Chapter 527
The advantage lies with Aura!
Chapter 527 The advantage lies with Aura!
The Wilderness of Sel, the Crimson Flame Kingdom.
The red iron dragon sat coiled on the enormous throne, its scales gleaming with a dull luster.
The discomfort of returning to the material world has completely subsided. Looking back on my previous experience in the Fairy Wilderness, it now seems like a real yet distant dream.
Opposite him was Iron Dragon Sorog.
The Iron Prince of the Kingdom of Aura listened intently to the news brought back by his blood relative.
"That's a general overview of the Immortal Wilderness."
Hong Tielong finished his presentation in an orderly manner.
He presented the information about the habits of the spirits, the value of the emotional fruits, the special properties of the black oil, and the preliminary agreement, making every detail clear and specific.
Dimensional development is a massive undertaking, but Galos himself won't spend too much time on it.
He has made a good start; now it is up to the kingdom system to operate and serve him.
"Emotional energy directly affects material output, and can even give life to inanimate objects?"
Iron Dragon Sorog pondered thoughtfully, "This is very different from the laws we know in the material world."
"No wonder the spirits could easily accept the story Vera fabricated."
“In the environment of the Fairy Wilderness, the ‘story’ itself that can evoke emotions may be a unique form of power.”
He raised his head, his gaze piercing through the shimmering light in the air, and landing on Galos.
"The value of this plane may be greater than we initially imagined, not only in terms of resources, but also in its rules themselves, and the contact with a brand new world, which can greatly promote the development of our kingdom's knowledge theory and alchemy technology."
Galos nodded slightly.
"That's exactly what I was thinking."
He said, "However, the prerequisite for everything is to establish a stable and controllable channel."
"If we rely solely on Vera's dimensional teleportation, the energy consumption is too high, and it cannot support large-scale personnel and material exchanges. Therefore, it can only be used as an alternative in emergency situations."
“Building a stable cross-plane channel is indeed no simple project.”
Iron Dragon Sorog echoed, his expression turning serious: "This requires us to invest a lot of resources and technical expertise."
The Kingdom of Aura had not previously mastered cross-dimensional technology systematically.
However, among the Romanian states that already revered Aura, Matna, Cambrook, Repos, and Lorse had all accumulated some relevant knowledge.
Most legendary spellcasters have also studied planar knowledge.
Now, these scattered technologies have been incorporated into the knowledge hall of the Kingdom of Aura, and are being eagerly absorbed and integrated by the kingdom's alchemists and mages.
"We will mobilize the entire nation and gather the technological knowledge of all countries."
Sorog continued, "While it will still take some time, creating a stable channel is not impossible."
"More importantly, we not only have the specific coordinates of Green Country, but also the spirits there, especially Vera, who are willing to cooperate with us, which can solve many technical problems."
He paused for a moment, gathered his thoughts, and then said:
"In this way, we don't need to tough it out from beginning to end."
"On the material side, we can first concentrate our efforts on building a preliminary passage framework. Then, through this fragile but already connected link, we can send a pre-prepared advance team, including craftsmen, alchemists, and spellcasters, along with various alchemical components and materials, to the Immortal Wilderness."
"Then, we will coordinate from both inside and outside to construct a two-way network."
"In this way, our efficiency will be greatly improved and the risks will be reduced."
Galos listened, nodding slowly, a glint of approval in his eyes.
"Go ahead and do it your way."
He said this, then changed the subject back to Romanian internal affairs.
"How is the occupation of the Ryan Plateau progressing?"
This area was once the territory of the Kingdom of Sak and Ryan, a vast land that was in no way inferior to the current territory of the Kingdom of Aura.
The battlefield where Aura and Lorthen fought was only a small part of the Lion Plateau.
In the past, this plateau was a sensitive area, situated in a buffer zone between various forces and under the watchful eyes of many, with no single kingdom able to fully control it.
But now, it's already in Aura's possession.
After acquiring the Lion Plateau, the population and territory of the Kingdom of Aura will experience explosive growth, thanks to this vast land.
Iron Dragon Sorog carefully considered his words, clearly having been prepared for this question.
"Many remnants of the old Kingdom of Ryan still occupy land and rule as kings."
He said, "We only gave these people two choices: surrender or die."
"Some of them are willing to pledge allegiance to Aura, and we have begun to reorganize their troops; as for the other group that is putting up a stubborn resistance, Samantha is leading the effort to wipe them out."
"According to the latest intelligence, the resistance has weakened considerably."
"It won't be long before the Ryan Plateau is completely ours."
