A Dragon against the Whole World

When the Red Iron Dragon slowly walked out of the Burning Steel Castle, what met his eyes was the ring of guards surrounding the fortress.

The fierce storm howled mercilessly at the valley’s peak, kicking up a blinding flurry of snow.

But these loyal guards, whether they were low-flying dragons or the silent ogres standing tall... were like iron fir trees rooted deep in the earth. No matter how the wind and snow battered their heavy armor and fur, their bodies did not sway in the slightest.

Among them, the most striking were the particularly large and robust Earth Bears, clad in full Rune Heavy Armor.

These early followers of Galos, after decades of breeding and living, had seen their numbers multiply several times over.

In the fertile environment of Dragon Valley, their bodies developed far beyond those of their wild counterparts, and their intelligence significantly improved.

The Violent Bears were seldom dispatched to foreign lands for battles and were more like the Imperial Guard of Dragon Valley.

Should any enemy dare to invade this sacred land, these Violent Bear guards, armed to the teeth, would demonstrate to the invaders the true meaning of "Bear’s Strength," with a momentum as overwhelming as thunder.

"My lord, you have finally awakened."

Violent Bear Commander Möbel was the first to step forward.

It stood upright, folded its forepaws together in a gesture akin to a bow, skillfully offering greetings and praise: "Your mighty form seems capable of bearing up an entire mountain range, your majestic aura more awe-inspiring than the storm! Long Wei rises, King of Molten Iron!"

Galos’s gaze fell upon Möbel, carefully sizing up this earliest follower.

It was the first follower subdued by Galos.

As the new generation of Violent Bears gradually grew strong, becoming a major part of the Dragon Valley defenses, signs of aging also became apparent on this original Bear Leader.

Once sharp and snow-white tusks now had a slight yellow tinge; its thick, dense fur lost the glossy luster of its prime, appearing somewhat dry; most notably, that bear face now bore quite a few noticeable white hairs.

Möbel had quietly passed the prime of its life, inevitably advancing toward old age.

"Given your current condition, barring any unforeseen events, you should have another ten to twenty years of life."

The Red Iron Dragon said: "Consider attempting a Dragon Vein Transformation, which could extend your life, giving you more time to remain loyal to me."

Upon hearing this, the Bear Leader’s enormous paws uneasily scraped the ground a few times.

It hesitated for a moment before softly responding: "I appreciate my lord’s grace... however, I feel that following the natural order of life and death, naturally moving towards the end, might also be a good choice."

"For creatures like us, dying of old age is already considered a rare blessing."

Galos slightly nodded his massive head, indicating his understanding of this choice.

"The Dragon Forging Transformation Ceremony, unlike the risky Dragon Vein Transformation, has a much higher success rate."

He added and then changed his tone, saying: "But, since you have made up your mind to go with the flow, I will grant your wish."

Earth Bear Möbel instantly froze upon hearing this.

Though it had never heard of the Dragon Forging Transformation Ceremony, it could instinctively tell with its bear sense that it must be something bestowed by the Dragon Lord, bringing great benefits.

"W-wait! Great King of Molten Iron!"

Its expression quickly transformed from hesitation to obsequiousness, its massive body suddenly bowing down, almost prostrating, its furry bear rump high in the air.

"I was just being a fuzzy-brained bear!"

It said: "Of course, following nature is good, but if I can continue to serve you, charging into battle for you with this still somewhat robust body, until the very last moment when you no longer need these old bones of mine...that would be my greatest honor and wish, Möbel!"

Thud!

The Red Iron Dragon lifted his front paw and kicked the upturned bear rump, making it roll a few somersaults.

"Alright, get out of the way then."

Galos shook his head and said.

"Alright! As you wish, my lord!"

Familiar with the ways of the King of Molten Iron, Möbel rejoiced, stabilized itself, and actually curled up into a large furball, rolling comically towards the edge of the guard formation.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

In the sky, two Dragon Shadows pierced through the snowstorm, spiraling down.

It was the White Dragon Trish and the Red Silver Dragon Deborah, who had been patrolling in high-altitude. They tucked their wings and landed beside Galos.

"Galos, Galos!"

The petite figure of Elf Dragon Vera appeared from behind Deborah’s wide wings, quickly circling around the massive form of the Red Iron Dragon.

She said, "You look much more pleasing to the eye now!"

"When you returned earlier, your aura was terrifying, and Vera kept feeling like you were about to gobble all of us up the next second!"

Meanwhile, Deborah carefully scrutinized Galos.

She noticed that the frightening blood-red horror that had permeated the Red Iron Dragon’s eyes had faded.

She asked happily, "Has your condition fully returned to normal?"

Galos gently shook his head and said, "It has not fully recovered, only temporarily suppressed. Over time, my inner rage will gradually accumulate, needing periodic avenues for release."

He paused, scanning the petite Elf Dragon.

"For instance, eating an Elf Dragon to fill the gaps between my teeth might bring me considerable joy with its tender, juicy texture."

Vera, who was stealthily creeping up behind the Red Iron Dragon to execute a graffiti prank, froze in action at once.