Jose's Plan to Win Over His Superior

Upon arriving at the kitchen, Jose headed straight for the back after landing. His true dragon status spoke for itself, and the creatures assigned to the kitchen were all weak, low-ranking monsters, so no one dared stop him.

Before long, he found what he needed—a basket of large watermelons. He picked up one bigger than a football, tossed it into his mouth, chewed it a few times like an apple, and swallowed it.

"Not bad. You'll do," he said, carrying the basket and casually grabbing a large basin before turning to leave.

Suddenly, the Gnoll Overseer appeared with a blade in hand, blocking the doorway.

"Brat! Why aren't you carrying out your mission?! Are you trying to dodge your responsibilities by coming here?!"

Jose was startled at first, then quickly realized what was going on.

At this point, he had nothing left to fear. Neither servile nor overbearing, he said, "I was ordered to bring some fruit to Lord O'Neal. Please move aside!"

"I see," the Gnoll Overseer said with a mocking smile, sheathing his blade and stepping aside.

He's letting me off that easily?!

Jose glanced suspiciously at the Gnoll Overseer, cautiously circled around him, then spread his wings and took off from the open ground.

"Brat! On the battlefield, strength is all that matters! Your mouth won't save you!"

The Red Dragon had no interest in pointless bickering. He flew into the sky and returned to his companions. "Get ready. We're leaving!"

Air currents howled beneath their wings as the three dragons flew beneath the white clouds. As his view rose higher, the Red Dragon spotted layer upon layer of mountain passes in the distance.

To ensure the safety of her headquarters, the Red Nest Matriarch—Savannah—had built nearly a hundred fortresses among the mountains surrounding Red Nest and stationed troops in them. Greystone Fortress was one of those many forts.

True to its name, "Greystone," Greystone Fortress was utterly unremarkable among the numerous fortresses, and the pass it guarded was no major thoroughfare.

However, after the war broke out, Greystone Fortress gained some notoriety because it lay in the northern part of Red Nest and was one of the places farthest from the front lines.

After flying for some time, the three dragons spotted Greystone Fortress from afar in the sky.

Though it was called a fortress, Jose thought it looked more like an outpost. A gray wall stood across the narrowest part of a mountain hollow, while behind it stood filthy shacks resembling a slum. Goblins, Gnolls, Kobolds, Lizardfolk, and other servants of evil dragons swarmed like ants along muddy roads. That was Greystone Fortress.

Moving his gaze beyond Greystone Fortress, he saw a vast expanse of primeval forest. If nothing unexpected happened, the target of their mission was hidden within those woods.

The three dragons descended from the sky and landed beside a forest three to four hundred meters from the fortress. There was a mountain spring nearby, and its water was exactly what they needed.

Jose set down the large basin and watermelons he had taken from the kitchen. "Come on, Yaligris. Cut open the watermelons, remove the seeds, and keep the flesh."

He filled the basin less than halfway with water. "Kashi, freeze the water with Dragon Breath, then crush the ice until it turns into shaved ice."

After working for a while, the watermelon and crushed ice were ready. Jose mixed them together thoroughly, and a serving of all-natural Watermelon Shaved Ice was complete.

He scooped up some homemade Shaved Ice with his Dragon Claw and put it in his mouth. A cool liquid carrying a fresh fragrance and sweetness slid down into his stomach. "Not bad."

Copying Jose, Kashi grabbed a lump of Shaved Ice and put it into his mouth. His eyes immediately lit up.

The Golden Dragon Loli, who had been somewhat hesitant, also tasted some. "Mmm! Delicious! That commander will definitely like it!"

The Shaved Ice was meant for the Black Dragon, so the three dragons only had a small taste.

With Kashi carrying the Shaved Ice on his head, the three dragons headed toward Greystone Fortress.

Dragons were huge and took huge strides. Before long, they arrived before the "fortress" of Graystone. A foul stench of excrement mixed with sweat hit them head-on. Fortunately, they had not expected much from the hygiene of low-ranking monsters and were mentally prepared.

Jose looked around. Kobolds, Goblins, Gnolls, and other monsters were watching him with reverence.

He picked a Kobold that looked relatively pleasing. "You! Come here!"

The chosen Kobold scampered over eagerly, his face full of flattery. "Woof, honored true dragon. Kobold—Doug—is at your service."

It was worth mentioning that Kobolds did not actually look like dogs. They resembled upright lizards and were called Kobolds only because their cries sounded like canine barks.

Furthermore, Kobolds were Dragonkin. Although the Dragon Vein in their bodies was so weak it could almost be ignored, it objectively existed.

These Lower Dragonkin were born worshipping dragons and took pride in serving them. That was also why Jose had chosen a Kobold to guide them.

"Take us to see the Black Dragon—Lord O'Neal."

Upon hearing O'Neal's name, the Kobold trembled all over. He was clearly terrified.

"H-honored true dragon, I..."

"Just take us to the entrance."

Only then did the Kobold let out a long sigh of relief, but Jose's heart tightened instead.

Just hearing the name had frightened the Kobold this badly. It seemed O'Neal was no kind character.

After some thought, he felt relieved.

The Five-Colored Evil Dragons were a pack of villains to begin with. Before reaching adulthood, they knew to keep a low profile and endure, but once they matured and gained power, their true natures were fully exposed. If they had not taken at least a hundred lives, they would be embarrassed to call themselves evil dragons.

"Honored true dragons, please follow me," the Kobold said, leading the way.

Somewhat unexpectedly, the Kobold did not lead the three dragons into the "fortress." Instead, he guided them around its edge toward the mountain beside it. After rounding a bend, the three dragons saw a cave opening in the mountainside.

The Kobold pointed at the unremarkable cave. "Honored true dragons, it's here."

"Tha..." Jose stopped halfway through the word, suddenly remembering that thanking a lowly Kobold did not suit a Red Dragon's style. He hurriedly changed his words. "Shet."

"Shet? What does that mean?" the Kobold asked, utterly confused.

"It means you can get lost!"

"Yes, yes, yes! I'll get lost right away! Right away!" As he spoke, the Kobold bent over, lay down on the ground, and literally rolled away.

Jose felt conflicted. A casual word from him had made an intelligent creature with self-awareness abandon his dignity and roll away. Once again, he realized the power inherent in the identity of a Five-Colored Evil Dragon.

Beside him, the Golden Dragon Loli looked at Jose thoughtfully.

With complicated feelings, Jose and his companions walked to the cave entrance. "Lord O'Neal, we were ordered to report for duty."

"Come in."

The three dragons entered one after another. Only then did Jose discover that the cave was far more spacious inside than it looked from outside. Its interior was roughly the size of a standard football field, furnished with tables, training equipment, and all sorts of other items. Monsters were even training against practice dummies.

Unlike the cannon fodder living in the shacks outside, the monsters here were genuine warriors. They were tall and powerfully built, and their chopping, parrying, and other movements were precise and well-organized.

Moreover, none of the sounds inside could be heard from outside the cave. This place had to be covered by a magical barrier.

Sure enough, when he passed a half-open door, he caught a glimpse of a monster mage wearing a hood and holding a short staff inside.

Such military strength was hidden in a tiny outer outpost. What must the true fortresses, surrounded by stone walls, look like inside?!

With that thought, Jose gained a deeper understanding of the Red Nest Matriarch's power.

At the same time, the young Dragon Hatchling made a vow in his heart: One day, I will have this too.

PS:

1. This book is a slow burn, so you may need a little more patience later on.

2. A character thread has been opened in the review section. Submissions are welcome.