A Dragon against the Whole World

Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Desire and Reason

The bright moonlight flowed like water over the Iron Pine Hills, and Galos’ scale armor shimmered with a cold metallic luster in the night.

He put away the map, his gaze fixed on the distance.

Samantha was still engrossed in repairing her Alchemy Workshop, the clanging sounds strikingly clear in the silent wilderness.

Galos’ tail gently patted the ground, but his thoughts had already drifted towards the abandoned mine – the nest of the Rock-Breaking Worms, the Marne’s Dungeon, where the Legendary Alchemy Tools were likely buried.

The flames of greed burned in his chest, urging him to set off immediately and claim the treasures as his own.

At the same time, rationality whispered: if he rashly charges in, he might pay a painful, even fatal price.

Feeling the struggle within, Galos took several deep breaths before rationality gradually took the upper hand, slowly suppressing the greed, arrogance, and hubris inherent to the Dragon Race.

Involving Legendary Alchemy Tools.

These emotions had just surged to unprecedented heights.

Greed made him want to obtain the Legendary Alchemy Tools at all costs.

Arrogance and hubris made him feel he could definitely succeed, ignoring the risks.

Fortunately, from the moment Galos became part of the Dragon Race, since he first felt these emotions, he realized that failing to restrain them, failing to subdue them under his rationality, would eventually harm him, so he often fought against them.

Even now, though he can’t completely rid himself of their influence,

he won’t be completely driven by them.

Hoo... Exhaling slowly, Galos’ gaze returned to clarity.

”These inherited flaws, like a raging flood and ferocious beasts, are truly terrifying.”

No matter what other dragons are like, Galos doesn’t want his rationality to be tainted by these emotions.

Although he is a privileged Mixed-blood Dragon, with an Evolution Talent, he is far from acting with impunity.

”If I were a Legendary Dragon of legend, perhaps I wouldn’t have to consider so much, and could simply embrace my nature; their arrogance and confidence are justified.”

Galos mused.

”But Legendary Dragons are elusive, and among the numerous dragons, most are like me, or even less than me, and the negative impact of these emotions far outweighs the benefit.”

”Why not remove them? The gods worshipped by the Dragon Race truly exist and should be able to do such a thing.”

Galos pondered silently.

Obsessive greed for treasure, irrational arrogance and hubris... These, in Galos’ view, are the apparent invisible shackles on the Dragon Race.

Even without special talents.

Even as the weakest White Dragon among the Dragon Race.

Galos feels that as long as these invisible shackles can be broken, with the innate physique and talents of a Dragon, it will surely soar high, reaching heights ordinary dragons can’t attain.

If these inherited flaws were removed.

The Dragon Race, now gradually declining, would surely soon rise again, and a revival of its ancient glory is not an impossibility.

But why not?

Is it the Divine Spirits of the Dragon Race that can’t do it?

Or are they unwilling?

Galos couldn’t understand, shook his head, and stopped dwelling on it, focusing his mind on the present matter.

He turned to the Red Young Dragon and asked, ”Samantha, what do you think a Legendary Alchemy Tool would be like?”

Samantha paused from hammering the rock slab, turned to face Galos.

It tilted its head in thought for a moment, eyes flashing with excitement:

”It must be something that... could make the entire wilderness tremble! Like a giant cannon that spews molten lava, causing the heavens and earth to shatter? Or a mechanical core that can summon storms?”

Galos chuckled softly, ”Perhaps.”

Samantha had also heard the tales from the Wanderer at the time, unable to contain herself, said, ”My dear brother, do you want to explore the Underground City? Take me with you! We will definitely get the treasures inside and then dominate the wilderness!”

”By then, you’ll be the Supreme Dragon King of the Sel Wilderness, and I’ll be the Red Dragon Queen, beneath none but one dragon!”

”Together we’ll rule the Sel Wilderness, with bright prospects and thriving dragon lives.”

Supreme Dragon King, Red Dragon Queen... truly fanciful.

Moreover, it hadn’t considered the risks involved at all.

Galos glanced at the excited Red Young Dragon eager to explore the Underground City, and said, ”Stop dreaming, you’d better spend your time studying alchemy.”

”My dear brother, if you don’t want to go, why not give me the map, let me go!”

Samantha said expectantly.

Galos remained expressionless, ”Do what you need to do, this is not something you should be considering.”

Samantha wanted to say more, but when she met Galos’ calm and deep eyes, she felt a bit itchy.

It wasn’t real itching, but a kind of ’premonition.’

After so many times,

Samantha could largely predict the signs when Galos intended to teach her a lesson.

His current expression, eyes, and tone all conveyed a danger signal to Samantha.

Samantha turned reluctantly, no longer bringing up the matter.

On the other side.

Galos suppressed feelings of greed and arrogance, thinking rationally, evaluating gains and losses.

”Marne’s Dungeon, suspected to exist under the abandoned mine where the Rock-Breaking Worms reside, possibly hiding a Legendary Alchemy Tool.”

”The Insect King was recently injured by the Red Copper Dragon, and has yet to recover, ordinary Rock-Breaking Worms pose no threat to me.”

”But the abandoned mine isn’t large in scale; it may just be an entrance to the Underground City. Who knows if there are more advanced and powerful creatures below than the Insect King?”

”Moreover, the Underground City perished a millennium ago. Even if the Alchemy Tool truly exists, its condition and usability are uncertain.”

”There are too many uncertainties, the risks far outweigh the gains.”

After much thought, Galos temporarily shelved the idea of exploring the Underground City.

After all, it’s just a Legendary Alchemy Tool; for a Dragon doomed to become Legendary, obtaining it would merely facilitate a better transition in the early stages, not something critical or indispensable.

To undertake unnecessary risks for an item that might not even exist, might not be functional, and is unnecessary.

A young dragon, whose mind is clouded by greed and arrogance, might engage in such an endeavor.

But Galos chose to decline.

He only needs to progress steadily, evolving step by step to grow stronger. There’s no need for risk.

It’s not worth it.

However, he hasn’t completely given up either.

If he can acquire a Legendary Alchemy Tool before reaching level 20, it would greatly benefit him.

”I’ll wait until I’m strong enough to defeat the Insect King, enslave it, then rely on it and its Rock-Breaking Worms to explore this Underground City.”

Galos made his final decision in his mind.