In the barren void devoid of any sign of life, calm was the main theme.

Boom!

Dazzling heat and light suddenly erupted, and in an instant the entire sky and earth trembled.

Light swept outward like a tide in all directions; where it passed, the air twisted and space shuddered. As time flowed on and the fierce flames gradually subsided, the silhouette of the Red Iron Dragon standing at the border finally emerged.

“This move still needs too much preparation time.”

“And even if I master it, I probably can’t drastically shorten the charging time.”

Garoth hovered in the high sky, all three heads slightly bowed, appraising his masterpiece.

The essence of Dragon Emperor Interdimension is to take the dragonqi bomb as its base, add the destructive might of Destruction Breath, fuse the two to react together, and ultimately achieve an effect greater than the sum of its parts.

The principle wasn’t complicated, and the practical difficulty wasn’t enormous.

The key lay in scale.

To reach the level of a single strike that could sweep clean the Abyssal Rift, to release a power far beyond his normal limits, he needed long periods of gestation. He had to gather massive amounts of dragon qi and dragon breath bit by bit, thread by thread, congealing them all into this one attack, guiding them to fuse and finally form a force capable of annihilating everything.

If not for that, Garoth could throw dragonqi bombs like pebbles.

But that level of destruction would never reach the tier he desired.

What made Dragon Emperor Interdimension so powerful was the staggering energy contained within Garoth’s body.

If another being attempted the same, even burning themselves to ashes, they would struggle to match Garoth. This was a fundamental gap that technique alone could not bridge. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

“However, it’s not completely impossible.”

“If I can master the technique to instantly condense and compress most of my internal energy, maybe I could perform Dragon Emperor Interdimension in an extremely short time and integrate this move into my combat system, rather than only using it as a single-target skill.”

“In that case, in real combat I’d have an extra trump card.”

Garoth pondered inwardly.

“Besides, I already have similar techniques.”

This was not the first time he’d thought about it.

Those combat states he had once developed—Frenzied State, Bloodburst State, Crimson Lotus Form—aside from boosting attributes, also made his body more finely sensitive, allowing dragon qi and other energies to circulate faster. However, these states were primarily for strengthening the physical form.

Their energy enhancements were incidental.

“I should specifically develop a combat state dedicated to enhancing energy control.”

Garoth mused. “A pure state specialized in energy manipulation, where dragon qi runs at abnormal speed within my body and every shred of energy is mobilized for my use.”

“Okay, time to show off your super intelligence.”

He then maintained his eight-headed stance, the expression under his dragon faces becoming calm, and spiritual energy glinted in his eyes as he entered a contemplative state.

Thought Storm.

This mind-path skill could let Garoth think more carefully and quickly.

At the same time, Star Path awakening gave his dragonqi construct body-like characteristics, so in the three-headed state his thinking speed could double again.

Sparks of thought continuously leapt and flew.

This wasn’t an exaggeration.

On the Red Iron Dragon’s several heads, actual flames ignited, followed by dense bolts of lightning crackling into being. The air around his dragon heads warped slightly, like concentric rings of light.

He did not move; his eyes narrowed slightly as he hovered silently in the sky.

Suspended, he resembled a sacred giant dragon statue.

Wind brushed his body, skimming his scales with faint, soft sounds. Clouds drifted occasionally in the distance, casting shifting shadows across him.

He was utterly unaware. All attention was sunk into his mental world.

Time passed neither fast nor slow.

Countless ideas and lines of reasoning flashed rapidly through Garoth’s mind.

They intertwined, collided, and merged… like an invisible war. Useless or unfeasible thoughts were eliminated one by one; viable ones were categorized and organized, gradually shaping into the most likely plan.

Phew…

The Red Iron Dragon slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath.

At the same time, the spiritual-energy glow in his eyes faded, and the flames and lightning around his dragon heads subsided. Sustaining Thought Storm for so long had drained him, but the exhaustion felt worthwhile.

“Explosive Qi.”

“Imitate the mechanism of Bloodburst State and instantaneously erupt dragon qi. For now, this is the most feasible method.”

He whispered.

The Thought Storm had worn him down considerably.

This thinking skill was one of the first he developed decades ago; it offered little direct combat benefit and consumed vast mental resources, yet its results were excellent.

