Chapter 500: The Dragon Awakens
The Demon attack on Isdalia caused quite a stir, but thankfully, the beasts were swiftly dealt with—before they could do more than minor damage to the plaza. The Coronation Day festivities continued unabated, as the streets buzzed with celebration. Citizens roamed freely, reveling in this rare Frenzied Celebration day.
“Long Live Emperor Kai Xiusu!”
“Glory to the Great Red Dragon!”
“Southward to Thrace! Conquer the Fadalan Empire!”
“Southerners are all cowardly whores! They don’t deserve such fertile lands!”
Drunk revelers waved Imperial banners down the streets, arms slung over each other’s shoulders, staggering drunkenly as they sang with wild enthusiasm. They’d even turned their war cries into a catchy little tune, crooning it off-key in ragged unison.
These people were known among domestic scholars as the Conquest Party—the privileged beneficiaries of Empire Expansion. Most held high status within the realm, with many hailing from the Military Faction. Their ideology was simple: conquer the South, plunder its resources, flood it with Imperial goods, and fulfill the Red Dragon Emperor’s Great Blueprint for world domination. This belief system dominated the Empire’s mainstream ideological current.
Confidence. Bravery. Pride. These were their hallmarks.
But compared to ordinary folk, the Conquest Party took things to extremes. Some openly advocated enslaving all Southerners, forcing them to serve noble Imperial citizens. Others went further—suggesting the complete massacre of the Southern people, arguing only Imperial blood had the right to inherit this sacred, wealthy land.
Naturally, such views drew fierce condemnation from scholars. Even Lady Olivia of the Lower House publicly denounced them in the Imperial Assembly, her words sharp and unrelenting. She called the Conquest Party “a remnant of Northern Nobility,” a “cancer upon the Empire.”
In response, some extremists even orchestrated organized attacks against Lady Olivia. Yet strangely, despite her delicate appearance—soft, frail, and seemingly defenseless—every attempt ended in failure. Her opponents were always repelled, humiliated, or worse.
On the street, the Conquest Party continued their raucous singing, their voices drowning out even the booming whistle of the Steam Locomotive.
“We must crush that filthy Southerner!”
“We’ll strip the skin from that cunning little wretch and offer it to His Majesty!”
“We’ll burn their homes to the ground, seize their land, and fly the Imperial banner over their ruins!”
Amidst the frenzy, a Great Goblin Baron suddenly snapped upright, eyes flashing crimson. He let out a guttural curse, spittle flecked with alcohol spraying into the air.
“And those vermin Demons—how dare they attack the Imperial Capital?! Who gave them the nerve?!”
“Right! That tavern of mine was destroyed! I used to drink there every night!”
“How dare they provoke the descendants of the Great Red Dragon!”
The crowd roared in agreement, recounting the Demons’ crimes, condemning the Empire’s officials for their “weakness.”
Then a Bear Goliath bellowed from the crowd:
“Prime Minister Lanpu has grown soft—too human! He ignores the South, and now he lets such filth go unpunished! This is an insult to King Kai Xiusu! Lord Dolo is the true leader—strong, decisive, bold! He’s called for treaty abrogation and southern invasion time and again! He’s the only one truly following the Great Blueprint! If you ask me, the Empire should march into the Abyss and annihilate every Demon!”
He climbed onto the high platform beside the plaza, arms raised, roaring like a storm. The Conquest Party echoed him, building a deafening wave of noise.
“Take the Abyss!”
“Skin and gut those damned Demons!”
“Destroy the Abyss! Blood sacrifice to His Majesty!”
Thousands of Imperial citizens raised their arms high, roaring with fury, unleashing their pent-up hatred toward the Demons. The scene was electric—thrilling, passionate, and utterly intoxicating. To onlookers, it felt like the very heartbeat of the Empire.
But for a city of fifty thousand souls, spanning over a hundred square kilometers, this was but a single, fleeting spark in the grand tapestry of Isdalia.
“Dong—”
The noon bell rang. The passionate melody of Hymn to Kai Xiusu echoed through the city.
Regardless of race—Human, Great Goblin, Tiefling, Lizardfolk, or Ogre—every citizen seemed to have agreed in silence. At once, they all lifted their eyes toward the towering Isdalia Grand Altar, soaring high in the sky.
Some clasped their hands in prayer. Others knelt. Still others held gold coins in their palms. All were praying.
Perhaps they prayed for their husbands to return safely from the Elemental Plane of Fire.
Perhaps they prayed for their factories to get more orders.
