"Cease your futile struggles."
Galos's deep voice echoed across the ground.
He detected a bloodline aura on her that was remarkably similar to Alberto's, and roughly guessed her origin and identity, so he didn't strike hard, merely suppressing her.
"Naturally evil Red Iron Dragon! Let me go!"
Nasha twisted her body with all her might, her slender, gold-scaled Dragon tail slapping the frozen ground beneath her, producing dull thudding sounds like a drum, yet she couldn't budge the Red Iron Dragon on top of her in the slightest; he seemed heavier than a mountain.
Because of the Golden Dragon's sudden attack and her current struggle and resistance,
A few more faint bloodshot lines quietly appeared in Galos's eyes, and the Frenzied Fire also grew a touch more active.
He slowly extended his huge, ferocious head, bringing it close to the Golden Dragon, who was pinned to the ground.
His voice was low and dangerous as he said, "Female Dragon, your actions are playing with fire. Are you trying to pique my interest? Heh heh, you're almost succeeding."
A scorching, aggressive breath, so close it was almost touching, assailed Nasha.
Nasha's mind instantly went blank, her muscles stiffening involuntarily, and for a moment, she forgot to continue struggling and resisting.
On the other side.
Alberto crawled out of the dust cloud he had created in the Dragon Valley, shaking his still somewhat dazed head.
He flapped his wings and flew into the sky, instantly spotting his imposing Dragon Sister, clad in golden armor, and the Red Iron Dragon, who was aggressively and roughly pinning her to the ground.
However, he showed no signs of anxiety or anger.
Alberto first shook off the dust and broken scales from his body, tidied himself up, and then slowly flapped his wings over.
His movements were unhurried, with no intention of rushing forward to intervene.
During the years when Alberto had not yet matured and was at his most rebellious, he was often disciplined for contradicting his parents and other blood relatives.
By careful calculation, the beatings he received from Nasha were even more numerous than those from his parents combined.
Moreover, this Dragon Sister's blows were often harsher than his parents'.
Therefore, seeing his usually strong Dragon Sister suffer such a great loss, and after confirming she was not in mortal danger, a sense of schadenfreude couldn't help but well up deep within Alberto.
What goes around comes around. Your time will come.
You too have a day like this?
Alberto leisurely flew closer, landing next to the two struggling Dragons, and watched Nasha, who was pinned to the ground, with a look full of mockery and teasing.
"Isn't this my dear sister Nasha? What, you came charging in majestically, wearing the old man's discarded armor, only to be rubbed against the ground?"
"Ah, the ground is cold, it's not good to lie there for too long."
He deliberately paused, then continued, "Oh, sorry, I forgot. It's not that you don't want to get up; it's that you can't get up at all."
Her body was firmly pinned, her dignity seemingly trampled, and coupled with her younger brother's taunts, humiliation and anger erupted in Nasha's heart like a volcano.
She suddenly snapped back to reality and struggled even more violently.
The Golden Dragon roared at Alberto, "Alberto! Has this Evil Dragon controlled your mind with some evil magic?! Hurry up and help me, let's deal with this Evil Dragon together."
Alberto shook his head.
"I'm very clear-headed, Nasha, my foolish and reckless sister."
"It's you who needs to sober up and face reality."
He tilted his head, explaining, "Alright, stop bristling like a cat whose tail has been stepped on. This is all a misunderstanding. Galos isn't the kind of villainous Evil Dragon you imagine. We were just training and sparring in the air."
"He is my ally, a companion I acknowledge."
Just then, Zoraya, the Blue Dragon, and Deborah, the Copper-Silver Dragon, also flapped their Dragon wings and flew over one after another, landing not far away.
Deborah, the Copper-Silver Dragon, elegantly folded her wings, her silver-white and honey-colored scales shimmering with beautiful radiance against the snow.
"Madam Golden Dragon, I believe there is indeed a considerable misunderstanding here. Although Galos appears… very intimidating, even somewhat ferocious, he is not the evil sort you imagine."
