novelraw Chapter 389: The Crystal Princess's Gift, Legendary Guardian
Chapter 389: The Crystal Princess's Gift, Legendary Guardian
Chapter 389 The Crystal Princess’s Gift, Legendary Guards 4
Lothrian Kingdom, deep within the royal palace.
In a wide training ground paved with hard marble and etched with reinforcement and protective runes, the atmosphere was heavy.
Crystal Princess Elina faced off against the iron dragon Gordon, who resembled a small steel fortress.
With a few short chants slipping from the Crystal Princess’s lips, she gave an elegant flick of her staff.
In an instant, an unstable dark-red explosive fireball formed, roaring with a low howl as it slammed toward the iron dragon’s body.
Gordon did not dodge a fireball powerful enough to turn rock into crystal.
He thrust out his broad, wall-like chest and assumed a posture to take it head-on.
The dark-red fireball struck, erupting with a deafening blast.
The surging flames instantly swallowed nearly half of the iron dragon’s torso, and the scorching shockwave spread outward in rings, making nearby hanging banners snap and flutter.Yet the strike only made the iron dragon’s body sway slightly.
“Hey, Elina, are you tickling me? Or did you skip breakfast and lose your strength today?”
Gordon raised a claw covered in heavy scales, patted his chest where soot had blackened the surface but left no wound, and spoke with prideful teasing.
His skin was thick, and as a fire-affinity dragon he had innate resistance to fire damage.
A fireball of that magnitude felt like scratching an itch through a boot.
Across from him, the Crystal Princess still wore an elegant smile after hearing the iron dragon’s taunt, but her fingers tightened around her staff as she tucked away the training wand and produced a blue staff.
The Sea‑Blue Staff.
It was one of the Crystal Princess’s commonly used staves, famed for its exceptional ice magic amplification.
It carried many enchantments, but most directly, it had a penetration attribute that could effectively weaken a target’s resistances. More importantly, it could boost the user’s ice spells by a full threefold.
It must be emphasized that the Crystal Princess specialized in the plastic-energy school of magic.
The plastic-energy school focused on pure destruction, adept at manipulating and releasing various forms of energy. It was renowned for wide-area effects and overwhelming power.
Top-tier staves like the Sea‑Blue Staff provided extreme amplification tailored to different elemental properties.
The Crystal Princess possessed an entire set, enough to handle any type of enemy.
On the other side, when Gordon saw the Sea‑Blue Staff appear, the mischievous grin instantly vanished from his face, replaced by stern resolve.
He let out a low snarl, and beneath his dark iron-gray scales a dense, substance-like black sheen suddenly flowed across his body, as if a layer of molten metal covered him.
Hardened Body!
At the same time, the muscular mass under his scales tightened and bulged, the powerful muscle fibers showing even through the thick fat and scales, making his already massive frame look as if it had bulked up another level.
The iron dragon assumed a serious stance.
In an instant, the goofy, gluttonous air he normally wore vanished, replaced by a heavy, beastly oppression.
If an ordinary human stood before him now, they would be shaken to their knees by this dragon might and collapse.
But the Crystal Princess showed no fear.
She had known Gordon for a long time, having grown up together, and was accustomed to all his moods—lazy, gluttonous, or serious like now.
Though she appeared young, that was because she was a high-tier professional with abundant treasures for maintenance.
In truth, the Crystal Princess was nearly sixty, about the same age as Garoth.
Her temperament now was much steadier than in youth.
“Ready, Gordon? This next part… might hurt a bit.”
The Crystal Princess smiled, the corners of her lips lifting. She lightly waved the Sea‑Blue Staff.
Hum—!
The temperature in the training ground plummeted, and countless fine ice crystals formed in the air.
Centered on the Crystal Princess’s delicate mage boots, a vast, intricate ice-blue magic circle exhaled a biting cold as it bloomed across the ground, runes flowing and exuding extreme chill.
Gordon did not dare slacken and let out a low roar.
He cast successive Hundred Battle Dragon path skills on himself—Unyielding Will and Tenacious Barrier—taking up full defensive readiness.
As for charging forward to interrupt the casting? He didn’t consider it.
That cursed Sea‑Blue Staff had a teleportation spell built in, more than enough for the Crystal Princess to easily create distance.
A wealthy, well-equipped caster was a true archmage.
Also, they were not having a fair duel now; he had asked the Crystal Princess to spar specifically to train him to take hits.
Though he lived in the comfortable royal court, Gordon’s heart often flew back to the sprawling chaos of the Ser Wilderness.
He frequently gathered news from the waste, knowing the fierce battles and glorious achievements his kin had fought for there.
He yearned to join them, to fight shoulder to shoulder and carve a name for himself—Gordon the Iron Dragon.
But that was a luxury.
So to avoid falling behind his bloodline, he spared no effort in training at court.