After a pause, Tie Long continued, "In addition, the location and preliminary plans for the new capital have also been finalized."
"Twilight Plains, the site of our decisive battle with Lorthorn, is flat and vast, and is located in the center of the Lyon Plateau, making it suitable as the location of the new capital."
"Currently, everything is progressing according to plan."
He leaned forward slightly and added, "With the Earth Manipulation Device we obtained from Lorthorn, as well as our spellcasters and alchemists, the construction of the new capital will not be difficult."
"The main building is expected to be completed within a year, and its scale will far exceed that of Crimson Flame City."
"Of course, it will take longer to complete the construction, but that will not affect the operation of the capital."
Red Iron Dragon nodded in satisfaction, and the throne beneath him creaked slightly.
"Sorog, without you, the Kingdom of Aura would not have the glory it has today."
He was generous with his praise, his voice filled with recognition: "This achievement belongs to me, and it also belongs to you. I have seen all the hard work you have put into the kingdom."
Upon hearing this, Tie Long grinned.
“Garos, my brother, this is our shared glory.”
"However, I know very well that you are the pillar and foundation of Aura. I am just adding bricks and tiles to it. Without your strength and prestige, the kingdom could not have risen to this level in such a short time."
Mutual recognition is an important factor in maintaining a good relationship.
Both of them are aware of this.
In this cruel world, loyalty and trust are also precious things.
Then, Tie Long straightened his expression and became serious again.
"Something happened while you were in the Immortal Wilderness."
He said this in a solemn tone.
Under Garros's gaze, Iron Dragon continued, "An orc fleet has appeared in the Coldwater Ocean near the permafrost."
Upon hearing this, Hong Tielong's attitude became noticeably more serious.
He adjusted his position on the throne, his eyes fixed on Sorog, awaiting further instructions.
Iron Dragon continued, "Upon discovering the orc fleet, I immediately contacted all the Aura Legends and notified all vassal states, instructing them to prepare for war against the orcs."
"You know those barbarians are never kind."
"Their advance teams often signify a subsequent large-scale invasion."
"but."
The voice paused for a moment, and a deep sense of apprehension appeared on Tie Long's face—the vigilance that a strong person feels when facing an even stronger being.
"It was over before the orcs even officially landed."
“I saw it, no, I should say many coastal observers saw it.”
"A colossal city, blotting out the sky, tore through the heavens and appeared above the vast ocean, then unleashed a destructive torrent that changed the very fabric of the world, annihilating the orc fleet almost instantly."
As he spoke, Iron Dragon's eyes gleamed with psionic energy.
The halos of light intertwined and condensed in the air, gradually forming a dynamic picture.
In the image, a colossal object is suspended above the ocean.
It was a city, a real city that could fly.
Its base is covered with complex magic array patterns, its walls are towering, and its towers are numerous. Its scale even surpasses that of many cities on the ground.
Immediately, layers upon layers of magic arrays unfolded at the bottom of the giant city, and light rippled outwards like waves, illuminating the entire sky.
The next moment, light poured down.
A torrent of pure, incandescent white light, so intense it obscured the perception of color, fell into the sea like a galaxy leaking from a collapsing sky. The light was so dazzling that even Galus, watching the scene, couldn't help but squint slightly.
The orc fleet was instantly melted by the light.
Whether it was their sturdy ships, powerful orc warriors, or legendary beings who had unleashed their domains, they all evaporated in this light, leaving not even a trace of ash.
The whole process lasted less than three seconds.
When the light stream extinguished, only a huge circular vacuum area remained on the sea surface. The seawater was completely evaporated, revealing the seabed rocks that had been melted and cratered. The surrounding seawater surged back, forming a huge whirlpool that emitted a deafening roar.
At the same time, the giant city re-emerged into the folds of space.
It was as if it had never existed, leaving only an empty sea surface and waves that were still spreading.
Upon seeing this, Red Iron Dragon's pupils contracted for a moment before returning to calm.
Holden's Floating City?
He asked slowly.
Tie Long nodded solemnly: "Yes."
As he spoke, he created three more images.
They are all similar scenarios.
A colossal city suddenly appeared from the sky, unleashing a devastating light that would utterly annihilate the orc fleet at sea. The angle and location differed, but the outcome was identical.
"The orc fleet approached Atlanta from four directions at the same time."
Sorog explained, “They are not large, each fleet has about thirty to fifty ships. They are probably just exploratory advance teams, trying to establish a foothold here for subsequent invasions or other actions.”
"But they all perished in the sea."
The Holden Empire has always held a special position on the Atlanta continent.
