This Giant Dragon is So Powerful!

Chapter 127 - 8: The Red Robe Mage Association and Kingdom Turmoil

The empire was utterly defeated.

The Imperial Guardian Knight Order suffered heavy losses, almost to the point of being half-destroyed.

But what really made the Ryan Royal Family feel heartbroken wasn’t just this; it was the death of ’Lynn’, the sixth seat of the Royal Mage Corps, during this surprise attack war.

The role of a master-level mage in war is at least equivalent to five master-level warrior professionals of the same level. Now, with one suddenly dead, how could they not feel the pain?

Moreover, Master Lynn was not just an ordinary master-level mage; he was a powerful spellcaster who had reached Level 18.

"Deploy the Legend!"

In a fit of rage, the Ryan Empire finally called upon the legendary powerhouse who had been training in seclusion within the royal family.

Three days later, in the southern part of the empire, a terrifying battle erupted on a mountain peak eight or nine hundred meters high, within the territory of the Red Robe Mage Association.

Frost, lightning, storms, dragon roars, and the terrifying golden spear light—various extraordinary powers played out there, akin to natural disasters.

The battle lasted a whole day; the mountain shattered and collapsed, and the surrounding hundreds of kilometers turned into scorched earth. Finally, both sides ceased fire.

Three days later, the Ryan Royal Family proclaimed that the thirteen cities in the south of the empire, along with an area of one million square kilometers, were to be ceded to the Red Robe Mage Association.

The news left citizens, adventurers, nobles, and powerhouses throughout the empire equally shocked.

It was originally thought that the Red Robe Mage Association was merely a petty force, easily crushed by the absolute strength of the legendary powerhouse deployed by the royal family... But who could have expected it to be a mighty dragon across the river, forcing the royal family to cede vast lands and reluctantly acknowledge its status?

Neighboring kingdoms, duchies, alien races, mage towers, and all sorts of forces were also left astounded and deeply shocked.

The Ryan Empire had been the strongest human power on the Tal Material Plane.

And the royal legendary powerhouse dispatched in that battle was no ordinary individual, but ’Dion Bier Ryan,’ a Dragon Knight who earned legendary fame on the continent hundreds of years ago.

Even back when Dion Bier first rose to fame hundreds of years ago, he was already a legendary powerhouse. Now, with centuries passing, no one believed that this extraordinarily gifted Dragon Knight hadn’t made any progress.

Besides Dion Bier, his dragon companion—a 1,700-plus-year-old Bronze Dragon approaching the stage of an ancient dragon—was also incredibly powerful. Whether this old fellow had reached legendary status might be uncertain, but saying that this Bronze Dragon possessed ordinary legendary combat strength was something no one doubted.

The Bronze Dragon is part of the Metal Dragon Clan, and the power ranking of Metal Dragons at the same level is: Golden Dragon > Silver Dragon > Brass Dragon > Bronze Dragon > Red Copper Dragon.

The Bronze Dragon, like the Black Dragon, ranks fourth within their respective dragon races, but the Bronze Dragon’s strength at the same level is slightly higher than that of the Black Dragon. Metal Dragons and Five-Colored Dragons align against each other from birth, yet it’s well known across the Star Realm that, for the same dragon ranking, Metal Dragons are considerably stronger than Five-Colored Dragons.

Golden Dragons are stronger than Red Dragons, Silver Dragons stronger than Blue Dragons...

The probability of an ordinary old Bronze Dragon breaking through to legendary status is less than thirty percent, but being the partner of Dragon Knight Dion Bier, and fostered through the secret techniques of the Dragon Knight profession, its probability of breaking through to legendary status should reach fifty percent. —On that note, it’s worth mentioning that many dragons, when facing difficulty advancing in power, often aim to partner with legendary Dragon Knights without dragon companions, hoping to sign a contract; the reason is self-evident.

Dragons are powerful, no doubt about it. Against most races, they can fight above their level and against many foes, with their long lifespans, extensive knowledge, and mighty dragon bodies, they can summon a formidable Dragon Vein Subordinate Legion at will.

However.

At the threshold of [Legendary Tier], even many dragons must bow their proud heads, disheartened, even despairing, eventually dying of old age when their lifespans run out.

This is especially true for the dragons with the weakest bloodlines. Green Dragons, Black Dragons, Bronze Dragons, Red Copper Dragons... Not to mention White Dragons, with the weakest bloodline, having the lowest probability of advancing to legendary status.

Red Dragons and Golden Dragons have the least to worry about. The former, with some effort in the old dragon stage, has a fair chance of stepping into the legendary rank, while the latter doesn’t even need to try, as they typically progress to legendary status in their old dragon stage. Compared to them, other dragons lag behind significantly.

Even Silver Dragons lag slightly. Across many material planes, Silver Dragons and Red Dragons contend, often resulting in Red Dragons being defeated, with Silver Dragons claiming victory. But this doesn’t imply that Red Dragons are weaker than Silver Dragons; on the contrary, in pure strength, Red Dragons are slightly stronger than Silver Dragons. The reason for their defeat is simply because Silver Dragons tend to make friends and, upon engaging in battle with Red Dragons, typically use summoning spells to call their friends, ganging up on the Red Dragons.

Isolated, friendless Red Dragons are naturally often left scurrying in shock. —That’s the genuine truth.

The specific outcome of Dragon Knight Dion Bier’s battle is only known to both powers involved; others can only speculate.

However, most believe that the battle saw Dragon Knight Dion Bier fall into a disadvantage and possibly be defeated and flee. Otherwise, why would the Ryan Royal Family endure the humiliation, cede land, and acknowledge their status?

