Defeat the entire world with the power of one dragon!

Chapter 549 The world's chaos level has reached 40%.
The cracks are still there.

Huge cracks lay across the earth, like wounds left by the world itself. The surrounding land cracked inch by inch under the erosion of the abyss's aura, and the charred cracks spread outwards like a spider web, devouring the once fertile soil.

Some of the cracks were bottomless, and faint light could be seen flickering in the depths.

Occasionally, a wisp of purple mist seeped from the cracks in the ground, exuding an evil and chaotic aura.

The wind and snow fell around the cracks, the white snowflakes covering the charred cracks, but unable to conceal the sense of decay emanating from the depths. It was like the breath of some living thing, slow and persistent, spreading outwards without stopping.

"How does the Northern Territory plan to deal with this rift?"

Afra did not leave immediately.

She stopped opposite the red iron dragon, her robes fluttering in the biting wind, her long silver hair scattered by the wind, yet restrained by some invisible force so as not to be too disheveled.

At the same time, she turned her head slightly and asked:

"Does Your Majesty intend to wipe them out completely, just like last time? Or will you take a gentler approach and gradually disperse them?"

The fissure itself is merely a channel.

The real danger comes from the chaotic demons on the other side.

Now that the Great Demon has been slain, the Demon General has been subdued, and the other demons have either fled or died, this lonely rift seems to be harmless for the time being. No more demons are emerging from it, and only the occasional surge of evil energy proves that it is still connected to the abyss.

But this is just appearance.

In the knowledge of Dragon Legacy, there is a specific term to describe this phenomenon.

Level of confusion.

Whenever a deep rift takes root in the material world, the chaos of that world increases accordingly.

Just as a wound is more susceptible to infection after it festers, the higher the level of chaos, the easier it is for abyssal rifts to be born and appear. They are the lesions of the world, attracting and reinforcing each other.

Not only that.

Large-scale wars, natural disasters, catastrophes...

These upheavals will also increase the level of chaos in the world.

In short, the more chaotic a world is, the more likely it is to be targeted and invaded by demons or other evil beings from lower planes.

Once the invasion begins, if the fundamental contradictions cannot be resolved and the level of chaos reduced immediately, the war will escalate further, causing the level of chaos to rise even faster, attracting more attention from the Abyss, and creating more fissures...

Ultimately, this creates a vicious cycle that reinforces itself.

This is a typical path for a world to slide into destruction.

"Atlantis, no, because of the actions of the three great empires, the chaos level of the entire Bernardo is soaring."

“Every day, every night, almost every minute and every second, it’s improving. According to the summary in the legacy, Bernardo’s level of chaos is already over 40%.”

Red Iron Dragon remained silent, assessing the level of chaos in the world.

What does a 40% level of disorder mean?
This means that wars are raging around the world, natural disasters are frequent, demons are beginning to invade on a large scale, borders of kingdoms are engulfed in flames, city-states are fighting each other, farmland is abandoned, and refugees are displaced.

In some vulnerable areas, large swathes of land have already been reduced to scorched earth.

If it goes any further, exceeding 60%... even imperial-level entities will be on the verge of collapse.

Those once invincible behemoths will gradually collapse amidst internal and external troubles, and perish in the flames of continuous war.

Beneath the empire, however, life was even more precarious, with kingdoms collapsing, city-states vanishing, countless lives lost, and the flame of civilization flickering in the darkness, threatening to be extinguished at any moment.

Bernardo is now, if not completely finished, but he's certainly on the verge of collapse.

However, as long as the chaos level does not exceed 80%, and the world coordinates are not completely marked by the abyss and cannot be reversed, the demons cannot descend on a large scale with impunity.
Then there is still a chance to salvage the situation.

"If the world's chaos level exceeds 60%, and I haven't yet reached the Grand rank..."

"At that time, we'll have to consider a plan to evacuate to the Immortal Spirit Wilderness."

Galos was considering this worst-case scenario.

He then composed himself, lowered his head, and re-examined the abyss rift.

Should we sweep it clean, or deal with it gently and slowly?

This is a problem.

The former is simple, direct, and solves the problem once and for all.

One Dragon Emperor Dimensional Shot, and nothing is left.

