"Skoleus."
"After repairing the Land of Fire, the stone dragons can move to the Underworld and freely choose a suitable territory to inhabit."
The first layer of the Hero Domain, the Eternal Spirit Hall, welcomed a dragon god.
The former god of stone giants, now the god of stone dragons.
Skoleus now appeared as a giant dragon sculpture made of layered rocks. His body had no scales but was composed of rough, piled rocks, yet his form still resembled a mighty stone dragon with eyes like red gemstones.
Having abandoned his giant form, he and his people had transformed into dragon forms.
As for the loyalty of the stone dragon god, it wasn't particularly important.
Due to his past, the stone dragon god carried numerous divine contracts and had willingly signed an oath for the sake of his people, thus binding himself to the Dragon God System.
"Understood."
The stone dragon god spoke a single word before falling silent, maintaining his usual taciturn demeanor, as if he were a stubborn, unyielding rock.
"Good, you may leave. The Land of Fire will be your responsibility."
Garon nodded slightly and addressed the stone dragon god.
With his mastery over rock and earth, the stone dragon god was well-suited to repair the mountainous terrain of the Land of Fire. During the chaotic battle between the gods of giants and dragons, the Land of Fire had become devastated, forcing Garon to temporarily abandon it. The immediate priority was to shape and reinforce the rules of the Hero Domain.
Due to their gentle nature, stone dragons had been targeted by many species when the dragon race was sanctioned.
Since the official emergence of the stone dragons, there had been cases of stone dragons being killed across various worlds.
As a result, the stone dragon god decided to migrate his people to the Underworld of the Hero Domain and sought assistance from Garon, the lord of the spirits.
The environment of the Underworld was ideal for stone dragons.
Garon welcomed the large-scale migration of stone dragons to the Hero Domain and assigned them the task of repairing the Land of Fire. He did not expect them to restore it quickly but wanted to see gradual progress.
The Land of Fire was also suitable for stone dragons to live in.
However, they preferred the Underworld, enjoying a secluded life away from the outside world.
After their discussion, the stone dragon god departed, and Garon closed his eyes, gathering the power of time around him.
The Abyss, 422nd layer.
Originally named the Ghoul Domain, this layer was occupied by the gnoll god Yeenoghu and renamed the Yeenoghu Domain. After Yeenoghu was killed by Garon and fell in the Prime Material Plane, control returned to the ghoul king, and it became the Ghoul Domain once more.
In a bone-white palace made from the skeletons of various unknown creatures.
The ghoul king, Doresain, was gnawing on pieces of fresh meat.
Meanwhile, his ghoul servants continuously brought him new food to satisfy his insatiable hunger.
Suddenly, a powerful dragon's aura descended, sweeping over the ghoul king's domain.
Doresain paused his meal, and in a flash of white lightning, he left the palace.
"My lord, you have arrived."
Under the dark, gray sky, the ghoul king showed a flattering and obsequious expression to the silver dragon that had appeared.
Garon's true form hadn't come; this was merely an avatar formed by the power of time, possessing demi-god level strength.
"How is the task I entrusted to you?"
Garon gazed at the ghoul king and asked calmly.
The ghoul king nodded repeatedly and said, "My lord, I have found a suitable candidate and received his positive response."
Garon's expression remained calm.
"Tell me about this candidate."
Under Garon's gaze, even though it was just a demi-god avatar, the ghoul king still felt nervous and replied, "His name is Horl. He comes from the lowest and most insignificant background."
"But unlike ordinary gnolls, he is both brave and wise. He established a gnoll kingdom in the Prime Material Plane and was later elevated to demi-god status by Yeenoghu. Many gnolls revere him because of his humble beginnings."
Upon hearing the ghoul king's response, Garon narrowed his eyes and said, "Bring him here."
A few minutes later.
A gnoll appeared before Garon.
He was robust, unlike the frail, hunched gnolls, resembling a giant wolf standing upright. His fur was like steel needles, muscles bulging, and his eyes were crimson but not bloodthirsty, instead reflecting intelligence and calm.
"I finally meet you, great dragon of eternity and time."
"I am willing to follow your scales' light and become your vassal god."
Upon seeing Garon, the gnoll half-knelt in the air and bowed his head.
