Early morning, June 1st, Year 344 of the new calendar.
Morning light broke through the mist on the horizon of the Cui Luan Mountain Range, dyeing the remaining snow on the peaks a pale gold.
It had been nearly two months since the Aura Kingdom captured this natural stronghold. During this time, the various legions resting here had replenished their Ranks, sharpened their weapons and claws, and gathered on the broad gentle slopes of the mountain range's western foothills.
Galos stood atop a towering black rocky cliff.
With his wings folded at his sides and his long tail trailing on the ground, he looked down at the massive army flowing in an orderly fashion like a swarm of ants.
This super-sized legion was setting out in a grand manner, preparing to march south, with its target set directly on Silverglow City, the capital of the Xio Kingdom.
Zoraya descended from the sky, folded her wings, and landed slightly behind the Red Emperor.
Her slender neck curved slightly as her gaze lingered for a long time on the Red Emperor's majestic body.
"My great His Majesty Ignis," Zoraya began, "according to the route we planned, the first city along the way is Iris City, the economic and cultural center of Aris Province. It is densely populated and rich in resources."
"To finally reach Silverglow City, we must also cross the other five provinces of Xio."
"Should I issue orders to increase the marching speed?"
Galos did not move his head, merely flapping his wings in an unhurried manner.
"Maintain the current pace."
He said.
Aris Province, one of the six provinces of Xio, was directly governed by the provincial governor, the highest administrative official appointed by the kingdom.
Besides Xio, similar provincial systems were mainstream among the human nations on the Romanian Plain, though details varied.
Galos led the legion personally, approaching Aris Province in an unstoppable yet unhurried manner. His primary goal was not to attack cities, but to pressure Xio, driving them into fear and tension until they eventually requested peace talks.
He gave Xio time, and he gave them the opportunity to choose.
If the King and nobles of Xio ultimately chose to surrender and resolve the dispute peacefully, it would naturally best serve Galos's current interests, allowing him to achieve the greatest results with the least cost.
But if they still harbored delusions, pinning their hopes on unfulfilled allied aid or other unrealistic fantasies and insisting on resisting to the end, Galos wouldn't mind seeing it through.
It would simply be a matter of conquering city after city along the way, crushing all obstacles with fire and steel until the capital named Silverglow was trampled underfoot.
That would bring more trouble, consuming more time and resources, and might even trigger broader intervention.
But Galos had already weighed the pros and cons and would not back down because of it.
No matter what, he had to take a huge bite out of them.
"The rulers of Xio had better be sensible."
The Red Iron Dragon gazed toward the distant south, thinking silently to himself.
The same day, at noon, Silverglow City.
Today's light was gentle, evenly bathing the white marble walls and the towering mage tower spires, gilding them with a warm golden edge.
On both sides of the city's main road, the broad leaves of the silver-leafed sycamores rustled in the breeze.
The tender green new leaves should have been bursting with vitality, but at this moment, the entire city was shrouded in an invisible and heavy chill that even the sunlight could not dispel.
Royal Court, Council Chamber.
The heavy doors were tightly closed, sealing out all external sounds.
Inside the hall stood many people, all the most powerful nobles and ministers of the Xio Kingdom.
They wore fine clothes symbolizing their status and bore Family crests, but no one spoke now; no one even dared to breathe loudly. It was pin-drop silent.
The throne was located on a high platform at the northern end of the hall.
A man who appeared to be around fifty years old, with frost-white hair at his temples, was gripping the armrests tightly with both hands, his knuckles turning white.
He wore a deep purple royal robe embroidered with the Xio royal crest and a crown set with gems.
However, the body beneath the robe and crown was trembling uncontrollably.
Fear, anger, humiliation, violence... all sorts of intense emotions churned and intertwined in his sunken eye sockets, leaving his once-sharp eyes bloodshot.
This man was the current ruler of Xio, King Oliver Chapman.
"Three years... only three years..."
Oliver's voice was the first to break the silence, hoarse and dry, like the low growl of a wounded lion.
"The impenetrable wall was easily breached. The magical satellite, which cost countless resources and embodied the efforts of several generations, has become the enemy's trophy! Now, even the last natural barrier, the Cui Luan Mountain Range, has fallen into the hands of those monsters!"
He stood up from the throne, his bloodshot gaze sweeping across the ministers.
"And all of this was caused by that so-called Aura Kingdom, by that Red Dragon who calls himself emperor! At the start of the war, what did they have? Two Legendaries! A mere two!"
