Chapter 531
The Chaotic Staircase Has Been Paved
Chapter 531 The Chaotic Staircase Has Been Paved
"Has something happened in the Raging Dragon Domain?"
Faced with Red Iron Dragon's question, Ovis remained silent for a few seconds before slowly saying:
"The Bronze Dragon King is radical in nature and sometimes acts in a manner more like that of an evil dragon. Even so, he still has many admirers in the various dragon realms."
"The reason is simple..."
"He single-handedly guarded the Salo Deep."
"It is a large abyssal rift, located deep in the seabed outside the Raging Dragon Domain. Powerful demons emerge from it from time to time, but without exception, they are all firmly suppressed by the Bronze Dragon King beneath the deep sea, unable to cross the threshold."
Galos listened quietly, his eyes reflecting the distant clouds.
He had heard a little about this matter.
Aside from the mysterious Golden Dragon King, among the existing kings of the major dragon realms, the Bronze Dragon King is the most renowned.
Deep down, most metal dragons harbor an instinctive yearning for this heroic narrative of a lone hero suppressing evil.
"But not long ago, the Salo Abyss was in turmoil."
Ovis's tone lowered, tinged with seriousness.
"The roars of the Bronze Dragon King during battle even pierced through layers of water and reached the ears of the other dragons."
"That roar... was mixed with a rare anger and urgency."
"Therefore, the other legendary dragons of the Raging Dragon Domain did not stand idly by while their dragon king fought alone. They all dived into the deep sea to jointly resist the sudden and powerful demonic tide. In the end, the demons were suppressed again. However, the news I heard was that they also paid a considerable price. Some dragons were injured, and even some ancient dragons perished."
"The Bronze Dragon King, who was fighting on the front lines, was seriously injured."
After a pause, Ovis's voice became even more somber.
"The Abyss Riot, the Fall of the Floating City... the interval between these two major events is too short, so short that it makes me uneasy."
"I'm wondering if there might be some kind of connection between them that we haven't yet noticed?"
"I hope... I'm just overthinking it."
Hong Tielong's expression also became completely serious.
Not long ago, an unusually intense riot also occurred in the Abyss Rift within the territory of the Kingdom of Aura. However, because the kingdom has stationed a large number of troops nearby for many years, and the rift itself is only small, the riot was quickly suppressed.
At the time, Galus didn't pay much attention to it, regarding it as a mere coincidence.
But now, one piece of news after another is coming in.
The situation is completely different now.
"The abyssal rift suppressed by the Raging Dragon Domain is not even located on the continent of Atlanta, but rather beneath the distant sea..."
"Could it be... the abyssal rift that runs through the entire world of Bernardo..."
"Problems are starting to appear?"
Thinking of this, Red Iron Dragon exhaled a stream of hot air from its nostrils, its scales opening and closing slightly, in order to calm the turbulent emotions in its heart.
Similar events are recorded in the Dragon Legacy.
This is often an ominous sign of a large-scale invasion of the matter plane by the abyss.
First, rifts appeared, then frequent riots occurred, the energy level gradually increased, and finally the rifts were completely opened, and the demon army surged out like a flood.
It could take a hundred years at the fastest, or a thousand years at the slowest.
No one can predict the exact timing.
However, almost all documented material worlds that were ultimately swallowed or severely damaged by the abyss experienced a similar prelude before the cataclysm fully descended.
"Garos, let's end this conversation here."
"News has arrived about the fall of Holden Sky City. The Dragon Domain is summoning its elders to prepare for an emergency meeting."
"Ovis said."
Galos said, "If there is any important news, remember to let me know."
His communication with Jinlong has ended.
"A meteor shower and a raging firestorm from outer space, plus the abyss that seems to be eyeing the entire Bernardo..."
Galos remained silent.
"The future of this planet is shrouded in darkness."