Dragon Emperor Interdimension itself sprang from one of those Thought Storm revelations.

And this time was another example.

Hum!

Dense dragon qi surfaced from the Red Iron Dragon, enveloping his body like mist.

Bloodburst!

Garoth bellowed, focusing his spirit.

The dragon qi around him congealed for an instant, as if the world had been paused.

Then, in the next second, like pouring oil on a fire, every bit of dragon qi ignited, surging upward and enveloping him entirely.

Dragon qi turning into flame was a technique Garoth already knew.

But this time it was completely different.

The flames wrapping his body carried a weightier power than before.

They became highly condensed, no longer loose and flickering like ordinary fire—each strand felt as if it bore a thousandfold weight. Moreover, they seemed nearly alive, roaring as they burned.

Not only that.

Centered on Garoth, visible concentric shockwaves radiated outward; where they passed, the air compressed, twisted, and emitted a low, rumbling thunder.

The flames on his body rose higher, growing fiercer and more intense.

At this moment, Garoth looked like a living, blazing sun.

Dazzling and splendid, he was hard to gaze upon directly.

Until…

“Huh? The Dragon Pearl is trembling?”

Garoth’s vision sharpened as he felt a change coming from within.

His Dragon Pearl was solidified energy.

It would naturally be affected by Explosive Qi; after all, the technique mobilized all his energy, and the Dragon Pearl, as the energy center, would participate.

But to his surprise, the Dragon Pearl’s reaction was far too intense.

It vibrated and hummed as if about to explode from the inside.

“This can’t continue.”

Being cautious, Garoth inhaled deeply and forcibly suppressed the surging flames.

Boom!

The highly condensed flames resisted control; they rebelled and struggled, refusing to be held down.

In the end, those violent energies erupted on the surface of his body with ear-splitting detonations. The great dragon let out a muffled groan, and blood-stained scale fragments flew from his body.

Yet Garoth felt not alarm but delight.

“Explosive Qi… this is a dangerous experiment.”

“But without doubt, it has extremely high development value.”

Especially when the Dragon Pearl trembled violently, Garoth had a feeling—

If left unchecked, it might burst from the inside out.

The energy capable of fully reviving him would be completely released.

What a scene that would be…

He did not know exactly, but he could imagine it.

“Does this mean I can use that energy to strengthen myself?”

His breath grew heavy, and his heart quickened with excitement.

Resurrection had always been his ultimate trump card, the confidence that let him face any foe.

But resurrection wasn’t perfect and was widely known.

Against overwhelmingly superior enemies, he could be killed again and again; resurrection alone could not change the outcome. But if he could convert all that resurrection energy into an instantaneous surge of power, boldly committing everything, perhaps…

He could flip the whole situation!

Garoth gathered his mind and calmed his breathing.

Regardless of which option—resurrection or burst—was more important, having more choices at a critical moment was always better.

One more trump card increased his odds of victory.

“When Explosive Qi erupts, all dragon qi seems to come alive and becomes extremely hard to control.”

He thought. “To develop this state to maturity, to instantly unleash massive energy while also mastering its chained impact on the Dragon Pearl… it’ll take a substantial period of time.”

“But time is the one thing I lack least.”

The Red Iron Dragon’s expression sharpened.

He concentrated and resumed developing and testing the Explosive Qi state.

Not long after…

Boom!

The flames erupted uncontrollably again, leaving fresh wounds on the Red Iron Dragon’s body.

Those scars varied in depth; some deep enough to expose bone, others only broke scales. Feeling the pain, he grinned carelessly and prepared for another round.

At that moment, his eyes narrowed slightly.

A voice sounded in his mind.

“A legendary great dragon has infiltrated the capital.”

The Amethyst Dragon Iseramas’s whisper echoed faintly in Garoth’s consciousness.

After Aola Kingdom relocated its capital, the Amethyst Dragon had also come to the Red Emperor Capital.

He maintained the Amethyst Dragon’s neutrality, not directly pledging loyalty to Aola. Yet because he had received many benefits there and was spared trouble, Iseramas silently took on the role of palace guardian.

Garoth paused.