It has always existed here, not overtly interfering in the development of other countries, but mainly focusing on improving its own strength and confronting other empires.
After implementing the Abyss Development Project, most of their resources and time were devoted to this aspect.
This behemoth hasn't really shown its fangs for centuries.
To other nations, Holden was like a colossal mountain situated on the land of Atlanta; unless one ventured to cross it, its presence was negligible and had almost no impact on them. Many of the younger generation of rulers had even forgotten about it.
This "mountain" is actually alive and possesses the power to destroy everything.
Now, this behemoth has finally shown its claws.
Moreover, it is shrewd and outspoken.
"Holden is demonstrating."
Garros broke the silence, saying, "They are warning the orcs not to attempt to invade Atlanta. It seems that even the Empire is unwilling to deal with these guys' harassment."
"They chose the most direct way to solve the problem: complete destruction."
Of the three great empires, the Kantum Orc Empire is the weakest overall.
It neither develops planes nor can it travel in space, but the orcs are the most restless on the planet Bernardo.
The continent of Aurotara is currently inhabited by orcs.
Holden did not want to see orcs appear on his land.
"Their floating city."
Tie Long took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "It's practically a mobile, colossal war fortress. To me, it's even stronger than a kingdom-level strategic weapon."
The power of the empire is truly extraordinary.
High above the sky, watching the tides rise and fall.
Like a god looking down upon the earth.
Moreover, Holden certainly had the confidence to back it up.
Their floating cities were not merely weapons, but symbols of absolute technological and power superiority, and of the insurmountable gap between the empire and other kingdoms.
"No need to overthink it."
Red Iron Dragon remained calm, controlling his emotions.
"At the very least, the annihilation of the orc vanguard by Holden is a good thing for us now."
“If they land, they won’t immediately provoke Holden. Orcs may be savage, but they’re not stupid. On the contrary, they’ll cause us trouble.”
"Now, we have one less problem to consider."
Iron Dragon Sorog nodded, trying to control his emotions.
"You're right."
He agreed, his voice gradually regaining its usual composure.
"On Bernardo today, natural disasters have broken out and empires are fighting each other, which gives us the opportunity to grow and develop. If the world were at peace, there would be no room for emerging powers like us to rise."
The more chaotic the times, the more conducive it is to realizing ambitions.
The main reason why Aura was able to establish itself was because the Romanian plains were engulfed in war, and other countries were too busy to attend to other matters, which allowed the Red Iron Dragon to find a foothold in the cracks.
The current situation is similar.
Each of the major empires was focused on its own tasks and largely ignored the situation in other kingdoms, creating a window of opportunity for Aura's development.
Thinking of this, Tie Long raised his head.
His eyes were piercing as he said, "The advantage lies with us!"
Brother, you can't say that.
Hong Tielong was startled.
He shook his head and quickly corrected, "It's too early to talk about advantages."
"What we need to do now is to make full preparations, strengthen ourselves as much as possible, and wait for the situation to change."
"The rivalry between empires is beyond our control, but we can ensure that when the opportunity arises, we are ready to seize it."
Sorog paused for a moment, then understood what Garros meant.
He nodded slightly, his expression becoming cautious again.
"Understood. At this stage, what we need most is time."
"Conquer the Laine Plateau, build a new capital, reap the rewards of the Romanian Plains, and develop the Fairy Wilderness."
The exchange ended shortly afterward.
Sorog began preparations for constructing the dimensional portal while also keeping an eye on the situation on the Lyon Plateau.
His schedule is always packed, leaving him almost no time to rest.
Galos then returned to his familiar training area.
After resting in the Immortal Wilderness, his body and mind felt as if they had been cleansed, and the tension from long-term battles and training was released.
Now back in the physical world, he found that his training efficiency had genuinely improved significantly.
Muscles become more responsive, dragon energy flows more smoothly, and even the clarity of thought is improved.
In this state, he continued to train, trying to improve himself as much as possible.
But not long after, the red iron dragon paused slightly.
He temporarily stopped training and took out a communication device shaped like a dragon scale.
The scale was golden, its surface covered with fine runes, and it was emitting a soft glow at the moment.
He infused a wisp of dragon energy into it, and the runes on the scales lit up one by one.
"A red iron dragon born evil, a king of dragons who bullies the entire Romanian plains and treats all nations as playthings."
A voice, feigning seriousness, came from the other end, but the laughter in it was almost impossible to hide.
"Are you ready to face my wrath?"
It's Nasa the Golden Dragon.
Even through communication devices, Galos could imagine her expression at that moment.