In such a turbulent time, when the entire planet could be engulfed in catastrophe, theoretically, the major empires on Bernardo should temporarily set aside their conflicts and frictions, join forces to fight against external threats, and do their best to save the world they depend on for survival from dire straits.
However, reality is always much crueler than ideals.
The elves of Nausir, engrossed in exploring the stars, inadvertently attracted the calamity of the Madfire; the humans of Holden, dedicated to developing the power of the Abyss, now seem likely to have attracted the even deeper covetousness of the Abyss's will.
Regardless of whether they can actually form an alliance.
As things stand, this double whammy of "water" and "fire" is largely something they themselves have brought upon themselves.
In contrast.
The orcish empire in Kantum seems much "pureer".
They only wanted to conquer visible lands and races; their desires were straightforward and savage.
but……
In the current perilous situation, the war ignited by the Orc Empire will undoubtedly become a dangerous catalyst, potentially causing the brewing disaster to erupt prematurely, compound itself, and ultimately evolve into a storm that sweeps everything away.
“I saw it long ago. The three great empires on Bernardo each have their own unique skills, and none of them are mediocre or content.”
"Their ambitions are dragging the whole world toward the edge of a cliff."
Galos shook his head almost imperceptibly.
As early as when he learned about the movements and potential risks of the major empires, Galos had a vague premonition.
And now, those premonitions are coming true one by one.
"However, Ramorion is right about one thing."
Galos lowered his eyes and looked at the still churning sea of clouds.
"Chaos is the ladder of progress."
"An era of upheaval and the collapse of the old order actually presents tremendous opportunities for those who aspire to rise."
"If the world is at peace and things continue to develop in an orderly manner, once I advance to the Legendary Destiny, or even just reach the Grand rank... unless I am willing to completely lie low, sheathe my claws and fangs, and appear to be harmless and indifferent to the world, I will inevitably have to start thinking about how to face those immortals who have already stood at the top of the world."
"But now, everyone's attention will be drawn to an even greater crisis."
"I can show my talent more freely."
Galos reflects on his path to power.
From struggling to survive alone, to establishing clans and tribes, to founding a nation, and now to integrating the Romanian plains.
He seized every fleeting opportunity at every crucial leap forward.
He wielded his dragon wings amidst steel and flames, and ascended to higher skies amidst blood and death.
One minute later.
"Sorog, Samantha, Gorton."
Galos calmed his turbulent thoughts and, through telepathic connection, called upon his three blood relatives.
Almost at the same moment, the blood relatives responded.
“I have seen him, my dear brother.”
Samantha, the Red Dragon, spoke first, her voice filled with excitement and eagerness.
"A floating city has crashed down! Ha! Those humans who have lived in the sky and been arrogant for countless years have finally taken a nasty fall! Garos, shouldn't we do something? Is the Holden Empire doomed? Can our Kingdom of Aura take its place?"
"Samantha, calm down, this is no small matter."
"Garos said with a steady mental fluctuation."
He then shared the details of his conversation with Thunderlord Ramerien, his speculations about the connection to the Abyss Rift, and his analysis of the future situation with his three blood relatives.
A brief silence.
At the other end of the link, the dragons were rapidly processing this massive amount of information.
"Ramorion, Lord of Thunder... the de facto leader of the Helmod dragonflight, and the ruler of the Kingdom of Braxton."
Iron Dragon Sorog's voice rang out.
"He is renowned on the continent for his wisdom and strength, and is not a reckless or short-sighted person. His initiative to propose cooperation means that he judges the future risks to be extremely high, which the Helmod Dragonflight or the Kingdom of Blaketon alone cannot handle."
"However, I think we shouldn't rush to agree."
"Holden has only lost one floating city; its empire remains unfathomable. We need to observe first, invest resources to gather more intelligence, and assess the reactions of various forces, especially what specific actions the Holden Empire will take next."
"They have been separated from the earth for a long time, but now that a city has fallen, there must be a major reason behind it. They will most likely not remain silent any longer."