The wounds on the great dragon’s body were healing at a visible speed; broken scales were replaced by newborn ones and exposed flesh was covered—the whole process astonishingly rapid.

He asked, “What race?”

Iseramas replied again: “Green Dragon… her senses are sharp. She just discovered my observation, but she didn’t seem to care and is still wandering the capital.”

“Wait, she ran into Philista— they’re very close.”

Philista.

The great dragon narrowed his eyes.

Philista Ignas, descendant of Garoth and the phoenix Ankhia.

She was a red dragon who inherited the burning blood trait from Garoth.

Unfortunately, she did not inherit the phoenix’s nirvana technique; otherwise, the emperor’s daughter’s talent would surpass the red-gold Gabriel and become his most outstanding offspring.

Still, her mother’s blood talents were partly inherited.

Since her draconic youth, Philista had controlled an elemental-form transformation talent.

She could switch directly between material form and elemental form, becoming a burning fire-element dragon. This talent coexisted with burning blood, creating chain reactions.

Overall, her talent ranked above average among the emperor’s children.

Not the strongest, but certainly not weak.

However…

Philista’s aspirations were not combat-focused, and she disliked comparing strength with blood relatives.

In temperament she was nothing like a typical red dragon.

She did not love fighting, killing, or flexing her power. What she loved was… dressing up, adornment, and all shiny, beautiful things.

“Mm, I understand.”

Garoth said, “I’ll go take a look personally.”

Meanwhile.

In the Red Emperor Capital, on a bustling, lively street, tall buildings rose on both sides and crowds swarmed.

An ogre restaurant sent out the scent of meat. In a goblin alchemy shop, hammering rang out. Sellers of various races hawked goods loudly, transporting wares from all over.

Occasionally a great dragon flew across the sky, casting a fleeting shadow, but street residents were long accustomed to it.

A well-proportioned red dragon was strolling down the center of the street.

Philista held her head high, stepping with elegance and ease.

Her scales were deep red and shone like mirrors in sunlight; each scale smooth and translucent, edges neat without flaw. The surface could even reflect the outlines of surrounding buildings.

Clearly, this was the result of much care, not natural alone.

Ordinary red dragons wouldn’t bother with such things, but she was different.

Every day she spent a lot of time grooming her scales, ensuring they stayed optimal.

Around the red dragon’s neck hung several necklaces of different materials—gold, silver, mythril—set with various gems: rubies, sapphires, moonstones… Each gem carefully selected with even color. They swayed gently with her steps, making faint clinking sounds.

Indeed.

She wore custom rings on each leg, a silver-threaded cloak wrapped around her tail with tassels at the end studded with tiny gems.

Even her horns were ringed with horn-rings of fine gold.

A glittering spectacle, she carried herself with charm.

Such adjectives rarely applied to dragons; they usually described themselves with words like power, majesty, and ferocity. But for Philista, these words fit perfectly.

Residents on both sides stopped and examined the red dragon with various looks.

“Her Highness Philista is out again today.”

“Her scales shine brighter than my household floor.”

“Those horn-rings are pure gold! My word, how much must they cost…”

A goblin counted on his fingers and grimaced; evidently he couldn’t sum nor afford it.

“The key is, all those ornaments pale under Her Highness’s beauty. It’s hard to imagine a dragon being so beautiful.”

A young man dressed as a bard sighed admiringly and already began composing praise in his head.

Philista’s dragon lips lifted slightly as she collected these comments.

What she loved most was hearing others praise her.

Praise her beauty, her accessories, her taste… each time she heard it, she felt joyful and her scales seemed to shine even brighter.

Philista slowed and stopped at a stall selling mirrors, tilting her head to inspect herself.

Are the angles of the scales perfect? Does the necklace pairing coordinate? Does the cloak drape just right… She scrutinized herself carefully and adjusted a necklace on her neck to center it.

The stall owner was human, face full of smiles, crow’s feet drawn together.

“Your Highness radiates today, even more beautiful than yesterday.”

He flattered earnestly.

Philista gave him a sideways glance and a satisfied smile.

“Human, you can speak.”

She said, delight evident in her voice.

At this, a pleased expression shone in the vendor’s eyes.

