The Endless Sea, Vophal Dragon Domain.
Gentle breezes rippled across the sea's surface, scattering sunlight and spray into fragments that shimmered like scattered gold.
Gabriel Ignas.
This red-gold dragon held his head slightly raised as he walked along the coastline on powerful limbs. He strode with chest puffed out and steady, deliberate steps, occasionally sweeping his gaze across the surroundings as if inspecting his own territory. The tide surged up, washing over the backs of his claws, then receded, leaving damp traces on the sand. He didn't look down, keeping his gaze fixed straight ahead.
Gone now was the youthful greenness of his younger years.
His current form was primarily gold dragon, with just a few red dragon features remaining. From head to tail, his body length had already reached about thirty meters. Golden dragon scales glittered brilliantly under the sunlight, each scale's edge carrying a faint reddish luster. A pair of dragon horns curved and swept back, shaped like a red dragon's, their tips curling slightly inward.
Overall, he looked noble and sacred, yet also exuded authority without anger.
At Gabriel's side was a female silver dragon.
The silver dragon was a full size smaller than him, walking alongside him along the coastline. Her scales displayed a moon-silver white, a layer of cool-toned light shimmering across them when light struck. Her steps were much lighter than Gabriel's, and she kept glancing at him, her gaze lingering briefly on the contours of his profile before shifting away, only to return moments later.
Aniakssi·Alektra.
An adult silver dragon, a blood descendant of the Vophal Dragon King, carrying blood similar to the Silver Dragon King's within her, though many generations separated them. Gabriel's unique personality among metal dragons often made her unable to resist drawing close.
Soon, Gabriel's inspection ended.
He stopped, his tail swinging slowly behind him, kicking up a small spray of sand.
Aniakssi tilted her head, her gaze landing on Gabriel's stern profile, and stopped.
"Gabriel, I know there's an undersea rift canyon about half a day's flight east. Every year during this season, schools of frostfin sea bream migrate through there," the silver dragon said, watching Gabriel's reaction as she spoke.
"The frostfin sea bream there have rich, fatty flesh, especially during this season when they store up large amounts of fat to survive the deep sea's cold season."
She paused, then asked expectantly, "How about it? Want to go hunting together?"
Gabriel shook his head.
"Hunting like that is just a game. I have no interest."
"With this free time, I'd rather use it to train and strengthen myself."
He took a step forward and added another sentence:
"Aniakssi, if you know of any powerful evil sea monsters squatting somewhere, or ferocious monsters terrorizing the waters, I'd be very happy to hunt them. But catching fish? Forget it. Go by yourself."
Vophal was stunned for a moment.
Then she let out a high-pitched laugh, carrying a hint of helplessness. She quickened her steps, circling to stand in front of Gabriel, blocking his path. Though her size was smaller than Gabriel's, standing before him now, she seemed determined not to let him pass.
"Gabriel, you..."
She wanted to say something, but her words were cut off.
"Don't call me Gabriel."
The red-gold dragon interrupted her, his tone turning serious. He raised his chin slightly, the scales on the side of his neck spreading slightly due to the change in posture.
"Address me by my title. Call me the Venerable Golden-Red Crown Prince."
The silver dragon fell silent for a moment.
Then she rolled her eyes, fine wrinkles forming around her eyelids as silver scales creased.
"You won the Dragon Domain Championship two years ago," she said, her tone somewhat irritated. "Two years, Gabriel. Two whole years. Shouldn't you have returned to normal by now? A title is just a title. Is it really necessary to have it on your lips every day? It's not like I don't know who you are."
"Why are you still acting like some young dragon?"
"Being too immersed in vanity isn't a noble virtue."
Gabriel stopped, turned to look at her, and shook his head.
"To be precise, it's been two years, three months, and one day."
The silver dragon was left speechless, momentarily unsure of what to say.
"For us dragons, in this world, names can be called wrongly, but titles can never be mistaken."
Gabriel's gaze was earnest as he continued, "The title Golden-Red Crown Prince reminds me every day, every time I hear it, that I cannot be content with the status quo."
"I must outshine other great dragons and walk ahead of all of them."
"This isn't just a title, Aniakssi. This is something I earned myself. It represents a certain... certain standard."
His gaze passed over the silver dragon, looking toward the line where sea and sky met in the distance.
