"Truly worthy of being a powerful kingdom that has endured for millennia, weathering countless storms without ever collapsing."
"Our warriors are brave and skilled in battle, utterly fearless of death, yet even so, they still cannot completely contend with Lorthen, suffering repeated defeats on the Ryan Plateau."
"The mere existence of that Earth Manipulation Device makes their defensive advantage unshakeable."
Sorog's whisper echoed in the Red Iron Dragon's mind.
The Red Iron Dragon slowly shook its massive head and said, "Lorthen's ability to rise again from decline proves the depth of their foundation."
"Leaving aside their strategic-level weaponry advantages."
"What is the specific situation of our direct confrontation with Lorthen at the legendary level?"
Through the eyes of his familiars, Garos continued to observe the war on the Ryan Plateau.
However, the familiars' perspective was ultimately limited, unable to grasp the whole picture. It would be best to obtain a more comprehensive understanding from other angles, especially from Sorog, who was in full command.
"A battle at the legendary level…"
Iron Dragon Sorog said solemnly, "The legendary individuals on our side who are participating are not weak, and they have the upper hand in individual bravery, but the problem is that their numbers are still too few, and the equipment of the Lorthen legends is also clearly superior to ours."
He paused slightly, then continued,
"The legendary individuals on our side who have officially participated in the battle are Karu, Elvie, Dragon Lion Ennus, Phoenix Angela, and two Heroic Spirits."
"The human legend and the Shahua fish-man legend are not on the Ryan Plateau.
"One is stationed in the royal city, maintaining internal stability and guarding against possible unrest; the other is guarding the long coastline of the Ice Plains, watching out for other dangers from the ocean."
"Also… Samantha is getting restless."
"She longs to join the battle, to punish the enemy with flames, but I stopped her."
"As legendary dragons, regardless of individual strength, we in the Kingdom of Aura are symbols of spirit and power, and for the rank-and-file soldiers and civilians, we have a more significant meaning than other legends. " "
In this war with Lorthorn, unless we are absolutely certain of gaining the upper hand, or the battle reaches a critical juncture, we must not act rashly."
"A defeat would have far more severe consequences than the loss of a human legend. " Garros
nodded slightly, fully understanding the Iron Dragon's concerns and deeper meaning.
In pure combat, a dragon legend like the White Dragon Beskar was likely inferior to the Fang of Aura.
However, as a dragon, Beskar's status and symbolic significance in the eyes of ordinary gnolls, lizardmen, and even centaurs and trolls far surpassed that of Karuk.
Dragons were the creators and guardians of the Kingdom of Aura, extensions of the Red Emperor's will, and living totems.
Sorog and Samantha were even more so.
They were the most well-known dragons in the Kingdom of Aura besides the Emperor, second only to the Red Emperor in status.
Previously, against relatively weak opponents like Theo, they could attack without hesitation, overwhelming the enemy and demonstrating the majesty of the Aura dragons to boost morale and deter the weak.
But this time was completely different.
Lorthen was a powerful kingdom that had to be taken seriously.
Even now, Lorthen still had a large number of legends in intelligence records... Qi had not yet shown himself.
They must be keeping a close eye on these legendary dragons of the Kingdom of Aura, for the commanders of Lorthen knew that dragons were the true rulers of the Kingdom of Aura.
A victory for the legendary dragons would greatly boost morale and might even turn the tide of battle.
But a defeat, or even just a hard-fought battle, showing signs of fatigue and weakness… would be a heavy psychological blow to the Aura Legion, which relied on high morale and unwavering faith.
Currently, the Aura Legion was able to confront the Lorthen army head-on despite being at a disadvantage overall.
Though retreating step by step, their formation remained intact, their resistance tenacious, and they even inflicted far more trouble and casualties on the advancing Lorthen army than expected. The main reason for this was their morale, which was incomprehensibly high.
The battle spirit formed by the formation of their troops was performing in battle that was approaching that of the Aura Fang.
As they talked, Iron Dragon Sorog mentioned the formation, his spirits lifting slightly.
"The War Soul Formation provided by Reposs is surprisingly well-suited to our Aura warriors."
