"Galos! My appearance fee, it's time to settle up!"
A floating communication stone drifted in front of Galos, and from it came the familiar voice of Gold Dragon Alberto.
He was the Golden Dragon who frequently visited Creekwood Town and brought a good reputation to the Molten Iron Tribe.
Galos didn't even lift an eyelid, lazily replying, "Why bother? Just deduct it from the debt you owe me."
Silence fell on the other end of the communication stone for a moment.
Then, Alberto's voice sounded again.
"No! Absolutely not! I—want—to—be—paid—now!"
"Even if these gold coins will eventually go to you."
"But at least! At least before they leave my claws, I can spend a little more time with these lovely little guys, listen to their beautiful jingle, and feel their intoxicating warmth and luster!"
To gain a sufficiently long rest period, Alberto had challenged Galos once again not long ago.
The result was, without suspense, his being beaten into unconsciousness again, and the amount of debt he owed climbed to a new peak.
At this rate, the possibility of him clearing his debt was practically zero.
"Since you're so insistent."
Galos's huge head nodded slightly, and he said magnanimously, "Then go to the Creekwood Town treasury and collect it; ask the Flower Lord for the disbursement."
No sooner had he spoken.
Suddenly, he let out a huge yawn without warning.
After he came to his senses, a clear and irresistible drowsiness, like a gradually rising tide, slowly emerged from the depths of his soul, spreading throughout his entire body.
This feeling couldn't be clearer.
It meant that the last Dragon slumber of his adolescent period was about to arrive.
"This slumber will definitely last for more than ten years."
"When I awaken next, perhaps all the duchies of the Human Federation will have fallen into full-scale war, and even the kingdoms behind them will have personally entered the fray, embroiled in a chaotic struggle with no time for other matters. By then, I will also officially enter my youth, becoming a true Young Dragon."
Galos pondered silently in his heart.
As for the possibility that this war sweeping the south might hastily conclude during his slumber, and he would awaken to find all parties had already shaken hands and completed a new round of resource allocation?
Given the current situation, which was escalating, with multiple forces deeply involved, and the chain of hatred growing ever deeper.
Such a probability was extremely slim.
The larger an organization, the more complex its internal interests, and the wars it waged were bound to be protracted.
Even now, the kingdoms behind the Federation were still only hidden behind the scenes, engaging in their game by supporting their respective proxy duchies, with no clear signs of personally entering the fray.
Even if the situation escalated in the future, and they could not be satisfied with proxy wars and entered the fray themselves.
Since the disparity in their strengths was not great enough to form an overwhelming advantage, and the battle lines would inevitably be long and complex, wars between kingdoms were destined to be a prolonged tug-of-war, by no means capable of being decided in a short period.
After a moment of contemplation, Galos said to the Golden Dragon on the other end of the communication stone, "Alberto, I am about to enter Dragon slumber."
"During this period, if the Molten Iron Tribe encounters trouble that cannot be resolved, I hope you can step forward to mediate or handle it on their behalf."
"In return, for every year that passes peacefully, I will reduce your debt interest by ten percent. If my slumber this time is long enough to offset all the principal, I will pay you an additional generous reward."
Upon hearing these words.
Gold Dragon Alberto's tone immediately became high-pitched, and he replied enthusiastically.
"You're being too formal! We're Dragon brothers, do we need to talk about such things between us? The matters of the Molten Iron Tribe are my, Alberto's, matters!"
As he said this.
He seemed to have completely forgotten his resistance, like being stepped on his tail, when Galos first called him Golden Dragon brother and said compensation was not necessary.
The next second.
His voice paused slightly, then Alberto quickly added, his tone utterly serious: "Of course! Even between brothers, accounts must be clear. When the time comes, the reward you promised me, not a single penny less."
After ending the communication with the Golden Dragon.
Galos formally informed the other Dragon in Dragon Valley of his impending slumber.
And he was not the only one who needed to slumber.
It was foreseeable that after him, Iron Dragon Sorog, Red Dragon Samantha, and even blood relatives like Gordon in the distant Federation, would soon enter their slumber periods one after another.
With the Ignas Brothers entering slumber one after another.
White Dragon Tracy, Blue Dragon Heliam who was about to awaken from his Dragon slumber, Red Dragon Cahill, and the Young Black Dragon and Young Green Dragon Ludwig, would shoulder greater responsibilities, overseeing the various affairs of the Molten Iron Tribe for a period in the future.
To prevent these young or impulsive Dragon from making any irrational decisions.
Galos preemptively issued clear directives to Gluttony Demon Kalu, Werewolf Russell, Wyvern Leader Tasha, Mixed-blood Centaur Elvie, Snakeman Swordsaint Na Reisi, Grand Artificer Scott, and other high-ranking subordinate leaders.
During the special period when all the Ignas Brothers were in slumber:
First: The tribe was prohibited from any form of external expansion and from actively provoking large-scale conflicts.
Second: The tribe's overall development strategy would fully shift to conservatism, with the core objectives being: defending existing territory! Consolidating defenses, stockpiling resources, and accumulating strength.
Third: If the remaining Dragon intended to violate the conservative policy and forcefully implement aggressive strategies, the subordinate leaders had the right to refuse to execute the orders.
