Defeat the entire world with the power of one dragon!

Chapter 559 Sky Island, Aura Dragon Spirit, Old Friends.

The Red Emperor fell asleep, but time did not stop.

Days passed, years passed, the sun rose as usual, and the seasons continued to turn.

However, the kingdom did not stop operating; it simply changed its development strategy. The development of its territory was now focused on stability, taking as much as it could and leaving the rest for later.

The behemoth of the Kingdom of Aura concealed its power and closed its eyes for a short rest.

Spring of 512 AD (Gregorian calendar).

Iron Dragon Sorog began to feel signs of falling asleep.

Just as a river eventually flows into the sea, and day and night eventually alternate, sleepiness rises from the depths of the body, growing stronger day by day.

"I should go to sleep too."

He said to the red dragon.

Samantha nestled beside him, sensing her own condition. She was in a similar state, feeling sleepy but not yet at the point where she needed to fall asleep.

"In two years at most, I will also begin to sleep."

She flicked her tail irritably, the tip striking the ground with a slapping sound. "We're close in age, and our dormant periods always overlap."

"This has become a hidden danger."

"When the emperor was asleep, the princes were asleep too, and the entire Aura was leaderless."

Tie Long remained silent for a few seconds, seemingly lost in thought.

"No, this might be the last time."

He said slowly, "If Garus can awaken ahead of time as he said, our periods of slumber will gradually be staggered, and the emperor's sons will gradually grow up and be able to stand on their own."

After a slight pause, Sorog added, "Besides, there is one sober one among us."

Samantha wrinkled the scales on her forehead, squeezing out a few lines on the scales.

"You mean...Gorton?"

Sorog nodded.

"When he broke through to the legendary level, he entered his prime and fell into a deep slumber much earlier than expected."

“That was many years ago. Time has already slipped away from us. When we are awake, we are asleep. By the time he falls asleep, we should already be awake. His rhythm is different from ours now.”

The red dragon shook its enormous head and exhaled a puff of hot air from its nostrils.

"Whether Gorton is awake or asleep makes no difference to us. Can you expect him to run the kingdom on our behalf?"

Sorog turned to look at his blood relatives, his expression serious.

“Samantha, my sister, don’t forget that although Gorton started late, he has never stopped growing. He has blood similar to ours flowing in his veins, which means he will not always be an ordinary dragon.”

He paused, then said, "After you fall asleep, let him manage the kingdom on your behalf."

The red dragon shook its head again, spitting out a few sparks from its nostrils and letting out a sneer.

"Let him manage it temporarily?"

Her tone was full of disdain, "It would be better to hand it over entirely to Aura's henchmen."

She was referring to Galus's three legendary feuding members.

Aura's Fang, Gluttonous Demon Karu; Aura's Edge, Centaur Elvie; Aura's Claw, Werewolf Russell.

These three have followed Galos the longest, are the strongest, and their loyalty is the most unquestionable.

When the Kingdom of Aura was still the Ironclad Tribe, its development strategy during its dormant period had already been determined.

While the king sleeps, his minions will strictly carry out his will.

Even Sorog or Samantha would not carry out orders if they clearly contradicted the king's will; this was the rule and the tradition.

"In our Aura, only a true dragon can lead the kingdom."

"Iron Dragon said."

He was not a dragon supremacist; Sorog acknowledged the strength and contributions of his non-dragon followers.

But he knew very well that no matter how strong the minions were, they could not truly rule the kingdom; many things could only be handled by the true dragons.

Without saying anything more, Tie Long turned and stepped into the place of slumber.

Autumn of 513 (Gregorian calendar).

Samantha, the red dragon, also began to feel deeply tired, as if countless hands were pulling her down. She knew she couldn't delay any longer.

After thinking it over, she remembered Sorog's words.

In the end, he still summoned Gorton from Waldor to the Red Emperor's City.

After the Kingdom of Aura became the ruler of the North, Iron Dragon Gordon, with his extensive experience in Lorthorn, has been handling affairs among the Romanian kingdoms.

