Akzi led Carlit and Kadilos to a halt before the plaza garden in front of Fortress, while the wyvern flock behind the adolescent female Green Dragon Ellie had already been intercepted by the warriors of the Flying Dragon Legion and taken to the pens; these undomesticated wyverns and beasts were treated with the same status.
Aside from Akzi, the other True Dragons were currently unqualified to step into this fortress that represented the territory's royal power. They could only endure, maintaining their meager patience, and remain in the plaza waiting to be summoned.
But Akzi had not expected that on this unremarkable day, a gathering of the Dragon clan was actually being held within Fortress. Aside from him, all the Dragon Lords were already present.
The moment the Blue Dragon stepped into Fortress, what he saw was not the lazy body of the Red Dragon monarch from the past, but True Dragons perched upon giant black stone seats, as well as four White True Dragon s twisting their long necks and looking back.
These White Dragons all bore some traces of battle; their scales were marked with scratches from blades and axes. It was evident they had fought recently, to the point where the healing details of the wounds on their bodies were still visible.
The leading White Dragon was a young True Dragon, but this young True Dragon was different from the two White Dragon s in the group. This young White Dragon had a thick layer of feathers growing on its body, just like those long-haired beasts that lived on the grasslands.
These feathers were dense and tough, replacing the original scales and covering the White Dragon's skin.
Akzi looked at these White Dragons with some surprise; it was his first time seeing a White Dragon with such an appearance.
Although White Dragon s themselves could produce two different appearances due to environmental and individual factors, the other form of White True Dragon was actually very rare—as rare as the probability of a sage appearing within the White Dragon population.
The other three White Dragon s were normal White Dragon s with white scales on their bodies. However, aside from one young female White Dragon, the remaining two were just thin juvenile female White Dragons.
These White Dragon s looked just like normal White Dragons. As a small True Dragon species, the leading young male White True Dragon was only over fourteen meters long, nearly fifteen meters; the young female White Dragon was only twelve meters; and the remaining two juvenile Female Dragons were only over six meters long.
"Akzi, come in,"
The Red Dragon's body, perched high upon the Black Stone Throne, lay coiled. Along with the sound of the Red Dragon's Dragon Language, five sharp claws that seemed forged from steel opened, and a giant black stone seat rose steadily from the floor, standing alongside the other Dragon Lords.
This was an effect easily achieved by the magic array attached to the entire massive Fortress in coordination with the Red Dragon monarch's talent.
The blazing fire basin lamp beneath the central dome was the surface core controlling the entire Fortress's magic array. That never-extinguishing fire core was the first-layer central node of the entire magic array.
Akzi lowered his head slightly, nodding to the distant Red Dragon. Then, using the hooks on his wings to grip the edge of the giant black stone seat, he leaped up and, like the other Dragon Lords, crouched in his seat, looking down at these unexpectedly appearing White Dragons.
"Alright, continue speaking, Sloka," the Red Dragon perched high on the throne spoke again, his voice echoing repeatedly throughout the vast hall of Fortress.
"I can bring several White Dragons to join your Dragon clan, but I should be granted a territory. If you agree to my conditions, I can help recruit those White Dragons who are on the verge of fleeing. The successive failures of 'Ice Hell' Sacris have made him start to lose control over the True Dragons he conquered and gathered,"
"And you will need to block the hunters that 'Ice Hell' Sacris might send from afar for us."
The White Dragon called Sloka, like most White Dragons, did not much care for communication. Therefore, his Dragon Language was spoken somewhat slowly, as if he were thinking about how to use his words while speaking.
Hearing the White Dragon's demand, Antagena, lying on the giant black stone seats on either side, could not help but bare her teeth. Her slender neck stretched forward and down, letting out a low growl.
"Kalon's goal requires uniting more and more power, which is why this grand Dragon Councilwas created. But every member of the Dragon clan, except for Camid, is a True Dragon who possesses their own wisdom and can control their dragon blood,"
"But what do these White Dragons count for? They look like scrawny beasts and haven't even created a bit of value yet, but they want to stand shoulder to shoulder with us?"
"You do not have the qualification!" The hooks on the Green Dragon's wings gripped both sides of the giant black stone seat. Her long neck leaned forward, and her head, which seemed to wear a green emerald crown, swayed as she glared at the surrounded White Dragons.
