Chapter 628: The Broken Dragon Wing
A blazing meteor streaked from the heavens, plummeting straight onto the earth, causing the already scarred and wounded land to let out a mournful wail. In the wake of the violent elemental collision, a scorching gale swept across the ground, smoke billowed upward, and the air filled with ash and ember sparks. Soldiers’ clothes caught fire on the spot, igniting instantly.
The Arcane Legion’s mages raised their staves in unison, attempting to shield the Allied Forces’ troops. But against these apex-tier spells, their protective wards were as fragile as paper.
Meanwhile, thanks to exceptional coordination, the Empire of Ashen’s army had assembled. With the joint efforts of the Arcane Legion and the Imperial Technology Department, they erected a hemispherical dome—protecting the Ember Army from the onslaught.
“Help!”
“Amanata above!”
“God, please grant us mercy—save me!”
On the battlefield, soldiers fled in panic, screaming and crying out in terror as spells rained down. Their cries rose unceasingly into the sky.
At ten kilometers above, the Ancient Gold Dragon Titus, locked in a standoff with the Red Dragon, suddenly turned his head as if he’d heard something.
“Barachiel, my lord,” he said, “this land has been ravaged beyond recognition. If this continues, it will become a forbidden zone—riddled with spatial rifts and chaotic magical currents.”
He looked down at the ruined wasteland below, his expression heavy with concern.
“I know,” Barachiel replied, his brow furrowed. His luminous silver sword pulsed with crackling electricity, and his three pairs of wings stirred slowly behind him. His dark purple eyes remained fixed on the distant Red Dragon, utterly consumed by the sight—nothing else existed in his world.
To Barachiel, this Red Dragon was a formidable foe—blinding speed, astonishing regenerative power, and unmatched prowess in both melee combat and spellcasting. Though the Lord of Silver Heaven carried an unshakable confidence, he could not defeat the beast outright. And if the battle dragged on, the surrounding life would face unimaginable destruction.
Perhaps… it was time to reveal his secret weapon.
A quiet determination settled in Barachiel’s heart.
He focused his will, sending a mental summons to the Ancient Gold Dragon hovering nearby, on high alert:
“Titus, I need you to hold him off—buy me time.”
“Understood.”
The Gold Dragon’s reply was brief, resolute. His gaze hardened, as if already prepared to sacrifice his life force.
Reliable allies… though a bit too weak, Barachiel thought.
Across the sky, the Red Dragon watched with predatory intent, his overwhelming height casting a shadow over them. He sneered, taunting.
“If this is all you’ve got, your so-called ‘justice’ will fail. Soon, I’ll send you to join Walter.”
Kai Xiusu grinned, revealing a mouth full of sharp, needle-like teeth, his fanged smile dripping with malice.
“Well? Are you afraid now?”
The Ancient Gold Dragon could no longer contain himself. His eyes flared with fury, and with a thunderous roar, he declared:
“Evil Dragon! Justice will never submit to evil—just as dark clouds cannot forever hide the sun! And here—on Aethel Plain—this shall be your grave! I shall bathe the earth in your blood, to honor Duke Walter!”
With a mighty sweep of his wings, he unleashed a gale and launched himself toward the Red Dragon.
“Just you?” Kai Xiusu mocked, lazily flapping his own dragon wing as he continued to loom over the Gold Dragon. “Do you really believe you’re worthy to stand against me?”
In an instant, the Red Dragon vanished—leaving only a crimson afterimage. A sonic boom erupted from his spines as he shot forward at terrifying speed, appearing beside the Gold Dragon in a flash. With a massive claw, he seized the Gold Dragon’s throat.
“You… are dead.”
The Gold Dragon gasped, struggling with all his might—flailing limbs, beating wings—but to no avail. Kai Xiusu tightened his grip, veins bulging in his arm, claws digging deep into the golden scales. The sharp tips pierced through, threatening to crush the ancient beast’s life.
With cold sarcasm, Kai Xiusu added:
“To be honest, I’ve never taken you seriously. In any other time, you wouldn’t even be worthy of standing before me. You’re trying to stall? Fine. Let’s play.”
A cruel smile spread across the Red Dragon’s face. His claws clenched tighter, like iron vices, their tips sinking deep into flesh. Crimson dragon blood trickled down his claws.
“Grrr—” The Gold Dragon groaned, trembling violently, forcing his head up with a defiant glare, eyes blazing with unyielding will—no fear, no surrender.
