Translator: AnubisTL
The manticore chief opened its mouth, seemingly about to protest. But as the words formed, it gazed at the colossal back—a presence far beyond its power to oppose—and ultimately swallowed the words back down.
Now, all it could do was keep a nervous watch, hoping the Dragon Lord would return soon.
Meanwhile, under the tense and wary gazes of the numerous familiars, Garos strolled leisurely through the Heavenly Pit Territory like a returning king.
He passed the crystal-clear lake where he had spent long hours diving as a young dragon to strengthen his lungs. He stepped over the training ground, worn exceptionally hard by his own relentless "Sun Mountain, Sun Earth" drills day after day. He walked past the mining area where he had once forced his dragon siblings to toil, digging for ore... Finally, he came to a halt near the Iron Dragon Maiden's massive nest, nestled deep within the pit wall.
Fifty years had passed.
The Heavenly Pit Territory had inevitably undergone many changes. The vegetation had shifted, watercourses had been diverted, and the mine shafts had been widened. The addition of new familiars had left fresh marks, while blurring some old memories.
Garos himself had also changed immensely, no longer the hatchling he once was.
"I wonder what kind of look the Iron Dragon Maiden will give me when she sees me again after all this time."
A flicker of curiosity and anticipation stirred in his heart.
While he waited, he didn't remain idle, performing some warm-up exercises that he considered relatively simple.
However, the violent gusts of wind and the slight tremors of the ground caused by each of his movements struck terror into the hearts of the familiarly watching familiars, who followed him closely without daring to relax.
Meanwhile, in another area of the Sierre Wilderness, far from the Heavenly Pit Territory—the Steepstone Highlands.
A blue dragon, its massive body covered in deep blue scales with dangerous electric sparks occasionally leaping between the gaps in its armor, stood like a statue on the edge of a cliff.
The blue dragon gazed at the iron dragon before it, whose aura was steady and calm, and its voice rolled out like thunder.
"The Dominic Family never provokes an insurmountable enemy without cause, nor do we engage in any action devoid of benefit. This is our law of survival."
Opposite the blue dragon stood Leticia, an Iron Dragon whose scales resembled masterfully forged black plate armor, radiating an aura of resilience and power.
"I understand your principles," Leticia said gravely. "But no dragon knows the true nature of that madman Gorsas better than I!"
"As long as he shares this wilderness with the Dominic Family..."
"...he will sooner or later cast his greedy and brutal gaze upon your territory, your treasures, and your kin."
"Waiting passively is like sleeping beside a volcano, never knowing when the lava of destruction will erupt."
"Instead of waiting, we should strike first! While we still hold the advantage in strength and information, let us unite and utterly eradicate this lethal threat hanging over our heads."
The blue dragon slowly swayed its lightning-patterned tail, its tone remaining calm.
"I understand your concerns and your proposal, Leticia."
"But, as I have repeatedly emphasized, for our Dominic Family, tangible and visible benefits are far more important than ethereal, potential threats or personal vendettas."
"I will convey your thoughts and proposal to the chief in their entirety."
The blue dragon paused, its tone carrying a hint of candor as it continued, "However, I must also inform you beforehand that, based on my understanding of the family's decision-making style, the probability of the chief ultimately agreeing to join forces with you and taking the initiative to besiege Gorsas is not very high."
Although the blue dragon and the iron dragon both belonged to the Lawful Evil alignment of evil dragons, their ways of thinking were markedly different.
The blue dragon clan was generally more rational and calm, placing great importance on weighing pros and cons and long-term planning. In contrast, the iron dragon was more resilient and stubborn, sometimes willing to pay a higher price for the sake of its goals or beliefs.
Without a sufficiently attractive incentive, why would the Blue Dragon Family go out of its way to besiege a powerful, mad, and extremely vengeful adult red dragon?
If they failed, they would be needlessly provoking a terrible mortal enemy for the family.
Even if they succeeded, besides the red dragon's potentially valuable corpse, what substantial benefits could they actually gain?
The territory ruled by the Mad Red Dragon had long been ravaged into a wasteland, and its familiars were mostly a chaotic rabble with virtually no value for takeover.
"...I will await your final response."
Iron Dragon Leticia fell silent for a moment, then, without another word, she beat her steel-like wings, her massive body soaring into the sky as she flew back toward her own territory.
After their brief exchange, she no longer held much hope for the Blue Dragon Clan's participation.
The night was deepening, the boundless sky shrouded in a profound, inky blue, with only a few scattered stars twinkling faintly.
Leticia shook her head silently, suppressing her tangled thoughts as she accelerated her flight.
As she drew closer to the Heavenly Pit Territory, a wave of dragon might—exceptionally powerful, unfamiliar, yet tinged with a strange sense of familiarity—struck her like a physical blow.
Leticia's heart jolted. Before she could even discern whose complex aura it was, her gaze sharpened, and she surged forward, returning to her own territory like a bolt of black lightning.
Soon, the familiar contours of the Heavenly Pit came into view.
She began her descent, her sharp dragon eyes instantly locking onto a massive, broad-shouldered dragon standing with its back to her near the nest.
The sheer muscularity of its form, the dense, sharp thorn spikes covering its body, the heavy scales that seemed impervious to all attacks, the uniquely structured dragon wings with blade-like edges, the powerful tail, and the towering, winding horns—every detail screamed extreme danger.
Alarm bells instantly blared in Leticia's mind.
Boom!
Her heavy dragon body slammed down near the nest entrance, her limbs crouching low as the immense magic energy within her surged. She was fully braced, ready to unleash a lethal strike at any moment.
"Who dares trespass in my territory!"
Iron Dragon Leticia let out a low, menacing roar from deep within her throat. The steel scales across her body bristled, and her muscles coiled like a drawn bow.
At that moment, the broad, heavy dragon shadow, radiating a suffocating pressure, slowly turned around.
When Leticia's sharp, wary gaze finally took in every detail of the other dragon's face, and she caught the close-up scent of molten iron, raging fire, and a hint of something familiar from the depths of her bloodline...
She froze. Her massive dragon eyes went still for a moment.
Then, her pupils dilated, widening slowly, incrementally, in disbelief... An utterly absurd thought, one that made her question her own sanity, surged uncontrollably from her heart.
"Oh? My dear mother, long time no see."
Garos grinned, his draconic maw splitting open to reveal a smile as he looked at the Iron Dragon Mother, who stood before him, utterly dumbfounded and seemingly turned to stone.
"You seem tense."
"Have you already forgotten your own offspring?"
Opposite him, the Iron Dragon Leticia's eyes were wide open, her entire field of vision filled by the mighty dragon before her—a creature a full size larger than herself, radiating the terrifying aura of a primordial giant beast.
Unparalleled shock washed over her reason like a tsunami, leaving her gaze filled with utter disbelief.
This can't be real!
This dragon, over twenty meters long and weighing far more than she did—a dragon that had already reached the form of a prime adult—was really her offspring that had hatched only decades ago?!
(End of the Chapter)
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