Chapter 607: The Dawn Dragon
Clang—
Krasus struck the table with the scepter in his claw, the sound sharp and resonant, like a great bell tolling across the hall.
At the scepter’s tip, the milky-white Polar Star flared to life, and a cold wind—pulsing with Bahamut’s Aura—swept through the Hall of Justice in an instant. It rippled across every soul present, sending a shiver through all the Gold Dragons. The young ones, attending their first Golden Dragon Council, stared in wide-eyed awe, stunned into silence.
Kai Xiusu, standing before the radiant White Gold Dragon and the phantom image of swirling starlight, bowed deeply, his posture perfectly respectful. But beneath the surface, his mind burned with desire—for that very scepter.
This… is a genuine Artifact. Its rank far surpasses the gemstone we seized from that old Silver Dragon.
Feeling the immense, relentless surge of divine power emanating from the scepter, Kai Xiusu couldn’t help but think.
Krasus lifted the scepter. The cold wind vanished as if it had never been. Then, a deep, resonant voice—weighty with dignity—filled the hall.
“In the name of the current Golden Dragon Regent, Krasus, I declare the 267th Golden Dragon Council to be open.”
The Primordial Gold Dragon scanned the long table, his gaze sweeping over the assembled Gold Dragons with the precision of a sovereign surveying his realm. Then he continued:
“Lords and Ladies, I have called this emergency session to address pressing matters in the Material Realm. I trust you are all aware—since the fall of Sacred Fedran, the entities long dormant in the Darkness have grown restless.”
“Yes,” rumbled one. “The Blue Dragons in the Brendan Desert have been unusually active.”
“Worldeye City has detected multiple newly opened Abyssal Passages—all leading directly into the Material Plane.”
“We’ve uncovered traces of a Dragon Worship Cult long buried in the Kingdom of Seleucus. They’re now allied with the Tiamat Church.”
“And the Nine Hells aren’t idle either. Devils have begun emerging into the Material Realm.”
The Gold Dragons nodded in agreement, exchanging reports of disasters and threats. Kai Xiusu listened quietly, weaving together intelligence from across the world. In the shadow of the Empire of Ashen’s butterfly effect, these events had already diverged significantly from the memories he carried from his past life.
Ten Gold Dragons could jointly propose a matter. If approved, it would be brought before the Council for open deliberation, then assigned to a capable Gold Dragon for orderly resolution. According to millennia-old tradition, only those Gold Dragons of Primordial or ancient age could submit individual proposals. As Chief Regent, Krasus held veto power.
The first matter brought forward was the Dragon Worship Cult.
Krasus raised the scepter. In a flash, lines of Dragon Tongue script materialized across the table—clear, detailed, and authoritative.
> Gather intelligence on the Dragon Worship Cult: minimum of three adult Golden Dragons required.
>
> “I reside within the Kingdom of Seleucus—I can undertake this quest,” said one.
>
> “Grandfather, I volunteer,” another declared.
>
> “For the glory of the Lord of the Northern Wind, I will infiltrate enemy lines and gather intelligence!”
The naturally righteous Gold Dragons—drawn to justice and the eradication of evil—stepped forward eagerly, embracing their duty as champions of good.
Each crisis, each threat, each evil presence—what others would flee from—was merely another clear objective to the Gold Dragons.
It was said some fanatical Gold Dragons even disguised themselves as women or children, vulnerable victims, to lure evil beasts into ambush. They were the true pioneers of “Fisherman’s Justice.”
The council lasted three days and three nights. Intelligence flowed freely. The Gold Dragons brought nearly every shadowy force across Feanso under their watchful eye—except for one.
That’s strange… Kai Xiusu stroked his gill whiskers, frowning.
According to Gold Dragon morality, his Empire of Ashen should have been the epitome of evil. Why hadn’t the Chief Regent even mentioned it?
He’d heard the name “Empire of Ashen” spoken several times in the discussions—but Krasus had never turned it into an official quest.
Beside him, the Ancient Gold Dragon Samuel leaned forward, warm and eager, clearly favoring this unfamiliar kin.
“Titus, I’ve heard tales of you from the southern reaches of the continent. Those human minstrels’ songs are quite entertaining.”
Across the table, Ancient Gold Dragon Eliot murmured in awe:
“Wings of Dawn… Dragon of Dawn… descending from the heavens, alone slaying the Chosen of Gush, repelling an army of hundreds of thousands of Ogres…”
Kai Xiusu gently shook his head, brushing a whisker with his claw, smiling politely.