Dos observed the reactions on his left and right, especially the two White Dragons in the group. He found that even the two White Dragons in the group showed expressions of disdain. Akzi's vertical pupils were completely filled with contempt and arrogance; clearly, the Green Dragon's words were very much to his liking.
He then looked at the Black Dragon, who had an indifferent expression.
Rosani's expression was equally arrogant. His True Dragon horns were gradually growing toward the front of his head, as if a layer of True Dragon horn face-armor was gradually wrapping around both sides of his face.
"You are nothing but a bunch of cowardly True Dragon s who fear war. You should kneel down and beg us to take you in, rather than making demands here."
The Female Red Dragon Klenaya, who was leaning closest to the Black Stone Throne, glanced at the silent Red Dragon and said lazily: "When they first stepped into our territory, they even killed several of our Kobold scouts. It is only right that they receive punishment,"
"They should all be chained up, just like that Young Red Dragon, and placed in front of our treasury as watchdogs."
Even though Kalon had already discussed things with the Dragon clan and unified their common goal, the True Dragon s in the group would not casually treat other True Dragons as existences of equal status to themselves. Not every True Dragon that joined the group was qualified to become a Dragon Lord.
The Female Red Dragon Klenaya's words provoked hostility from the White Dragons. Even under the encirclement of numerous Dragon Lords, these White Dragons still spread their wings, their limbs slightly bent, revealing their fangs and letting out demonstrative low growls.
Ting, ting, ting.
The five steel-forged sharp claws of the Red Dragon perched on the Black Stone Throne curled and lightly tapped against the armrest of his throne.
He did not need to speak; this subtle action had already made all the True Dragon s close their mouths. Only the deep and crisp tapping sound echoed throughout the hall.
"The Dragon clan can take you in, and those hunters will not be able to bypass our loyal subjects. But regarding the matter of territory, I cannot agree to your request,"
Kalon tapped the armrest and said calmly: "Germott, from now on, you will lead and manage the White Dragons. Remember to teach them how to integrate into the Dragon clan."
The eyes of the True Dragons seated on the giant black stone seats lit up one by one, burning like golden lamps. Even the eyes of Alina and Alfred emitted a brilliant glow.
Kalon had only previously mentioned the management method for the increasing number of True Dragons joining the group to Dos in passing; he had not yet communicated it with the entire True Dragon group.
But the True Dragons in the group were no fools. Even the slowest-reacting White Dragon, Camid, actually had an IQ that surpassed the vast majority of White Dragons of the same age; it was just that compared to the other True Dragons in the group, he appeared particularly low-witted.
All the True Dragon s realized the subsequent impact of Kalon's words. True Dragons that joined the group in the future, although still considered part of the group, only those who were outstanding could enter the Dragon Council.
And only those who performed exceptionally well could possess status equal to the True Dragons currently in the group. This would be the division of social hierarchy within the Dragon clan in the future, and that Red Dragon monarch perched high on the throne clearly already had the wisdom and a plan in mind.
"No, we refuse,"the Young White Dragon Sloka's long whiskers and hair on both sides of his head fluttered and swayed as he shook his head, rejecting the Red Dragon's opinion.
Sloka looked at the White Dragon Germott perched on a giant black stone seat. Under the territory's support, this White Dragon had already become extremely outstanding, belonging to the elite even within the entire White True Dragon population.
At the end of the juvenile stage, his body length had reached over eleven meters, nearly twelve meters, which was almost the same as the body length of a high-ranking species among the Chromatic Dragons, like the former Akzi at his juvenile peak.
This proved that this White Dragon had already gone extremely far on the path of reviving his ancestral bloodline; otherwise, a small-sized True Dragon species would not be able to catch up to the size of a Blue Dragon.
But the Young White Dragon Sloka did not care how great your future potential was. Status within a True Dragon group was determined by actual power. Even if you could surpass me tomorrow, today you still need to submit beneath my wings.
"That White True Dragon is not qualified to lead us," the Young White Dragon Sloka stared at the calm king and retorted dissatisfiedly: "I should lead all the White True Dragons because my power is stronger than his. This is the rule of the Dragon clan,"
"Or you can let that White Dragon fight me. If he wins, I will agree to let him lead us."
"Otherwise, I would rather not join the Dragon clan and head elsewhere," the young White Dragon stiffened his neck, his pupils flashing with the innate animality of a True Dragon.
Although the White Dragon Germott was still extremely outstanding, he had no chance of winning against an opponent who was an entire age stage ahead.
