novelraw Chapter 437: Provocation, Super-Giant Crimson Lotus Form
Chapter 437: Provocation, Super-Giant Crimson Lotus Form
The founding celebration lasted nine days in total.
However, after the revelry of the third night drew to a close, the figure of the Red Iron Dragon had already vanished from the bustling main banquet hall.
All the tedious diplomatic courtesies were handed over entirely to the iron dragon Sorog.
For the unpredictable, mercurial monarch act, Garoth’s patience lasted only a few nights.
At first, he found it somewhat novel and amusing, but soon his core, power-seeking nature began to stir. He grew weary of these perfunctory social engagements.
Just as brass-silver dragon Deborah and faerie dragon Vira had predicted.
Garoth felt uncomfortable all over, as if countless ants crawled beneath his scales, his heart craving the exhaustion and pain of exertion.
Accustomed to such sensations for years, they became an indispensable daily presence for him.
When fully conscious, if he went several days without high-intensity training, he would feel hollow.
Nevertheless, even though the Red Iron Dragon Emperor no longer appeared, the banquet’s heated atmosphere did not cool because of it.Leaders of Aola’s various races and legion commanders gathered in groups, laughing loudly and boldly enjoying fine wine and delicacies. The Gluttonous Ogres, in particular, ate with wild abandon and never stopped.
Sorog, in his iron dragon true form, sat soberly in his seat area, quietly conversing with several important legion commanders.
His calm, severe demeanor made him especially notable among the many great dragons.
His authority was almost second only to the departed Red Iron Dragon Emperor.
At that moment, Marquis Butler approached wearing a practiced, warm smile.
“Regent Sorog,” the marquis stopped at an appropriate distance and bowed slightly, his tone respectful, “this spectacle is truly breathtaking.”
“To assist the great Emperor Ignas in ruling such vast lands and so many formidable subjects, your labors are indeed extraordinary.”
“I offer you my sincere admiration.”
Sorog turned slowly, his eyes calm and untroubled as they met the envoy.
He nodded his massive head and replied in a flat voice without any emotional fluctuation, “Marquis flatters me.”
“The king is like the scorching sun, we are merely stars.”
“To bear burdens for the king and manage kingdom affairs is my duty. It is only what ought to be done, not a deed worthy of praising.”
“You are too modest, sir.”
Marquis Butler chuckled lightly, his gaze sweeping over the noisy scene as if making an offhand remark, “To govern such a great enterprise, with countless threads and intertwined military and state matters, must be extremely taxing on one’s spirit. It is no easy task.”
Then his tone shifted slightly: “Emperor Ignas has grand strategy and vision far beyond ordinary view.”
“The daily governance and the burden of keeping the kingdom running probably rests heavily on your shoulders.”
He moved in a little closer and lowered his voice: “Sometimes, a practical doer like you, one who shoulders great responsibility, can more deeply appreciate the hardships and therefore better judge what kind of external cooperation and support would truly help ease that burden and stabilize the kingdom’s foundations.”
“My nation Reebos has always respected and valued practical people like you.”
“We are willing and prepared to discuss closer, mutually beneficial cooperation with the kingdom’s true practitioners and power holders.”
“And,” he revealed the most tempting condition, his voice dropping even lower, “regardless of whatever concessions Lothrian previously promised your country, we in Reebos are willing to double them.”
On the surface, his words sympathized with Sorog’s hard work and praised his ability and importance.
In truth, every sentence contained a hidden barb.
He emphasized Sorog’s solitary responsibilities, subtly implying the emperor’s possible detachment and neglect, and dangled an enticing cooperation bait.
Most crucially, the target of cooperation was being shifted quietly from the Aola Kingdom as a whole to Regent Sorog himself.
Sorog listened quietly. The iron-gray scales covering his dragon face showed no ripple, not even the smallest change in his gaze. It was as if the envoy were merely describing today’s weather.
He tapped the ground once with a thick, sharp claw.
Then the iron dragon opened his mouth, forming an expression that approximated a smile.
“Marquis, you are… considerate,” his voice was steady as iron, betraying no emotion, “but the king and I share the same bloodline and a unified will.”
“We are of one heart, building the kingdom’s present and future together.”
“Kingdom affairs, big or small, follow established laws and procedures.”
“As for burdens,” Sorog paused, then said, “to personally participate in governing so magnificent a kingdom, to witness its growth and strength, is a rare honor for me. How can I call it hardship?”
“I appreciate Reebos’s goodwill.”
“However, the future path and diplomatic strategies of Aola are matters planned and decided by the king and I together. There is no need for allied nations to be overly concerned. If your proposed cooperation truly benefits the kingdom’s long-term development, Marquis, you may submit a detailed proposal through formal diplomatic channels, and we will discuss it according to procedure.”
His words were logically clear, firmly positioned, leaving no gaps.