"It prioritizes morale, but it's not entirely reliant on it; it's also related to the warriors' resilience, fighting spirit, and battle will."
"It's practically tailor-made for our warriors."
"Moreover, as the war continues, as the warriors are tempered in iron and fire, the War Souls are becoming increasingly solid and powerful."
"I even have a feeling..."
"If the scale of the battles is large enough, and the warriors' beliefs are unified and fervent enough, the power unleashed by the War Souls might even achieve the effect of a strategic weapon."
"I was originally thinking of developing our own Aura formation, but now it seems unnecessary."
"Based on Reposs's formation, with some improvements, it's perfectly feasible."
Garros asked, "You mean, it might one day rival Lorthen's Holy Spirit?"
Sorog replied seriously, "The gap is still very large."
"But… as long as the Kingdom of Aura stands, as long as our warriors maintain their pure faith and fighting spirit, the War Soul has unlimited potential for growth." "
Perhaps one day, it can become another powerful foundation for the kingdom, after the Holy Temple."
Red Iron Dragon nodded, then changed the subject slightly.
"Many of the dragons under our kingdom's command, those who have undergone systematic training and education, should have already reached adulthood, and there are many more young dragons."
"How have these young dragons performed on the battlefield?"
Speaking of the young dragons, Sorog said, "In this battle, they mostly served as mid-to-low-level commanders, overseers, or special assault team leaders, mainly responsible for conveying our will, coordinating the operations of warriors of different races, and acting as a force for attack or firefighting at crucial moments."
"Given their current age and experience, it's too early for them to directly influence the course of large-scale battles."
"But in engagements below the legendary level, their performance has been commendable." "
These little guys are much more cautious than wild dragons. They know how to assess the situation, when to advance and when to retreat, and they don't blindly act recklessly. Especially in those frequent small-scale skirmishes, they have achieved remarkable results."
As Sorog stated, the fighting on the Lane Plateau is currently dominated by large-scale offensive and defensive operations.
In addition, when Lorthern advances his positions, due to the requirements of using the Earth Manipulation System, he frequently dispatches numerous scouts and sentries, under the protection of small units, to conduct long-range reconnaissance and mapping missions.
The Kingdom of Aura naturally wouldn't stand idly by while Lorthen gathered battlefield information.
Ambushes, interceptions, and counter-reconnaissance battles against these reconnaissance units were almost constant across the front lines.
In these battles, Aura's young dragons shone exceptionally brightly.
They possessed powerful dragon bodies, speed, endurance, and keen senses; each was cautious and steady, able to identify traps, unaffected by provocation, and equipped with sophisticated alchemical tools, causing immense trouble for Lorthen's reconnaissance legions.
"Aren't you going to ask about the specifics of your three offspring?"
Sorog suddenly asked. "And your black dragon adopted daughter, Saria, they are exceptionally talented and have extraordinary potential, but they are, after all, only young dragons. In this grand war sweeping across legends, they are not entirely safe."
Apart from the silver dragon Isanora in the Dragon Realm, the Red Emperor's other offspring were all participating in the war on the Lion Highlands.
The red dragon Laria was also among them; upon learning of the outbreak of war, he immediately left his long-established territory and rushed to the highlands.
He desired independence, but he also knew very well who his strongest backer was.
Moreover, he had received favors from his elders and the kingdom during the development of his territory.
Red Iron Dragon remained calm, saying, "Only through the tempering of true war, soaring through blood and fire, can they shed their immaturity and grow into formidable Aura dragons capable of standing alone."
"Eagles that can brave storms cannot be raised in a greenhouse, and besides..."
he added, "They carry plenty of life-saving gear, and with you overseeing them on the front lines, I have nothing to worry about."
Hearing this, Sorog seemed to remember something.
"Besides Salia, several promising young dragons have indeed emerged recently,"
he said earnestly. "I think you could consider selecting some more based on their performance in the war, and adopting them as sons or daughters. This would stimulate their enthusiasm and also help identify the best."
"Sons of the Emperor,"
the Iron Dragon paused, then joked, "given time, if their numbers are sufficient, they might become a powerful legion for my Aura."
