Chapter 284: Chapter 256: Black Rock Dwarves? Tell Me, Do I Resemble My Old Self?

The bone-chilling wind swept over the gray sky of the Border Area time and again, scattering occasional snowflakes from the leaden clouds.

The scarred body of Red Dragon Kahill trembled slightly in the cold wind, and among those intersecting wounds, the most shocking was a penetrating wound—the Alchemy Heavy Arrow with barbs and blood grooves pierced her lower abdomen, exited from the right rear side of her spine, and dark red blood grooves on the arrow shaft continued to seep warm Dragon Blood.

This weapon, enhanced through alchemy, was lodged in the muscle tissue like a living thing, with each flap of her Dragon Wings causing new tears.

"Despicable dwarf mongrels!"

Kahill squeezed out a hoarse curse from between her teeth, her vertical pupils swirling with almost tangible fury.

In her heart, she swore a blood oath: If she could survive this time, she would ensure that every furnace in the Black Rock Duchy extinguished in Dragon Flame, allowing those dwarves who love forging weapons to forever rest on the anvils they crafted.

This vow was so resolute that it even took the curse of reincarnation as a White Dragon, something the Red Dragon deeply loathed, as the price of breaking the oath.

After making the oath, the Red Dragon silently flapped her gradually stiffening wings, struggling to fly alone in the vast sky, surrounded by a bone-piercing chill and boundless loneliness, dragging her mood into an abyss of despair.

The ambition and aspiration of the past now seemed so laughable in retrospect.

Months ago, when the Dragon Group escaped from the Cliff Strait and first arrived at the Sel Wilderness, seven young Dragon Race members were full of ambition and aspiration.

They planned to make great achievements in this new land, like most young Dragons who leave the nest.

However, reality quickly dealt them a harsh blow.

—While exploring the environment separately, an inexperienced young Blue Dragon strayed into a beast’s territory, and by the time support arrived, only remains were left on the ground.

Two enraged young Dragons led their companions to hunt down the beast, shedding their innocence in the process and beginning to act cautiously.

They subdued some weak Monster Races, attempting to establish a firm foothold, but in a territorial battle, they misjudged the enemy’s strength, leading to the complete annihilation of their Followers.

After this.

A somewhat discouraged Dragon Group decided to lay low and develop, hibernate, and grow, at least until all members became young dragons again.

However, being weak was the biggest risk; they wished to lay low and develop, but danger and accidents always sought them out, forcing the Dragon Group to wander constantly, unable to lead a stable life.

By then, they realized that surviving alone outside was no better than enduring exploitation within the Blue Dragon community.

Slowly.

Due to a series of unexpected situations, the Dragon Group lost another two Dragons, leaving only four of the original seven.

—A young Blue Dragon, a young Red Dragon, a juvenile Black Dragon, and a juvenile Green Dragon.

After careful consideration, they believed the Sel Wilderness was too dangerous, so they decided to start anew elsewhere, but during migration, while passing through the airspace of a mine vein, they were noticed by the stationed army, which trailed them, launching a surprise attack while they were off guard.

The Black Dragon and Green Dragon were severely injured and captured almost instantly.

The Blue Dragon and Red Dragon fell into a tough battle.

Ultimately, with his Dragon Wings shattered and no chance of escape, the young Blue Dragon fought desperately, covering for Red Dragon Kahill, allowing her an escape opportunity at the cost of being severely injured and captured himself.

Recalling the final silhouette of the Blue Dragon spreading his tattered wings, a maelstrom of unprecedented complex emotions surged in Kahill’s chest.

The proud Red Dragon never expected to owe her life to that Blue Dragon clansman, with whom she constantly sparred.

This mix of anger and shame burned her heart; for a moment, she almost turned to face death, but her obsession with revenge ultimately suppressed the impulse, allowing her to retain a shred of clarity amid intense rage.

Time slowly, steadily passed by.

The sky gradually darkened, and night enveloped the earth.

Under the cold moonlight, Red Dragon Kahill struggled to flap her wings.

Due to prolonged flight and injuries, her altitude unconsciously dropped, her speed slowed significantly, and her consciousness dulled, despite her focus on escape and surviving for revenge, her severe injuries rendered her powerless.

Screech!

A piercing shriek suddenly resounded.