Philista, a frequent sight in the capital and beloved for her personality, was something of a celebrity; the places she visited soon drew more customers.

That’s why merchants were always extra cordial whenever she stepped out.

She was about to continue when her peripheral vision caught a figure.

A young woman stood not far off, looking at her.

She wore simple clothing, a pale green long dress of plain cotton, cut modestly without ornate patterns; her black hair shone softly in the sunlight, casually draped over her shoulders.

Her silhouette was slender, her posture relaxed yet exuded a quiet poise.

Philista’s gaze lingered on her for two seconds.

Then she noticed the face.

Delicate features, perfect proportions.

Especially those eyes: spring-lake green, clear and transparent yet unfathomable, the outer corners gently upturned with long lashes casting fine shadows—one blink could steal a heart.

Philista’s eyes lit.

She quickened her steps toward the woman, and pedestrians parted to give the emperor’s daughter a path. They curiously followed, wanting to know what caught Her Highness’s attention.

“Hey, where are you from?”

Philista stopped in front of the woman in the green dress and asked.

The green-dressed woman lifted her head.

She looked at the jeweled red dragon with a hint of amusement and no trace of fear or nervousness.

Her gaze was like that toward a pretty little animal.

“You calling to me?”

“Yes, you. What’s your name?”

“Cerora. That’s my name.”

Philista sized her up from head to toe, then back from toe to head, lingering longest on her face. “Why haven’t I seen you before?”

Philista was always impressed by beautiful people.

Cerora smiled faintly. “I’m just a passing ordinary person. I heard the Red Emperor Capital is prosperous, so I came to see.”

“Ordinary? I don’t believe it.”

Philista leaned closer, studying the other’s face up close.

At that distance she could see the fine fuzz of skin and smell a faint scent of plants—an unusual fragrance not like perfume, more like the breath of a deep forest.

“You’re not as pretty as I am, but you’re still very beautiful. I like beautiful beings.”

The red dragon said.

Cerora lightly bowed her head. “To receive praise from the emperor’s daughter is an honor.”

“You know who I am?”

“People along the way have been talking about you.”

Cerora’s gaze swept Philista’s scales and jewelry. “Her Highness Philista, daughter of the Red Emperor, famed for beauty.”

Hearing the flattery, Philista shook her head in delight and the necklace at her throat chimed.

Her eyes then fell on Cerora’s neck.

She wore a necklace.

A simple silver chain with a thumb-sized green gem pendant.

The gem was green, but not like ordinary emeralds—rather misty, as if something hid within or it was veiled by a thin fog.

Sunlight hit it and the light seemed drawn in, not reflected back.

Philista’s eyes brightened.

“I like your necklace.”

She said bluntly, then cocked her head and made a suggestion: “Let’s have a contest. The bet is your necklace.”

Cerora tilted her head, showing interest.

“Contest in what?”

She asked with curiosity.

“If it’s a fight, a mere weak woman like me can’t compare to a dragon.”

“No no no, fighting is vulgar. Let’s compete in beauty.”

The red dragon puffed out her chest, displaying necklaces, cloak, horn-rings, and pearls along her wing edges—her whole body glittered in sunlight like a moving treasury.

“We’ll let the people on this street judge who’s more beautiful.”

“If you win, you can pick any ornament from me. If I win, your necklace is mine.”

Cerora thought a second and nodded.

“All right.”

Philista immediately turned to the gathered crowd.

The people swelled and the street became packed. Various races craned necks to look.

“You heard it!”

Philista raised her voice. “Today, I shall compete in beauty with Cerora. You are the witnesses!”

“Decide who wins or loses!”

A stir passed through the crowd.

The emperor’s daughter publicly competing in beauty was a rare spectacle.

Everyone buzzed excitedly and whispered.

Philista turned back to Cerora, dragon lips upturned, confident smile in place.

“I’ll start!”

With that, she slowly spun once so her necklaces and cloak glinted in the sun. Her movements were graceful and deliberate to ensure everyone could see her beauty.

Then she spread her wings; pearls along the wing edges jostled and produced delicate chiming—like music.

She raised a forelimb and puffed out her chest, displaying the muscle patterns beneath her scales.

Finally, she tilted her head back to let sunlight strike her preserved scales, which reflected with a glare so bright many dared not stare.

