Defeating the World with the Power of One Dragon!

Chapter 571: Unprecedented Humiliation 9

Breckton Kingdom, Western Defense Line.

Heaven's thunder rolled, and torrential rain poured down. The dark clouds pressed extremely low, almost touching the sea's surface. Layers upon layers of thunderclouds filled the sky, with lightning occasionally tearing through the firmament, illuminating the heavens before being swallowed by deeper darkness.

Lamorein Helmod, the Lord of Thunder, was perched on a cliff near the defense line.

His deep blue scales shimmered with a cold, ghostly light under the flashes of lightning. Rainwater slid down the gaps between his scales, converging into tiny streams beneath him that trickled down along the crevices of the rocks.

His physique was more massive than most legendary dragons. Even with his wings folded against his sides, he resembled a small mountain.

At this moment, his eyes were slightly closed, as if listening for something, or perhaps waiting.

Beside him, another Ancient Dragon was coiled.

Alvia Helmod, Lord of the Raging Tides, Lamorein's blood kin, his younger sister.

Her scales displayed a deep sea-like blue-green, slightly lighter than Lamorein's deep blue. Under the lightning, they would shimmer with a silvery-white luster. Her size was several circles smaller than the Lord of Thunder, but she was still a behemoth. Her neck was slender, the shape of her head sharper, with horn-like protrusions on her snout pointing forward like scimitars.

They had another blood kin, currently responsible for suppressing the rebellious kingdoms, who was not present.

Alvia was tapping the rocks with her tail. Rubble tumbled down from the cliff's edge, plunging into the seawater.

"Several days have passed."

"That Red Emperor, Garoth Ignas, has he responded?"

She asked.

Lamorein opened his eyes, his pupils contracting into vertical slits within the lightning.

"Not yet."

He paused, then added, "However, Garoth heard my request. He said he would give it serious consideration and then give me a reply."

Alvia let out a low, rumbling laugh.

"Serious consideration, and then give a reply."

She repeated her elder brother's words, her voice gradually rising. "Lamorein, my elder brother, can you truly believe such words? This is clearly an excuse, a brush-off."

Her tail stopped tapping, and her entire body turned towards Lamorein.

"Perhaps he is merely stalling for time, feigning compliance. He never even considered coming to support us."

"Those human crown-levels were dealt with by him, the Mandate of Heaven was subdued by him. He is now the most powerful dragon on the entire surface of Atlan. Why would he wade into this muddy water?"

Alvia's tone grew increasingly urgent.

"We cannot rely on him. We should consider a way out!"

Lamorein did not answer immediately.

He raised his head to look at the sky, his gaze piercing through the curtain of rain, landing on those churning dark clouds.

Lightning exploded within the cloud layers behind him, casting his outline into a stark black silhouette. The thunder rolled in and then rolled away, disappearing over the distant sea.

"You understand Garoth."

The leader of the dragonflight finally spoke. "I know the severity of the situation. The Raging Tides Dragon Domain will not stop at Bernardo. This 'Purification' by the Metal Dragons will inevitably spread to Aola."

"This is not a problem we alone face. It is a problem for all Five-colored Dragons."

He lowered his head and said, "For the sake of the dragon race, and for his own sake, he will come."

Alvia widened her eyes.

"You..."

She hesitated for a moment, her voice turning strange. "Elder Brother, you couldn't possibly... truly have thoughts of submitting to Aola, could you?"

Lamorein turned his head to meet her gaze.

"Why not?"

He retorted.

"Have you gone mad?"

Alvia said. "We are Ancient Dragons, Lamorein! We are the rulers of the Helmod Dragonflight, the masters of the Breckton Kingdom, the sovereigns of thunder and storm! You want to bow your head to a red iron dragon so much younger than you?"

"The Red Emperor has already demonstrated terrifying talent."

Lamorein continued. "When he was a high-level legendary, he could contend with crown-levels. After breaking through to crown-level, he could suppress the Mandate of Heaven. Such a growth speed, such combat talent, I have never seen the like."

