As Kelaili gave his answer, the words that followed came more smoothly.
"We watched with our own eyes as the short-lived species learned to use fire and magic, tamed the beasts of the jungle into war pets and livestock, gathered like drifting sand, and built vast nations. At the slightest move, they could deploy armies of hundreds of thousands to wage war."
"They clearly possess no Dragon Legacy, yet through communication and storytelling, they pass down knowledge and emotions from generation to generation, as though reproducing."
"They are still developing and evolving, creating all kinds of hateful weapons, such as Dragon-Hunting Crossbows, Dragon-Bane Spells, and Blasphemous Elixirs."
"We Cobalt Dragons were originally afraid of nothing, because we lived long enough. But the longer we lived, the more clearly we realized the changes in those short-lived species."
"Now they can already stand on equal footing with long-lived species, challenging dragons and Titans. If given more time, even I cannot imagine what they will become."
Kelaili spoke slowly. "So, in my heart, the short-lived species are the greatest enemy."
The Cobalt Dragon spoke at a snail's pace, and his explanation was especially long. The dragon hatchlings were all growing impatient, but the Nurturer maintained rare patience, listening as Kelaili finished every sentence.
A brief silence fell.
"Good."
The Nurturer nodded and gave her assessment, looking toward the other dragon hatchlings. "Do you think the Cobalt-Blue Overlord is right?"
The dragon hatchlings whispered among themselves.
"That does seem to make some sense."
While sipping wine, Moqi said quietly, "The Tagoma Kingdom and Aino Kingdom the Nurturer mentioned earlier are also nations of short-lived species. They rose very quickly. What do you think, Ferrum?"
Ferrum shook his head. "I understand, but I do not agree."
"How so?"
Moqi knew he ought to press further.
"The Cobalt Dragon means that short-lived species evolve too fast and reproduce too fast, so they are dangerous. I can understand why Cobalt Dragons think that way, but in the end, it is because they fear evolution and change, because they themselves always remain unchanged."
Ferrum said to Moqi, "But we Chrome Dragons welcome evolution and competition. I am even more so. Therefore, even if it was the Cobalt-Blue Overlord speaking, I cannot agree."
"What about the Cobalt-Blue Overlord? Does the Cobalt-Blue Overlord even have a ranking? Ah, these Kobolds have no sense at all..."
Moqi muttered as he rose lightly to his feet and ran off to have the Kobolds refill the wine. Before leaving, he conveniently grabbed Ferrum's wooden barrel as well.
"Hidorivi."
The Nurturer began calling names again. "Do you have anything to say?"
"There is one point in what the Cobalt Dragon said that I strongly agree with. Exotic Dragons and Chromatic Dragons are not as frightening as people imagine."
Among the Iron Dragons, Hidorivi rose to her feet. "The greatest enemy in my heart is the Bloodridge Tribes. There is no special reason. It is because the Lineage's greatest enemy at present is the Bloodridge Tribes."
"Good."
Valyria nodded approvingly. "Your surname is Ember Scar. You truly ought to keep the Lineage in your heart and worry over what lies before you. Once you reach the Hatchling Stage, you will be able to participate in the Lineage's concrete affairs. Then, Jelierion, what is your answer?"
Moqi returned carrying a barrel and saw that imposing body slowly rise. Jelierion Ember Scar ranked even ahead of Ferrum. Moqi smacked his lips, feeling that surging pressure.
"The greatest enemy in my heart."
Jelierion answered, but his eyes did not look at the Nurturer. Instead, he stared at a back ahead of him. "Naturally, it is Ladon."
The Nurturer looked down from above and asked, "Ladon is also a member of the Lineage. Do you truly regard him as an enemy in your heart?"
"Ladon is indeed a member of the Lineage, but since the Nurturer asks this, I can only answer this way."
Jelierion's tone was calm. "What I think about every day is how to defeat opponents stronger than myself. My eyes can see only Ladon. As for the short-lived species and the Bloodridge Tribes they speak of, I cannot see them yet."
"Good."
Valyria nodded. "You two brothers both have temperaments focused on what lies before you. Not bad. The youngest one, Leijieduolei, do you have anything to say?"
