Chapter 534
The True Dragon Emperor in Another Dimension
Chapter 534 The True Dragon Emperor in Another Dimension
The Red Emperor's gaze fell on the warrior monk, and he remained silent for a few moments.
Let's work together to resolve the crisis in the abyss first, and then each of us can compete for control of the Middle-earth continent based on our own abilities.
Cooperate first, then compete.
These words were devoid of meaningless pleasantries; they were straightforward and honest.
After a moment's thought, Galos made his decision.
Regardless of what happens later, uniting against external threats is undoubtedly the best option for now.
When Holden announced the abandonment of Middle-earth, he explicitly stated that nations were free to vie for the land, but only on the condition that the Abyssal Rift be pacified.
Actually, this is not an order, but just a reminder.
A reminder to everyone: that land is now a cake soaked in venom; if it's not cleaned up first, anyone who eats it will die.
Moreover, even without Holden's reminder, the other nations were well aware of this.
To divide the Middle-earth, one cannot bypass the rift that lies across the center of the continent, exuding an abyssal aura. Moreover, if left unchecked, even remote areas will be attacked by demons.
Those twisted creatures don't respect territorial boundaries.
They will only turn everything they go into scorched earth.
Leaving aside lofty goals such as the safety of the mainland, even for their own survival, they should cooperate to deal with the Abyss Rift together.
This is the most basic consensus.
However, Galus did not agree immediately.
He gazed at the monk and asked, "Besides the Eastern Lands, the Southern Regions, and the Northern Territory, there is also the West, which is being unified by the Kingdom of Blackton. Have you sent representatives to discuss cooperation with the Lord of Thunder?"
Ramirez had his eye on Middle-earth a long time ago.
That ancient blue dragon's intelligence network was no less than that of any human kingdom; it clearly knew some secret information.
Perhaps, when this ancient blue dragon established its kingdom, its sights were already set on the Middle-earth, and it is certainly keeping a close eye on the changes in the Abyss Rift now.
If the alliance is to cooperate, it will not leave out the West.
“ASEAN and the Southern Region first reached a cooperation framework, and then I came to Romania on behalf of ASEAN.”
The monk replied, his voice steady.
"As for the Lord of Thunder, the representative from the Southern Region will be responsible for negotiating with him."
At this point, the monk revealed a subtle expression, and the eyes of the several Northern Kings standing below the red iron dragon also flickered slightly.
Galos witnessed the entire scene.
He roughly knew what these people were thinking.
Previously, the entire continent of Atlanta was predominantly inhabited by humans. Even in regions outside of Middle-earth, the major alliances were mainly composed of humans. Although other races had their own settlements, they were generally in a subordinate position in politics and military affairs.
Now, however, the situation is different.
Two dragon kingdoms rose up, uniting the North and the West, and were almost equal in strength to the human alliance.
Moreover, the human rights side is basically the United Nations.
An alliance of multiple kingdoms, each maintaining a considerable degree of independence, requires consultation and even negotiation when major issues arise.
The dragon side, however, is the 'Unified Country'.
Take the North, for example. The Red Emperor is the sole ruler here. Humans, like other races, rely on the wings of dragons to survive. The power structure is completely different.
This inevitably makes people in other alliances think more.
In particular, those rulers who are accustomed to human dominance in the world.
However, Galos didn't care what others thought.
Whether it's worry or apprehension, it's their own problem.
This is not something that needs to be taken seriously right now.
What are the specific forms of cooperation?
Galos posed the most crucial question: "Romania, Salud, Natacro... who will lead the allied forces? Whose will is more important? When orders on the battlefield differ, whose will should be obeyed?"
This is a contradiction that any alliance must face.
Without a clear division of responsibilities, so-called cooperation will only turn into internal friction.
The monk answered without hesitation, clearly having already prepared a plan.
“When ASEAN negotiated with the South, it established a framework that also applies to the North and the West.”
"The coalition does not have a single commander-in-chief. Each alliance elects a plenipotentiary representative, and several representatives form the coalition's decision-making body. Major actions require the approval of a majority to be carried out."
"If two people agree and two people disagree, the discussion will continue until a majority consensus is reached, or the action is shelved. If a majority consensus cannot be reached, each domain may decide whether to act alone, but must inform the decision-making level in advance to avoid misjudgment and conflict."
He paused, then added, "Among the representatives of the alliance, there is no distinction of rank or importance."
"We share the same goal."