Clouds hung low, light leaking through gaps in the clouds, sea winds blowing from the east, brushing the scales on either side of his faceplate.
In the Dragon Domain Championship two years ago, Gabriel had overpowered all the other dragons to claim the championship and the corresponding title.
But he hadn't become complacent because of it.
Because he knew clearly in his heart that his victory was mainly due to the absence of overly powerful opponents—like his elder brother Garcro or Laria. Even at the same level, he couldn't be completely sure of defeating them.
"Winning the Dragon Domain Championship and obtaining the Crown Prince title before reaching your prime means you're likely to achieve Crown level later on," the silver dragon encouraged.
"Gabriel, I'm not denying your achievements. Quite the opposite—I'm saying you don't need to live every day so seriously. Life isn't just about goals and battles. You're already outstanding enough."
Gabriel didn't agree.
"No, this is far from enough."
"When I was this age, my father already held a series of titles."
His gaze grew distant, as if staring at some unreachable figure.
"The Red Emperor, Scarlet Emperor Cangxing, Master of Aola... He was younger than me when he created his own kingdom. Not inherited—he built it himself from the ground up."
"Though I can't match my father, I don't want to fall too far behind."
Gabriel said seriously.
Other great dragons who achieved what he had might feel satisfied. But with a Dragon Father like his, he knew he still had a long way to go.
Hearing this, the silver dragon blinked.
Her gaze unconsciously shifted to Gabriel's spikes and dragon horns, which differed from other gold dragons. Those red edges, those sharp contours—all connected to his father's bloodline. The silver dragon knew Gabriel's background. Son of the Red Emperor.
And the existence known as the Red Emperor was a frequent topic of discussion in Vophal Dragon Domain. From ancient dragons to newborn dragons, everyone knew of such a powerful Red Iron Dragon Emperor, rising like the sun in the Atlantis Continent.
The silver dragon thought for a moment, then asked, "Do you plan to establish a kingdom after becoming Legendary?"
Gabriel was already level twenty, not far from Legendary. Whether he underwent another hibernation or reached level twenty's limit and broke through via the Eternal Tide, he could likely achieve Legendary before his prime—the silver dragon knew this well.
"No."
Gabriel answered without hesitation, then said, "My goal is to become the Dragon King."
The silver dragon's eyes widened slightly.
"Dragon King?"
"Yes." A trace of heat ignited in Gabriel's voice. "When my strength surpasses the Gold Dragon King, I will initiate reforms within the Dragon Domain. I'll make all metal dragons accept my ideals, practice my justice, and create a beautiful world."
"Looking at the Dragon Domain now..."
"Young dragons enjoy the Dragon King's protection contentedly. They're too passive."
Gabriel had lived longer in the Dragon Domain, but he had also visited Aola. Compared to Aolan dragons, the metal dragons of the Dragon Domain could be called lazy.
The silver dragon had known him for a long time and understood the goal he had always upheld.
Eliminate all evil, establish a beautiful world without conflict and suffering.
Frankly speaking, this was too lofty.
Gabriel himself might not even fully understand what it truly meant.
The silver dragon curled her lip, saying, "That's quite the bold talk, Gabriel."
Gabriel corrected her again: "Call me by my title."
"Okay, Gabriel."
The silver dragon's mouth curled slightly at the corner, teasingly: "Don't forget, your father is an undeniable evil dragon when it comes to bloodline. You want to eliminate evil? Think about your father."
"Tsk, I've heard a rumor—the Red Emperor shows no mercy in killing his own sons."
"I sincerely hope you can pass his test first."
Gabriel's expression stiffened slightly.
The muscles in his jaw tightened briefly before returning to normal.
"I have never judged good and evil by bloodline."
"That's an idea only those Purification Faction dragons would have. Utterly foolish."
"Good and evil depend on actions."
Gabriel said seriously: "My father defends against demons, guards the Atlantis Continent, and established order and a kingdom. In his territory, many races coexist harmoniously."
"I deeply admire him and regard him as my role model. How could I stand against him?"
Having said this, Gabriel shifted his tone.
"But."
"If one day my father falls into true evil, using his power for meaningless slaughter and destruction, only to satisfy his own desires and destructive urges..."
"Then I believe that I, Gabriel Ignas, am the only one who can stop him."
