Iron Dragon's Advancement Journey

Page 131

　Among them, a shaman named Zoka displayed extraordinary talent. She quickly mastered Professor Roar's basic knowledge and became the first part-time arcane mage shaman in the oasis, thus creating shamanic rituals and popularizing the method of advancement on a small scale.

　Under the guidance of Grommash Hellscream, these arcane shamans quickly mastered a range of powerful spells. They learned how to shape and control elements according to their own will, and how to harmonize elements to achieve synchronization—the high elves' joint casting became easy and cost-effective under the unique elemental rules of this world, which is the source of the power of the elemental barrier that is now protecting the oasis.

　Unlike the elemental barrier of the Witch King's city-state, this barrier, although it also generates corrupting light waves, does not rely on a continuous supply of life force, but is maintained by the balance between the elements themselves and psionic energy.

　The barrier has been operating continuously for a week without any problems. Now, it is facing its first real test, an unexpected one.

24. A meaningless war

　Roaring had intended this battle as a trial for the first minions he had raised in this world, a traditional way for red dragons to treat their subjects—if the chaotic and evil red dragons were truly interested in building a power themselves.

　Through trials of blood and fire, truly valuable servants are selected; the weak perish and lose everything, while the strong survive and gain everything. This is the Red Dragon's simplest philosophy of life.

　However, influenced by the Casalos-like spiritual entity, Grommash Hellscream's behavior has deviated considerably from the traditional red dragon archetype, especially since it was never truly traditional to begin with. Before the battle, Grommash had already bestowed upon its minions additional power boosts, granting them combat abilities beyond the norm. Soul Imprinting and Spirit Awakening are elite advancements, while the dragon veins that Casalos was intimately familiar with were the most universally applicable and large-scale enhancements.

　Compared to before they were conquered by the Roaring Howl, the overall strength of those various feral humanoid races has increased by more than 50%.

　However, the absurd "battle" before him—or rather, the one-sided, passive slaughter—filled the heart of the old dragon, Roar, with confusion.

　"What kind of tactic is this? Using flesh and blood to wear down the barrier's power?" The ancient red dragon stood atop the obsidian pyramid, his scarred face surveying the battlefield. "Do they really think they can break through our defenses like this?"

　Behind the raging membrane of the elemental barrier, dozens of pterosaurs and mantises formed a second line of defense. They vigilantly watched the surrounding area, ready to repel any enemies who might breach the barrier, especially assassins who stealthily tried to slip through a small crack. Further into the camp, hundreds of trained warriors comprised various races that Old Howl had subdued over the past two weeks, ranging from weak halflings to powerful Goliathian giants, each possessing at least the abilities of a basic level 3 combatant and a level 1 psionicist.

　But these defensive measures were completely useless. The enemy forces outside were unable to break through the elemental barrier.

　Countless Templar Knights and ordinary warriors charged towards the barrier, only to be met with charred, shattered pieces of corpses. They had no tactics whatsoever; they simply charged towards the barrier wave after wave, like moths drawn to a flame.

　Serendella didn't immediately answer Roar's question. She stood beside Roar, fulfilling her duties as his maid, her translucent body shimmering with dappled light under the starlight. The crystal dragon's eyes closed, and an invisible ripple spread across the battlefield. She was using the elemental barrier to directly access the minds of the warriors outside, reading their dying thoughts.

　A moment later, she opened her eyes, her voice low and complex: "It was indeed suicide, but it was a forced suicide..."

　"Forced? I didn't see any overseers or anything like that." Old Roar turned to look at the Crystal Dragon, the heat emanating from its massive body causing the surrounding air to distort slightly.

　Celine's expression was complex, a mixture of pity and shock, tinged with anger: "No overseer needed! Their commander has realized he can't break your barrier magically, but they can't wait for reinforcements, much less retreat, because the Witch King's envoy has given the order: they are not allowed any failure—any failure will mean only one fate for them and their 'relatives': their life force will be drained while they remain conscious, their souls fragmented to create magical artifacts... Using their own lives to extinguish this barrier is their only way out. At least, dying this way won't be too painful, and the Witch King will at least allow them to leave behind a name..."

