As time quietly passed, the banquet atmosphere continued to heat up in the fortress forecourt, where the wind and snow howled.
Large numbers of low-level subordinates, in various forms, like busy worker ants, cautiously moved between the colossal, imposing Dragons and the powerful monster chiefs, offering giant bowls of broth, whole roasted beasts sizzling over bonfires, and barrels of fragrant fine wine.
After agreeing to spar with the Red Iron Dragon later, Alberto, in his human form, shed the Golden Dragon's majesty and aloofness and once again spontaneously danced in the center of the venue.
His golden hair flew, and his posture was free and uninhibited.
Galos's massive body lay prostrate on a stone platform covered with thick animal furs, his head slightly lowered.
He ate unhurriedly, his sharp gaze sweeping across the entire scene, enjoying the long-lost clamor and festive atmosphere, then subtly turned his head to look at the Iron Dragon beside him.
"Sorog, what important matters of note occurred in the outside world during my slumber?"
His low voice cut through the noisy din, reaching the Iron Dragon's ears.
The unique Iron Dragon, who had a fondness for sweets, had just guzzled down a large jar of sweet honey syrup.
He was still licking the glistening sugar residue from the edge of his jaw with his rough tongue, clearly not having had enough.
"Many things."
Upon hearing Galos, he said, "There are a great many things worth noting."
"The changes over the past decade or so have far exceeded our expectations."
"Not only is the internal strife within the Federation, which we foresaw, intensifying, but the entire Bernardo Planet seems to have entered an era of great upheaval and instability."
Galos nodded slightly, gesturing for him to continue: "Elaborate."
The Iron Dragon was silent for a moment, organizing and integrating the information he had gathered from merchant caravans, Creekwood Town adventurers, and Gordon, among other sources, in his mind.
"First, there's the Elf Empire Nauxier."
After carefully choosing his words, the Iron Dragon said, "They claim that while exploring the stars, they discovered the existence of other living planets and are already attempting initial diplomatic contact."
This first piece of news was no small matter, causing Galos to raise an eyebrow slightly.
There was not just one empire on Bernardo Planet.
They maintained a fragile and delicate superficial peace with each other, but secretly, they were constantly engaged in fierce competition and power struggles. Among all the empires, the Elf Empire Nauxier subtly held a hegemonic position in terms of overall national strength and civilization.
They almost always led the way in innovation, and the exploration of the stars was also initiated by them.
It needs to be clarified here that exploring the stars still belongs to the exploration within the material world, not cross-planar travel.
The scale of different material realms varies enormously; a small one might only have a single floating continent, while a large one could be planets, star systems, or even an entire universe.
The sum of all these material realms constitutes the vast and boundless Prime Material Plane.
Therefore, exploration within a material realm, exploration across material realms, and cross-planar exploration are three distinctly different concepts, with entirely different methods and difficulties.
The Nauxier Empire's discovery of other living planets means that the material realm where Bernardo Planet is located is not an isolated planetary world; its vastness far exceeds imagination, containing more unknown resources and endless potential waiting to be unearthed.
Similarly, it also harbors other unknown dangers.
Following this, the Iron Dragon Sorog's topic shifted to the Orc Empire Kantum.
They were attempting to completely conquer the entire Therasia Continent with iron and blood, fully incorporating it into Kantum's territory.
This news did not surprise Galos too much.
The dragons legacy's knowledge repository contained clear records of the Kantum Empire.
It was a war machine where divine power and royal authority were highly unified. Their state religion, named the [Tusk Holy Court], fanatically worshipped the Orc race's chief god.
Gruumsh, the Sleepless One, the Watcher.
He was a deity symbolizing savagery, combat, and conquest!
And the core doctrine of the Tusk Holy Court was to launch an endless holy war against the entire world.
[Kill all enemies who dare to resist, enslave all conquered beings. Only through eternal war and complete destruction can the Orcs seize more living space and earn the eternal favor of the gods.]
Such an extremely belligerent empire.
