Kalon stood atop the mountain peak. The normally calm psionic vortex received a large amount of feedback at this moment, and countless psionic powers surged in, though still very faint, but the number almost encompassed everyone.
The chanting and singing from below the mountain grew louder. Bronze Dragon Alina flew in mid-air, like a chanting angel leading the choir, guiding the singing.
The Red Dragon also stopped his perception, moved by the increasingly impassioned singing and chanting. He couldn't help but spread his massive wings, raise his head, and join in, his deep True Dragon roar echoing throughout the mountain.
"I shall inherit the great legacy of the True Dragon God,"
"Reign over the First World of old,"
"Though it is but a shattered past!"
Rumble,
The Red Dragon's body was enveloped in light, like the halo of a descending deity. His massive form soared into the clouds high above the nine heavens, disappearing without a trace!
Only the chanting, lingering after the song ended, echoed endlessly through the mountains!
Even the members of the pioneer group who didn't understand the meaning of the poem were immersed in the epic atmosphere of the moment.
A strong sense of belonging and cohesion arose in the hearts of the pioneer group members. It was as if, at this moment, they had completed their oath of allegiance to the True Dragon, considering themselves citizens of the territory.
After a long while, the lingering echoes faded, and the quiet forest clearing became lively once more.
Large cauldrons were set over the still burning campfires, with only faint flames licking the bottom. Each large iron pot was produced by the Dwarf artisan Kalon's blacksmith shop, notable for its sturdiness, durability, and size.
The iron pots were full, with many chunks of meat floating in the still slightly scalding, rich broth. A strong aroma of meat wafted from the steam rising from the iron pots, tantalizing everyone's taste buds.
That was the meat of an extraordinary magical beast; even ordinary nobles didn't have such a treat.
The long, white bones hanging from the huge trees, exuding an aura difficult for ordinary people to face directly, proved how precious the meat in the iron pot was. Just look at Bronze Dragon Alina, the leader of the Eldest Son Pioneer Group, who was also holding a large bowl and cutting in line—that's how you know.
A few Kobold Guards behind the iron pots were scooping broth and meat chunks for the crowd with large iron spoons. They were all wearing cloth aprons and had sleeves covering their hands.
These were sewn by the little girl Nora and other elderly and young logistics personnel from cleaned and dried beast hides, to prevent some unhygienic Kobold from contaminating the food.
If it weren't for the immense workload of distributing food to thousands of people, and the iron spoons produced by Kalon's blacksmith shop being too heavy, these elderly, young, women, and children wouldn't have handed this job over to the Kobold.
After all, this was a lucrative position; a little spilled soup could mean more food for someone they knew.
Every working adult received a large bowl full of broth and a solid piece of meat, along with a sticky lump of staple food.
Having grown familiar with each other through this period of communal living, they sat under the shade of the trees, chatting and laughing with their bowls of soup, enjoying their rare holiday time.
Kalon's arrival brought the pioneer group half a day of rest, as well as precious extraordinary magical beast meat, so most of these pioneer group members were very happy about the Red Dragon's arrival.
"Hey, wouldn't it be great if Red Dragon lord came here every day? Then we'd be comfortable. Not only could we rest, but we'd also feast. You know, even the count in my old count's territory wasn't so extravagant as to treat extraordinary magical beasts as food!"
A young man with a large bald head and bare torso squatted on the ground, muttering to the man next to him while slurping the rich broth. He felt a warm heat flow into his body with the soup, then spread through his limbs and veins, instantly invigorating him.
Farn glanced at the bald man; both of them were the same, wanting to save the best for last. He smacked his lips, savoring the wonderful taste of the soup, and said, "Don't be too greedy. Although life is a bit hard now, we always get enough to eat every day, and good days are still ahead."
"I actually find it very satisfying to personally open up a city. Watching a city slowly rise from the wilderness makes me feel great!"
"Yeah, it's a bit tiring now, but before, under those nobles, it was not only tiring but we also didn't get enough to eat. If you weren't careful, you'd be trampled to death like pigs, dogs, chickens, or ducks. It's better now; although we have to be serfs for a few years, we feel secure, and we often get some meat to eat, hehe!"
