Defeating the World with the Power of One Dragon!

Chapter 349: Trixie: "Simple — just insult me all you want!"

White Dragon Trixie flew beneath leaden clouds, rain constantly battering her broad wings.

Her gaze pierced the curtain of rain, catching the scene on the wasteland below.

Standing at the very center was the red iron dragon, and surrounding him were four familiar figures one by one — Heriam, Kahir, Ludwig, Seraphina.

"Why are they here too?"

A thread of confusion rose in her heart.

She thought to herself, Could it be the leader happened to be giving them some important orders?

Since deeply understanding and practicing the ecological niche theory, Trixie had spent long stretches in deep thought, making her mental perception exceptionally sharp, far beyond an ordinary White Dragon.

For some reason, at this moment, an indescribable unease was quietly growing and spreading at the bottom of her heart, as if something bad was about to happen.

Soon, the White Dragon reached the destination’s airspace.

But she did not land immediately. Instead she gradually slowed her flight, circling several more times under the gloomy sky.She was buying herself more time to think and observe.

Finally, she descended slowly in front of Garoth.

"Honored Lord of Molten Iron."

Trixie’s self-light avoided the several adolescent dragons nearby whose eyes burned hot.

She focused on the red iron dragon, lowering her head in praise, "Every time I see you, you seem more massive, more imposing and powerful than before."

"Even these thick dark clouds cannot hide your majestic, sturdy dragon form."

Saying that, she did not delay, quickly taking out the sealed black oil crystals and handing them to the red iron dragon.

"The route here wasn't safe."

Trixie exhaled a long breath as if loosening from tension, adding, "Although I encountered a few small setbacks on the way — for example a flock of short-sighted giant eagles tried to intercept me, and a sudden thunderstorm zone... none of them truly stopped me."

"Mission accomplished, delivered safely."

In truth, her trip had been smooth and uneventful; she had not even encountered a decent magical beast.

But to emphasize that her mission was not a mere errand and that she had assumed risk and responsibility — to show she was not insignificant — she calmly told a small lie.

Garoth put all the black oil crystals into a spatial device.

"Hmm, that was fast, fairly efficient."

He replied simply, with little discernible emotion.

At that moment, Trixie caught sight of the adolescent dragons nearby with her peripheral vision.

This sight made her chest tighten.

She found that the four dragons all wore smiles that were almost uncontrollable, and worse, their eyes openly revealed eager, testing looks fixed tightly on her.

Oh no...

Trixie instantly understood the source of her unease, alarm bells ringing in her mind.

"Since the supplies have been safely delivered, if you have no other pressing matters to command,"

The White Dragon blinked, making her tone sound natural and filled with responsibility, "I will prepare to return to the convergence lands now."

"Under my careful instruction and guidance, the young dragons of Dragon Valley are in a crucial growth stage."

"They are growing strong, getting stronger by the day. Before long they will contribute to the tribe, but they still need to learn many survival skills and rules. They cannot be without my guidance for a single moment."

Under Trixie’s anxious gaze, the red iron dragon slowly shook his head.

"No rush."

The enormous corners of his mouth seemed to rise in something like a smile as he said, "Heriam, Kahir — in a sense, they were once your students."

"You haven't seen them in some time. Today is a reunion; there should be some words to exchange."

White Dragon Trixie was silent for a few seconds, then turned her gaze to the adolescent dragons, straightening her chest and raising her head.

"Heriam, Kahir, Ludwig, Seraphina."

This time, she did not immediately reveal disdain, scorn, or her usual condescending self-light.

Instead, the ice-crystal-covered scales on her face displayed a warm smile.

Departing from her usual manner, the White Dragon spoke in a sincere, earnest tone, "Seeing you all now truly moves me."

"You four are, without a doubt, the best, the most outstanding students I have ever taught."

