"Seraphina, Ludwig."
When the Red Iron Dragon's low, concentrated voice reached the Black Dragon and Green Dragon, who were whispering, they jolted as if doused with ice water, instantly straightening their previously coiled Dragon bodies. They uniformly turned towards the leader of the Dragon group, assuming a serious, standing-at-attention posture, not even daring to breathe loudly.
"No need to be so nervous."
Galos' gaze swept over the two Young Dragons and asked, "What is the progress of the task I assigned you, the research on the Dragon-Forged Transformation Ritual?"
Green Dragon Ludwig relaxed slightly upon hearing this.
He raised his slender neck, covered in emerald scales, and respectfully replied, "After numerous experiments, research, and argumentation, we have determined that the Dragon-Forged Transformation Ritual should ideally follow a sequence from simple to difficult, progressing step by step."
"For example, the first ritual focuses on [Dragon Scale Transformation], while the last, and most crucial and difficult, is [Dragon Heart Transformation]."
Black Dragon Seraphina, standing nearby, then lowered her voice and added:
"We have successfully designed the complete process and rune array for the first Dragon Scale Transformation Ritual, but it is not yet perfect; its stability needs improvement… Currently, the success rate is only about three-tenths."
Three-tenths?
For a ritual involving the transformation of the essence of life, even a simplified, decomposed ritual achieving a 30% success rate was already a significant breakthrough.
"The task you are undertaking is crucial for the future of the tribe."
Galos said solemnly and seriously, "For every transformation ritual you successfully perfect and solidify, I will bestow upon you rich rewards beyond imagination—wealth, knowledge, or power. I will not disappoint you."
After making this promise of great rewards, his gaze slowly swept over the various kin leaders present.
"My… My Lord, con… congratulations on your awakening and return."
Noticing Galos' gaze, Gluttony Demon Kalu, who was gnawing on a large piece of unknown beast leg meat with oil dripping from his mouth, said in a booming voice, "But… but you look a bit… thinner? Hmm, it must be from sleeping too long and eating too little! You should eat more, eat more."
Galos carefully examined this elder kin of the Molten Iron Tribe.
Now, Gluttony Demon Kalu was covered in fiery Red Dragon Scales, with ferocious Dragon Horns growing on his head and a thick, powerful Dragon Tail dragging behind him, radiating strong Dragon Vein creature characteristics.
His body had long surpassed the scope of an ordinary Ogre, expanding to a terrifying size like a mountain giant. He was exceptionally robust and burly, with muscles on his arms bulging as if exploding and veins knotting. Among the various strangely shaped kin leaders, his physique was still the most eye-catching presence.
A glint flashed in Galos' eyes, and he used his detection spell.
[Gluttony Demon Kalu, Life Level: 16]
One level lower than the current Galos, but already a powerful force capable of standing on his own.
Considering the terrifying bloodline talent of the Gluttony Demon, which allows him to rapidly grow stronger by devouring, this rate of improvement did not seem too fast. After all, Kalu had followed the Molten Iron Tribe in countless battles, devouring numerous powerful creatures and magical materials.
Theoretically, his life level should be higher.
The reason was that Kalu was no longer a pure Gluttony Demon.
He was now a more powerful Dragon Vein Gluttony Demon, with the bloodline of a long-lived Dragon integrated into his body.
While this greatly elevated his potential ceiling, it also subjected him to the relatively slow growth cycle of Dragon bloodlines, actually slowing down the rate of his life level increase.
"Regardless, after more than a decade, the overall progress of the tribe leaders is quite good."
Galos mused, his gaze continuing to sweep over the other kin leaders, activating his detection spell in succession.
[Centaur Elvie, Life Level: 16]
[Werewolf Russell, Life Level: 14]
[Snake Woman Na Reisi, Life Level: 17]
[Wyvern Tasha, Life Level: 14]
[Kobolds Doug, Life Level: 13]
...The core leaders of the Molten Iron Tribe each had their unique characteristics. Almost every one of them had undergone tempering through blood and fire, possessing extraordinary experiences and unique qualities, varied trump cards, and soaring fighting spirit.
Under normal circumstances.
An ordinary Adult Dragon, or even some Mature Dragons, would find it difficult to truly rule such a talented and strong tribe.
