novelnext Chapter 373 - 308: Slumber, Dragon Heart Evolution
Chapter 373 - 308: Slumber, Dragon Heart Evolution
"Galos! It’s time to settle my appearance fee!"
A floating Communication Stone drifted in front of Galos, emitting the familiar voice of Golden Dragon Alberto.
He was the Golden Dragon who frequently visited Ximu Town, bringing great reputation to the Molten Iron Tribe.
Galos didn’t even lift an eyelid, lazily replied, "Why bother with all the hassle? Just deduct it from the debt you owe me."
The other end of the Communication Stone was silent for a moment.
Then Alberto’s voice rang out again.
"No way! Absolutely not! I want immediate settlement!"
"Even if, in the end, these Gold Coins are still meant for you."
"But at least! At least before they leave my claws, I can spend more time with these adorable little things, listen to their beautiful clinking sound, and feel their enchanting warmth and luster!"
To get a sufficiently long rest, Alberto challenged Galos once again not long ago.
Unsurprisingly, he was beaten senseless and the amount of debt he owed reached a new peak.
At this rate, the possibility of him clearing his debt is almost zero.
"Since you’re so insistent."
Galos slightly nodded his large head and said generously, "Then go to the treasury in Ximu Town and find the Flower Lord to claim it."
Just as he finished speaking.
Suddenly, without any warning, he let out a massive yawn.
After coming to his senses, a clear and irresistible drowsiness, like a gradually rising tide, slowly emerged from deep within his soul, spreading throughout his entire body.
This feeling couldn’t be clearer.
It signifies the arrival of his final Dragon Sleep of adolescence.
"This sleep will undoubtedly exceed ten years."
"Perhaps when I awaken next time, all the duchies of the Human Federation will be engulfed in a full-scale war, even the kingdom behind them will have personally participated, embroiled in chaos and unable to attend to other matters, and by then, I will have officially entered youth, becoming a true young dragon."
Galos pondered silently in his heart.
As for the possibility that during his sleep, this southern war would have hastily ended and upon awakening, he’d find all parties have reconciled and completed a new round of resource allocation?
Considering the currently escalating situation, deeply involved forces, and ever-deepening hatred chains.
The likelihood of that is slim.
The larger the organization, the more complex the internal interests, and the wars they initiate are inevitably prolonged.
Until now, the kingdoms behind the Federation are still hidden in the background, engaging in games indirectly by supporting their respective duchy proxies without showing signs of personally stepping in.
Even if the future situation escalates and they find proxy wars unsatisfactory and decide to step in personally.
Given the lack of overwhelming power disparities, and complex and lengthy battle lines, wars between kingdoms are destined to be drawn-out tug-of-war, unlikely to reach a conclusion quickly.
After a moment of contemplation, Galos said to the Golden Dragon on the other end of the Communication Stone, "Alberto, I’m about to enter Dragon Sleep."
"During this time, should the Molten Iron Tribe encounter troubles it can’t resolve, I hope you can step in to mediate or handle it."
"In return, for every year that passes peacefully, I’ll waive ten percent of your debt interest. If my sleep lasts long enough for you to offset all the principal, I’ll additionally reward you handsomely."
Upon hearing this,
Golden Dragon Alberto’s voice immediately rose with enthusiasm and replied.
"There’s no need to speak like strangers, we’re Dragon Race brothers! Matters of the Molten Iron Tribe are my matters!"
Saying this.
He seemed to completely forget his initial resistance when Galos first called him a Golden Dragon brother and mentioned that compensation was trivial.
The next moment.
After a slight pause in his words, Alberto added quickly with extreme seriousness, "Of course! Even brothers must have clear accounts, so you mustn’t miss a single coin of the promised reward."
After ending the communication with the Golden Dragon.
Galos officially informed the other members within Dragon Valley about his upcoming sleep.
And it wasn’t just him who needed to sleep.
It can be foreseen that after him, Iron Dragon Solrog, Red Dragon Samantha, and even Gordon far in the Federation will soon enter their sleep stage.
As the Ignatius Brothers themselves begin to sleep.
White Dragon Trish, the soon-to-awaken Blue Dragon Heryam, Red Dragon Kahill, as well as young Black Dragon and young Green Dragon Ludwig, will assume heavier responsibilities, overseeing various affairs of the Molten Iron Tribe for the foreseeable period.
To prevent these young or spontaneous dragons from making any irrational decisions.
Galos issued clear directives to Gluttonous Demon Kalu, Werewolf Russell, Flying Dragon Leader Tasha, Mixed-blood Centaur Elvira, Snake-man Sword Saint Naries, Great Workshop Master Scott and other Advanced Servant Leaders.
During the special period when the Ignatius Brothers are all in sleep:
First: The tribe is prohibited from engaging in any form of external expansion or intentionally instigating large-scale conflicts.
Second: The overall development strategy of the tribe will shift to conservatism, with the core goal being: maintaining existing territories! Strengthening defenses, stockpiling resources, amassing power.
Third: Should the remaining Dragons intend to contravene the conservative approach and forcefully implement aggressive policies, Servant Leaders have the right to refuse to execute orders.