Beneath his thick scales and fat lay muscles forged by relentless forging; he looked broad and round but not clumsily so.
No Ignas dragon was weak.
He, Gordon, could not be shamed by weakness when the day came to truly stand with his kin.
Huff—!
As the Crystal Princess finished the last syllable, countless sharp ice spears instantly congealed above the training ground, dense enough to blot out the sky.
The next moment, that rain of death screamed as it tore through the air and bore down on Gordon.
Clang, clang! Slash—!
The dense impacts sounded like rain striking an iron roof, mixed with the ripping of scales and the shearing of flesh.
Gordon gritted his teeth in pain. Under the relentless strikes of enchanted ice spears, his hard scales cracked and peeled, an icy sting spreading over his body, but he did not retreat—his form remained rooted like a mountain.
Not long after, the Crystal Princess smoothly switched weapons again.
The Sea‑Blue Staff vanished, replaced by a Thunder Staff wrapped in crackling arcs, topped with a purple gem.
Roar—!
Under the training hall’s dome, it seemed as if storm clouds had gathered, and dull thunder boomed from nowhere.
Thick, forearm-wide blinding bolts struck like divine spears, precisely hitting Gordon. The flashes turned his massive form a ghastly white, the air filled with the smell of singed flesh, and violent currents surged through him, bringing waves of numbness and excruciating pain.
As time passed,
the Crystal Princess had nearly run through all her plastic-energy spells.
When she finally stopped, satisfied, and gracefully dabbed nonexistent sweat with a silk handkerchief, Gordon lay like a puddle of mud—charred, frost-covered, scales shattered—barely resembling a whole dragon, only heavy breathing proving he wasn’t dead.
“Heal him.”
The Crystal Princess clapped once, her voice light as if she had just finished afternoon tea.
The staves had provided tremendous magical energy and mental recovery; she felt no exhaustion.
Court healers specializing in restorative spells, who had stood ready, immediately surrounded Gordon, gentle life energy pouring over his battered body.
Before long, the horrific wounds on his scales and skin had healed by most measures.
With the royal magical medicines, his recovery accelerated astonishingly.
“Continue tomorrow?”
The Crystal Princess walked to Gordon and said, “I’m happy to oblige, but Gordon, your persistence has exceeded my expectations.”
The iron dragon gritted his teeth and pushed himself up.
He lifted his head and declared solemnly, “Of course we continue!
“I, Gordon Ignas, will never tarnish the honor of the Ignas name! A little pain is nothing—so long as it doesn’t kill me, I will grow stronger from every strike.”
That was how Garoth had become powerful.
He could be the same!
Even if he could not surpass the monstrous Garoth, among the four brothers he would at least secure second place.
Whether it was iron dragon Sorog or red dragon Samantha, they would rank beneath him—he’d make them watch his rise!
The Crystal Princess smiled and said no more.
She understood that Gordon had been spurred on by his kin’s success in the wilderness.
It was natural; the Molten Iron Tribe’s rapid rise in the Ser Wilderness surprised even her, a princess in the royal court.
She had closely followed the wildlands’ shifting tides.
How the Molten Iron Tribe had nibble-by-nibble claimed the northwest region and then gradually seized control of chaotic central lands was something she roughly understood.
Gordon’s blood kin, especially that red iron dragon leader, were now among the wilderness’s three overlords.
Their strength, second only to legendary, was likely unrivaled.
If in time the Lord of Molten Iron reached the legendary tier, even a kingdom as deep-rooted as Lothrian would need to treat them seriously.
“Tell your elder brother,” the Crystal Princess changed the topic, “I’ve accumulated a batch of black oil crystals recently. The purity is only first-grade, but the quantity is decent—fifty units. I’ll arrange reliable hands to send them to the Gem Merchant Consortium soon.”
Hearing this, Gordon’s eyes flickered with doubt.
“The Rybos Kingdom forces have cleared out the tribe’s strongholds in the northwest and central regions.” His voice was muffled. “As for the rest scattered in other regional kings’ territories, Garoth made it clear: he will not provoke conflict right now, and won’t touch those positions.”
Those fifty units of black oil crystals would not be easy to trade.
He knew Garoth well.
The Lord of Molten Iron was decisive and purposeful; he wouldn’t disrupt his long-term plan for short-term gains. He only connected with the Crystal Princess’s channels to gain resources, not for her alone.
“I know.”
The Crystal Princess smiled faintly and said, “Consider it a gift.”
Gordon understood her implication.
A gift could also function as an investment.
As a bridge between them, he welcomed closer ties—perhaps evolving from a hire to an alliance.
Soon, the rumble of wheels approached.
Palace attendants rolled in several large banquet carts large enough to hold an entire roasted ox, and with permission they entered the training ground.
After this kind of hit-taking training, Gordon always consumed huge amounts of food, which explained why his plump physique never really changed.
