Under the Red Dragon

"Expectation is a subtle form of violence; becoming an obsession only binds oneself," Karun Hogmora said. "Don't hold high hopes for the future of the Golden Empire. If you are willing, if you want to pursue, then move forward and stand with us."

"Look at those who claim to control fate or gods, they all died in their own expectations of seeing through the future. I can also vaguely see some confusing futures, but I never care about them."

Karun revealed a slight smile on his fierce face, saying, "There are no waves that only rise and never fall. There is a day for rising, and there is a day for falling, so I never consider what my future holds."

"The road is right under your feet; break through everything and move forward."

The brass dragon Hollister fell silent. He sat beside Karun Hogmora, while the Dark Elf King Anudalia and the Lord of the Shadow Nest, Sharoth, sat side by side on the Dragon Emperor's right.

These seemingly high and mighty kings also have moments of utter boredom.

While waiting for the remaining kings who had not yet arrived, Karun Hogmora suggested fishing on this solitary cliff thousands of meters high.

The winner would be the one whose catch had the highest estimated value in the marketplace.

Thus, the two kings gladly agreed.

However, there are no fishing lines that long in this world, so the bored fellows used a wisp of their own magical power as fishing line, according to their own defined units.

A wisp of magic in the hands of an ordinary mage might only be used to cast a small trick, but in the hands of these individuals, it could bear the weight of thousands of pounds.

This not only tested the strong individuals' subtle control over magic but also tested their luck.

Karun Hogmora, the red dragon, was excitedly swinging his long magical fishing line back and forth in front of the sirens who were singing loudly on the reefs at sea, trying to get a siren on the surface to take the bait willingly.

Sirens are also known as mermaids by those who sail the seas.

However, these sirens are much better than the Sahuagin.

The Sahuagin are not only ugly and ferocious in appearance, but their intelligence is only worthy of being called a sentient race.

The mermaid, even in the eyes of the brass dragon Hollister, is a rather mysterious race. Not only is their intelligence far superior to that of the Sahuagin, but every mermaid can be said to be a born extraordinary creature.

It is said that mermaids are born with the ability to capture the hearts and souls of other creatures with their songs, driving other creatures to serve them or using other creatures as food.

However, the dragon knew that the rumors of mermaids eating people were just exaggerations spread by pirates and merchant ships sailing on the sea after encountering disasters caused by the Sahuagin.

Those graceful mermaids do not like to eat dirty food like humans. Their songs sometimes only have the innate ability to attract the souls of other creatures.

The ancestors of the ogre mage Fafna, the ancient demigod sirens, are mutated cousins of the sirens, only having a distant ancient blood relationship and not actually belonging to the mermaid species.

These beautiful and charming girls with human bodies and fish tails gently frowned their delicate brows with sparkling scales, somewhat helplessly watching the three long magic threads swinging back and forth in front of them, even their cheerful songs slowed down involuntarily.

Hollister could perceive some subtle changes in the red dragon from his words and actions, that is, the aggressiveness and attackiveness originally hidden in his heart had begun to be released.

Everyone will gradually change in the tempering of time, quickly or slowly, but will never return to the past.

Hollister didn't know whether Karun Hogmora's transformation was good or bad, but it was enough that some things that shouldn't change still existed.

"I came here also as the attitude of the Southern Good Dragon Alliance. They currently do not want to be hostile to you, so they will not send any metal dragons to interfere in your war this time," Hollister turned his gaze and looked at Karun Hogmora, who had a calm expression.

This was not unexpected to Karun. Although most of the dragons currently active in the Southern Good Dragon Alliance are young dragons, the ancient dragons hidden in the depths of the world are still in charge of decisive power.

Most dragons can control their primal desires to a certain extent when they grow to the ancient dragon stage, which also gives those ancient dragons the accumulated wisdom and control that young dragons do not possess.

Those ancient dragons would not easily launch bloody dragon wars because of some simple interests or face issues. Only when their ancient lives are threatened will those ancient dragons disregard everything.