"Once the abyssal rift is closed and the demon tide is stopped from spreading, the allied forces will disband after the rift is sealed and the demons are eradicated. As for the ownership of Middle-earth... that's a matter for later, to be decided by each side's strength."
The monk raised his gaze and looked up at the red iron dragon on the throne.
From this angle, the enormous dragon body filled his field of vision. Even though he was a legend, high above mortals, he still felt a heavy sense of oppression.
"Your Majesty Ignas, what is your opinion?"
He asked
The hall was completely silent.
The kings of the North held their breath, knowing that this decision might affect the future of the entire continent.
"Cooperation is no problem."
Under the watchful eyes of many, Red Iron Dragon spoke slowly and deliberately, "In order to extinguish the fires of the abyss, the Romanian nations are willing to join forces with the ASEAN and Southern Regions, stand on the same front, and fight against the demons together. Before the abyss is pacified, the Northern Territory and the Human Alliance will not invade each other."
The monk's face showed a relieved expression.
"With your participation, the cracks can be smoothed out."
He offered a compliment and took out a scroll from his pocket.
The scroll was made of some kind of silver leather, with fine runes inlaid along the edges, and it shimmered with a faint magical glow.
"This is a wartime alliance magic contract, in multiple copies, witnessed by the gods. The ASEAN countries and the Southern Region countries have already signed it. Your Majesty, I now present it to you."
An invisible force carried the magic contract to the red iron dragon.
The monk bowed again, this time with even greater respect.
“ASEAN has important matters to attend to. Your Majesty Ignas, and all the kings of the North, I shall take my leave now.”
"May your kingdoms endure forever, may Atlantis endure forever."
Led by his attendants, the monk turned and left, quickly disappearing into the long corridor outside the hall.
A few minutes later.
The envoy from the East has already departed.
With only the kings of the North and the true ruler of this place remaining in the spacious hall, the atmosphere relaxed somewhat.
"Sorog".
The sound of the red iron dragon broke the silence.
The iron dragon, sculpted like a sculpture, drooped its head on one side of the platform, its metallic scales rubbing against each other, producing a faint clanging sound.
"His Majesty."
"You will serve as the representative of the North, enter the decision-making level of the Allied Forces, convey my will, and make decisions on my behalf."
"Garos said."
"I will obey Your Majesty's command."
Sorog replied in a deep voice, "I will ensure that your will is carried out."
Galus turned to the kings below.
These human rulers straightened their backs under his gaze.
"Gentlemen."
Red Iron Dragon looked around, his gaze sweeping over the faces, some young and some old. "The storm of the times has begun, years of peace are about to end, and the atmosphere of war is once again spreading across the continent. During this period, the Northern Territory must be a unified whole."
As he spoke, Red Iron Dragon grinned, revealing his sharp teeth.
"Follow me against the wind, and you will gain glory and reward. But if anyone tries to play tricks behind my back..."
He didn't finish speaking, but the temperature inside the hall suddenly rose, and an invisible dragon's might spread out.
"Your Majesty, the northern kingdoms will obey your commands."
This time, King Lorthorn spoke first, drawing a disapproving look from King Theo.
Then, others chimed in.
Galos nodded in satisfaction.
He doesn't need their loyalty, only their obedience.
Human loyalty is far too fragile in the face of the long lifespan of dragons, but self-interest and fear are reliable bonds.
The stage is already set up.
After decades of stable development, the Red Emperor is ready to rise again.
This time, his dance partner may be an ally or an enemy, and the music will be a symphony of clashing swords and armor and exploding magic.
Not long after, in a secluded space.
The three-headed, six-armed dragon stood proudly, its eyes blood-red, its face armor as thick as steel, and its dragon aura surging and burning, like a walking active volcano.
He was suspended in the sky, his wings fully spread, casting a shadow that covered a large area of land below.
Beneath the red iron dragon was a shocking, enormous crater, as if the earth's crust had collapsed.
Dark red heat emanated from the edge of the crater, a glassy substance formed from the resolidification of rocks melted by extreme heat. The crater walls exhibited a stepped collapse structure, with the deepest part being bottomless, where countless tiny spatial cracks could even be faintly seen shimmering, as if the entire world had been pierced through by this attack.
This scene stemmed from Galos's experimentation with new skills.
That wasn't a skill from any particular source, nor was it recorded in the Dragon Legacy. Rather, it was a destructive skill that Garos created based on his own characteristics and his Dragon Energy Ball.
Galos has spent most of his time on this over the past few months.