　"Relatives and friends?" Old Roar raised a thorn from his brow, a few wisps of sulfurous smoke escaping from between his fangs: "Do people in this world still have relatives and friends?"

　"People always have degrees of closeness or distance... to be precise, everyone who maintains a certain level of intimacy in interpersonal relationships," Serendella explained, her resonant scales trembling slightly, her voice a little hoarse. "In the city-state of Agmar, everyone has a 'Registry of Connections,' which records everyone connected to them—blood relatives, friends they interact with in daily life, colleagues who share city-state duties, and even just regular shopkeepers. If someone is judged a 'loser' or a 'traitor,' everyone on this register will face punishment."

　The Crystal Dragon's explanation left the Ancient Red Dragon speechless, the muscles beneath its scales twitching involuntarily: "They still care about this?"

　"Perhaps most people don't care, and a small minority might even use this system of entanglement to retaliate against specific 'relatives'..." Serendella's voice trembled slightly, her transparent scales shimmering with a dim light. "But even death, under the Witch King's rule, is differentiated. Warriors who die in battle are categorized as 'worthless deaths,' their names recorded in a corner of the city-state, their descendants receive slightly higher rations, and most importantly, their souls find peace. Those executed for retreat and defeat, however, suffer 'worthless deaths,' leaving no name behind, their souls extracted and imprisoned by the Witch King's power, used as offerings for spellcasting."

　Old Roar remained silent for a moment, the flames in his nostrils flickering slightly, his agate-like eyes gazing at the distant battlefield. Rule based on fear and oppression is not uncommon; this pattern is prevalent throughout the Abyss.

　But Atas is not an abyss, but a corner of the material world; and the Witch-King and his 'subjects' are not demons, but living, breathing people.

　Even for the true Elder Dragon, such a method of rule was far too "sinful"—servants are also a dragon's wealth, and any meaningless consumption or squandering of wealth is a sin for any dragon. But in this dying world, the Witch King's actions couldn't even be called evil. Because the wanton trampling and consumption of life had become the balancing force that kept the world of Atars afloat.

　Outside the elemental barrier, another wave of warriors charged forward. These soldiers wore armor pieced together from bone and chitin, wielding weapons stained with dark magical traces. Their eyes were dull and empty, but their bodies were unusually agile, every movement filled with power and decisiveness. These were the ordinary warriors of the city-state of Agmar. Most of them had once been ordinary residents of the city-state, demoted to warriors for being unable to continue paying the "life force tax," becoming expendable resources for the city-state's expansion.

　When the barrier is impacted, it automatically launches a counterattack. Crimson beams of energy surge from its surface, piercing through the charging warriors. Some warriors are instantly incinerated, while those slightly stronger due to their innate spiritual energy explode into countless fragments. Those powerful enough to have reached the threshold of the paradigm are able to withstand the impact of death. Even after being pierced by elements, they persist for several steps before crashing into the barrier's physical barrier layer, collapsing in pools of blood and being burned to a crisp.

　With Agmar's army suffering over half its casualties, Commander Yalva finally gestured for a halt to the attack. The remaining Templars and common soldiers stopped their charge and retreated to a safe distance. But they didn't leave; instead, they gathered on the dunes, seemingly awaiting new orders.

　Yalva stood on a high ground, his golden eyes fixed on the distant elemental barrier, his expression inscrutable. The Witch King's envoy knew all too well what the failure of this mission would mean. But he also knew that continuing this futile charge would only lead to more casualties, ending in an even more complete defeat for him.

　"He's weighing his options," Celine Della said, the flow of energy visible through her crystalline body. "He's trying to find a solution that will allow him to survive without being seen as a failure."