Diplomacy, infiltration, influence, appeasement, deterrence
He handled these tasks very well; there was nothing wrong with them.

This time, all his blood relatives were asleep, but he was the only one awake.

In the spacious hall, two giant dragons sat facing each other.

Gorton was much stronger than when they last met, his scales were deeper, and his gaze was more composed. He lay there quietly, waiting for his sister to speak.

“Gorton, my foolish brother, I’m leaving Aura in your care for now.”

"Prioritize stability, focus on internal development, and avoid causing trouble."

The red dragon said, word by word, "Garos gave me these instructions before he went to sleep, and Sorog gave them to me as well. Now I'm giving them to you as well: Don't be reckless, don't cause trouble, and don't forget who you are just because you have power."

Her voice paused, then became even more ferocious.

"If I wake up and find that the kingdom is in trouble because of you, I will definitely not let you off the hook."

Did you hear me clearly?

Gorton nodded emphatically.

His gaze was serious, showing no dissatisfaction or fear despite Sister Long's threat.

"Don't worry, my dear sister."

"I assure you, when you wake up, you will see a prosperous and thriving Aura."

Samantha stared at him for a few seconds, her gaze sharp, as if trying to pierce his brain to see if he had really remembered it, then she looked away and turned to leave.

After the emperor, the Iron Prince and the Fire Prince fell into a deep sleep.

That year, Gorton took over the administration of the kingdom and held great power.

His personality was neither as calm as Sorog nor as volatile as Samantha.

He is somewhere in between, firm when he needs to be, and soft when he needs to be.

During his years in Lorthorn, he learned when to advance, when to retreat, and when to remain silent.

Most importantly, he listened to his older brothers and sisters.

Before Garus fell into a deep sleep, he instructed that the kingdom should prioritize stability.

Sorog and Samantha had also told him not to cause trouble or act rashly, and Gorton kept those words in mind without forgetting a single one.

He did not become arrogant because he held great power.

He simply continued to advance what was already being done along the established path, striving to do his best in his assigned tasks.

Develop territory, accumulate resources, advance technology, improve military formations, and strengthen border defenses...

Take it one step at a time, without rushing or being impatient.

It's summer, 524th year of the New Calendar.

The first sky island in the Kingdom of Aura has risen.

Its diameter is less than 300 meters, and only a few simple buildings were built on it, with wooden frames and stone bases, for experimental purposes.

From a distance, it looks like a large rock floating in the air.

Clumsy, rough, but it was definitely floating.

It is a true floating island, suspended in mid-air by the Cloud Engine.

Since acquiring Holden's two major technologies, the Kingdom of Aura has never stopped developing them.

Those technologies were repeatedly studied, tested, and improved, and when Gorton took over the kingdom, he mainly focused on internal development, which naturally included the Cloud Engine.

"Tsk, this feeling is truly wonderful."

Iron Dragon Gorton stood on the edge of the sky island, looking down at the vast and boundless land.

Many people couldn't understand why Holden would go to such lengths to put the city in the sky.

This seems pointless, a waste of resources and energy, and makes us an easy target.

Isn't it better to stay on the ground? It's down-to-earth, peaceful, and comfortable.

Why bother?
Gordon didn't understand it either.

But now, standing here, looking down at the kingdom beneath his feet, at the mountains and the earth, at the countless tiny creatures... he probably understands.

It's not because of any strategic considerations, security factors, or grand plans.

Just because...

This feeling is amazing.

They are superior to others, looking down on all living beings like gods.

Those things that run, crawl, and walk on the ground all become so small and insignificant, while I stand on high, looking down on everything.

"Holden's so-called national ascension is essentially a pursuit on a spiritual level, a kind of self-satisfaction."

He muttered to himself.

Tielong stood there for a while, feeling the wind blowing under him and the clouds drifting by. Then he spread his wings and jumped off the edge of the sky island without any hesitation.