"Even the Gold Dragon King, at his age, might not have been able to achieve these feats."

"A genius? No, he is like a divine aberration, one that might not appear in ten thousand years."

"I believe there is an extremely high probability he can break through the shackles of the Mandate of Heaven, become Immortal, and lead the dragon race back to greatness."

Lamorein indeed harbored some jealousy in his heart.

A jealousy rooted deep in his bones.

He had once thought of ambushing Garoth during his slumber, strangling him before he reached crown-level. During that period, he pondered repeatedly, simulating countless plans of action in his mind.

However, Lamorein ultimately did not go.

Not because of the trouble with the Raging Tides Dragon Domain. At that time, the Raging Tides Dragon Domain had not yet sent crown-levels. If he had wanted to go, no one could have stopped him.

The key was, Lamorein thought, a dragon like the Red Emperor should not die young.

If he grew up, he truly had an immense chance of reviving the dragon race.

At the very least, he could restore the dragon race of planet Bernardo to its former glory of ruling over all, letting dragonkind soar above all other biological races once more.

This was something Lamorein himself could not achieve.

For this reason, even though the jealousy in his heart burned like fire, Lamorein ultimately forcibly suppressed the idea of assassinating Garoth.

"You..."

Alvia shook her head. "Although we have been together for over a thousand years, Elder Brother, sometimes, I still cannot understand what you are truly thinking."

Lamorein let out a low, rumbling chuckle.

"A thousand years ago, you were ambitious, believing you were born to rule that world. You had just been born, feeling there was nothing you could not do."

"Eight hundred years ago, you realized the cruelty of the real world. You began to understand that ambition alone was not enough."

"Five hundred years ago, you sheathed your claws and all your sharp edges, lying low and biding your time for the future."

"You watched those weaker creatures swagger about, watched the glory that rightfully belonged to the dragon race being stolen by other races. You told yourself, one day, one day, everything would be returned."

"One hundred years ago, you thought establishing a kingdom would make the dragon race great again."

"The result was merely a tottering kingdom and a dragonflight that couldn't even withstand the harassment of Metal Dragons."

"Now, I feel I have accomplished nothing."

He paused. Raindrops dripped from his horn-like spikes.

"Hah, no one remains unchanged, Alvia. This is normal. Having lived this long, if one's thoughts were still rigid and unchanging, that would be true foolishness."

After speaking, his gaze turned towards the distant sea.

Alvia remained silent.

As his blood kin, she knew Lamorein's ambitions were gradually being worn down by reality.

Especially after the Red Emperor rose in the Northern Borders wilderness, like a comet, surpassing the Helmod Dragonflight's thousand-year accumulation in just two or three hundred short years.

This contrast was too cruel, so cruel that a thousand years of patience and accumulation seemed like a joke.

"Sigh."

Alvia sighed, shook her head, and said nothing more.

It wasn't just Lamorein.

She also felt that, compared to some true freaks, their many years of patient waiting and accumulation of power seemed to hold little meaning.

The feeling was like a fish swimming in a pond its entire life, thinking it had grown quite large.

Then one day, a shark was thrown in.

At that very moment.

A sharp dragon roar tore through the curtain of rain.

Lamorein and Alvia simultaneously raised their heads, pupils contracting.

In the distance, the dark clouds over the sea were torn open by a golden light.

The light was blazing and pure, as if someone had ignited a small sun within the cloud layers. It shot straight down from the clouds, burning a dazzling bright spot on the sea's surface.

Following closely was another light.

Bronze-colored, carrying an icy, seawater-like texture. Not as fierce as the golden light, yet equally sharp, like a sword slicing through the dark clouds.

"He's here."

Lamorein said in a low voice.

He stood up, his wings abruptly spreading, stirring up a gale. The muscles beneath his scales tensed.

The tear in the dark clouds grew larger. Two massive figures dove down from the cloud layers.

Their speed was fast. The tips of their wings cutting through the air emitted sharp whistles. Even from a great distance, one could feel that sense of pressure.

The one in the lead was entirely golden, his scales shimmering with dazzling metallic luster under the lightning, like a moving golden mountain.