　The old roar snorted coldly, a stream of hot air snorting from its nostrils, dispersing the dust on the altar: "A pointless struggle, a pointless internal conflict..." It turned to the crystal dragon, a cunning glint in its molten dragon eyes, "I'll give you a chance to show your compassion and innocence, my maid. Go and capture him, alive. And those warriors who survived, they are now yours! You must train them, nurture them, transform them from the Witch King's expendable resources into my most loyal warriors. In return, I will grant them the status and dignity due to a person and as a warrior!"

　Serendella's transparent wings trembled slightly, complex emotions swirling in her crystalline eyes. The Crystal Dragon disliked fighting, but she also abhorred pointless slaughter. Old Roar's order undoubtedly gave her an opportunity: to avoid further bloodshed, gain favor with the Ancient Red Dragon, and secretly build her own power to pave the way for future plans. (The last sentence appears to be unrelated and possibly a separate thought: "Mei, think about it, are you free? Lin, are you free...?")

　"Yes..." the crystal dragon responded softly, then spread its wings and flew towards a control node at the edge of the barrier. As the crystal dragon's body made contact with the barrier node, the entire elemental barrier became soft and transparent, like a thin veil. Serendella flew out of the barrier and hovered above the astonished Yalva and his army.

　Yalva instinctively took a step back, but quickly regained his footing. As the Witch King's envoy, he had seen all sorts of strange creatures, but never one as beautiful and magnificent as a crystal dragon. His eyes were filled with shock and awe, but even more so with wariness. The dragons of Atas were long extinct, leaving only fragmentary descriptions, and no one could reconstruct their image. Yet, in the envoy's eyes, this transparent crystalline creature fit another legend.

　Legend has it that after the Witch King completed his tenth dragon transformation, he ultimately remembered his transformed form as that of a supreme being who had fully mastered arcane and mental power—Witch King Atama, who had only undergone four transformations. In the envoy's understanding, the crystal dragon before him could only be a powerful Witch King he had never heard of before, who had completed his final transformation.

　"The legendary Great Witch King?" While Yalva was still making wild guesses, a powerful mental wave, almost tangible, swept across the entire legion.

　Serendella transmitted her thoughts to every Atas on the battlefield. She could have easily controlled the minds of most of these individuals, forcing them to surrender, but her kind nature led her to choose a gentler approach.

　"Hear my will, warriors of Agmar," the Crystal Dragon's thoughts flowed into each of their hearts, carrying a clarity and warmth surpassing even that of the Witch King, "your courage is admirable, but your sacrifice is meaningless. My mighty lord Klaus offers you a new choice—to pledge allegiance to him and gain a new life and dignity, or to continue this futile battle until destruction."

　Yalva stared in shock at the Crystal Dragon, feeling the surge of spiritual energy within him. As an envoy who had served the Witch King for many years, he could clearly sense that the Crystal Dragon's spiritual power far surpassed that of the Witch King Agmar. However, the Crystal Dragon had just spoken, "Her master?"

　In Atas's mind, power is everything, and the stronger rule. Faced with an existence clearly more powerful than Agmar, the envoy's choice was already clear.

　Under Atas's brutal survival rules, siding with the stronger is not betrayal, but a survival instinct. The concept of loyalty is almost non-existent in Atas; everyone knows that in this dying world, following the strongest is the only way to survive.

　Therefore, when the Crystal Dragon's mental fluctuations spread across the battlefield, most warriors laid down their weapons almost without hesitation. Only a few Templar Knights remained vigilant for the time being due to the Witch King's profound mental manipulation, but wavering was already evident in their eyes.

　As Yarva witnessed all this, he made his decision. If the Witch King before him, having completed its final transformation, still had a "master" behind it, then its power would undoubtedly far surpass Agmar's. In the "moral" framework of this world, siding with the stronger was not only a wise move, but also a matter of course.

　"Great being," Yalva prostrated himself on the sand, offering a deep bow to the crystal dragon, "I pay homage to you and your master on behalf of the warriors of Agmar. If your master will accept us, we will become his most loyal servants."