"This move, compared to the initial Dragon Qi Bomb, requires a longer accumulation time and consumes more energy, but its power has also been greatly enhanced."
Red Iron Dragon muttered to himself, observing the details of the pit below, "It can even destroy the spatial structure with pure energy, creating continuous spatial disorder... It can truly be called the 'Dragon Emperor's Other Dimension'."
Although it is not perfect and the charging time is still too long, it is sufficient as a strategic deterrent.
It is especially useful when shooting at stationary targets.
"Substances imbued with the abyss's aura are extremely tough and difficult to destroy by ordinary means."
"Now, the demons are forging fortresses with abyssal materials. The stones and metals that have been contaminated by rift energy are far harder and more resistant to magic than ordinary materials. Ordinary siege equipment and conventional magic can hardly damage them effectively."
He grinned and smiled.
"Ah...perfect."
"I'm curious how many of my attacks it can withstand."
Frankly, cooperating with other alliances is for stability, not a necessity.
Garros had little concern about the Abyssal Rift.
Currently, the rift is not stable enough to allow demons of the Destiny rank to pass through. The strongest among them are none other than the Grand rank, and at this level, Garus is basically fearless.
Decades ago, he was able to take on four opponents single-handedly.
Decades later, although he hasn't made a qualitative leap, he is still much better than he was back then.
He was confident he could handle the situation as long as no enemy of the Heavenly Mandate rank appeared.
The red iron dragon shook its head, stretched its claws, and its joints cracked.
Beneath him, the ground was riddled with massive craters, not just one, but scattered everywhere, varying in size and depth. The entire land was scarred and devastated, as if it had been bombarded by countless meteorites, with not a single patch of intact land to be found.
However, Galus paid no attention to these things.
As he grew, finding a suitable training venue gradually became difficult for Galos.
For example, when he was in the Dragonspine Mountains, he needed to consider the surrounding environment when using skills like Dragon Energy Blast.
Even a casual warm-up by him can cause the surrounding mountains to collapse and the ground to crack.
Exercising with restraint makes it difficult to fully enjoy the experience.
He was currently in a special space created through dimensional magic, within the material world, but not directly on the planet Bernardo, like a small bubble attached to the main world.
This is a gift presented by the Kingdom of Matna after its submission.
Its overall area is roughly equivalent to two Romanian plains, but it is barren and desolate, with virtually no intelligent life and no valuable resources. The edge of the space is a blurry, chaotic boundary, and the sky is always gray. There are no sun, moon, or stars, only faint light of unknown origin. The earth is composed of hard rocks and sand, and occasionally some crystal clusters can be seen, but the magical content is extremely low.
For most people, this place is of no value.
But it suits Garus very well.
It is large enough and sturdy enough that no matter how much it is damaged, it will not affect the main world.
Now, this place has become his personal 'gym'.
Whenever he needs to test a new skill, or simply wants to stretch his legs and move around freely, he comes here to unleash his full power.
"One more time." Galos roared, and the black and red dragon energy flames surged violently, boiling over as if fueled by oil, and spewing out from the gaps in his scales.
The air began to vibrate, emitting a low hum.
Then.
The dragon stretched out its six arms and slowly brought them together in front of its chest. The silver patterns on the claws of destruction lit up, guiding the dragon energy to converge. The three majestic dragon heads also opened at the same time, and blood-red light surged deep in its throat. It was the dragon breath of destruction brewing, but not for spewing out. Instead, it was to be integrated into the entire skill system as one of the energy sources.
He could feel the power converging, compressing, and undergoing a qualitative change.
But at that moment, he paused slightly.
A connection from the outside world triggered his senses, and it was of high priority.
Red Iron Dragon took a deep breath, and the boiling dragon energy around him gradually subsided, as the energy was forcibly drawn back into his body.
It's uncomfortable to interrupt this level of skill development.
It felt like extinguishing a lit fuse, causing a burning pain.
But he had long been accustomed to this level of pain.
In fact, Garros would deliberately interrupt certain skills to get used to the backlash, which was also one of his training programs.
He took out a communication device that was flashing with lightning.
"Ramorion, what is it?"
Galos asked directly, his voice showing no displeasure at being disturbed.
He knew the other party wouldn't contact him without a reason.
From the other end came Ramirez's deep voice, with the faint rumble of thunder in the background, as if a storm was approaching.
"Garos, people from the Southern Region have come looking for me."
He got straight to the point and addressed Galos by his first name, instead of using his surname "Ignas" or titles like "Red Emperor" as he had done in formal settings before.
