"Serafina, Ludwig."
When the Red-Iron Dragon's deep and focused voice reached the ears of the whispering Black Dragon and Green Dragon, both were jolted as if doused with ice water. They instantly straightened their curled dragon bodies, turned in unison toward their leader, and assumed a rigid, serious posture, not daring to even breathe loudly.
"There is no need to be so nervous."
Garros's gaze swept over the two Young Dragons and he asked, "How is the progress on the task I assigned you, the research on the Dragon-Forged Transformation Ritual?"
Hearing this, the Green Dragon Ludwig relaxed slightly.
He raised his slender, emerald-scaled neck and respectfully replied, "After our repeated experiments and research, we have determined that the Dragon-Forged Transformation Ritual is best followed in an order of increasing complexity, from simple to difficult."
"For example, the first ritual focuses on [Dragon Scale Modification], while the final one, which is also the most core and difficult, is [Dragon Heart Modification]."
The Black Dragon Serafina beside him lowered her voice and added:
"We have successfully designed the complete process and rune array for the first Dragon Scale Modification Ritual, but it is not yet perfect, and its stability needs improvement... The current success rate is only about thirty percent."
Thirty percent?
For a ritual involving the transformation of the essence of life, even a simplified version, achieving a thirty percent success rate was already a very good Breakthrough.
"The task you are undertaking is crucial to the future of the tribe."
Garros said solemnly and earnestly, "For every ritual you successfully perfect and solidify, I will bestow upon you unimaginably generous rewards—wealth, knowledge, or power. I will never let you be disappointed."
After making this promise of great rewards, his gaze slowly swept over the assembled kin leaders.
"My... My Lord, con... congratulations on your awakening and return."
Noticing Garros's gaze, the Gluttonous Ogre Karu, who was holding a large piece of unknown beast leg meat and eating until his mouth was covered in grease, said in a muffled voice, "But... but you look like you've... lost some weight? Hmm, it must be because you slept too long and didn't eat enough! You should eat more, eat more."
Garros carefully examined this veteran kin of the Molten Iron Tribe.
Today, the Gluttonous Ogre Karu was covered in fire-Red Dragon scales, with ferocious dragon horns growing on his head and a thick, powerful dragon tail dragging behind him. His entire body exuded strong characteristics of a dragon-vein creature.
His body had long since transcended the category of an ordinary Ogre, swelling to a terrifying size comparable to a Hill Giant. He was exceptionally robust and hulking, with muscles on his arms bulging as if they might explode, and knotted tendons. Among the various strange kin leaders, his physique remained the most eye-catching.
A flicker of light flashed in Garros's eyes as he used his Detection Spell.
[Gluttonous Ogre Karu, Life Level: 16]
One level lower than Garros currently, but he was already a formidable combatant capable of holding his own.
In terms of the Gluttonous Ogre's terrifying Bloodline talent that allows for rapid growth through consumption, this rate of improvement did not seem too fast. After all, as Karu fought in the south and north with the Molten Iron Tribe, the number of powerful creatures and magical Materials he had devoured was by no means small.
Theoretically, his Life Level should be higher.
The reason for this was that Karu was no longer a pure Gluttonous Ogre.
He was now a more powerful Dragon-vein Gluttony Ogre, with the Bloodline of the long-lived Dragon race integrated into his body.
While this greatly raised his potential ceiling, he was also affected by the relatively slow growth cycle of the Dragon Bloodline, which conversely slowed down his Life Level improvement speed.
"Regardless, over the past dozen years or so, the progress of the tribe leaders has been quite good overall."
Garros pondered to himself, his gaze continuing to sweep across the other kin leaders, and he cast his Detection Spell one after another.
[Centaur Elvie, Life Level: 16]
[Werewolf Russell, Life Level: 14]
[Snake Woman Naris, Life Level: 17]
[Wyvern Tasha, Life Level: 14]
[Kobold Doug, Life Level: 13]
...
The core leaders of the Molten Iron Tribe each had their own characteristics. Almost every one of them had been tempered by blood and fire, possessed extraordinary experiences and unique traits, held different trump cards, and was high in fighting spirit.
Under normal circumstances.
An ordinary adult Dragon, or even some Mature Adult Dragons, would find it very difficult to truly rule such a tribe filled with talent and powerful individuals.