Only Galos, with a life level only slightly higher than some of his kin, could firmly control the entire tribe by virtue of his unparalleled prestige and unfathomable power.
Before advancing to a Young Dragon, his life level was even once lower than several of his strongest kin.
Currently, among these kin leaders, the highest level still belonged to Snakeman Swordsaint Na Reisi, who had risen from level 16 to level 17.
The fastest to improve was Mixed-blood Centaur Elvie.
Initially, Elvie's life level was not particularly outstanding among the kin, but under the blessing of her excellent talent, she gradually caught up, and now stands firmly at the threshold of level 16, second only to the Snakeman Swordsaint.
As for the most combative and strongest in actual combat among these leaders.
Galos believed it was Gluttony Demon Kalu, who was currently gorging himself, rather than the higher-level Snakeman Swordsaint.
Although Kalu was one level lower, he held an absolute advantage in direct combat.
And as time passed, Gluttony Demon Kalu and Mixed-blood Centaur Elvie, both highly regarded by Galos, would inevitably surpass the Snakeman Swordsaint in the future due to their bloodline and talent, with the potential to reach the legendary realm.
However.
If no accidents occurred along the way, the first to step into the legendary realm under the Molten Iron Tribe might not be them, but the [Knight of Flowers]—Charles Haynes, far away in the Serre Wilderness.
The former Creekwood Town, after years of development, had grown to the size of a small city and was thus renamed Creekwood Territory.
Because the Serre Wilderness needed a strong enough individual to guard it against unforeseen events, Charles, who held the position of Lord, did not come to the Borderlands to participate in the feast. He simply celebrated the King's return within the Creekwood Territory with the local residents and garrison.
The human race has many shortcomings: short lifespans, fragile bodies… but among them, those true geniuses have unparalleled growth rates.
The gap in talent between humans is sometimes far greater than the gap between Dragons.
Charles has a very high probability of becoming the first legend.
"Once Charles becomes a legend first, the magic contract signed with him earlier will no longer be able to restrain him."
A thought crossed Galos' mind.
The magic contract used for the bet with Charles was not of legendary tier.
Once Charles himself advanced to a legend, the effect of the contract would naturally dissipate.
At that time, whether he would still be willing to remain in Creekwood Territory and serve the Molten Iron Tribe became an unknown.
However, crossing the threshold of a legend was not easy and could not be achieved lightly.
Although Charles' talent was strong, he had not reached the abnormal level of the Holy King of Lossern. Considering his character and integrity, being emotional and keeping his promises, there was no need to worry too much in the short term.
Out of his usual caution, Galos looked at Iron Dragon Sorog again.
"Sorog, what is Charles' current situation? Has he developed a sufficient sense of belonging to Creekwood Territory, to the Molten Iron Tribe?"
The Iron Dragon was silent for a few seconds, a rather peculiar expression appearing on his huge Dragon face.
He said, "That Knight of Flowers? He has more than just a sense of belonging in Creekwood Territory; now, even if you wanted to drive him away, he might not be willing to leave."
Seeing Sorog's unusual expression, Galos pressed, "What do you mean? Explain clearly."
Iron Dragon Sorog let out a low, somewhat playful chuckle and said, "He has officially married and had children in Creekwood Territory, forming a family."
"Moreover, his wife is not human; she is a… well, a very beautiful and charming Snake Woman."
Galos immediately understood upon hearing this.
No wonder Sorog had that expression.
The Iron Dragon himself had a soft spot for Snakemen, and he hadn't expected that the Knight of Flowers, who seemed so upright and righteous, would have such similar aesthetic preferences, choosing an alien race (foreign race) partner.
At this moment, Na Reisi, the leader of the Six-Armed Snake Woman, who had been standing silently, gracefully glided forward and added, "My King, Beverly is a young sorceress with quite good talent in our tribe. She is meticulous and handles matters appropriately, which is why she was chosen to be the Knight of Flowers' administrative assistant, helping him with some daily affairs of the territory."
"After they spent a long time together, perhaps affection grew over time, and they eventually officially married with the blessings of everyone in Creekwood Territory."
Hearing this explanation, Galos gave the Snake Woman leader a meaningful look.
He felt that while Charles marrying a Snake Woman certainly had reasons related to his personal preferences, behind it, there were most likely some subtle pushes and careful arrangements.