The rifts, the remains, the traces of demons will all turn to dust, the abyssal aura will be completely dispelled, and the pollution will be erased.

However, the cost is that the affected land will also be destroyed, and the surface structure will be devastated.

The latter requires sending people to be stationed there long-term, setting up arrays to purify it little by little, and slowly dispelling the abyss's aura.

This will take years, during which time the guards must be wary of harassment from the remaining demons, the resurgence of the rifts, and demons that may infiltrate from other rifts, as well as evil creatures attracted by the energy of the abyss. The stationed warriors will have to endure long-term erosion, and both their minds and bodies will be tested.

The advantage is that the land will not suffer devastating damage.

Once the purification is complete, it will quickly regain its vitality.

After the polluted soil is treated and the abyssal aura is completely removed, the cycle of life will begin again within a few years: weeds will regrow, followed by shrubs, and then trees.

The former is decisive and efficient, but the cost is clear; the latter is cautious and conservative, but it increases the uncertainty.

After some deliberation, Hong Tielong gave a two-word answer.

"wipe out."

Upon hearing this, Afra raised an eyebrow.

Her eyebrows were thin, the kind of carefully shaped arches, and when she raised them, they carried a subtle surprise. It was just a slight change in expression, but it was enough to convey her astonishment.

"Has Your Majesty made up your mind?"

"Think about it."

“But…” The Crown of Magic paused, choosing her words carefully, before continuing, “The traces you left behind after clearing the rift last time are still there, you should know that, right?”

Galos did not respond, but simply looked at her.

Under the dragon's gaze, Afra stated plainly:

"Not a blade of grass grows there. The land is scorched and covered with a hard, glass-like crust. Even the underground water veins have dried up... Nearly a year has passed, and there is still no sign of life there. Not even the most tenacious moss has sprouted. There are no microorganisms, no insects, and no signs of life. I don't know when it will recover."

"If this blow lands, this land will become like that too."

She raised her hand and pointed to the battlefield where the battle had just ended.

"Isn't it a pity that the territory the North just gained is being destroyed like this? Moreover, I can vaguely feel the pain of Atlantis. This land is suffering from trauma and it is groaning."

Garus's dragon face remained expressionless.

His face was covered in scales, making it difficult to discern his emotions when he remained expressionless.

"pity."

He said.

"Then..."

Time heals all wounds.

Galos interrupted her.

Afra was stunned for a moment.

Red Iron Dragon's gaze fell on the scorched earth, then he looked up and gazed into the distance.

Amidst the wind and snow, the outlines of distant mountains and forests yet to be touched by war could be faintly seen.

The trees still retained their deep green color, their crowns covered with snow, and occasionally a hardy bird would flit across the treetops, leaving a fleeting shadow in the gray-white sky.

"What you see now is land being destroyed."

The dragon slowly spoke, its voice deep and calm, "What I see is that in ten years, the first hardy grass will begin to grow here; in fifty years, shrubs will cover the land, and moss and lichen will return first; in a hundred years, the forest will flourish again, and the animals will migrate back..."

"Two hundred years from now, no one will remember that this place was ever harmed."

Afra fell silent and said no more.

The mindset of immortal beings is ultimately different from that of humans.

For her, even though she was a Grand Spellcaster with a lifespan far exceeding that of ordinary humans, a hundred years was still a very long time.

She couldn't imagine a perspective that considered things in centuries, just as she couldn't imagine how fast time flowed in the long life of a dragon.

However, Afra could understand this difference in thinking.

"Your Majesty has a far-sighted vision; I was being presumptuous."

She bowed slightly and performed a simple Buddhist salute.

Red Iron Dragon didn't reply, but simply turned his gaze back to the crack.

“If Your Majesty wishes to disperse them gently, I can send someone to help.”

Afra said, "Magic circles, purification rituals, long-term stationing, anything is fine... We have a dedicated Abyss countermeasures team that has done many similar things and dealt with many Abyss Rifts. Although the scale is not this large, we still have experience."

“We can provide magical support and send people to guard the area in shifts.”

After saying that, she turned and flew south.

The floating magic tower followed her, carrying many legendary spellcasters, gradually turning into blurry specks of light in the wind and snow, and finally disappearing into the horizon.