"In the past, among the white hatchlings, to push you to grow as much as possible and to ignite your potential, I had to take some... hm, perhaps extreme measures, doing things that went against my naturally gentle temperament."

"Those methods may once have been incomprehensible to you, even causing resentment."

She shook her head helplessly and said, "But now, to see you gradually become indispensable pillars of the Molten Iron Tribe, playing ever more important roles among the dragon flock, I feel genuinely, deeply proud of you."

"Going forward, I will use you as examples to inspire and teach those younger dragons."

"Let them all strive toward you, let them all be proud of you."

Hearing Trixie’s heartfelt words so different from her usual image, the four originally fierce adolescent dragons could not help but exchange looks of bewildered confusion.

Could it be...were Trixie's past insults and repression really all for their benefit?

A sort of strange, well-intentioned tough love?

To be fair, without her near-cruel severity in the past pushing them, they might not have trained so desperately, nor become this strong and resilient this quickly.

Those past unpleasant events might really have been one big misunderstanding.

Was she an excellent actress, or were we too narrow-minded?

The dragons exchanged glances, and the intense malice and fury in their eyes wavered and diminished considerably because of Trixie’s sudden sincere confession.

Trixie caught the loosening of their emotions and secretly breathed a small sigh of relief.

But the next moment, her heart climbed into her throat again.

Garoth’s voice sounded.

He echoed Trixie’s words, deliberately calm, adding, "Yes, on the difficult task of educating the young dragons, I indeed gave Trixie considerable autonomy, allowing her to use the methods she believed most effective."

"Even I did not initially expect..."

"Her teaching methods to be so uniquely effective."

Garoth’s gaze swept the four adolescent dragons as he said, "Those repeated verbal humiliations, the repeated merciless physical strikes, that kind of harshness amounting to torture and trampling —"

"You should deeply remember it, and you should be grateful for it."

Each of Garoth’s words fell like a bucket of hot oil poured onto the adolescent dragons’ already-smoldering anger.

The dimmed flame in their eyes flared up anew, burning more intensely.

"Yes! Honored Pale Wing! We are indeed... t-thankful for your teaching!"

Prompted by Garoth’s remark, memories of past humiliation surged back like a tide; the four dragons squeezed the sentence out through clenched teeth, gnashing and snarling.

Regardless of motives, the white scales’ insults and trampling were real.

A cold chill ran through Trixie’s heart.

"Ah! Damn Garoth! I suspect you're deliberately stoking the fire!"

She wanted to shout that at Garoth recklessly, but faced with the ecological dominance and unfathomable Garoth, she instinctively swallowed the words, keeping her expression nearly unchanged.

"No... no need to thank me."

Trixie maintained a composed expression and continued, "Although that was not my original intention, guiding and whipping you toward strength is my duty; it is something I must do."

However, the adolescent dragons were unmoved.

Their voices rang together through the rain curtain, cutting through the storm, clearly saying, "Honored Pale Wing... Trixie! Before the great Lord of Molten Iron! We challenge you!"

Garoth’s massive dragon head showed a satisfied look, as if this was exactly the scene he wanted.

He said, "Trixie, as an experienced adult dragon and their former instructor, on both emotional and logical grounds, you have no reason to refuse this respectful challenge."

Then he turned his head to the four spirited adolescent dragons.

"In what form do you wish to hold this challenge?"

The dragons exchanged brief looks, then Blue Dragon Heriam stepped forward as representative, saying in a low voice, "One-on-one, taking turns to challenge!"

"We want her to lose convincingly!"

One-on-one?

That was asking for trouble.

Although Trixie is considered the lowest among the Five-colored Dragons as a White Dragon, she is a full adult dragon over two hundred years old, and her life level is solidly at least one tier above these adolescent dragons.

In single combat they might have a tiny chance to win, but it would be slim.

Yet to Garoth’s slight surprise, White Dragon Trixie shook her head.

She said, "No, that wouldn’t be fair to you."