He held up two fingers, shaking them violently.
"Now look at our Xio! Sitting on six provinces, countless subjects, and the mountain of wealth accumulated by generations of former kings, along with the sophisticated military equipment we've built! We also have over ten powerful Legendaries! Every one of them once had an illustrious reputation!"
Oliver's voice grew louder and louder, almost a roar regardless of decorum, veins bulging on his neck.
"We also have firm alliances with the Rippos Kingdom and the Cambrook Kingdom! We have more Legendaries than him! Higher Ranks than him! Better equipment and magical items than him! We hold the natural stronghold of Dragon Severing Pass! We have well-trained legions!"
"But why—?!"
He swung his fist and slammed it heavily onto the armrest of the throne.
"Why can't we defeat a dragon that crawled out of the wilderness?! Why did our proud unbending shield shatter?! Why did our fang of the mountains, which we regarded as a sharp sword, break?!"
"I don't understand! I cannot comprehend it!"
Huff... huff... The King breathed heavily, his chest heaving like a bellows, then he turned his head and stared at several standing figures.
They just stood silently in the shadows or by pillars, their Auras distinctly different from the other nobles. They did not need to kneel before the King and stood tall.
These people were the remaining Legendary experts of the Xio Kingdom.
Some were Legendaries who originally guarded Silverglow City, while others were those who had narrowly escaped the crushing defeat at the Cui Luan Mountain Range and fled back to the capital.
Silence lasted for several seconds.
Finally, a figure shrouded in grey-black tight-fitting leather armor moved slightly.
Spencer the Shadow Warrior had participated in the early siege against White Dragon Beskar and had also experienced the two decisive battles at Dragon Severing Pass and the Cui Luan Mountain Range.
Spencer took half a step forward, the shadows receding from part of his face to reveal a weathered countenance.
He raised his head and met the King's gaze.
"Your Majesty, what you said... is all correct."
His voice was steady, yet it carried a deep sense of helplessness.
"On paper, and in the pre-war simulations, we indeed had the advantage in numbers and Ranks, and our preparations were more thorough."
"But war, especially war involving the Legendary level, is never a simple stacking and comparison of numbers."
"The gap between Legendary Ranks is actually smaller than among mortals. Except for the significant increases when breaking through to the three major stages of Advanced, Crown Rank, and Destiny Rank, most of the time, it is merely a reference."
"It cannot accurately measure the power of each Legendary's Domain, nor compare those strange and varied characteristics, and even less... measure the massive gap in the essence of life."
Spencer's gaze became somewhat distant, as if he were seeing those dragon wings that blotted out the sun and the destructive breath once again.
"Even the most ordinary dragon, even a White Dragon, far surpasses a human of the same Rank."
"To successfully besiege and kill a Legendary Dragon, one needs at least four human Legendaries of the same Rank to plan meticulously and cooperate seamlessly for even a slight chance of victory. And that is only against an ordinary dragon."
He drew a deep breath, his voice lowering slightly.
"But the Red Emperor we are facing is not a normal dragon."
"Even among the Dragon, a race that already stands at the pinnacle of many life forms, he is a quite terrifying and extremely abnormal existence."
"His Domain doesn't seem special, but the strength of his life essence and the characteristics he has shown... have become powerful enough to exceed all our past understanding. He is a dragon among dragons."
"In the Cui Luan Mountain Range, I witnessed with my own eyes... how he recovered from fatal wounds."
"That was no simple healing Spell, Your Majesty. That was a miracle akin to reversing life and death—or rather, a nightmare."
At the mention of the Red Emperor, even as a Legendary, the Shadow Warrior could not help but have a flash of terror cross his eyes.
The battle in the Cui Luan Mountain Range still felt like a nightmare when he thought about it now.
The other Legendaries also lowered their eyes or looked away, their silence permeated with the same gravity.
Bringing a satellite down from the sky, turning meteors to shatter the great pass, resurrecting from certain death... Every move that Red Emperor made overturned common sense and trampled on their accumulated knowledge and pride. He was truly overbearing, making even them, fellow Legendaries, feel somewhat breathless at the mention of his name.
"Your Majesty, we are not fighting a normal Legendary. What we are facing is a walking natural disaster."
Spencer said bitterly, "If we had been able to gather all our Legendaries at the start and launch a surprise attack on the Red Emperor at the right moment, there might have been a chance for victory. But after two massive defeats—"
"Enough!"