The red-gold dragon raised his head proudly.
The silver dragon looked at him, just about to say something.
At that moment.
The space above them tore open violently.
A pitch-black rift blossomed directly above Gabriel, the edges of the rift flowing with dark red light, like wounds cut by red-hot blades. The air was filled with a scorching, oppressive scent.
A fierce dragon silhouette leaped out from within.
Powerful, sharp, ferocious.
A Rift Red Iron Dragon hovered in mid-air, willow-leaf-shaped scales densely arranged, each like polished metal. Its enormous wingspan resembled two massive blades spanning the sky, blotting out the sun, casting thick shadows over the coastline.
Traces of battle still lingered on its body.
Unhealed cracks remained on its dragon scales, bits of flesh—belonging to no one knew whom—were wedged between its sharp claws, and the tip of its tail spear was caked with a layer of dark red blood.
At the same time, an aura poured down from him without restraint.
It was the lingering ferocity from fighting the Giant King, the murderous intent condensed from killing multiple Legendary-level beings in succession, the most primal, most naked aura of a predator emerging from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
This was... the Red Emperor?
Not quite right!
The silver dragon's scales practically all stood on end.
She instinctively retreated on all fours, body trembling slightly, hiding behind Gabriel, nearly pressing her entire body into the red-gold dragon's silhouette.
Garoth noticed this scene.
He lowered his gaze slightly, sweeping his eyes across the two young dragons. He looked at his own offspring once, nodded slightly at him.
Gabriel, this Emperor's son, had long resided in Vophal Dragon Domain.
He had never interfered with this—in fact, he had somewhat allowed it.
Moreover, among the major dragon domains, Garoth had the closest relationship with Vophal Dragon Domain. Though he rarely visited himself, whenever Nasha and Deborah went to Vophal Dragon Domain, they would convey his greetings to the Vophal elders and send gifts like gems.
This was not meaningless expenditure.
Back in Arotala, while slaughtering orcs, Garoth had already been anchoring Vophal Dragon Domain through Bloodline Connection, treating it as a retreat.
After more than two hundred years,
he had come here again.
"In Vophal Dragon Domain, even if Demigods or Immortals chase after me, at least there's a backer. Though the Silver Dragon King usually doesn't bother with matters, if a Demigod truly steps into the Dragon Domain's range, there's no way they'll sit idly by."
Garoth thought to himself.
At that moment, his Radiant State had already ended.
A deep sense of weakness began to emerge gradually, like exhaustion spreading from the depths of his marrow, muscles involuntarily starting to spasm.
Slurp!
Garoth gathered the little Dragon Qi he had left, shaping it. Dragon Qi heads extended from both sides of his neck and shoulders on either side, then three dragon mouths opened simultaneously, taking deep breaths.
In an instant, wind and clouds stirred violently.
Giant waves rose on the sea surface, countless amounts of seawater sucked backward into the sky, forming three rotating waterspouts that poured into the three dragon mouths.
Seawater, air, free elemental energy.
Everything that could be absorbed, he devoured.
Including the fine sand on the dragon island's beach, lifted by the air currents, flying backward into the sky like fine snow, merging into the three waterspouts.
Seeing this, the silver dragon trembled even more.
The dragon before her looked far too terrifying.
Spikes like blades, claws and fangs glinting coldly, a fierce and ferocious appearance—very different from the Red Emperor she had heard about in her impression, almost unrecognizable.
"Ah, Gabriel."
"Look at your jinx mouth."
"Your father has fallen. Look at his appearance and aura. Too evil. He's like a legendary deep-Abyss Great Demon. No, like a Demon King. Go and stop him quickly."
"Didn't you just say you're the only one who can stop him?"
"Go ahead. I support you in spirit."
The silver dragon lowered her voice, elbowing Gabriel's forelimb, urging him.
Ah... me?
I was just talking big for show. You actually took it seriously?
The red-gold dragon turned a deaf ear.
Adhering to the principle of silence being golden, he pretended not to hear the silver dragon's words. His gaze fixed straight ahead, his lower jaw tightened slightly, and his posture remained completely still.
However, his stern and majestic demeanor had completely vanished.
It was as if a young one, earnestly trying to imitate the dignified and steady posture of an elder in front of peers, had awkwardly revealed their true nature when the parent arrived.