The young man wiped his already shiny bald head with his greasy hand, then, ignoring the sweat on his hand, picked up the remaining piece of meat in his bowl and gnawed on it with grunts.
In the Endless Forest, there is never a shortage of prey. Under the protection of the Dragon clan and there dependents, these pioneer group members do not need to worry about attacks and harm from wild beasts; instead, it is the ordinary wild beasts that should be more concerned.
After all, not only do these ordinary people in the pioneer group covet their flesh, but those True Dragon's dependents and the True Dragon also view them as indispensable food.
"Yes, a secure, stable life—that's truly rare." Farn also paused, suddenly feeling that after shedding the anxious responsibility of the wasteland, he was living a more relaxed life now.
"Ah," Farn inexplicably sighed, then lowered his head and began to gnaw as well.
The elderly, young, women, and children of the logistics team were at the end of the line. They did not need to engage in overly heavy physical labor, so all resources had to be ceded to the main members of the pioneer group.
The little girl Nora had tanned during these days, and with enough food every day, her body grew rapidly like willow branches in spring.
She held two large bowls and reached them out to the iron pot, which was larger than her entire body, trying to reveal her head covered with fluffy, dry, yellow hair. Her dark, round eyes stared at the Kobold Guard who was distributing the food.
The traces of her cheekbones were already visible on her small, thin face, but she still tried to force a smile and called out, "Uncle Kobold, is there any meat left? I want a piece of magical beast meat for my grandma. They say magical beast meat is very good for the body, even a small shred would be fine!"
The Kobold Soldiers looked at the long line behind them, rolled their eyes, and said impatiently, "Hurry up, hurry up, don't block the way for those behind!"
The long iron spoon gently scooped down. Nora felt her small hand sink, and a large piece of meat with some bone was scooped into her bowl. The smile on her face quickly widened, and she quickly said thanks and ran off.
Nora carried the two full large bowls and ran to her aged grandmother, then tore the meat into shreds and fed it to her grandmother.
The aged grandmother ate the minced meat and drank half a bowl of broth, immediately feeling as if the warm current in her body had stimulated and replenished her remaining life energy, and her previously blurry vision actually became a little clearer.
The aged grandmother took a breath, looking at her young granddaughter with eyes brighter than before. During this time, Nora not only had to complete her work of herding sheep but also had to take on additional tasks.
She also had to take care of her elderly self, and the burden on her shoulders was too heavy, so much so that a few white hairs had grown among young Nora's dry, fluffy hair.
She sniffed, made her already light body stand up, and a long-unseen blush appeared on her cheeks. "Nora, that's enough, you eat. I'm full. And I feel my body getting lighter. Thanks to Lord True Dragon's grace, perhaps I can be with you for a long time again, little Nora, to see you live a good life."
The little girl nodded happily, a smile on her face. "That's great! Lady Alina said that as long as I raise the sheep, for every three lambs the mother sheep gives birth to in the future, I'll get one lamb as a reward. This way, we'll soon be living a good life!"
Whoosh,
The clouds in the sky were broken by the Red Dragon, flowing and scattering. Kalon patrolled the edge of the Dragon Clan Territory, to deter various wild beasts and tribes in the surrounding area.
Bay Stream City was very important in his plan. It was the temporary southernmost gate of the Dragon Clans Territory, guarding the southern frontier of the Dragon Clan Territory.
In the future, the Dragon Clans Territory would continue to build new cities along the various frontiers of the existing territory, enclosing the entire Dragon clan's territory within a complete defensive circle, allowing the Dragon clan's territory to develop peacefully.
And the True Dragon Song, or True Dragon Poem, that he brought this time, which was jointly revised with the True Dragons, was compiled by him and the True Dragons according to the knowledge passed down by the True Dragons and the stories circulating in the Endless Worlds.
A normal kingdom needs historical records to prove its legitimacy and consolidate the sense of identity among its citizens. In the subsequent process, it also needs to compile the kingdom's development history, founding history, and historical records such as the life records of the kingdom's rulers, as well as determining regnal years, calendars, and other related operations.