Leijieduolei looked at the Nurturer, then at Hidorivi and Jelierion. After remaining silent for a while, he worked his throat and said, "I think the same as my elder brothers."
"Being able to see the strengths of other dragons and understand one's own shortcomings is also self-knowledge. Very well."
Valyria still nodded.
When she finished speaking, she looked at the one beside her. "Ladon, Jelierion regards you as his greatest opponent. What do you think? And who is the enemy in your heart?"
"What the other dragon hatchlings think is none of my concern. Between enemies and enemies, I do not believe any has the qualifications to be called the greatest."
Ladon calmly shook his head. "So I cannot answer."
"You use your claws too much and your brain too little."
Valyria looked at the Iron Dragon. "By order of the Lord of Ochre Valley, you must answer."
"If I must give an answer."
Ladon fell silent for a moment before saying, "I think it is... waiting."
"Waiting?"
"To be precise, waiting for time to pass."
Ladon confirmed his answer. "I can clearly see the sky, yet I must endure crawling upon the ground. I know I will eventually tear all things apart, yet I must still endure my present weakness. Waiting is the only thing that makes me suffer. It sets my fury ablaze and leaves me unable to sit or stand at ease."
"Ladon is invincible."
Moqi simply could not hold it in. Beside Ferrum, he bared his fangs and claws as he complained, "Waiting? Back then, I stood guard in the drying shed every day, bored enough to want to smash my head into a tree and die. Even I did not say waiting was my greatest enemy. He said it first, deliberately putting on a grand act."
Ferrum shifted his gaze and saw that the Chrome Dragons, Cobalt Dragons, Tungsten Dragons, and Nickel Dragons—most of them—were all snorting in disdain, wearing the same unconvinced expressions as Moqi.
Instead, the five Iron Dragons at the very center—the three bearing the Ember Scar surname and the two bearing the Karajiege surname—were all holding their bodies tense, their brow scales furrowed, as though lost in thought.
Ferrum considered it. "Perhaps he really is invincible right now."
"Good."
The Nurturer let Ladon off. So long as he gave an answer, she would say it was good.
"Ferrum."
Valyria counted silently in her heart, knowing this was the last one. Her gaze slowly descended from above. "You were able to defeat an Iron Dragon with the body of a Chrome Dragon, which shows considerable ability. Is your answer the same as the other dragon hatchlings'?"
"This is bad. They have stolen all the limelight."
Before Ferrum could speak, Moqi whispered beside him, "Ferrum, if we want those gold coins, we need to say something even more invincible."
The dragons' gazes converged. Ferrum was now quite famous in Ochre Valley. Nearly every dragon knew of his deeds. But he was the last to speak, and with the dragons having eagerly offered their answers earlier, nearly every answer that could be given had already been given.
The dragon hatchlings watched Ferrum's face with great interest. They somewhat wanted to see him make a fool of himself, yet also anticipated that he might say something new.
"I think everything my kin have said is right."
When it was his turn, Ferrum slowly stood and said in a low voice, "Chromatic Dragons, Exotic Dragons, and Titans; short-lived species, the Bloodridge Tribes, and Ladon; even time and waiting—these are all great enemies in my heart, yet none of them is the greatest enemy."
"Then what do your eyes see?"
Valyria spoke. This was the purpose behind questioning every young dragon.
"The greatest enemy should be something that can make me feel threatened at every moment. I thought it over and over, and discovered there was only one such enemy: a dragon's nature."
Ferrum said, "Power flows through our blood, and within it also lurks an irresistible nature. It uses arrogance to cover a dragon's eyes, fury to turn a dragon into a beast, greed to lure a dragon into evil, and sloth to make a dragon mediocre and incapable. This is something I cannot accept. Therefore, in my heart, nature is the greatest enemy."
"Good!"
Moqi waggled his brows and made faces. Although he could not understand it, he observed Ferrum's tone and bearing as he spoke and felt that the presence was already more than enough. Moqi cheered inwardly, feeling that it could not possibly be much worse than Ladon's.
Yet this time, the Nurturer did not say good. Instead, she narrowed her eyes, revealing an expression that made hearts tremble.
Her power spread outward, almost instantly silencing the gathered dragons.
"You are utterly and completely wrong!"
