novelraw Chapter 457: Garoth’s Four Offspring
Chapter 457: Garoth’s Four Offspring
Before the sun had fully set that day, the Aola Kingdom’s official proclamation was already publicly released.
The sternly worded reprimand pointed directly at the neighboring country.
Phrases like "attacking the Abyssal Rift," "disregarding the safety of nations and all living beings," and "an evil act that must be severely punished" stood out glaringly.
The Aola Kingdom deliberately escalated the incident to one that concerned the safety of the entire continent.
The proclamation quickly stirred waves through the Romania nations, and the Divine Kingdom of Theo did not keep the outside world waiting for long in response.
The next morning, the Divine Kingdom of Theo issued a statement.
The statement did not admit to any allegation; instead, it shifted blame onto the Aola Kingdom, accusing the latter’s overdevelopment of the northeastern region as the fundamental cause of the Abyssal Rift’s formation.
Notably, the statement made no mention of the Halden Empire’s recent Abyssal Development Plan.
After that, they demanded the Aola Kingdom retract its baseless accusations and immediately cease the predatory exploitation of the wilderness.
The Aola Kingdom, for its part, demanded full opening of the border and cooperation for an Aola investigation team to enter their territory and probe the Abyssal Rift invasion.Anyone with eyes could see these were requests the other side would never accept.
Both sides took exceptionally hardline stances. Each round of diplomatic exchanges added more gunpowder to the air, with no sign of backing down.
Along the long border between the two nations, changes were visibly unfolding.
Within a week the garrison alert level had been raised three times, and patrols that had run in three daily shifts were converted to continuous, round-the-clock watch.
Heavy alchemical golems kicked up clouds of dust along military roads, almost ceaselessly traveling toward various border fortresses. Newly formed legions were swiftly redeployed to the front; soldiers cleaned their weapons and inspected their armor in hastily erected camps.
Thus, across the long border, sentries and fortresses spread out like a fungal carpet after rain.
Newly built watchtowers stood no more than five kilometers apart; observation crystals atop the towers reflected a cold light in the sun. Defensive works interlocked like teeth, and in some stretches the forward outposts of the two countries were less than an arrow’s flight apart.
Soldiers could even clearly make out the emblems on the enemy banners.
Swords were drawn and bows stringed, yet not released.
The cloud of war hung low over the border, heavy enough to suffocate, as if a storm were poised to break.
Both sides prepared for perhaps more than one storm, merely waiting for the lightning that would finally shatter the stalemate—
a border skirmish, a diplomatic misstep, or some unpredictable accident.
While relations among the Romania nations grew increasingly tense, another change was quietly unfolding in the Boiling Sea, in the Raging Tides Dragon Domain.
To the right of the main island, a patch of previously calm sea suddenly trembled.
At first it was only faint ripples, but they quickly swelled into rings of violent waves.
The ocean churned as if stirred by invisible hands; the swells rose ever higher, as if a massive creature below had awakened and was swimming.
Boom!
A long, silver-white dragon silhouette burst from the sea, cleaving the surface and soaring straight into the sky amid a spray of water.
Sunlight struck the newborn scales, refracting a cold, metallic sheen.
The majestic presence of a legendary creature radiated from the silver dragon in all directions, and the sea heaved into larger waves. Nearby sea beasts scattered in panic.
The silver dragon stretched its wings in the high air, feeling power surge within.
Every muscle felt filled with unprecedented vitality; magic roared through his veins like a river. He raised his head and unleashed a long, resonant dragon cry.
The roar echoed across sea and sky, announcing the birth of a new legend.
"Finally, legendary."
There was a satisfied, relieved tone to the voice.
For this moment, the silver dragon had slept on the seabed for over twenty years.
At that moment, another dragon streaked in from a nearby island, copper-red in color.
The newcomer showed no sign of slowing, ramming straight into the silver dragon’s embrace, both foreclaws wrapping tightly around the silver dragon’s neck.
"My dear, you’re awake!"
Brass Dragon Serena lifted her head, joy plain on her dragon face.
Her tail waved happily in the air; her scales glittered a warm copper glow in the sunlight.
After achieving legendary realm, Silver Dragon Edri’s body became more proportioned and athletic.
His length increased by roughly one third, but his overall silhouette was sleeker. Each scale looked like a carefully polished silver shield, its edges sharp, the surface giving off a cold metallic luster.
His bearing was stern and elegant, and his appearance had noticeably improved since before his slumber.
"Behave yourselves, a lot of dragons are watching us."
Edri said softly as he disentangled himself from Serena’s embrace.
He could feel gazes from all directions; dragons sensitive to energy fluctuations in the domain had been drawn by the disturbance of his breakthrough and were flying in from everywhere.
