Beneath the Red Dragon

”The old Evil Dragon, furtively delighted, breathed out Dragon Flame, incinerating the foul earth completely, shedding a few cold crocodile tears in the end.”

The brief decade or so of a True Dragon is merely a generation’s turnover among the common folks. Shalos couldn’t help but develop some curiosity for the future Aikania; she didn’t know what this one-of-a-kind Dragon would turn Aikania into.

The future has yet to truly arrive, but the destination is already reached.

King of Elves Anudale stood shoulder to shoulder with the Ancestral Red Dragon, looking at the main ship belonging to the Dark Nest, and with a light laugh, said: ”We’ve arrived, Your Eminence Gogomola, this is a gift brought by the Zor Elves for the Golden Empire. It might not be precious enough, but it’s a specialty of the Dark Realm, perhaps you’ll like it!”

Crack, crack, crack, the massive ship’s hull slowly opened, and several Zor Samurai stood on either side of the hull, armed with weapons, to prevent any possible charge from the dwarfs inside the hull.

Karon looked at the cramped space inside the hull, which housed unique creatures, a distinctive race from the Dark Realm— the Gray Dwarves.

Gray Dwarves are a mutated branch of surface Dwarves, descendants of Dwarves who lived for centuries in the Dark Realm.

Through generations and the influence of mystical Magic Energy from the dark Domain, combined with the ancient invasions by the subterranean Heartstealers experimenting on Gray Dwarves, transforming their bloodline over time.

Thus the entire race of Gray Dwarves possesses a natural talent for Psychic Energy.

Furthermore, their strong adaptability granted them the innate abilities of Invisibility Spell and Giant Transformation, as well as Shrinking Spell during their bloodline mutations.

Thus, the Gray Dwarves are regarded as one of the most powerful races in the Dark Realm.

The Gray Dwarves in the Dark Realm are also the arch-enemies of the Zor Elves, and wars frequently happen between them. This batch of Gray Dwarves was captured by King of Dark Elves Anudale in the war, totaling three thousand adult Gray Dwarf Warriors.

The hull opened completely, the bound Gray Dwarves immediately became agitated. These evil Gray Dwarves had a poor temper, shouting curses in the common language of the Dark Realm at those damned Zor Elves, even in captivity.

Occasionally, a few words of Abyssal Purgatory language slipped through.

But what appeared before these Gray Dwarves wasn’t the despised Zor Elves, but a Dragon Descendant, a particularly formidable-looking Dragon Descendant.

”Damn Zor Elves, did they sell us to this guy? Get lost, Dragon Descendant! If you dare to buy us, we’ll kill you once we’re free, skin you, and turn your hide into our leather coat.”

A particularly tall and uniquely-featured Gray Dwarf spat out insults at the Dragon Descendant before him.

This Gray Dwarf was taller and thinner than his kinsmen, standing at a full height of 1.8 meters, which is considered massive among Gray Dwarves.

A bald head, with dense gray beard stripes of red, rusty skin emitting heat that even mortals could feel, with rough fingertips ending in viciously sharp claws.

Karon exclaimed in surprise: ”Durzagon?”

The so-called Durzagon is a bloodline mutant among the Gray Dwarves, a half-Purgatory being, the offspring of Dwarves and Demons.

Many Demons in Hell are comparable to the Giant Dragons of the Material Plane in this regard; some powerful bloodline creatures of the Material World would always be tempted by demons from Hell, giving birth to hybrid offspring.

Durzagon is the leader and strongest warrior among Gray Dwarves who inherited the demon bloodline.

”Your Eminence Gogomola is indeed knowledgeable, quickly recognizing the background of this Gray Dwarf,” King of Dark Elves Anudale approached with a light chuckle, ”I hope Your Eminence likes the gift from us Zor Elves.”

Karon nodded, smiling: ”A wonderful gift, I accept the friendship of you Zor Elves,”

”I hope our alliance lasts as long as the eternal mountains, but I have one request.”

”Please, go on,” Anudale smiled.

”I will not partake in your war with the Elf Kingdom, but when the war nears its end, if the Elf Kingdom cannot resist your onslaught, I require you to retreat thrice at the sight of the Imperial Royal Banner!”

Karon ignored the shouting Gray Dwarves in the hull, turned his head, and observed Elf Anudale.

”I will preserve the last bloodline of the Elf Kingdom, and surely, out of respect for allies, should you ever need anything, the Golden Empire will also respect the desires and intentions of our allies.”

Between nations, between civilizations, alliances aren’t simple associations, especially as Karon has yet to formally ally with the Elf Kingdom.

However, Karon had long decided; the Elf Kingdom, indulging in pleasure for years of peace, perhaps needed a push from the Zor Elves to reignite its former potential.

The Golden Empire, grasping the timing for mediation in the final hour, could reap due rewards, though it undoubtedly required Anudale’s consent.

Anudale deeply gazed at the Dragon Descendant before him and said: ”I have heard that the Emperor of the Golden Empire never breaks a promise; compared to your promises, those Elves are trivial.”

Karon smiled, turned his head, and looked at the angry Gray Dwarves.

The Dragon Descendant body instantly swelled, vivid red Scales emerged on his skin, enormous fangs, and thick horns revealed a ferocious posture, and within moments, the True Dragon form of the Ancestral Red Dragon appeared before the Gray Dwarves.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh,

In the crowded hull, only the heavy breathing of the Ancestral Red Dragon and the rapid heartbeat of the Gray Dwarves remained.

The doorway of the hull was fully occupied by this gigantic Red Dragon head; the breath of the Dragon washed over the face and body of the Gray Dwarves, as if they were being lashed by a fierce wind.

These Gray Dwarves even felt that just one fang of this Dragon was far taller than they were.

When those dark-golden pupils locked onto the Gray Dwarves, they were already imagining in their minds the colors of the world after death.

”Hmm?”

Karon made a brief sound of puzzlement, deep and terrifying.

For such evil races, Karon didn’t need to consider their wills or consciousness; if they did not wish to die, these races would come around on their own.

Even if these Gray Dwarves weren’t adept, it didn’t matter because those who weren’t adept would perish.

Thus, Karon slowly opened his upper jaw, and beneath the Scale Armor on his chest, a fierce line of fire was brewing with a foreboding sense of destructive death.

Karon hadn’t anticipated that these Gray Dwarves weren’t obstinate but rather stunned with fright.

But as Karon made the motion of a Breath, the Durzagon before him finally came to and prostrated upon the deck, slamming his head on the wood with a dull thud.

”Salute to you, noble Dragon!”

”Hmm!” Karon grunted a brief word, his terrifying gaze turning to the other Gray Dwarves.

The other Gray Dwarves finally reacted, following Durzagon’s manner, they prostrated themselves fully, deeply burying their heads into the ground.

”Salute to you, great Giant Dragon!”

These Gray Dwarves displayed their submission to the Ancestral Red Dragon.

This scene aroused a bit of envy in King of Dark Elves Anudale.

Gray Dwarves are fanatical species supremacists, loathing all other races, cruel and evil.

Yet even the most evil Gray Dwarves are no match for the Colorful Dragons.

Thus, Gray Dwarves have an intrinsic bond with Colorful Dragons; only a Colorful Dragon can easily subjugate these Gray Dwarves, something even the legendary Zor Elf Anudale could not achieve.

Anudale had attempted to subdue these Gray Dwarves but faced countless rebellions, not due to strength but rather a matter of racial ideology and thought.

”Good,” Karon said in a low voice, ”you may now live!”