　Celine Della nodded, a mental wave gently caressing Yalva's thoughts: "My lord... will receive you. Follow me, envoy."

　As the Primordial Red Dragon Soul's excitement over the evil world gradually faded, Grommash's interest in Atas began to wane dramatically—Katharos didn't care about the world's survival. Compared to this hopeless world, the Templar Knights and cannon fodder warriors who had endured the Witch King's brutal training were far more valuable assets. The Sword Coast Dragonflight, the vast astral planes, demiplanes…Katharos had plenty of places to settle its population. Especially in the highly uncertain safe zone of Aiur, what it desperately needed were "suicide-ready" pioneers.

　What other inhabitants could be more suited than the natives of a world on the verge of extinction?

　Yalva and several high-ranking Templar Knights followed the Crystal Dragon through the elemental barrier to the pyramid. The Great Roar stood atop the pyramid, its massive body almost filling the entire night sky. Even in the starlight of dawn, its scales shimmered like lava, and its molten eyes seemed to radiate fire element itself, exuding a terrifying majesty.

　Yarva knelt before the dragon, not daring to look the old roar in the eye, displaying the most humble posture. If the Crystal Dragon was a Witch King who had undergone ten dragon transformations to become the ultimate being, then what kind of being was this even larger and more terrifying red Witch King?

　"Great Great Wizard King," Yalva began, his voice trembling with a mixture of excitement and fear, "I am Yalva, the special envoy of the city-state of Agmar. Faced with the power you have displayed, I, on behalf of my warriors, submit to you. We are willing to become your servants and fight for you."

　Old Roar raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised by Yarva's address, but quickly understood the misunderstanding. Instead of rushing to explain, it went with the flow; perhaps this delightful misunderstanding could bring some unexpected changes to this unchanging, decaying world?

　"Yalva," the old roar's deep voice rumbled like the calm before a volcanic eruption, "you say you're willing to submit to me, but why should I accept your allegiance? Just because you hid behind those warriors, using Agmar's intimidation to command them to crash into the barrier?"

　The questioning was like a trial, and Yarva, who called himself the representative of the Atama warriors, lay on the ground, his face ashen. Old Roar chuckled and had two mantis drag him away, then looked down at the clearly dressed Templar captain: "You do have some courage that I admire. Raise your head and look at me."

　Under the oppressive aura of the faint dragon's might, Grimm struggled to raise his head as required by the great being before him, staring directly into its lava-like, surging eyes and the hideous scars on its face.

　"Very well, then, are you willing to pledge your allegiance to me?"

　"I...will!"

　"Very good. From this day forward, you and your warriors will no longer be expendable, but part of my army. You will learn new ways of fighting, gain new strength, and most importantly, you will have dignity."

　"Great...Great Wizard King," Grimm's eyes flashed with doubt as he addressed the ancient red dragon with the scholar's title, "What do you mean by 'dignity'?"

　A simple question made the Crystal Dragon, who was listening in, realize just how distorted the world of Atas had become. Under the Witch King's brutal rule for two thousand years, even the most basic concepts of humanity had been twisted or forgotten.

　"Dignity means you are no longer tools, but valuable individuals," Serendella explained as she landed before the Atham warriors at Old Roar's signal. "Your lives, choices, and sacrifices will be respected and rewarded. You will no longer act out of fear, but out of conviction and responsibility."

　Grimm and his knights exchanged bewildered glances, the cannon fodder warriors crouching even lower. The concepts the Crystal Dragon spoke of were almost entirely foreign to them. In Atas, strength was everything, and the subjugation of the weak to the strong was the law of nature; no one would question that.

　"We would be happy to learn from your... methods," the Templar said cautiously, his gaze passing over the crystal dragon and landing on the red dragon atop the tower, "but allow me to ask a question: what do you intend to do with the Witch-King Agmar? When he discovers we have sided with you, he will surely launch an attack."

　Old Roar let out a hoarse chuckle, revealing two rows of spear-like fangs: "Let him come. I'm waiting for him, almost impatiently..."