Serena leaned in with a grin, warm breath puffing against the silver dragon’s cheek.
"Oh? Such a huge legendary dragon, and yet shy?"
She nudged her head over, attempting to nuzzle Edri’s crown.
"Not in public, show some restraint."
Edri’s dragon face stiffened; he tilted his head back to evade his partner’s affection and shot a glare at the ever-unpredictable Brass Dragon.
At that moment, dragon silhouettes arrived one after another, circling around the newly minted legendary silver dragon.
Most were Metal Dragons: silver dragons, bronze dragons, brass dragons, and two young gold dragons were approaching.
In Metal Dragon social culture, congratulating a newly emerged legend was basic etiquette.
"Godri, congratulations on ascending to the legendary realm."
An older silver dragon spoke first; he was a senior of the Stanitor lineage branch.
"Another legendary added to your Stanitor family, truly joyful news."
A bronze dragon chimed in with a reasonably friendly tone.
"Your breakthrough was faster than a gold dragon’s, the future looks promising."
...
Congratulations rose one after another.
There was much social ritual among the Metal Dragons, especially at an occasion like this.
Edri returned polite, graceful smiles to these compliments one by one.
He could tell some dragons’ praise was sincere—mostly from family or close relations—but many other dragons’ eyes held other emotions; it wasn’t pure congratulation.
When the time seemed right, Edri found an excuse that his realm needed stabilizing, and he and Serena left the congratulatory group to fly toward the dense woods at the edge of the main island.
They descended into a clearing and transformed into human form one after the other.
This made it easier to converse and to avoid unnecessary attention.
Edri became a handsome man with silver hair and silver eyes, wearing a simple silver robe. Serena became a woman with honey-colored hair and brown eyes, dressed in practical leather hunting gear.
They walked side by side along a forest path, stepping on thick fallen leaves.
"Those dragons’ looks felt off."
Edri frowned slightly, breaking the silence. "While I was asleep, did something happen?"
He keenly noticed that although the dragons’ praise was not false, their gazes were not entirely pure.
Some eyes held admiration, some curiosity, and some even a hint of... scrutiny?
That was unusual.
Serena nodded and her expression grew more serious.
"Do you remember the eve before you fell asleep, when Garoth promised Gold Dragon Ovis he’d come to the dragon domains to participate in the competitions?"
Edri tapped his brow lightly.
Of course he remembered that.
"The younger generation across the Five Great Dragon Domains had no match for Garoth—he should have already taken the crown."
Edri said with certainty.
He knew how powerful his red iron dragon son-in-law was.
Serena said, "Yes, and not only did he win, he rapidly broke through to the legendary realm."
Edri’s steps halted at those words.
He slowly turned, silver eyes fixed on his companion. "Legendary? He’s legendary?"
The grim expression split with a crack of surprise.
In his memory, when he went to sleep, Garoth had only just reached level twenty.
How could he wake up to find the other had apparently stepped into the legendary realm before him? The timeline didn’t add up.
Serena’s eyes flashed mischievously as she teased, "I remember some dragon saying once that after he became legendary he'd 'give guidance' to the younger red iron dragon fellows again."
Edri fell silent.
A few seconds later he slowly shook his head and regained composure. "That was idle joking, not to be taken seriously."
Trying to regain face with a red iron dragon by bullying smaller ones might work, but a same-level fight... Edri knew well how that would turn out.
He did not want to be defeated by a red iron dragon again.
Edri gathered his thoughts and analyzed calmly. "Garoth becoming legendary shouldn’t make the Raging Tides Domain dragons give me such odd looks."
"Do they know our family knows Garoth? Even so, they shouldn’t react like this."
Hearing this, Serena nodded and her expression turned completely serious.
"He didn’t become legendary by a natural progression, nor by using domain prizes to break through."
Edri’s gaze hardened. "Something happened during the domain competition?"
"Yes, a major incident occurred."
Serena weighed her words a moment, then told the story.
She recounted Garoth being attacked after the competition and killing Bronze Dragon Siano in self-defense; she told of the Bronze Dragon lineage's fury and the subsequent investigation; she told how the Gold Dragon King personally issued a decree that Red Iron Dragon's actions were justifiable defense; and how the incident further inflamed existing ideological conflicts within the dragon domains.
Edri listened closely; his pupils contracted and dilated as the story unfolded.
When he heard that Garoth had killed the legendary attacker in self-defense, he inhaled sharply. When he heard the Bronze line had tried to pressure them but were stopped by the Gold King’s decree, he nodded. But as he learned of later developments, his brow grew ever tighter.
"The atmosphere in the Raging Tides Domain has been off lately."
