A Dragon against the Whole World

He stood amidst the endless brilliance, his figure seeming to rival the heavens, and his voice echoed across the land.

"If one day, anyone dares to encroach upon the lands of the Lotheren again, there will be no bonds of the Federation to rely on, and today’s forgiveness won’t compare. Then, no matter where you flee, even to the ends of the earth, I will make you pay an unbearable price!"

As his words fell, the vast domain that covered the battlefield, centered around the Saint King, withdrew like a tide.

After a brief dead silence, it was complete collapse.

Previously, the Anti-King Alliance Army, with an overwhelming momentum, swore to flatten Waldo. Now, they only wished they had been born with more legs!

They abandoned helmets and armor, discarded heavy equipment, and fled in panic like a frightened flock of sheep, trampling over each other, not daring to glance back at the royal city shrouded in the Saint King’s radiance.

The Saint King turned, his deep gaze taking a look at O’Brien, nodding slightly at him.

Then, his figure, cloaked in light, began to fade slowly, eventually disappearing like a mirage, as if he had never appeared.

Meanwhile.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The Iron Dragon Gordon flapped his wings, slowly descending onto a pristine plaza within the palace.

"A miracle... has truly happened?"

"The legendary Saint King is actually alive!"

He murmured to himself, and after a few seconds, as if coming to a sudden realization, a look of sudden understanding appeared on the dragon’s face, soon replaced by an overwhelming confidence.

"Perhaps I, Gordon Ignas, am the famed child of destiny! It is fated that I lead the changes of an era!" The more he thought, the more it made sense, and his dragon tail started wagging with pride.

"Otherwise, there’s no explanation as to why I can always turn danger into safety at critical moments!"

"Even this precarious situation could be reversed due to the Saint King’s reappearance!"

"Yes, that’s right! This must be it! I, Gordon, am indeed destined by fate!"

"Solrog, Samantha, including Galos... Their achievements and fortune today might just be due to sharing in my fate’s favor!"

Drenched in self-admiration, Gordon, like a victorious general, puffed out his iron-gray scaled chest with arrogance.

He shook his massive body, looked down at Alina who had just disembarked from his back, and grinned broadly.

With a chuckle, he reminded, "Alina, the promise you made in the sky, now that the kingdom’s crisis is averted and a miracle has occurred, you can’t go back on your word."

The evil dragon and the princess are indeed a perfect match.

From today onwards, Galos and the others should be envious of him having a princess.

The Crystal Princess was gazing at the direction where the Saint King disappeared, her heart surging with emotions.

Hearing Gordon’s words, she slowly turned her head, a puzzled expression on her face, tilting her head slightly.

"What promise? Did I agree to something with you?"

The smug smile on Gordon’s dragon face froze instantly, speechless for a moment, then a rush of embarrassment and annoyance flooded his heart.

"Hmph! Despicable, capricious human!"

He snorted angrily, letting out two puffs of steam with sparks from his nostrils, and no longer paid attention to Alina. He flew to a corner of the plaza, then draped his broad wings over his head and lay on the ground sulking.

Meanwhile, O’Brien returned to the city under the protection of the Forbidden Guard.

Alina immediately rushed forward to support her brother.

Suppressing her inner excitement, she quietly and urgently asked, "Brother! Since the Ancestor has reappeared, could you implore him to act and hunt down those legendary figures of the Alliance Army? They must pay for today’s betrayal and slaughter!"

"The Ancestor has a generous heart and compassion for the world, but those invading enemies must not be forgiven without consequence."

"Everyone says you have an aura of the Ancestor’s legacy, deeply esteemed by him. Perhaps... can you try to change the Ancestor’s mind? At the very least, they can’t be allowed to retreat so easily!"

O’Brien endured the intense pain from his wounds, his face pale as he shook his head.

He didn’t offer much explanation, merely weakly saying, "The Ancestor’s intentions are not something we can fathom or easily change."

Alina was unwilling, wanting to persuade further: "But Brother..."

O’Brien wearily waved his hand, interrupting her: "Let’s talk about it later. My injuries are serious and require immediate rest."

Alina swallowed back her words, no longer speaking.

Then, time gently passed by.

The decades-long Southern Federation civil war finally ended with the reappearance of Saint King Allen Lothern, who personally dissolved the Federation, declaring it completely over. The Anti-King Alliance Army quickly withdrew, retreating hastily back to their territories in fright.

They dared not act rashly, anxiously observing the subsequent stance of the Lotheren Kingdom.

Yet, as the Saint King said, the Lotheren Kingdom recovered its lost territories and did not pursue the crime of the invading nations further.

With his mercy and compassion, the Saint King once again gained the admiration and veneration of countless southern citizens.

Nations in the Anti-King Faction faced contempt from the world due to their betrayal and divisive actions, experiencing frequent internal unrest and unstable government. Meanwhile, the allied nations that steadfastly followed the Lotheren Kingdom celebrated with joy and honor.

However, the wounds inflicted by war are not easily healed overnight.

After putting aside their swords, the Southern Countries began to slowly lick their wounds, soothing the chaos brought by the war, and thus reacquiring a long-lost peace.

Thus, time continued to flow, arriving at the beginning of the New Calendar Year 318.

Simultaneously, in the Border Area of the Northern Territory, shrouded in snow and ice, far from the southern turmoil.

Nearly thirty years of dormancy later, at the age of 98, the King of Molten Iron slowly opened his eyes from his slumber deep within an underground cave.