A Dragon against the Whole World

In the depths of the earth, all is silent.

The heavy layers of rock and permafrost isolate the disturbances and sounds of the outside world, making time seem meaningless here, as if it were frozen.

A massive body, covered in deep black scale armor, remains still in the darkness and silence.

His breathing is long and faint, his heartbeat so slow it is almost imperceptible, like a lifeless giant rock, melding with the surrounding environment, indistinguishable from it.

However, the increasingly intense aura of danger over time silently tells of his difference.

It is Galos Ignas.

Nearly thirty years may be half a lifetime of stagnation for the short-lived species.

But for a Giant Dragon nearing adulthood, for Galos, this period of stillness is more like a deep purification and settling.

In the early days of the New Calendar 318, at a certain moment.

Buzz——!

Not a substantial sound, more like a kind of invisible vibration, centered on the sleeping dragon body, penetrating the thick layers of rock and permafrost, like ripples, spreading outward in all directions.

On the surface, the fine snow and ice begin to tremble slightly, then move automatically without wind.

It is as if something deep underground is awakening, disturbing the peace of this land.

Inside the underground cavern.

The thick dust and small debris accumulated over nearly thirty years on the dragon’s body at this moment transform into the finest powder, silently sliding off.

The dragon eyes that had been closed for so long suddenly open.

He is awake.

The Red Iron Dragon slowly raises his heavy head in a slow posture, the bones of his neck and spine emitting a series of sounds like mountains rubbing against each other.

He doesn’t immediately engage in large movements, but quietly feels the surging power roaring within his body.

It’s a dual leap in quality and quantity, as if explosive energy is contained in every inch of muscle, every scale, and every drop of blood.

At the same time.

The situation in the Border Area, the scent of wind and snow, the traces of his followers..... even some distant vague fluctuations all unfold in his powerful perception like a scroll.

"Hmm..."

A deep dragon growl escapes from deep within his throat, echoing in the closed underground space, shaking the ceiling, causing stone powder to fall.

"I don’t know exactly how many years have passed, but this time of sleep could not have been short."

As his consciousness clears, Galos makes his judgment.

The darkness cannot obscure his keen perception.

He clearly feels his own growth and transformation.

The body length of the Red Iron Dragon has reached an astonishing twenty-eight meters.

This is already the length a normal adult Red Dragon would have, not inferior to his Red Dragon Father Gorsas, and given the strength of his muscles, honed to power with each piece bristling with force, the visual impact is even stronger, completely surpassing Red Dragons of the same size.

His scales have become thicker, each piece seemingly tempered again, with edges that shimmer with a metallic, cold hard luster.

The dragon bone structure supporting this colossal body has also undergone some minute adjustment and reinforcement, becoming more rational and tenacious, sufficient to bear this body.

The Long Wei naturally emitted by him no longer as sharp and aggressive as in his youth.

His Long Wei has become like the abyss, immeasurable, profound and heavy, simultaneously imbued with far more oppressive aura than before.

"My life level... indeed, this last level is not easily breached."

"If level 21 is not directly equivalent to being Legendary, just a scale of power level, then I should reach level 21, yet, sadly, it’s not the case, I’m still a bit short."

Galos carefully investigates his own life level.

——Level 20.

More accurately, it’s the peak of level 20, the theoretical limit for a mortal to reach.

If there were a visible experience bar, his current state is far from just stepping into the threshold of level 20, but has already filled this bar completely, without a single gap, taking even the smallest step forward would be what innumerable heroes dream of but never touch in their lifetime—the Legendary Domain!

And this seemingly small step is also a chasm that blocks countless beings.

Even a Giant Dragon with a long lifespan and powerful talent finds it not easy to breach from the fullness of level 20 to Legendary.

Either encounter a major opportunity sufficient to change the essence of life.

Or rely on gradual efforts, spend a long time accumulating, then take advantage of a period of sleep to break through the barrier in one go.

From level 20 to level 21.

For a normal Giant Dragon, this often requires hundreds of years, even longer to accumulate and wait.

"When I was at level 17, I could break through a broken Legendary Domain; at level 18, I was already capable of killing the 20-level Blue Dragon Leader Peregrine, and now, reaching the extreme of level 20... can I truly contend with those newly into the Legendary realm?"

In Galos’ mind, this question involuntarily arises.

Between the mortal and the Legendary, there exists a giant gap known as the chasm, but this gap is not absolutely insurmountable.

The Dragon’s Legacy has sporadic records of some level 20 Giant Dragon reverse-defeating Legendary instances.

Though few, they do exist truly.

Galos is not a normal Giant Dragon.

With his racial traits, his talent, his strength far surpassing dragons of the same level... all these accumulated advantages will inevitably gradually close the gap with the Legendary.

But how much exactly can it close? Can he really bridge that gulf? Even Galos himself cannot be sure.