Just as he wagged his tail, eager to pounce on the fragrant feast, he froze mid-motion.
Both the Crystal Princess and the iron dragon turned toward the entrance.
A man walked in with steady steps.
Tall and pine-straight in carriage, his stride was firm and agile. He wore no crown symbolizing royalty, nor ornate royal robes; instead he wore polished iron armor and carried a plain long sword at his waist.
He looked more like a general returning from war than a monarch seated on a throne.
The visitor was none other than Lothrian’s current king—O’Brien.
“Oh! His Excellency the sovereign king! Good day!”
Seeing him, Gordon instantly adopted a familiar expression.
He leaned his massive frame forward and even used a claw to spear a sizzling roast shank from a cart, offering it enthusiastically to O’Brien.
“It’s mealtime now—join us for some good food! The roast is cooked just right today!”
King O’Brien did not take offense at the dragon’s casual familiarity. He laughed heartily.
He had been forged in the military and despised needless ceremony and hollow etiquette.
Gordon’s bluntness and candor appealed to him,
and besides, Gordon was not human, held no real power at court, and had such a direct nature.
If a human subject behaved like that, even knowing the king’s temperament, they would not dare be so forward. They feared not only the king himself but the sovereignty he represented.
The king reached out and patted Gordon’s scaled arm with a heavy thud.
“When is it not mealtime for you?”
O’Brien said, “But being able to eat is a blessing, and it’s the foundation of strength. I admire your dragon stomachs.”
He paused, then shifted tone with a bright laugh. “Your kin have done many things in the wilderness. Gordon, please convey my greetings to them.
“When the Lord of Molten Iron becomes a legendary, you may invite him to the palace.
“I will welcome him and host a feast.”
Gordon reflexively nodded and replied, “No problem—leave it to me!”
But his words caught and a chill ran through him.
At the same time, the king’s gaze turned to the Crystal Princess standing nearby.
“Elina.”
His tone softened somewhat. “The Ser Wilderness’s situation has limited impact on the warfront, but since you are interested, continue what you wish to do.”
He sighed lightly. “I do hope you spend your time enjoying flowers, reading books, or listening to opera—lighter pleasures.”
“But I know you, like me, care for the realm’s future, so I will not bind you.”
Evidently, the king knew of the resource trades and cooperation between the Crystal Princess and the Ignas dragon cluster.
He had not interfered before, or perhaps he simply did not mind.
The Crystal Princess lowered her eyelids slightly and whispered, “Thank you for understanding, brother.”
The king inclined his brow and continued, “In future matters like this, don’t deliberately hide things from me.
“I am willing to support my kin in what they want to do, as long as it does not endanger the Lothrian Kingdom and its people—feel free to act more boldly.”
At his words, a faint crease appeared between the Crystal Princess’s brows; she did not look pleased but rather puzzled.
Her king-brother not caring about her collaborations with the dragon cluster was explicable.
But encouraging her to act more boldly did not fit his usual preference for keeping himself away from war affairs.
She looked up sharply and met O’Brien’s clear blue eyes, asking softly, “Brother, has something major happened at the front?”
O’Brien and his sister exchanged looks and he shook his head slightly.
His voice was level as he said, “Nothing particular, I have only decided to lead by example and take the field personally.”
The allied force attacking the dominant camp had gained momentum, and Lothrian’s forces were steadily losing on the main fronts, having surrendered many strategic and fertile territories in recent years.
O’Brien, who had spent his prime years in the military, could not bear to simply sit on a distant throne and watch map after map mark lost regions.
He would follow the precedent of the Holy King ancestor who once swept other nations.
He would don armor himself, lead the loyal royal legions, and crush the lands of the rebels!
The Crystal Princess was jolted and cried out, “Brother! That is too dangerous!”
O’Brien was a true legendary—a powerful existence honed by innate gifts and countless battles, not a legend purchased with resources. There were several other legendaries in their forces.
But the enemy also fielded legendaries.
On a fickle battlefield, even a legendary could fall.
“My decision is made, and arrangements are in place. We’ll announce it to the nation soon.”
The king’s voice was steady, carrying unquestionable resolve.
“Eight hundred years ago, the Holy King ancestor personally led legions to flatten the southern nations, forging greatness through blood and fire.
“Eight hundred years later, I, inheriting that will and this throne, can do the same!”
He paused, eyes sweeping over his sister’s worried face and the stunned iron dragon, then continued, “Rest assured, I will not act without preparation.
“Our Lothrian homeland’s deep, centuries-old foundation is time to be shown to the world again.”
“Those legendary guards who have lain dormant in the kingdom for ages will soon awaken.
“They will march with me and crush every obstacle that dares to block Lothrian’s glory!”
The lifespans of legendary warriors were finite, but some royal legendaries’ essences were sealed by secret rites, sleeping until the most critical moment when they could be awakened to fight for the realm.