradually revealing a clear picture.
Lord of Thunder soared among the billowing dark clouds, with thunder and lightning wrapping around him. Every time he flapped his wings, there was a thunderous roar, and three pairs of dragon horns stood above his head like a crown.
"Storm Dragon...
Garos's eyes were slightly focused, staring at the figure in the picture.
In the era when dragon lords ruled the world, Storm Dragon was the king of the Blue Dragon group, standing at the apex of all Blue Dragons. There are detailed records of this ancient form in Dragon Inheritance.
Comparable to Storm Dragon, there are Hellfire Dragon, Black Demon Dragon and so on.
In ancient times, these giant dragons were equal in average level, each with their own strength.
Of course Gordon also knows what Storm Dragon means.
He said seriously, "With the dilution and differentiation of Dragon Race's bloodline, Storm Dragon has become a legend. Lamorien can break through Destiny Rank in a short period of time and become Storm Dragon - it is not something that can be done casually."
Garos narrowed his eyes slightly, and various possibilities emerged in his mind.
He considered them one by one and eliminated them one by one.
In the end, all the clues pointed in one direction.
In today's world, there is only one person who can bestow the complete Storm Dragon bloodline in a short period of time.
"Lamorien, he surrendered to the Dragon Queen."
"Only Chromatic Dragon Queen can bring Blue Dragon back to the Storm Dragon form of the ancient times, and such gifts are never free."
Red Iron Dragon wrinkled the scales on his forehead slightly and fell into thought.
"Why did he make this choice? With Lamorien's character, he shouldn't have succumbed to the will of the Dragon Queen. How could he?"
As he thought about it, he had some vague guesses.
"He has become an apostle of the Dragon Queen and is spreading his faith, establishing Temple and collecting Blood Tax."
Gordon bared his teeth, showing an expression of impatience and worry, "Atlant Continent belongs to Aura and belongs to us. We can't let Lord of Thunder act recklessly. What he is doing now will shake our foundation bit by bit and encroach on our territory."
"Brother, how should we deal with this matter?"
Storm Dragon, who is involved in the Destiny Rank Realm, and Chromatic Dragon Queen, who is standing behind everything, Iron Dragon dare not make his own decision. This is no longer a level that he can judge alone.
Garos thought for a moment, his eyes wandering between the sea of clouds, weighing various possible development directions.
Then he said, "We currently have too little information. Let's wait and see what happens and see what Lamorien wants to do and how Raging Tide Dragon Realm reacts."
"Bronze Dragon King will not turn a blind eye to this kind of thing."
Destiny Dragon, or Storm Dragon, God's chosen apostle.
Garos knows that he is not completely sure that he can defeat it now.
If you act rashly, the outcome will be unpredictable.
You may even put yourself in a dangerous situation.
Moreover, he understands the nature of Lamorien, and the two may not necessarily be incompatible with each other, but if it comes to this, it will be a life-and-death struggle.
Garos withdrew his gaze and looked at the dark clouds that were gradually gathering in the distance.