novelraw Chapter 416: The Struggle of Good and Evil, Inclusion Faction vs. Purification Faction
Chapter 416: The Struggle of Good and Evil, Inclusion Faction vs. Purification Faction
The convergence lands were still shrouded in wind and snow.
Several days quietly passed amid the howling cold.
Like the Silver Dragon Edri, the Brass Dragon Serena left this frozen place after a short stay. Her main reason for coming to Dragon Valley last time had been to inform the Red Iron Dragon and the brass-silver dragon about the Silver Dragon’s slumber and return to the dragon domains. After a brief exchange and farewell, she set off directly, returning to the vast blue expanse of the Raging Tides Dragon Domain.
At the same time,
in the Raging Tides Dragon Domain, famed for its sapphire seas and magnificent storms,
the seawater, blue as a pure gem, lapped at the soft sand, and the salty yet refreshing sea breeze gently blew along the shore.
At that moment, the Silver Dragon Edri had not yet officially entered his prime-phase slumber.
He had assumed the form of a middle-aged man in silver robes, hair like driven snow, a stern and austere face. He walked leisurely along the wet line where the tide repeatedly kissed and retreated, together with Serena, who wore a colorful long dress and let her honey-colored hair dance freely in the sea breeze.
“Garoth is getting harder for dragons to read, and becoming more and more unfathomable,” Serena said, her eyes glittering with excitement as she prodded a colorful shell on the sand with her toe, her tone light. “He actually, without any fanfare, got connected with Elder Ovis of the Vophal Dragon Domain and became that mysterious giant dragon everyone is watching in the contest rules.”
“The champions selected through layers of elimination across the Five Great Dragon Domains ended up only winning the right to challenge him.”“Heh heh, now this is going to be a spectacle.”
“Although I didn’t witness the announcement of the rules in person, I can totally imagine how all those proud young dragons in the major domains must have felt when they heard this rule—their noses probably bent crooked from fury.”
Edri’s gaze turned toward the meeting line of sea and sky.
In a steady voice he said, “The legendary Gold Dragon, Elder Ovis... I have heard his name.”
“Rumor says his style is ostentatious, he likes creating momentum, but his judgment is sharp. He must have seen potential in Garoth and that trait that sets him apart from other evil dragons.”
“This move of his might be an attempt to recruit Garoth, even going so far as to adjust the long-standing competition rules for his sake.”
The Silver Dragon’s voice paused slightly before continuing, “Yet by doing so, he has also thrust Garoth into the spotlight. Now the young dragons across the Five Great Dragon Domains will likely be seething, seeing him as a target they must surpass and defeat.”
Perhaps Elder Ovis had not considered that consequence. After all, he was a noble Gold Dragon.
Among the Five Great Dragon Domains, Gold Dragons, from the moment they hatch, naturally occupy the focus of all dragonkind’s attention. They are the aristocracy among the Metal Dragons, the favored children of the dragons’ deity. It is said the great Platinum Dragon God keeps watch over each Gold Dragon.
But Garoth... he was not a Gold Dragon.
No matter how outstanding or unique he was, his Five-colored Dragon bloodline still flowed within him and was manifest in his fierce, imposing appearance.
Metal Dragons who held deep-rooted prejudice against evil dragons were not the majority, but they did exist within each dragon domain.
Those who held such views were collectively labeled within the domains as the Purification Faction.
Purification Faction Metal Dragons believed that evil dragon blood was an innate “original sin.”
They held that chaos, malice, and destruction were rooted deep in the soul and could not be fully changed by nurture or guidance. Tolerating their existence was like cultivating a tiger to bring harm, a latent threat to the ordered world and other benevolent races.
For the greater peace and safety of the world, they argued, evil dragon blood must be mercilessly eradicated and purified.
To them, this was both a lofty duty and an unavoidable fate.
Edri and Serena, however, belonged to the opposing Inclusion Faction.
Inclusion Faction Metal Dragons believed that the essence of good and evil derived from an individual’s choices and will, not purely from inherited bloodlines.
Each dragon was an independent being with the right to choose their path. History showed that while evil individuals sometimes emerged among Metal Dragons, there were also Five-colored Dragons who chose order and kindness.
