Beneath the Red Dragon

Chapter 27: Chapter 26: All’s Fair in War

”We surrender, but I have one condition.” The voice, youthful yet unusually deep, came through as the awakened Red Dragon slowly stepped out of the dark cave. The uneasy juvenile dragons immediately seemed to have found their anchor, huddling towards Karon on the right side.

Karon softly spoke to the juvenile dragons in Dragon Language, seemingly comforting them, and their confused hearts quickly settled down.

Under the illumination of the blazing fire, in the eyes of many ogres and humans, the Red Dragon appearing before them had a robust and strong body. The muscles bulging from its chest and belly and the powerful leg muscles indicated the formidable power this giant dragon possessed.

Compared to him, the similarly aged juvenile dragons were simply from a different era. The near eight-meter-long body was covered in red and gold shimmering scales that gleamed brilliantly under the firelight. Its broad leathery wings were covered in mysterious, intricate patterns.

Its head, unlike other Red Dragons, had no bat-like wings at its neck and ears. Instead, the simple lines outlined by its head formed smooth angles that even the world’s greatest sculptors could not achieve, resembling a perfect fusion of Golden Dragon and Red Dragon. The pair of trident dragon horns on its head were menacing and sturdy. This was a powerful and perfect creature. If the Ogre Giantess Fafnir represented beauty, then this giant dragon was a work of art of strength.

”Oh, I must have it, it is such a perfect piece of art. The human world would go mad fighting over it.” The merchant Orsus’ breath became unusually rapid, his blood boiling. After receiving confirmation from the Mage beside him, he began to tremble excitedly. ”It’s just a juvenile dragon, my god, could it be the descendant of the legendary Dragon God? I would pay any price to acquire it.”

Moreover, it seemed to be the leader of the group of juvenile dragons. Orsus observed how the juvenile dragons calmed down after the Red Dragon appeared, clearly indicating its high status and prestige among them.

A bold idea surged up inside him; he would give everything to keep this Red Dragon. As long as he could bond this Red Dragon to his side, no matter who else held the other juvenile dragons, they would all listen to him in the future.

Always appearing particularly calm and lazy, Giant Demon Fafnir had already stepped forward. The mysterious giant demon was a rare female ogre variant. She was the resurrected bloodline of the ancient demigod sea demon ancestor, the Soul Devourer, Three-headed Sea Demon Dikalytes, possessing naturally powerful spiritual force and an extremely formidable talent.

Fafnir’s bloodline endowed her with the soul-devouring talent like her ancient ancestor. Although not as powerful as the ancient demigod sea demons, the talent born from the ancient sea demon’s three heads, symbolizing birth, growth, and mortality, allowed her to devour and accommodate the souls of three designated objects with her own spiritual soul power.

Once she devours the opponent’s soul, her soul forms a main and auxiliary symbiotic relationship with the opponent’s soul, like another growing head. As the opponent becomes stronger, so does she.

Her strength would in turn nourish the opponent. If the opponent was weak, it was hard to affect her own power. Yet, if she died, the opponent’s life would also perish. Only when the opponent fell into the silence of death would it cause her pain, as the lost soul would be extremely difficult to eradicate, and her own talent would also fade with the opponent’s death.

Currently, she was still only in the juvenile stage, able to designate only one candidate as the object for her talent’s assimilation. She hadn’t yet reached her peak of growth, let alone reaching the later stage comparable to a giant dragon’s ancient phase to use the last talent slot.

Thus, she was extremely cautious in utilizing her talent. Even Moergo, possessing the giant ancestor bloodline in the Ogre Tribe, did not gain her favor. In her eyes, even without his foolish mind, Moergo’s strength growth had a ceiling. Although he had grown to his peak, it was far from capable of bearing her talent. She also knew Moergo had long coveted her.

