"Saith, that traitor!" Kevin growled through gritted teeth.
In the distance, the green dragon Saith noticed the jealous gaze cast by his elder brother and snorted softly.
Saith expressed great disdain for his brothers and sister.
To him, scum dragons who hadn't obtained the blood of the Black Dragon King weren't worth his attention. He, who was destined to become the Green Dragon King, had no reason to care for them.
After averting his gaze, Saith proceeded to elaborate on his combat techniques with his companions, referred to as a 'gold dragon' and a 'red dragon'—elements that would likely be unseen in the outside worlds and planes.
The scene was bizarre.
The cunning and suspicious green dragon, the arrogant red dragon, and the kind and aloof gold dragon were able to talk freely together.
It was incredible.
And this is not just an example.
In the huge dark square, there were dozens of dragon groups like Saith. The gold dragon and the white dragon were hugging each other, the red dragon and the bronze dragon were quarreling, and the black dragon and the brass dragon were telling each other their stories and ideals.
In the corner of the square, Kevin was waiting for a few green dragons hugging each other, and a dozen white dragons hugging each other in the distance, but they seemed a bit different and out of place.
The reason?
Because they were all dragons.
Moreover, they were still true dragons who could not suppress or control their own nature and had not obtained the bloodline of the void.
---
A new round of dragon nest battles was accompanied by the setting sun, and the results came out.
It was different from before. There were only about twenty dragons in the Black Wing Lair, and the age gap was not significant, so the ranking battles were conducted uniformly without distinction.
Now, the number of dragon beasts in Black Wing Lair had reached 302, the number of true dragons had reached 19, and the total number of dragons had reached an astonishing 321.
Among them, the age range of dragons spanned young dragons, juvenile dragons, adolescent dragons, young dragons, and adult dragons, with a batch for each stage.
Therefore, in order to make the Dragon Nest Battle more effective in tempering and motivating the participants, dragons of the same order were divided into groups.
Intermediate, advanced, and top—three levels.
In the dark square, a group of giant dragons were either standing, floating, or flying in mid-air, glaring at the three black giant rocks more than ten meters high in front of them.
On top of the black rock, vigorous and powerful fonts written using the magic word writing were neatly arranged.
[Intermediate Qualifying]
First place: Lady Emilia the Black Dragon
Second place: Lady Hannah the Black Dragon
Third place: Pris the Gold Dragon Void
[Advanced Qualifying]
First place: Harland the Gold Dragon Void
Second place: Ignacio the Red Dragon Void
Third place: Keith the Gold Dragon Void
Sixty-ninth place: Lady Eirlys White Dragon Void
[Master Ranking]
First place: Gonzalo the Gold Dragon Void
Second place: Isis the Gold Dragon Void
Third place: Miligas the Gold Dragon Void
"Hey, why is Eirlys not in the intermediate rankings?" Emilia asked in surprise.
But soon, she noticed that Eirlys, who was at the end of the advanced qualifying round, seemed a little stunned and surprised at the same time.
"It turns out she has broken through to a high order. This gal is progressing so fast."
Not only Emilia noticed this, but also Saith, Brooke, Hannah, Aeolos, and other dragons familiar with Eirlys.
They hadn't seen Eirlys during the intermediate qualifying, so they thought she wouldn't participate, but they didn't expect that she had broken through.
As first white dragon promoted from a dragon beast, Eirlys's status in Black Castle was quite special.
Without even those things, Eirlys was the Black Dragon King's first "Daughter" and was very favored by the Black Dragon King.
Although Castle Black had always respected strength, with this relationship, those dragons stronger than Eirlys were also very polite to her, and those weaker than Eirlys called her "eldest sister. And it was the same for both Emilia and Hannah.
In the corner, an elegant white dragon with a body length of fourteen meters and shining white dragon scales glanced at the rankings, then spread out her broad white dragon wings, nearly thirty meters wide, and flew away from the dark square.
She flew toward Dragon Pond.
After arriving at Dragon Pond, Eirlys descended to the ground and moved forward on foot.
In Dragon Pond, flying was not allowed except under special circumstances.
Stepping across the blue water and walking through the stairs floating in the water, the white dragon gradually approached the center of the dragon pond.
The surrounding water vapor was dense, like a dream.
Vaguely, a majestic black dragon could be seen lying down. Around the black dragon, countless elemental lights flashed.
Eirlys knew that her father was practicing spells as always, so she did not disturb him but waited quietly.
As time passed, the elemental aura around the black dragon slowly dissipated. The black dragon opened his crimson eyes and looked at Eirlys.
"Eirlys my dear, what are you doing here?" the Black Dragon Lord asked calmly.
"Father, I want to go out practice and experience," Eirlys raised her head, her dragon eyes like light blue frost crystals shining with determination.
"Experience?" The Black Dragon Lord frowned slightly and looked at his white dragon daughter. Only then did he realize that she had already reached a high order.
How long has it been?
The little white dragon had only been in the dragon's nest for a little over ten years. Even if the age of the dragon before she obtained the bloodline of the void was included, she would not be more than twenty years old.
