Chapter Summaries

Garos recovered from his battle wounds and secured control of the Borderlands, then ordered an attack on the Venomtail Tribe after rejecting their belated offer of submission. Meanwhile, the exiled prime Red Dragon Gorsas returned to the Ser Wilderness and declared his intent to reclaim it.

• Garos returned to Dragon Valley with Battleworn Marks, and Deborah gave him healing potions before exhaustion put him to sleep.
• The Molten Iron Tribe routed the Dawn Tribe and Ironblood Tribe, seized their strongholds, and took control of nearly all the Borderlands.
• Garos rejected the Venomtail Tribe's envoy and ordered Sorog to march on Ten-Thousand Snake Marsh and crush the tribe if it resisted.
• Gorsas slaughtered a guard at a ruined outpost in the Ser Wilderness, then proclaimed that the land would recognize him as its master again.

The Molten Iron Legion invaded Venomtail Tribe territory and forced its border outposts to submit through a brutal purge. At Ten-Thousand Snake Marsh, Sorog confronted Naris, who held back from fighting because the legion and Garos made resistance hopeless.

• Kesos and the sentries spotted the approaching Molten Iron Legion, and the guards surrendered before they could sound the alarm.
• Sorog ordered half of the surrendered Snake-men killed, while Iron Dragon executed resisters and the legion crushed the outposts on its march.
• Naris gathered the Venomtail Tribe’s forces at Ten-Thousand Snake Marsh, but they faced the much stronger Molten Iron Legion without drawing their weapons.
• Sorog landed alone before Naris and challenged her, while she refrained from attacking because Garos and the legion stood behind him.

Naris surrendered the Venomtail Tribe to Sorog, accepting a bloody conquest to prevent its destruction. Sorog refused her seduction and explained that Garos would value her no more than a White Tiger, leaving Naris astonished by the Lord of Crimson Wings’s priorities.

• Naris apologized to Sorog and offered the Venomtail Tribe’s eternal loyalty, and Sorog demanded that it accept conquest.
• Sorog ordered the Molten Iron Legion to attack, and the Venomtail Tribe’s restrained defenders were overwhelmed as the marsh ran red with blood.
• Naris and the surviving Snake-men surrendered, and Sorog accepted their submission after the tribe lost more than half its population.
• Naris declared herself loyal to Sorog and tried to seduce him, but Sorog refused to act on desire and said she had not truly submitted.
• Naris asked how Garos would treat her, and Sorog said Garos would regard her as no more valuable than the Ferocious White Tiger.

Garos rewarded Deborah with gemstones and arranged for Nick to establish a monastery in the Lothern Kingdom to train orphaned children as Divine Dragon Monks. He planned to send Gordon as their dragon instructor while continuing his training for a return to the Ser Wilderness.

• Sorog reported that the Venomtail Tribe had pledged allegiance, and Garos ordered him to divide its fighters among mixed warbands while keeping ordinary Snake-men together.
• Deborah solved Garos's riddle and collected the ten gemstones he had promised, then received another as a personal gift and made a bracelet.
• Deborah showed off her gemstone bracelet to Vera, who tried to approach it before Deborah stopped her.
• Garos asked Nick about the monastery in the Lothern Kingdom and instructed him to take in orphaned children and teach them Dragon Stance.
• Nick warned that the children might struggle to become Divine Dragon Monks, so Garos planned to send Gordon to teach them by example.
• Garos wondered whether Gordon's stance would hinder the apprentices' development, then resumed training beneath the moonlight.

Garos asked Gordon to help the Divine Dragon Monastery, and Gordon agreed while worrying that his unusual physique might hinder the monks. Garos urged Gordon to choose a class and train, and Gordon planned to pursue the Hundred-Battle Dragon pathway and visit the monastery through Princess Elina’s charity work.

• Garos explained that Gordon’s dragon aura, rather than his physique, would help the Divine Dragon Monastery, then learned Gordon had reached Life Level 13.
• Garos urged Gordon to choose a class pathway and warned him not to waste his youth; Gordon said he wanted to become a Hundred-Battle Dragon.
• Garos ended the call after telling Gordon he would assess his progress when they met again, and Gordon decided to hire an advanced warrior to train him.
• Gordon planned to approach the monastery discreetly, bringing potions, supplements, and food and using Princess Elina’s charitable visits as an opportunity.
• Gordon rang for a meal and reasoned that he should eat well to have the strength for the combat training required by the Hundred-Battle Dragon pathway.

