Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Hmm?

Hill blinked.

A red ring appeared on the ground... Hill knew that the entrance to the Styx must be blood-red, but what was this?

He looked down at the strange creature that suddenly popped out of nowhere: ”May I ask who you are?”

The creature, resembling a rabbit in plate armor, angrily raised its head: ”Can’t you tell?”

Metallic black scales with silver flashes, it looked like a three-lobed mouth but should be quite sharp... just the minimized shape made it look like a rabbit’s mouth, along with the flattened head and shark-fin-like back armor, all made Hill think it was an Iron Dragon.

But due to the abrupt and bizarre miniaturization... it really looked like a cartoon rabbit.

Hill didn’t know what to say.

Though he knew some Subferrous Dragon Clan members lived near the Styx, Iron Dragons, who prefer iron mines, were indeed very few.

After all, among the Subferrous Dragon Clan, those leaning more towards evil frequented the Styx.

Though their main reason for residing near the Styx was to evade Tiamat.

”Perhaps... never seen such a small Iron Dragon, nor such a unique rabbit?” Hill said airily.

”Hmph~” the little Iron Dragon turned its head, baring big teeth at Gilbert, with a blood-red Soul Crystal gleaming at its tooth tip, and conical sparks seemed to fly from its throat, ”it’s only because I can’t beat you...”

Hill smiled slightly, quietly watching as Gilbert’s soul was extracted, violently stuffed into the crystal stone, then directly thrown into the nearly disappearing Styx entrance.

The blood-red halo, only fist-sized, had become faintly discernible.

”You’re not leaving?” Hill asked curiously.

”With you here, I don’t have to leave.” The Iron Dragon’s voice was clearly displeased, ”The Styx knows who’s the best at causing trouble.”

”You’re so unwilling, why did you agree?” Hill continued to ask.

”Huh?” The rabbit-like Iron Dragon rolled its red eyes, ”What do you think? My treasure vault was flooded by the Styx... that thing actually changed course suddenly!

To trap me into working, it was so vicious!”

Hill suddenly understood: ”You originally lived on this side...”

He laughed softly: ”To seek peace, you lived near the Styx, which is under the Devil’s control. I really admire you.”

The Iron Dragon, not bothering to announce his name, cast a strange glance at Hill: ”Annoying little brat, even in this world, Natural Consciousness gets suppressed, yet still...

Forget it, I won’t talk to you. I’m going to find a suitable place to sleep and wait for you to complete your grand endeavor.

The Styx will appreciate your contribution.

As for the reward... once Teraxil has the Styx flowing through, you’ll know.”

With that, he effortlessly melded into the ground, slowly disappearing.

It seemed he used the Iron Dragon’s talents to meld into steel, but Hill still sensed a bit of Hell’s searing heat.

This was a Red Dragon masquerading as an Iron Dragon.

Even without Natural Consciousness reminding him, Hill wouldn’t mistake the opponent’s faction.

Unless this world was devoid of life, with no soil or air.

As long as there’s anything related to nature, he wouldn’t be misled.

It’s understandable for a Red Dragon to pose as an Iron Dragon... these two are absolute enemies: Red Dragons see Iron Dragons as pathetic invaders, while Iron Dragons feel Red Dragons sully the reputation of dragon creatures.

Once the Dragon Race establishes a racial hatred, it flows through their veins forever.

Yet choosing to hide near Asmodeus’s world where he plots secretly, and not worrying about being killed by the Lord of Hell if discovered, Hill could think of only one explanation.

And what he said about ’being commanded by the Styx because the lair was flooded,’ was nonsense that even the normally silent Natural Consciousness couldn’t help but mock.

The Styx never plays the forced love game.

It only cooperates with those willing.

So, is this Dragon Egg truly hatched? And well-suited to survive in the Styx, right?

Hill really didn’t expect that what he heard in Toril was false news!

How many contingencies did he have prepared for his child?

Wait a minute!

Hill suddenly realized something, if that Dragon Egg is confirmed to be a Male Dragon, why would he have prepared so much?

Isn’t that Bahamut, an unexpected incident?