There was still some distance from being a 25-year-old teenage dragon. Well, in this regard, I am similar. I'm still a few years away from reaching the teenage dragon stage.
Hey, if you put it that way, my dragon daughter is almost as old as me?
The Black Dragon Lord, who was in a daze, was called back by the voice in front of him.
"Father, I understand the dangers that lurk beyond Castle Black and the Black Wing Lair. I know there are wars and humans who covet what they shouldn't. But staying here forever… it feels like living in a cage, no matter how gilded. I long to see the world, to experience its beauty and its chaos," Eirlys pleaded, her silver eyes shimmering with earnest determination as she looked up at the imposing figure of the Black Dragon King.
The Black Dragon King, a creature of might and wisdom, gazed down at his daughter. There was a flicker of softness in his red eyes.
"You know what happened to Emilia and Hannah," he said, his tone low but resonating with the weight of memory. "If it hadn't been for human greed, we might have lost Emilia forever. She barely survived. The war we waged to bring her back—the devastation of the Black Tide—wasn't just a lesson for them; it was a warning for us."
The Black Dragon Lord fell silent, his imposing form still as his piercing gaze swept over Eirlys. The weight of his pause was not lost on her, nor on anyone in Castle Black. The tale of Emilia's kidnapping and the relentless war waged by the Black Tide to reclaim her echoed like a somber hymn in the hearts of all dragons. It served as a stark warning, etched into the history of their kind—a brutal reminder that the world outside their sanctuary was a merciless predator, always watching and waiting.
Emilia's harrowing ordeal had become a legend among dragons, immortalized in a scroll penned by the proud dragoness herself. The story of her downfall—born from her unrestrained greed and reckless pursuit of treasures—was exchanged for a small mine and a handful of servants. Though she loathed being a cautionary tale for the younger generation, the consequences of her choices had left her no escape from such a fate.
Sophia, ever meticulous and cunning, had ensured the scroll became mandatory reading for any dragon who attained wisdom. It wasn't just a recounting of events; Sophia had masterfully "enhanced" it with vivid embellishments, turning it into a chilling tale that could pierce even the most stubborn of dragon hearts. The scroll served as both deterrent and safeguard, a tool to keep the dragons of Castle Black firmly in check, tethering their ambition with the chains of caution.
The Black Dragon Lord hesitated, his imposing demeanor cracking ever so slightly. Though he rarely showed it, his heart still held a deep well of affection for his white-scaled daughter. She had been at his side for half of his vast and eternal life, her presence a constant in a world of shifting alliances and fleeting moments.
But his love for his daughters, Hannah, Emilia, Lyanna—and even Eirlys—was a complex thing. It was a bond that transcended mere kinship, woven instead with the intricate threads of ownership, duty, and the fierce protectiveness of a lord over his cherished possessions. To him, they were more than family; they were extensions of his own legacy, they were his legacy taller everyone here was the same
After all, she had been with him for half of his life. Even in this kind of relationship, his feelings for pets were stronger than familial affection.
He finally spoke, his deep voice tinged with both affection and reluctance. "It's a good thing to yearn for freedom, my little one. To want to see the world is natural. But the world beyond these walls is as beautiful as it is cruel."
Eirlys stepped closer, her head tilted, her gaze filled with unspoken love and trust. "Father…" she began, her voice trembling slightly.
He raised a claw, silencing her. "I understand, Eirlys. Truly, I do. You are my daughter, and your spirit is too vibrant to be confined." He paused, his gaze softening as memories of the past flickered across his mind. "Fine, I will allow it. But there are conditions."
Eirlys' heart leaped, though she tried to suppress the excitement.
"First," he began, his tone firm, "you will not travel alone. You must form a group with at least two of your siblings or companions. Second, you will stay within the southern part of the mainland—no exceptions. And third, you will wait a few months before setting off."
Her joy faltered. The second and third conditions were reasonable, but the first…
After hearing these three requests, Eirlys felt a little rejected. The second and third requests were fine, but for the first one, she didn't have any familiar dragons.
Well, Eirlys automatically excluded Brooke, Hannah, and Emilia.
After all, they hadn't reached a high order yet and were a bit weaker than her. Eirlys didn't want to be a burden. Besides, even if she wanted to bring a few of them, her father probably wouldn't agree.
Intermediate-order dragons wouldn't travel and improve; they'd become walking meat and die.
"Father," she said hesitantly, "You know I don't have any familiar dragon companions. Brooke, Hannah, and Emilia… they're not strong enough yet. I can't ask them to join me; it would put them in danger."
The Black Dragon King leaned down, his massive head close to hers, his red eyes locking onto her silvery ones. His voice softened, carrying a rare tenderness. "Then make friends, my dear. Find those who are worthy of standing by your side. I am giving you this freedom, but you must take responsibility for it. Do not let your heart lead you astray without wisdom to guide it."
Eirlys felt the weight of his words, but beneath his stern tone, she sensed his love and concern. She sighed, her resolve hardening. "I understand, Father. I'll find my companions."