"Since you wish to challenge, I want to accept in a fairer way, just as when I taught you. The four of you, together."

One-on-one fights would likely see her win.

But so what?

Now the gap between them was not that huge. Even if she won, it would not allow her to go on insulting them as before; it would further inflame their resentment and let them accumulate even deeper anger.

When they grow stronger later, they will surely launch fiercer, more merciless retaliation.

So why not let them release all that pent-up anger in one go while their claws aren’t sharp enough and their strength has not fully surpassed her?

A beating now is better than being remembered and targeted for a lifetime.

Wait, maybe I misjudged Garoth; he did this for my good, organizing this challenge now... Trixie thought.

"Fine!"

The adolescent dragons, full of rage and intent on avenging humiliation, didn’t consider the deeper motives. Hearing the White Dragon voluntarily propose a one-against-four, they took it as continued disrespect and immediately agreed, their anger flaring higher.

Too young, easily manipulated by this cunning white dragon... Garoth slightly shook his head nearby, seeing through Trixie’s plan. He realized that since understanding ecological niche theory, Trixie had grown even smarter.

But he did not plan to interfere further.

Heidi’s small provocation had pushed events to this limit; since Trixie could come up with a clever counter by herself, as leader he should not overly meddle in their private grievances.

"Then I and this wind and rain will witness your challenge."

Garoth’s voice cut across the sky.

He spread his great wings and rose, circling high above, watching the upcoming fight below.

On the ground, with White Dragon Trixie at the center, the four adolescent dragons of differing colors spread out slowly, surrounding her from four directions. Dragon might spread outward, and even the falling rain seemed to avoid them.

"Begin."

With Garoth’s brief command as he descended from the sky, the four adolescent dragons shot forward like arrows loosed from bows, tearing through the wind and rain from different directions toward the White Dragon Trixie at the center.

The fastest was Blue Dragon Heriam, whose wings crackled with blinding lightning.

With a sizzle, electric arcs danced about his body; he almost instantly flashed to Trixie’s side, a claw gathering highly compressed lightning energy, tearing the air as it struck toward the side of the White Dragon’s head.

White Dragon Trixie reacted extremely quickly.

She raised a massive foreclaw at once; cold surged out, forming an icy armor on her forelimb to meet the Blue Dragon’s lightning claw attack!

Claw met ice armor with violent impact, accompanied by a sickening breaking sound. The ice armor shattered inch by inch, Trixie’s huge body was shaken back several steps, and her forelimb went numb.

Then, a blazing, comet-like dragon silhouette charged with ferocity.

It was Red Dragon Kahir, using wild momentum to slam into the White Dragon. The enormous force sent the unsteady Trixie airborne, flipping and rolling backward.

Just as she hit the ground hard and before she could steady her dazed body, the ground beneath her suddenly heaved violently.

Numerous vine-thick tendrils, as thick as pythons, burst up from the soil, swift and agile, wrapping around Trixie’s limbs, neck, and wings.

At the same time, on the other side,

accompanied by chilling sounds of bone grinding, pale bone spears formed from thin air, shrieking as they shot toward the temporarily bound White Dragon.

Whoosh!

Trixie furiously beat her wings, whipping up a frigid gale studded with countless razor ice shards.

The spinning ice blades cut and severed the binding vines and met the incoming bone spears, cracking most of them into fragments with a series of sharp pops.

Boom!

While she parried the frontal attacks, a blinding thunderbolt brazenly split the clouds, striking Trixie’s spine.

This was lightning guided by Heriam.

"Ugh!" Trixie emitted a muffled cry of pain; her massive body shuddered violently as dazzling electric snakes ran over her, her movements instantly stiff and sluggish.

Blue Dragon Heriam seized the opportunity and swooped in again.

His lightning-laced claw slashed toward Trixie’s face.

Still numb and paralyzed, Trixie narrowly ducked to avoid the disfiguring claw, but Heriam’s missed strike flowed into a tail sweep. The lightning-wreathed tail tip whipped like a steel whip across her back.