"I will help you become the new gnoll god, replacing Yeenoghu."
"And you will be a vassal deity of the Dragon God System, leading your people to follow true dragons while receiving the protection of dragon gods."
"Remember, a dragon god can grant you divine status, but it can also be revoked at any time."
The silver dragon stared at the gnoll named Horl and spoke slowly.
"I understand."
"Rest assured, gnolls will become the sharp claws of true dragons. I will make gnolls more loyal to dragons than kobolds. Even if the true dragons oppose the world, gnolls will stand by their side."
Garon nodded calmly and said, "Very well, an ancient dragon from the Dragon Court will assist you in ascending to godhood. I look forward to your performance."
Gnolls were weak individually but numerous and resilient, spread across various worlds. With the support of the Dragon God System, Horl could quickly rise to become a new 'Yeenoghu' and attain moderate divine power.
Soon, the Dragon God Alliance, centered around dragon gods, would have a new gnoll god, Horl.
The previous gnoll god served the giant pantheon, but this gnoll god would follow the Dragon God System, adding a touch of irony to their fate.
Garon's actions showed that the Dragon God Faction was not only recruiting existing deities but also nurturing their vassal gods to expand and counter the Pantheon Faction.
Other dragon gods were also elevating their vassal deities.
The gods of dragonborn and lizardfolk had become members of the Dragon God Faction and were its staunchest supporters, forming a mutual interest with the dragon race.
Over time, although still at a disadvantage, the Dragon God Faction grew increasingly strong.
Moreover, as the Dragon God Faction grew, hesitant deities and pantheons found it easier to decide to join.
It didn't need to achieve parity with the Pantheon Faction.
Reaching thirty to forty percent strength would be enough for the Pantheon Faction to give up on the idea of completely suppressing the dragon race, as a war involving the entire multiverse would be more undesirable.
At that point, the dominance of the dragon race would be assured, restoring their former glory.
Even now, while the Dragon God Faction was still at a significant disadvantage, a war with the Pantheon Faction would result in a catastrophic outcome, which is why the gods hesitated.
Soon, as Garon's avatar prepared to leave.
Doresain hesitated for a moment and then said to Garon, "My lord, the Undead King visited me recently, trying to persuade me to follow him again."
"I told him that I had sworn allegiance to you by the River Styx and could not serve him. Then he left."
The silver dragon's pupils shrank, and his gaze became sharp.
The Undead King, Orcus, was a demon prince on par with the likes of Graz'zt and Baphomet, a strong contender in the Abyssal power struggle, and the first master Doresain had served.
"I see."
"If he returns, summon me immediately."
The silver dragon spoke slowly, then returned to the Hero Domain in the ripples of the river of time.
In the Eternal Spirit Hall, Garon opened his eyes, his platinum dragon eyes deep and serene.
"The Undead King... As the Dragon God Faction and the Pantheon Faction face off, the Abyssal chaos increases."
"He likely harbors ill intent."
Garon judged.
Then, the silver dragon shook his head and temporarily put aside thoughts of the Abyss.
The Abyss was currently in a state of internal conflict, chaotic and unstable. Even if the Undead King had ill intentions, he had no time to deal with the dragon race. Similarly, the gods were on the verge of internal conflict, and the dragon gods couldn't intervene in the Abyss.
At this moment, Garon recalled the message brought by the Wind Elemental Queen not long ago.
"Now is indeed a good time for the primordial wild gods to act."
"The gods' focus is on the dragon race, likely overlooking the potential threat of the primordial wild gods."
Garon thought silently.
"However, every day the gods hesitate increases the dragon gods' chances of victory."
"Given the current situation, no god is willing to take the risk of being the first to act."
Initially, the chief deity of the elves was seen as the most likely to step forward.
But he had remained inactive, clearly apprehensive.
"If there are no unexpected variables, the dragon race's path to dominance as the rulers of the gods is unstoppable."
Even if the Dragon God System became the dominant force, other pantheons' statuses would merely be diminished, shadowed by the Dragon God System, reminiscent of the days when dragons were rulers. However, they would not face extinction.
If they stood out now, they were likely to be
dragged down.
Leading to the possibility of being stigmatized and despised by countless intelligent species in the future.
Garon and the other dragon gods understood this.