Galos gazed in the direction she had gone, then turned to the other side.

A massive, imposing figure was approaching him.

Ancient Blue Dragon, Lord of Thunder, Ramirez.

He flapped his wings slowly and deliberately, with fine arcs of electricity swirling between his wingspan. Each flap caused the surrounding snowflakes to tremble slightly, and when you got close, you could even hear a low rumble of thunder rolling between his scales.

“Garos”.

He greeted him by his first name, his gaze sweeping over Red Iron Dragon's body.

Galos's wounds have mostly healed.

Newly grown dragon scales covered most of the exposed flesh, appearing slightly lighter in color than the surrounding old scales. However, in some of the deepest wounds, the newly grown bones could still be vaguely seen underneath.

Even so, Galos's aura remained calm, showing no signs of having just experienced a life-or-death battle.

He killed a great demon, yet showed no signs of weakness.

"Well played."

"That great demon that weakened itself to the Grand rank, even if I were to fight it, it would cost me a lot to win, but you don't seem to have suffered any irreversible damage," Ramora said, her voice filled with genuine admiration.

Galus watched him.

The dragon's black, ember-like eyes revealed no emotion.

"You came here just to praise me?"

He said.

Ramirez grinned, revealing a smile-like expression, his sharp teeth gleaming coldly in the snow.

"I mean it when I praise you, but it's not entirely just to compliment you."

The voice paused, and the Ancient Blue Dragon shifted its gaze from Garos to the direction where the ASEAN Legends had departed. There, Varta and the other ASEAN Legends had long since disappeared into the eastern horizon.

"Did you notice the look that monk gave you before he left?"

He looked away and asked.

Galos's pupils narrowed slightly: "What are you trying to say?"

"What I want to say is that he wanted that tear of immortality, and you refused. He didn't seem to care on the surface, but inside..."

The ancient dragon shook its head, its snout slightly parted to reveal a row of sharp teeth.

"That's how humans are; they're respectful on the surface, but they remember it in their hearts."

“Especially those old people who have lived for hundreds of years, they are very shrewd. They won’t turn on you on the spot, and they won’t let you see their dissatisfaction, but they will remember it.”

“One day, one month, one year, ten years… He would bring up this resentment whenever he had the chance.”

"He will not hesitate to kick you when you are down when you are at your weakest."

He stared at Garus and said bluntly, "That guy's talent in the Monk Path is not to be underestimated. He has achieved the unity of the three paths and is infinitely close to destiny. In some aspects, he is even stronger than us."

"However, given his circumstances, it is basically impossible for him to truly reach the Heavenly Mandate level."

Breakthroughs above the Grand rank mainly depend on one's own condition and lifespan.

To break through one's destiny, one needs to make full preparations while at one's peak and seize the opportunity in one go.

If you fail the first time, the success rate will only decrease in the future, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

"Think about it, your lifespan is short, there is no hope of breakthrough, and your lifelong pursuit is right in front of you but you cannot obtain it."

"But then, a treasure appears that can elevate you to a whole new level and rejuvenate you," Ramorain said. "Would you be willing to pay any price to obtain it?"

"Ha, he won't really give up."

"Human memory can be quite good at times, especially when it comes to holding grudges."

"so?"

"Therefore, you should consider how to deal with potential enemies."

Morion lowered his voice, leaned forward slightly, and said in a sincere tone, "Last time, I was too hasty. After thinking about it, I realized that these human Grandmasters should not be underestimated. They might be hiding some powerful trump cards."

"But I'm sure that as long as we join forces, nothing will be a problem."

"If you and I join forces, we can find an opportunity to wipe them out in one fell swoop. Once they're all dead, Atlantis will be the domain of us dragons."

He raised his dragon claw and drew a large circle in the air, lightning leaping at the tip of his claw and outlining a blurry shape.

"You get the entire North, I'll take the West, and we'll jointly rule Atlantis. Isn't that better than constantly having to guard against them like this?"

He pointed in the direction of the Eastern Lands, then in the Southern Regions, "What were they doing when you were fighting the Great Demon? They were hoping you and the Great Demon would both be severely injured so they could profit from the situation. You know this, and so do I."

"What's the point of keeping someone like that around?"