　Grimm lowered his head again. He didn't fully understand what the old man was saying, but he was clear about one thing: this mysterious "great" wizard king was indeed not afraid of the wizard king Agmar, and in fact, he had come for the wizard king Atama. This might mean a new opportunity.

　Grommash Hellscream was, of course, aiming for the Witch King. To orchestrate a massive interdimensional migration, besides securing control, he needed to establish a portal between Atarth and the Astral Plane. Due to the impending "death" of the world itself, Atarth's connection to other planes was on the verge of collapse. Even Serendella, who was naturally able to freely travel between the Inner Planes and the Material Plane, had lost her privilege of interdimensional travel here. Aside from the teleportation array Grommash Hellscream discovered, which could only be activated once every few decades or centuries, there were currently few known methods of accessing other worlds to Atarth. All of these methods were inextricably linked to Rajat, the culprit responsible for the world's near-death.

　Whether it's bringing all the inhabitants of this world under its rule and initiating a great migration across worlds, or finding the correct path to other worlds from Rajat, it's impossible to avoid the seven Witch Kings—the so-called Witch Kings, all of whom betrayed Rajat's leadership immediately after the Cleansing War.

　They sealed away Rajat, who led them to victory over the primordial sorcerer, and then died in their mutual battles, leaving only seven of them. Each of them occupied a corner of this dying world, sadly maintaining a rule with no future, unable to extricate themselves from the illusion of power and strength.

　"Return to your soldiers, knights," Old Roar commanded. "Tell them that from this day forward, they fight for me. My maid, Serendella, will oversee your training and education. She will teach you the meaning of loyalty, the meaning of honor, and how to acquire true value."

25. Busy with official duties

　The faint dragon's might faded with Grommash's command, and the warriors of Atma regained control of their bodies. All of them looked at Grimm—they still couldn't understand what Grommash or Serendella had said, but one thing was certain: their new "sworn" master had designated Grimm as their leader.

　"We have a new master!" Grimm looked at his warriors and knights, a surge of unprecedented emotion welling up within him. He raised his scaly arm and proclaimed, "A Witch-King more powerful than Agmar! He promises us a new life and strength. From this day forward, we will no longer fight for Agmar, but for the Great Witch-King Klaus!"

　The warriors did not cheer, for they did not know how to express their joy—in Atas, expressing emotions was often seen as a weakness. But a new light shone in their eyes, the budding of hope.

　Celine Della hovered beside Yalva, her mental fluctuations gently caressing the thoughts of each warrior, bringing a warmth and care they had never experienced before.

　"My first lesson," the Crystal Dragon's thoughts flowed into their minds, "is that loyalty is not a product of fear, but a result of trust and respect. Our Lord has given you the freedom to choose and the value of your existence; in return, you will respond to His trust with loyalty and courage. This is the beginning of honor."

　The warriors listened intently to the words flowing into their hearts, contemplating these entirely new concepts. In Atas's two-thousand-year history, this might be the first time anyone had imparted such values ​​to them.

　Changing the Atarians' perceptions, making them understand loyalty, and bringing them the honor followed by the Faerûn—this is the Crystal Dragon's next task. And this, perhaps, is the first step in saving the inhabitants of this dying world—for Grommash Hellscream, it's merely a transaction of exploitation and being exploited. But for Serendella, it's an opportunity to change the fate of the entire world. Even if she ultimately cannot save Atarians, at least she can save the souls of those living on this world.

　This is the mission that Good Dragon has given herself, and it is also her nature as a crystal dragon: to seek out and protect the faint light even in the darkest places.

　Just as Roar's clone was making progress in the "other world," Casalos encountered new troubles in his main body in Faerûn.

　Faced with the complex situation in the Sword Coast region, Casalos began to formulate a more detailed response plan, establishing three priorities: ensuring the safety of Dragonlord's main body; maintaining effective control over Deepwater Territory and Baldur's Gate; and bringing the entire northern Sword Coast under its influence as much as possible without provoking resistance. To achieve these goals, it will reallocate existing resources and further refine the deployment of forces in each region.