And the True Dragon Song was the beginning of everything. It would make the True Dragon's rule legitimate, no longer just those wild monster kingdoms. And to put it broadly, it could also be said to be the True Dragon's claim to rule the world.
As the True Dragon Song gradually fermented, Kalon could say that the True Dragon God's legitimacy was in Ekania, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration.
As long as the True Dragon's rule gained legitimacy, future interactions or confrontations with human nations would not see them as chaotic monster evil nations. With the backing of righteousness, Kalon and the True Dragon would be difficult to jointly besiege; it would simply be a matter of each using their own methods to see whose methods were tougher.
Even the Metal Dragon could not arbitrarily pin some groundless charges on Kalon and the True Dragon, after all, Kalon had flattered the Platinum Dragon God in the True Dragon Song, and those Metal Dragon still had to consider the wishes of their boss above.
This was also some preparation Kalon made for the future. Although the Endless Mountains, a dangerous gathering place for monsters, blocked direct contact between the Dragon Clans Territory and human nations, it was always right to be prepared.
In Kalon's vision, the True Dragon Song would later serve as the kingdom's anthem, performed at all major celebrations within the territory.
Kalon would not prematurely establish a so-called Dragon Kingdom and create a national title. Only when every city within the Dragon Territory sings the True Dragon Song will the kingdom ruled by the True Dragon naturally be established.
Moreover, the strong praise for Platinum Dragon God Bahamut, Chromatic Dragon Tiamat, and gem dragon Sadivo in the True Dragon Song also contained the intention of having the True Dragon Gods, despite their busy schedules, take a moment to lend a hand to their junior.
As long as flattering could bring benefits, Kalon would not feel disgraced as a True Dragon; he would only feel it was not enough.
Anyway, once Kalon developed to a certain extent, the True Dragon's kingdom would definitely attract the attention of the Dragon Gods. The Red Dragon was not worried about the Evil Dragon Goddess Tiamat's prying eyes either.
In his opinion, as creations of the Dragon Gods, whether you are an anomalous True Dragon or not, your relationship with the Dragon Gods is complementary. As a creation of the Dragon Gods, the greater your reputation in the Endless World, the more indirectly it will bring publicity to the True Dragon God.
Although the True Dragon Gods are powerful because of the True Dragon, no deity would refuse an increase in their followers.
This is also one of the reasons why the Chromatic Dragon Goddess , in many circulating stories, did not kill those True Dragons who showed particular contempt for her.
Of course, Kalon wouldn't put his safety in the hands of others' expectations. If there were benefits, Kalon might trust these True Dragon Gods, but if the price exceeded two copper coins, the Red Dragon would not agree.
The Red Dragon's two minds were operating; the sub-brain cluster was thinking, the main brain controlled the body, and its perception continuously extended. Suddenly, his eyes lit up; a perfect target for his as-yet-unestablished laboratory appeared in his perception.
It was a Chimera, living in a small mountain cave a few miles away.
The origin of Chimeras is unclear even to Dragons, an ancient race that appeared at the dawn of creation. Some legends say this evil creature was created by Demogorgon, the two-headed baboon Demon Lord from the endless abyss.
Other legends say they were a guardian race created by a curious goddess, but later, some dark force modified them, dividing the Chimera race into good-faced Chimeras and evil-faced Chimeras.
The Chimera in Kalon's perception was probably only eight meters long, with a pair of wings like a Dragon, front limbs like a male lion on the grassland, and hind limbs like a mountain goat in the forest, and it possessed three heads with different appearances.
These three heads were a lion's head, a goat's head, and a Dragon-type head similar to an inferior Dragon species. However, Kalon felt that this creature should change its name to "Ugly Beast" as it would be more appropriate.
The creature's hideous appearance left even Dragons unable to find any beauty in it, like a stitched-up monster. Moreover, its awful smell made Dragons lose their appetite, like a smell ten times stronger than goat musk mixed with the strange odor of a rotting corpse.