"Agreed,"
the Red Iron Dragon agreed to the suggestion.
Then, he changed the subject, returning to the main point.
"Lothern's advance is methodical, and their advantage is snowballing,"
the Red Iron Dragon said in a low voice. "To stop this snowball from rolling until it completely crushes us, we must disrupt their rhythm and prevent them from advancing so methodically."
The majestic dragon slowly rose, spreading its wings and stirring up dust, gazing towards the highlands.
"I will personally intervene and stop Lor'then's advance."
"As for you, Sorog, Samantha, Beskar… you no longer need to endure. You can choose your moment to fight and put enough pressure on Lor'then's legends."
The Iron Dragon reminded him, "Once you show yourself, Lor'then's Grand Masters will likely appear as well."
"They've been waiting for you."
The Red Iron Dragon chuckled deeply, revealing sharp teeth. "It doesn't matter; it's only a matter of time. I'm curious if anyone will try to stop me."
In a nameless valley on the Lyne Plateau, late at night.
Moonlight pierced through the clouds, outlining the jagged rocks and twisted, withered trees.
Deep within the valley, a Lor'then force of about a hundred men was advancing silently.
Clad in lightweight camouflage suits and imbued with stealth spells, they moved with agility and spread out in formation, clearly an elite reconnaissance and mapping team. In the center of the formation, several spider-like lightweight golems hovered and moved forward silently, constantly scanning the surrounding environment and transmitting terrain data back in real time.
"Captain, the terrain in the valley ahead has become complex, with piles of rocks. There might be natural cover or magical traps. I need a little time to prepare a wide-area perception spell to detect dangers in advance,"
a mage said in a low voice. The one
called captain was a middle-aged man with a stern face and an old scar on his cheek. Upon hearing this, he immediately raised his clenched right fist and made a few simple gestures.
The entire team stopped, waiting for the caster to construct the spell.
Then, before the caster's incantation had even finished,
*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*
Three figures suddenly burst out from the shadows of the steep cliffs on both sides of the valley, rushing down towards the temporarily halted reconnaissance team!
Two blue dragons and one black dragon.
Among them, the two blue dragons were very robust, with thick necks, broad wingspans, and thick, dark blue scales.
They looked more like red dragons covered in blue scales.
This was the typical characteristic of the 'Dragons of Aura'.
In contrast, the black dragon was not as strong, but it was still quite agile, its scales as black as ink, almost blending into the night.
Moreover, all three of them were clad in armor, wearing equipment suitable for dragons.
"Roar—!"
A low roar tore through the silence of the night.
The two blue dragons at the forefront inhaled sharply, their chests bulging, and then opened their mouths. Blinding blue-white lightning spewed from their throats, crisscrossing as they swept towards Lorthern's team from the front. Wherever they passed, the air crackled and exploded, rocks along the way were shattered, and trees were instantly carbonized.
"Enemy attack! Adult... no, young dragons! Defend!"
The captain's pupils suddenly contracted.
The Lor'then soldiers reacted swiftly. Almost the instant their captain shouted, the
soldiers closest to the dragon's breath attack rushed behind the nearest rocky cover; those slightly further away instantly activated their disposable protective magical trinkets; several heavy infantrymen wielding tower shields roared forward, slamming their massive shields into the ground.
Simultaneously, the ground beside the ranks exploded.
Two heavy battle golems, which had been in stealth mode, burst forth.
They stood approximately ten meters tall at the shoulders, their bodies forged from dark alloy, their heads shaped like sharp drills. One hand held a rectangular heavy shield the size of a door panel, while the other gripped a massive sword nearly eight meters long, its blade shimmering with magical runes.
Facing the blue dragon's crisscrossing lightning breath, the two battle golems simultaneously raised their shields.
The runes on the shields instantly lit up, forming an energy field superimposed on the physical shields.
Bolts of lightning struck the energy field and the physical shields, unleashing a deafening roar and flashes of light.
The golem leaned back slightly, arcs of electricity crackling across its alloy shell, wisps of smoke rising from it, and tiny sparks even flying from some joints. It withstood the first wave of dragon breath, while smaller fragments of the aftershocks were blocked by the human shield guards.