Dive, accelerate, and the air whistles past the scales.

The ground grew closer and clearer, and then at the last moment, he suddenly pulled up, skimming the treetops and startling a flock of birds.

It's always better to be down-to-earth.

he thought.

Spring of 531 (Gregorian calendar).

In the northern border of Middle-earth, at a certain mine.

Rumble! Rumble!
The engineering golem kept turning, its huge body moving through the mine, the drills on its arms striking the rock walls, sending flying rocks and dust, the deafening sound echoing through the valley and scaring away the birds and beasts nearby.

Suddenly, the earth began to tremble.

The tremor was not caused by the golem.

A deeper and more violent tremor erupted, the ground bulged and cracked, and the fissures spread in all directions. Then, a colossal ferocious beast burst out of the ground.

Its body is over 100 meters in diameter and is covered with a dark black chitinous carapace that gleams with a dark luster in the sunlight.

It has six strong and powerful segments, each tens of meters long, with sharp spikes at the end.

Its mouthparts opened and closed repeatedly, revealing layers upon layers of teeth. Its eyes were compound eyes, composed of countless small eyes, each reflecting a fragmented scene.

Destroy insects.

These are legendary ferocious beasts that live deep underground. They are enormous, irritable, and take pleasure in devouring all life. They are slumbering in the depths of the earth for most of the year, but once they awaken, they will bring destruction and death to the land.

The noise from the golem mining ore awakened it.

The destructive insects emitted a piercing screech, the sound waves causing the air to tremble.

It swept its limbs and smashed the surrounding golems into pieces in a few moves. Soon, the mine collapsed and the resource point was destroyed, but it still didn't stop.

It rampaged across the northern lands, felling trees and cracking the ground wherever it went.

until.

The dragon's might descended from the sky.

That was a dragon.

It is made of pure energy, but its form is clearly discernible.

Its entire body is dark red, with distinct scales, prominent dragon horns, and piercing eyes. It is much larger than the Destroyer Insect, with a wingspan that blots out the sky. Unlike normal dragons, it seems to be a being that has stepped out of mythology, with an invisible flame burning around it, distorting and deforming the surrounding air with every breath.

It looked down at the insect with a cold gaze.

The insect of destruction paused for a moment.

Its compound eyes spotted the uninvited guest, and its instincts told it danger, but anger overwhelmed its instincts. It hissed, and with all six of its limbs working together, it pounced.

The dragon did not dodge.

It raised one of its front paws and gently pressed down.

boom!
The insects were forced directly into the ground.

The earth caved in, forming a huge pit. The insect's carapace shattered under the immense force, and its body fluids gushed out, soaking the surrounding soil.

Its six segmented limbs pawed frantically, its mouthparts opening and closing repeatedly, trying to bite the giant claw pressing down on it.

But no matter how much it struggled, it couldn't break free.

The dragon lowered its head, looking down at the insect at its feet with a calm gaze, as if it were looking at a real insect. Then, it opened its dragon snout.

call!
Rolling flames surged forth, engulfing the insects and burning them inch by inch until they turned to ashes. The insects' hissing grew weaker and weaker until it disappeared completely.

When the flames died down, only a pile of charred remains remained in the crater.

After destroying its target, the dragon raised its head and roared.

The sound shook the surrounding area and resounded through the sky. Then its entire body transformed into light, shot straight into the sky, and disappeared into the vast expanse of space.

The surrounding Ora people witnessed this scene.

They emerged from their hiding place and burst into cheers, the cheers rising higher and higher and lasting for a long time.

And they also knew what that dragon was.

It is the masterpiece of the Steel Prince's hard work over the years, the Aura Dragon Spirit.

Over the years, the Kingdom of Aura has continuously improved its military formations and has never stopped strengthening the Hall of Heroes.

Gordon had a sudden inspiration: could the two be combined?
Thus, the Dragon Spirit was born.

Essentially, it is an advancement of the Aura War Soul, and similar to the Holy Spirit of Lorthern.