　However, an urgent message arrived at the lord's palace, disrupting the steadily progressing plans.

　The capital of the Amn Empire, Askatra, was captured by the ogre army in just a few days, and the Amn royal family was wiped out during their escape. The ogre mages then publicly declared that they would advance north and conquer Velen within three months. This news deviated significantly from the known historical trajectory of Casalos—in the years following the turmoil, all factions were primarily busy repairing themselves and rebuilding their rule, and no large-scale conflicts broke out.

　Clearly, Casalos's activities may have begun to seriously deviate from the historical trajectory of Faerûn, and the informational advantage of God's perspective is rapidly waning. (The remaining text appears to be gibberish and unrelated to the preceding sentences.)

　The sudden fall of Ascatella posed a serious threat to the Sword Coast Dragonflight, as the loss of this strategic port city directly severed the vital trade route between Waterdeep-Baldur's Gate and the south. Faced with this crisis, Casalos swiftly adjusted his strategic deployment, urgently recalling nearly half of the young Artheon race who had gathered in Damara and considered it their new home to Waterdeep to consolidate his core power. The complete resolution of the Damara crisis made this relocation possible, but the Artheon's gathering in Waterdeep also brought new problems.

　Although the residents of Waterdeep had gradually become accustomed to the presence of dragons, the sudden gathering of a large number of Arethon dragons still caused quite a stir in the city, which to some extent seemed to confirm the "dragon invasion" rumors spread by the Harpists' Alliance. What bothered Casalos even more was that the conservative and die-hard old forces within the Arethon race, who had disappeared after the Holy War, began to resurface under this stimulus, causing the chromatic dragons of Enser and Quettasen to also become restless.

　Of course, these problems are not urgent. Those old guys like Athelon are not going to amount to much, and the dragons like Chassa and Enser should focus most of their energy on Bahamut, whose faith has returned to Faerûn as the gem tree of Damara grows.

　All the mortals of the good alignment throughout Damara heard Bahamut's call. Inspired by Gaelos the Dragonflight, many in Damara began to swear oaths of service to the Platinum Dragon. The elite among them became Platinum Knights or vassals of Bahamut. Some, even more fortunate, chose to undergo the rebirth ritual, transforming themselves into the long-forgotten race, the Dragonborn. As the ranks of followers grew, under the new divine rules of the God-Supreme God, Bahamut's power rapidly increased, and he regained his status as a lesser god.

　The return of his divine status allowed Bahamut to focus his attention on the entire continent of Faerûn, and more benevolent people began to join the ranks of the Platinum Dragon God. However, Bahamut did not anticipate that the new rules that AO established for the gods would have a far more profound impact on them than initially apparent. The doctrines and beliefs followed by the believers were also being reflected back into the gods of their respective divine offices.

　The era when benevolent gods turned evil and wicked gods were idle is over!

　Bahamut's Gem Tree also attracted the attention of the Dragon Queen. In response, Tiamat sent a chosen one to Fort Piriles in the cold wastelands of Vasa, and for the first time, in her capacity as the Rainbow Dragon Queen, Mother of Dragons, she issued a large-scale summons to the rainbow dragons. Many rainbow dragons—mostly white dragons—responded enthusiastically to her call and came to the abandoned fortress. With their participation, the Dragon Queen initiated a large-scale breeding program, creating various descendants of Tiamat's evil dragons. These were terrifying monsters that had not appeared in Toril since the ancient War of the Gods.

　Because Casalos, in his golden dragon form, intervened in Gaelos's journey through the Abyss, inducing several of Bahamut's chosen ones to kill Lord Orcus, and through the Banshee Queen's machinations, destroyed the 113th layer of the Abyss, thus preventing Gaelos from destroying the Scepter of Orcus in the Astral Plane and becoming tainted with the Queen's blood, no one brought Tiamat's sacred blood into Faerûn. Therefore, the plan to create Tiamat's offspring was severely hampered. Chassar, the Dragon Cult, and the evil dragons of Enther are now trying to resolve this issue, and can only "keep an eye on" Casalos's actions in the Sword Coast.