"If they can watch you die today, they can watch the abyss swallow the entire continent tomorrow. Rather than relying on them, we should do it ourselves."

That's a very...

Red Iron Dragon wore a playful expression.

"Oh? Am I mistaken? You didn't seem to be fighting the Demon General seriously either."

The ancient blue dragon's expression remained unchanged.

He said earnestly, "That's where you've misunderstood."

"As fellow noble and powerful dragons, how could I let you fight alone? I was mainly holding back to guard against those people. In case they suddenly attack, I need to have enough strength to deal with them, don't I?"

He spread out his dragon claws, looking quite frank.

"Yes, I believe you."

Galos nodded, but then changed the subject, "However, your suggestion is still not quite right."

Taigulong's brows furrowed slightly.

More accurately, it's the scales between the eyebrows that are wrinkled.

The dragon has no eyebrows; this is a habit left over from its humanoid form. Even when it reveals its true form, it will unconsciously make a similar expression.

Why not?

"Because Atlanta is too big."

Galos raised its dragon claw, pointed to the ground beneath its feet, and then to the distance.

Amidst the wind and snow, one can vaguely see continuous mountain ranges and endless plains. These are all newly divided lands, some already inhabited, others still barren, awaiting development by their new owners.

“Look at this land.”

"The North, the West, the East, the South... how many times larger are they than our original territories?"

"With Aura's current size, even if it wiped out all the other forces, it still wouldn't be able to manage them all."

"Governance requires manpower, time, and a stable order. We haven't even finished digesting our newly acquired territories yet, so how can we have the spare capacity to annex the entire continent?"

Galos was never one to have unrealistic ambitions.

The northern region is already large enough for Aura to develop for a long time.

Even with Aura's size, it might not be able to handle it. In this situation, even if they obtained the entire Atlantis, it would only be a heavy burden, a bottomless pit that would require countless resources to be invested but could not produce anything.

"And there are those things above our heads."

Galos raised his dragon claw and pointed upwards.

Above the clouds, the suspended city appears and disappears.

Those silent behemoths still hang over Middle-earth, casting enormous shadows day after day, like the Sword of Damocles hanging over everyone's heads.

"It's pretty certain that once this floating city collapses, it will cause cracks to appear."

"And judging from previous signs, I think there will be more floating cities crashing."

"If too many of the surface-level Grand Demons die, and another Great Demon and a High-Rank Demon General descend at the same time, I am not confident that I can withstand them alone, and neither are you."

Lamorion's gaze darkened slightly: "You have so little faith in yourself?"

"I trust myself."

Hong Tielong said, "However, I don't fight battles I'm not sure I can win."

Lamorion remained silent.

The wind and snow howled between them, swirling up the snow on the ground and forming small vortices in the air currents stirred up by the dragon's wings.

At that moment, Galos suddenly asked a seemingly unrelated question.

"Ramorion, how did you know in advance that the Floating City was going to fall? Tell me the specific source."

"No."

Blue Dragon answered decisively, without hesitation.

Galos said, "How can I trust you if you keep even your basic sources of information hidden?"

Lamorion shook his head, the scales on his neck rubbing against each other with a soft, metallic sound. "It doesn't matter. We have a common goal, that's enough. You know I won't hurt you."

Since he still refused to talk, Galos did not pursue the matter further.

There's no point in interrogating an ancient dragon, especially when it's determined to keep something from you.

However, based on this alone, he was unwilling to cooperate deeply with the Lord of Thunder.

Although there was no evidence or concrete information, Galos had a feeling that this guy was planning something, that he was up to no good, and that he couldn't be trusted.

Compared to the human Grand Dragon, this Grand Dragon is actually more worthy of our attention.

Galos thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "I have a question for you."

"explain."

"Once we really deal with those human Grand Masters, aren't you afraid I'll turn my attention to you?"

Lamorion was taken aback for a moment.

Then he laughed.

The sound was loud, echoing through the wind and snow.

"afraid?"

The dragon laughed heartily, its wing membranes trembling slightly from the laughter, and said, "Of course I'm afraid. You're so powerful that you can even kill a Great Demon in one go. Even if it was an incomplete Great Demon, it's still not something an ordinary Grand Dragon can match."