However, the dragon breath was merely a feint to draw attention.
Just as everyone's attention was drawn to the incoming lightning breath, a crimson figure, accompanied by a whistling sound, plummeted vertically from the night sky directly above them like a meteorite.
Its descent was incredibly fast, its target clear.
Not the relatively vulnerable soldiers, but rather the powerful golem.
Boom!
A deafening roar echoed through the valley.
The earth trembled violently, as if struck by a giant hammer. Cracks and debris radiated outwards, clanging against the shields and armor of the Lor'then soldiers.
The battle golem on the right, caught off guard, was crushed beneath the feet of the descending crimson figure. Its alloy shell twisted and shattered, its engine overloaded and exploded, transforming into a dazzling fireball that sent another battle golem flying. Spellcasters,
their spells unfinished, were thrown about by the shockwave, some even suffering backlash.
The Lor'then forces' formation was also shattered.
In the smoke and lingering flames, the attacker's true form was revealed.
It was a massive crimson dragon, its scales gleaming metallically in the moonlight, its muscles bulging, its wings folded behind it, flames spewing from its mouth and nostrils with each breath, its claws sharp and menacing.
The Emperor's son, Garclaw Ignas.
His fighting style, heavily influenced by his father, favored simplicity, directness, and violence, seeking to crush obstacles with absolute force.
The flames and impact of the golem's explosion left only charred marks and a few minor cracks on his thick chest and abdominal scales and limbs.
"Focus fire! Attack that red dragon! Disrupt his subsequent actions!"
The surviving Lor'theon soldiers launched a fierce attack on the red dragon between them, and the single eye of several light golems lit up, also firing lasers at the dragon.
Arrows, spells, and energy beams rained down on the red dragon.
Garclaw neither dodged nor evaded, enduring the attacks head-on, letting out a ferocious battle roar.
His thick dragon tail suddenly swept horizontally.
Clang!
The battle golem charging towards the red dragon was sent flying at an even greater speed, crashing heavily into the mountainside and embedding itself deeply.
Before the golem could break free, a crimson shadow flashed.
Garclaw charged forward with heavy strides, his speed disproportionate to his size.
*Clang!
* Another muffled thud echoed, the mountain wall trembled violently, the crater deepened, and countless cracks spread like a spiderweb.
Garclaw used its powerful forelimbs to firmly suppress the golem embedded in the mountain wall, lowered its head, opened its jaws filled with sharp teeth, and a light shone deep within its throat.
*Boom!*
A terrifying dragon breath erupted, melting most of the golem's body at close range.
"Heh, a fragile toy,"
the young red dragon chuckled, retracting its forelimbs and turning its massive body.
Meanwhile, as a spellcaster focused on chanting a spell, about to complete it, a dark shadow silently appeared behind them.
*Tear!
* The shadow flashed, the spellcaster's magic shield shattered, blood spurted, and the chanting abruptly stopped.
Salia, having landed a successful blow, didn't hesitate. With a flap of her wings, she flew almost close to the ground, swooping down on another archer enchanting a crossbow bolt.
Her attack was devoid of any unnecessary flourishes.
Precise, efficient, and deadly.
Specifically targeting Lor'Thane members attempting to organize an effective counterattack or cast crucial spells.
Two blue dragons hovered in the air, sometimes swooping down to clear out retreating squads with their claws and tails, sometimes unleashing a burst of lightning to block possible escape routes, while simultaneously watching the distant darkness for any possible reinforcements.
Soon after, the battle drew to a close.
Without the support of the battle golems, the spellcasters were killed, and the formation was broken. This Lor'Thane reconnaissance squad was doomed before the powerful young dragons.
The last soldier, his upper body shattered by Garkro's tail, brought the battle to a complete end.
The young red dragon took a deep breath, exhaling a smoldering, sparking breath from his nostrils.
"Steel, blood, death… and the taste of victory, it's intoxicating."
He flicked his tail, sweeping aside the charred remains of a golem at his feet, a surge of pride rising within him.