It must be the kind of person who pretends to be fierce but is actually all smiles.
"Ignorant golden dragon, come forth!"
The red iron dragon lowered its voice to create a somber and dangerous atmosphere.
"I promise you will taste the bitterness of defeat. Then you will beg for my mercy, but I will ruthlessly refuse. Your treasures will become my collection, and your lair will become my palace."
He spoke in a harsh and menacing tone, perfectly embodying the demeanor of a wicked dragon.
At that moment, another golden dragon's voice suddenly rang out, interjecting, "The King of Evil Dragons, huh? Interesting."
That was Alberto, his tone nonchalant, yet incredibly irritating. "But whatever, I will take action. Justice will always prevail over evil; that is an unchanging truth."
Neither of the two golden dragons is currently in the Kingdom of Aura.
Just before Garos was about to awaken, they and the Crimson Silver Dragon Deborah had all gone through a period of slumber, reaching the level 20 limit. Then, in order to break through to the legendary level, they all returned to the Dragon Realm for their final advancement, following the tradition of metal dragons.
They have all reached the legendary rank, even before Sorog and Samantha.
"I have already built my own island."
Natasha said enthusiastically, her excitement almost overflowing through the communication device.
"Garos, when you come to the Fubo Dragon Domain, you must visit my island. I spent a year designing and building it. It has the most spectacular sea cliffs, the most comfortable caves, and the most suitable training grounds for fighting."
"This will be your style, I promise!"
Alberto replied casually, "Natha's island is nice, only slightly inferior to mine."
Before Sister Long could get angry, Alberto skillfully changed the subject, complaining, "But seriously, those old fogies in the Dragon Realm are really annoying."
"We had just broken through to the legendary level when we were summoned to receive several reprimands."
"The old dragons have warned us time and again that after becoming a legend, one must not interfere in the wars of other races in any way. Violators will be expelled from the Dragon Realm, and if the situation is serious, they may even be wanted. I'm tired of hearing it."
This is why they did not appear in the war between Aura and Lorthorn.
Even though the battle was fierce, and even though Garos was their friend, they could not lend a hand. The Dragon Realm's prohibition was absolute, and no metal dragon was willing to bear the consequences of violating it.
Even rebellious dragons like Alberto and Natasha are deeply attached to the Dragon Realm.
They were also unwilling to violate the ban.
Galos understood Dragon Domain's approach.
Behind every stringent ban, there is probably a necessary reason.
In this world, the Metal Dragon Domain is second only to the Empire in power. Although none of the Dragon Kings have reached the level of immortality, it is said that when they were in the Dragon Domain, they were even able to resist the attacks of immortal beings through the Dragon Domain's magic array.
However, it can only resist; it still depends on favorable environment and location.
To protect their kind, the Dragon Kings almost gave up their freedom, staying entirely within the Dragon Realm and rarely venturing out.
This is a sacrifice, and also a choice made out of necessity.
After all, if they were attacked by immortals outside the Dragon Realm, they would likely perish. Once the Dragon Kings died, the positions of the other metal dragons would also plummet.
As for other races' empires, the Dragon Realm is not easy to attack, and the metal dragons do not cause trouble.
Even if the empire were to become stronger, it wouldn't just idly attack the Dragon Domain.
The cost would be too high, the returns too low, and there's even the possibility of offending higher-level deities.
However, in this situation, it's alright for those below the legendary level, but if a legendary-level metal dragon causes a major disturbance outside, the Dragon Realm actually has a hard time stepping in to resolve it.
The biggest problem, however, is getting involved in the wars of other countries.
This would directly disrupt the balance, attracting the vigilance and even hostility of various forces, and changing the Metal Dragon Domain's position on this planet.
A direct ban is the most appropriate option.
This both protects the metal dragon itself and maintains the status of the Dragon Realm.
"After we reached the Legendary level, our lives actually became more boring."
Natasha, the golden dragon, also sighed, her voice tinged with a hint of unease. "In the Dragon Realm, the occasional missions are mostly about mediating minor internal disputes or driving away monsters in some sea area. Those guys are incredibly weak; they're not even worth a warm-up."
"I really want to find something interesting to do."
Galos listened quietly, a thoughtful glint in his eyes.
He pondered for a few seconds, then said, "I have a place that I'm planning to develop. It might bring you a lot of fun, and it won't violate the Dragon Domain's prohibitions."
Metal dragons have a natural inclination to maintain order and protect the weak.
The Fairy Wilderness would be a place they would like.
With a legendary-level metal dragon present, the dimensional development of the Kingdom of Aura will be easier.
(End of this chapter)