Samantha's mental fluctuations surged intensely. "Too slow! The opportunity is right before our eyes! Now is the time for us dragons to display our true power and seize the authority we deserve! We should immediately assemble our army and march south, sweeping across the northern edge of Middle-earth with lightning speed, establishing forward outposts and fortresses, and taking over the territory first!"
"As for that Lord of Thunder..."
"Cooperation is certainly possible, but we must maintain control. Once we've established a firm foothold in the Middle-earth and accumulated enough strength, we can assess the situation and choose to either destroy him or give him a chance to submit... Hmph, the entire continent of Atlanta will be shrouded in the shadow cast by our dragon wings in the future!"
After hearing both opinions, Galos turned his attention to the other iron dragon.
"Gorton, what are your thoughts?"
Over the years, Iron Dragon Gorton has been primarily responsible for handling the affairs of the Kingdom of Lorthen, and has gradually become capable of handling things independently.
Therefore, when making important decisions, Galus would involve him and listen to different perspectives.
Gorton's response came a moment later.
"We know far too little about the Holden Empire."
He paused, then continued, “We should take a two-pronged approach. On the one hand, as Sorog suggested, we can observe and gather intelligence. On the other hand, we might try to establish covert channels to infiltrate the Holden Empire, or obtain more detailed information from its former vassal states and trading partners.”
Upon hearing this, Red Dragon chuckled and chimed in through the link.
“Gorton, your idea sounds good, but infiltrating Holden? It’s easier said than done. Are you going to pack yourself up and send you there? Maybe the royal family and nobles in Holden would be interested in keeping an iron dragon as a pet.”
Galos listened quietly to his blood relatives' discussion.
Finally, his voice rang out again.
"In this matter, we do not need to make an either-or choice immediately."
"First, send an elite vanguard legion south. It doesn't need to be too large, but it needs to be elite enough. Their mission is not to carry out large-scale conquest at this stage, but to approach the unclaimed areas on the edge of the Middle-earth, set up camp, and build initial strongholds."
"Secondly, as Sorog and Gorton have said, intelligence is of paramount importance."
"Mobilize all our hidden intelligence networks, especially those races and merchants that have traded or had historical ties with Middle-earth, and spare no expense to collect all information related to the Holden Empire. At the same time, try to find marginal figures or lost families who may still have a slight connection with the Holden Empire and see if we can establish information channels."
"Great! Let's use a three-pronged approach!"
Iron Dragon Sorog's mood rose slightly.
He sensed a determination in Galus's words.
Samantha also understood her brother's decision.
She bared her fangs and let out a low, excited roar:
"Then let the storm rage on! We will dance amidst lightning and flames, and this continent is destined to witness our creation of a new and magnificent empire!"
The voice just fell.
As if sensing something, Garus suddenly raised his massive dragon head and looked toward the distant horizon in the direction of Middle-earth.
hum!
An incredibly vast, ring-shaped magical ripple burst forth from the sky above Middle-earth, spreading in all directions and instantly sweeping across the vast sky and land.
Its scope is so vast that it covers the entire Atlanta area.
The Romanian plains where Galus is located are also among them.
"This is... a massive 'message spell'?"
Galos narrowed his eyes, recognizing the basic nature of the spell.
It is not a high-level spell.
However, the ability to cover the entire continent with the effects of magic is truly incredible, demonstrating its profound power.
Its origin, without a doubt...
Galos's gaze locked onto the outlines of those colossal cities on the distant horizon, which resembled mirages.
same time.
The magical ripples were already close at hand, spreading over the Crimson Emperor's Royal City and over Garos's dragon body.
The mind connection fell silent for a moment.
The other blood relatives also received the message at the same time.
The instant the ripples swept across the body.
A clear and understandable message naturally comes to mind.
[A proclamation to all forces and intelligent beings across the continent.]
