Evil Red Dragon

The news spread quickly.

Troll Camp.

Gru sat in his large stone house, sharpening his battle axe over and over again.

A young troll warrior peeked in through the doorway.

"Chief, the orcs want to challenge you."

"I see."

Gru didn't even look up, continuing with his work.

"Tell all soldiers to assemble at the training ground before sunrise tomorrow."

"You'd like to accept the challenge?"

"This is the master's order."

Gru finally raised his head, his greenish-red eyes gleaming in the dim light:

"I also want to know just how skilled that orc chieftain really is in a fight."

The young troll hesitated for a moment:

"But there are two of them..."

"Then let's play two matches."

Gru stood up, his tall figure almost reaching the roof:

"Kura is a shaman, not good at close combat. Her only real opponent is the Gronn, and the Gronn..."

He weighed the battle axe in his hand:

"I will show him what it means to be a dragonborn."

A campfire was lit in the center of the orc camp, and Gronn was making final preparations.

He removed his armor, revealing a muscular body covered in scars. The newly selected shaman apprentices, following Kula's instructions, used specially made pigments to paint patterns on his body.

"These runes will enhance your strength and stamina."

Kula personally inspected every single item:

"But remember, Gru is a dragonborn. His regenerative abilities far surpass those of ordinary trolls. Don't expect a protracted battle; you must win in one strike."

"protracted war?"

Goron snorted, "I could split him in two with one axe."

"If you think like that, you're bound to lose tomorrow."

Kula's voice turned cold:

"Gru has served his master for so long; he is not merely a brute. Put away your arrogance, Gronn, or you will bring shame upon the entire tribe."

Goron remained silent.

He recalled his interactions with Gru these past few days; the troll was indeed not as simple as he appeared.

In every argument, every confrontation, Gru maintained an infuriating calm; he was nothing like a troll.

"What should I do then?"

"Play to your strengths."

Kula said:

"The orcs' berserk power is our talent. You need to find the right moment to unleash it suddenly, which will greatly increase your chances of winning."

Goron nodded thoughtfully.

Kula is also preparing.

He sat back down in front of the campfire, staring intently at the pot of bubbling, murky green liquid above.

For over a hundred years, the people around him have forgotten that he actually transformed from a warrior into a shaman.

He had lived for far too long. His teachers, family, friends, and even his own generation of people had all died, and everything, including that powerful warrior, had been buried in the past.

And now, for the sake of the tribe, that undead is struggling to crawl out once more...

For...the glory of the past!

"Great ancestors, grant me strength..."

Inside the nest, Oliveira lay beside Alexo, her little paws pawing at Alexo's tail.

"Brother, how do you plan to fight them?"

"It's not a fight, it's a test."

Alekto corrected.

"But……"

Oliveira rolled over, revealing her soft belly:

"Is it really necessary? They're just tools to us. We can just find another one when they break. Why waste so much time..."

Alecto rolled his eyes.

As Oliveira said, this is indeed how most red dragons do it.

But how could he explain to Oliveira that he was destined to live in the human world?

After all, in a sense, he was also human. To expect him to live his entire life in the wild like other red dragons...

What's the point of living like this? He might as well just kill himself.

The human world can be prosperous and wealthy.

Everything he wants is available there, so why doesn't he go?

If he weren't currently weak, he would have gone there long ago.

As a red dragon, if he wants to enter the human world, he either needs to disguise himself, or...

"Anyway, I need their loyalty and unity, and that requires authority."

"The authority is not maintained by fear, but by awe. Where does this awe come from? It comes from their firsthand witnessing that the being they follow is far more powerful than they imagined."

Oliveira nodded as if she understood, then suddenly thought of something:

"Then, brother, will you use your full strength?"

"Of course," Alecto smiled.

"I want them to be unable to withstand even one move, that way they'll give up."

Night had fallen, but many creatures in Chifeng Territory were finding it difficult to fall asleep.

The orcs gathered around the campfire, discussing tomorrow's battle in hushed tones.

Some were excited, while others were worried.

The trolls remained relatively quiet, trusting in Gru's strength.

The next day, a flat area on the east side of Chifeng was cleared out, and all the orcs and trolls were summoned there.

The beastmen gathered to one side, whispering among themselves, their expressions varied.

Gronn stood at the very front, his bare upper body covered in dark red shamanic runes, his battle axe slung across his shoulder, his muscles bulging.

The trolls stood in formation on the opposite side, with Gru standing at the front, his dragon scales reflecting a red light, his double-edged battle axe stuck upside down in the ground, his hands clasped together at the end of the axe handle, his eyes closed in meditation.

At the cave entrance, Oliveira lay on Alecto's body, her tail wagging restlessly.