His physique was even larger than Lamorein's.

Ancient Gold Dragon.

Following closely behind was another, whose scales displayed a deep bronze color, covered with a thin film of water. Raindrops falling on it slid off instantly as if on oil, unable to linger for even a second.

His size was slightly smaller, but his lines were more agile. The contours of his muscles were clearly visible beneath his scales.

Ancient Bronze Dragon.

Not all Ancient Dragons could reach crown-level, but these two were genuine crown-level dragons, top-tier forces within the Raging Tides Dragon Domain.

Their auras pressed down on the sky like two great mountains, making even the air feel heavy.

Behind them, over a dozen slightly smaller figures followed closely.

Gold Dragons, Silver Dragons, Brass Dragons, Copper Dragons... Legendary Metal Dragons formed a wedge-shaped formation. Their wingtips almost touched each other's scales, like a sharp blade slicing through the downpour and dark clouds.

Lamorein and Alvia also took to the sky.

Simultaneously, the legendary Five-colored Dragons of the Helmod Dragonflight, along with some legendary-level dragon vein vassals, followed closely behind.

Torrential rain poured between the giant dragons. Lightning intermittently illuminated the faces of both sides.

"Lamorein!"

The Gold Dragon circled high in the air, looking down upon the Blue Dragon.

"Your tyranny ends here! The Helmod's dark clouds will be dispersed by us today!"

His voice was majestic, like a judge's.

Lamorein did not answer.

He took a deep breath, his chest swelling. Bolts of lightning struck down from the thunderclouds, hitting his body directly. Electric currents danced and converged on his scales, emitting crackling sounds, ultimately all surging deep into his throat.

The Lord of Thunder's breath was ready to be unleashed.

But the Gold Dragon's attack was also swift.

A golden blaze of flame erupted from the Gold Dragon's mouth, shooting straight towards Lamorein. The flame was scorching hot. Raindrops around it evaporated into white steam, filling the air with the smell of ozone and scorching.

Lamorein dodged sideways.

The golden blaze of flame grazed past his shoulder, charring several scales.

At the same time, a blue-white pillar of lightning tore through the air, heading straight for the Gold Dragon's face.

The Gold Dragon folded his wings, diving downward with an agility belying his massive size.

The lightning pillar passed over his back, striking the cloud layers behind him. The dark clouds were pierced, creating a massive hole. Sunlight poured down from the opening.

But Lamorein had no time to admire this sight.

The Bronze Dragon had already circled to his flank.

The two crown-levels paid no heed to the other evil dragons, focusing entirely on Lamorein.

Lamorein's dragonflight and vassals also engaged in fierce combat with the other Metal Dragons, unable to intervene in the crown-level battle.

A breath attack sprayed from the Bronze Dragon's mouth, fan-shaped, covering Lamorein's retreat path.

Faced with attacks from the front and the side, Lamorein violently flapped his wings, avoiding the Bronze Dragon's breath while simultaneously climbing upward, trying to escape the encirclement.

But the Gold Dragon had already adjusted his posture.

He dove down from directly above, his foreclaws shimmering with golden light, fiercely swiping towards Lamorein's head.

This strike was fast and vicious. The sharp claws scraped across Lamorein's scales, leaving deep gashes extending from his forehead down to the bridge of his nose.

Lamorein roared in pain. His tail swept violently, smashing towards the Gold Dragon's side. The Gold Dragon raised his left wing to block. The tail struck the wing membrane, tearing a gash.

Simultaneously, the Bronze Dragon closed in, his sharp claws landing savagely on Lamorein's abdomen.

The claw marks stretched from his left ribs to his right, splitting the scales and tearing flesh.

They battled amidst the dark clouds, lightning flashing and thunder rumbling. The roars and growls of the giant dragons rose and fell. Lamorein's figure appeared somewhat bedraggled under the combined assault of the two crown-level dragons.

Two crown-levels, focusing their attacks solely on him.

Meanwhile, the Lord of the Raging Tides' roars echoed over the sea.