She spoke, her voice pleasant and reassuring.
"One cannot judge a Dragon's alignment solely by its appearance, can one?"
Zoraya, the Blue Dragon's voice was colder and more direct. Her sharp gaze swept over Nasha, who was still being suppressed, and she spoke bluntly, "If our leader truly intended to kill you, you would already be a corpse by now, with no chance to question or struggle here."
As Nasha listened to their words, one after another, and felt the powerful suppression on her body—which, though she couldn't break free, wasn't inflicting further harm—the boiling anger and sense of humiliation in her heart gradually subsided.
Reason began to take over.
She forced herself to calm down and looked carefully at Alberto beside her.
Although her brother looked disheveled, covered in crisscrossing wounds, with many broken scales and bleeding profusely, appearing utterly miserable, his eyes were as foolish as usual, and while his injuries looked dreadful, none were bone-deep or critical. He certainly didn't seem to be in a controlled or abused state.
Could it be that, as they said, I misunderstood?
Galos noticed the Golden Dragon's struggles weakening and her boiling hostility receding, so he slowly released the claws and Dragon Qi arms that were restraining her neck and Dragon wings, stood up, and retreated a few steps.
He quietly stared at the Golden Dragon, his gaze lingering on the armor she wore.
Using his keen perception, he judged that this female Golden Dragon had likely just entered adulthood, with a life level of around 17, one level lower than him, and one level higher than Alberto.
Normally, Galos would often hold an overwhelming advantage and win quite easily against opponents of the same level, even powerful Dragons.
However, this Level 17 Golden Dragon required the Blood Burst State to fully suppress her.
Moreover, she still seemed to have reserves, not fighting desperately, not yet reaching her wit's end.
If this strength entirely stemmed from herself, then Galos might feel a slight excitement at having met an opponent who could rival him in the Martial Dragon path.
But clearly, her performance in resisting him just now largely depended on that magnificent and powerful armor.
If she were to remove this equipment, Galos was confident he could subdue her much more easily.
"A set of armor that allows a Level 17 Golden Dragon to directly contend with my Blood Burst State without being instantly defeated."
"Even ordinary Level 20 Dragons would probably struggle to take down such a well-equipped opponent quickly. If it were other races, facing her fully armed, their chances of victory would likely not be high. This armor is truly an extraordinary treasure."
Galos thought to himself.
It was a well-known fact among Dragons that Metallic Dragons, especially superior Dragon species like Golden Dragons, generally received generous gifts and meticulous protection from their elders.
However, Galos felt little envy about this.
After all, his Red Dragon Father was also unreserved and open with him.
Had he ever boasted about it to others? No!
At this moment, Nasha gasped for breath, her chest heaving violently, as she climbed up from the cold ground.
Her gaze swept over the formidable and strong Red Iron Dragon, the cold and beautiful Blue Dragon Zoraya, the elegant Copper-Silver Dragon Deborah, and finally, her gaze, like a nail, fixed on her own younger brother—the Golden Dragon Alberto.
"Alberto, now, tell me, what exactly is going on? Why are you associating with such a group of Dragons?"
She questioned in a deep voice.
"Well… that's a long story."
Alberto scratched his head with a claw, organized his thoughts, and then gave a concise account of his main experiences after secretly slipping out of Fubo Dragon Domain.
Starting from meeting the Red Iron Dragon in the Borderlands.
Because their first battle was evenly matched, and he discovered that the Red Iron Dragon was not a tyrannical and ferocious Dragon, a feeling of mutual admiration arose, and they became allies, later fighting side by side on multiple occasions, and so on.
There was a bit of exaggeration in his words.
However, that wasn't the point; neither Golden Dragon Nasha nor Galos cared.
"The Borderlands, and now the Northwest Region of the wilderness controlled by Galos,"
Alberto looked around and said, "These places are flourishing and well-ordered under his governance."