Therefore, patient education, guidance, and moral persuasion were more effective than crude slaughter.
All dragons, especially young evil dragons who had not yet committed heinous wrongs, should be given a chance to turn toward good and seek redemption.
Most Metal Dragons leaned toward the Inclusion Faction in ideology.
The Purification Faction was the fewer, sharper-voiced minority.
At this point Serena spoke up: “You cut against Garoth twice and lost both times, aren’t you clear about his temperament and strength yet?”
“If he agreed, he surely thought it through and has some backing.”
“And darling, when you wake from this slumber, you’ll be a being of the legendary domain. Then you’d better keep a close eye on our red iron dragon son-in-law—someone might try to steal him away to another domain. For example, that Gold Dragon Ovis—maybe he has other intentions.”
Edri shot a helpless glance at his partner, who had a tendency to leap ahead in thought, and was about to say something.
Boom—!
At that moment, the unexpected happened!
The once calm, mirror-like sea in the distance detonated without warning.
A water column more than a hundred meters in diameter, as if linking sea and sky, shot upward with unstoppable force, surging straight into the clouds.
Its power was colossal, like an undersea volcano that had been dormant for ages suddenly erupting.
At the same time, an overwhelming, legendary dragon might surged outward, blended with the distinctive, bronze-like, war-horn aura of the Bronze Dragons, and like a tsunami centered on the water column, it flung outward in a frenzied sweep.
Under that pressure the seawater recoiled.
The thick clouds in the sky were instantly blown apart by the newborn legendary’s tremendous power.
Edri and Serena both halted their stroll. Their faces hardened at once, and their gazes turned uniformly to where the enormous water column rose, feeling the onrushing pressure and aura.
“That aura... is it Siano Sheffield? He succeeded?” Serena’s pupils constricted.
Edri gave a slight nod, his eyes reflecting the towering water column that pierced heaven and earth.
“That’s right, it’s Siano... he has formally stepped into the legendary domain.”
He said in a low voice, “Given his temperament and style, once he becomes legendary he’ll likely grow more extreme and radical. The atmosphere of the Raging Tides Dragon Domain might be pulled toward the edge.”
Siano Sheffield.
An outstanding Bronze Dragon whose life-level rise had even outpaced some Gold Dragons by a hair.
Not only that,
his actual combat performance at similar levels was extremely superior—his fighting style fierce and unrelenting, which built his formidable reputation.
However, Siano was also one of the most representative giants of the Purification Faction.
His stance on increasing punishment for evil dragon blood and thoroughly eradicating it reached an extreme.
Influenced by his words and his overwhelming presence, some young Metal Dragons in the Raging Tides Domain whose positions were not firmly set were gradually beginning to accept and use extreme measures to “eradicate evil.”
This deeply displeased and worried Edri, who had long adhered to inclusion and guidance.
But Siano’s influence within the dragon domain was far greater than Edri could match.
He was older, stronger, and his bloodline could be traced directly back to the Bronze Dragon King who presided over war and storms.
“We still have, in our domain, a majority of Metal Dragons who think normally and lean toward inclusion,” Edri frowned and continued, “but after this fellow attains legendary status, his words and ideals will inevitably have wider reach and will, to some degree, sway young dragons whose minds aren’t yet fully mature, pushing them toward the more extreme Purification view.”
Meanwhile, the giant water column connecting sea and sky slowly descended.
Raindrops poured down like a heavy storm, splashing back onto the ocean and stirring countless ripples.
A massive figure covered in heavy bronze scales split the unsettled waves and rose between sea and sky.
He was bulky, muscle lines radiating explosive power.
His horns, like weapons forged through repeated dry hammering, were keen, and his claws looked as if formed of molten bronze, burning with a fierce and resolute light.
He was the Bronze Dragon who had just completed his long slumber and successfully entered the legendary domain—
Siano Sheffield.
He shook his enormous, still-dripping wings and circled once in the air. His sharp gaze immediately locked onto Edri and Serena on the beach.
Siano then reined in the natural outflow of his legendary dragon might.