"But when I passed through the territory of the Southern Noble Alliance, I was entrusted by them to seek peace with the Golden Empire at any acceptable cost."

The brass dragon said.

Karun was not surprised or betrayed by this. Before crushing everything with power, uniting the vast majority that can be united is the correct strategy.

Even the powerful gods need to form alliances with each other, let alone Karun and the Golden Empire.

And the brass dragon Hollister and his moderate faction are one of the goals that Karun can unite. Perhaps only this brass dragon is the most likely to convey words to the Golden Empire.

"Any cost that can be paid? Including the heads of those nobles?" Karun said with a faint smile, "Hollister, do you see those erected royal flags?"

"No one will agree that those nobles can live in this world. We are the Hogmora Dragon Clan, we created the Golden Empire, and no one can survive after offending us!"

Hollister nodded, watching batches of ships begin to arrive at the island's temporary port on the sea below the solitary cliff. He knew it was time for him to leave.

"Then I will tell those nobles to prepare a good coffin for themselves!" Hollister smiled and walked down the top of the mountain.

Sometimes just a turn is the departure of an entire era. The brass dragon felt that he would witness the beginning of another era at the foot of the mountain.

Perhaps those kings had already arrived, but they were still somewhat hesitant, so they did not show up.

But when ships bearing the royal flag of the Frost Giant King sailed to the island's temporary port, ships bearing the flags of the remaining kings also appeared one by one from the distant sea.

It is worth mentioning that although the Frost Giant race is very powerful, the Frost Giant King Ragnar Hag this time mortgaged some rare minerals that had not been allocated on the Frost Plains to the Golden Empire to rent several large ships, so that he could make the trip in time.

Banners fluttered, and drums and horns played a majestic and powerful melody. The music corps of the Golden Empire, led by the Song Dragons, composed this 'Respect the King Music' with the characteristics of the Dragon Kingdom, vast, expansive, majestic, and inspiring.

The voices of countless legion warriors of the empire singing to welcome the king vibrated the entire sea area. Even Ragnar Hag, the Frost Giant King, who was relatively familiar with the Golden Empire, could not help but be infected by this atmosphere.

Surrounded by the Frost Giant Guards and led by the Dragon Kings of the Empire, he ascended the steps layer by layer, like a king ascending.

Then came Alvin, the Elf King of the Elven Kingdom. This sun elf had golden hair and amazing beauty, but his strength was not very outstanding. He also ascended the mountain with the protection of the elven guards and the accompaniment of the Dragon Kings.

Then came Mogyes, the multi-armed giant of the Abandoned God Mountains, Chalar Caesar, the emperor of the Hobbes Empire, and finally Bosser Lion, the monarch of the Orc Kingdom.

The appearance of these kings and the resounding of 'Respect the King Music' stirred up the dense sails on the sea.

But even those who can secretly control the trade of a small country are just small onlookers in front of these kings and dare not cross the line.

The ancient blue dragon in the sky could not help but approach the sky above the island, even though the ancient dragon's vision could clearly see everything.

Royal flags turned in the wind, ascending to the top of the solitary cliff.

In the huge royal tent built with magic on the top, a blazing and bright bonfire was lit.

Thick velvet carpets were laid on the rough rock surface, and the female servants had already filled the long cyan-brown tables lined up on the velvet carpets with various wines, meats, fruits, cakes, and desserts.

Food of this specification may not be able to fill the guests' stomachs, but it is enough as a courtesy reception in the wild.

In the center of the tent, there were also three animals, pigs, cows, and sheep, floating under the warm fire, exuding a faint oily aroma.

And a huge magic sand table. On this huge magic sand table, mountains and ravines crisscrossed, everything was as real as it was, it was the geographical outline of the entire Northern Territory continent.

And in this huge royal tent, noble kings were already waiting for the later kings.

It was not until the tall figure of Bosser Lion, the monarch of the Orc Kingdom, stepped into this royal tent that he discovered that not only were the Dragon Kings of various colors gathered here in the form of dragon descendants, but the remaining kings were also quietly tasting the wine brewed by the Golden Empire.