Using the safety of all worlds as leverage to pressure the gods was a calculated decision.
However, Garon also knew the situation was still uncertain, and victory was far from assured.
The multiverse seemed calm on the surface but was turbulent underneath.
As the gods' tormented indecision and the dragon gods' growing confidence persisted, time flowed steadily, day by day.
In such circumstances, a month later, as the elven chief deity Corellon had predicted, a god could no longer remain still.
Amid the gods' anxious wait, a great being from the center of the heavens ascended Mount Celestia.
The moment he appeared, the gods of Mount Celestia turned their attention to him.
They saw a radiant god exuding the majesty and dignity of an emperor. He wore a golden crown and a purple-gold silk robe adorned with various divine lights and shifting colors, forming images of the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, golden dragons, and phoenixes.
His appearance was stern, and his eyes deep, reflecting the universe and all things.
The chief deity of the Heavenly Court, the Supreme Law, the Celestial Emperor, a top-tier god with a divine rank of twenty.
At the sight of this god, the gods of Mount Celestia were astir, coming forth to welcome him. Even the Lord of the High Heavens left his temple to greet him.
Only the Celestial Emperor had such an impressive presence.
The reason was simple.
Although unconfirmed, all gods believed that this chief deity of the Heavenly Court, known as the Celestial Emperor, was an avatar of AO, the god above gods.
Though AO had long ceased to care about the affairs of the world, the Celestial Emperor was still greatly respected.
The Celestial Emperor did not stay long on Mount Celestia.
He announced one simple and straightforward matter.
[The Heavenly Court will represent the gods in a confrontation with the Dragon God System]
Not only in Mount Celestia but also in Mechanus, the Golden Hills, the Boundless Wilds... The Celestial Emperor split into many avatars, visiting the outer planes to convey his will.
The gods collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
With the Celestial Emperor, they no longer bore the greatest psychological burden.
The Dragon God System used the safety of the entire multiverse as a bargaining chip, and no god or pantheon dared to provoke war actively.
In such circumstances, even if an unqualified god or pantheon wanted to lead, they couldn't gain the gods' approval.
The Celestial Emperor, the chief deity of the Heavenly Court, with his top-tier divine power and suspected avatar of AO, was a leader with sufficient weight.
"Stepping up in a moment when the multiverse faces a potential divine cataclysm, indeed, the Celestial Emperor is an avatar of AO."
The gods speculated, feeling relieved from their previous turmoil.
Meanwhile, the Celestial Emperor also visited the Hero Domain.
As the lord of the Hero Domain, Garon sensed his arrival the moment he descended.
In a flash of silver light, he appeared outside the Eternal Spirit Hall.
Amid the flowing clouds of the Dragon Court, the Celestial Emperor stood silently, gazing at Garon.
Another wave of dragon's might swept in, and the Metallic Dragon God also appeared in the Dragon Court.
At the same time, the other dragon gods focused their attention here.
"Your Majesty Celestial Emperor, why have you come?"
The Metallic Dragon God spoke slowly.
The Celestial Emperor turned his gaze to the Metallic Dragon God and said indifferently, "To prevent a cataclysmic war and to sanction the dragon race."
Upon hearing this, the Metallic Dragon God's expression changed, his gaze turning cold.
"Is that so... Then, may I ask if you are prepared for the complete annihilation of the Heavenly Court?"
"Forgive me for being blunt, but aside from you, the Heavenly Court is not worth mentioning."
In the Heavenly Court, only the Celestial Emperor was a top-tier god, followed by nine moderate deities and other insignificant minor deities and officials. Overall, they were no match for the Dragon God System.
(The setting here does not include figures like the Three Pure Ones; the most powerful is the Celestial Emperor.)
Although the Celestial Emperor was regarded as an avatar of AO and held a special status.
However, the god above gods had long grown tired of managing the multiverse and had disappeared. Without considering the special nature of the Celestial Emperor as a suspected avatar, he himself was a god of rank twenty. Though formidable, he was not invincible.
The Celestial Emperor shook his head, his eyes filled with pity and compassion, his voice ethereal and magnetic, "A war between the dragon gods and the pantheon would result in untold suffering across countless planes."
"I know the gods do not want this, and neither do you wish to be dragged down with them."
This was true.