King Oliver swung his arm fiercely, his wide sleeves whipping up a gust of wind as he interrupted Spencer.
"Excuses! All of them are excuses!"
He shouted sharply, his face flushed with anger.
"You are merely looking for excuses for your own failure, for your own mediocrity and incompetence!"
The king let out a short, harsh laugh.
"Haha... The true masters of Bernardo Planet are us humans! Or at the very least, humanoid races!"
"Those dragons, long since cast aside by history and fit only to eke out a meager existence in the desolate mountains or the oceans, should stay curled up in their caves and nests instead of leaping out to challenge the order of civilization!"
"Our Xio has a long Legacy and profound heritage. How could we lose? How could we possibly lose to creatures of the wilderness?!"
He turned abruptly, looking toward his secretary and foreign minister.
"Dispatch envoys to Rippos, Cambrook, and Sac immediately! Send extra messengers! Use the most urgent language to explain the principle of mutual dependence!"
"I don't believe these allies, these neighbors, can sit idly by and watch a dragon expand wantonly on the Romanian Plain and destroy a kingdom without being moved to action!"
"They will surely come to our rescue! They'll give us more reinforcements, definitely!"
The king waved his arms like a madman, barking out a series of orders as if trying to scream out all the frustration and resentment pent up in his chest.
Below the dais, the vast majority of officials and Legends remained silent.
Only a few hot-blooded young nobles had excitement flash across their faces, but they were soon infected by the gloom in the eyes of the elders or colleagues beside them and lowered their heads again.
After several agonizingly long minutes, the king's voice gradually faded until only heavy panting remained.
As if he had exhausted all his strength, he slumped back onto his throne, reaching out with both hands to cover his face.
Silence returned to the council chamber, leaving only the sound of suppressed, heavy breathing.
After an unknown amount of time, Oliver slowly lowered his hands.
His back was slightly hunched, and his crown appeared somewhat askew.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, the fury and resentment in his eyes had completely extinguished, leaving only a near-numb calm.
"Ezra."
The king was calling out to the stern-faced old official standing at the head of the right side.
"I am here, Your Majesty."
"Issue my decree: contact Anderson, the governor of Aris Province, immediately."
Oliver spoke one word at a time, as if every syllable weighed a thousand pounds.
"Order him to disarm Iris City and all towns, passes, and fortresses within the province, seal all armories, clear the main roads and waystations leading to the royal capital, and organize... a welcoming party."
He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing.
After struggling for a few seconds, he still said, "Prepare... to welcome the arrival of the Emperor of Aura with the highest etiquette."
These words were tantamount to handing over the entire prosperous Aris Province, along with its capital, Iris City, without a single fight.
But this was the price that had to be paid to begin peace talks.
Moreover, everyone understood that what Xio would ultimately have to give up would likely be far more than just Aris.
"Your Majesty!"
A young noble with a still-youthful face couldn't help but stand up, his expression full of indignation. "We can still conscript more soldiers, mobilize the people, and use every city for street fighting to stall for time while waiting for reinforcements—"
"And then what?"
Oliver abruptly interrupted him, his voice still devoid of much emotion.
"Send the remaining soldiers to their deaths? Let Silverglow City become a second Dragon Severing Pass? Or perhaps, let the Kingdom of Xio be wiped off the map of the Romanian Plain? To cease to exist entirely?"
The young viscount opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing.
"Furthermore," the king's gaze turned toward the finance minister and the foreign minister, "the two of you shall take the lead, in conjunction with the internal affairs department, to conduct a thorough audit of the national treasury, the royal private treasury, and the reserves of every major Family. Hide nothing."
"Gold coins, silver coins, magic crystals, various gemstones, rare magic Materials, precious works of art, ancient books and documents..."
"List everything we can offer and compile it into a detailed inventory."
"Then, led by the foreign minister, draft an initial proposal for a 'Post-War Reparations and Bilateral Relations Agreement.' The minimum compensation amount, the scope of interests that can be ceded, other restrictive agreements... these specific terms shall be jointly discussed and drafted by you and the Legends present here, then finally submitted to me for review."
"After that... prepare for formal peace talks with the Aura Kingdom."
Oliver Chapman, the King of Xio, had now completely accepted the harsh reality.
However, in the deepest depths of his eyes, a tiny flame still flickered, refusing to be completely extinguished.
Human life is short, yet it also possesses a faster growth rate.
Throughout human history, development has never been a straight line, but rather sudden, stair-like leaps.