After defeating the most formidable opponent, the Giants, it was almost an inevitable choice for them to eliminate other obstacles and completely conquer the Therasia Continent.
But this was destined to be a long and unpredictable process.
Other empires, especially the Elf Empire, which had the deepest grievances with the Orcs and would never sit idly by and watch them grow, would undoubtedly try every means to obstruct them, never allowing the Orc Empire's war banners to be planted on every inch of Therasia.
However, the information the Iron Dragon Sorog revealed next completely exceeded Galos's expectations.
All adult Metallic Dragons collectively returned to the Dragon Domain to hold an ancient and grand ritual, attempting to assist the Dragon race's top expert, [Wing of the Sky], in breaking through the limits of life and entering the realm of immortality.
Yet, such a crucial ritual was brazenly attacked by the Five-Color Dragons.
The attacker was the Ancient Dragon known by the fearsome name [Winter's End · White Dragon of All Spells] — Hissifiel.
Galos knew this Dragon.
Because her fearsome reputation and legendary deeds were also clearly etched in the dragons legacy.
Even among the numerous and powerful Ancient Five-Color Dragons, she was definitely a formidable existence ranking among the top, so much so that many ordinary White Dragons took pride in her, viewing her as a symbol and pride of the White Dragon race's rise.
"A White Dragon so remembered by the dragons legacy… is definitely not simple."
Galos murmured in his heart, quickly searching the Heritage for records about this White Dragon of All Spells.
In short, this was a [Spell-Obsessed Dragon] who had reached the pinnacle of magic but had also developed a severe paranoid mental illness as a result.
It was said that every scale on her body was inscribed with profound and dangerous magical runes.
To go further on the path of magic, she would stop at nothing, doing any horrifying thing imaginable.
However.
She was fundamentally different from other equally insane, yet often ill-fated, Spell-Obsessed Dragons.
Other Spell-Obsessed Dragons often lost their sanity due to an extreme greed for magical knowledge, committing foolish acts like moths drawn to a flame.
For example.
For a tattered notebook containing ancient forbidden spells, they would dare to single-handedly and recklessly force their way into a heavily guarded legendary wizard's tower, ultimately ending up without even a corpse.
But the White Dragon of All Spells, Hissifiel, was completely different.
She was extremely adept at leveraging her own advantages and possessed the patience of a top predator. Despite being a White Dragon, her cunning and strategizing were no less than a Green Dragon's. She was like a spider lurking in the shadows, capable of weaving webs for decades, even centuries, for a single goal.
She had a very famous deed circulating among the Dragon race.
To seize the unfathomable knowledge repository and coveted magical legacy of a legendary spellcaster.
She used shapeshifting magic, transforming into a beautiful, intelligent human woman with an insatiable thirst for magical knowledge, while also not concealing her racial identity. After careful planning, she eventually entered the lonely life of that spellcaster as his wife.
She was like the most loyal companion, staying by the legendary spellcaster's side.
Not for a few short years, but for a long period, enough for small dynasties to change — a full three hundred years!
She utilized the advantage of her long lifespan, turning the long years into a silent erosion.
She meticulously maintained her disguise, playing the role of a gentle and considerate partner, offering timely care and insights during the spellcaster's research.
She patiently waited, waited for the human spellcaster to slowly burn out his mortal life's candle in the regret of exploring the ultimate mysteries of magic, eventually growing old and passing away.
Finally, she naturally inherited everything of his.
His lifelong research manuscripts, his vast collection of magic books, his infinitely powerful collection of magic items, and a legendary wizard's tower that embodied the spellcaster's life's work.
It was this tower, and the terrifying knowledge contained within it, that became the cornerstone of the White Dragon of All Spells, Hissifiel's true rise.
To reach the pinnacle of the path of magic, she would stop at nothing, casting aside all moral shackles and worldly constraints. Her nature was cunning, adept at weaving lies and illusions, and she lacked none of the patience of a top predator.
With these qualities, Hissifiel grew from an unremarkable ordinary White Dragon, step by step, into the current Winter's End.