　In fact, Chassar had sent cross-boundary signals to the Astral Plane's Aphrodite and Githyanki more than once, ordering them to quickly come to Faerûn and kill Casaloz, the iron dragon cub it had inadvertently let go in a moment of good mood. Unfortunately, all its messages to the Astral Plane went unanswered.

　Casalos organized a combined force of young Athenedragon legions and a fleet of magical ships, under the command of Goronkala, to urgently reinforce Velen, intending to eliminate the threat of the Neransera pirates in one fell swoop. While this powerful air force quickly stabilized the situation in Velen, it also stirred panic and suspicion among the cities of South Sword's Bay. Led by Kalinshan, the cities of the Golden Lands began to reduce or even refuse trade with Waterdeep, thus once again stalling the reconstruction of the Waterdeep-Baldur's Gate Sword's Bay Dragonflight due to resource constraints.

　To address this new challenge, Casalos adopted a two-pronged strategy. First, he actively contacted the Silvermoon Alliance upstream on the Desharin River to establish new trade routes as a temporary alternative. However, limited by the river's carrying capacity and the Silvermoon Federation's production capacity, this plan could only serve as a short-term emergency measure. Second, the air fleet dispatched to Velen began actively rescuing Amn refugees fleeing Ascatra, particularly nobles and merchants who controlled trade routes across the Maztec continent. By taking over the Amn Empire's original colonial trade network, Casalos sought a fundamental solution to the Dragonlands' long-standing resource supply problem.

　In this endless cycle of solving old problems and creating new ones, Casalos faced a new trial in the Dragon Treasury. It made basic strategic plans, divided the responsibilities, and handed them over to its trusted group led by Fiona to handle temporarily. Under the pretext of needing a short period of slumber, it temporarily put everything aside and hid in the demiplane, while its consciousness re-entered the Dragon Treasury.

　Using a star map that surveyed the entirety of the three planets of the El world, the exploration target was chosen: a region marked in green, signifying the presence of both an artifact and a powerful NPC. According to the star map, this region was located at the other end of the El continent, a mountain range destroyed by darkness, containing the artifact known as the "Core of the Rock," and also the final resting place of the psionic spellcaster, Aetherion.

　With the support of the Star Torch, the Archbishop directly deployed Casalos to the vicinity of the "Core of the Rock," significantly reducing the time it would take to search for artifacts in the early stages.

　Casalos found itself in a desolate mountain range, its distant peaks shrouded in darkness, where swarms of insects were beginning to pour in from all directions. Through prior research into the region, it knew that the "Core of the Rock" was most likely buried deep within an underground temple in the mountains, and that Aetherion was the last being attempting to protect it.

　The natural phenomena caused by the artifact were isolated by the mountains, and without the guidance of the star torch, the artifact would have had almost no chance of being discovered.

　Developing as it advanced along a spiraling path, Casaroz soon reached the entrance deep within the mountains. Here, the terrain consisted of solid rock, the swarm density decreased, but individual strength increased dramatically—the limited combat space in the underground caves prevented the insects from completely surrounding the Iron Dragon, significantly reducing the area of ​​impact. Casaroz's trial "difficulty" was balanced by a fraction of a second.

26. A "long-awaited" reunion

　Regardless of the type of disturbance this difficulty balance adjustment is based on, the battles in the green zone cannot hinder Casalos as it is now—as long as it doesn't recklessly court death.

　Iron Dragon would certainly not do that. The world of Faerûn is ever-changing, and every trial is a milestone in its efforts to improve its strength. How could it be allowed to act like a game and mess around with things recklessly? After several hours of fierce fighting, Casalos finally reached the depths of the underground temple and discovered the "Core of the Rock" in the center of the temple—a hexagonal, dark brown crystal suspended in the air, radiating a heavy and resilient force field.

