The general responsible for recruitment in the Dagonia region was an exiled Knight from another human kingdom. Although he held the power of regional recruitment, it was almost impossible for him to step into the area of this special legion using his own status and authority.
The recruiting officer looked at these selected Imperial Guards. Despite their formidable strength, they continued to train tirelessly under commands and directives.
He couldn't help but exclaim, "Almost every Lord in the world wants their Imperial Guards to obey their commands, but they only achieve their goals through simple rewards and punishments."
"They don't realize that by relying on subtle and simple things that seem boring, soldiers can gradually get used to obeying the orders of their superior officers. Even those Knights who adhere to the Knight's Code as their doctrine and possess noble virtues are not as disciplined as the Imperial Guards of the Empire."
"It's just a pity that the Knights of today have become the dirty gloves and running dogs of those noble Lords," the recruiting officer said with a look of sadness.
Kalon was currently walking among mortals in his Dragonborn form, so his facial expressions were more varied than in his true form.
He knew that the Knights in those human kingdoms were both the starting point of the noble class, representing a noble origin.
They were also a special power class, as noble as spellcasters, born in many human kingdoms, requiring virtues such as bravery, compassion, humility, and justice as the Knight's Code and doctrine.
But Kalon knew that even in the most beautiful era, few people could truly follow these Knight's Codes. Most were merely adorned with a beautiful facade, but secretly they were a dark class that engaged in all sorts of dirty and despicable acts.
Being able to remain neutral was already considered an outstanding talent.
He smiled at his recruiting officer and said lightly, "Although the Empire also values noble virtues, it will not use noble virtues as a boast."
"For a country, strong power is the foundation. Those good reputations are merely incidental byproducts."
The recruiting officer paused slightly, then nodded thoughtfully. "His Majesty is right. Perhaps only His Majesty's wisdom knows that establishing these subtle rules to train and discipline Imperial Guards can make the legion stronger and more powerful."
The group passed through the vast new recruit training ground, then through layers of strict sentry posts, before finally arriving at the entrance of the true 'Burning Hoof' military camp.
This solemn military camp looked more like a large manor located in the suburban wilderness. The magnificent gate was wide enough for sixteen carriages to pass through side by side, and along the camp walls, teams of Imperial Guards patrolled back and forth, armed with swords and clad in armor.
At each corner of the wall, there were high battlements and watchtowers. On top of them were not Imperial Guards holding bows and swords, but enormous armor-piercing crossbows.
These battlements and watchtowers were interconnected, forming an impenetrable network that enveloped the military camp. Not even a bird or an insect could escape this tight net.
The Imperial Guards, clad in neat sets of armor, had their faces covered by cold visors. Gauntlets woven from steel gripped their sword hilts.
Only upon Kalon's arrival would these stern Imperial Guards lower their sword hilts and offer loyal greetings to the Emperor, who rarely made an appearance.
However, the people currently accompanying Kalon, apart from Deniro, the Mist Dragon and two Imperial Guards who always protected the Dragon Emperor, even the recruiting general of Dagonia, were not qualified to enter this military camp.
Kalon stepped into the heavily guarded military camp and proceeded along the wide stone-paved avenue. The 'Burning Hoof' legion was also subdivided into several sub-legions.
Among them, the "Bloodscale Berserker Legion," a name originally used to refer to those special True Dragon, was bestowed upon the Imperial Guards within the 'Burning Hoof' legion who bore the glory of various dragon bloodlines.
There was also the 'Demon Hunter' Legion. The Imperial Guards of this legion all carried some unique or powerful demon blood of sin. These Imperial Guards did not consider bearing demon blood as an honor, but rather defeating demon blood as an honor.
Only Imperial Guards who successfully defeated demon blood would be absorbed into the 'Demon Hunter' Legion. These Imperial Guards, who were loyal to the Emperor with unique powers, applied for this legion title so that other legions would not misunderstand their power.
Similarly, one of the garrisons in this military camp belonged to Imperial Guards who possessed the blood of sin from devils. The legion title for these Imperial Guards was much simpler—'the Dragon clans Devil Legion,' meaning that even devils needed to offer loyalty to Dragon clan.