The Red Dragon instinctively maneuvered to evade, only to feel a sharp pain in her Dragon Wings as an Alchemy Crossbow Arrow pierced through.

Glancing back, she saw the relentless pursuit of the dwarf pursuers drawing closer. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Cavalry donning light armor rode Giant-Horned Antelopes, swiftly traversing the hard earth of the Border Area, a trail of dust billowing behind them, with several massive Golems of steel and metal structures advancing thunderously at the rear.

Swish, swish, swish!

The light cavalry lifted the bows and crossbows they carried, shooting a rain of arrows into the sky.

At this moment, Red Dragon Kahill flew at an altitude of only three hundred meters, entirely within the attack range of these Crossbow Arrows. She tried her best to dodge, yet was still continuously hit, multiple Crossbow Arrows embedding in her, with blood streaming down her body.

Staggering, the Red Dragon was about to crash toward the ground.

"At least take some burial goods!"

Feeling the exhaustion and pain in her body, the Red Dragon felt no fear. Instead, a flash of ferocious and vicious glint appeared in her eyes. She roared lowly, flapping her broken wings with difficulty to change direction, diving toward the dwarf cavalry.

In the Red Dragon’s path, beads of blood drew a desperate red line in the cold wind.

Her tattered Dragon Wings tore through the air with a deathly shriek, and from the depths of her throat, she prepared her final ball of Dragon Flame—until an unnatural red glow suddenly illuminated the firmament.

The young Dragon instinctively looked over.

The next moment, her pupils contracted sharply.

A horrifying Evil Dragon, with Black Heavy Armor-like Dragon Scales and a physique so mighty it was unbelievable, reflected in her vision. With just a gentle flap of its wings, the mighty dragon body ripped through the night sky like a comet, streaking across the heavens.

Whoosh!

In merely a moment of distraction, the Red Iron Dragon had already neared the ground.

Not until this moment did the explosion of air, like thunder, finally resound.

The cavalry captain of the dwarves was the first to react.

His pupils contracted tightly, shouting, "Everyone—"

The voice hadn’t even landed before being swallowed within the deafening blast’s roar.

Under Kahill’s gaze of utmost shock, the Red Iron Dragon crashed directly into the cavalry phalanx like a meteorite, turning the dwarves and their mounts into bloody pulp with the impact, and the spread of shockwaves and the rolling earthen waves flung the surrounding dwarves away circle by circle.

Boom!

Engines roared.

Three Alchemy Golems on the periphery charged into the dust-filled murky area.

The next second, amidst a rapid series of collisions, debris rained down and scattered like a storm.

In its claws, toying with what seemed like the heart-like Alchemy Engine, the Red Iron Dragon took heavy, unstoppable steps, emerging unhurriedly from the smoke and dust.

"The Border Area prohibits foreign hunting."

The Red Iron Dragon’s gaze swept over the surroundings, saying, "Especially hunting Dragon Race."

The sound reached their ears, while those surviving dwarves were practically stunned, forgetting to breathe as they stared at the fearsome dragon shadow.

Simultaneously, the Red Iron Dragon noticed the equipment of these dwarves and the emblem upon it.

—Black Rock Duchy.

A subtle change flickered in the Red Iron Dragon’s eyes.

After more than twenty years, Galos once again encountered the Black Rock Duchy, but the situation now was vastly different.

"For the Black Rock Duchy!"

In a burst of fury, the dwarf captain summoned his last courage, swinging his warhammer as he leapt toward the Red Iron Dragon’s head, only to be swiftly met by a casual claw, instantly exploding into a cloud of blood mist.

A clever dwarf warrior quietly retreated to the back, reaching for the communication tool on his waist and activating it.

However, to his surprise, the communication tool seemed interfered with by an unknown force, rendering it unusable.

"Struggling to the end does seem more interesting than groveling for mercy."

Even before the Red Iron Dragon’s words fell, its afterimage swept across the battlefield.

In merely a matter of tens of seconds, the land returned to silence, with only the cold wind carrying the scent of blood over the remnants, over that mighty and imposing Dragon shadow.

Only at this moment did Kahill, floating in mid-air, awaken from her shock.

"What kind of powerful Evil Dragon is this?!"

"A young Dragon? Or an adult Dragon?"

Gazing at that terrifying figure, her heart filled with caution, fear, and a deep sense of awe.

ps: End of the month, requesting a vote