Am I going to be controlled by the players too?

"The princess has been captured!"

"Come on!"

Cheng Cheng glanced back.

The knights were far slower than him, and the mages' flying spells were as slow as snails. After chasing for a few steps, they were left far behind, only small black dots remaining.

Freya also turned around and glanced back.

Then she lay on his back and whispered, "Don't fly too fast, just enough so they can't catch up, don't shake them off."

Cheng Cheng was taken aback.

"why?"

“Because…” Freya’s voice trailed off, muffled as it came from between the scales, “they would lose face if they couldn’t catch up at all.”

Cheng Cheng couldn't help but laugh: "You're quite considerate of others."

He was trying to slow down when he suddenly stopped.

Two figures were blocking his way.

One was dressed in a heavy, dark robe, holding a scepter, exuding an imposing aura, with a faint blue light swirling around him. The other wore a white knight's uniform, his short red hair fluttering gently in the night breeze, a faint smile playing on his lips, his left hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

Supreme Judge Villette.

Sword Saint Karen.

Two legends.

Cheng Cheng's pupils suddenly contracted.

He knew all too well the strength of these two: one possessed a judgment mechanism even more heaven-defying than the Injustice Seed, capable of unleashing arbitrary divine punishment at will; the other possessed superb swordsmanship capable of splitting the heavens and earth, a spear demon whom he could not harm even with all his might, yet in front of Karen he was like a mouse caught by a cat.

He used the key to enter the witch's tea party in order to avoid these two.

I never expected to meet her in the witch's dream!

Run away!

He suddenly turned around, flapping his wings with all his might, and the entire dragon transformed into a dark red lightning bolt, rushing in another direction!

"You evil dragon!"

Vilette's voice came from behind, unhurried: "Put down the princess, and I'll spare your life. Otherwise, you'll be put on trial according to the laws of the kingdom."

Cheng Cheng ignored him and flew even faster.

"Why go through all that trouble?"

Karen's voice suddenly seemed much closer, as if it were right next to her ear.

"A mere evil dragon—"

A flash of sword light.

"Just kill him!"

That sword strike was as fast as lightning, tearing through the night sky. Its cold, frost-like light carried enough power to split mountains, and it aimed straight at Cheng Cheng's neck!

"Hey! Be careful! Don't hurt the princess!" Vilette stomped her foot angrily. "How many times have I told you not to be reckless!"

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

In the blink of an eye, the sword light was already upon them.

Cheng Cheng was caught off guard and was struck by the sword, his scales flying off!

Blood exploded in the air!

Am I... going to die?

Cheng Cheng felt a wave of despair and instinctively closed his eyes.

Then he suddenly realized—

Does it hurt?

He opened his eyes and looked down at his chest.

A few scales did fly off, but only a few. The sword light left a shallow white mark on his body, without even cutting through his flesh.

And Karen—

Karen stood in the air, her hand holding the sword trembling slightly, and for the first time, shock appeared on her ever-smiling face.

"How is this possible!" His voice changed. "My sword strike possessed the power of a peak Gold Saint!"

Cheng Cheng was stunned.

The Golden Age?

As a legendary figure, is the Golden Peak level really that strong for you?

Vilette's expression also changed.

"Damn it, it's the Dragon King!" His voice carried a hint of tension. "A Platinum-level Dragon King!"

Cheng Cheng: "..."

He blinked.

"Excuse me for asking, aren't you legendary figures?"

"Legend? What legend?" Karen asked in confusion.

Cheng Cheng's brain was working at lightning speed.

Understood.

The flame is unique; even in a witch's dream, the legendary flame cannot be imitated out of thin air—and without the legendary flame, one cannot become legendary.

In other words, in this dream world, the strongest is at the peak of the Gold level, while he, as a Platinum-level dragon—

We are the strongest in the world!

Wow, so cool!

Cheng Cheng laughed loudly and charged forward!

With a sudden flap of his wings, his massive form transformed into a streak of dark red lightning, hurtling towards the two peak-level Gold Saints!

Karen drew her sword and slashed again, the sword light like a rainbow, but this time Cheng Cheng neither dodged nor avoided, but directly met it with his claws!

"clang--!!!"

The deafening clang of metal clashing shook the night sky!

Karen's sword was knocked away by his claw, and she was sent flying backward, tumbling several times in the air before barely managing to regain her balance!

"This power..." A trickle of blood escaped from the corner of his mouth, "It really is platinum!"

Villette raised his scepter, and golden light condensed into countless chains in front of him, binding Cheng Cheng!

"Dragon's Breath!"

Cheng Cheng opened his mouth, and a burst of crimson-gold dragon breath erupted forth!

The chains melted instantly in the flames, turning into golden liquid that spilled out!

Vilette's expression changed drastically, and she hurriedly activated her Sacred Domain to defend herself! The flames crashed into the Sacred Domain, causing the golden barrier to sizzle and crackle to spread from the center outwards!

"I can't hold on any longer!" Vilette gritted her teeth, as the light of the Sanctuary grew dimmer and dimmer.

"I'll do it!" Karen steadied himself, gripped his sword with both hands, and a dazzling light condensed on the blade—it was a sword strike condensed from his life's cultivation!

"cut--!!!"

The sword light was stronger, faster, and more ruthless than before, and it went straight for Cheng Cheng's head!

Cheng Cheng didn't dodge; he extended his claw and gently grabbed it.

"Snapped."

The sword light shattered.

It was like glass hitting an iron wall, shattering into countless tiny points of light that dissipated in the night wind.

Karen froze on the spot.

"Take this blow and remember the name of Hakimi Mambo VIII!"

"Yan Long Xiao!"

Cheng Cheng opened his mouth and unleashed a torrent of dragon flame, striking the two peak-level Gold Saints squarely!

Then, he turned around, without even glancing at the battlefield, and flew away with Freya on his back.

Behind them, two powerful figures fell from the sky and crashed into the city wall, creating a huge crater, sending tiles flying and bricks shattering.

Karen lay in the ruins, watching the dark red figure recede into the distance, and murmured to herself, "...So strong."

Vilette poked her head out from the nearby ruins, covered in dust and with several holes in her robes: "I told you so, don't be reckless, don't be reckless, but you wouldn't listen! Ugh, I can't stand you anymore!"

Karen ignored him and just looked at the sky.

"Princess..." his voice was soft, "Can she still be saved?"

Villette also fell silent.

He looked up at the now empty night sky, and after a long while, sighed.

"...It's hard to say."

…………

The next day, at the royal court.

The vast council chamber was packed with people, civil and military officials lined both sides, whispering and conversing amongst themselves. The Queen's throne was high above, but the woman sitting upon it looked more grim than anyone else.

"The kingdom is in great danger; who in the world is the bravest?"

Her voice echoed in the empty hall, but no one dared to respond.

The Queen's gaze swept over the bowed heads, over the evasive eyes, and over the ministers who pretended to look at the floor:

"Who else can defeat the evil dragon and rescue the princess?"