However, this level of minor manipulation was harmless.
Galos didn't object to his retainers engaging in reasonable competition or schemes to elevate their status and influence; such things were unavoidable within a group.
Even the most core and completely loyal Dragon Vein Gluttony Demons had their own desires and demands.
As long as these actions were kept within reasonable bounds and didn't harm the overall interests of the Molten Iron Tribe, he could tacitly approve.
But if anyone dared to overstep, to betray or severely damage the Molten Iron Tribe... then the tribe's Red Dragon executioners would be very happy to let those traitors know what it meant to live a life worse than death.
Soon after, as the sky gradually turned greyish-white, the grand banquet that had lasted all night finally drew to a close.
The retainers began busily cleaning up the aftermath and clearing the venue.
All the Dragons, meanwhile, left Burning Steel Fortress and arrived at a vast, snow-covered plain outside Dragon Valley.
The humanoid combat between Galos and Alberto would officially commence here.
Dragons of varying sizes soared and circled in the lead-grey low sky, the whistling sound generated by their massive wings flapping even overpowering the ceaseless wind and snow in the valley.
They simultaneously focused their gaze on the snow-white battlefield below.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The biting cold wind, carrying ice crystals, lashed against the two protagonists.
Galos and Alberto faced each other, their Dragon eyes reflecting the other's figure, and then two streams of Transfiguration magic erupted from within them, enveloping their entire bodies.
After the light dissipated, two humanoids with distinctly different temperaments appeared in their place.
On one side was Alberto, with a lithe and well-proportioned physique and a handsome, dazzling face.
On the other side was Galos, over two meters tall, as imposing as a mountain, with his heavily muscled upper body bared without a care in the swirling snow, as if forged from steel; the muscles beneath his skin bulged in blocks, and his veins and blood vessels stood out like intertwining dragon Dragons.
They were separated by no more than a hundred meters, and the cold air between them seemed to have frozen solid.
Alberto gently flexed his fingers, and ancient oath runes appeared and flowed on his arm, finally condensing into the Lance of Conquest, symbolizing power and covenant, which he gripped firmly in his hand.
He looked at the immensely oppressive figure opposite him, unafraid, and asked in a clear voice, "Galos, are you ready?"
Opposite him, Galos didn't answer, merely began to warm up.
He stretched his thick, long arms, lightly tapped his toes in alternation, his body swaying and lightly bouncing in place like the most agile leopard, every movement filled with explosive power and astonishing coordination.
This far-beyond-expected flexibility made the confidence on Alberto's face subtly stiffen, and a hint of unease suddenly rose in his heart.
It would be normal for an Evil Dragon who had just mastered Transfiguration and was in humanoid form for the first time to crawl on all fours like a wild beast due to extreme discomfort.
But what did he see?
Galos's movements were not at all stiff or sluggish; his steps were so light as if he had long been accustomed to this body!
"Let's begin."
Galos stopped his warm-up, his voice calm and even.
His knees bent slightly, and the muscles on his calves, twisted like steel cables, suddenly tensed, even emitting a grating, teeth-aching creak.
The next instant—
Zzzzz! Zzzzz!
Brilliant golden lightning mixed with Dragon Qi suddenly surged up from his majestic body, churning violently! The furious energy aura even made his black and red hair stand on end, wildly dancing with the flames and lightning.
The surrounding snow instantly vaporized and disappeared, and the frozen ground beneath his feet collapsed and shattered under the strain, blasting out a huge crater.
And when the deafening explosion finally reached Alberto's ears, the black and red lightning that Galos had become had already torn through the wind and snow, rushing before him.
So fast!
Alberto's pupils suddenly constricted, and relying entirely on his battle-hardened instincts, he subconsciously raised the Lance of Conquest to block in front of him.
Bang!!!
A dull, heavy thud, like striking thick leather, exploded, and a visible white airwave shockwave emanated from the two of them, spreading powerfully in all directions, kicking up countless amounts of snow!
Even more terrifying for Alberto was that two pitch-black arms, formed entirely of condensed Dragon Qi, appeared out of thin air behind Galos, and together with his main body's arms, four arms, like a raging storm, instantly unleashed dozens, even hundreds, of fist shadows.