Originally, Fafnir favored that female Red Dragon. Not only was the Red Dragon female, but its growth potential far exceeded Moergo’s giant ancestor bloodline. Even a true giant wouldn’t hold an advantage over the Red Dragon.

But the moment she saw Karon, she didn’t have to make a choice. Her talent was fervently crying out, longing for it. The Red Dragon before her was the best bearer for her talent. Even ancient demigod sea demon Dikalytes wouldn’t refuse such a talented dragon.

Moergo still roared angrily in the scene, ”What qualifications do you have to negotiate conditions with us, with your few weak juvenile dragons?” The six-meter-tall Ogre Tyrant looked down at the quietly composed Karon.

With its tail included, the giant dragon was only eight meters long. Standing on all fours, it didn’t appear as towering as the ogres. Yet, its gaze calmly overlooked Moergo blocking the front, gazing into the eyes of the giant demon and wizards among the ogres, clearly demonstrating that it wasn’t completely oblivious while inside the cave.

”Moergo, listen to his conditions!” Fafnir stepped down from the long couch, her tender, bare feet touching the rough ground.

The Two-headed Great Wizard also paused, supporting the giant demon’s view. The situation was now entirely under their control. As long as these juvenile dragons weren’t foolish, they wouldn’t rashly take to the skies to escape. At close range, no dragon could escape the ogre warriors’ spear volleys.

Karon walked slowly towards the giant demon, bypassing the silently seething Moergo, saying, ”We could genuinely submit, but we demand relatively equal status and some freedom, not to let the dragon endure humiliation. In return, the dragons will voluntarily sign a contract with you, submitting to your command.”

Karon didn’t propose this condition out of arrogance; it was widely acknowledged that killing a dragon was the least efficient way to utilize them. In the eyes of the ogres, these juvenile dragons equally feared death descending upon them.

”Stop there, Dragon, at this distance.” Ogre Mage Sahai halted the dragon’s movement. Even though Karon used negotiation as a tactic to placate the ogres, this aged, crafty ogre wizard still appeared very cautious, stopping Karon about ten meters from them.

”I accept your condition,” Fafnir almost agreed verbally without a second thought after hearing the condition. The condition wasn’t harsh, almost too simple. If the Red Dragon was willing to cooperate, then the process of assimilating the soul with her talent sarebbe was far smoother.

Orsus also nodded. The giant demon’s action was wise; he should currently steady these juvenile dragons temporarily. The cunning human intellect let him envision a thousand ways to renege later. As long as the dragons fell into his hands, he could dispose of them at will.

”Very well, then next...” The red dragon slowly lowered its head, a gesture of submission from a dragon. Taking a deep breath, as if burdened by the words of submission it was about to speak to its opponents.

The ogres were poised arrogantly to accept the dragon’s submission. Even the cautious Two-headed Ogre Mage felt a sense of euphoria. This represented the embodiment of strength and nobility — a dragon. Although the old wizard regretted not having the dragon’s head as a trophy, he would soon be able to carve the dragon’s image on his scepter, symbolizing his conquest.

This idea occurred in a split second, when suddenly, a thought flashed in the mind of the mage standing hidden behind the ogres beside Orsus. His magic staff began to emit a glow of magical light as he shouted out, ”No, careful, this damn dragon.” Those seasoned warriors instinctively raised their shields, moving to block Orsus.

Before the mage could finish his words, at that moment, the Red Dragon, which had its head lowered, suddenly lifted its head. Its eyes, like two bright rubies, emanated terrifying anger and murderous intent. The unfinished sentence echoed through the canyon, ”Face my wrath, you damned scum.”

Whoosh, the boiling flames transformed into a violent, surging cone-shaped breath, spewing from the dragon’s mouth. Several unprepared ogre warriors instantly turned into fireballs, their screams yet to even sound. Its far stronger hind legs had already tensed, the omnipresent magical power in the air surged, effortlessly lifting the dragon’s body, tearing apart the ogres blocking its way, and pouncing towards the wizards.