"But why would such a far-sighted Dragon attack the Metal Dragon Domain?"
"Did Wing of the Sky possess magical knowledge that she coveted?"
This seemed to be the most reasonable explanation.
But what was the truth? Galos could only remain unaware.
As Iron Dragon Sorog continued his narration, the major events that had transpired on Bernardo Planet over the past decade and more gradually painted a grand yet turbulent picture in Galos's mind.
Above, the Elven Empire explored the stars, making contact with alien civilizations; in the middle, the Orc Empire sounded the horns of war, intending to conquer the continent; below, the Human Empire frantically developed planes, attempting to harness the power of the Abyss.
Everyone had their own ideas, their own unique skills, and a faint sense of unease began to grow and spread in Galos's heart.
"Any one of these three paths, if a serious error occurs during its exploration, could evolve into a disaster with immense repercussions."
"Especially the Holden Empire's Abyss development plan."
"Once it spirals out of control, the entire Atlantis Continent will likely be in dire peril."
It was clearly recorded in the dragons legacy.
In other distant Material Planes, due to the evil schemes of certain Demon Lords, or the foolish actions of certain overconfident factions, entire Material Planes were dragged into the Abyss and completely devoured. Such incidents were not without precedent.
As for examples of an entire continent being devoured by the Abyss, they were even more common.
However.
Even though he sensed this potential immense crisis, Galos knew that he was currently powerless to do anything about it. When the sky falls, the tall ones bear the brunt; such grave matters were not for him to worry about.
"Considering these distant threats now is meaningless."
"For me, the most important thing at present is to become stronger, to grow rapidly."
"As long as I possess sufficient power, no matter what earth-shattering changes occur in the future, I will be able to stand firm and safely weather them."
"If I am weak, even if I hide at the ends of the world, I will not escape the fate of destruction."
Galos quickly reined in his thoughts, his gaze once again becoming calm and resolute.
Among the many major events, the movements of those empires were still too distant from the current Molten Iron Tribe.
Upon closer analysis, the most practically significant events for him and the Tribe were the Federal Civil War and the mutual destruction of the two legendary kings of the Eternal Frozen Tundra. Both of these events provided rare opportunities for the Molten Iron Tribe's next stage of development.
Just then.
The figure dancing with the sword in the arena suddenly stopped.
Alberto suddenly turned his head, his gaze intensely fixed on the Red Iron Dragon.
He scrutinized Galos's incredibly imposing Dragon body, a look of undisguised curiosity on his face, and asked, "Galos, since you've already entered your youth, you should have mastered the Transformation spell, right?"
Galos nodded.
Alberto immediately became interested and said, "Given the state of your incredibly strong Dragon body, I'm quite curious, what would you look like when you use Transformation to turn into a Human form?"
"Could you satisfy my small curiosity?"
Galos was not keen on such a display and was about to refuse.
Just as the thought arose in him, before he could speak.
At that moment, he felt something gently poke him from the side.
Turning his head, he saw that it was Copper-Silver Dragon Deborah touching him with the tip of her tail. Deborah's eyes sparkled with curiosity and anticipation, gazing at him expectantly.
"Transform, Galos."
She blinked and said.
The Transformation spell mastered by young Dragons was not yet sufficient to allow Dragons to change their appearance at will.
The effect of this spell was more based on the Dragon's own form, temperament, and body attributes, mapping out a corresponding humanoid racial image, rather than being entirely shaped according to one's own will.
As a Metallic Dragon, Deborah was naturally filled with a desire to explore what Galos's corresponding Human form would look like.
In contrast.
Iron Dragon Sorog, Red Dragon Samantha, and the other Five-Color Dragons nearby seemed uninterested and unmoved by this.
Evil Dragons generally preferred their majestic and powerful original Dragon form.
They believed that their massive, tough, scale-covered, winged, and clawed bodies were the most perfect symbol of power and majesty!