"Does such an ugly creature deserve to have a Dragon-like head? No, I must beat it up first; it makes a Dragon uncomfortable to look at." Kalon's Red Dragon nature was exposed; the proud Red Dragon would not allow such an inferior stitched monster to possess Dragon features.
The Chimera's eight-meter-long body was lazily curled up. Although its size was far inferior to Kalon the Red Dragon, this monster was the most powerful existence in this forest, standing at the top of the food chain in this area.
The thick layer of white bones piled on the cave floor could attest to the monster's strength; this monster was not as clean as a Dragon. The Chimera was more keen on laying out the white bones of its hunted and preyed-upon victims in its cave, showcasing its power and renown.
This Chimera was resting its head on these thick, broken bones, immersed in its powerful fantasy, but the next moment, a strong Dragon Might interrupted its fantasy, making it jump up from the ground like a startled rabbit.
Bang!
A massive Red Dragon spread its wide wings, completely blocking the cave entrance, and the Red Dragon's ferocious and majestic head stretched into the cave. A pair of crimson pupils radiated terrifying prestige, as if a giant was staring at an ant, watching it.
An extremely strong mental pressure surged forward. Even the most courageous lion's head on the Chimera's body, at this moment, whimpered like a guard dog brutally kicked by its master, while desperately shrinking backward, as if it could escape the gaze of this terrifying Red Dragon.
The other two heads were even worse; the goat's head and the Dragon-type head hung down like dead dogs, not daring to move, and even their usually heavy breathing stopped.
"Woo, woo, woo," the Chimera kept retreating until its body hit the deepest wall, with nowhere left to go. It then stopped, nervously watching the Red Dragon, who had said nothing and had not attacked.
"Come here, walk over yourself, little doggy," the Red Dragon's massive body blocked the cave, and its thick head extended entirely inside, speaking in an unquestionable tone.
"Aww, woo, woo," the Chimera, who understood some Dragon Language and could speak the common tongue, could not even utter a normal sentence at this moment. It just whimpered like a puppy, desperately shaking its three heads.
Crack!
The Red Dragon's body squeezed the seemingly sturdy cave entrance, causing it to crack. His long, rough fangs gleamed, and he said in a calm tone, "If you don't come out, once I go in, you will never have another chance."
"I… I surrender… Master!" The three heads of the Chimera bowed to the ground, slowly crawling towards the Red Dragon. It knew from the Red Dragon's size that even though its cave was dug into a sturdy mountain, it could not withstand the Red Dragon's Dragonfire and Dragon claws.
Whoosh!
Two plumes of scorching Mars spewed from the Red Dragon's nostrils, scattering over the Chimera, which was prostrate on all fours at his feet. The scorching Mars burned pitted, bloody holes into the Chimera's wings, but its body remained motionless.
The Chimera thought its submission would satisfy the Red Dragon before it, but the next moment, the Red Dragon extended his True Dragon claw and grabbed its True Dragon -like head.
Tear!
The True Dragon head, along with a thick section of the neck, was torn in half by the Red Dragon. Gurgling, foul-smelling blood gushed out, and an intense pain made the Chimera shriek, its cries echoing far away.
The Chimera's screams awakened all the wild beasts and creatures in the mountain forest. They peered into the distance, not understanding what trouble had caused this incredibly powerful monster to emit such a miserable cry.
"Pick up your head," the Red Dragon retracted his True Dragon claw with satisfaction. He knew that this kind of monster, the Chimera, would not die from such an injury. After recuperation, the Chimera could even regrow its head.
While this was the Red Dragon's brutal and arrogant nature, it was also related to Kalon's own actions and consciousness. When facing a brutal opponent, Kalon would choose to suppress the opponent with even more brutal means. He was like a mirror containing all emotions and behaviors, reflecting all the opponent's actions and consciousness.
"Follow me. If you can't keep up with my speed, find a place to be your grave!"
The Chimera tremblingly used its lion's head to hold its severed head and followed the Red Dragon's pace.
The Red Dragon spread his wings and soared, and the two-headed Chimera followed behind, like a hound trailing its master's footsteps.