Perhaps they prayed for their caravans to arrive unharmed.
Or perhaps, like many, they weren’t truly pious—yet, through relentless, subtle propaganda across every corner of the Empire, this ritual had become second nature.
“Dong—”
“Dong—”
The third chime rang.
The entire city, indeed the whole Empire, erupted into jubilation.
Just years ago, at this very moment, King Kai Xiusu had placed the Crown upon his own head—founding this vast, pluralistic empire.
---
Northwind Keep Suburbs, Iron Dragon Wing Palace
Outside the majestic palace, the once-majestic mountain had transformed. Vast stretches of black rock now jutted from the earth. Rivers of molten magma oozed through the valley. The place now resembled a true Fire Mountain.
The air was scorching. Ash and ember sparks drifted through the sky. The Northern Wind howled, sometimes whipping up violent flame storms that roared through the peaks.
The once-thick forest was gone—reduced to ash and carbon slag. Charred tree stumps stood like skeletal fingers. The deer, birds, and wild boars had fled long ago.
Only now and then did creatures from the Elemental Plane of Fire appear—Steam Demon Bats, Fire Birds, Fire Children, and Molten Lava Beasts.
A year ago, King Kai Xiusu had fallen into slumber. No cataclysm followed. Yet the environment had quietly, steadily changed.
At first, the guards at the gate didn’t notice. But soon, they discovered the truth: the world was shifting.
Three months later, the temperature near the Royal Palace had become unbearable. The Tiefling guards stationed there were replaced by Half-Red Dragons.
Now, even those with thick Dragon Blood—descendants of ancient bloodlines—felt the heat creeping into their bones.
Yet for the sake of faith, they remained. Like Udo Deko.
Once a slave in the Swinno Duchy, a gladiator for noble amusement, Udo had been liberated by the Kingdom of Ashen. From that day forward, he swore his life to King Kai Xiusu.
During the Northern War, he fought like a feral beast—ripping a Noble Knight in half with his bare hands. For that, he earned Dolo’s praise. He traded his battle merits for a Dragon Blood Elixir, drank it without hesitation, endured the agony of transformation, and became a Half-Red Dragon.
Now, he stood at the Iron Dragon Wing Palace, guarding the Red Dragon’s resting place. To him, this was the highest honor.
“Did you hear? A Demon attacked the Imperial Capital! On Coronation Day!”
“Insolent!”
“What did the Cabinet do? Any warning?”
The Half-Red Dragon guards at the gate were furious.
But Udo stood motionless, rifle in hand, face like stone—guarding the entrance like a statue.
He spoke calmly:
“Those Demons were merely flies from the Abyss. When His Majesty awakens, they will vanish. Their actions are like moths flying into flame—pathetic, meaningless.”
Another guard sighed.
“But His Majesty has been asleep for a year. You know Dragon longevity is immense. For one like Him, a century-long slumber is possible. I just… worry.”
Udo snorted, cold disdain in his voice.
“And what if it is? As long as His Majesty remains asleep, I will stand here. Sak, you’re still not ready.”
Boom!
The earth trembled. The mountain shook. Ash and ember sparks danced wildly through the air. The ground cracked open—wide, jagged fissures glowing with crimson light.
The Half-Red Dragon guards staggered, panic rising.
“What’s happening?!”
“Run!”
“Cataclysm! It’s coming! I’ve heard the former Tiefling Captain say this is the aftermath of the Great Red Dragon’s strength—but for mortals, it’s annihilation!”
The Half-Red Dragon captain screamed in terror.
“It’s Him! His Majesty… He’s waking!”
Only Udo Deko remained still—his gaze fixed on the Red Dragon’s resting place. On the dragon’s face, eyes alight with ecstasy and frenzy.
In an instant, thick smoke engulfed the earth, shrouding the sky. The air reeked of gunpowder and sulfur.
Even Northwind Keep, dozens of miles away, felt the tremors. Citizens stared in horror toward the south.
Whoosh—
Fire meteors streaked across the heavens, trailing brilliant flames—like fiery daggers tearing through the charcoal-black sky.
The mountain’s smoke roared, ember sparks and flowing fire swirling within. A hurricane of intense heat surged forth, merging sky and earth into a colossal, spiraling Dragon Vortex of fire and flame.
Debris, ash, scorched trees—all were sucked into the vortex, becoming fuel for the storm.
“Dragon of Ember,” Udo whispered, eyes wide, throat trembling. He uttered the name—famous, feared, born of Northern Nobles’ fear. A dragon so fierce it could burn ash itself.
“Udo, run!”
