Evil Red Dragon

Inside the dragon's nest.

Alecto lay on the pile of treasure, closing his eyes to rest.

His injuries have all healed, and the repair of the magic corridor is basically complete. All that's left is for him to recuperate slowly.

At this rate, he should be fully recovered in at most another half month.

"elder brother!"

Oliveira's voice came from the cave entrance.

Alecto opened his eyes and saw the little female dragon peeking in, followed by Odette.

"What's wrong?"

"Brother, Odette said she wants to requisition Kula's herb garden."

Oliveira said:

"She said that this way she could concoct some alchemical potions and also research some special magical plants."

Alecto looked at Odette.

Odette bowed slightly:

"Master, if I could be in charge of the herb garden, the magical plants produced would not only meet the needs of the territory, but could also be traded abroad as a specialty."

Alecto pondered for a moment.

Odette's suggestion was indeed reasonable.

The population of Chifeng Territory is growing rapidly, leading to a corresponding increase in the demand for alchemical potions.

Relying on purchasing every time is not only costly, but also leaves us at the mercy of others.

If we can produce our own products, that would naturally be the better choice.

"Can."

Alecto nodded:

"What else do you need?"

Odette immediately said:

"I need the two shaman apprentices to help me manage things, since I spend most of my time teaching Lady Oliveira and I'm really stretched thin."

"Then go ask Kula for it."

Thank you for your understanding.

After saying that, Odette dragged Oliveira by the tail and forcibly pulled her out of the dragon's lair, as she was obsessed with gold coins.

The man and the dragon brushed past Gru as he approached.

Gru walked up to Alecto and reported to his superior:

"Master, as you instructed, the kobolds have begun searching for ore, but..."

Gru looked troubled and stammered.

"Just what?"

Alecto said lazily.

Gru gritted his teeth and said bluntly:

"If that kobold finds the ore, do you really want it to become a dragonborn?"

Are you questioning me?

Alecto suddenly opened his eyes, his huge dragon pupils filled with awe-inspiring power, staring straight at Gru.

Gru immediately knelt down and said:

"No! I didn't mean to question my master! It's just that the kobold's strength is too weak, only at level two. Giving it your precious heart's blood would be a waste..."

A brief silence fell over the dragon's nest, while the lava pool beside it churned with a red glow.

After a long silence, Alecto finally spoke:

"Gru, you are my earliest familiar and one of my most trusted dragonborn. It's good that you can speak your mind."

Gru didn't look up, but he felt a slight sense of relief.

Alecto continued:

"But you're wrong."

"Natsu is indeed only at level two strength right now, but that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve the blessing of the dragon's blood. Strength can be improved with time and training, but some things are innate."

He slightly raised his head:

"Do you know why kobolds worship dragons?"

Gru hesitated and said:

"Because...it's powerful?"

"more than."

Alecto shook his head:

"The kobold race has a natural affinity for dragons."

"Their perception, mining talent, and sensitivity to mineral veins all stem from their ancient memories of coexisting with dragons."

"An ordinary kobold might just be a competent miner. But a kobold leader who has awakened his warlock talents, speaks dragon language, and possesses intelligence..."

A glint of light flashed in his dragon eyes:

"That's a rare find, one that you can only come across once in a lifetime."

Gru raised his head, still puzzled in his eyes:

"But master, it's too weak. Even if it becomes a dragonborn, it won't be able to provide enough fighting power for the territory in a short time."

"Combat strength?"

Alecto suddenly laughed:

"Gru, don't you understand? I need kobolds, not for fighting."

He pointed to the pile of gold coins beneath him:

"Look at this. Trolls can hunt, orcs can fight, but who can dig out the treasures underground? Who can find the hidden veins? Who can find the glittering gold hidden in the rocks?"

"You can't do it, but the kobolds can."

"I need not only warriors, but also miners, craftsmen, farmers... every race has its value."

"Natsu was able to lead the kobolds to the mine, that's enough. As for the battle..."

He looked at Gru:

"Isn't that your duty, trolls and orcs?"

Gru remained silent for a moment, then finally lowered his head:

"I understand, Master. I was short-sighted."

Alecto nodded slightly.

"Gru, as a dragonborn, you need to learn to look at things from a longer-term perspective."

"If Natsu finds the ore vein, it will be a huge contribution to the entire territory. Giving it dragon blood will not only encourage it, but also tell all the members of the clan..."

His voice echoed through the dragon's nest:

"Under my command, all those who are loyal and dedicated will be rewarded accordingly."

Gru took a deep breath:

"Yes, Master."

"Go."

Alecto lowered himself down again:

"Keep an eye on Natsu's progress and tell him that if he can find the main ore vein within two months, I will not only bestow upon him dragon blood, but also give him an extra reward."

"yes!"

Gru rose and respectfully withdrew from the dragon's lair.

As Alector watched the troll leader's departing figure, a thoughtful look flashed in his eyes.

Gru's concerns were not entirely unfounded.

The kobolds were indeed weak, but Alekto had his own considerations.

The development of Chifeng Territory requires diversification, and the kobolds' mining talent is irreplaceable by other races.