It seemed that no one wanted to open their mouths to the emperor of the Golden Empire first in the dignified atmosphere, so as not to lose the initiative in some aspect.

"Please take a seat, Your Majesty the Orc King," the dragon descendant sitting in the chair said.

"I didn't expect to keep you kings waiting here for so long, it's really my negligence," Bosser Lion said as he took a seat and scanned the kings in the royal tent who suddenly perked up, knowing that at this moment the alliance meeting was beginning.

Karun Hogmora appeared in the form of a dragon descendant, but his aura was still intimidating, as if he were an emperor who swallowed mountains and seas, scanning the kings in the tent who revealed inquiring expressions.

His face was covered by a mask of scales and keratin, making it impossible to see his specific expression, but everyone knew that his expression was becoming serious and formal.

"Everyone who wields power knows that politics is dirty, dark, full of intrigue, repeated compromise, and testing before delivering that fatal key edge,"

"But those are the things that weak people like to do, I don't like to do this," Karun Hogmora's dark golden pupils seemed to be watching the eyes of every king at the same time.

"So I won't have too many pleasantries, nor will I waste everyone's time, but openly and honestly inform you of the purpose of inviting you here to the alliance meeting."

"I like your frankness," Mogyes, the multi-armed giant, had a reduced size of only about two meters, but the muscles knotted on his strong body like old tree roots.

A look of curiosity also appeared in the eyes of the Elf King. Although he came to resolve the war dispute with the Dark Elves, he also very much wanted to know the true purpose of this dragon emperor.

And the king of the Orc Kingdom and the emperor of the Hobbes Empire had already turned their attention to the geographical sand table of the Northern Territory continent in the center of the royal tent, while listening to the words of the chief alliance member.

Only the Frost Giant King, the Dark Elf King, and the Lord of the Shadow Nest were at ease, sitting quietly, tasting the wine and food in front of them, seeming to be here more like an outing.

"The first reason for inviting you here is because of the war of the Golden Empire," Karun Hogmora's gaze swept over Bosser Lion, the king of the Orcs, over the emperor of Hobbes, and over Mogyes, the multi-armed giant.

Then he slowly opened his mouth and said, "This war is inevitable, so in order to eliminate the surrounding hidden dangers, the empire wants to reach an alliance relationship with the Orc Kingdom, the Hobbes Empire, and the king of the Abandoned God Mountains."

"So in some respects, it can also be said that the alliance of the Golden Empire's alliance meeting must achieve its purpose no matter what."

Bosser Lion frowned, withdrew his gaze, and raised his head, looking like a male lion about to pounce.

He said in a deep voice, "Since it is to form an alliance, there is naturally a combination of interests. Although the Golden Empire is powerful, it is impossible to make the remaining countries act according to your ideas with just a few words."

"Rather than talking about it like this, the Orcs might as well accept the friendship of those southern nobles!"

"If that's all it is, it seems like I'm wasting my time here," Mogyes, the multi-armed giant, said with a sinking face.

Chalar Caesar also withdrew his gaze from the Northern Territory geographical sand table and looked at the dragon descendant with scales and armor, saying meaningfully, "Here we are besieged by the army of the Golden Empire, and our lives seem to be in the control of the Golden Empire."

"In this situation, it is not impossible to force us to submit by force, regardless of other interests! But what can we blame? We can only blame ourselves for being too easy to trust the external appearance of others."

Chalar Caesar's thorny words made the pupils of the Dragon Kings around the royal tent become intense, but the aura of the kings remained as stable as a mountain, and the tent was once again shrouded in a dignified atmosphere.

Karun's laughter broke the silence in the royal tent. He said with a faint smile, "Of course it won't be that simple. Even if we don't reach an alliance, I will let you kings return to your own countries intact."

"But if you don't choose me, it means you have to face me!"

Thank you for the tickets, um, these two days, quitting smoking and coffee always feels very stagnant, no passion, damn, try to write more tomorrow!