There was also a special military camp garrison, which was a mixed battle group born from other experiments with ancient blood. Because the bloodline source was unstable or rare, it was not enough to form a separate group, so they were all mixed together.
This legion was the 'Thousand Sons Legion' of the True Dragons Empire, meaning the many sons of the True Dragons.
However, Kalon was not in a hurry to enter the military garrisons of other legions, but instead came to the magnificent building on the far right, the first one he saw in the military camp.
Immense was the primary characteristic of this building. From its exterior alone, this building was equivalent to the main area of any luxurious manor.
As he walked through the building's corridor, Deniro, the Mist Dragon couldn't help but look up. This single-story corridor was a hundred meters high, enough for even a True Dragon in its true form to stride through unimpeded.
"How much more is there that I haven't yet understood?" Deniro, the Mist Dragon exclaimed. "The deeper I delve into the Empire created by Dragons, the more fascinated I become. I deeply regret that I couldn't witness the birth of civilization firsthand at its inception."
"But you can now witness civilization growing stronger and participate in it," Kalon turned his head and said with a gentle smile to the Wu Long.
Deniro, the Mist Dragon's humanoid form was not a simple transformation spell, but rather a unique magical talent. Therefore, his humanoid form always differed slightly from that of normal humans. Because this Wu Long rarely appeared in humanoid civilized settlements, his imitation of the spell was not proficient enough.
At this moment, Deniro, the Mist Dragon looked more like a True Dragon -human without wings, with human-like fingers for claws, and distinct vertical True Dragon eyes instead of human eyes.
Deniro nodded. "This is my honor, to have had the privilege of participating in a great undertaking. I think that even if our Empire, the civilization shaped by True Dragon, eventually perishes in the long river of time, perhaps our names will still be recorded by historians in their books."
"Haha," Kalon stepped forward, nodding in response to some hurrying Imperial Guards and spellcasters, then turned his head to Deniro, the Mist Dragon and chuckled, "So, is that your pursuit, Deniro?"
"Indeed, the long lives of True Dragon cannot always be spent in deep slumber. One must find some goals to pass the long years. I am not interested in the other True Dragon's hobby of hoarding treasures; that is too boring and too much like a simple predatory beast."
Deniro, the Mist Dragon paused for a moment, glanced at the Red Dragon whose gaze had become strange, then quickly added, "Of course, this doesn't mean I'm not interested in treasures. It's just not my sole, highest desire. Treasures still make my heart flutter."
Kalon laughed wryly, then shook his head. He wasn't trying to make this Wu Long serve Dragonsfor free; that wasn't realistic. He just hadn't expected that a creature like True Dragon, which naturally dislikes repetitive and voluminous tasks, would be so readily embraced by Deniro, the Mist Dragon.
The Red Dragon had been observing Deniro, the Mist Dragon's performance during this period and found that the mist dragon genuinely enjoyed participating in these matters, unlike Dos, who worked solely out of the responsibilities that Dragons members had to bear.
"Don't worry, once you join Dragons, you are one of them and enjoy the rights of the 'True Dragon's Covenant' as well," Kalon said.
The guards inside the military camp were not as strict as those outside, but those who came and went were all elite Imperial Guards and spellcasters, so excessive guarding was not necessary.
Kalon's footsteps stopped before a door that was merely ajar. There were no Imperial Guards guarding it, only two tall, lifelike stone statues standing on either side of the gate, like Imperial Guards holding sharp swords, guarding the gate's passage.
The sign hanging on the door's eaves bore several large words in the common tongue: 'Armory - Golem Logistics Division'.
This was one of the reasons Kalon had come here.
The 'Burning Hoof' Legion was Kalon's direct personal guard legion as the Emperor. Apart from the Imperial Guards, this legion could be said to be the most powerful legion on average in the Empire, the Emperor's sharp blade.
But not only these elite Imperial Guards, this legion was also equipped with powerful magical constructs, such as Golem, one of the most favored magical constructs by mages.
The two Imperial Guards, using their tokens, submitted to the Golem's visual scan, which stood on either side of the gate. Only then did the partially open door slowly swing open automatically.
But a Scholar mage was already waiting quietly behind the door.
Seeing the Red Dragon's arrival, the Scholar mage quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty!"