The gales stirred up by her wings whipped the rainwater into towering waves that crashed towards the oncoming Metal Dragons. Silver Dragons nimbly weaved between the wave crests. Brass Dragons flanked from the sides. Copper Dragons launched surprise attacks from below.

The Five-colored Dragons also roared, baring their claws and fangs.

Then, dragon breaths crisscrossed, scales shattered, and blood dyed the sea surface red.

Under immense pressure, Lamorein glanced down at the battle situation below, quickly calculating in his heart.

Again.

Just like before.

He was suppressed by two crown-levels. Alvia and the dragonflight were locked in a stalemate with the legendary Metal Dragons.

This battle would drag on for a long time like before, or... until he fought desperately like before.

In a one-on-one fight, Lamorein did not believe he would lose.

His strength was not inferior to any crown-level Ancient Dragon; he was even stronger than most.

However, facing two crown-level Ancient Dragons, he was inevitably forced into a disadvantage.

Only by fighting desperately, regardless of cost, could he barely repel them.

And this could only buy a little time, because each time after a desperate fight, before he fully recovered, the Metal Dragons would return, gradually eroding his resistance.

The Metal Dragons were like slowly boiling a frog.

Lamorein knew this, yet he was powerless.

Hah!

He took a deep breath, his chest swelling once more.

This time, he was not preparing a breath attack.

The thunder within the vast dark clouds resonated with him. Countless silver serpents of lightning danced around Lamorein, moving with his breath. His scales began to glow. Each scale was like a small thunder pool, brimming with the power of lightning.

Seeing this, the Gold Dragon and Bronze Dragon's expressions turned solemn, bracing themselves.

They knew this was Lamorein's most dangerous moment.

Right then.

A sword radiance suddenly erupted.

It was white. Pure, ultimate white.

The white sword radiance tore through the dark clouds and torrential rain, splitting the gloom between heaven and earth.

At first glance, it seemed to slash from one end of the horizon to the other, like an invisible giant blade cleaving the entire sky in two. Where the sword radiance passed, the dark clouds were sliced open like cloth, revealing the azure sky behind.

Sunlight poured down from the fissure like a golden road, laid upon the grey sea surface.

All the dragons stopped their movements.

They looked towards the source of the sword radiance, including the crown-level dragons. They all stopped.

Because they felt a higher-level presence.

Mandate of Heaven!

Where the sword radiance dissipated, a human figure hovered in mid-air.

He wore dark robes, pressed tightly against his body by the sea wind, outlining a lean and sturdy frame. His hands hung naturally at his sides. Behind him, two great swords, one light and one dark, hovered like two satellites orbiting a planet.

It was Reinhardt.

He took a step forward.

There was nothing beneath his feet, yet it was as if he stepped on solid ground. The air rippled in a circle beneath his feet, waves of light and darkness spreading outward.

Second step.

Third step.

He seemed to be walking up an invisible staircase, heading towards the center of the battlefield.

Seemingly slow but actually fast, he arrived at the position between the Metal Dragons and Lamorein in the blink of an eye, and stopped.

Reinhardt looked around, his gaze sweeping over the wounded Lamorein, over Alvia with her shattered scales, over those equally injured Metal Dragons.

Then, he gave a slight bow.

"Esteemed dragons, my name is Reinhardt."

"By the command of the great Red Emperor, I have come to mediate this war."

Lamorein's pupils contracted slightly.

Garoth... did not come himself, only sent this human of the Mandate of Heaven.

The Gold Dragon's eyes fixed on Reinhardt, his expression majestic.

"Mediate?"

"A human, come to mediate a war among us dragonkind?"

Opposite him, Reinhardt stood tall and straight, meeting the Gold Dragon's gaze. His height was less than one of the Gold Dragon's teeth, yet his presence was not the slightest bit weaker.

"Whether Five-colored Dragons or Metal Dragons, ultimately, you are all dragonkind. Why must you slaughter each other?"

He asked.

The Gold Dragon was silent for a second, then said, "What do you, a human, understand?"

"Since ancient times, the Five-colored Dragons have committed countless evil deeds."