“Samuel, you flatter me. That’s mere mortal exaggeration. I did not fight alone. The merit of my allies must not be overlooked. In that war against the Ghuush cult, the King of the Highlands from Blackstone Mountain, and Dawnblade of Serrynia, played vital roles.”
Clang—
Suddenly, Krasus struck the scepter again.
Silence fell across the hall. Every Gold Dragon stilled, listening intently to the Chief Regent.
The Primordial Gold Dragon looked around once more, then spoke:
“Beyond the matters we’ve discussed… there is another. A special plea for aid—originating from an existence long indebted to our Golden Dragon Clan. The current Duke of Northern Aether—Walter Graham.”
Samuel’s eyes widened. “Walter Graham…? That name rings a bell. Wasn’t he the Divine-Blooded Noble who rescued Tatiana from Hell decades ago?”
“Yes,” Krasus confirmed. “He is.”
Tatiana—a female Ancient Dragon—had been captured during a minor skirmish between Metal Dragons and Five-Colored Dragons, then imprisoned in Hell for over two centuries by the Dragon Queen. Walter Graham had freed her.
Now, Tatiana was sleeping to heal. And so, Kai Xiusu—newly arrived, under the name Titus—had temporarily taken her seat.
Upon hearing this, Samuel spoke:
“We Golden Dragons are not a race of traitors. I support his plea.”
“Indeed. When a benefactor is in peril, we must act without hesitation.”
“He freed an Ancient Gold Dragon! If Tatiana were here, she would go all out to help.”
The Council echoed in agreement.
But Kai Xiusu’s expression flickered—just slightly. He hadn’t expected the leader of his past-life’s Fadalan revivalist forces to be ennobled as the Duke of Northern Aether. Clearly, Wilhelm’s hand was at work.
And Northern Aether Plain bordered the Caspar Hills—exactly where the Empire of Ashen’s southern advance had set its sights.
So… finally, it’s coming.
Kai Xiusu braced himself.
But Krasus’s next words were unexpected—laden with gravity.
“You underestimate the threat. Walter’s enemy is no ordinary being. It is a Red Dragon… terrifying beyond imagination.”
“Red Dragon?”
“Punishing such brutal, merciless evil is our sacred duty!”
“The brute is nothing but magma and muscle!”
Young Gold Dragons roared with righteous fury. But the older, wiser ones—those who had heard whispers from the edges of legend—grew silent, their faces dark with dawning suspicion.
“His foe,” Krasus said, “is the Ruler of the Anzeta Great Wasteland. The most powerful Red Dragon to appear in centuries—the Emperor of the Ashen Flame… Kai Xiusu Claudew Noirikexius.”
Krasus raised the Silver Staff—the symbol of Golden Dragon supremacy—high above his head. Starlight shimmered in the air, gathering, coalescing into a lifelike projection.
There, in the Hall of Justice, a colossal Red Dragon loomed.
It reared up, roaring to the heavens, flames bursting from its maw. Hills beneath its feet crumbled like pebbles. Demons beneath its wings were no larger than ants.
By any normal scale, the Dragon measured over a hundred meters in length. Unthinkable.
“Good heavens… such a massive Red Dragon…”
“Bahamut above—how could such a monster exist?”
“I’ve heard of him. He nearly killed Oszedro, the Elder of the Melward Clan.”
“Lord of the Northern Wind, I once journeyed to the Elemental Plane of Fire to assist the Holy Flame Prince. Even there, this Red Dragon was feared—called the Soul-Eating Dragon by the native inhabitants. He consumed the Pasha of the Fire Giant Empire!”
The Gold Dragons murmured in disbelief, their voices thick with awe, shock, and even fear. To them, such a creature was a myth.
The age of Dragon Sovereignty on Earth had ended thousands of years ago. The glory of the Ancestral Dragons had faded. Now, after countless bloodline dilutions, even the True Dragons struggled to comprehend the power of their ancestors.
One young Golden Dragon dared to ask:
“Our mission is to punish evil. Even if this Red Dragon is as powerful as a god, we should not fear. Krasus, I accept this quest—out of gratitude to Walter!”
The speaker—Anher, the young Golden Dragon whose name Kai Xiusu had once stolen—spoke with fire in his voice.
