Under the Red Dragon.

Chapter 563 Time is running out

"We often cannot judge the value of a particular moment,"

“Until it becomes a memory we can never recapture in our long lives, Phyllis,”

Kalon Goggmora stood atop the Dragon Court, gazing upon his kingdom, where mountains stretched endlessly, plains stretched to the horizon, and the sea rose and fell with waves.

In Phyllis Tiamat's eyes, no mountain range or sea in the vast expanse could compare to the sheer size of the great red dragon before her.

In the eyes of ordinary people, the Dragon Emperor at this moment was merely a red dragon, a beautiful and majestic dragon with a body length of 120 meters from head to tail.

But in the eyes of a demigod like Phyllis, what she saw was a skeleton constructed from those legendary rules.

This dragon emperor reigns supreme in the empire, watching over all living beings in the mortal world. The entire empire's people and countless legionary warriors work tirelessly for him and provide for his needs.

The Empire's Department of Magic Research also has a dedicated elite organization responsible for analyzing the rules of magic for the Dragon Emperor, summarizing the results obtained from the exploration of other dimensions, and then inputting them into the Dragon Emperor's possession for his reference.

So even though Kalon Gogmora spent his days 'hiding' deep within the Dragon Court, Phyllis Tiamat was still able to see the red dragon grow with her own eyes.

This is also why Phyllis Tiamat gradually developed a fear of the dragon emperor, because the great red dragon's growth seemed to have never been constrained.

Those mysteries and rules are so complex and profound that no legendary mage can easily fathom them. They can only use their own constructed system of thought and logic to gradually interpret the vast rules and make them their own.

But in the eyes of this great red dragon, such complex and profound rules are perhaps just like a slightly difficult logic problem, which can be easily solved and analyzed with just a little effort from the dragon.

"No wonder I can't quite understand many of the magic textbooks this guy wrote," the female dragon occasionally thought.

There are many geniuses in the world, but in the eyes of other beings, these geniuses are just ordinary people.

Ordinary, normal people are seen by these people as fools who have some ability to take care of themselves.

Phyllis believed that the Dragon Emperor Caron Gogmora was such a being.

Phyllis Tiamat even suspected that the authority the Immortal Dragon God once held in Hell had long been decomposed and digested by this red dragon, turning into one of his own powers.

Therefore, it was not surprising that Phyllis, the female dragon, felt that the dragon emperor could see through her current contradictions.

In fact, the idea that the Dragon Emperor possesses spiritual power surpassing that of all living beings in the mortal world has gradually become a consensus in the world of Aikania.

Without such spiritual power that surpasses all living beings, how could one generate the unparalleled and irresistible power of the spiritual realm, overshadowing the majesty of the dragon god descending to the mortal world?

Strangely, this Dragon Emperor has never used such powerful mental abilities to peer into the minds of others or his subjects, a fact shared by millions of people in the Golden Empire.

Many people cannot understand that a ruler with such overwhelming power should have an unprecedented desire for control, and that controlling the hearts and minds of all living beings should be an instinct for such a ruler.

Therefore, Phyllis knew that the reason her inner reaction was so easily seen through was because her pride, which she had always considered to be her own, was simply shaken by the other person's words.

No one would ever say those words as casually as Dragon Emperor Caron Gogmora.

"Phyllis, you are already an extremely powerful demigod. Have you ever considered becoming a true god within the empire, a mortal dragon god who holds divine office?"

Phyllis knew that the Dragon God mentioned by the Dragon Emperor was merely an advancement in power and life level, and did not represent any other meaning.

If a legendary strongman feels that he cannot reach the end of the legendary path and achieve great success, he can embrace the path of the gods.

By cultivating divinity through the spirit of legend, one can become a demigod. If one chooses the path of faith in the gods, one needs to cultivate believers, spread doctrines, accumulate the power of faith, and ultimately ascend to godhood.

If a legendary destined powerhouse feels that their potential has reached its limit, they can easily choose the destiny of a demigod and instantly transform into a demigod being, although it will take some time.