Strangled by the grip, his voice was raw and ragged:
“Evil Dragon… even in death… I will not submit!”
In shock, the Red Dragon watched as the Gold Dragon’s battered body suddenly surged with impossible strength.
The ancient runes etched across his scales flared to life. His body seemed to be coated in golden light, radiating a powerful aura. Even the Red Dragon’s massive claw was pushed aside by the sheer force.
[Ironhide: Ironhide Armor!]
“ROOOOOOOOOOAAARRRR!”
Titus finally broke free from the Red Dragon’s hold. He unfurled his vast golden wings and let out a deafening, soul-shattering roar.
“Light Immortality! Justice endures forever—”
Kai Xiusu tilted his head, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
“A Carved Skin Dragon? Hmph. Now that’s a little more interesting. You’re worthy of becoming my spoils of war.”
“Then let’s see what you’ve got!”
The Gold Dragon roared again, assuming a battle stance. Under the effect of Ironhide, his entire body glowed like molten gold.
“I’ll make you feel…”
Kai Xiusu flared his wings and, with breathtaking speed, soared above the Gold Dragon—then plummeted down with a thunderous roar.
“What true strength really is!”
His fifty-meter-long body crashed down like a mountain, crushing the much smaller, lighter Ancient Gold Dragon beneath him—like a boulder falling on a stone.
“BOOM!”
The impact shattered the air. A violent shockwave tore through space, threatening to rip it apart.
“Aaargh!”
The Gold Dragon was flung backward, spitting blood. Scales shattered mid-air, flying like shrapnel. His flesh and bones were on the verge of being pulverized.
No matter how brilliant Ironhide shone, the sheer gap in power left him utterly defenseless. He was dragged downward, crashing toward the ground—alongside the Red Dragon.
The two dragons collided in midair, plummeting faster and faster, tearing through the atmosphere with a spine-rattling sonic boom.
Finally, the air around them ignited. Flames wrapped around the Gold Dragon’s body, and for a moment, they looked like a blazing meteorite streaking across the sky—crashing straight into the frontline position of the Allied Forces, the very heart of their densest troop concentration.
“What… was that?”
“No—it’s not a meteorite! It’s a dragon! A dragon!”
“The Gods—”
“Amanata above! They’re coming right at us!”
“It’s too late… we can’t run. God, is this the end?”
“No—”
On the ground, the Allied soldiers froze, their bodies trembling. Faces covered in dust, weary and desperate, filled with despair and fear. The colossal dragon bodies grew larger in their vision—until they filled the entire sky.
To these fragile mortals, this was truly the end.
“BOOM!”
The earth screamed in agony. The entire Aethel Plain trembled. Dust exploded into the air. Gale-force winds surged across the land. A devastating shockwave hurled thousands into the air.
Tens of thousands of Allied soldiers were swallowed by the cataclysm—before the dragons even struck, they were crushed into pulp by the sheer wind pressure.
The shockwave, the ground cracks, the flying debris—all caused tens of thousands of casualties. Even distant Collins City shook violently. Buildings collapsed one after another. Chaos reigned. Severe losses.
Just one charge—this was the result of raw, overwhelming strength.
In the face of a dragon, mortals were nothing more than ants.
The earth split open—a crater hundreds of meters wide and over ten meters deep. Cracks radiated outward for thousands of meters, creating fault lines across the land.
As the dust cloud slowly cleared, the massive silhouette emerged—like a mountain.
The Red Dragon stood atop the fallen Gold Dragon, spreading his wings wide, blotting out the sky. He roared triumphantly:
“Do you feel it, false Gold Dragon? This is the gap in strength. You can never defeat me—not because I am evil, but because you are simply too weak!”
Then, a mocking smile curled his lips.
“Let me offer you a choice, just this once. Since you’re barely related to me, I’ll spare your life. Submit to me, and I’ll grant you a place in the new order of the Empire of Ashen.”
He paused, staring at his blood-stained claws, eyes flashing with malice.
“But if you refuse…”
His voice dropped to a whisper.
“I’ll send you to join Walter’s regiment.”
The Gold Dragon lay broken, barely alive. Blood soaked his body, his bones twisted beyond recognition. His wings were snapped, and Ironhide flickered weakly, its glow dimming.
Yet even so, he strained with every ounce of will to lift his head. His golden eyes burned with unwavering resolve, glowing with a faint but unyielding light.