"Brother, why haven't they started yet?"

"They're waiting for the sun to fully rise. The ritual is important, especially on occasions like this."

As soon as he finished speaking, the first ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone on the summit of Chifeng.

Kula, leaning on his bone cane, slowly walked into the center of the open space, his voice echoing throughout the area:

"Chief Goron of the Bloodstain Tribe challenges Gru, the Dragonborn leader of Crimson Peak Territory!"

"According to the rules set by the master, the winner will gain the right to challenge the master!"

Gronn strode out, slamming his battle axe heavily on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Gru! Come out!"

Gru opened his eyes, his pupils shimmering with crimson light.

He slowly drew his battle axe, stepped forward, each step as steady as a mountain.

The two demons stood ten meters apart in the center of the open space, their gazes meeting in the air.

Kula slowly retreated to the edge and shouted:

"start!"

Goron made the first move.

Without testing him, he went straight into a berserk state, his muscles bulging and veins popping out. He charged toward Gru like a cannonball, his battle axe slashing down with the force of splitting a mountain!

Gru neither dodged nor avoided the attack, and instead swung his axe to meet it.

clang--

The deafening clang of metal striking metal made the spectators' eardrums ache.

Sparks flew as the two battle axes clashed. Goron was thrown back three steps, while Gru only took one step.

In terms of strength, he was indeed no match...

Goron's expression was solemn, but his fighting spirit was even stronger.

He charged again, this time changing his axe stance, sweeping it across Gru's waist and abdomen.

Gru dodged backward and swung his axe at Goron.

Goron missed his attack and immediately raised his arm to block. He barely managed to hold on at the last second, but was forced to kneel on one knee by the immense force.

Gru grinned:

"Is that all you've got? Orc chieftain, nothing special."

"Stop talking nonsense!"

Gronn roared, his runes suddenly lit up, and his violent power erupted. He forcefully pushed aside Gru's battle axe, flipped over and leaped up, the battle axe turning into a blur as he attacked Gru like a storm.

This time, Gru finally got serious.

He no longer took every hit head-on, but instead dodged and parried while looking for opportunities to counterattack.

The dragonborn endowed him not only with strength, but also with combat instincts and agility far exceeding those of ordinary trolls.

clang!clang!clang!

The sounds of air being cut and axes clashing were incessant as two figures moved at high speed across the open space, kicking up dust and leaving deep craters in the ground.

The orcs watching held their breath; they had never seen Gronn fight with such all his might.

The trolls' expressions gradually turned serious. They had absolute faith in Gru, but they had never seen Gru pushed to such a point.

Time ticked by, each second stirring the hearts of both of them.

Goron's offensive began to slow down; although his berserk state was powerful, it also consumed an enormous amount of his stamina.

Gru, however, remained completely at ease, demonstrating the Dragonborn's superior stamina.

"It's time to end this."

Gru suddenly spoke, his eyes blazing with red light.

He stopped dodging and charged at Goron, raising his axe and striking with all his might.

Goron had no time to dodge and was blasted away with a bang.

With a clang, the axe slipped from his hand and fell to the ground.

The entire room fell silent.

"I... lost."

Goron struggled to his feet, his eyes filled with resentment, but even more so with shock.

He never imagined he would lose so completely.

He had killed many level-five magical beasts and humans with this move, but Gru actually took it completely unscathed...

Gru sheathed his axe, stepped back, and nodded slightly.

"You are strong, but not enough. I am stronger."

Kula stepped forward slowly.

He didn't look at Golong, but instead looked towards Chifeng:

"Master, Goron's challenge has failed. According to the rules, I will take his place and challenge Gru."

Alector's voice came from afar:

"allow."

Kula turned to face Gru.

The old shaman's hunched back was now standing ramrod straight:

Do you want to rest?

"No need, come on!"

Gru immediately assumed a fighting stance, but his eyes were full of doubt.

Kula was way too close to him; it didn't seem like the spellcaster's choice at all.

Shamans are not good at close combat; that's common knowledge.

Kula didn't charge. He simply pulled out a bottle of bright green potion, tilted his head back, drank it all down, and began chanting a spell.

Magic began to gather.

Gru's expression changed; he could sense an extremely dangerous power awakening within the old orc.

"Great spirits of our ancestors, hear my call..."

Kula's voice became ethereal, as if it were an echo from ancient times.

His wrinkles diminished visibly, his hunched back straightened, and his lean muscles regained their fullness.

In just a few seconds, an old shaman on the verge of death transformed into a burly orc warrior.

"This is……"

Goron's eyes widened; he had never seen Kula in this state before.

"Sacrificial ceremony".