It becomes stronger because of the strength of the Aura Legion; the stronger the legion, the stronger it becomes.

It takes the form of a giant dragon and usually resides in the sanctuary. When needed, it can fight independently, and wherever it is, the surrounding Aura warriors will be amplified and strengthened, their combat power multiplied.

This was Aura Dragon Spirit's first real battle.

"The effect is good. Galos and the others should be pleasantly surprised when they wake up."

Gordon watched from a distance, thinking to himself.

536 AD (New Calendar)

Theo, Silver City.

A figure stood at the city gate, motionless for a long time.

Reinhardt looked up at the flags fluttering atop the city walls.

It's been a hundred years.

The city gate is still the same city gate, the city wall is still the same city wall, and the color of the stone has not changed much, but the flags flying on the city wall have changed, with one more flag now standing out prominently.

Aura's Crimson Dragon Banner.

The flag fluttered in the wind, its dragon pattern bared and claws raised, as if looking down on everyone entering and leaving the city gate. It was hung higher and in a more conspicuous position than the flag of Theo's own country.

Reinhardt took a deep breath and strode into the city.

The streets were much wider than I remembered, and the buildings on both sides were taller and more exquisite. Some were newly built, and some were renovated, with a style that blended the ruggedness of the North with the elegance of Theo.

The area was bustling with pedestrians, including locals from Theo and a small number of Ora people.

They mingled together, talking, trading, and laughing, showing no signs of distance between them.

Reinhardt's gaze swept across the crowd.

Several vendors haggled over prices by the roadside, arguing heatedly, but burst into laughter when they finally reached a deal. A patrol of soldiers walked by, their steps neat and their bright armor covered with dragon patterns.

At some key intersections, towering trolls are stationed.

They were several meters tall and wielded giant axes, yet passersby were not afraid of their presence; some even nodded and greeted them as they walked past.

Reinhardt looked away and continued walking forward.

He turned a corner and stopped.

A huge statue stands in the center of the square.

Lord of the North, the Red Emperor.

The dragon is depicted with three heads and six arms, its head raised towards the sky, lifelike, with every scale meticulously carved and every eye bright and piercing.

The base of the statue is covered with inscriptions recording the various deeds of the Red Emperor.

Establish the Kingdom of Aura, unify Romania, quell the abyssal rift, slay the great demon, and destroy the out-of-control floating city...

It was majestic and imposing, surrounded by flowers, some withered and some still fresh, clearly being replaced by people constantly.

Several children are playing under the statue.

They ran around the base, chasing each other, and occasionally pretended to roar like a dragon, spreading their arms and opening their mouths wide, playing around with their companions. Some of the bolder ones even tried to climb up the statue, grabbing the protrusions on the scales and climbing upwards.

There were centaur guards around, but they did not stop them.

They just stood there, glancing at it occasionally.

Reinhardt stood there, looking at the dragon statue, the flowers, the children playing, and the guards, his gaze sweeping back and forth, and he fell silent for a moment.

"Uncle, are you also here to pay your respects to the emperor's statue?"

A crisp sound came from the side.

Reinhardt turned his head.

A young girl, in her early twenties, stood beside him with a warm smile on her face.

Her attire and appearance were somewhat different from the style of Theo in his memory. She wore small dragon claw or dragon wing-shaped ornaments, and her dress had dragon-patterned trim on the cuffs and collar, which looked like a kind of fashion.

"To pay homage?"

Reinhardt repeated the word.

"Yes."

The girl said matter-of-factly, "This is the most famous attraction in Silvershine City."

"This used to be the site of a royal palace. It is said that the great Red Emperor once visited this place, and since then, it has become a sacred site. Everyone who comes to Silvershine City comes to see it and pay their respects."

"Are you a Theo?"

Reinhardt asked.

“Yes, a native Theo.” The girl laughed. “But you, uncle, where are you from? You don’t look like one of us Theo people, or even like someone from the North… Are you from some other kingdom?”