Calling someone by their first name usually signifies closeness and recognition among dragons, indicating that the speakers consider each other to be equals and have a desire to build a closer relationship.
Galos could tell that the Lord of Thunder wanted to get closer to him.
Otherwise, he wouldn't frequently message me, sharing some informal intelligence and opinions.
This is both a diplomatic gesture and a test.
"I know."
"The ASEAN representative just left me recently, and brought me a magical contract," Garros said.
"Oh."
Lamorion chuckled. "I guess you agreed. Given your personality, it would be unwise of you to refuse to cooperate at a time like this."
Galos did not deny it.
"To be honest, sitting with those humans and voting according to the same rules..."
Lamorion's voice was somewhat disdainful.
“It is a disgrace. In the past, those races could only kneel before us, begging for our favors and picking scraps from our claws. Now we have to sit on equal footing with them and even listen to their opinions on certain matters.”
He paused, then changed the subject, forcibly suppressing his emotions and regaining his composure.
"However, now is now."
"The abyss is right there, and the demons are building their city. I'm not so unaware of what's important. The important thing is to drive those filthy things back to their homeland first."
"So you agreed?"
Galus asked, though he already knew the answer.
“I agree,” Ramorain answered readily. “My firstborn son, Kel'Drog, you will remember him, the blue dragon who contacted you back then. He served as the Western representative and sat in that decision-making body.”
"My contemporaries and I are ready to go into war at any time."
Galos nodded slightly.
"I'm looking forward to fighting side by side next."
He said.
"I'm looking forward to it too."
Lamorion responded, but before he could finish speaking, the voice on the other end lowered and changed tone, as if it were a conversation between close friends.
“However, Galos, there are some things that are not appropriate to say in formal settings, but I think you should be willing to listen.”
"Regarding what happens after the cooperation ends."
Galos did not respond, but simply waited quietly for what would happen next.
“Once the Abyssal Rift is cleared and the wartime alliance pact ends,” Ramorion said, slowing his pace, “I want to take action against the human Grand Orders as soon as possible.”
"The three Grand Masters of the ASEAN, the Grand Master of Magic of the Southern Region, and those human kings who think they can stand on equal footing with us, or other legends... Heh, humans are physically weak. When they fight demons, they have to pay a higher price than us dragons. They are more seriously injured and consume more energy."
"That was the best opportunity, when they were at their weakest."
"You and I, join forces."
“We will wipe them out in one fell swoop, cleanly and efficiently. The remaining rabble is no threat; they will only become our slaves, mining resources, building palaces, and offering sacrifices to us. The entire continent of Atlanta will return to the age of dragons.”
To turn hostile and launch an attack immediately?
If the Lord of Thunder can think this way, could the human side have similar thoughts? The two sides are not the same race, and the cooperation is only temporary. There is a deep-rooted wariness and distrust between them, and the possibility of them turning against each other immediately after the cooperation ends is extremely high.
Galos weighed his options and did not respond immediately.
At that moment, a long breath came from the other end of the communication device, as if the Ancient Blue Dragon was suppressing some kind of excited emotion.
“Garos Ignas, you and I are the same kind of dragon.”
Blue Dragon's voice became solemn.
“You were not content with the status quo, you were not willing to be suppressed by other races. You established a kingdom and unified the North, not to be on equal footing with those humans, but to make the dragons stand on their heads again. And you did succeed. Now, the human kings in the North bow down before you. Your will is everything.”
"Just like the glory of dragons ruling the sky and the earth in ancient times."
"Back then, Dragon Language was the common language of the continent, and Dragon Nest was the beacon of civilization. All races looked up to us. But now, those small creatures have forgotten who the true rulers are."
"I know you understand what I'm saying."
Lamorion's voice was even lower, "Because in your heart, there is something the same as mine, that desire for a higher status, that response to the instinct for domination, that sense of mission for the glorious revival of the dragon race."
"Join me, my fellow countrymen."
"Together we will make the dragon race glorious and great again. The North and the West will be united as one, forming the cornerstone of the dragon empire. Then, we will move east and south, bringing the entire continent under our wings."
Galos remained silent for two seconds.
"I'll see how things go at that time."
He concluded calmly, "It's too early to make any promises now. The battlefield is ever-changing, and no one knows what will happen in the fight against the Abyss. Perhaps all of humanity's Grand Commanders will perish, perhaps we will suffer heavy losses, or perhaps other variables will arise."
He did not give a definite answer.