His massive form descended toward the shore. Just before touching the sand, his body contracted and took the shape of a middle-aged man in austere bronze armor, with a resolute face and eyes sharp as an eagle. He landed steadily before the Silver and Brass Dragons.
“Edri, Serena.”
Siano spoke, his voice like metal striking metal, carrying a clangorous texture and authority.
He first looked at Edri, a trace of recognition for his kin flashing across his eyes. “You are but a step from the legendary realm, a final slumber away.”
“It seems soon our Raging Tides Domain will gain another legendary pillar.”
“Congratulations in advance.”
Toward his Metal Dragon kin his tone was relatively friendly.
Though Edri was not yet legendary and was one tier below him, Siano’s words contained respect.
Edri maintained the Silver Dragon’s customary grace and etiquette and bowed slightly in response.
“The path to legend is long and arduous. I know my accumulation is shallow and I still need more sedimentation and tempering.”
“As for you, Siano, now that you have ascended to legendary status and possess greater strength, you can surely do more... of the things you believe must be done.” He paused slightly, then added, “Even if some bystanders may see those acts as not entirely correct.”
Beneath the calm tone was a hint of pointed disagreement.
Before meeting Garoth, Edri’s personality would not have allowed him to voice such direct dissent. But after encountering Garoth and witnessing a so-called “evil dragon” of red iron show wisdom, order, and potential far beyond the ordinary, Edri had become even more convinced that being born inherently evil applied only to a minuscule minority.
Consequently, his disapproval of Bronze Dragon Siano’s actions had grown stronger—bordering on loathing.
For example, most Metal Dragons discovering an abandoned evil dragon egg in the wild would likely bring it back to the domain and attempt to shelter, teach, and reform it. History contained successful examples of this.
Siano, however, was different.
The moment he confirmed an egg harbored evil dragon blood, he would smash it to pieces, eradicating the risk from the root.
“Congratulations, Siano.”
“Indeed the Bronze Dragon King’s lineage is extraordinary. Your power has grown so great—surely you’ll do more to benefit the domains and uphold justice.”
Serena followed Edri’s lead and offered a timely congratulation to ease the tensing atmosphere.
Siano nodded, accepting the courtesy.
But his gaze soon left the two kin and swept over the vast sea, his tone turning grim and resolute.
“Power implies greater, unavoidable responsibility.”
“This long slumber made me perceive all the darkness and evil filling this world even more clearly. Among those evils, none are worse than the Five-colored Evil Dragons who rampantly trample order!”
“As a Metal Dragon and as part of dragonkind, I cannot tolerate their presence sullying the dragons’ reputation.”
This unvarnished declaration froze the peaceful mood on the beach as if even the sea breeze had to tread lightly.
Clearly, the Bronze Dragon had keenly caught the discontent and criticism hidden in Edri’s words.
Serena blinked and attempted again to smooth the abruptly tense atmosphere.
“Oh my, dragon nature is as deep and varied as the sea; you can’t paint all Five-colored Dragons with the same brush... perhaps among them—”
She began to offer examples to explain the Inclusion viewpoint,
but Siano directly cut her off.
His bronze gaze blazed as if concrete, fixed on Edri.
“Edri, I know you think the good or evil of a dragon shouldn’t be determined solely by bloodline.”
“But look around! Red Dragons ravage the land, Blue Dragons gather to cause havoc, Green Dragons spread plots and deception, Black Dragons nest in shadow and darkness, White Dragons are ignorant and ferocious... how many fertile lands have been destroyed by their breath? How many innocent lives have become fodder for their claws?”
“The blood debts are innumerable; whole histories could be written of them.”
“Can a light, airy ‘nature is varied’ simply gloss over that?”
He stepped forward. Though he didn’t deliberately unleash his legendary pressure, the natural oppression of his presence washed over them.
“Faced with such deep crimes, only thunderous measures—like a storm sweeping filth—can uproot these tumors that threaten order! Only then can true and lasting peace and justice be achieved!”
“I, Siano Sheffield, now that I have stepped into the legendary realm and gained the power to enact my beliefs, will pursue justice. With my claws and my fury I will purge the world of evil, especially those evil dragons!”