After unifying the Borderlands, Garos and Sorog oversaw the Molten Iron Tribe’s development and considered how to solve its future food shortages and administrative burdens. They decided to expand Dragon Valley by adopting other Dragons, beginning with scouts sent to the Ser Wilderness while also preparing for the Permafrost Tundra.

• The Molten Iron Tribe rebuilt trade posts, expanded mining and alchemical production, and trained vassals to operate Golems.
• Sorog realized that future population growth would worsen food shortages and that he needed trusted Dragon assistants to govern the expanding territory.
• Garos subdued the third Monster Lord, a giant deer, after most of the Borderlands’ Monster Lords had refused to submit.
• Sorog proposed adopting and raising Dragons so they could help manage Dragon Valley and the Molten Iron Tribe.
• Garos agreed to expand the Dragon group and planned to send scouts to the Ser Wilderness while preparing for the neighboring Permafrost Tundra.

Garos considered the threat posed by the northern barbarians and Frost Giants and ordered intelligence-gathering preparations while the Molten Iron Tribe secured the Borderlands. The chapter left the tribe guarding the Abyssal Rift as winter snow covered the region.

• Sorog reported that Northern Barbarians had ambushed wyvern riders pursuing Dawn Tribe and Ironblood Tribe survivors in the Permafrost Tundra, killing two wyverns.
• Garos concluded that the Molten Iron Tribe needed to grow stronger before the barbarians and Frost Giants ended their war, and he ordered Sorog to establish border warnings and send elite agents north to gather intelligence.
• Sorog selected loyal followers, especially kobolds, for training as spies and infiltrators in the Permafrost Tundra, and Garos approved the plan.
• Garos sent guards to take control of the Giant Deer Beast's territory, completing the Molten Iron Tribe's control of the Borderlands except for the Abyssal Rift.
• Tressie and Elvie led elite troops in building a defensive line around the Abyssal Rift, where they continued killing demons and collecting valuable materials as snow covered the Borderlands.

White Dragon Tressie decided to stay with the Molten Iron Tribe, reasoning that she could endure being humiliated by stronger dragons while bullying younger ones. When a major Demon invasion overwhelmed the guards and wounded Tressie and Elvie, she crushed an emergency Communication Stone to summon reinforcements.

• Tressie considered leaving the Molten Iron Tribe but chose to remain, expecting new Hatchling Dragons and Adolescent Dragons to give her weaker targets to bully.
• A horn announced that Demons had emerged from the Abyssal Rift, and Tressie joined Elvie and the guards in fighting them through the snowstorm.
• Tressie and the guards killed thousands of Quasits, Primal Demons, and Manes before the Abyssal Rift erupted again.
• A Vrock appeared, killed an Ogre guard, and led five Vulture Demon leaders and a vast new wave of Demons into the battle.
• Three Vulture Demon leaders wounded Tressie while two others attacked Elvie, leaving both fighting defensively.
• Tressie crushed her emergency Communication Stone and waited for reinforcements to turn the battle around.

Garos and the Grand Workshop Master devised Dragonforged Transformation, a staged alternative to the dangerous Dragon Vein Conversion, while planning to recruit Black Dragon Necromancers to develop it. Garos then rushed to Fertile Plain, where he defeated the Vulture Demon leaders threatening Tressie and Elvie.

• Samantha told Garos that a Giant Fire Ant leader had died during Dragon Vein Conversion, prompting him to consider how to reduce the ritual’s death rate.
• The Grand Workshop Master suggested dividing Dragon Vein Conversion into smaller stages, and Garos named the new method Dragonforged Transformation.
• Garos and Samantha concluded that the flesh-and-soul ritual required necromantic expertise, so Garos planned to train Black Dragon Necromancers.
• Garos hurried to Fertile Plain after a powerful Demon emerged from the Abyssal Rift, while Tressie and Elvie fought the Vulture Demons.
• Garos arrived as the Red Iron Dragon, killed the Vulture Demon leaders, and helped wipe out the remaining Demons.
• Elvie recovered with a potion and Holy Energy as the followers gathered valuable materials from the dead Demons.

After the Vulture Demon attack, Garos assessed the Abyssal Rift and planned stronger defenses, while Elvie’s level rose from fighting demons. Tressie explained her Dynamic Ecological Niche Theory to Garos, who realized she was far more perceptive than he had thought.

• Garos concluded that the Abyssal Rift’s stable ten-meter passage had a limit and planned to guard it with the Six-Armed Snake Woman Sword Saint, Glutton Demon Kalu, and metal Golems.
• Garos praised Elvie for reaching level 13, and Elvie explained that fighting demons strengthened her Pegasus bloodline.
• Garos noticed Tressie keeping her distance and asked what was wrong.
• Tressie explained her Dynamic Ecological Niche Theory, which she used to avoid letting insults lower her ecological niche.
• Garos recognized the insight in Tressie’s theory and reconsidered his view of her potential to survive and grow stronger.