"I've calculated it. If it were a life-or-death struggle with you, my chances of winning would only be 37%."

How could I not be afraid?

As he spoke, he stopped laughing, looked at Galos, and lightning condensed into sharp points of light in his eyes.

“Garos Ignas, I have witnessed your power. You are stronger than I expected, so strong that I have to reassess the consequences of being your enemy.”

"So, I've made up my mind, and I won't waste any more time on this nonsense about co-governance."

The Ancient Blue Dragon said generously, "Let's eliminate the others together first."

"Once it's just the two of us left, let's have a fight, a battle that belongs only to us, and let our blood relatives and people witness it."

"Whoever wins will become the King of Atlantis."

"If I lose, I am willing to respect you and be loyal to you. I swear in the name of all the dragon gods that my race, including myself, will all the dragons will submit to you."

Garros narrowed his eyes, looking at the ancient blue dragon and its eyes flashing with lightning.

There was something intense in it, not like lying, but certainly not complete sincerity either.

Would an ambitious and determined ancient dragon like Ramorain willingly submit to other dragons?
No, absolutely not.

He probably has some advantage or backup plan, and believes he can win in a one-on-one fight.

Regardless of the Lord of Thunder's true intentions, and no matter how sincere he appears, Garos will not agree to cooperate with him without trust in him.

So he said calmly, "My goal is not to fight."

Galos raised his head and looked up at the sky.

Above the clouds, the floating city appears and disappears, and further away, there is the endless sky, the distant space, and the direction where the stars are.

His gaze seemed to pierce through the clouds and the atmosphere, seeing something much more distant.

"I learned a lot from this battle with the Great Demon."

"Once I've processed all of this and accumulated enough power, I'll step into the gates of the Grand Rank... That's what I care about most right now. Becoming king and dominating can wait."

Galos withdrew his gaze and looked at the blue dragon, his tone calm.

"Once I become a Grand Master and my kingdoms develop to the next stage, I will take action without you having to tell me."

"At that time, if you wish, we don't have to fight each other."

"It would be too lonely to stand alone at the top. I would be happy to rule Atlantis with other dragons and let the world know that even the so-called evil dragons in their eyes can coexist harmoniously. Who says that two dragon kings cannot be born on a continent?"

"We can draw borders, govern ourselves, and respect each other."

These words were spoken more sincerely than those of Lamorion.

But... it also has a somewhat condescending attitude.

Blue Dragon was silent for a few seconds, then grinned.

"Alright, with your growth potential, once you break through to the Grandmaster level, I probably won't be your match anymore, haha. At that time, I won't humiliate myself by challenging you again. My chances of winning are probably less than 10%."

"As for talk of co-governing Atlanta, let's not mention it again."

"All I've ever wanted is to see the dragon race become great again."

“If you can single-handedly sweep away all other kingdoms and restore the glory of my dragon race on this continent, I, Ramorion, swear by my own name that I will lead the entire Helmod dragonflight to serve under your wings.”

Galos chuckled and said, "Alright."

"I guarantee that the Kingdom of Aura will reserve a position for you, and it will be a high position no lower than that of my blood relatives."

Ramirez nodded, his wing membranes unfolded, and lightning crackled between his wing bones.

"I'm really looking forward to this day, but I still have kingdom affairs to attend to right now, see you next time."

"Take care."

The ancient dragon turned around, its wingspan creating a gust of wind, and led the dragons waiting on the other side to fly westward, like a moving thundercloud, gradually disappearing into the swirling snow.

After flying a long way away.

Only after the red iron dragon had disappeared from sight did a blue dragon beside Ramorion speak in a low voice.

"Brother, are you truly willing to serve under his wing?"

"This isn't like you."

How can we recognize another dragon as our king?

Upon hearing this, Ramorain paused slightly, then calmly retorted, "Is that not allowed? We are both dragons, sharing the same goal, and we can fight together for that goal. Why must we fight to the death?"

"He's strong, he's in power, I'm weak, I submit—what's wrong with that?"

That being said, the lightning around him gradually became more violent.

Fine arcs of electricity leaped between the scales, crackling and popping. Snowflakes around him were vaporized as they approached, forming a small, snow-free area. A thundercloud grew thicker and denser, almost engulfing his figure.