Although the difference in body length was only about three meters, the bones, muscles, and skin of a White Dragon that had grown to the young stage were much more powerful and tough than those of a juvenile White Dragon. The power exerted from this could not be calculated simply by body size.
Furthermore, after the adolescent stage, True Dragon s enter their true golden period of growth, where their magical abilities and physical strength experience leapfrog growth. This period is the threshold for the vast majority of True Dragon s walking upon the Ekania World.
Just like the current Kalon, although he possessed the comprehensive quality and strength to defeat the Young Red Dragon Kadilos in a direct duel, if the Young Red Dragon's counterattack actually touched Kalon's body, Kalon would also be injured.
And the distance between the Juvenile White Dragon Germott and Kalon was much larger than the gap between him and this young White Dragon.
But the Kogmora Dragon Clan was never like other Dragon clan; they had their own order.
After the Young White Dragon Sloka rejected the master of this Fortress, it undoubtedly angered those Dragon Lords who were still imagining the future.
One by one, the True Dragons, like Antagena, spread their wings, using the hooks on their wings to cling to the armrests of the giant black stone seats, their forelimb claws gripping the sides of the seats.
Their long necks, along with their entire upper bodies, leaned forward, their heads approaching the White Dragons. A True Dragon Might that had almost condensed into substance enveloped the entire Fortress hall, and the atmosphere became heavy and solemn.
"How dare you... defy the King's will," the hot-tempered Female Dragon Klenaya's wing hooks clung to the armrest of her giant seat.
She looked down at the White Dragon, who had become wary due to the atmosphere, and said word by word: "Kalon is the master of the True Dragon group, the leader who commands the True Dragon s. His words represent the will of the entire True Dragon group. You dare to defy the will of the entire True Dragon group."
The female Red Dragon's low growl was still echoing in the hall, but this irritable mother True Dragon had already pounced out. Although the body of the female Red Dragon, who had also revived her ancestral bloodline, was not as massive as Kalon's, it was still around thirteen meters.
At this moment, the Female Dragon charging forward was like a small red mountain, carrying immense rage as she crashed directly toward Young White Dragon Sloka.
Having been defeated by Kalon with this move as a child, leaving a deep impression, the little mother True Dragon now liked to use this "Red Dragon Dump Truck" move as her standard opening move.
Although the Young White Dragon Sloka was confident in his strength, he did not dare to stand in place and face the Red Dragon's collision head-on. He spread his wings and flipped them over, like two broad sails facing Red Dragon Klenaya, flapping them in an attempt to fly up and dodge the Red Dragon's impact.
But in Antagena's claws, the Blood-Sucking Vines, a unique plant product taken from the Green Field Forest, grew rapidly under her talent spell.
The seeds shot out and burgeoned the moment they approached Young White Dragon Sloka. Each thick vine was like a living tentacle, spontaneously wrapping around the young White True Dragon's wings.
Akzi narrowed his eyes and directly spat out a bolt of Lightning Breath from his mouth. Unlike a normal breath attack, the extremely condensed lightning directly pierced through the young White True Dragon's wing membrane, making him let out a roar of pain.
And the thick black mist, like the fog that had shrouded a swamp for thousands of years, quietly spat out by Rosani, also obscured the young White True Dragon's vision in an instant, making it difficult for him to see his opponent's movements for a moment.
Bang!
A dull sound of impact. In the next second, the young White Dragon's chest met the "True Dragon car" attack of the female Red Dragon Klenaya.
The flexible True Dragon skin and thick feathers could not eliminate the force of the Red Dragon's collision. Amidst the tremors of his chest and abdominal muscles, the young White True Dragon's entire body fell backward, his head knocking against the floor with a dull thud. Then, his body slid several dozen meters along the smooth floor before coming to a stop.
Thanks to his previous backward posture, this young White True Dragon avoided Klenaya's subsequent True Dragon horn thrust. This left the young White True Dragon with only a buzzing in his head and stars dancing before his eyes.
Boom.
Klenaya's forelimb stepped on the young White True Dragon's hind limb, snapping the White True Dragon's leg bone with sheer force. Her long neck stretched forward, revealing her hideous fangs.
"Remember, Sloka, other Dragon clans are other Dragon clans, but the Kogmora Dragon Clan has its own rules! I can forgo taking your gold coins and tell you out of the goodness of my heart. One of the most important rules is: the King's will is not to be defied!"