Only Garros, with a Life Level only slightly higher than some of his kin, could firmly control the entire tribe by relying on his unparalleled prestige and unfathomable power.
Before ascending to Young Adult Dragon, his Life Level was even lower than that of his strongest kin for a time.
Now, among these kin leaders, the one with the highest level remained the Snake Woman Sword Saint Naris, who had increased from Level 16 to Level 17.
And the one who improved the fastest was the half-blood Centaur Elvie.
Initially, Elvie's Life Level was not particularly outstanding among the kin, but with the support of her excellent talent, she gradually caught up. Now, she stood firmly at the threshold of Level 16, second only to the Snake Woman Sword Saint.
As for the one among these leaders who could fight the best and had the strongest practical combat ability.
Garros believed it was the Gluttonous Ogre Karu, who was currently eating recklessly and gorging himself, rather than the higher-level Snake Woman Sword Saint.
Although Karu was one level lower, he held an absolute advantage in direct combat.
And as time passed, the Gluttonous Ogre Karu and the half-blood Centaur Elvie, both highly regarded by Garros, would inevitably surpass the Snake Woman Sword Saint in the future by relying on their Bloodlines and talents, having the potential to reach the Legendary realm.
However.
If no accidents occurred along the way, the first one under the Molten Iron Tribe to step into the Legendary realm might not be them, but the [Lord of Flowers] far away in the Serel Wilderness—Charles Hines.
The former Ximu Town had developed over these years to a scale resembling a small city, and thus it was renamed Ximu Territory.
Because the Serel Wilderness required a sufficiently heavyweight powerhouse to sit in command to prevent any unforeseen events, Charles, who served as the Lord, did not come to The Borderlands to participate in the banquet, but instead celebrated the King's return together with the local residents and garrison within Ximu Territory.
The human race had many shortcomings: short lifespans, fragile physical bodies... but among them, those true geniuses had an unparalleled growth rate.
The gap in talent between humans was sometimes far greater than the gap between Dragons.
The possibility of Charles becoming a Legendary first was extremely high.
"Once Charles becomes a Legendary first, the magic contract signed with him back then will no longer be able to constrain him."
A thought flashed through Garros's mind.
The magic contract used for the bet with Charles back then was not at the Legendary level.
Once Charles himself ascended to Legendary, the effect of the contract would naturally dissipate.
At that time, whether he would still be willing to remain in Ximu Territory and serve the Molten Iron Tribe would become an unknown.
However, crossing the threshold of Legendary was no easy task and could not be passed easily.
Although Charles was highly talented, he had not reached the monstrous level of the Holy King of Lothern. Considering his character and personality of valuing relationships and keeping his promises, there was no need to worry too much in the short term.
Out of his usual caution, Garros looked at the Iron Dragon Sorog again.
"Solrog, what is the current situation of Charles? Has he developed a sufficient sense of belonging to Ximu Territory and the Molten Iron Tribe?"
The Iron Dragon was silent for a few seconds, a rather strange expression appearing on his huge dragon face.
He said, "That Lord of Flowers? He has more than just a sense of belonging in Ximu Territory; right now, even if you wanted to drive him away, he might not be willing to leave."
Seeing that Solrog's expression was unusual, Garros asked, "What do you mean? Speak clearly."
The Iron Dragon Sorog let out a low, slightly teasing chuckle and said, "He has already officially married and had children in Ximu Territory, and has started a family."
"Moreover, his wife is not human; she is a... hmm, very beautiful and charming Snake Woman."
Garros realized immediately upon hearing this.
No wonder Solrog had that expression.
This Iron Dragon had a soft spot for Snake People himself; he hadn't expected that the Lord of Flowers, who looked so upright with thick eyebrows and large eyes, would have such similar aesthetic preferences to his own, choosing a partner of a different race.
At this moment, the Six-Armed Snake Woman leader Naris, who had been standing quietly to the side, gracefully slithered forward and added, "King, Beverly is a young sorceress in our tribe with quite good talent. She is meticulous and handles matters appropriately, so she was selected to serve as the administrative assistant to the Lord of Flowers, assisting him in handling some of the daily affairs of the territory."
"After the two spent a long time together, perhaps affection grew over time, and eventually, with the blessings of everyone in Ximu Territory, they officially became husband and wife."