Sizzle! The ice armor shattered, scales scattered, leaving several charred wounds with flesh rolled up.

Huff—

On the other flank, Red Dragon Kahir unleashed her flame-thunder breath! A torrent of molten red flame, hot enough to melt metal, evaporated the rain in its path, bearing terrifying heat directly at the staggering Trixie.

"These brats... they really have no restraint, no respect for elders!"

Trixie cursed inwardly, but outwardly she still looked paralyzed by the electricity, moving sluggishly.

Just as the flood of flame nearly reached her, the seemingly frozen Trixie suddenly exploded with potential; she unfurled her wings, thrust with her limbs, and narrowly launched herself aloft, escaping the burning path of Kahir’s breath in a ragged, ugly dodge.

However, another precise bolt of lightning descended from the sky.

Boom!

Struck by thunder once more, Trixie wailed, her body smoking as she fell crookedly from low altitude toward the ground.

Would the dragons let her off? Of course not — they roared and surged forward.

Spell-like glows flashed, and skills from all pathways ignited.

Sharp claws, powerful wings, hardened tails — every attackable part became a weapon, raining blows down on the White Dragon.

With numerical advantage and coordinated teamwork, the adolescent dragons quickly forced Trixie into a total disadvantage.

Smash!

Blue Dragon’s lightning-wreathed tail, like a steel whip, lashed the White Dragon’s ribs, sending her flying to the left.

Smack!

Red Dragon’s blazing claws, like a siege hammer, slammed her, flipping her to the right.

Thud! Thud!

Black and Green Dragons seized the chance to pin her with their bodies, using weight and fangs to bite and grind at her spine and wing roots.

The scales of victory rapidly tipped.

The White Dragon being pummeled by four dragons looked miserable, scales damaged and bloody, her white scales stained by mud, scorch marks, and blood, making her appear extremely bedraggled.

But the more involved they were, the clearer the view from above became.

Garoth, calmly watching from the sky, saw clearly.

Although Trixie was battered and looking pitiful, most of those wounds were superficial and irrelevant.

She had cunningly offered up her thickest, most defensible parts for the adolescent dragons to attack, while attacks that could truly harm her — strikes aimed at eyes, throat, wing membranes, or soft belly — she either focused to block or, while appearing clumsy, had twisted precisely to avoid the vital points.

She had almost entirely given up counterattacking, allowing the adolescent dragons to vent their fury on her.

And throughout, she had never once begged for mercy or surrendered.

As time passed and sharper wounds piled up, the adolescent dragons’ long-suppressed anger and resentment gradually abated with each strike.

They began to feel that beating a helpless, passively receiving opponent was less gratifying than they expected.

The anger eased, and a sense of anticlimax crept in.

Finally, when Trixie stood nearly covered in wounds, drenched in blood and breathing heavily, barely steady on her feet,

"White-scale! Do you see now? You are no longer our match!"

Blue Dragon Heriam ceased his attack, baring fangs streaked with some blood, and said in a deep voice, "Revoke all your past pride and scorn in front of us! Admit our strength!"

He then leapt back first, stopping his assault.

The others, panting, also hurled sharp words like "Show some respect from now on!" "Don’t let us hear any more insults from you!" or offered verbal humiliation, then in turn stopped.

Through the whole process, White Dragon Trixie simply kept her head bowed.

She posed as utterly submissive, taking the blows and insults, utterly defeated.

Beat or berate her, and she accepted it all.

After all, the wounds were not serious, and the curses and insults simply blew past her like a breeze.

"Alright, that's enough."

Garoth’s words fell, drawing a period to the challenge: "From this moment the quarrel between you is settled. I do not want to see internal strife among the flock over this matter."

Soon after,

the satisfied adolescent dragons felt vindicated and returned to their posts to continue their duties.