He had heard that hatchling dragons could communicate with the outside world while still inside their eggs, so... did the father and daughter already prepare for the possibility of gender transformation?

However, that red dragon was indeed quite shocked at the time, Hill was sure of that.

Hill pursed his lips, meaning the red dragon actually knew its dragon egg’s gender could be fluid, but the chances weren’t that high.

And Bahamut’s final strike turned this chance of one in ten thousand into ten thousand.

Yet, this red dragon really cherished its child, preparing so many backups for a ’just in case’.

Hill puffed his cheeks; he vaguely remembered hearing a bit about Tiamat’s past: The Chromatic Dragon Queen was extremely furious for a period after being stripped of her title as the lord of Hell’s first layer by Asmodeus.

And indeed, she couldn’t contend with the Lord of Hell, so she could only choose to live indulgently, immersed in wine and meat.

Tiamat never liked spending her own money, so after some time, she became reluctant to splurge on wine and meat.

She chose some... young and vibrant, newly become ancient chromatic dragons, giving them the chance to be her lovers, but only if they provided her with a large tribute.

Chromatic dragons inherently have a beastly concept, especially males.

They always hope the strongest females will bear them the best offspring.

So, most qualifying chromatic male dragons went willingly.

Tiamat obtained ample flesh and body.

However, she didn’t lay a single dragon egg for any dragon that fell for her.

What drove the dragons mad was that after a thousand years of indulgence, Tiamat lost interest in male dragons and preferred adopting elf forms to seduce humanoid beings.

For several millennia, she didn’t lay eggs for any dragon, even though these chromatic dragons lost the right to mate with other female dragons due to becoming her lovers... Tiamat was cruel; the males she drew into her dragon palace were locked up as if they had no choice.

Unless a female dragon is willing to play a once-in-a-lifetime game, it’s hardly possible.

So, the chromatic dragons of that time were very resentful.

Tiamat’s behavior not only tricked those ancient dragons but also caused a gap among chromatic dragons... due to her conduct issues, dragons like red and black dragons, who had many enemies, dared not reproduce during their dragon phase.

After all, reproducing is a gamble that not only diminishes strength and scatters focus but also requires a vast effort to find more food.

When Tiamat had finished playing and realized what happened, she found her strength had skyrocketed so much she could no longer reproduce as freely as before.

Her strongest dragon partners experienced a massive strength gap, which meant for reproduction, Tiamat had to spend a significant amount of divine power and resources.

The Chromatic Dragon Queen, who didn’t want to spend even a copper coin herself, was unlikely to comply.

Thus it became what it is now... any chromatic dragon wishing Tiamat to bear its children must prepare for a painful mating ritual.

For chromatic dragons, that was indeed the most painful.

After all, Tiamat can discern whether he has devoted everything.

So, back then in that world, the red dragon behaved so frantically; it surprised no one, and Hill was only surprised he succeeded.

Tiamat did claim she could bear him another child, but didn’t clarify whether it would be free.

This unlucky red dragon couldn’t afford a second time’s price.

However, Hill was more curious about what faction that little female dragon sprayed with spring water belonged to?

Shaer, Celene, and Lansendel speculated she might become absolutely neutral when discussing this matter.

If true, this little dragon raised in the aura of Styx would ultimately become one of its representatives, right?

Hmm?

Hill couldn’t help but walk to the window, looking outside... barren land without a hint of green.

He suddenly laughed, then turned around: ”You can’t say you haven’t any luck.”

Hill waved his hand, and a bit of white flame landed on Gilbert, slowly burning away the soul of the departed mage and those he loved.

Afterwards, only Hilbert remained in this world.

A stream of light flashed quickly from Russell’s room, and Hill’s always ethereal figure finally became real.

He picked up the silver-blue diamond in his hand, using black thread... suppressed with spirit steel and scorching iron... bit by bit entwining it into a two-finger-wide headband, binding it around his forehead.

The diamond positioned just behind the ear, resembling a knot.

Hill glanced at the original position of Gilbert’s lounge chair, then waved again... an identical, intricately crafted stone table and iron lounge chair appeared there, not even the slightest wear left untouched.