The Black Dragon King nodded, satisfied but still uneasy. As she turned to leave, her elegant steps carrying her toward the dragon pond, he called after her.
"Eirlys."
She paused, glancing back at him.
"You are my treasure, more valuable than any hoard. Wherever you go, remember that. And remember… my eyes are always on you."
A soft smile graced her lips, a rare expression of pure affection shared between father and daughter. "Thank you, Father," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Behind her, the Black Dragon Lord watched the white dragon's departing figure. As his thoughts moved, a giant door of white light appeared before him.
The majestic dragon body of the Black Dragon Lord stepped into it and disappeared.
---
Wasteland, Central Region.
High in the sky, a giant gate of white light appeared.
The Black Dragon Lord walked out of it.
Its momentum had no cover and was released in all directions unscrupulously.
When the monsters guarding the huge blue dragon castle or walking on streets below felt this aura, they looked stunned and then knelt down one after another.
The roar of a dragon that could crack gold and stone resounded from the blue dragon castle below, and a black dragon with a body length of twenty meters and rugged bone spurs flew out from it.
There was a bang, and before Lyanna could react, a black dragon over fifty meters long descended upon the square in front of the Dragon Castle.
In front of this majestic black dragon, Lyanna's twenty-meter-long dragon body appeared thin and pitiful.
---
I unfolded just half of my dragon wings, which was enough to completely cover Lyanna, and more than enough.
"Son," The rugged black dragon groaned. She could recognize the black dragon in front of her even if it had turned into ashes.
Ever since he came to the Rotting Swamp and signed a contract with her seven or eight years ago, she had paid far more attention to the mutant black dragon she had given birth to.
In ten years, his dragon body had grown to over thirty meters. How could she not be impressed?
Even though she knew that the southern part of the wasteland was occupied by his followers, Lyanna had simply turned a blind eye.
But now, after just seven or eight years since she last saw him, he had grown to a size exceeding fifty meters.
Lyanna looked at the shadow of the dragon wings that completely enveloped her own body, and the expression on her dragon face became a little tense.
"What are you doing here?" Lyanna whispered.
Standing in the shadow of the larger dragon, she had to bow her head, especially since the Dragon Castle behind her contained a large amount of treasures she had collected—treasures that could not be lost!
"Haha, what am I doing here?" I grinned and said lightly, "You haven't forgotten the contract between us, have you?"
"Contract?" Lyanna looked at me in confusion, but as my eyes gradually turned dangerous, she immediately reacted.
"How could I forget? The Albit Kingdom hasn't collapsed yet, and you can't get what you want."
Seven or eight years ago, Lyanna seized the opportunity to invade the wasteland. I had come to the Rotting Swamp and signed a contract with her. The terms were simple: I would give her an army of 30,000 monsters, and after invading the kingdom, Lyanna would pay me three high-tier spells or treasures equivalent to them.
The 30,000-monster army I sent out back then consisted primarily of third- and fourth-order monsters. They were elites among low-order monsters and matched the value of three high-tier spells.
For Lyanna at the time, trading three high-tier spells she didn't yet possess—and had no immediate use for—in exchange for 30,000 elite low-order monsters was a profitable deal. And for me, it was worth it as well.
It reduced the food expenditure for 30,000 monsters, positioned Lyanna as the first line of defense between the Blackwing Lair, the Kingdom of Albit, and the Centaurs, and secured me three advanced spells. Naturally, it was a deal worth making.
Looking at Lyanna, who seemed tempted to default on her debt, I said calmly, "If you don't have high-tier spells, then pay with equivalent treasures."
"This is impossible."
Before I could finish, Lyanna interrupted me, unable to contain herself. At this moment, the bone spurs on her back stood up, and her dragon body moved to stand directly in front of the Dragon Castle, like a hen guarding her chicks, her expression both vigilant and angry.
"It doesn't matter if you don't want to use treasure," I said, unbothered, my smile turning wicked. "Lend me your psychic profession for a period of time, and the contract will be fulfilled."
"This is not allowed," Lyanna said, her eyes widening as she refused without hesitation.
However, the reason I came here was for the psychic profession. How could I give up so easily after being rejected by Lyanna?
I had given up on it when I signed the contract seven or eight years ago because I was unsure of Lyanna's exact strength. At the time, I had many spells to learn and little time to study another profession. Success seemed uncertain, so I let it go.
But now?
In terms of strength, I had enough confidence.
My red dragon eyes glanced at the empty panel data.
\\
[Creature Order: 16th Beginner] [Mage Level: 13, Advanced] (Body Length: 55m)]
[Vitality: 186.3]
[Current Feast Level Count: 249] (Cooldown: twenty days)
[Spell-like Abilities: Transformation, Darkness]
[Spell Runes:
Fifth Tier: Space Storage Technique (40% Entry)
Sixth Tier: Water Dragon Technique (27% Proficient), Plane Transportation Technique (3% Proficient), Instant Teleportation Technique (56% Entry), Eye of the Storm (9% Entry),
\\
*****
Thanks, you can read up to 20 chapters ahead on my Patreon.
patreon.com/GodofGreed