The Ryan Empire certainly has more than one legendary powerhouse; the royal family alone boasts several, and there are surely hidden legendary powerhouses among the populace. But those who reach the legendary tier are long indifferent to mundane territorial changes, unlikely to engage in lethal combat with another legendary powerhouse for matters unrelated to them.

Can’t everyone just sit down and have a proper talk? All are powerhouses chasing after the peak, seeking to see what the top offers—why so much bloodshed?

It’s not like anyone’s trying to unleash a realm-destroying demonic or undead calamity.

In fact, it turned out just like that.

The legendary mage leader of the Red Robe Mage Association, a formidable presence, also declared that they would no longer invade the Ryan Empire, formally establishing a non-aggression pact between both sides.

Now, the neighboring forces originally eager to watch the spectacle were dumbfounded.

With the Red Robe Mage Association hiding for so many years, emerging only to force back the strongest human power, would they settle peacefully and develop quietly thereafter?

Clearly, that’s impossible. Sooner or later, these red-robed evil mages are bound to launch attacks on other forces.

Now, those forces close to the lands of the Red Robe Mage Association turned pale with dread, knowing that they could be the next unlucky target anytime the Red Robe Mage Association wanted to expand its influence.

"Alliance?"

"Alliance!"

"Seconded."

The Dwarf Iron Castle, Beastman Clans, and the human Nax Kingdom, the three forces close to the Red Robe Mage Association quickly reached a verbal alliance. If any party faces invasion or attack, the other two must support them.

The tumult in the Central Region of the continent and the changes in forces also affected many forces in the South.

Among them, the most affected is the Yalbit Kingdom, which is close to the Central Region of the continent, because the northern part of the Yalbit Kingdom borders the southern border of the Nax Kingdom.

To prevent the Yalbit Kingdom from stabbing them in the back after the Red Robe Mage Association’s invasion, the Nax Kingdom was forced to drag Yalbit Kingdom into the war quagmire.

Soon, after years of calm following the last wasteland war, the Yalbit Kingdom was again on the brink of war.

The Laputa River, which runs through the Yalbit Kingdom, Kas Duchy, and Nax Kingdom, harbors the aquatic race ’Fish People,’ gathering unit after unit of Fishman forces. Using the Laputa River as the center, they invade the surroundings, pillaging and plundering, causing nearby human villages and towns to retreat and flee in defeat.

Nearby human villages and towns are aware of the fish people in the Laputa River. After all, these low-level monsters, like goblins and kobolds, are common sightings. However, no one expected such weak fish people to be so numerous; the disclosed fishman forces alone numbered in the hundreds of thousands!

What greatly terrified and enraged the Yalbit Kingdom even more was that amongst the fish people there were many tidal fishman sorcerers, who, aided by the vast flow and volume of the Laputa River, triggered a massive flood spanning hundreds of thousands of square kilometers.

Clearly, this was a premeditated attack.

It wasn’t just the sudden uprising attack from the Fishman Race; many noble territories on the Yalbit Kingdom’s border started wars, seizing the opportunity to claim lands from other nobles. Many nobles were killed immediately, their territories taken.

In no time, the previously calm and leisurely Yalbit Kingdom turned into an isolated island at sea, battered by waves and swept by storms, precariously on the brink of collapse.

.....

Southern Dark Forest.

In a valley, the high-ranking members of various Centaur tribes gathered, engaging in intense discussion.

"This is a golden opportunity; attacking now to reclaim the Wilderness Plains will surely succeed!" exclaims a Centaur elder, his face flushed with excitement.

"But the king’s injuries haven’t healed yet... isn’t it too hasty?" Some cautious Centaur leaders think they shouldn’t get involved in this mess.

Soon, the dozen high-ranking Centaurs split into two factions: one advocating an attack to reclaim the Wilderness Plains, and the other suggesting to recuperate for a few years, accumulate strength, and when their king’s injuries recover to reach Legendary status, seize the Wilderness Plains, even the entire kingdom.

The two factions debated relentlessly. Centaur King Morgan, recuperating at the back of the valley, emerged to the scene and shouted,

"Enough."

The place fell silent. The attendees looked at Morgan approaching and lowered their heads in respect.

"Let’s wait a while, first seeing if those fish people are capable. If they aren’t, we’ll continue to rest in the Dark Forest. But if they are, making the Yalbit Kingdom unable to handle it, then we’ll rush out of the Dark Forest and seize the Wilderness Plains!"

Morgan said calmly.

The gathered Centaur leaders had no objections upon hearing this.

As Morgan was about to leave, a Centaur leader stopped him,

"King, how should we deal with the Dark Dragon Nest side?"

Morgan paused, pondered for a moment, and said, "Send someone to relay this message; see if the Dark Dragon Nest influence would be willing to follow behind us Centaurs."

Half a day later, Rotting Swamp, Dragon Nest.

Leanna paused her spiritual energy research, her large bronze eyes flashing with contemplation.

"Morgan actually invited me to invade the Kingdom... should I go...." Leanna hesitated.

According to her nature, she didn’t really want to go. Staying in the Dragon Nest developing strength continuously until invincible, then emerge, wouldn’t that be better?

However, the nature of an evil dragon was urging her to plunder and incite massacres, stirring the calm Leanna into some excitement.

"As Morgan said, this opportunity is rare; missing out on this grand division....."

Leanna seemed to see countless treasures, magic crystals, and minerals drifting away from her...

With a firm resolve, she made her decision.

"I’ve been over a hundred years old and haven’t been to the human world for pillaging; isn’t that too unsuccessful!"

I must go, definitely.

After all, the Centaurs are leading the charge, and besides, Morgan still owes her three favors. If danger arises, she’ll summon him directly.