Tressie offered to train Dragon Valley’s young dragons, while Garos returned and competed with Deborah and Vera in tail fishing. Far away, Heriam led six young dragons in fleeing their family’s war-torn territory for the Ser Wilderness.

• Tressie told Garos she wanted to nurture Dragon Valley’s hatchlings, admitting she planned to humiliate them as part of her training; Garos agreed to give her the task with rules.
• Garos returned to Dragon Valley and joined Deborah in a tail-fishing contest, with Vera joining in as well.
• Vera was swallowed by a fish and escaped under an illusion, while Garos used Dragon-Tail Pierce to catch several fish and win Deborah’s potion.
• At Crag Strait, Heriam explained that the Blue Dragon family was exploiting young dragons and that the war with the Storm Giants made staying dangerous.
• Kaxier and five other young dragons agreed to flee with Heriam, and the seven flew toward the Ser Wilderness.

Garos watched the Molten Iron Tribe build a fortress in Dragon Valley and considered the risks of sheltering Evil Dragon hatchlings there. Deborah warned him that Metal Dragons’ prejudice against him might be matched by his own prejudice against them.

• Garos reflected on the rare potions he had gained from the Red-Silver Dragon and decided support-oriented class paths would suit his followers better.
• Garos watched followers and slaves use Golems and construction materials to build a fortress atop Dragon Valley’s cliffs.
• Garos explained to Deborah that the fortress would serve as Dragon Valley’s gathering place and offered her a free room when it was finished.
• Garos asked Deborah whether Metal Dragons would attack Dragon Valley if he sheltered many Evil Dragon hatchlings there.
• Deborah told Garos that Metal Dragons might be prejudiced against him, but he was just as prejudiced against them.

Garos learned that Metal Dragons chiefly feared chaotic Evil Dragons and decided Dragon Valley would take in only a manageable number of Evil Dragons. At Sparkfire Monastery, Gordon visited the orphan trainees, whose admiration for him showed the Divine Dragon Sect’s influence taking root.

• Deborah explained to Garos that most Metal Dragons tried to guide Evil Dragons toward order and might praise him for training lawful Evil Dragons.
• Garos rejected the prospect of attracting a Deity’s attention and resolved to limit how many Evil Dragons Dragon Valley accepted.
• Nearly a hundred orphan trainees practiced dragon stances at Sparkfire Monastery under Balde, with the blind Aster leading their progress.
• Gordon arrived with delicacies and a royal potion for Balde, then welcomed the children and let them examine his scales.
• Gordon reassured Aisha that she would not go hungry again, while the children gathered around him with admiration.

The Molten Iron Tribe expanded its population, industry, and control of the Borderlands, completing Burning Steel Fortress and preparing for operations in the Permafrost Tundra and Ser Wilderness. Garos continued training and ended a sparring session after the Serpentfolk Sword Saint exhausted herself attacking him.

• The Molten Iron Tribe encouraged reproduction among its backbone races and Two-Legged Wyverns while controlling the growth of its largest populations.
• The tribe developed its Alchemy industry, expanded its forces, and sent Kobold teams north into the Permafrost Tundra as elite vanguards returned to the Ser Wilderness.
• The Molten Iron Tribe completed Burning Steel Fortress after more than three months of construction.
• Garos focused on tempering and strengthening himself, while Deborah trained alongside him.
• The Serpentfolk Sword Saint attacked Garos with a rapid barrage of sword strikes, eventually breaking his Cold Explosive Scales and leaving wounds in his underlying scales.
• Garos told the exhausted Serpentfolk Sword Saint to stop, while he remained largely unharmed by her attacks.

Garos continued strengthening his body and overseeing the Borderlands before learning that an injured adolescent Red Dragon was being pursued toward his territory by Dwarves and Golems. He summoned Samantha and the Grand Workshop Master and flew out to investigate while ordering his followers to stay hidden.

• Garos sparred with Naris, whose sword could barely wound him, and told her to have her weapons improved by the Alchemists.
• Tressie asked when new young dragons would arrive, but Garos said they would come when they came and departed for Dragon Valley.
• Garos and the Red-Silver Dragon trained together at Burning Steel Fortress over the following months.
• Sorog reported that hidden sentries had spotted an injured adolescent female Red Dragon crossing the Estonia River, followed by Dwarf cavalry and Golems.
• Garos ordered his followers to remain hidden, called for Samantha and the Grand Workshop Master, and flew toward the border.