Hearing this explanation, Garros gave the Snake Woman leader a meaningful look.
He felt that while Charles marrying a Snake Woman certainly had reasons related to his personal preferences, behind this, there was likely some quiet instigation and careful arrangement involved.
However, this level of minor maneuvering was harmless.
Garros did not reject the idea of his kin engaging in reasonable competition or plotting to elevate their own status and influence; this was an unavoidable aspect of any group.
Even his most core, completely loyal Dragon-vein kin had their own desires and demands.
As long as these behaviors were kept within reasonable limits and did not harm the overall interests of the tribe, he could tacitly permit them.
But if anyone dared to overstep their bounds, committing treason or causing serious harm to the Molten Iron Tribe... then the tribe's Red Dragon executioner would be very happy to let those traitors know what it meant to wish for death.
Not long after, as the sky gradually turned gray, the grand banquet that had lasted all night finally drew to a close.
The kin began to busily clean up the aftermath and clear the grounds.
All the dragons left Burning Steel Fortress and arrived at a vast, snow-covered plain outside Dragon Valley.
The duel in human form between Garros and Alberto would officially commence here.
Dragons of various sizes soared and circled in the leaden low sky; the whistling sound created by their massive wings flapping even drowned out the ceaseless wind and snow of the valley.
They simultaneously focused their gazes on the snow-covered battlefield below.
Whoosh! The bitter cold wind, carrying ice crystals, lashed against the two protagonists.
Garros and Alberto stood in confrontation, their dragon eyes reflecting each other's figures. Immediately after, two rays of Polymorph light surged from within them, enveloping their entire bodies.
After the light faded, two figures with vastly different temperaments appeared in their place.
On one side was Alberto, with his lithe, well-proportioned physique and dazzlingly handsome face.
On the other side was Garros, standing over two meters tall, majestic as a mountain. He stood bare-chested in the swirling snow, his knotted muscles exposed without a care, as if he were cast from steel. The muscles beneath his skin bulged in lumps, with veins and blood vessels popping out like intertwined dragons.
The two were separated by no more than a hundred meters, and the cold air between them seemed to have frozen solid.
Alberto flexed his fingers gently. Ancient oath runes appeared and flowed down his arms, eventually coalescing into the Spear of Conquest, symbolizing power and oaths, which he gripped firmly in his hand.
He looked at the highly oppressive figure opposite him, feeling no fear, and asked aloud: "Garros, are you ready?"
Opposite him, Garros did not answer, but simply began to loosen up his body.
He stretched his thick, long arms, stood on his tiptoes, and lightly crossed his feet. His body swayed and bounced in place like the most agile leopard, every movement filled with explosive power and astonishing coordination.
This unexpected agility caused the confidence on Alberto's face to stiffen slightly, and a trace of unease suddenly rose in his heart.
For an Evil Dragon who had just mastered Polymorph and transformed into human form for the first time, crawling on all fours like a beast due to extreme discomfort would be considered normal behavior.
But what did he see? Garros's movements had not a hint of difficulty or sluggishness; his footsteps were as light as if he had long been accustomed to this body!
"Begin." Garros stopped his warm-up, his voice calm and ripple-free.
He bent his knees slightly, and the muscle lines on his calves, tightened like steel cables, suddenly tensed, even emitting a teeth-grinding clicking sound.
The next instant—Crackle! Crackle! Dazzling golden lightning, mixed with Dragon Qi, surged from his massive body, churning violently! The violent energy aura even made his black-red hair stand on end, dancing wildly with the aura and lightning.
The snow around him instantly vaporized and vanished, and the frozen earth beneath his feet, unable to bear the weight, collapsed and shattered, blasting out a huge crater.
And by the time the deafening explosion reached Alberto's ears, the black-red lightning transformed from Garros had already torn through the wind and snow, arriving right in front of him.
So fast! Alberto's pupils constricted sharply. Relying entirely on his battle instincts honed through thousands of trials, he subconsciously raised the Spear of Conquest to block before him.
Bang!!! A dull thud like striking leather exploded. A visible ring of white shockwave expanded fiercely from the two as the center in all directions, kicking up countless snow!
What shocked Alberto even more was that two pitch-black arms, formed entirely of condensed Dragon Qi, appeared out of thin air behind Garros. Together with his own arms, all four arms launched dozens, even hundreds of fist shadows in an instant, like a violent storm.
