https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-144-Whisper-of-the-Night-Part-3-/13676302/
Chapter 145: Dragon Tyranny
“Huff……”
“What a terrifying enemy.”
After confirming the Shadow Dragon had vanished, the Red Dragon slowly descended to the ground, licking at the wounds across his scaled hide.
【Dragon's Resurgence】
Golden particles of life energy rained down from the sky, rapidly healing his injuries. The once-weakened dragon form visibly regenerated before the eye, strength returning with each passing moment.
“One day… I’ll kill him.”
“Mortifer.”
Kai Xiusu whispered the name—the embodiment of night.
The Red Dragon stared at the spot where the Shadow Dragon had disappeared, his expression twisted with grim fury. His golden eyes burned like embers, as if ignited by inner fire. To have an enemy breach his territory—this was an affront that demanded retribution. In time, he would crush the beast hiding in shadow.
But not yet.
His strength was still far too weak.
The surrounding area was a wasteland. Shadow Curse lingered everywhere—the broken branches, the splattered earth—all still exuding faint, creeping black mist.
Yet now, the moon finally emerged from the veil of darkness, casting a gentle, tranquil moonlight that began to purify the lingering shadows.
Kai Xiusu could feel it—the space itself had grown unnaturally thin. Thanks to Duke Brad’s ultimate sacrifice, the boundary between realms had weakened. The area was on the verge of becoming a true borderland between the Prime Material Plane and the Shadowmire Abyss.
Mortifer hadn’t lied. The transformation continued.
Unless the source of the curse—the Shadow Dragon—was destroyed, this decay would only deepen.
“Still…”
“Finally… it’s over. For now.”
That Shadow Dragon had been formidable—overwhelming in power, its suffocating darkness choking the sky. It had forced Kai Xiusu to confront his own insignificance.
But he knew the old trick: borrowing the tiger’s skin to frighten the forest. He’d invoked the legend of the Five-Colored Dragon Queen Tiamat, brandishing her name like a banner. It had worked—frightened the creature into retreat.
Yet, power that slips beyond control always demands a price. And Tiamat’s Terrifying Illusion was no exception.
“Maybe… it’s not truly over.”
Kai Xiusu looked up into the sky—his breath caught in his throat.
The vision, once only visible to Mortifer’s eyes, now stood before him.
This was divine power.
A god could manifest not through flesh, but through a mere illusion, a whispered name, a thought—yet still, they could perceive it, and step through the veil of reality.
Unlike the oppressive darkness of the Shadow Dragon, the presence of the Dragon Mother brought not fear of night—but an abyssal despair, beyond all levels of existence.
Five heads loomed above him, gazing down with cold, omniscient eyes.
“Ah… my child.”
The gaze was not love. Not warmth.
It was hunger.
That stare pierced through his soul. Kai Xiusu felt exposed—every thought laid bare. He dared not meet it, bowing his head low, voice barely steady:
“Hail, Great Mother of Monsters, Five-Colored Dragon Queen, Your Majesty Tiamat.”
“I humbly apologize. I rashly invoked your name to repel the Shadow Dragon. I used your mighty form without permission—an act of profound arrogance.”
Tiamat chuckled.
The white dragon head spoke: “It matters not.”
The green head added: “You did well. You’ve built a dragon’s realm in Anzeta. You have not let dragonkind’s glory fade.”
The black head murmured: “But greater trials lie ahead, my child.”
And finally, the red head spoke—its voice like molten fire:
“Ten years. In ten years, you will unite Anzeta. You will march south into Phaldran. You will become my instrument in the coming age. And this—this is but a part of the Great Dragon’s Blueprint.”
“When you claim the throne, the rule of gods shall fall. Dragon supremacy shall return to the world. Wings shall once again blot out the sky. And as one of my chosen servants, you—my child—shall become my Duke. You shall wield unmatched power, and inherit boundless wealth.”
Her eyes burned with insatiable greed.
Perhaps after centuries in Avernus, she had forgotten mercy. Her words dripped like poison, promising heaven—but leading straight to hell.
Hearing the words “Great Blueprint,” Kai Xiusu’s heart sank.
Something felt… wrong.
Too familiar.
Had he heard this speech before?
Still, he kept his head bowed, feigning awe.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“By your will.”
The vision of Tiamat dissolved into nothingness.
Only then did Kai Xiusu exhale—his body trembling with relief.
He immediately erected a mental barrier, sealing away the Tiamat’s Terrifying Illusion from his mind.
His Character Sheet updated instantly.
> [You have gained the status Tiamat’s Greedy Gaze. Your Aura’s ferocity receives additional bonuses. Proficiency bonus: Intimidation +6]
“Now I’m really starting to feel like a chosen one.”
“Tch. Can’t even play the rebellious son… not with this kind of pressure.”
After all, he was just a CR 17 young adult Red Dragon. What could he do against a deity’s will?
Under the weight of her presence, he had no choice but to play the dutiful son.
After all, you borrow someone’s tiger skin—you owe them at least a nod of respect.
But his sheet flashed again—new warnings appearing.
Tiamat’s words were laced with praise.
But Kai Xiusu knew better.
This Mother of Monsters was no saint.
There was something she wanted from him—something she coveted.
To trust her blindly would mean being devoured—bone, sinew, and soul.
And her tactics?
He knew them too well.
Empty promises.
The very same lies he’d used on his subordinates—now turned against him.
That unsettled him.
“The Age of Kings… Dragon Tyranny.”
“I need to grow stronger—fast. Or I won’t survive this world-ending crisis.”
This was a side quest within Version 2.0: The Age of Kings.
The Holy Phaldran Empire—also known as the Radiant Sun Empire—was the largest and most powerful nation in the central continent. Its emperor had been blessed by the Sun God Amanthana, wielding the artifact Everglowing Wheel of Radiance to forge a Solar Legion—nearly divine in strength.
Conquering lands with unwavering might, the legion declared: “Where the sun shines, there lies our domain.”
But when the old emperor—known as Sun King Aragorn I—died unexpectedly, the empire collapsed.
His three sons divided the remnants, forging three great kingdoms: Cassander, Thrace, and Seleucus.
The Solar Legion’s noble-born warriors established their own realms—small and large—scattering across the land.
The empire shattered.
Nations bloomed like stars across the sky.
History called it The Great Collapse of the Holy Phaldran Empire—and thus began The Age of Kings.
And now, Tiamat sought to exploit this chaos.
Through her cult, she had already seized control of the southwestern region—Seleucus—and was working to summon her true form.
Her goal?
To restore dragon rule to the world.
To make her name feared once more.
This was Dragon Tyranny.
—
Apologies for the toxic tone earlier. It was my mistake—I’ll speed up the progress and ensure there’s a proper revenge arc. No more of these forced plotlines. Promise.
(End of Chapter)
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