More importantly, he needed to send a signal to all his family members:

In his hands, every race has a chance.

This is the only way to maximize the enthusiasm of family members.

Greystone Town.

The area in front of the Adventurers' Guild was packed with people.

Mercenaries, adventurers, merchants, townspeople...

Thousands of people gathered here, and the clamor of their discussions almost lifted the roof off.

Marcus stood on the platform in the center of the hall, his face grim.

The bandages on his chest were still faintly oozing dark red, but he paid no attention to his injuries at the moment. His eyes were bloodshot, and he roared angrily:

"...15 people! A full 15 brothers! The Silver Blade Adventurer Group has been wiped out!"

He slammed his fist heavily on the wooden table on the podium, sending splinters flying.

"They didn't die at the hands of monsters, nor during a mission, but on our own territory! Less than a hundred miles from Graystone Town!"

A gasp came from the crowd.

Marcus continued to roar, his voice filled with barely suppressed rage:

"What's even more ridiculous is what I saw when I led my brothers there?"

He surveyed his surroundings, his eyes sharp as knives:

"Four dragonborn trolls! One of them is at least at the peak of level five! And there are at least three level four dragonborn! They're escorting hundreds of kobolds, swaggering across our border!"

"We fought a battle with them."

Marcus unwrapped the bandages from his chest, revealing a gruesome wound:

"This is the price! The Iron Hammer Adventurers lost 11 brothers, and 7 were seriously injured, including me. But what about those damned trolls? They ran away! They ran away with all the kobolds!"

The hall fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone was stunned by Marcus's words.

Dragonborn trolls? Hundreds of kobolds? Right under the nose of Graystone?

Marcus took a deep breath, his voice suddenly rising:

"I'd like to ask everyone here, especially those of you who were also on a mission nearby at the time, received the signal flare but didn't make it there..."

He called out names one by one:

"Black Wolf Mercenary Group, you were in the northwest at the time, why didn't you come?"

The expressions of more than a dozen mercenaries in the crowd changed.

"Raven Adventurers, you're camped 20 miles to the east. Don't tell me you didn't see the signal!"

The captain of the other adventure team lowered his head.

"And you, the Iron Tiger Adventurer Group..."

Marcus's voice grew louder and louder:

"I know that in the adventurer's world, it's common for everyone to mind their own business. I also know that I don't get along with Paul of Silverblade, and we've fought quite a bit."

"But that's between us!"

He suddenly roared:

"When foreign enemies appear, when monsters slaughter our people on our own soil, we should fucking stand together! Not hide on the sidelines and watch the show!"

The hall was completely silent.

Some bowed their heads in shame, some remained expressionless, and some showed dissatisfaction in their eyes, but no one refuted them.

Marcus is right.

Iron Hammer wasn't the only member of the adventure team to receive the signal flare, and he wasn't the only one who went to the scene, but in the end, only he made it there.

The others either pretended not to see it or deliberately delayed, arriving late only after the battle was over.

"Now it's all right."

Marcus sneered:

"Silverblade is wiped out, and Ironhammer is severely weakened. Those trolls escaped with several hundred kobolds. Who knows what they'll bring next? Gnolls? Ogres? More dragonborn? Or real dragons?"

He looked toward a corner of the hall, where several elegantly dressed people were sitting.

The current leaders of Greystone Town include Isa's former adjutant and representatives from several major merchant guilds.

"My lords."

Marcus said sarcastically:

"What do you think should be done about this?"

The adjutant's brow was furrowed at this moment:

"Commander Marcus, I understand your anger, but Commander Isa took most of the Silver Knights with her at the time, and the town's defenses were already weak. We..."

"So you just let those trolls swagger away?"

Marcus interrupted him:

"I'm not trying to assign blame to anyone; I'm trying to remind you, and everyone here..."

He surveyed the entire room, speaking slowly and deliberately:

"Greystone Town is no longer safe."

As soon as he finished speaking, the hall fell into noise again.

"He's right! Dragonborn trolls have already appeared, who knows what will be next?"

"We must strengthen our defenses!"

"But we don't have enough manpower..."

"How about... we invite the church over?"

That last sentence caused a moment of silence in the hall.

The adjutant's expression changed drastically:

"Regarding church matters, Leader Isa has given clear instructions..."

"Commander Isa is currently in Twin Moon City!"

A businessman stepped forward; he was the owner of North Wind Acquisition Company:

"We all know that the relationship between Captain Isa and the Church is... delicate. But these are special times! Dragonborn trolls, and possibly red dragons—don't forget the explosion in town a while back!"

He looked at the crowd:

"Gentlemen, which is more important, life or faith?"

This statement struck a nerve with everyone.

The residents of Greystone Town are mostly ordinary people and professionals. They don't care about power struggles or the conflicts between the church and the nobility.

All they want is safety; all they want is to survive.

"I agree to have the church come over!"

"Yes! Let the Church of Light move in!"

"With the church around, at least we don't have to worry about monster attacks!"

The calls for action are growing louder.

The adjutant's face turned ashen.

He knew that the situation was hopeless.

Without Isha, he couldn't suppress the voices of so many people on his own.