Clang, clang, clang, clang!
The Lance of Conquest in Alberto's hand vibrated violently from the immense force, almost flying out of his grasp; he himself staggered backward under the furious assault, each step leaving deep imprints in the frozen ground.
Before he could regain his balance, he saw Galos powerfully twist his waist and hips, using his left leg as an axis.
His muscled, veiny right leg, like a real Dragon's tail, tore through the air, bringing with it a terrifying wailing sound, and lashed out fiercely.
Unavoidable!
Boom!
Alberto felt an irresistible immense force, and his entire body, like one flung by a catapult, flew uncontrollably into the air, smashing upwards.
Almost at the same moment he was kicked flying, the ground beneath Galos's feet exploded again.
His robust figure shot into the sky, catching up to Alberto, who had no leverage in mid-air, with a high right leg, wrapped in dazzling golden electric light, like a battle-axe, chopping down with mountain-splitting force.
Thump—!
Alberto was heavily smashed back to the ground like a meteor, kicking up a cloud of snow.
As he struggled to get up, the majestic figure, like a demon god, descended from the sky like a shadow, stomping down with unparalleled might.
In the nick of time, a phantom crown materialized above Alberto's head, erupting with intense light, and he rolled away, narrowly avoiding the fatal stomp.
"It's over! It's completely over!"
"Why is he so skilled in humanoid form?! This doesn't seem like the first time!"
"My debts, which I worked so hard to pay off! They're going to start calculating again! And they'll be even more!"
Alberto roared and wailed frantically in his heart, yet an uncontrollable, strange expression, uglier than crying, stretched his lips into a grimace on his face, as if it were the despair of being unable to cry or laugh.
He had already clearly foreseen his disastrous defeat.
If it weren't for so many Dragons watching, he probably would have surrendered on the spot and begged Galos to at least reduce his debt by half!
Immediately.
Alberto gritted his teeth, focused all his mental energy, cast aside all distractions, and wholeheartedly dealt with Galos's continuous, storm-like onslaught.
In humanoid form, Galos still maintained terrifying, despair-inducing strength and speed; his attacks were like ceaseless waves, one after another, leaving Alberto with almost only the ability to parry, completely unable to retaliate.
Alberto had completely given up on the idea of counterattacking.
He focused solely on defense, only hoping to hold on for a little longer, not to lose too quickly or too badly, and to salvage a little bit of his dignity.
And as time passed.
The solid ground below repeatedly shattered and broke under Galos's stomping and Alberto's impacts, and the surrounding wind and snow were constantly torn apart and scattered by the fierce energy.
Under the silent and focused gaze of the many Dragons in the sky, this battle, which was almost a one-sided beating, slowly approached its inevitable end.
After what felt like an incredibly long few minutes more.
Clang!
The Lance of Conquest in Alberto's hand was finally blasted away by a heavy punch, spinning and embedding itself in the snow in the distance.
Immediately after, Galos's terrifyingly powerful fist shattered the already dim Holy Armor phantom around Alberto, mercilessly imprinting itself on his already bruised and swollen, no longer handsome, face.
Bang!
The last, exceptionally fierce and heavy straight punch landed squarely on Alberto's chest!
Ugh!
Alberto spat out a mouthful of golden Dragon blood, and his entire body flew backward like a kite with a broken string.
In mid-air, with a flash of intense magical radiance, he could no longer maintain his humanoid form and was forced to reveal his massive Gold Dragon true form, finally crashing heavily to the ground, rolling and plowing a long furrow until he collided with a small hill covered in thick snow, where he finally stopped moving, eyes tightly closed, as if he had completely passed out.
"So weak?"
Galos frowned slightly, reining in the churning Dragon Qi and lightning around him, a little puzzled.
He thought that while his attack wasn't light, it shouldn't have knocked Alberto completely unconscious; given a Gold Dragon's physical constitution, he should have been able to withstand more.
In fact, his judgment was entirely correct.
To escape the cruel reality, the noble Gold Dragon Alberto, after a fierce internal struggle of 0.1 seconds, decisively chose to pretend to faint.
If it were his former proud, straightforward self, who valued honor above life, he would never have done such an undignified thing.
But now...
Alberto silently recited in his heart while 'unconscious': "Escapism may be shameful, but it is useful."