Kaxier fled the Black Rock Principality's forces after her dragon group was defeated and captured, but the pursuers wounded her until she could barely fly. Garos appeared and slaughtered the dwarves, leaving Kaxier stunned by the power of the Red Iron Dragon.

• The dragon group lost three members in the Ser Wilderness before the Black Rock Principality's garrison ambushed them and captured the Black Dragon, Green Dragon, and Blue Dragon as Kaxier escaped.
• The dwarf pursuers struck Kaxier with crossbow bolts, and she turned to dive at their cavalry in a final attack.
• Garos, a Red Iron Dragon, crashed into the cavalry formation and destroyed the dwarves' Alchemy Golems.
• Garos recognized the Black Rock Principality's emblem and killed the remaining dwarves after their Communication Artifact failed.
• Kaxier watched from the air, awed and frightened as she wondered whether Garos was a Young Dragon or an Adult Dragon.

Garos and the other dragons rescued the wounded Kaxier and treated her injuries. They claimed her service as repayment, but Garos offered to release her from the obligation after fifty years, leaving her to decide whether to accept.

• Kaxier tried to retreat from Garos, then landed and apologized for trespassing while explaining that she had been pursued.
• Samantha and an Iron Dragon arrived and surrounded Kaxier, while the Iron Dragon used Psionic Energy to calm her.
• Samantha used Magic Energy to shatter and remove the arrows embedded in Kaxier, causing her intense pain but stabilizing her condition.
• Garos gave Kaxier a potion, and she asked what price she would have to pay for their help.
• Samantha made Kaxier acknowledge that the dragons had saved her, and the Iron Dragon declared that her life belonged to Dragon Valley, the Molten Iron Tribe, and their Ignas Dragonflight.
• After Kaxier gave her name, Garos asked her to serve loyally for fifty years to repay the debt, after which she could choose whether to leave or stay.

Kaxier agreed to serve Garos for fifty years in exchange for his help, then told him how dragons had been captured by the Black Rock Dwarves in the Ser Wilderness. Garos decided to raid a Black Rock Principality outpost to rescue them and return to the Wilderness after fourteen years away.

• Kaxier accepted Garos's terms and recounted how she and her companions had been hunted and captured in the Ser Wilderness.
• Sorog recommended rescuing the captured dragons, and Kaxier urged Garos to save the Blue Dragon while disparaging the Green Dragon and Black Dragon.
• Garos considered the risks of attacking the Black Rock Principality outpost and recalled that he, Sorog, and Samantha had left the Wilderness fourteen years earlier.
• Garos decided to lead a swift raid on the outpost, rescue the dragons, and have them pledge loyalty to Dragon Valley.

Garos returned to Ser Wilderness and overwhelmed the Black Rock Principality’s Chromite Mine base to rescue the three captured young dragons. After crushing the defenders, he killed the Dwarf warlock who had tortured them.

• Gronie recalled how the Red Iron Dragon had blinded him more than twenty years earlier, then tortured the captured Black, Green, and Blue Hatchling Dragons at the mine.
• Garos descended on the base, endured its artillery fire, and activated Exhilarated State before smashing the defenses and destroying the weapons with Dragon Breath.
• Garos fought the Children of the Mountains and armored Dwarf warriors, tearing apart Golems and driving the defenders into a rout.
• Two other dragons blocked the escape routes while Garos reached the cages and confronted the Dwarf warlock.
• The Dwarf warlock tried to activate the chains, but Garos crushed him beneath his claw as the young dragons watched.

Garos rescued several young dragons from the Dwarves, destroyed their mining outpost, and led them toward Dragon Valley. The rescued dragons learned that their lives had been claimed in exchange for loyalty, while Heriam asked whether they had found Kaxier.

• Garos broke the cages holding the young dragons, and Samantha and Sorog freed them from their chains and carried them into the air.
• Garos unleashed his Destruction Dragon Breath and burned the mining outpost, killing the fleeing Dwarves and destroying its buildings.
• Garos brought the dragons safely back to the Borderlands without encountering pursuit and considered why the Federation garrison had failed to respond.
• The Green Dragon offered repayment for their rescue, and Samantha and Sorog demanded that the young dragons pledge loyalty to them.
• Heriam asked whether they had encountered Kaxier, and Sorog asked Heriam's name without explaining their mission.
• Samantha silenced the Black Dragon's questions and continued carrying the rescued dragons toward Dragon Valley.