"Village Chief, do we really have to move?" A villager asked, reluctant to leave. Everything they owned was here: the fields they had painstakingly cultivated, and their deep emotional connection to this land.
"Of course," the Village Chief replied, believing this was the only option. "Don't you understand the situation? The Imperial Army has been defeated. How can we possibly withstand those terrifying dragons? Leaving is our only hope. We can return after everything is resolved." Avoiding danger was the wisest choice, he thought.
The villagers remained silent, heads bowed, tacitly agreeing with the Village Chief. Even the kingdom's soldiers couldn't stop the dragons. Staying here was a dead end.
Just then, a roar echoed from outside, accompanied by the distinct sound of a dragon's roar.
Hearing this, the villagers froze, gripped by fear. Faced with such a terrifying situation, only despair could truly capture their feelings.
Rushing outside, they looked towards the source of the noise and saw a red dragon soaring through the sky, spewing fiery breath. The dragon's terrifying presence filled the air, the deafening roars shaking the ground. The villagers huddled together, trembling, unsure of what to do.
"It's really a dragon! We're doomed!"
"What do we do, Village Chief? What are we supposed to do?"
"That terrifying dragon will destroy our village! My child is still at home…"
Witnessing this scene, the Village Chief was utterly dumbfounded. He didn't know what to say, or if speaking would even be of any use. Even ten of him wouldn't be enough to fill the gap between that dragon's teeth.
What could he do? What was he supposed to do?
In his anxiety, the Village Chief recalled his tactic for defeating bandits: closing his eyes and swinging his cane wildly until they collapsed. Could he try that again? He doubted it would work, but if it could save everyone, he was willing to try.
In the distance, Lin Fan watched the fire-breathing dragon wreaking havoc in the sky, his brow furrowed. This was his home, and he wouldn't allow anyone to destroy it.
"Stop!" Lin Fan shouted.
The dragon, having spotted the village, was preparing to incinerate it with a single fiery breath. Suddenly, it heard someone nearby, not only refusing to flee but also daring to speak to it. To the proud dragon, this was an insult.
A torrent of dragon breath erupted towards Lin Fan. While not world-ending, even a casual breath from a dragon, a creature at the apex of the food chain, contained terrifying power.
The fiery breath engulfed Lin Fan.
"Insignificant human," the fire dragon sneered, its fierce eyes fixed on the ant-like figure below.
But at that moment, a startling pressure erupted.
The fire dragon's eyes widened in shock, its body trembling uncontrollably. Its wings stiffened, and it plummeted from the sky, crashing heavily into the ground.
What was happening?
The dragon realized the human it had called insignificant was still standing there, completely unharmed by its dragon breath. Now, the dragon itself was in dire straits, unable to move.
"Human, what have you done to me?" the dragon roared, though the immense pressure made even speaking difficult. Dragons were at the top of the food chain; any other creature should tremble before them, incapable of resistance.
But now, the situation was completely reversed. It was being held immobile by this human.
"Just making sure you can speak properly," Lin Fan said.
"How dare you attack me! The Dragon Clan will tear you to shreds!" The fire dragon still hadn't grasped the gravity of the situation, remaining defiant towards Lin Fan. If its elder, the Golden Holy Dragon, witnessed this, it would surely smack the fire dragon's head and scold, "Idiot, mind your words! Unless you want to end up as a delicacy on someone's table like me, be respectful!"
"I mean you no harm," Lin Fan said. "I just want to know why you're attacking these people." As he spoke, he examined the dragon closely, recalling the delicious Holy Dragon he had eaten before. Not only had he enjoyed it, but the villagers had as well. They had devoured the entire dragon in a single meal, a testament to its popularity.
"The Dragon Clan stands at the apex. You are merely food. We need no reason to attack you," the fire dragon snarled, its arrogance unwavering despite being suppressed.
Annoyed, Lin Fan flicked his finger at the dragon's head. A cracking sound echoed as the force penetrated the dragon's body, tenderizing its flesh to ensure its flavor remained exquisite.
He just wanted to live peacefully in the village and raise Ke Lan. He didn't want to reveal his true strength. The villagers liked him and treated him as a friend. If they knew how powerful he truly was, it might create a divide between them.
Memorizing the fire dragon's scent, Lin Fan searched for others with the same aura. He quickly located the dragon's kin, stored the fire dragon in his spatial storage, and vanished.