Serena added in a low voice.
"The Bronze Dragon King no longer guards the abyss day and night; he’s been appearing in public frequently, revealing his true form many times."
"He says the Metal Dragons have been too tolerant of evil and have lost their former glory."
"He says purging evil is the Metal Dragons’ duty; tolerance is colluding with evil, and this rotten trend must change."
"Dragon Kings hold high positions and have never before openly taken sides in the Purification Faction versus Inclusion Faction conflict. The Bronze Dragon King’s current stance has changed many dragons’ minds." She sighed. "Some Purification Faction dragons have been drawn from other domains, and many Inclusion Faction dragons feel uncomfortable and have migrated to other domains."
Edri frowned more and more as he heard this.
He could not have imagined that while he slept such a series of major events would occur.
The ideological conflict within the dragon domains had surfaced so openly that even dragon kings took action.
"What about the rest of our family?"
Edri asked in a low voice.
Serena lowered her tone. "Within the Soyerjedon family, one third of members have migrated to the other four dragon domains. Your Stanitor family is similar—only a few remain in the Raging Tides Domain, mostly the elderly who won’t move or those still observing the situation."
On a larger scale, Metal Dragons live across five major dragon domains.
Within a domain they typically unite tightly in family groups through bloodline ties.
Soyerjedon and Stanitor are the families to which the brass and silver dragons belong; they had been rooted in the Raging Tides Domain for a thousand years.
Previously, because of Garoth’s incident, the two families had erupted into fierce arguments with the Purification Faction and the Bronze lineage within the domain.
They asserted reason, arguing that Siano’s actions violated dragon law and deserved death.
That debate had raged loudly, tearing the domain’s surface harmony.
Now, with the Bronze Dragon King becoming active and openly supporting the Purification Faction, the number of Purification-supporting dragons in the domain surged. Many previously neutral dragons began leaning toward that faction.
Although the Bronze Dragon King did not purge his own kin nor show intent to pressure the two families, Soyerjedon and Stanitor family dragons all felt an invisible pressure.
Under this atmosphere, members from both families grew increasingly uncomfortable.
After internal discussions they decided to migrate.
Not all at once, but core members and the younger generation would relocate to other domains and establish new branches.
The Bronze Dragon King did not intervene or even try to dissuade them.
He focused his main efforts on absorbing Purification Faction dragons; he appeared unconcerned about those leaving his domain.
"What is Sheffield trying to do? Make the Raging Tides Domain the Purification Faction’s stronghold and split the domain?" Edri angrily called the Bronze Dragon King by name.
Serena sighed. "From what we see, yes, and he's been quite successful."
"Now more than sixty percent of the domain’s dragons openly or privately endorse the Purification ideology; the rest are neutral or, like us, preparing to leave."
Edri took several deep breaths to calm himself.
He asked, "This is terribly damaging to domain unity. Haven’t the other Dragon Kings said anything?"
Serena shook her head slightly.
"Aside from the Gold King issuing that decree, he’s almost vanished. Rumors say he’s conducting long-term research or preparing for another long slumber."
She shrugged in helplessness. "The Silver Dragon King... he’s known as the kindly elder dragon and tends to mediate and persuade rather than inflame conflict. As for the Brass and Copper Dragon Kings, even if they express dissatisfaction, what can they change?"
Edri fell silent. He, of course, knew these things.
To outsiders, the Metal Dragon domains appear united and powerful, but among the Metal Dragons themselves there were many unresolved problems.
Now these issues lay exposed.
And the Bronze Dragon King Sheffield had chosen the most direct way to show his stance: he wanted to turn the Raging Tides Domain completely.
In the following days Edri did not leave immediately.
He walked the Raging Tides Domain islands, observed reactions in person, spoke with family dragons who had not yet left, and gathered information from neutral dragons.
He saw young dragons on the main island giving passionate speeches promoting Purification doctrine; saw task boards raising rewards related to exterminating evil dragons by thirty percent; saw the library place tracts about the Metal Dragons’ sacred duty in the most prominent spots.
He also saw dragons quietly packing centuries-old treasures to move to other domains; saw once-bustling cross-family social events grow deserted; saw young dragons split into factions and strike at each other.
These things clarified Edri’s judgment.
Under the Bronze King’s influence, the Raging Tides Domain was purging Inclusion dragons— not through violence or overt expulsion, but by tilting atmosphere, resources, and discourse power so that disagreeing dragons left of their own accord.
The joy of his breakthrough into the legendary realm was dampened by these domain changes.
Although Edri loved this sea where he had lived so long, he knew staying would only increase bitterness, and among Metal Dragons, family often mattered more than domain.