"Mobius, why are you here?" The Ancestral Red Dragon frowned slightly.
Kalon knew that the Scholar mage before him, Mobius, was ranked ninety-ninth on the submitted list of the Kings' Knowledge Project. His own strength was not outstanding, but he had made some progress in the research of Golem constructs.
This fellow was also one of the leaders of the Golem Research Department established after Kalon imparted the knowledge of magical constructs left behind by the Ancient Magic Empire.
According to custom, this Scholar mage should have been in the research department at this time, not here.
Although the Ancestral Red Dragon possessed the vanity common to all living beings and enjoyed being flattered by his subordinates, he did not like being deliberately flattered. In Kalon's view, achieving results was more effective than deliberately flattering him.
"Your Majesty, the research department has recently achieved some breakthroughs, so I came here to lead this experiment. I didn't expect to encounter Your Majesty's glorious presence."
Scholar mage Mobius said calmly.
"You've made some breakthroughs? Very good, take me to see," the Ancestral Red Dragon's brows suddenly smoothed, and he followed the other party forward.
"It seems this fellow is here to claim credit," the Ancestral Red Dragon understood the other's thoughts, but this did not make Kalon dislike the Scholar mage.
In his view, this was a good thing. If one achieved merit, one needed to display it, claim credit, and receive rewards. If others gave to him, he would give to others. This was Kalon's principle, a unique form of equivalent exchange.
This was the most solid relationship in the world.
"Your Majesty, please see, this is the method we in the research department have continuously researched and improved day and night," Scholar mage Mobius bowed slightly and extended his right hand.
Kalon had already seen it. In the center, surrounded by several spellcasters, a three-meter-tall giant stone Golem stood in the courtyard. The spellcasters were carving the last magic circle onto the Golem's body.
This giant stone Golem looked very crude, completely incomparable to the Golem Kalon himself had shaped using his innate authority over earth and metal.
In Kalon's hands, he could easily complete various shapings for the low-level Golem he wanted to create, requiring only a slight expenditure of his magic power.
But in Kalon's view, relying solely on himself, even if he spent all his time on shaping Golem, it would not be worth the effort. What could not be mass-produced was ultimately not advanced enough.
Only some extremely powerful and special Golem could justify Kalon spending his precious time.
Therefore, Kalon taught the knowledge left by the Ancient Magic Empire to the Scholar mages of the research department, allowing them to train spellcasters and alchemists specialized in Golem manufacturing.
And on the other hand, and most importantly, although the energy driving force of Golem had a magical core, it still required a large amount of elemental spirits or souls to truly drive the Golem Legion.
But the current Empire did not yet possess the ability to extensively capture elemental spirits and souls in the Lesser Elemental Planes.
This was another problem that the Scholar Research Department needed to solve for Kalon.
But it seemed that this problem was finding a breakthrough under the diligent research of the Scholars.
After the spellcasters surrounding the Golem finished carving the last magic circle, they dispersed one after another. Scholar mage Mobius then stepped forward and stood before the tall giant stone Golem.
The tall giant stone Golem was somewhat different from the Golem Kalon himself had shaped.
The Golem shaped by these Scholar mages had eyes carved from crystal, which looked like real human eyes.
And the Golem's body was covered in magical patterns carved and cast from mercury, connecting the Golem's core with its eyes and other parts.
Mobius stood before the Golem, gazing at its pair of eyes, propped his staff on the ground, and then chanted a special incantation loudly.
"Silver and stone, make a pact with the cornerstone,"
"The sighing wind blocks with a strong wall, forging the four gates,"
"Released in the Holy Temple, descend upon the path to the Empire,"
"Summoned here,"
"Your body resides under the Emperor, our destiny entrusted to the Heroic Spirit's sword,"
"If you are willing to answer the call of the Heroic Spirit, obey this will, conform to this principle, then answer the summons!"
The power of the spell, carried by the sighing wind, blew far away, reaching the True Dragons Temple of Heroes .
The next moment, a soul entered its body, and the Golem's eyes burst forth with dazzling light.
Then the Golem turned, knelt on one knee before Kalon, who stood behind it, and let out a deafening sound.
"Your Majesty, my Lord, your loyal Imperial Guard, has answered the call!"