This is the most convenient advantage brought by the legendary tempering of the spirit realm for advancement.

However, beings who embark on the path of demigods cannot turn back onto the path of legends. Phyllis Tiamat's only choices now are the path of a godlike being and the path of a true god of faith.

As one of the paths for dragons to ascend to the rank of gods, the Investiture of the Gods is powerful enough, but it belongs to the path of gods.

Therefore, the dragon that completed the conferment ceremony and ascended to the divine position only gained immortality and power like a god, but did not have the authority and power to control it. In layman's terms, it did not have the authority and power of a god.

Phyllis could also ascend to godhood as a subordinate of the immortal dragon god Tiamat, but such a subordinate is a gift from other gods, and the power does not entirely belong to her.

However, the relationship between deities is not as simple as the benevolence and moral constraints that appear on the surface.

Many deities have overlapping and competing divine powers. So why don't the powerful deities simply kill the weaker ones to reduce the area of ​​competition and acquire more perfect and powerful authority?

Within the Golden Empire, mages from the Magic Research Department gradually analyzed the existence of this pantheon.

These sorcerers believed that, on the one hand, the gods did not want to be in a constant state of vigilance against scheming and killing, causing them to be as restless as mortal beings.

On the other hand, many weaker deities would serve deities of higher rank in order to obtain a promise from the more powerful deities to protect them from the divine predation of other deities.

In exchange, when a more powerful deity accomplishes many goals, the weaker deities become its assistants.

This is one of the reasons for the origin of many pantheons, and perhaps the most important one.

The reason why the powers and authority of gods in many pantheons are similar is that many weaker gods will give a portion of their divine power to stronger gods as a way to solidify the agreement and contract, and as an offering to the gods.

According to the research and speculation of the magicians of the Golden Empire, only similar divine powers can be voluntarily shared and transferred among gods.

Therefore, the relationship between gods, which includes both benevolence and extortion, as well as the moral inclination of divine power, is highly pragmatic, but certainly not very benevolent.

Phyllis was quite certain of the conclusions drawn from the Imperial Magic Research Department's analysis, because even the five-colored dragon queen, who was a blood descendant of the immortal dragon god and inherited some of the essence of Tiamat, was a convincing example.

If she wanted to ascend to godhood, she could only become a subordinate god in the divine kingdom of hell, not a god with completely independent power.

Because Tiamat won't allow it!
But Karon Gogmora, the true dragon emperor, allowed it.

That's why Phyllis couldn't maintain her pretense in front of this red dragon. "For every living being I set my sights on, I will offer it a condition it cannot refuse,"

Kalon Gogmora's imposing figure was turned away from Phyllis, preventing her from seeing the true dragon emperor's expression. However, the female dragon felt that the dragon emperor must be extremely proud at this moment.

Phyllis polished her ivory-like tusks and spoke softly, "The creature you've chosen?"

"Does Emperor Gogmora also want me to bear your offspring?" the female dragon teased softly, her voice eerie.

“Your body has only any value to me; it’s just something to use in my lab for research,” Caron Gogmora said seriously.

But as the dragon emperor turned his head, Phyllis saw in the red dragon's eyes that what he said seemed to be true.

“What I want is your heart, Phyllis, a dragon's heart belonging to the Golden Empire and the Golgmora dragonflight,”

Kalon stared so blatantly into the female dragon's eerie eyes, a gaze so direct that even the dragon found it hard to bear.

The Five-Colored Dragon's style of doing things is simple and direct, but the Dragon Emperor is perhaps too direct.

"I won't pry into your past, and I don't care to investigate your purpose in coming to the Golden Empire, but I just want to tell you, Phyllis, time is precious even for dragons, so don't fucking waste it,"

Kalon said, "Think about what you really need instead of struggling with contradictions all day long. This will greatly affect your efficiency in working for me, which may be the reason why many dragons have started to complain to the Dragon King about you recently."