The panicked villagers, focused solely on survival, had no means of resisting the dragon. But they soon realized the dragon had disappeared.
"Where's the dragon?"
"Huh? It was just here!"
"Did someone powerful show up and chase it away?"
The Village Chief, having just retrieved his cane from his house, breathed a sigh of relief. Facing a dragon would have been the death of him. Thankfully, the crisis seemed to have passed. It was a cause for celebration.
"Everyone, it seems the dragon knew I, your Village Chief, was coming to defeat it, so it ran away," he boasted, taking credit for the dragon's disappearance.
The villagers stared at him as if he were an idiot, convinced of his foolishness.
At the kingdom's border, where a fierce battle had taken place, remnants of magical energy lingered. Dragons possessed immense natural talent, their magical power and physical strength unmatched. Even human strong of the same rank would choose to avoid confronting a dragon.
A group of dragons circled the border. Previously, three Golden Holy Dragons had launched a beast tide against Ironmelt City, only to be slain by powerful humans. Although the Holy Dragons had been exiled by the Dragon Clan, they were still considered members.
The Lanyuan Empire had attempted to negotiate with the Dragon Clan, but the talks had broken down, infuriating the dragons and prompting them to teach the empire an unforgettable lesson. Thus, the war had begun.
Leading this attack was one of the four Dragon Kings, the Frost Dragon, Vir. Among humans, his power was equivalent to a Saint-level. As a dragon, his physical strength and magical power were immense; even ordinary Saint-level human mages were no match for him.
"Vir, after this battle, these lowly humans should understand the price of angering the Dragon Clan. When shall we attack the inland cities of the Lanyuan Empire?" a yellowish earth dragon inquired.
"Not yet. Let's give the Lanyuan Emperor some time to think. The treaties between the Dragon Clan and the various nations still stand. Reckless destruction would cause unnecessary trouble," Vir replied. He despised these lowly humans, but due to the treaties, he couldn't attack them indiscriminately. Otherwise, other empires might accuse the Dragon Clan of violating the agreements and unite against them.
Suddenly, the surrounding space seemed to solidify, and a gray barrier enveloped the once-blue sky.
The dragons sensed something was amiss.
"Who's there?" Vir roared, his voice filled with tension. Who was this, and was this spatial magic? The ability to cover such a vast area indicated the caster's mastery of spatial magic was unfathomable.
"I'm here." Lin Fan walked through the air, sighing at the destruction below. These creatures possessed incredible destructive power, reducing such a beautiful place to ruins. He had to intervene.
The village was nearby, and to protect it from danger, he had to drive these dragons away. Simply chasing them off might not be enough; they might return someday.
"Who are you?" Vir demanded, flapping his wings and kicking up dust as he rose into the air. With each beat of his wings, frost spread, and the surrounding temperature plummeted, as if even space itself might freeze.
"Normally, introductions would be in order, but there's no need for that now," Lin Fan said. "I'm here to ask you to leave and never return. Can you do that?"
The other dragons burst into laughter.
"Ridiculous! Do you think you can stop the Dragon Clan's revenge against the Lanyuan Empire? Even if you're a Saint-level spatial mage, you're no match for us. The power of the Dragon Clan is beyond your comprehension. You're only courting death," the earth dragon taunted, boasting of the Dragon Clan's might.
Lin Fan glanced at him, his eyes narrowing. A wave of mental pressure washed over the earth dragon.
The earth dragon, previously so gleeful, suddenly went blank-eyed. Its mind reeling from the mental assault, it lost its vision and plummeted from the sky, crashing to the ground with a resounding boom.
Vir was stunned. What had just happened? He glared at Lin Fan. "Did you do that?"
"He was annoying," Lin Fan replied. "My request is simple: leave here and never come back. You are weak, not my opponents. Killing you all would be easy, but there are so many of you. I and the villagers could definitely eat… never mind." Lin Fan trailed off, realizing his words might cause unnecessary trouble.
The situation was baffling to Vir. How had this human accomplished such a feat? As one of the four Dragon Kings, he couldn't back down. He soared towards Lin Fan, raising a claw to strike.
Lin Fan didn't move, allowing the attack to connect.
A dull thud echoed.
"Really, I don't want to hurt you," Lin Fan said calmly. "Just leave, and don't come back."
Vir was shocked. The force of his blow had nearly shattered his own claw, yet the human remained unharmed. This was terrifying.