The iron dragon repelled every hidden provocation and temptation Marquis Butler had brought, without leaving any foothold to exploit.
How could the Aola emperor and his regent both be such steady, meticulous minds? Their mutual trust and relationship were so unshakeable.
Marquis Butler was momentarily speechless, tasting defeat.
Everyone knew dragons were inherently ambitious, greedy, and suspicious.
Having failed to recruit the Red Iron Dragon Emperor, he had planned to win over the powerful regent, using the iron dragon to influence Aola’s diplomatic leanings and sow seeds of suspicion between Sorog and the Red Iron Dragon Emperor, thus planting a hidden risk of internal strife.
What he had not expected was the iron dragon’s resolute intelligence and seasoned response.
All his tests and attempts to divide them had failed.
A crack appeared in the marquis’s perfect smile.
He forced out an uncomfortable chuckle and masked his embarrassment: “I misspoke and was overanxious. Regent Sorog’s loyalty to the realm and steadfast conviction truly impress me.”
“Then… I shall not disturb you and the commanders with further matters.”
As the human envoy turned and walked away, Sorog let out a silent inward scoff.
He knew precisely where his position and power came from, and understood exactly why the Aola Kingdom existed and who made it strong.
Those seemingly alluring provocations and promises could not plant the slightest fissure in his heart.
Even if, hypothetically, he were to be tempted, to develop improper ambition, and even replace Garoth as Aola’s emperor, what then? Would it be better than now?
To follow the footsteps of his brother tightly, witness and participate in his legend—this Aola Kingdom could still rise further and become the Sacred Aola Empire!
At that time, his regency position and honor would far surpass those mediocre kings across the continent.
Besides, the marquis’s promise was only a temporary expedient.
If he foolishly accepted and distanced Aola from Lothrian as Reebos desired, once Reebos’s strategic aim was achieved, those doubled benefits would likely evaporate into empty promises.
“Reebos is eager to recruit us to counter their old rival Lothrian.”
“If we truly break ties with Lothrian for that purpose, they will have achieved their strategic goal, and there will be no reason to provide any substantive benefits afterwards.”
Sorog saw through it clearly.
Moreover, Marquis Butler—though courteous and earnest in words—unconsciously displayed a certain aristocratic pride inherent to his old-power homeland. It was not deliberate, only hard to conceal.
Deep down, he did not regard this newly risen “barbarian” kingdom as particularly important.
They had come only to contest influence with Lothrian; if Lothrian had not sent an envoy, Reebos would not have been here either.
Soon after, Princess Elina of Lothrian gracefully made her way through the crowd and stood before Sorog.
Her face wore a gentle smile, and her gaze drifted toward the direction where Marquis Butler had left.
She asked with pointed meaning in a low voice, “Respected Regent, it seems Marquis Butler of Reebos showed you exceptional respect and spoke with you for quite some time.”
Sorog made no sound in response to Elina.
He used his mental skill, allowing his voice to ring directly in the princess’s mind.
“Merely the usual diplomatic platitudes and probes, attempting to gauge the kingdom’s stance.”
“Your Highness, rest assured, the kingdom prizes trust with Lothrian built on tangible action.”
“That weight cannot be matched by empty promises.”
“Cooperation must be based on mutual trust and understanding before consideration of benefits.”
Upon hearing this, Elina’s doubts dissipated considerably, and her smile became more genuine.
Negotiating with beings of high wisdom and far-sighted vision is reassuring.
Those petty schemers of provocation appear pale and ridiculous in the face of such clear perspective and cause no substantive effect.
She echoed the sentiment inwardly in the same tone, solemnly: “Regent Sorog is deeply principled.”
“Please rest assured, the four supports Lothrian pledged will be delivered one by one with the greatest speed and highest quality.”
“Our cooperation, founded on solid ground, will endure.”
Meanwhile, Marquis Butler, having met rebuff after rebuff, had not entirely given up and turned his attention to red dragon Samantha nearby, who was chugging from a bucket of strong liquor.
But before he could approach and organize his words, Samantha sensed him.
The red dragon spun her head sharply, eyes flaring; vertical pupils radiated ferocity as she spat two streams of burning sparks from her nostrils and growled harshly, “Insignificant human, stay away from me! Your scent disgusts me!”
She bared her fangs and threatened, “If you don’t know your place and come closer, I won’t hesitate to burn you to ash.”
Marquis Butler’s face turned white. He immediately retreated without hesitation, leaving faster than he came, desperate and powerless.
He had failed to sway any of the three most important core dragons of the Aola main realm.
The mission could be called a complete failure.
However, unlike Marquis Marcus, he was not impulsively reckless.
Diplomacy is a mission; failure means returning home to scolding or cold treatment, not death.
But here, making a scene and offending these powerful dragons could lead to a fate similar to Marquis Marcus’s earlier example.