Phyllis remained silent for a long time before suddenly asking, "Why is it only now that you've decided to contact me?"

"Because of the dragon horde in the south, those hundreds of metal dragons are about to be brought under the rule of the empire,"

Kalon stated without hesitation, "If the Golden Empire were just a small country, just a simple dragon family, then it wouldn't matter."

"But once the goal of the Golden Empire was established, the Empress of the Empire could no longer be simply a five-colored dragon,"

"Therefore, Silver Dragon Chris became one of my queen candidates,"

"But now, the ownership of the hundreds of metal dragons in the southern dragon horde must be determined by a powerful figure from the Five-Colored Dragons,"

"That's why I chose you, Phyllis!"

Kalon stared intently into the female dragon's pupils. This silent pressure caused the female dragon's claws to tighten subtly, and the scales on her back seemed to stand on end.

Although the female dragon was much larger than the dragon emperor, she seemed as apprehensive as a young dragon facing an elder.

Because she was facing the ultimate predator in the world, the most terrifying political creature, the most elusive emperor, and the most powerful male dragon in the world of Ekania.

Even after Tiamat was banished that day, she sent a message from hell, warning her daughter to be more careful when facing the red dragon.

Tiamat said to Phyllis, "Don't assume that the power you've accumulated over the long years far surpasses that of this red dragon, but there are indeed many beings in the world who possess power levels far exceeding your own."

"That's a gap that even the offspring of gods can't bridge with their innately superior bloodlines!"

Phyllis exhaled slowly, striking the red dragon's cheek, but the breath was easily annihilated into nothingness by the dragon's anti-magic and anti-energy protective layer.

This startled Phyllis, before the female dragon slowly raised her head and asked, "Aren't you worried that I won't be able to control myself after becoming the Dragon God?"

"While the great dragons of the Gogmora dragonflight are undoubtedly exceptionally talented, they still need a long time to mature. Once I become the Dragon God, they may become a burden in our battle!"

Caron Gogmora bared his fangs and chuckled softly.

The red dragon said, "Phyllis, the gifts of fate often come with a hidden price tag."

"The one who bears the nation's shame is the master of the state; the one who bears the nation's misfortune is the king of the world. Since you have accepted the power of the Golden Empire, you must bear the responsibilities of the Golden Empire."

The red dragon slowly raised its head and looked at the billions of stars in the sky. The movement of the galaxy was only visible in its pupils.

"If you choose this condition, you will be bound to the Golden Empire. When the empire prospers, you prosper; when the empire declines, you will be humiliated!"

"You can choose to become a protective shield for the fledglings of the empire, allowing them to grow safely until they reach the summit, spreading your fame and increasing your power,"

"If you want power, I can give it to you; if you want strength, I can give it to you too. But when that time comes, will you still be willing to sit idly by and watch the empire's existence be destroyed?"

For some reason, upon hearing Caron Gogmora's words, Phyllis felt no excitement or anticipation of gaining greater power; instead, she felt a stinging pain in her head.

The female dragon inexplicably thought of the always listless blue dragon Dos, the bronze dragon Alina who was busy running around various cities all day, and the mist dragon Droni who was traveling around the borders of the empire to formulate defense policies.

She also thought of the steel dragon Midil, who was always harboring mischief, and the copper dragon Alfred, who was always wandering the mortal world with his laptop in his hand...

The images of the great dragons in the Golgrimora dragonflight flashed through her mind, and she actually hesitated to even attempt it.

The female dragon never imagined that one day, when faced with an even greater power, she would feel so timid and confused.

The weight of that responsibility was so heavy that even the demigod female dragon hesitated to shoulder it.

"Even if I want to become a god, it's not something that can be achieved overnight. I think I need a lot more time to consider it,"

The female dragon slowly ground her teeth, responding through gritted teeth.

Kalon turned his head, his massive head once again gazing southward into the distance.

The wind atop the royal court echoed with the dragon emperor's soft whispers.

"Hehe, time is running out, Phyllis!"

(End of this chapter)