The primary loyalty of those high-ranking leaders was to Galos.
Without Galos's personal authorization, it would be difficult for other Dragon to truly command them.
Moreover, judging by the current strength of White Dragon Tracy and those Young Dragon, they probably couldn't even defeat those high-ranking subordinate leaders.
"Teresi, you are the oldest and most experienced among the current Dragon population."
"After I, Sorog, and Samantha have all entered slumber, you will need to shoulder the responsibility of leadership, ensuring the tribe lives peacefully, not actively stirring up trouble, and focusing everything on accumulating strength and solidifying our foundation."
"Can you do that?"
Galos specifically called the White Dragon to him and instructed her earnestly.
"Don't worry, Galos!"
White Dragon Tracy straightened her slender neck abruptly and said seriously, "If we consider the Molten Iron Tribe as a whole, then after you all enter slumber, the tribe's overall ecological niche will inevitably experience a temporary decline."
"During this stage, patience and restraint are the wise choices."
"When you all awaken and collectively enter your youth, the tribe's ecological niche will undergo a huge leap... that will be the best time for us to once again display our prowess."
Hearing the White Dragon's clear and rational analysis, Galos was very confident that she would not do anything out of line during his slumber.
She probably wished the entire tribe would completely shrink back and act like a turtle.
In the following days.
Galos meticulously conveyed his will and various precautions during his slumber to every Dragonblood subordinate and other core subordinate leaders, and also held a lengthy and detailed working meeting with his blood brothers and the other remaining Dragon.
Until everything was arranged properly, with no omissions.
Galos then spread his huge wings, soared into the sky, and left Dragon Valley.
The Red Iron Dragon soared through the cold sky of the Borderlands.
Not long after, he arrived above another valley covered in vibrant red.
He lowered his head and gazed down, seeing dense maple trees growing in the valley. It was the season, and the fiery red leaves swayed and rolled in layers with the mountain breeze, breathtakingly beautiful.
Red Maple Valley—this was the territory where Silver Dragon Edli and his family resided.
A year ago, when Deborah's Dragon slumber period arrived, she returned to this safe home, slumbering under the protection of her parents' barrier.
And Galos also decided to make this his place of slumber.
He flapped his wings, slowly descending.
Just as he was about to enter the valley.
Galos clearly felt a slight sensation of resistance, like passing through a layer of viscous water film, sweep over his entire body. The next moment, the obstruction disappeared, and he was already inside the valley.
Galos's mind stirred, and he used Star Self Visage.
Sure enough, he saw a huge and complex, powerful magic barrier, with countless runes faintly visible on its surface, like an inverted bowl, tightly enveloping the entire valley.
The strength of this barrier was astonishing.
The reason Galos could enter and exit freely was because Silver Dragon Edli had left a passage mark on him back then.
He circled briefly in the air above Red Maple Valley, his gaze quickly locking onto a figure in the clearing below the forest.
Deborah was slightly curled up, her slender Dragon body covered in beautiful Dragon scales, with many fiery red maple leaves already fallen around and on her. Her sleeping posture was serene and elegant, as if she had merged with this beautiful valley.
Galos did not approach to disturb the tranquility.
Unlike Deborah, his sense of security was not as profound as hers, allowing him to slumber unprotected in an open-air environment for a long time.
He needed a more secluded spot.
After a brief thought, the Red Iron Dragon turned his gaze to a clear stream winding through the valley.
His massive body descended, squeezing into the riverbed. Using his strong claws and teeth and immense strength, he didn't take long to dig out a temporary Dragon lair in the rock face on one side of the riverbank.
Inside the dark and damp temporary Dragon lair.
The Red Iron Dragon took out all the stored black oil crystals.
At the moment when the drowsiness in his body was most intense, almost irresistible, he took a deep breath, swallowed all the black oil crystals at once, and then consumed as many magic gems and various precious metals as possible.
Under normal circumstances.
Such a large amount of high-energy substances entering his stomach instantly would inevitably make him feel a surge of vigorous energy erupting like a volcano within his body, requiring immediate high-intensity exercise to release it.
But at this moment, the special physiological state before Dragon slumber changed all of this.
In this state, the Dragon's body's efficiency in digesting, absorbing, and converting energy would reach a level far beyond normal.
After Galos swallowed a large amount of treasures, he did not feel a fierce surge of powerful energy.
Instead, he felt them slowly settling within his body, releasing pure energy in a gentle and continuous manner, little by little, like a warm current permeating his limbs, scales, and bone marrow.
This soothing nourishing sensation made him feel incredibly comfortable, and a deep sleepiness followed, completely engulfing him like a tide.
"After this long slumber, my Dragon Heart will most likely complete that crucial evolution."
"This will be a qualitative leap, and I, having entered my youth, will undoubtedly become even stronger."
"But this is just the beginning. I will evolve step by step to a height where no one can kill me."
Thinking this, the Red Iron Dragon's consciousness gradually blurred and dispersed, finally falling into a deep slumber.
Time flowed silently and continuously amidst the swaying light and shadows of the maple leaves.
At the same time, the Red Iron Dragon's heart, which had originally thumped like a war drum, gradually slowed its beat, becoming long and drawn out, eventually even becoming almost imperceptible, as if completely enveloped by an invisible, thick cocoon.