And their resilience, one of their greatest advantages, lies in their ability to burst forth with incredible power from desperate situations after enduring immense blows and humiliation, giving rise to heroes who can turn the tide of fate in a very short time.
Today, Xio suffered an unprecedented defeat, its Origin Qi severely wounded and its dignity dragged through the mud.
Yet, perhaps it is in such dark moments that there is a better chance for a world-shaking talent to be born—one who can rise like a comet in the future and possess the power to challenge or even surpass that Red Emperor.
In short, the King of Xio was gambling on the future.
Two days later.
Iris City, the capital of Aris Province.
This prosperous city, famous in Xio for its purple irises and exquisite silk, lost all its former bustle and color on this day as its tall gates were thrown wide open.
On the city walls, no fully armed soldiers or generals could be seen.
Inside the city, the main road extending from the gateway was spotless. On both sides of the street, Xio's commoners, ordered to come and welcome the arrivals, were packed together. Wearing their finest clothes, they stood in silence or huddled with their families, their faces filled with bewilderment.
Anderson, a portly old noble, was currently standing directly in front of the city gate.
He wore a magnificent ceremonial robe representing his status as governor, his chest covered in medals, but his face was as pale as paper, and his hand holding the scepter trembled slightly.
Behind him were the province's main officials, all of whom looked dejected.
Time passed slowly in the agonizing silence.
Finally, a change began to appear on the distant horizon.
Dust began to rise, initially just a thin line, then rapidly expanding and soaring like an all-encompassing sandstorm. Within the dust, countless terrifying figures could be seen moving, and muffled, thunderous footsteps and the flapping of wings could be heard.
A terrifying sense of oppression rushed toward them, even from a great distance.
The governor's legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed, only to be barely held up by the adjutant beside him.
The dust drew closer and closer.
The Aura Legion appeared in sight; warriors of various races from the wilderness were fully armed, moving like a mobile forest of steel.
Then, boom!
An indescribable majesty and pressure descended wildly.
All the welcomers of Iris City, whether noble or commoner, involuntarily felt their knees buckle and knelt on the ground, burying their heads deep, not daring to look directly.
The dust parted to both sides.
A massive dark red figure landed with a boom in front of the city gate.
The Red Emperor, Garos Ignis, had arrived.
He had restrained most of his Dragon Might, but with his mountain-like beastly form, even a single glance was enough to shatter the minds of mortals.
His vertical pupils swept over the kneeling crowd, the wide-open city gates, and this city that had no will to resist.
Finally, the Red Emperor's gaze fell upon the governor at the very front.
Governor Anderson shuddered violently. Using all his strength and in the most humble manner, he knocked his forehead against the sand-covered ground and shouted.
"Governor of Aris Province, Anderson Ferguson, on behalf of all officials, nobles, and subjects of Iris City, respectfully welcomes the great Emperor of Aura, His Majesty Garos Ignis, to Iris!"
"May Your Majesty's glory be like the sun and moon traversing the sky, eternal and indestructible!"
"May Your Majesty's majesty be like the towering mountains, enduring for all eternity!"
"All gates of Iris City are open! All armaments have been sealed! All treasuries have been inventoried! We invite Your Majesty to enter the city for inspection!"
His voice echoed in front of the empty city gate.
Immediately after, the officials and noble representatives behind him also echoed with trembling voices, "Welcome, Your Majesty..."
This sound was faint and scattered at first, but before long, similar voices began to rise intermittently from the kneeling commoners on the city streets. These voices converged into a low, blurred wave of sound.
The Red Iron Dragon watched them quietly.
"Lead the way."
He said, his voice low like thunder.
As if granted a great pardon, the governor bowed his body like the most humble guide and walked at the very front, trembling with fear.
The Red Iron Dragon took a step and entered Iris City.
Every time his claws landed, the ground would tremble, and the shadow of his body completely covered the crowds kneeling on both sides.
Behind him, Aura's monster legion surged into this undefended city like a black tide. In the sky, the Dragon Groups and flying creatures let out even louder or sharper shrieks, the sound of wing membranes cutting through the wind blanketing the entire horizon.
June 3rd, Year 344 of the new calendar.
The scorching sun rose gradually, and the irises that had bloomed all spring began to wither in the wind.
Aris, one of the six major provinces of the Kingdom of Xio, was declared to have changed hands without a single battle. The War of the Two Auras temporarily came to a close, and the two countries began peace talks.