Moreover, Marcus's public condemnation today has completely ignited everyone's fears.

"it is good."

The adjutant took a deep breath:

"I will request permission from Twin Moon City to have the Church of Light send a team to Graystone Town to strengthen its defenses."

Marcus sneered:

"Request instructions? Waiting for Twin Moon City's reply will take at least half a month, by which time those trolls might have already attacked."

"So what do you want?"

The adjutant looked at him.

Marcus said slowly:

"I know a cardinal of the Church of Light. If an invitation is extended in the name of all the residents of Graystone Town, he should be willing to bring people over immediately. Of course, this will require a donation."

The merchants looked at each other.

The owner of Beifeng Acquisition Company was the first to nod:

"Money is not a problem. As long as safety can be guaranteed, our chamber of commerce is willing to bear the corresponding costs."

Several other prominent businessmen followed suit and expressed their opinions.

The adjutant fell silent; the matter was already out of his control.

"Since that's the case..."

He finally said:

"Let's do as you say, but I must remind you that after the church moves in, many things... will change."

Marcus grinned, a smile tinged with weariness and ruthlessness:

"Even if it's different, it's better than having the city ravaged by monsters."

Seven days later.

Outside the town gate of Greystone, a procession slowly approached.

Twenty paladins clad in armor of light, ten priests in white robes, and thirty papal guards.

In the center of the procession, a simply decorated but exquisitely made carriage slowly came to a stop.

The carriage door opened, and a middle-aged man of about forty years old stepped off the carriage.

He was of medium height, with a gentle face, and his short, golden hair was neatly combed. He wore a red bishop's robe embroidered with the emblem of light and held a staff of light in his hand.

What is most striking about him are his eyes, clear and calm, as if they can see through people's hearts.

Cardinal Linus of the Church of Light.

The adjutant, accompanied by several members of the town guard, stepped forward and bowed slightly.

"Bishop Linus, welcome to Graystone Town."

Linus smiled gently, like a spring breeze:

"May the light be with you. Thank you for the invitation. It is our honor to bring the blessing of the God of Light to the residents of Graystone Town."

His gaze swept across the city gate, over the guards on the city wall, over the crowd watching in the distance, and finally landed on his adjutant:

"I've heard things haven't been peaceful here lately?"

The adjutant nodded:

"Yes, Your Excellency, there are dragonborn trolls active in the vicinity, accompanied by a large number of kobolds. We are worried..."

"Dragonborn?"

A glint of shrewdness flashed in Linus's eyes, but his smile remained gentle:

"This is quite rare. The appearance of a dragonborn usually means that a real dragon is nearby. Are you sure you're just trolls and haven't seen a dragon?"

The adjutant hesitated for a moment.

Isa and Helena both ordered a news blackout regarding the Red Dragon incident, but too many people witnessed the explosion and battle in the lab that day, making it impossible to keep it a secret.

"...We are not sure."

The adjutant ultimately chose to conceal the truth:

"A battle took place outside the town some time ago. Witnesses claimed to have seen the red dragon, but it disappeared quickly, so we cannot confirm it."

Linus nodded, didn't ask any further questions, and simply smiled:

"It's alright, the God of Light will protect all his followers. Let's go into the city first; I need to know more details."

"Yes, please, Bishop."

The group entered Greystone Town.

The streets were packed with onlookers.

The children looked curiously at the paladin's gleaming armor, while the elderly devoutly drew the holy emblem of light on their chests and prayed softly.

Linus always had a smile on his face, nodding to the residents on both sides from time to time, and occasionally stopping to perform simple treatments on the elderly and children.

Gentle, approachable, and full of divinity.

This is everyone's first impression of him.

But the adjutant felt a vague unease.

This bishop is too...perfect.

So perfect it's unreal.

The group arrived at the town's central square, where a makeshift church had been temporarily erected.

In fact, the original church had been converted into a warehouse during the time of Baron Oddo, and it was not restored after Isabella took over.

Linus stood in front of the church, turned to face the gathered residents, and raised his staff.

A soft white light emanated from the tip of the staff, enveloping the entire square.

"Residents of Greystone Town."

His voice clearly reached everyone's ears:

"The God of Light has heard your prayers and felt your fear and unease."

"Today, my colleagues and I have come here to bring the blessings of the God of Light to this land."

"From this day forward, Graystone Town will be under the protection of light, the church will reopen, and daily prayers will become a part of your lives."

"The paladins will protect your safety at all times, and the priests will take away your pain..."

"The Vatican will protect every soul that believes in the light."

He became more solemn and sacred:

"Those monsters that threaten your safety, those evils lurking in the darkness... the Church of Light will never stand idly by."

"In the name of the God of Light, I, Linus, hereby swear!"

The staff slammed heavily to the ground.

A dazzling white light shot into the sky, forming a phantom image of a holy emblem of light in the air, which lasted for several seconds before slowly dissipating.

"Greystone Town will return to peace!"

Cheers erupted from the crowd.

"Long live the God of Light!"

"Long live Bishop Linus!"

Long live the Church!

Cheers surged forth like a tidal wave, and Linus smiled as he accepted the crowd's adoration, maintaining an air of complete composure throughout.