[At dawn today, due to uncontrollable deep-plane factors, an extremely high-intensity abyssal energy eruption occurred above the former Seventh Resource Zone of the Middle-earth Continent. This resulted in severe damage to the Empire's "Cloud Sky City," shattering its plane stabilizer and causing the abyssal energy to rapidly dissipate along the rupture. To prevent the further spread of the disaster and avoid a chain reaction, the Empire's central command ordered the city to execute its final emergency plan, controlling its descent to the Earth's coordinates.]
[It is predicted that a stable abyssal rift will form at the crash site. It is also predicted that a large number of low- to mid-level abyssal creatures will continuously infiltrate the material world through this rift. Furthermore, it is predicted that the rift will expand rapidly over time if there is no suppression.]
[By decree of the Imperial Supreme Court, and given that the Empire's focus of development has shifted entirely, the Empire relinquishes all claims, ownership, and administrative obligations regarding the surface resources and territory of the Middle-earth, effective from the date of this announcement. All powers may explore and develop this region according to their own strength and will.]
[Sole prerequisite: The abyssal rift must not be allowed to spiral out of control and threaten the overall stability of the continent. Dealing with the rift and the resulting demonic tides is considered a necessary condition for acquiring corresponding territorial rights.]
[Repeated: The Empire has more important matters to attend to in the heavens; conflicts on the surface are none of its concern.]
[Announcement complete.]
The lingering effects of the spell slowly dissipated into the air, but the content it carried resonated like thunderclaps, exploding in the minds of countless listeners and causing ripples.
The Holden Empire officially announced that it was relinquishing its rule over Middle-earth and made it clear that it would not interfere in subsequent struggles for control of the surface.
The prerequisite is that we can clean up the mess they left behind.
"The point where the floating city crashed... has formed a new abyssal rift, and it must be quite large."
Galos's pupils contracted slightly, his thoughts racing.
"At this critical juncture, they abandoned the surface and made it clear that they would not manage the Abyssal Rift... This is not a decision a normal Empire would make. What exactly happened to Holden?"
Unfortunately, the information in the announcement was limited.
Galos was puzzled but could not find a definite answer.
But there is one thing he is absolutely certain of.
The troubles facing the Holden Empire are far greater than anyone imagined; it's not just about losing a floating city.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have made today's announcement.
"One bombshell after another... The world is really about to change, no, the world has already changed and is collapsing."
Galos took a deep breath, his gaze sharpening.
In the connection of minds, there is a brief moment of silence.
Even inside and outside the Crimson Emperor's capital, a deathly silence descended.
Almost all intelligent beings were processing the information Holden was sending, and they all realized that a storm was coming.
"The previous plan remains unchanged."
Galos's voice rang out in a deep tone.
"In addition, contact the countries under our command and tell them that Romania is now in a state of emergency, and ask them to sign a new wartime treaty."
"You can draft the content of the treaty, but there is only one core clause."
"They must obey my will completely!"
"If anyone is unwilling... then let them bleed like rivers."
Whether it's to consolidate forces to resist the spreading abyssal disaster and chaotic war, or to launch a strong attack and expand outwards in the upcoming reshuffle.
The first and only thing that must be done is this:
— To thoroughly solidify the foundation of their rule.
The Romanian plains can accommodate many ethnic groups and different cultures and forms of governance.
However, from this moment forward until the unknown future, this land can only have one will, one voice, and one inviolable authority.
The chaotic staircase has been laid out.
The road to the top is destined to be forged in blood and fire.
"This time, it's no longer a regional conflict or a war between kingdoms, but a cataclysmic upheaval affecting the entire fate of Bernardo..."
"It's not those small-scale operations anymore."
"Will I ultimately ascend a glorious throne, or will I plunge into eternal darkness along with this world?"
The Red Emperor gazed at the vast, boundless sky and murmured softly.
No one responded to him.
Only the wind howled in, violently blowing against his scales, making a rustling sound.
I've gone back to my hometown and have been quite busy lately, so updates haven't been frequent. I'll update more often after the New Year.
(End of this chapter)