Beneath the Red Dragon

The desolate desert smoke, the setting sun over the sand river.

The lone smoke is a sandstorm connecting the sky and earth, the setting sun is dim, its afterglow spilling on the dark yellow barren sand.

Karon strolled on the cooled sand surface, with each step, he perfectly wrapped all the pressure points of each grain of sand, making the twenty-one-meter-long Red Dragon appear as if walking on regular ground.

There is no sinking in the sand surface, no shifting sands, as if the Giant Dragon, weighed in tons, were a dry leaf gliding over the sand, with its footing nearly trace-free.

Aside from the Ancestral Red Dragon, Fafnir the Giant Demon covered her eyes with a soft silk tied behind her head, unable to move as effortlessly as Karon.

Although Fafnir’s body weight is far less than the Ancestral Red Dragon, even when controlling with her own power, she cannot achieve Karon’s inherent ease and grace, leaving behind sand pits and scattered sand underfoot.

Despite Fafnir covering her eyes, her Spiritual Power greatly increased beyond control, and she observed with her Heart Eye, seeing more clearly than with her physical ones.

This is not the Ancestral Red Dragon wielding his power, innate Earth mastery, or any Magic, but fully relying on the brain’s instinctual adjustments.

Every muscle in his body and every movement harmonizes with the surrounding environment, changing step by step, as naturally as breathing.

Even though Fafnir tries hard to learn from the Ancestral Red Dragon, she cannot master this skill, having to abandon her internal thoughts, moving at her own pace on the sand, following her master into the distance.

The place is thousands of miles from the Imperial Legion’s main Floating Island, yet Karon embarks on the journey taking only one maid with him.

After the first spice intake, Karon’s brain and body received the chance for evolution.

According to the Mage Legion’s research and the knowledge extracted from the Harkonnen Clan Warrior Laban’s interrogation, while spice possesses powerful effects, continuous intake builds resistance, reducing its efficacy.

However, overconsumption of spice has severe addictive properties, with side effects unbearable for mortals.

To prolong spice enhancement effects and reduce addiction side effects, regular Low Tier Mage must wait at least one month after the first massive intake for the second use.

And the third use must be spaced at least three months apart.

Compared to the foundation of Low Tier Mages, the Ancestral Red Dragon’s foundation seems unfathomably deep; others’ spice usage limits might not reach the Red Dragon’s minimum spice usage.

Yet to maximize spice impact, Karon follows the research patterns from the Mages, planning his intake strategically.

Therefore, after the second spice intake on the tenth day, Karon traveled carrying enough spice for a third use with his maid Fafnir.

During the journey, Karon’s brain and sub-brain organized the world’s information methodically, differing from the real-world view.

Whenever Karon desires, he can easily calculate the erosion motion the EraCos Planet underwent three million years ago merely by scanning exposed or buried rock layers of the salt flats and desert.

If Karon invested more energy, he could calculate the specific year three million years ago instantly once more information is gathered.

But Karon has no intention of spending energy on meaningless calculations since his brain keeps processing accidental memories from the previous life.

He expands his thoughts, calculating the best course for Imperial power movements upon arriving in this world.

And, Karon’s own optimal path.

In this cosmos, after entering interstellar civilization, due to the ’Butler’ Holy War against intelligent Thought Machines, humanity’s social structure changed fundamentally, leading to family resurgence and rise, eventually forming an Empire under the Emperor through a feudal system in the Star River Cosmos.

Various great nobility collaborate and secretly compete.

The Colino Clan, as the Imperial royal family, sits upon the Golden Lion Throne, ruling all nobility in the Leo Empire, the highest authority visible in the cosmos.

Yet it does not monopolize cosmic rule as the noble-united Imperial Government.

The Butler Holy War led to a regression in civilizational systems, causing time-space impediments in information exchange and transportation.

Ancient religiousism re-emerged among humans, establishing a rule: Thou shalt not create machines to mimic human thought.

The Navigator Guild, holding key control of cosmic interstellar transport, became a formidable force.

Thus, the Leo Empire is actually ruled by the unified Imperial Government, Astronaut Guild, and Bene Gesserit Sisterhood consolidating all religious doctrines in power.

Coincidentally, humans with special abilities due to spice are members of the three forces: Navigator Guild’s Navigators, military strategists—Mentat Crystal Calculators from nobility, and Bene Gesserit Sisterhood’s Truthsayers!

Among them, Warrior Laban belongs to the Harkonnen Clan, a noble force within the Imperial Government. The family’s head, Baron Harkonnen, originally controlled EraCos, the planet owned by the Harkonnen Clan.