So, he raised his proud head and roared at the night sky, "Haha! Great Garkro, the Red Emperor's most valiant son! One day, I will surpass my father and inherit his Kingdom of Aura! Let him be proud of me!"
The black dragon Salia strode forward, making sure no one feigned death and no one escaped.
She was already used to Garkro's boastful words and showed no reaction.
Two blue dragons also landed, letting out satisfied growls and fiddling with their spoils.
But just then,
as if sensing something, several young dragons in the valley simultaneously paused, raising their heads to look at the deep northern night sky.
It wasn't just them.
On another part of the plateau, the iron dragon Ophelia, patrolling low above the ground, abruptly stopped, tilting its neck back; the red dragon Laria, resting and sharpening its claws at a makeshift camp, also suddenly stood up, looking towards the horizon.
Because… it was dawn.
No, not truly dawn.
Two dazzling meteors, one large and one small, almost overlapping, suddenly appeared at the northern horizon!
Trailing fiery contrails that illuminated the night sky, they streaked across the thick darkness with terrifying speed beyond mortal vision, hurtling towards the main battlefield of Twilight Plains in the southwest of the Ryan Plateau, where the fighting was most intense!
Their light was so dazzling, so magnificent.
Even from a distance, it could be clearly felt.
Meanwhile, on the Twilight Plains, at the front lines of the main battlefield,
a medium-sized offensive and defensive battle had just taken place .
The Aura Legion's counterattack had been repelled, leaving behind numerous corpses and broken weapons under the firm defenses and heavy artillery fire of Lorthern.
Lorthern was reinforcing his positions overnight, steadily advancing his lines several hundred meters, his morale steadfast.
In contrast, the atmosphere on the Aura's forced retreating positions was inevitably somewhat oppressive.
The continuous battles and retreats, even with the support of the Temple's glory and the Emperor's prestige, had quietly sown fatigue and frustration among the rank-and-file soldiers.
Around the campfire, some wounded gnolls silently licked their wounds, while centaurs wiped the blood from their armor.
However, when a meteor streaked across the night sky, all the weary, wounded, and silent warriors on the entire Aura front suddenly raised their heads!
All the despondency, all the frustration, all the repression were swept away in that instant!
In their place came a sudden surge of fervor that reached its peak.
"Look! It's the North!"
"That light… it's His Majesty! The Red Emperor is here!"
"Aura! Aura! Aura!"
The oppressive atmosphere on the battlefield instantly erupted!
The gazes of every Aura warrior were fixed on the trajectory of the meteors, their eyes filled with the purest fervor and worship.
Their king, their god, had personally descended upon the battlefield!
On the other side, the soldiers on the Lorthen front felt a sudden sinking feeling in their hearts, as if gripped by an invisible hand, their breath catching in their throats.
They too had seen two meteors tearing through the night sky!
But why two?
Intelligence reports describing the Red Emperor's descent into battle usually described him breaking through the sky with his physical body, crashing directly into the enemy ranks like a meteorite, causing devastating damage.
What were these two meteors?
This question was quickly answered.
As the meteors drew closer, those with keen eyesight could discern that they weren't real meteors, but rather…
a black and red dragon swooping down at terrifying speed, and a giant fireball held in front of him by its claws, as if holding a miniature sun!
The Red Emperor, Garos Ignas!
He descended upon the sky as if dragging a sun with him.
On the Lorthen defense line, everyone's hearts were in their throats. Various defensive spells and barriers were activated, and anti-aircraft weapons were firing, countless beams of light shooting towards the figure in the sky.
However, the Red Emperor did not crash to the earth as usual.
Thousands of meters in the air, he suddenly slowed down, his wings fully spread like two twilight clouds obscuring the sky, gradually retracting his diving momentum.
But the Red Emperor did not stop.
He stood in the sky, raising his pair of thick, long forearms above his head.
Between his dragon arms, the fireball rapidly expanded, until its size even exceeded that of the Red Emperor himself.
All living beings, whether Lorthen or Aura warriors, looked up at the sky, feeling a tremor in unison. The difference was that the Lorthen warriors felt fear, while the Aura warriors felt reverence.