"How long has their tyranny lasted? How many races have they enslaved? Beneath your feet, this land, how many intelligent beings once groaned under the claws and fangs of the Five-colored Dragons?"

He looked Reinhardt up and down, his gaze turning dangerous.

"A being of the Mandate of Heaven, yet submitting beneath an evil dragon, using your Mandate status to bolster the evil's arrogance. Truly shameful, utterly devoid of the dignity a being of the Mandate should possess."

The Gold Dragon continued, his voice growing louder.

"The Mandate of Heaven serving a crown-level, your power is also unworthy of the name."

"Step aside, human. This is a matter between dragons, none of your concern. If you insist on interfering, becoming an accomplice to evil dragons, we won't mind eliminating you along with them."

Reinhardt shook his head slightly, stretching his arms.

"Having been in contact with His Majesty for so long, I almost thought all dragons were as rational and wise as His Majesty."

"I thought too much. There's no reasoning with you rigid, old-fashioned dragons."

He sighed. The two great swords behind him trembled, descending from their hovering state into Reinhardt's palms. Dawn and Evernight. The two swords each spun a circle in his hands, their tips pointing towards the ground.

"I came by His Majesty's command. I will not retreat. Come on."

He said.

The Gold Dragon wasted no more words.

With a flap of his wings, stirring up a sky full of wind and rain, he charged towards Reinhardt at extreme speed. Although his physique was massive, his speed was incredibly fast, like a golden meteor streaking across the sky.

However, before the Gold Dragon could fully close in, darkness descended from the heavens.

Reinhardt's Domain silently unfolded, like an invisible hand tearing the night down from the sky. It was thick as ink, deep as the Abyss. Not even light could pass through it.

It spread rapidly, swallowing the Gold Dragon whole in the blink of an eye.

From the outside, one could only see a massive black sphere suspended in mid-air.

The sphere's surface was smooth as a mirror, without any flaws. Occasionally, golden light flashed within, like lightning streaking through dark clouds, only to be suppressed by the darkness again, returning to silence.

Lamorein stared at that sphere of darkness, his vertical pupils contracting slightly.

However, he had no time to ponder further.

The sphere's surface was smooth as a mirror, without any flaws. Occasionally, golden light flashed within, like lightning flashing through dark clouds, only to be suppressed by the darkness again, returning to silence.

Lamorein met the attack. The two crown-level dragons continued their tangled battle in the air.

Lightning and storm intertwined. Sharp claws and fangs collided. Fragments of scales scattered like raindrops.

Although Lamorein was already wounded, facing the Bronze Dragon in better condition, he was not the slightest bit at a disadvantage. Without the Gold Dragon's coordination, the Bronze Dragon was no match for him.

Several minutes later.

Lightning and storm intertwined. Sharp claws and fangs collided. Fragments of scales scattered like raindrops.

Reinhardt stood in place, his position almost unchanged. The two swords, Dawn and Evernight, hung at his sides, their blades stained with blood.

His breathing was more hurried than before, the rise and fall of his chest slightly greater than before. But there were no obvious injuries on his body. His condition still appeared intact.

And opposite him, the Gold Dragon was almost bathed in blood.

Nearly a hundred sword scars crisscrossed his golden scales, each deep enough to reveal bone, a shocking sight.

The deepest one stretched from his right shoulder to his left ribs, almost splitting his chest open. His left wing was severed by a third, the wing membrane hanging limply. His right foreclaw was severed at the root, blood still gushing from the stump.

The Gold Dragon's eyes held fear and fury as he stared at the minuscule human before him.

Within the dark Domain, his five senses were completely blinded. He couldn't see, couldn't hear, lost even his sense of direction and intuition.

He was almost entirely passively taking hits. Every time he wanted to counterattack, he couldn't find a target. Moreover, Reinhardt's damage was extremely high. Every sword strike could slice open his body.

The mighty physique dragons prided themselves on was as fragile as paper before this Mandate swordsman.

The Gold Dragon's eyes held fear and fury as he stared at the tiny human before him.