A domain could be changed; bloodline ties could not be severed.
Since the core members of both families had decided to migrate, there was no need for their small family to remain behind.
A week later Edri and Serena packed their belongings.
Their collection was not large: some magical tomes, a few commemorative treasures, and rare materials accumulated over the years.
After stowing these into a few portable pocket-dimension sacks, they bade farewell to family members who remained, then spread their wings and left the Raging Tides Domain.
Their destination was the Vophal Dragon Domain.
It was directly administered by the Silver Dragon King and known for inclusion and openness. It had defended Garoth in the controversy and had been chosen by the Stanitor family’s main branch as their new gathering place.
The two domains were not close, but for dragons it was only a slightly longer journey.
Not long after, the news reached Deborah in the distant Aola Kingdom.
The brass-silver dragon learned the details from messages through family channels.
"The Raging Tides Domain is gradually becoming the Purification Faction’s stronghold... my parents have migrated to the Vophal Domain."
Deborah set down the communication device and stood for a long time on the watchtower.
She stared southward toward the Boiling Sea, though it was too far to see anything.
It took her a while to accept the news.
Changes in the domains, family migrations, and the surface-level ideological clash were all far-reaching events, but life had to go on.
A few days later, during dinner with Garoth, Deborah told the red iron dragon the general situation.
She described the changes in the Raging Tides Domain, her parents’ migration, and the Bronze Dragon King’s shift in attitude.
"Troublesome times indeed."
Garoth murmured after hearing this.
Then he looked at the small brass-silver dragon curled next to him; a trace of gentleness crossed his fierce features. "Once they settle in the Vophal Domain, invite them to visit the Aola Kingdom. Tell them the good news and comfort them a bit, make them happy."
Deborah nodded, her claws unconsciously caressing her belly, the gesture gentle.
Just days earlier she had confirmed her pregnancy.
Dragons have extremely acute bodily awareness. She could clearly feel roughly four dragon eggs developing inside.
In fact, dragons’ reproductive abilities were stronger than most intelligent beings supposed—much stronger.
If the mother dragon chose and controlled ovulation, she could lay a clutch of eggs every year.
However, pregnancy slightly reduces a dragon’s power. Thus Five-colored Dragons often hated being pregnant and dreaded raising offspring.
Metal Dragons, by contrast, adhere to principles of selective breeding, strictly limiting offspring to ensure each egg receives ample resources and care. Typically they reproduce once every decades or even centuries.
Deborah’s pregnancy was somewhat accidental.
She had not planned to bear children at the founding of the Aola Kingdom—there were too many affairs and a war approaching.
But she could not resist Garoth’s overpowering body.
After Garoth’s legendary ascension, his bloodline underwent a qualitative change; his life essence leapt, affecting some capabilities.
During a recent intimate encounter, Deborah’s mind went blank and she lost control of her body. When she regained awareness, she realized she was pregnant and the seeds of life had rooted within her.
Plans are no match for change.
Since it had already happened, Deborah decided to keep them.
Under normal conditions the eggs would develop inside the mother for about a year before being laid.
The laid eggs would need roughly two more years to finish development, then begin hatching into wyrmlings ready to face the world.
In other words, in about three years Garoth would welcome his first generation of offspring: four dragon children.
After dinner, Garoth unusually skipped training and walked in human form with Deborah through the royal court gardens.
"Whose bloodline traits will they inherit? Will they inherit my evolved scale structure or wing morphology? What about temperament—what faction will they lean toward? Will they be more like me, or pure-blood evil dragons, or like Metal Dragons?"
Garoth asked a string of questions with a hint of curiosity.
He couldn’t help but anticipate the blind-box-like surprise.
Deborah laughed softly. "Who knows?"
"Dragon genetics are complex, and hybrid dragon offspring are even more varied. Some may resemble you, some me, and some might surprise us entirely."
She paused, her voice turning tender. "But no matter what, they will be our children."
A breeze swept Deborah’s hair, carrying the fragrance of wisteria from the garden.
Garoth nodded and looked up at the night sky.
Stars dotted the heavens, the Milky Way crossing the firmament.
Three years were but a blink for dragons, yet the coming three years were important.
How would the situation among the Romania nations evolve? What progress would he and the Aola Kingdom make? What consequences would the Raging Tides Domain changes bring? Would his offspring be born amid the fires of war?
These questions swirled in Garoth’s mind.
Finally he shook his head and drove them away.
At least tonight, Garoth decided to set aside external turmoil and savor the peace and anticipation of new life. After tonight... he would concentrate all his spirit, ready to ignite blood and fire.
Passively waiting for war to consume him was not the style of the Red Iron Dragon Emperor.