Even when they sometimes needed to transform into Human form, they tended to retain some Dragon features, such as prominent Dragon horns, scales covering parts of their skin, a powerful Dragon tail, or vertical pupils that gleamed with an inhuman light.
This was to demonstrate the nobility and extraordinary nature of their bloodline, rather than completely transforming into a weak alien appearance.
Under the expectant gazes of Alberto and Deborah.
The Red Iron Dragon pondered for a few seconds, finally made a decision, and slowly stood up from his prone position.
At the same time, a strong but not dazzling magical radiance surged from within him, quickly enveloping his entire body.
Under the shroud of this light, the Red Iron Dragon, who was standing up, underwent an astonishing transformation.
His massive size rapidly shrank; his prominent, winding Dragon horns receded, transforming into a thick, black-red mane of long hair that fell to his shoulders; his sharp, heavily scaled hands and feet reshaped into slender yet powerful limbs and hands; the thick Dragon scales receded like a tide, turning into tough skin that seemed to have been tempered a thousand times...
Almost in the blink of an eye, the mighty Red Iron Dragon vanished.
In his place, standing on the spot, was a young male, over two meters tall, with a powerfully built and exceptionally heroic physique.
He was over two meters tall, his muscles bulging and rippling, as if cast from steel and iron.
His physique was wild yet aesthetically pleasing, his body's lines and contours as if carved by a knife and chisel.
His features were deep-set, his nose bridge high, and his jawline firm, as if an ancient Greek deity sculpture had come to life.
He merely stood there, naturally exuding a suffocating sense of powerful oppression and visual impact.
This was completely different from Alberto's refined, handsome, yet somewhat slender appearance. Galos's Human form immediately gave one a sense of terrifying strength, far beyond merely being good-looking.
"Ga... Galos... you, you forgot to conjure clothes!"
Copper-Silver Dragon Deborah's voice broke the brief silence.
She instinctively extended a massive Silver Dragon foreclaw, abruptly covering her Dragon face, but between her thick clawed fingers, several small gaps were clearly visible. A pair of Dragon eyes, full of curiosity and awe, were peeking through the gaps, secretly observing the perfect, artwork-like male body below.
At the same time.
Galos also immediately realized the problem.
Due to his unfamiliarity with the Transformation spell and being somewhat abruptly urged, he had completely forgotten the need to weave a set of clothes with magical energy during the process of his form transformation.
As a result, he was now completely naked and exposed.
Every curve of his body, every ounce of his power, and his robust male symbol... all were openly displayed under the flickering light of the campfire, for all to see.
"Those who achieve great deeds do not bother with trifles."
Galos said, his expression unchanged.
In such a situation, as long as I'm not embarrassed, others will be.
In fact, apart from the self-conscious Gold Dragon and the shy, curious Copper-Silver Dragon, the other Five-Color Dragons, including the retainers, showed no obvious reaction.
However.
The uninhibited Galos eventually transformed his Dragon scales into a set of armor.
He moved his body, finding that in his Human form, he could only exert about fifty percent of his strength, and his movements needed careful control, otherwise, he felt as if he might revert to his original form.
"If I master it, I should be able to exert more strength, but it will never compare to my true form."
"Unless necessary, I should use this form sparingly. If I'm ambushed and can't react in time, it could lead to serious consequences."
Galos thought to himself.
He disliked putting himself in danger.
At this moment, Alberto gazed at the strong and majestic Human figure, his eyes flickering slightly, and suddenly said, "Galos, I want to challenge you in your Human form!"
He paused, then continued, "If I win, my remaining debt will be completely wiped out."
"If I lose, then the debt will be doubled!"
Metallic Dragons who frequently used Transformation had a wealth of detailed experiential knowledge regarding the spell within their heritage.
Metallic Dragons in Human form could exert about seventy percent of their strength, while Evil Dragons could only manage about forty to fifty percent.
During Galos's slumber, Alberto had watched over the Molten Iron Tribe for him, and his debt, principal and interest included, was almost paid off. Now, Alberto wanted to pay it off completely in one go and regain his 'freedom.'
He felt like he was capable again.