"No need to revere the sun,"
the Red Emperor's deep, majestic voice declared, like rolling thunder, sweeping across the entire Twilight Plain, drowning out all the sounds of cannon fire, alarms, and shouts.
"Because you will revere me, and fear me."
With those words, he made no fancy moves, simply pressing his claws downwards.
The 'sun,' imbued with unimaginable energy, broke free from the dragon's grasp and began to fall.
Compared to the Red Emperor's own descent speed, this sun's descent was not fast, even slow.
However, it was precisely this slowness that brought deeper mental torment to the Lor'then defenders.
They watched helplessly as the symbol of destruction drew closer inch by inch, clearly feeling the rapidly increasing heat in the air, yet even moving their feet was difficult.
The young Grandmasters of Lor'then, along with several high-ranking Legends, had been lying in ambush behind the lines.
They were intently watching the imposing figure in the sky, planning a long-planned attack the moment the Red Emperor struck the ground, to deliver a crushing blow.
But now, facing the slowly descending sun, not a single figure dared to step forward.
Time seemed to grow thick and endless.
The Earth Manipulation Device's detectors emitted a blinding red light, the entire device burrowing into the ground. The frontline commander roared for retreat, soldiers dropping their weapons and scattering in panic.
Then, all sound was silenced.
Whoosh! Boom!
A dark red fireball expanded and rose from the earth, shooting straight into the sky, like a magnificent flower of death blooming in the twilight.
A blazing shockwave radiated in all directions, instantly obliterating and vaporizing everything in its path—newly constructed steel fortifications, arrayed war golems, heavy artillery positions, and mage towers inscribed with protective runes, along with the Lor'then soldiers who couldn't escape—as if they had never existed.
The entire frontline was completely engulfed.
What followed was a devastating shockwave, so powerful it seemed to rip the very earth's crust from the plains. Amidst the deafening roar, a symphony of countless materials shattering, melting, and disintegrating.
The earth groaned, cracks spreading rapidly like a spiderweb.
The sky burned, the sweltering heat distorting the view and turning the clouds a dark red.
Then, as the blinding light and billowing dust gradually dissipated, only a huge, charred crater remained, its bottom flowing with molten metal and glassy crystalline substances.
Silence.
A deathly silence enveloped the battlefield; the air seemed to freeze.
The next second, on the Aura Empire's position, a roar and shouts like a landslide erupted.
"Red Emperor! Red Emperor! Red Emperor!!!"
All weariness, all defeat, all doubt were washed away in this moment by the divine might!
A raging fire burned in the eyes of every Aura warrior.
Meanwhile, on the command post behind Lorthen, the officers stared palely at the death crater that had devoured countless comrades, then at the dark red dragon in the sky, slowly spreading its wings like a moving catastrophe.
Some unconsciously took a half step back, others trembled uncontrollably.
The confidence built up from the previous advances crumbled under this attack.
"The Red Emperor..."
The Iron-Fisted General stared intently at the sand table, where all the markers representing the front lines had vanished, and the terrain model was distorted and blurred.
He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.
"This is the King of Aura... this is the calamity we must face."
He had already given Aura sufficient attention and anticipated the Red Emperor's power, but the power displayed tonight still far exceeded his expectations.
This terrifying attack that could cause the sun to fall...
a Grand rank? This was simply the might of destiny!
At the same moment, in an unnamed valley far on the flank of the battlefield.
The aftershocks of a scorching storm brushed against the scales of the young red dragon, bringing with them the smell of burning.
Garclaw stared dumbfounded at the flower of death rising from the earth.
His jaws were agape, almost dislocated.
If he were any closer, even with his resistance, he would have been reduced to ashes in the flames. The young red dragon had no doubt about this.
The black dragon Salia beside him remained silent.
After regaining her senses, she silently reached out her claws, supported Garclaw's chin, and gently closed his wide-open dragon mouth.
October, 417 AD.
Lorthen's positions advanced steadily, step by step, accumulating advantages day by day. Then, the Red Emperor descended from the Twilight Plains, raising a blazing sun that none dared to oppose, burning Lorthen's front lines to ashes in a single blow.