On the other side, Ramirez did not show any disappointment.
Instead, a low, rumbling laugh, as if rolling through the clouds, came from the other end.
“I understand. Caution is necessary. You’re not like those hot-blooded young dragons who get carried away by the slightest provocation. I’m well past that age.”
"A hasty promise is meaningless, especially on such an important matter."
"Okay, we'll see how it goes."
"I believe that by then, you will make the same choice as me."
There was a certain certainty in his laughter.
It was as if Ramorion completely trusted his own judgment, believing that Garros shared the same driving force deep within him, and was simply waiting for the right time and reason.
Finally, the lightning went out, and communications were lost.
The desolate space returned to silence.
Garus hovered in the air, looking down at the ravaged land below, lost in thought.
Lamorion's invitation, when uttered by him, carried a natural sincerity.
He truly believed that Galos was of the same kind as him, that the Red Emperor harbored the same ambitions deep within his heart, and that joining forces to purge the human Grand Orders after the war was a natural course of action, not even a conspiracy, but a tacit understanding, an unspoken consensus among dragons.
but……
This belief itself, however, made Galus feel a certain disharmony.
It's not that I doubt Lamorion's sincerity, but rather that I feel the other party may have misunderstood some fundamental things.
The glory of the dragon.
Dominate the sky and the earth.
The resentment of being suppressed by other races.
...These grand concepts are the driving force, the goal, and the reason for Ramorion to shed blood for them.
This Lord of Thunder is a dragon supremacist.
His actions—establishing the Kingdom of Braxton, unifying the West, seeking an alliance with Garros—all have this underlying theme: restoring the dragons' dominance.
However, Galus was not.
He is dissatisfied with the status quo, and that's true.
But what he was dissatisfied with was not the current situation where "dragons are suppressed by other races", but the current situation where "he, Garros, is not strong enough".
He established a kingdom and unified the North, not to restore any ancient glory.
That's all in the past; no matter how glorious it was, it's history.
He did this to build a more solid foundation for himself, acquire more resources, and enable himself to continue to grow, become stronger, and evolve towards a higher level of life.
Whether humanity is strong or weak.
Whether the dragon's glory is restored or it declines.
These concepts are too grand, too distant, too... irrelevant to me.
Galos was more concerned about his own future.
Can they break through to the Heavenly Mandate, or even immortality? Can they master even greater power? Can they survive the potential for an even greater crisis?
He did it for evolution, for survival, for transcendence.
If cooperation is beneficial to me, then I will cooperate.
If taking action against the Human Crown Ranks after the war is in our interest, such as gaining a large amount of resources or eliminating potential threats, then we should take action.
If inaction is more in our best interest—for example, if humanity still has value to us, or if the risk of taking action is too high—then we should remain inactive.
There is no racial mission that must be fulfilled.
There is no dragon glory that must be revived.
Only by constantly evolving and becoming stronger can we achieve this.
Everything else is unimportant; they are all variables that can be weighed and chosen.
However, the Lord of Thunder interpreted Galos's "unwillingness" as the same thing he was feeling.
...That's a bit of an oversimplification.
"He seems to have some kind of misunderstanding about me."
Galos thought to himself, shaking his head.
However, he did not immediately rule out the possibility of a post-war alliance.
That is indeed one of the options, depending on the situation.
If the human Grand Masters suffer heavy losses in the war, while he and Ramorain retain most of their strength, then taking the opportunity to eliminate potential rivals would indeed be in their best interest.
Conversely, a reassessment is necessary.
But Ramorion's unwavering confidence that "you are just like me" made him realize that although this ancient blue dragon was experienced, it also had its blind spots.
"I probably have such blind spots too."
Galus did not consider himself perfect.
This is why, when making a major decision, he not only consults with the most experienced Sorog, but also listens to the opinions of Samantha and Gordon.
In the future, he might also include suitable offspring in the bloodline connection, filling his own blind spots by listening to the thoughts of dragons of different ages, personalities, and experiences.
Complete dictatorship is highly efficient, but also very risky.
A wise person listens to all sides.
Then, Galos stretched out his body again.
The dark red dragon energy ignited once again on the surface of the scales.
Those racial narratives are not his concern right now; Ramorain's misunderstandings and the humans' wariness are secondary.
He should focus on what he can control.
For example, before the rift allows the Destiny Demon to pass through, practice skills that can blast it through.
Red Iron Dragon's massive arms began to converge towards his chest.
Soon after, the earth in the small world trembled once again.
(End of this chapter)