“Today… even if I die… I will never submit to you, Kai Xiusu. Your end… is near.”
From afar, countless eyes watched—filled with awe and admiration for this dragon who stood defiant, refusing to surrender.
But terror gripped them. Fear of the Emperor of the Ashen Flame’s overwhelming power. Not a single soldier dared approach. No one dared raise a battalion to save him. It would be suicide.
“Titus… my lord.”
“What a pity.”
“Yes… Titus gave his life for justice. A noble dragon.”
“No wonder he’s known as the Wings of Dawn. Even in death, he brought light.”
They could only watch from afar, their eyes filled with sorrow and reverence. Whispers escaped them—too afraid to speak aloud.
The Red Dragon, sensing their fear, turned his gaze upon them.
“Utterly ridiculous!”
Kai Xiusu stomped down on the Gold Dragon’s back, forcibly lifting his head to face the crowd.
“Is this the people you wish to protect? Cowards who shrink back, who lack the courage to even come to your aid? Is this your justice? To die alone, forgotten, betrayed?”
His words cut deep. The Allied soldiers lowered their heads, ashamed.
Titus let out a bitter laugh.
“I serve justice… not for reward. It is my duty—my nature as a Gold Dragon.”
Kai Xiusu’s face twisted into a sneer. With one arm, he lifted the Gold Dragon from the ground.
“Duty? Fine. Then die with your duty.”
His massive claw shot forward, slicing through the air with a violent gust—aimed straight at the Gold Dragon’s chest, ready to tear out his pulsing heart.
“No!”
“Titus, my lord!”
The onlookers cried out in horror, unable to bear the sight.
But then—something unexpected happened.
The pendant embedded in the Gold Dragon’s chest flared with a silvery light. It formed a barrier, blocking the Red Dragon’s claw.
[White Platinum Heart]
The Gold Dragon collapsed—but with sheer willpower, he dragged himself up, using limbs reduced to shattered stumps. He stood, trembling, but unbroken.
Kai Xiusu tilted his head, whispering:
“A blessing from Bahamut? That meddling old fool again. But it won’t save you.”
Just as the Red Dragon stepped forward, a low, urgent voice rang out from beside Titus:
“Wait. King Kai Xiusu.”
Space beside Titus rippled. From within the distortion, a far larger, older Gold Dragon emerged. He held a scepter, his face marked with dignity and wisdom, his expression anxious.
This was Krasus—the Primordial Golden Dragon, Chief Regent of the Golden Dragon Council, revered by all dragons of the Material Plane as the “Golden Sage.”
For a split second, both Kai Xiusu and the controlled Titus felt an overwhelming surge of ecstasy. His plan had succeeded.
From this moment on, who would dare doubt Titus—the “Dawn Dragon”—as the vanguard of rebellion against the Empire of Ashen?
This was witnessed by tens of thousands. And now, a legendary Primordial Dragon stood as his witness.
Krasus stepped in front of Titus, his voice heavy with solemnity.
“King Kai Xiusu. Our Golden Dragon kind has no desire to involve itself in this conflict. For the sake of the Last Hope, I ask—spare Titus’s life.”
“Why should I?”
“The Golden Dragon kind will offer you full compensation. For the sake of King Bahamut…”
Krasus stood firm, his tone unwavering—determined to take Titus away.
Kai Xiusu waved a dismissive claw.
“If it weren’t for our shared bloodline, this insolent dragon would already be dead. Leave. I have a battle yet to finish.”
“Thank you for your mercy.”
Krasus didn’t hesitate. He seized Titus and teleported away—vanishing from the battlefield.
The grand performance ended.
From this day forward, Titus would become a legend—the famed rebel of the Empire of Ashen, a hero worshipped by countless righteous souls.
Kai Xiusu raised his head, gazing into the distance.
He had been acting. But all the while, he’d been watching the movements of the Lord of Silver Heaven—always ready to intercept.
The Red Dragon lifted his head and roared:
“Now… it’s just you. Are you ready to meet your end?”
High above, at ten kilometers, Barachiel had closed his eyes.
From the void, he drew forth a magnificent, ancient tome—its pages bound in gold and runes. Slowly, he opened it, whispering the ancient incantations.
“In the Name of Heaven…”
The silver horn at his waist floated into the air, emitting a haunting, celestial hymn.
Barachiel’s expression was solemn, his voice sharp and thunderous—echoing across the sky:
“Receive… the Final Judgment!”
(End of Chapter)
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