Could be subdued by a crown-level? Somewhat unworthy of the name.

But now it seemed, perhaps it wasn't that this Mandate was weak, but that the other crown-level was too unimaginable.

Meanwhile, Reinhardt sheathed his swords.

He dissipated both Dawn and Evernight simultaneously. Light and darkness merged back into his body. Then he gave a slight bow, his movements exactly the same as before the battle.

"Gold Dragon, sir, I concede to your superior strength."

He said politely.

"Shall we continue?"

The Gold Dragon took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "... Retreat."

On the other side, the Bronze Dragon immediately disengaged from his battle with Lamorein, flying to the Gold Dragon's side. He looked at the Gold Dragon's injuries, his pupils contracting slightly, but said nothing more.

The other dozen or so legendary Metal Dragons also stopped, quickly retreating and regrouping into formation in the air.

"Return to the dragon domain first."

The Bronze Dragon and Gold Dragon exchanged a glance, both knowing this battle could not continue.

A Mandate that could suppress a crown-level, plus Lamorein. This combination was not something they could break through.

The Metal Dragons turned and began to withdraw from the area.

"Pursue."

Lamorein said. "This is an excellent opportunity. Human, pursue with me. We can—" 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"No."

Reinhardt shook his head, interrupting him.

"I came by His Majesty's command, but my mission is limited to repelling the Metal Dragons."

Lamorein's words cut off abruptly.

"... Fine."

He said no more, looking towards the retreating backs of the Metal Dragons.

The dragons' figures grew farther and smaller, eventually disappearing at the boundary between the dark clouds and the sea. The massive fissure in the dark clouds cleaved by Reinhardt's sword still remained, not yet fully healed. Sunlight spilled from the crack.

The Lord of Thunder did not thank the human.

He directly turned and flew towards the coastline. Alvia and the other Helmod dragons followed closely behind.

Reinhardt's figure also vanished, as silently as he had arrived.

Not long after, Lamorein landed on the cliff, folding his wings.

Alvia landed beside him. The wounds on her body were still oozing blood, but she seemed oblivious, only casting a worried glance at the Lord of Thunder.

Suddenly, Lamorein laughed.

The sound grew louder and louder, eventually turning into a near-hysterical roar of laughter.

"He resolved the predicament we faced."

"Haha, haha. We, the Helmod Dragonflight, needed human intervention for help."

The Blue Dragon laughed for a while, then fell into silence.

Something churned within his chest.

The sound grew louder and louder, eventually turning into a nearly hysterical roar of laughter.

He was the Lord of Thunder, a crown-level Ancient Dragon, having lived for over a thousand years, experienced countless battles, conquered countless opponents.

Now, he needed to be saved by a human.

An inferior race.

Short-lived, fragile humans.

Standing before him, using one sword to split the dark clouds, using a few minutes to force back a crown-level Gold Dragon, then lightly refusing his request.

"Truly, an unprecedented humiliation!"

The Lord of Thunder gritted his fangs, his claws deeply embedding into the rock.

Right then, a whisper sounded in his mind, as if murmuring in his ear.

"My poor child."

The voice was like a mother's palm, like a deity's sigh, rising from the depths of his mind, soft yet scalding.

"Your ambition and aspirations bring me joy. But now, seeing you suffer such humiliation, I feel pity for you, my heart aches as if burning."

The Lord of Thunder gritted his fangs, his claws deeply embedding into the rock.

"You know what to do. Pray and make offerings to me. I will grant you the power you dream of..."

Lamorein's breathing grew heavy.

Afterwards, he did not respond to that whisper. He only silently gazed at the sky, his expression growing increasingly gloomy, like the sky before a storm, overcast with dark clouds, rumbling with hidden thunder.

Alvia sensed his abnormality and asked softly, "Lamorein?"

He did not answer.

At this moment, the sun was rising, the dark clouds were dispersing. More and more sunlight descended, brightening the sky. But the resentment and fury in Lamorein's heart grew thicker and thicker, churning like dark clouds, accumulating like thunder and lightning.