War was the worst outcome.
If a war broke out, the Dragon God Faction could not win. While the gods might suffer heavy losses from the Dragon God Faction's counterattack, they would eventually win.
"What do you mean?"
Garon did not sense overt hostility from the Celestial Emperor and asked.
"I am here representing the gods to negotiate with the Dragon God System, to confine the catastrophic war to a battle among the gods."
Garon and the Metallic Dragon God exchanged a glance and then said to the Celestial Emperor, "Please speak."
The Celestial Emperor smiled slightly and said, "Since the Dragon God System seeks to restore its dominance, it should demonstrate the corresponding strength of a ruler."
Then, the Celestial Emperor explained the specifics.
In simple terms, in the categories of great gods, moderate gods, and lesser gods, each side would select one representative to fight. If the Dragon God System could defeat the strongest gods of the pantheon in multiple levels, it would prove their dominance and be declared the winner.
If the Dragon God System won, the imperial dragon species would return to the Dragon God System.
Heavenly dragons, dawn dragons, forest dragons, coiled dragons, and divine dragons belonged to the Heavenly Court and held official positions, obeying the Celestial Emperor's commands.
Besides the return of the imperial dragon species, the most important thing was that the Celestial Emperor and the Heavenly Court would also become allies of the Dragon God System, joining the Dragon God Faction, making the dragon race's path to dominance unstoppable.
Conversely, if the Dragon God System lost.
The metallic dragon species would join the Heavenly Court, removing a cornerstone of the Dragon God System.
At the same time, the gods would no longer suppress ordinary dragons, but the dragon gods would have their divine power sealed by the gods, preventing any increase for ten thousand years, thus shattering the future of dragon dominance.
"This is the best solution."
"If the Dragon God System refuses, then I will lead the gods in a crusade against the dragon race, which is not my intent. I hope you will consider it carefully."
Looking at the Celestial Emperor, filled with imperial majesty, Garon and the Metallic Dragon God thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty Celestial Emperor, this matter requires a decision by all dragon gods."
The Celestial Emperor smiled slightly and said, "Give me your answer in ten days."
"In the meantime, my avatar will remain in the Hero Domain, waiting."
"I believe the Dragon God System will make the right choice."
With that, he closed his eyes and stood with his hands behind his back, like a statue suspended in the flowing clouds.
A while later.
Many dragon gods dispatched avatars to gather in the Dragon Court, entering the Eternal Spirit Hall for a council of dragon gods.
"Ladies and gentlemen, do you have confidence in winning under these rules?"
The Metallic Dragon God's expression was heavy as he scanned the gathered dragon gods.
"Haha, isn't this a piece of cake?"
"I am a lesser god. I will participate in the lesser god level battle and guarantee victory! I will sweep the gods!"
The Destruction Dragon God laughed heartily, his body ablaze, and said.
According to the Celestial Emperor's rules, only the level of supernal gods and quasi-great gods was represented, but the strength of other dragon gods came primarily from quasi-gods.
For instance, the Destruction Dragon God's combat power was among the best in the moderate god category, and participating in the lesser god level would be overkill.
The Immortal Dragon Queen nodded gently and said, "We will surely win the lesser god level. As for the moderate god level... with Garon, we are certain to win."
"Garon, what do you think?"
Garon nodded lightly and said calmly, "The moderate god representative of the pantheon can be left to me."
His words reflected absolute confidence.
Garon's true form had recently entered the quasi-moderate god level, but it's important to remember that God Garon was a part of Garon. The complete Garon was the true form plus the divine power of God Garon.
The fusion of the two would be Garon's most powerful state ever.
Garon had the confidence to match any moderate god.
The Immortal Dragon Queen squinted her eyes and said, "As long as we win two matches, the outcome of the great god level won't matter."
"However, the Celestial Emperor is no fool, and the gods are not stupid. Under these rules, we seem certain to win. So why would they set rules that guarantee our victory?"
The Life Dragon frowned and said, "But if we refuse, and the Celestial Emperor leads the gods, we have no chance of victory given our current strength."
The Night Dragon swayed her tail and said hoarsely, "Even if we refuse, the gods
may not dare to start a war immediately. Give us more time, and as the Dragon God Faction grows, our path to dominance will be unstoppable."