　When you take the artifact, you will face the incarnation of the Chaos Hound Kozf again, and find Etherion in a state of self-protection in the deepest part of the temple.

　The mysterious psionic caster, with Casalos's help, regained his freedom, then "played" several cutscenes before guiding Casalos through the ritual of igniting the second starlight, thus creating a new safe zone. Aetherion, like Millland, entered the maintenance area and immediately fell into a meditative state.

　After resting, Casalos once again experienced the power of the Infinite Killing Arrows. Relying on his pre-prepared countermeasures and the improvisational performance of the pseudo-Laplace's Demon, he dealt with a total of 16 Killing Arrows, and the trial came to an end.

　Casalos was quite satisfied with the results of this training. He invested all the attribute points he gained into Primal Power and the Pseudo-Laplace's Demon talent tree, resulting in a significant enhancement, although the increase was somewhat smaller relative to his current strength. Unfortunately, both "Magecrafter" Milland and "Boundary of the Stars" Etherion were in a deep meditative state and unable to communicate effectively—Cassaloz seemed to have not yet met the conditions for direct interaction with them.

　Upon exiting the Dragon's Treasury, Casalos's first action was to activate his supernatural ability to change form, transforming into an elegant male dragon, his entire body shimmering with silver-blue scales, his eyes as clear and deep as amethyst.

　"Ratambirol has returned."

　For Casalos, this was not just a simple disguise, but another completely independent identity. The strict separation of different identities was one of the key measures to ensure the safety of himself, Dragon Territory, and many relatives and friends.

　Boarding the long-awaited Iron Dawn, the stream of light cleaved through the chaos of the astral plane, traversing the dimensional rifts, and arriving at the shores of the glorious city gently caressed by the waves of Sword Coast, the once bustling port now appeared somewhat deserted. With the fall of Amn and the cessation of trade with Kalinsan, the number of merchant ships entering and leaving Waterdeep's port had plummeted, and a sense of desolation hung over the port area. But today, a uniquely designed magical ship attracted everyone's attention.

　Since Lord Casaloz dispatched the astral magic ship fleet to the continent of Faerûn, the people of Glorious City have become accustomed to magic ships that can fly and travel between different worlds. But Iron Dawn is special, not only for its unique appearance, but also for its crucial significance to Waterdeep City. It was the arrival of the dragon Ratambirol that unveiled the veil of dragons hidden in Glorious City, thus laying the initial foundation for the Iron Dragons to ascend to the position of lord.

　Besides, I've heard that the otherworldly merchant Ratambirol is also a staunch ally of the Iron Dragon Lord Casaloz... Well, this isn't some trivial matter. From Moonshadow Isle in the west to Damara in the east, and even across Sword Coast and the northwest region of Faerûn, most of the non-evil dragons with names and identities are close allies of the Iron Dragon Lord Casaloz. This has already been listed as one of the ten things that the people of Waterdeep are most proud of.

　Bards love to create these kinds of lists, and the general public enjoys them too.

　At this moment, rumors are rampant in Waterdeep, because Casaloz, the legendary Iron Dragon Lord and the new ruler of Waterdeep, is in a state of "slumber".

　Clarissa Kassa, a legendary half-dragon kobold warlock who bears the Kassa name, stands hidden in the harbor, watching her surroundings. She has been disguised as a Falin residing in Waterdeep as a "fellowship" of Ratambirol, responsible for eliminating any potential threats to the Dragon Lord.

　The Iron Dawn finally docked, and Casalos, now known as Ratambirol, stepped off the ship. He chose human form, a tall, imposing man dressed in an exquisite robe of exotic style, embroidered with intricate dragon patterns.

　The port was already waiting for people—Taona and two steel dragon warlock brothers, Fiona who led half-dragons to guard the Sword Coast Dragonflight, and Pierre Galen, the current acting open lord of Waterdeep.