On the empty wasteland, only the battered White Dragon Trixie remained, and Garoth slowly descended.

"I understand... I have an epiphany!"

Trixie stretched her wings and tilted her neck.

The previously weak and ragged appearance vanished; she now looked as if she had had a revelation.

You had another epiphany?

About what?

Garoth tilted his head slightly and looked at Trixie.

Trixie said, "Whenever young dragons reach a point where their wings start to harden,"

"I should, before they can truly beat me, proactively organize or induce them to launch such a challenge, and then allow them to insult me and vent their pent-up anger and negative emotions."

"This way, the retaliation I endure is controlled within predictable, easily tolerable bounds."

"The price of some skin-deep pain is negligible compared to the uncontrolled vengeance I might face in the future."

She looked at the silently observing red iron dragon with sincere gratitude in her eyes.

"Thank you so much, Garoth!"

Trixie said in a tone of admiration, "You must have predicted all this long ago, which is why you orchestrated today’s challenge."

"This has awakened me!"

"If not for today’s reminder and arrangement, I never would have conceived this idea. Your wisdom is as deep as an abyss — truly I revere you!"

Garoth was silent for a few seconds, then slowly nodded.

Indeed, he had already predicted it.

This arranged fight, seemingly for amusement, was actually meant to remove the feud between Trixie and the adolescent dragons in advance, avoiding worse outcomes later.

He had thought Trixie wouldn’t notice, but she was far smarter than before. She could see this angle and even generalize it to future handling.

"Trixie."

Garoth wondered aloud, "After suffering this retaliation today, will you change your mind, perhaps lessen your strictness with young dragons in the future? Become gentler?"

White Dragon Trixie immediately spread her jaws into a triumphant grin.

"Of course not!"

She answered decisively, "On the contrary! Just like Heriam and the others — no matter how powerful they become later, even if they become dragon kings or high dragon gods, one established fact will never change."

"They were all repeatedly insulted and repeatedly educated by me."

Trixie grew more proud as she spoke, chest puffed up again, "The higher their future status and the stronger their power, the greater my sense of accomplishment and honor."

"So rest assured a hundred times over!"

"Facing the other young dragons in Dragon Valley, I will be relentless, dedicated, and as always give them the deepest instruction! I guarantee to make them flourish!"

Garoth was left speechless.

He looked at the uniquely minded White Dragon in front of him, clearly enjoying herself, and had to admit that in some respects, Trixie really might be a once-in-ten-thousand white dragon genius.

Not long after,

self-satisfied White Dragon Trixie beat her wings contentedly and returned to the convergence lands of Dragon Valley to continue carefully instructing her new generation of students.

Garoth stayed behind, preparing to resume his intense inhuman training.

But just as he returned to his Frenzied State and gold lightning began to flash about him, a message from Shire interrupted his motion.

"Lord Garoth."

Shire’s voice came through a communication device, "At the bottom beneath the Endworm Ruined Pit, exploration discovered a lost underground city. From the architectural style, it should be Marnes Dungeon."

After the sit-beast battles, Garoth had ordered Shire to dispatch some elite units to explore the abandoned mine.

Now the exploration had produced results.

"There really is an underground city..."

Garoth was astonished for a moment.

To be honest, he had not expected the map to be real; he had only whimsically instructed his followers to explore, thinking it a long shot.

The result exceeded his expectations.

"Then could that legendary item be hidden somewhere in this underground city?"

"My luck seems unusually good this time."

Garoth inhaled the rain-laden air deeply and ordered Shire in a stern voice, "Select and lead a reliable elite exploration team yourself to continue exploring Marnes Dungeon. Report to me immediately with any findings."

Alchemy was highly developed on this planet; alchemical tools were countless,

yet even so, items or equipment of legendary tier remained extremely precious and rare.

If one could truly obtain such an item, whatever its precise effects or type, it would assuredly hold extraordinary and immense value.