The Justice Dragon God, Landis, shook his head and said, "Don't underestimate the gods' resolve. With the Celestial Emperor as their leader, they will surely dare to fight."
"Then what about the Celestial Emperor? Does he really want to start a war?"
To the Wealth Dragon God's question, the Immortal Dragon Queen replied slowly, "He probably does."
"The Celestial Emperor desires the metallic dragon species and, with the imperial dragon species in his possession, likely harbors ambitions towards the dragon race."
"Considering the worst-case scenario, his true goal might be to see us defeated and take advantage, making the dragon race subservient to the Heavenly Court."
In the Eternal Spirit Hall, the dragon gods continued their discussions, each offering opinions and analyzing the duel.
If they agreed to the duel proposed by the Celestial Emperor, they would need to win at both the moderate and lesser god levels.
On the surface, this seemed feasible.
However, given the Celestial Emperor's confidence, he must have thoroughly considered his position. Unless he inherently favored the dragon race, which was unlikely, he had ulterior motives, seeking not just the imperial dragon species but also the foundational metallic dragons.
Ultimately, the Metallic Dragon God took a deep breath and said gravely, "Ladies and gentlemen, the imperial dragon species is the only dragon species not under our control. We must win this duel to reintegrate the imperial dragons and establish our dominance."
"If we lack the confidence to win this duel, how can we talk about regaining dominance?"
"I also don't want to see more dragon bloodshed. If war breaks out, the dragon race will suffer its greatest blow."
"Therefore, I lean towards accepting the duel."
Looking at the Immortal Dragon Queen, the Metallic Dragon God asked, "Tiamat, what do you think?"
The Immortal Dragon Queen pondered for a long time before saying slowly, "Although I want to contradict you, I also agree with the duel. However, we shouldn't fully follow the Celestial Emperor's terms."
"Negotiate for the duels to proceed gradually, one every ten years, giving us time to adapt if unexpected events occur."
The Metallic Dragon God and the Immortal Dragon Queen, as the de facto leaders of the dragon race, had reached a consensus, and most dragon gods favored the duel. Thus, they decided to accept the Celestial Emperor's proposal.
The dragon gods' avatars departed, and Garon and the Metallic Dragon God reappeared before the Celestial Emperor.
The majestic and divine Celestial Emperor opened his eyes and looked at the two dragon gods, saying, "Gentlemen, it seems you have made your choice."
Garon and the Metallic Dragon God replied, "Your Majesty Celestial Emperor, the Dragon God System agrees to the duel, but not under your terms. The duels will be spaced out, one every ten years, starting from the lowest level."
"If you refuse, return to the Heavenly Court and prepare for war."
The Celestial Emperor was silent for a moment.
"Very well, we will follow your terms."
He finally said.
Afterward, the news of this divine duel, determining whether the dragon race would fall again or reclaim dominance, quickly spread throughout the multiverse. Wise beings worried about the future finally breathed a sigh of relief.
A potential divine cataclysm had been averted.
The Abyss, Shadow Sea, in the depths of an abyssal trench.
"Curse it, with the Celestial Emperor's intervention, the anticipated divine war won't happen."
"We sacrificed Entropy, unleashing all its primordial power to trigger a divine cataclysm, but what is happening now?"
The primordial sun god hiding here was furious, boiling the pitch-black sea.
The deep-sea king, whom ordinary beings could not gaze upon, remained calm and said slowly, "Entropy's primordial power was not ineffective. The dragon-elf and dragon-giant wars were its representation. However, to trigger a divine cataclysm, even Entropy's full power was insufficient."
Entropy, a unique primordial wild god with no form or substance.
Its primordial power could transform order into chaos.
Entropy was sealed in a black hole in the Prime Material Plane but was secretly freed by the wild gods.
The first wild god they freed was Entropy, which they then sacrificed.
The chaos and wars of the past two hundred years were closely linked to Entropy's power, although not solely caused by it. Its role was primarily catalytic, condensing potential millennia of chaos into a short period.
"I never expected a smooth return."
"This kind of variable is within acceptable limits."
"While the gods focus on their duel with the dragon gods, let's revive and unseal more wild gods."
"Concentrate resources to prioritize reviving the Lord of Terror. Its combat power is crucial to us."
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