“Don’t stay there—you’ll die!”
Another guard cried out in panic. But Udo didn’t move. He stood, eyes locked on the sky, breathless with awe.
So magnificent.
This was His Majesty’s strength—absolute, unmatched. Capable of destroying every mortal being, annihilating any foe that stood in the way.
Years ago, he had watched the Red Dragon reduce the seemingly invincible Northern Coalition to dust. And he had seen the Earl Angus—the man who once chained him like a beast—reduced to ash.
From that moment, the Red Dragon became his sole faith.
Roar—
A deep, ancient roar echoed from the mountain, shaking the heavens and the earth.
A wave of primordial power radiated outward from the peak, spreading across a hundred miles, raising a ring of dust and fire.
“His Majesty…”
The Half-Red Dragons froze. They felt the Primordial Aura of Bloodline, and one by one, they fell to their knees.
Boom!
A massive shadow burst through the rock at the summit, tearing through the mountain like paper. It soared into the Dragon Vortex of fire and smoke.
For a moment, it seemed the world itself revolved around him.
The sky’s smoke rushed toward him. Falling meteors transformed into streams of fire, flowing toward him like worshippers. Ash, embers, flames, smoke—all converged upon him, forming a swirling maelstrom of power.
Then—silence.
The smoke cleared. The sky was clean once more.
The earth lay exposed—ravaged, scarred, broken.
But soon, the ground groaned. The fissures closed, magma flowing back into the earth. Craters left by meteor impacts filled in. In the grip of absolute control, the landscape healed—like the disaster had never happened.
High above, the massive Red Dragon unfurled his wings. With golden vertical pupils, he surveyed the world below. His scales gleamed under the sunlight, radiant as molten gold.
Udo, utterly unbothered by the dust, pressed his forehead to the ground. Only then did he lift his head, gazing up with trembling reverence at the colossal form of the Red Dragon.
“His Majesty,” he whispered, voice trembling with emotion. His entire body shook—not from fear, but from overwhelming joy.
He knew what this meant. It meant victory. It meant the Red Dragon would rise again, leading them to conquer every enemy blocking the Empire’s path.
The King had awakened.
Kai Xiusu, the sole ruler of the Anzeta Great Wasteland, the one who broke the Silver Wings, the destroyer of Frost Giants, the sworn enemy of Deep Abyss Demons, the Soul-Eating Dragon, the Master of Guns and Cannons, the Supreme Emperor of Ember—was awake.
---
Dragon Mountain Summit
“Huff—”
Kai Xiusu slowly flapped his wings, landing with a thunderous boom on the peak. He exhaled a plume of sulfur-scented smoke, surveying his new form.
“Finally awake. That familiar sensation… Dragons are truly wondrous creatures. Every time I wake, I feel reborn—filled with strength.”
“But… I feel a repulsive force.”
Kai Xiusu tilted his head, eyes narrowing. He let out a snort, blasting a stream of white-hot steam.
—The repulsive force of the Plane.
For the world, such a monster should not exist in the Material Plane. It belongs beyond—Stellar Realm, Astral Plane, Outer Planes, Inner Planes…
After a year of slumber, Kai Xiusu had grown even larger. His muscles were denser, more powerful. His body now stretched nearly forty-five meters from snout to tail—far beyond the limits of any common Red Dragon.
Even ancient Red Dragons—those who had lived over a thousand years—rarely exceeded forty meters. But Kai Xiusu had surpassed them by a wide margin.
Among his four spiraled horns, two had thickened, swelling into regal, crown-like formations.
His jaw had grown heavier, more pronounced—though not quite as grotesque as in his past life, “Death’s Wing.” Still, his face now looked terrifying, almost monstrous.
On his mountain-sized body, beyond the usual spines of a Red Dragon, a new set of glowing Fire Magma Crystals emerged along his spine.
“This energy…”
During his slumber, Kai Xiusu had acted like a Dragon-shaped black hole—devouring energy from his surroundings, then expelling it in a cycle of transformation. The changes in the environment bore witness to this.
In that process, more and more Pure Fire Elemental Energy had been absorbed and stored within him.
And not just ambient energy—Kai Xiusu had also consumed the entire Elemental Ore he’d acquired during negotiations with the Fire Giant Empire. That ore alone held enough power to fuel an entire kingdom.
The Dragon Crystal at his chest pulsed with flame. Cracks in his scales occasionally spat fire.
Inside him now lay a terrifying reservoir of power—equivalent to a mobile, living volcano. And even that was an understatement.
(End of Chapter)
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