Kalon, with his newly acquired little dog and experimental subject, embarked on the return journey. This patrol of his territory left him very satisfied, proving that some of his methods were correct and effective. He was like an old farmer sowing seeds in spring, looking forward to a bountiful autumn harvest in his territory.
When Kalon landed on the summit of the mountains with the Chimera, he saw the waiting figure of White Dragon Germott. The White Dragon's usually calm face showed a hint of anxiety. Upon seeing Kalon land on the mountaintop, he quickly stepped forward to greet him.
"I was only out for two short days. Did something major happen in the territory? But even if it's the worst thing, Germott, never show your emotions," Kalon kicked the trembling Chimera, sending the monster down the mountain. This was where True Dragons gathered; such a monster was unworthy of being ranked with True Dragons.
"Kalon, Antagena's birds discovered traces of a wandering Red Dragon yesterday," White Dragon Germott heeded the Red Dragon's admonition, and the anxiety on his face returned to calm.
"Did you find out where this Red Dragon came from, and what its approximate strength is?" Kalon's tone was unhurried. As the leader of the Dragon clan and the supreme ruler of the territory, no matter whether he had confidence or what decision he made, he could not lose his composure. Calmness was the best way to face a crisis.
White Dragon Germott shook his head. He could only say with an uncertain tone, "Antagena's birds are not very intelligent, even dumber than Camid. They only know that the birds found traces of that Red Dragon in the western part of the forest. However, according to the birds' description, it is estimated to be at least a juvenile Red Dragon, and perhaps even a Young Red Dragon."
White Dragon Germott certainly wasn't looking down on his fellow brother; it was just a habit formed since childhood to often tease Camid. That Germott could make such a joke now proved that his mind had indeed returned to peace.
"A juvenile wandering Red Dragon is nothing to worry about. All the True Dragons in the Dragon clan swarming it would be more than an ordinary Red Dragon could withstand. If it's a Young Red Dragon, then it's a bit more troublesome," Kalon's True Dragon claws unconsciously scratched his chin.
The youth stage is the period of a True Dragon's greatest leap in strength, and also the age range with the greatest difference in strength within the True Dragon group. Excellent True Dragons at the peak of their youth can possess the power to contend with Legendary beings, but such True Dragons generally only appear in the Gold Dragon race.
After all, Gold Dragons are a True Dragon species particularly favored by Platinum Dragon God Bahamut. Although Red Dragons are generally not as naturally gifted as Gold Dragons in terms of bloodline, their powerful talent is still firmly ranked second among all Metal Dragons and Chromatic Dragon.
Once a Young Red Dragon begins to awaken its spellcasting abilities and possess innate spells that align with its mental characteristics, combined with the Red Dragon's powerful body, it will be a formidable enemy. Even if the Dragon clan already has as many as ten True Dragons, they still need to treat it with caution.
Juvenile True Dragon ps with 'delicate' bodies like White Dragon camid and Black Dragon Rosani would suffer heavy injuries the moment they encountered a Young Red Dragon. If it were a head-on confrontation, it would be normal for them to be directly torn apart by the Young Red Dragon.
Among the current True Dragons, only Kalon, this oversized Red Dragon, as well as the Red Copper Dragon Alfred and the Bronze Dragon Alina, possess the capital to contend with a Young Red Dragon.
Even Akzi can only skirt the edges, waiting for an opportunity to enter the fray.
"Don't spread the word about this in the territory for now. Let Antagena and Rosani send out birds and beasts to investigate the areas where that wandering Red Dragon has appeared," Kalon's eyes gleamed. It had been a long time since he had encountered a powerful opponent, and the Red Dragon's inherently warlike blood factors were reviving and boiling within him.
"If this wandering Red Dragon has no intention of invading the territory, then leave him alone for now. If he attempts to seize the territory we have painstakingly built and steal our fruits, I don't mind killing him with my own hands," Kalon's crimson eyes blazed with boiling flames.
He was not afraid of any punishment for killing a Red Dragon. Although True Dragon s try their best to avoid killing each other, it is not impossible to kill. Even if Tiamat descended, she would not be angered by the death of a Red Dragon who invaded another's territory. This is a consensus shared by all True Dragon s, transcending religion and divine edicts.