Reinhardt fell silent.

He suddenly felt that the Kingdom of Theo was somewhat unfamiliar.

No, it's not unfamiliar, it's... become something else entirely.

The Theo he remembered was not like this.

He let out a soft breath and asked, "Well, I am a traveler from a very far place. I am curious, what do you Theos think of Aura?"

The girl paused for a moment, then smiled, a bright and cheerful smile.

"How should I see it? Of course, I'm proud!"

Her tone was full of pride.

“Our Theo is now Aura’s closest partner.”

"Back then, it was fortunate that Aura corrected our mistakes and led us onto the right path. Without Aura and the Red Emperor, we might still be standing still or even regressing."

Reinhardt listened without saying a word.

The girl continued enthusiastically, "You come from a very far place, but you must have heard of the Red Emperor. Our entire Northern Territory is proud of the Red Emperor's existence."

"You could even say he's the pride of the entire Atlanta!"

She reached out and pointed at the statue.

"If it weren't for the great Red Emperor's intervention, destroying those out-of-control floating cities, how could Atlantis have the peace it enjoys today?"

"Hehe, now the whole continent is talking about it. Even high-ranking figures like Holden have to beg His Majesty for help! If it weren't for His Majesty's intervention, those floating cities would have smashed the ground to pieces long ago."

Reinhardt nodded.

He said slowly, "The name of the Red Emperor is legendary. I heard about him a long time ago and he left a deep impression on me."

After chatting for a few more minutes, the girl waved and turned to leave, humming a song as she went, her steps light and quick, like a happy little bird.

Reinhardt stood there, looking at the dragon statue, the flowers, and the children playing.

All of this seems so wonderful.

It was so wonderful that... people completely forgot about the hatred and pain they had once felt.

"Have we already forgotten the past after only a hundred years or so?"

Reinhardt muttered to himself.

He suddenly remembered himself.

He was the light of Theo, the hope of the entire kingdom.

Everyone says he will lead Theo to revival and defeat the Red Iron Dragon's tyranny.

And what happened? He didn't even get to face the Red Emperor directly.

In his duel with the emperor's henchman, Aura's Edge, he nearly lost his life. If it weren't for the old king's tireless efforts to save him, he would have died long ago.

So many years have passed.

He experienced countless life-and-death situations on the continent of Aurotara, overcoming numerous obstacles and encountering both danger and opportunity.

During this time, he successfully obtained the sacred spring of the elves, which repaired the damage to his body. Now he has finally reached the limit of the Grand rank, and is only one step away from his destiny.

We've accumulated enough experience, and all the necessary conditions are in place.

But this is the step they just can't seem to take.

Every time he tried to break through, a pair of cold, vertical pupils would appear in his mind.

It was calm, profound, devoid of any emotion, simply looking at him as if he were an ant, a speck of dust, an insignificant being.

He couldn't calm down when those vertical pupils were staring at him.

My heart is racing, my breathing is erratic, and my will is wavering. I just can't shake it off.

He knew what it was.

So he came back.

In order to calm his heart, to soothe the shadows of the past, and to defy fate.

As for Theo...

Reinhardt looked around.

His gaze swept over the cheering children, the joyful pedestrians, the flower-encircled statues, and the fluttering dragon flags.
Theo today takes pride in Aura and the Red Emperor, having long forgotten the hatred of the past, and is even unaware that hatred ever existed.

Those past events were buried in old papers, swept into the corners of history, and completely forgotten by the new generation.

"Perhaps, this is for the best."

Reinhardt thought to himself.

He had intended to meet with the king and discuss the future in person, but seeing the current situation, it was no longer necessary. The king likely shared the same thoughts and attitude.

The whole kingdom has changed, how could the king not change?
Reinhardt glanced at the majestic dragon statue one last time, then turned and walked against the flow of the crowd. His figure gradually disappeared into the depths of the street, swallowed up by the passing crowd, like a drop of water flowing into a river and vanishing without a trace.

(End of this chapter)