He solemnly extended his palm toward the Silver Dragon.
In a deep voice he said, “Edri, abandon your unrealistic fantasies.”
“Stop wasting your mercy and consideration on dragons destined for ruin. Think instead of our Metal Dragon kin, think of those benevolent races trembling under the threat of evil dragons!”
“Join us. Together we can fight shoulder to shoulder and make this world purer and better.”
Siano’s purpose was clear: he wanted to recruit the soon-to-be legendary Silver Dragon.
Purification Faction giants were relatively few, and rarer still among the ranks of legendary beings. If a legendary Silver Dragon joined them, it would greatly bolster both the faction’s stature and the push of their ideology.
Edri did not take the offered hand.
He straightened, stared unflinchingly into the Bronze Dragon’s eyes, and spoke clearly and calmly: “Siano, do you remember how the First Age, when we dragonkind ruled the world, ultimately came to its end?”
“The complexity of the world far exceeds your simplistic black-and-white division.”
“Gray is the most common color of the world.”
“In the long river of history, evil dragons awoke and laid down the sword, becoming guardians of order; likewise, benevolent dragons of noble birth have, for various reasons, gone astray and fallen into darkness. Determining good and evil solely by blood and splitting camps by lineage—that absolute dichotomy—is too rigid and too dangerous.”
“I ask you, if you encountered an ‘evil dragon’ that had never done harm and in its territory sheltered lives and maintained order, how would you deal with it?”
Bronze Dragon Siano’s mouth curled into a cold smile.
“Surface peace is often a disguise for deeper conspiracy.”
“That evil dragon must be brewing greater calamity or dulling its prey with a ruse, waiting for a fatal strike. For such latent threats I would not hesitate to kill it.”
“Eradicating future danger at the root—that is the greatest responsibility to order and justice.”
Edri’s brows knit deeply.
“What right have you to be so arbitrary and brutal? In essence, how are you different from the chaotic evildoers you despise?”
He refused to yield.
Seeing the tension thickening between them, Serena stepped forward and positioned herself between the two.
“All right, all right. One of you has just become legendary and the other is about to undergo that crucial slumber—both are reasons to celebrate. Why argue over matters so hard to judge here?”
“The dragon domains have laws and adjudication; when specific incidents arise, we can analyze specifics.”
Saying this, she tugged at her partner’s sleeve. Please, my dear Edri, come to your senses! You’re facing a newly risen legendary dragon! The gap in strength is enormous—if you actually anger him and it comes to blows, we probably won’t fare well... Serena thought helplessly.
However, Bronze Dragon Siano did not take offense.
Toward fellow Metal Dragons who merely differed in belief, as long as they were not clearly on the side of evil, he usually displayed tolerance, thinking they were temporarily blinded by false mercy.
Edri looked into the Bronze Dragon’s steadfast, even stubborn, eyes and understood that a debate rooted so deep in ideology could not be resolved quickly.
Although the Metal Dragons united against foreign threats, their internal unity was not absolute.
The ideological struggle had long been an unresolved problem among the Five Great Dragon Domains and remained one of the persistent internal contradictions.
In fact, it was not just the Five Great Dragon Domains that faced such issues.
Across the vast continent, and even other worlds, similar ideological debates about order, freedom, and the standards of good and evil existed within most intelligent races, and they had sparked countless upheavals and even bloody conflicts.
Edri knew this well and did not want to engage in a debate with a newly minted legendary that was destined to yield no result. He only sighed softly.
“Different paths, no mutual counsel.”
“Siano, I again congratulate you on becoming legendary. May the justice you uphold be as unbreakable as bronze and as clear as a bright mirror, able to inspect and discern right from wrong.”
With that he inclined his head slightly to Siano Sheffield in a gesture of kinship, then turned and, together with Serena, slowly walked away along the sand they had come from.
On the beach stood Siano Sheffield, the newly risen legendary Bronze Dragon, alone.
But he did not remain solitary for long.
Soon other dragons who agreed with his views or had come to offer congratulations flew in from across the domain, landing around him and crowding the new legendary. The air filled with voices of congratulation and conversation.