The other dragons remained silent, but flew more obediently.

Having followed the Lord of Thunder for a long time, they naturally knew his nature.

This ancient dragon never showed his emotions, but when he spoke calmly yet couldn't control his lightning power, that was often when he was at his most dangerous. Beneath his calm exterior lay surging rage or a murderous intent that had been stirred.

at the same time.

To the east, about three hundred miles from the battlefield.

Several legends surrounded Varta, the atmosphere heavy.

They flew very low, almost skimming the treetops. The monk's robes fluttered in the wind, but he himself remained as still as a stone statue, not even a strand of hair swaying.
"The Tears of Immortality is your only chance to break through."

Another human Grand Master, whose reputation was not as high as Varta's, said in a deep voice.

He was a Grand Warrior from the Kingdom of Farrell, much older, with white hair and beard, and his face etched with the marks of time.

"Valta, if you miss this opportunity, it will be almost impossible for you to break through to the Heavenly Mandate on your own."

"And we, Farrell, will also lose the opportunity to have a chosen one oversee us. You know what that means? In potential future conflicts, we will be at a disadvantage."

Varta gazed calmly into the distance, offering no immediate response.

Another legend has spoken.

This was a middle-aged man, clad in heavy armor, carrying a giant sword almost as tall as a person.

His voice was hoarse as he said, "Besides the Tears of Immortality, that Red Emperor is already this strong, comparable to a Grand Rank, and can even kill a Great Demon. When he truly reaches the Grand Rank, he might dare to challenge the true destiny."

"If he turns against us and tries to swallow us up, who can stop him?"

"Therefore, I will not wait for him to reach the Grand Prix."

Varta finally spoke, speaking slowly.

"We didn't anticipate the situation beforehand, nor were we prepared in advance. It wasn't the right time to confront them head-on. If we turned against them then, Afra might intervene, and the Lord of Thunder, Ramorion, might also take the opportunity to cause trouble."

"There are too many variables."

After a slight pause, Varta turned her head to look at her companions.

His eyes were bright, like polished obsidian, containing no anger, only deep contemplation.

"Now we can proceed with a detailed plan."

Another legend couldn't help but ask, "What are your plans?"

"He just killed the Great Demon in a one-on-one fight. Although the Great Demon wasn't at his peak, it still proves his strength. In a head-on confrontation, we might not have a chance of winning, and even if we do, the cost will be high."

Therefore, we will avoid direct conflict.

Varta's gaze deepened, and he slowly said, "Dragons have their weaknesses. They have long lifespans and great talents, but they have one flaw that cannot be ignored."

"That is, slumber."

This word startled several legends.

Sleep? Isn't that an excellent talent of the dragon race?
"Dragons go into a deep sleep every now and then; it's part of their life. This mechanism is one of the reasons why dragons are so powerful. During their sleep, their strength increases, their injuries heal, and they can even break through their limits."

"But for them, sleep is not all good."

Everything has its advantages and disadvantages.

Varta glanced at his companions, making sure everyone was listening attentively.

"During their slumber, the dragons have an instinctive warning system, but they are not truly awake."

"Their perception will drop to about 10% of normal, and their reaction speed will also decrease significantly."

"When a dragon awakens from its slumber, it is also when it is weak, hungry, and its energy is waning. This window of opportunity is very short, especially for a dragon emperor who controls countless resources. It may only last a few days or even a few hours, but it does exist."

Old Crown's eyes lit up: "You mean..."

"He needs to sleep eventually."

Varta said calmly, "Based on the information we have gathered and the general pattern of dragon growth, his next slumber will not be too far off, and he will need a long slumber to digest it."

"Having experienced a major war, this process may be accelerated."

"According to my estimate, his slumber will last for about a hundred years. During his slumber, the kingdoms under his command will always become conservative and reserved. This is a common problem in dragon kingdoms. When the monarch is asleep, the dragons are leaderless, and the dragons and their followers dare not act rashly."

The monk paused, then his gaze sharpened.

"At that time, we will prepare in advance, calculate the timing accurately, and launch a surprise attack."

"Strike while the iron is hot and kill him before he can reach the Grand Prix."

(End of this chapter)