Krasus regarded him with the calm, weary gaze of an elder toward a hot-headed youth. Slowly, he shook his head.
“Anher… this quest is far too dangerous. Your strength is not enough to survive such a battle. You would only die needlessly. Only Ancient Dragons may be sent. And even then… this war is nearly unwinnable.”
He lowered the scepter.
“Kai Xiusu is not merely powerful. He possesses a bloodline rivaling that of a Third-Generation Ancestral Dragon. That means… he has the potential to become a Dragon King.”
His eyes swept the hall, lingering on the Ancient Gold Dragons—Samuel, Eliot, Beatrice. Only they would understand.
Their expressions hardened. Astonishment. Dread. Reverence.
A Dragon King—someone capable of birthing entire dragon lineages. Like Bahamut creating Metal Dragons, Tiamat birthing Five-Colored Dragons, and Sadivo founding the Gemstone Dragon.
After the Dragonfall War, after the Ancestral Dragons fell one by one—Kai Xiusu’s emergence was no longer just a matter of good versus evil. It was a matter of the very survival of the dragon race.
Kai Xiusu listened intently, his face now grave. Even in his past life, he had never heard such secrets.
This was worth coming for. Even if I lose this avatar, it’s been worth it. I didn’t realize… my status was this important.
Krasus stared at the sacred emblem embedded in the scepter’s tip.
“And contrary to what you may believe, the intelligence I’ve gathered suggests that despite his Red Dragon nature, the Emperor of the Ashen Flame does not side with the Five-Colored Dragon Queen. He has signed a Pact of Alliance with the Mervold Clan, allowing Silver Dragons access to the core mechanisms of his empire. He even once offered prayer to King Bahamut—though only to gain aid.”
He paused, then added:
“But the Five-Colored Dragon Queen is trying to win him over. She has sent Blue Dragon envoys multiple times, seeking his offspring.”
Krasus lifted his head. His pale golden eyes—like molten gold—burned with intensity.
“Lords… Mother of Monsters is awakening. She seeks to return to Earth, to bring ruin upon the world. And the Lord of the Northern Wind—King Bahamut—will not allow it. The war between Metal Dragons and Five-Colored Dragons may ignite once more.”
His voice dropped, low and grave.
“And the balance of that war… may rest on one unstable variable—this neutral force. Emperor Kai Xiusu of the Ember Empire.”
Silence fell. The younger Gold Dragons fell utterly still—mouse-quiet. This was no mere battle. This was about the future of their entire race.
Samuel hesitated, then spoke:
“What are we to do? Abandon Walter?”
Krasus sighed.
“He cannot win. Send one Ancient Dragon. Do what you can to save him. That is all we can do.”
At that moment, a deep, resonant voice cut through the silence.
“I object.”
All eyes turned—toward the source.
The Ancient Gold Dragon known as Wings of Dawn—Titus—had risen.
“Does possessing Ancestral Blood grant immunity from Justice and Righteousness? The Five-Colored Dragon Queen is far more powerful than this so-called Emperor of the Ashen Flame. Are we to submit to strength alone?”
His voice rang with conviction. Passion. Truth. It struck the hearts of every Gold Dragon present.
The Ancient Dragon stood tall, his golden scales blazing with radiant light. He looked not just like a dragon—he looked like dawn itself, a beacon that could pierce the darkest night, a savior for the world.
Krasus’s expression darkened. But he answered calmly:
“We seek a greater, nobler objective. That is Justice.”
“Justice achieved through evil means is no justice at all!”
Titus slammed his claw down on the table. His words thundered through the hall.
“Krasus, I do not know what you mean by Dragon King, Third-Generation Ancestral Dragon, or Bloodline Revival. But I know this: a brutal Red Dragon seeks to plunder the lands of the innocent. And we—Gold Dragons—would turn away?”
His voice rose, fierce and unyielding.
“I know that a true Gold Dragon, one who walks the path of Bahamut, would never stand idly by. Never.”
Kai Xiusu’s voice—now burning with passion, ringing with power—shook the very air. The charisma, so potent it could warp reality, surged through the hall.
The Gold Dragons felt it. Their hearts stirred. Their wills wavered.
Watching their reactions, Kai Xiusu smiled inwardly.
Oh, Bahamut? You don’t know a thing about Bahamut’s path. I do.
(End of Chapter)
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