Clang, clang, clang, clang! The Spear of Conquest in Alberto's hand was shaken violently by this overwhelming force, almost flying out of his grip. Under this violent onslaught, he stumbled backward, each step leaving deep footprints in the frozen soil.
Before he could stabilize his center of gravity, he saw Garros pivot his waist and hips fiercely, using his left leg as an axis.
That right leg, with its bulging muscles and knotted veins, swung out like a true dragon's tail, tearing through the air with a terrifying wail, striking fiercely.
No way to dodge! Boom! Alberto felt an irresistible force hit him. His whole body, as if thrown by a catapult, uncontrollably flew off the ground and smashed into the air.
Almost at the same time he was kicked away, the ground beneath Garros's feet exploded with a roar once more.
His burly figure shot into the sky, catching up to the airborne and leverage-less Alberto. His right leg raised high, wrapped in blinding golden lightning like a battle-axe, and he chopped down with the force to split mountains and cleave rocks.
Bang—! Alberto was smashed heavily back to the ground like a meteorite, kicking up a sky full of snow dust.
When he struggled to crawl up, that burly figure, like a demon god, descended from the sky like a shadow, stomping down with peerless might.
At the critical moment, an illusory crown condensed above Alberto's head, erupting with intense light, and he rolled away to narrowly avoid this fatal stomp.
"It's over! It's all over!"
"Why is he so skilled in human form?! This doesn't look like his first time at all!"
"The debt I worked so hard to pay off! It's going to be recalculated! And it's become even more!"
Alberto howled and wailed frantically in his heart, yet his face uncontrollably twisted into a strange expression, grinning wider than a cry, as if in despair that was both laughable and tearful.
He had clearly foreseen the outcome of his miserable defeat.
If not for the many dragons watching, he might have admitted defeat on the spot and begged Garros to at least reduce his debt by half!
Immediately after. Alberto gritted his teeth tightly, focusing all his energy, discarding all distracting thoughts, and wholeheartedly dealt with Garros's continuous, storm-like onslaught.
In human form, Garros still maintained despair-inducing, terrifying power and speed. His offensive was like an endless ocean wave, one after another, beating Alberto until he could only parry, with no power to strike back.
Alberto also completely gave up the thought of counterattacking. He focused solely on defense, hoping only to hold out for a while longer, not to be defeated too quickly or too ugly, and to try to salvage a little dignity for himself.
As time passed. The solid earth below shattered and cracked repeatedly under Garros's stomping and Alberto's impacts, and the surrounding wind and snow were constantly torn apart and scattered by the violent Qi.
Under the silent and focused gaze of the many dragons in the sky, this battle, which could almost be called a one-sided beating, slowly moved toward an unchangeable conclusion.
After another seemingly endless few minutes. Clang! The Spear of Conquest in Alberto's hand was finally completely blasted away by a heavy punch, spinning and embedding itself into the distant snow.
Immediately after, Garros's fist, containing terrifying power, fiercely shattered the already dim phantom of the Holy Armor around Alberto, and mercilessly landed on his already bruised and swollen, no longer handsome face.
Bang! The final, exceptionally fierce and heavy straight punch hit Alberto squarely in the chest!
Ugh! Alberto spat out a mouthful of golden dragon blood, his whole body flying backward like a kite with a broken string.
In mid-air, with a flash of intense magical radiance, he could no longer maintain his human form and was forced to reveal his massive Golden Dragon true form. He finally crashed heavily to the ground, rolling and plowing a long trench until he hit a small hill covered in thick snow, finally stopping, eyes closed, appearing to have completely passed out.
"Is he really that fragile?" Garros frowned slightly, retracting the churning Dragon Qi and lightning around him, feeling somewhat puzzled.
He believed that although his strikes were not light, they shouldn't have been enough to knock Alberto completely unconscious; given the physical constitution of a Golden Dragon, he should have been able to endure a while longer.
In fact, his judgment was entirely correct. To escape the cruel reality, the noble Golden Dragon, Your Excellency Alberto, after 0.1 seconds of intense inner struggle, decisively chose to pretend to faint.
If it were the proud, upright version of him from before, who regarded honor as life, he would never have done such a undignified thing. But now. Alberto silently recited in his heart while unconscious: Escaping is shameful, but it works.