Alecto whispers from afar:

"At the cost of his life force, he awakened the ancestral power deep within his bloodline, temporarily returning to his peak... This great shaman is interesting."

Kula opened her eyes, which were burning with blue flames.

He no longer needed the bone staff; with his hands clenched, two battle axes appeared out of thin air.

"Gru! Watch out!"

Before he finished speaking, Kula had already disappeared from the spot.

Gru instinctively parried with his axe, but only managed to block one axe; the other slammed into his chest.

With a piercing scraping sound, Gru was sent flying, a deep gash appearing on his chest, his dragon scales shattered, and blood seeping out.

"What?!"

The trolls gasped in surprise; they had never seen Gru suffer a defeat in a direct confrontation.

Gru rolled to his feet, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and his eyes blazed with fighting spirit:

"Very good...that's more like it!"

He held nothing back, unleashing the full power of the Dragonborn. His dragon scales instantly turned crimson, and flames ignited on his double-edged battleaxe.

The two figures clashed again, and this time, the intensity of the battle far exceeded that of the previous one.

Each clash between the energy battle axe and the flame battle axe triggered a small explosion, with shockwaves constantly erupting.

The earth was ravaged and scattered, with rubble flying everywhere.

The spectators could no longer make out the specific movements; they could only see two blurry figures moving at high speed across the open space, accompanied by a constant roar.

Oliveira watched with a tense expression:

"Brother, will Gru lose?"

"Hard to say."

Alecto said calmly:

"Kula's power is borrowed and has a time limit, while Gru can't withstand it and can only rely on his regenerative abilities to hold on. Now it's a matter of who will give up first."

The green magic surrounding Kula clashed violently with Gru's flames.

Kula's movements became faster and faster, his two battle axes dancing into a curtain of blue light, each strike accompanied by his former roar.

The flames on Gru's body flickered, and the wound on his chest slowly healed under the Dragonborn's powerful regenerative abilities, but new wounds kept appearing.

Kula's attacks are cunning and ruthless, unlike those of a shaman who has been casting spells for years; she is more like a battle-hardened berserker.

"You've hidden it really well."

After another collision, Gru used the momentum to retreat, panting heavily as he spoke, the light on his Flame Axe dimming.

"It's not hidden."

Kula's voice echoed twice, as if countless voices were speaking simultaneously:

"It is forgetting."

He took a step forward, and the ground cracked:

"I forgot that I was once a warrior, forgot the warmth of blood splattered on my face, forgot the sound of an axe splitting bone... For more than a hundred years, I only remember how to pray, how to prepare medicine, and how to communicate with the spirits of my ancestors."

Double axes cleaved down in a cross shape:

"Now I remember!"

Gru roared as he charged forward, his flames surging, managing to block the heavy blow.

But Kula's power was still rising, and the green magic solidified, pressing Gru so hard that his knees bent slightly and the ground beneath his feet shattered inch by inch.

"At this rate, Gru is going to lose!"

A troll warrior couldn't help but shout.

The orcs, however, were unusually quiet.

Goron stared intently at the battlefield, his fists clenched so tightly they turned white.

He had never seen Kula like this before.

The old shaman, who was always calm, wise, and even somewhat indecisive, was now like a ferocious beast breaking free of its shackles.

"So this is what you really are like."

Goron murmured.

Just then, something unexpected happened.

Kula's green magic suddenly fluctuated violently, and he groaned, his movements momentarily slowing down.

Gru seized the opportunity instantly, sweeping out his flaming battle axe and slamming it heavily into Kula's waist.

Kula was thrown several meters away, landing on one knee with a trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth.

His muscles began to tremble slightly, and the flesh that had been replenished was shrinking back at a visible rate.

"Time is up."

Alecto murmured from afar.

Kula struggled to lift her head, the blue flames in her eyes flickering uncertainly.

He tried to stand up, but stumbled and could only support himself with his battle axe.

"You...have reached your limit."

Gru did not pursue, but slowly lowered his battle axe:

"Give up, or you'll die."

Kula smiled, and wrinkles crept back onto his face:

"Die? I should have died long ago."

"I have lived for 137 years, watching my people leave one by one, watching the tribe decline... The only reason I am still alive is because I have not yet fulfilled my teacher's last wish."

He took a deep breath and used his last bit of strength to straighten his back:

"Let the Bloodstained Tribe...become great again."

As soon as she finished speaking, a blinding blue light suddenly burst forth from Kula's body.

Within the light, the faint phantoms of countless orc ancestors could be seen roaring and charging.

He raised his double axes above his head, and all his magic gathered in the axe blades.

"Ancestors! Grant me courage and strength!"