"The Evil Dragons under his command have also reined in their claws, not daring to act wantonly, and operate under rules."
"You can verify this with a little inquiry and observation. To be honest, maintaining such order is something many Metallic Dragons, who pride themselves on justice, find difficult to achieve."
"Nasha, if you understand Galos, you'll know he's worth befriending."
Alberto concluded, his tone uncharacteristically serious.
After listening to her brother's lengthy explanation, Nasha's tense expression and wariness visibly softened.
The anger subsided, replaced by contemplation.
"Alberto, that fool, has always been arrogant and conceited. For him to use words like 'equally matched' and 'mutual appreciation,' and to trust him so much, using so many words of praise… This Red Iron Dragon truly seems extraordinary, not just an ordinary Evil Dragon."
Nasha re-evaluated in her heart.
She carefully, and as impartially as possible, scrutinized the Red Iron Dragon standing majestically before her, once again deeply shaken by his incredibly powerful physique.
Wariness and apprehension rose in her heart.
But at the same time, an uncontrollable, strong curiosity, like silently growing vines, coiled and spread in her heart, becoming more intense.
What kind of Evil Dragon could make more than one Metallic Dragon willingly vouch for him?
A moment later, pieces of her armor detached and were put away one by one, indicating that she had reined in her hostility.
"I apologize for my previous rash attack, King of Molten Iron."
Nasha quelled her anger and hostility, bowing her head slightly, displaying the grace and demeanor befitting a Gold Dragon: "It was I who acted rashly without understanding the situation, causing a misunderstanding."
Galos nodded slightly and said, "I accept your apology."
Righteous, a bit reckless, but not stubborn and brave enough to admit mistakes… He quickly outlined her general character in his mind.
"Nasha Aurelius, from Fubo Dragon Domain, Alberto's blood relative."
The Gold Dragon gazed at Galos and formally introduced herself.
"Standing before you is the great King of Molten Iron, Lord of the Borderlands, ruler of the Northwest Region of the wilderness, a Dragon renowned by many names such as death star and Sky-Rending Wing — Galos Ignatius!"
A voice, melodious like an aria, chimed in at the opportune moment.
More precisely, it flowed from Fairy Dragon Vera's mouth.
She had approached at some point, now introducing Galos with a sense of ceremony.
"There's even a Planar Dragon here?"
Nasha noticed the petite Fairy Dragon, and her surprise and curiosity deepened.
A Planar Dragon; it's uncertain if there's even a second one on the entire Bernardo Planet.
What kind of charm does this guy possess?
She couldn't help but scrutinize the Red Iron Dragon before her once more, her gaze sweeping over his strong and graceful muscle lines, those rugged and dangerous bodily structures, sensing the contradictory aura of both danger and tranquility emanating from him.
From a purely observational standpoint, he was indeed flawless.
At first glance, one could intuitively feel his overwhelming power and an undeniable, awe-inspiring presence.
"Galos…"
The Gold Dragon softly repeated the name, as if savoring its meaning.
Then, she raised her head, stretched her limbs which were still somewhat numb from being suppressed, feeling the lingering soreness, and said, "As a fellow Martial Dragon, I once seriously considered the Star Self Path."
"But thinking about its immense consumption of Dragon Qi and its extreme combat style, I ultimately chose the more balanced and comprehensive Four Symbols Path."
"What I didn't expect was to meet a Martial Dragon with such a powerful Star Self Path here."
Star Self Visage, Star Self Arm… These skills not only demand extremely high quality Dragon Qi but also consume an astonishing amount, making it difficult for ordinary Dragons to sustain for long.
However, after the intense battle just now, Galos showed no signs of weakness or fatigue.
The previous Dragon Qi consumption seemed to be a negligible loss to him.
In fact, it was true.
In the initial stages, the four-armed form indeed posed some burden to Galos.
But as he continuously grew and his physique became increasingly formidable, his total Dragon Qi had long surpassed that of Dragons of the same rank, and now it was sufficient to support his unrestrained use of skills.