After an astonishing silence, Valyria finally spoke in a deep voice. "Power and nature originate from our bloodline. It is precisely because we possess such a nature that we Heavy-Metal Dragons possess such power. You dare regard it as your greatest enemy? Do you intend to strip away and abandon the identity of a Heavy-Metal Dragon as well?"
"I love my bloodline and identity dearly. Until death, I will never abandon them."
Ferrum's expression did not change. Facing that mountain-like pressure, he said, "Nurturer, I do not believe I am wrong. I regard nature as my greatest enemy, but my goal is not to strip it away or destroy it."
"Then what do you want?" Valyria's voice rumbled.
Ferrum said, "My ultimate goal is not to destroy or suppress nature, but to be able to see it, and then wield it freely."
Valyria's gaze became sharper as she immediately pressed on. "How will you wield it freely?"
Ferrum froze for a moment, shaking his head as though somewhat embarrassed. "To see nature and sense its flow is already very difficult. As for wielding it freely... that remains a dream for now."
After a brief standoff.
Valyria withdrew her gaze, realizing she had lost her composure. In order to resolve the problem that had troubled her all this time, she had become somewhat too urgent. And for a dragon hatchling, such pressure was far too heavy.
"I will count your sophistry as passing."
After a long while, Valyria gave a low snort. The condensed aura quietly dispersed as she looked once more at the gathered dragons. "Every one of you spoke well, so every one of you will receive a reward."
She flexed her clawed toes, and the Kobolds entered once more. This time, they were not carrying dishes, but glittering gold. One gold coin for every dragon hatchling!
The atmosphere over the sandy ground grew fervent once more, rolling like thick soup at a boil. Before gold, no dragon could resist. Even with the pressure of Young Dragons nearby, the dragon hatchlings could not restrain their restless cries.
"Accept your gold coins. I hope that in the days ahead, you will understand yourselves, remember your enemies clearly, and see the companions at your side as well."
Valyria flicked her clawed toes. "That is all for Dragonbirth Day. I have said what I needed to say. Now, let the revelry begin."
Moqi gave a cheer, clutched the gold coin in his claws, drank fruit wine, and threw himself into the dishes to feast heartily, his tail swaying without restraint.
Ferrum also received his gold coin. He slowly rubbed it with his hooked toes and began tasting the richly fragrant dinner. He liked this kind of food, and he liked this kind of life too.
The young dragons ate to their hearts' content, even forgetting the Nurturer's existence as they began behaving without restraint. Even the boundaries between the various groups seemed to blur and dissolve.
Days always passed quickly. The dragon hatchlings were already one year old, and they continued to grow.
One day, they would each depart. Perhaps some dragons would die young and fall. Perhaps some would survive. Perhaps some would turn against one another as bitter enemies...
But no matter what the future held, at this very moment, the dragon hatchlings were happy in their hearts, and the atmosphere in the valley was joyous as well.
The Tungsten Dragons slapped the sandy ground and began singing again, a common dwarven-style tune from the mortal world—
"Gold buried in the earth has no wings of its own,
The mash within an oak barrel smells sweeter than honey!
When the sun drops behind the hill, let us not look into the distance,
Even if the sky comes crashing down, let us sleep well for now!
Hey! Raise a cup, my friend, lift your tail up high,
Hey! Raise a cup, my friend, shake your head and sway!"
The sky grew darker and darker. Beneath the blazing light of the bonfires, the feast gradually drew toward its end.
"Nurturer."
Amid the lively atmosphere, Ladon came before Valyria once again. "Recently, I have felt very hungry. I need more meat. I am stronger than all of them combined, so I should receive more."
"You may."
Valyria nodded in agreement. "But it is not because you are stronger than anyone. It is because of equal exchange. If you want an extra portion of meat, then do one extra task. A new gravel yard has been built in the valley. From now on, you will work there."
Ladon showed no expression as he silently withdrew, taking it as agreement.
"So we can make requests already?"
Seeing this, Ferrum waited for a while before running to Valyria as well. Looking up, he said, "Nurturer, I want to learn the magic of Turning Stone into Gold."
"Turning Stone into Gold? Magic?"
Valyria looked at him twice, then flicked her clawed toe and sent the little Chrome Dragon tumbling to the ground. "Learn it in your dreams."
Before you continue