“Samantha, you look formidable.”
Iron Dragon Gordon squatted beside Samantha and said admiringly.
“Of course.”
The red dragon lifted her head proudly and, rare for her, did not quarrel with Gordon.
Soon enough, their conversation descended into bickering, promising they would duel after the banquet ended.
At the same time, behind the High Mountain Court, somewhere in the Dragonback Mountains.
Within a natural enclosure formed by several steep peaks, there was a flat, spacious clearing.
The surface was not raw rock or soil but metal poured by high heat, engraved with layered, faintly glowing reinforcement and protective runes.
This place was a training ground specially forged for the Red Iron Dragon.
Except for occasional maintenance visits by followers, no other beings normally left traces there.
The secluded environment was perfect for focused, undistracted, high-intensity training.
“Of my four mechanism-type Legendary Characteristics, three are not obvious on the surface and require real combat to reveal their power.”
“Then—let’s test Colossus Stance first.”
Garoth stood at the center of the training ground, thinking to himself.
He inhaled deeply. Golden arcs of electricity sprang across his scales with a crackling sound, and his already massive body began to swell and enlarge further at a visibly rapid pace!
Frenzied State!
Colossus Stance!
A low roar rumbled from the Red Iron Dragon’s throat.
With previous Frenzied State transformations, the body would reach its limit after one expansion and stop.
But this time was entirely different.
Garoth’s body seemed to break through some invisible constraint and continued growing at an astonishing rate.
In a flash, he swelled from his original thirty-five-meter length to a full forty meters. His life aura became more vigorous as well.
Moreover, his body parts did not expand proportionally.
His claws, fangs, and the spines on his body became noticeably more pronounced and sharper, glinting with cold light, making him look more rugged and dangerous than ever.
A ferocious aura and a crushing sense of oppression nearly overflowed from him.
Thud! Thud-thud!
An earth-shaking, heavy sound like a super-giant engine reverberated from his chest.
He had entered Bloodburst State.
As his morphology shifted and his power level leapt, Colossus Stance triggered in turn, producing a chain reaction.
With a few deeper roars, Garoth’s body, based on the forty-meter size, began a second round of growth.
Muscles bulged and bones stretched!
In an instant he became a titanic being nearly four hundred and fifty meters long.
At such length, combined with his massive physique, his claws and other weaponry became even more terrifying.
...His entire dragon form became the very incarnation of ferocity, an evil dragon among evil dragons. Ordinary creatures would faint at a single glance, their courage broken.
Yet it still did not end.
Finally, Garoth activated an even further Crimson Lotus Form.
Crack! Creak! Creak!
As his body continued expanding beyond the super-giant scale, the crisp sounds of metal breaking and re-forming echoed, and several rows of dark-red spikes like giant lances erupted along his spine.
These spines shot straight toward the sky, extending all the way to the tip of his tail.
His fangs further protruded, exposed to the air like two rows of inverted curved blades; his claws became sharper, hooked, their edges flashing painfully cold, like colossal scythes of death.
This form, reaching fifty meters in true meaning, was now a genuine colossus.
Ordinary beings were minuscule before him; his mere breath could whip up searing gale.
Garoth nodded with satisfaction.
“If I push Wild State to its utterly insane extreme, my size… might even break the sixty-meter threshold.”
He evaluated inwardly.
Colossus Stance brought more than a visual change.
It granted Garoth a massive increase to his life cap and comprehensive boosts to basic attributes, especially defense and strength.
Of course, Colossus Stance had drawbacks.
Sustaining and powering this far-beyond-normal giant form consumed many times the usual Dragon Qi and physical stamina, placing immense strain on the body.
Yet what kind of dragon was Garoth?
This drawback was of little consequence to him.
Garoth’s energy bar was longer than the lives of ten Legends of the same rank.
Moreover, as he began to slowly stretch this giant frame, Dragon Qi drained fast, but his Unending Regeneration Legendary trait started to take effect.
Unending Regeneration replenished his Dragon Qi consumption.
Although it could not fully restore him, it undoubtedly elevated his endurance.
This dragon, who to his very bones lacked a sense of security, felt a rare measure of reassurance when experiencing his present state firsthand.
“Unfortunately, since I awakened dual Domains and a full twelve Legendary Characteristics, I have not yet had a proper real-combat test.”
The Red Iron Dragon shook his head slightly, feeling a bit regretful.
Power without battle testing always felt incomplete.
But needlessly making enemies for no reason was not his style.
“Let nature take its course.”
Garoth steadied his mind and stopped overthinking.
He began various training exercises in Super-Giant Crimson Lotus Form, striving to adapt to and eventually master this state.
While Garoth immersed himself in training, two Legendary beings, bearing powerful weapons and the joy of battle, silently arrived on the wilderness lands.