As for the Four Symbols Path, it was by no means weak either.
It was balanced and comprehensive, with no obvious shortcomings, allowing for effective targeting of different types and situations of enemies through diverse elemental combinations.
Unfortunately, this time she encountered Galos.
Galos's resistance system had no true weaknesses; perhaps some aspects were relatively less prominent, but that was only in comparison to his already extremely high overall resistance. In reality, every aspect was maintained at a very high standard.
Those elaborate and complex elemental attacks would, in all likelihood, have no significant effect on him.
If a Four Symbols Dragon were to face him, unless their strength and realm were a full major tier higher, it would be extremely difficult to effectively suppress Galos.
"This is also my first time truly witnessing the combat style of a Four Symbols Martial Dragon."
Galos did not stingy his praise, stating frankly: "Your offense is swift and sharp, and you possess a rich and varied array of skills. My gaining the upper hand was, to some extent, a stroke of luck."
Towards Evil Dragons, one naturally displays strength and dominance; but when facing a high-ranking Dragon such as a Gold Dragon, after having proven one's own strength, it is wiser to display a magnanimous spirit at the appropriate time.
Galos subtly applied the essence of his [Dragon Taming Skill - Gold Dragon Chapter].
Across from him, Nasha knew full well that the Red Iron Dragon was saving her face. Having personally experienced Galos's strength, she knew better than anyone how terrifying he was.
Powerful yet modest and polite, not bullying others, unlike other Evil Dragons who are arrogant and rude… Nasha's favorable impression of the Red Iron Dragon couldn't help but grow, sensing his significant difference from ordinary Evil Dragons.
"Alberto was right, this Red Iron Dragon truly cannot be judged by ordinary standards."
Nasha mused to herself.
However, a defeat was a defeat; she wouldn't make any excuses for herself.
"Your strength, speed, and defense are all far superior to mine. This cannot be explained away by mere luck."
Nasha said with emotion in her voice: "To possess such strength in adulthood… No wonder he can make a certain arrogant fellow willingly follow him, even reluctant to return to the Dragon Domain."
She felt the Red Iron Dragon must still be very young, speculating that he was still in his adulthood.
No sooner had her words fallen than two voices spoke almost simultaneously, refuting her.
The Copper-Silver Dragon said, "Galos is still just a young Dragon; he just developed faster."
Alberto, on the other hand, reacted as if his tail had been stepped on: "Who's following whom?! Galos and I are equal allies; we fight side by side, advancing and retreating together, not as superior and subordinate!"
Nasha completely ignored her Dragon brother's baseless protest.
But Deborah's words — a young Dragon?
Nasha's heart was in turmoil, and she stared at the Red Iron Dragon in astonishment.
She really hadn't expected the Red Iron Dragon to be even younger than she had thought.
The most outstanding among the younger generation in Fubo Dragon Domain was a Brass Dragon with exceptional talent and an unusually talkative nature.
He had passed the slumber of his youth and was approaching adulthood, reaching Level 18 in life. He was highly anticipated, and also cultivated multiple magic paths, casting spells extremely fast. He had never lost a battle at his own level and had won many against higher-level opponents, even being considered to have the potential of a Dragon King.
However, the Red Iron Dragon was also Level 18, and even younger.
Moreover, Nasha felt in her heart that if that Brass Dragon and the Red Iron Dragon before her were to fight to the death, the outcome would likely not be optimistic.
The previous encounter was brief, but Nasha could confirm that the Red Iron Dragon must have very rich combat experience, something that Metallic Dragons, who live in the peaceful environment of the Dragon Domain where most battles are sparring matches, could not compare to.
If he had been born in a Metal Dragon Domain, he would probably also be considered to have the potential of a Dragon King.
"If Galos were to travel through the various Dragon Domains, the arrogance of those young generation prodigies would probably be greatly diminished."
Such a thought spontaneously arose in Nasha's mind.