She did all this with practiced ease, not like it was her first time.

Sounds of admiration rose from the crowd.

“Lovely!”

“Her Highness looks especially radiant today!”

“These scales, this sheen, these ornaments… perfect!”

Philista folded her wings, satisfied, and looked at Cerora.

“Your turn.”

Cerora smiled.

She stepped forward two paces to a spot with better light and simply spun gracefully once.

That was all.

The hem of her green dress fluttered, her long hair created an arc in the air, and sunlight illuminated her spring-green eyes.

She finished the spin and stood.

No cheers followed.

In the aesthetics of Aola’s people, they favored mighty, robust dragon beauty. They recognized Cerora’s beauty, but in this setting she could not match the Red Dragon Princess.

“Her Highness Philista wins, no doubt!”

Someone declared.

“Look at her scales and muscle, that sheen and aura—how can humans compare?”

An ogre bellowed heavily.

“Right! Her Highness’s beauty is unmatched!”

More voices chimed in.

The crowd’s judgment grew unanimous.

Philista’s tail nearly wagged toward the sky in pride; she turned to Cerora, dragon pupils full of smugness. “Human, did you hear? I won.”

Cerora stood in the sunlight, a faint smile on her face, and merely nodded.

“I heard. Her Highness won.”

She lifted her hand, removed the necklace from her neck, and handed it to Philista. “A bet’s a bet. This necklace is yours.”

Philista took it with a claw and held it close to her eyes, examining it carefully.

The gem swayed slightly, and the veiled layer inside seemed to tremble like something alive.

She stared for several seconds, sensing something odd but unable to determine what.

“What gem is this? I’ve never seen it.”

She asked curiously.

Cerora answered, “A rare green jade from my homeland. It has a calming effect.”

On the other side, Philista was visibly delighted.

She had won and obtained the necklace—double joy made her grin broadly.

“I’m going back to sleep and beautify myself.”

She said, placing the necklace at the tip of her horn. “Human, though you rank below me in beauty, you pleased me. Here, take this as a reward.”

She removed a ruby necklace and tossed it to Cerora.

Then the red dragon turned, shook her wings, and soared away.

Cerora received the necklace.

She said nothing, only watched the red dragon’s departure.

Then she continued to stroll through the street, looking about at buildings and Aola’s diverse citizens with interest.

Time drifted slowly by.

Pedestrians thinned without notice. The sun began to lean westward; light dimmed and shadows lengthened and interwove across the ground.

Cerora reached a relatively quiet alley and stopped.

She turned around.

A figure stood not far behind her.

A strong, imposing man with an authoritative bearing.

His features were deep, brow bones high, nose straight, lips pressed; he was tall with broad shoulders casting a heavy shadow. Merely standing there with arms crossed, he was impossible to ignore.

His pupils were black.

Like embers of fire burned down through countless years into settled ashes.

This was Garoth’s human form.

He stared at Cerora, his gaze penetrating her human guise to see a vivid, splendid dragon underneath.

Around her, however, a faint illusory aura shrouded her, shifting between solid and transparent, making her seem between the real and the unreal.

“Green Dragon, where are you from?”

Garoth’s voice was low and unhurried.

Cerora, the one addressed, smiled faintly. “I come from the Arotala Continent.”

Garoth’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Arotala… things are unstable there now.”

“They are indeed unstable.”

Cerora’s gaze met Garoth’s steadily. “The Fury Curse burns; orcs and elves are slaughtering each other—the whole continent is in chaos.”

“Compared to that, Atlant has its Abyss troubles but is at least calmer on the surface.”

“You still haven’t answered my question.”

Garoth watched her, his gaze sharpening. “I’m not asking which continent you come from, but… who are you?”

Cerora looked at him, the corner of her mouth lifting.

At the same time her spine straightened, chin tilted upward slightly, and the relaxed hands at her sides folded gently before her.

In that instant, her bearing changed.

A queenly majesty radiated naturally from her.

Cerora looked at the figure opposite and spoke again. “Pleased to meet you, Garoth Ignas, Red Emperor of Aola.”

“To the sentient beings of the Arotala Continent, call me—Green Queen.”