The primary loyalty of those servant leaders lies with Galos.
Without Galos’ direct instructions, it is challenging for other dragons to truly mobilize.
Moreover, considering the current strength of White Dragon Trish and a few young dragons, they might not even be a match for those advanced servant leaders.
"Trish, you are currently the oldest and most experienced in the dragon group."
"After I, Solrog, and Samantha successively enter sleep, you need to shoulder the responsibility of leadership, ensuring the tribe lives peacefully. Avoid creating trouble, and focus on accumulating power and consolidating the foundation."
"Can you do that?"
Galos specially summoned the White Dragon to his side, confiding earnestly.
"Rest assured! Galos!"
White Dragon Trish suddenly straightened her long neck and said seriously, "If we view the Molten Iron Tribe as a whole, the tribe’s overall ecological niche will inevitably face a temporary decline after you all enter sleep."
"During this stage, patience and restraint are wise choices."
"Once you all awaken, stepping collectively into the youth stage, the tribe’s ecological niche will undergo a significant leap... that will be the perfect time for us to shine again."
Hearing the White Dragon’s clear and rational analysis, Galos was very confident that she would not take any drastic actions during his sleep.
She would probably prefer for the entire tribe to shrink up like turtles.
In the days that followed.
Galos meticulously conveyed his will and the various precautions during the sleep stage to every Dragon Vein follower and other core servant leaders, and held a long and detailed working meeting with his blood brothers and other remaining giant dragons.
Until everything was arranged properly, without any omissions.
Only then did Galos spread his enormous wings, soared into the air, and left Dragon Valley.
The Red Iron Dragon flew in the cold sky of the Border Area.
Not long after, he arrived above another valley covered in vibrant red.
He lowered his head and gazed down, seeing countless red maple trees growing in the valley. At this time of year, the fiery red leaves swayed and rolled with the mountain wind, stunningly beautiful.
Red Maple Valley — this is the territory where Silver Dragon Adrian’s family resides.
A year ago, when Deborah’s Dragon Sleep stage arrived, she returned to this safe homeland, sleeping under the protection of her parents’ barrier.
And Galos also decided to use this place as his resting place for this sleep.
He flapped his wings, slowly lowering his altitude.
Just at the moment he was about to enter the valley.
Galos clearly felt a slight resistance, like passing through a viscous water membrane, sweeping across his body. The next moment, the obstacle disappeared, and he found himself inside the valley.
Galos’ mind moved slightly, using the Image of Starself.
As expected, he saw a huge and complex magic barrier, with countless runes faintly appearing on its surface, covering the entire valley tightly like an overturned bowl.
The strength of this barrier was astonishing.
Galos could come and go freely because Silver Dragon Adrian had left a transit mark on him before.
He hovered slightly in the air above Red Maple Valley, quickly locking his gaze on a figure in the clearing below the forest.
Deborah was slightly curled up with her sleek dragon scales-covered elongated body, with many fiery red maple leaves already fallen around and on her, sleeping peacefully and elegantly, as if merging with this beautiful valley.
Galos did not approach to disturb this tranquility.
Unlike Deborah, he didn’t have the deep sense of security to sleep without guard in an open environment.
He needed a more hidden place.
After a brief thought, the Red Iron Dragon focused his sight on a clear stream flowing through the valley.
His enormous body descended, squeezing into the riverbed, using his strong claws and tremendous force, quickly dug a temporary Dragon’s Nest in the rocky cliff on one side of the riverbank.
Inside the temporary Dragon’s Nest, dark and damp.
The Red Iron Dragon took out all the stored Black Oil Crystals.
At the moment when the sleepiness was the most overwhelming and almost irresistible, he took a deep breath and swallowed all the Black Oil Crystals in one go. Then, he consumed as many magic gemstones and various precious metals as possible.
Under normal circumstances.
Swallowing such a large amount of high-energy materials would cause surges of energy to erupt like a volcano inside him, requiring immediate high-intensity exercise to release it.
But now, the special physiological state before Dragon Sleep changed all that.
In this state, the efficiency of a dragon’s digestion, absorption, and conversion of energy reaches a level far beyond normal.
After Galos swallowed a large amount of treasures, he didn’t feel the fierce surging energy impact.
Instead, he felt them settling in his body, releasing pure energy gently and continuously, like a warm current permeating his limbs, scales, and bones.
This soothing sense of nourishment made him feel extremely comfortable, and deep sleepiness followed like a tide, completely engulfing him.
"After this long sleep, my Dragon Heart will most likely complete that crucial evolution."
"This will be a qualitative leap; stepping into the youth stage, I will become even stronger."
"But this is only the beginning. I want to evolve step by step to a level where no one can kill me..."
With such thoughts, the consciousness of the Red Iron Dragon gradually blurred and dissipated, eventually falling into a deep sleep.
Time flowed silently in the light and shadow of the swaying maple leaves.
Meanwhile, the heart of the Red Iron Dragon, which once beat like a war drum, gradually slowed down and elongated, eventually becoming almost imperceptible, as if completely enclosed by an invisible, thick cocoon.