Soul of Searing Steel
chapter-198

The Astral Dragons, were not the original species that existed on the Mycroft Continent.

At the beginning of this world, there were no signs of any Pentashade Dragons or Metallic Dragons. There were only the Old World Dragons, all sorts of gigantic draconic beasts.

These super monstrosities were being called the Elder Dragons. They had been breeding continually on the earth. However, they had almost descended into eternal rest due to a long period of time. They had left their bloodline behind, creating all sorts of daemon prototypes throughout the world. And during that period of time where the Elder Dragons were hibernating and all sorts of beasts were multiplying, the Astral Dragon species had appeared in the sight of humans.

Without any records to accurately indicate since when they had been present in this world, it could only be said that their existence had been here long before the human civilization. Human scholars had been speculating that these beasts came to this world with care and alertness in order to run away from something as they fled from their original worlds.

These so-called refugees had already lost most of their technologies, cultures and masteries back in their worlds. They were forced to isolate themselves, never to ask about the world outside of their lives in order to minimize their disputes in the mainland of the continent. As time passed, this principle of action had now become their habit.

However, that was not their nature—the Astral Dragons.

In the land of the North, the Northern Iceland, the snowy mountain lair of the White Dragons.

The structure of the huge lair was built from tough frost and ice. It looked like a work of art without even the slightest flaw. Under the sparkle of the sunlight, the surface of the frost was reflecting beautiful lights.

Countless white colossal dragons were entering and exiting the entrance of the lair. There were also some that remained flying in the sky, casting their own shadows on the surface of the earth. Meanwhile, there were more dragons staying inside the lair as they were pondering with their own affairs.

Meanwhile, in one of the large ice room within the lair.

Two gigantic white dragons that were seemingly larger than the others were having a serious discussion.

"Agamu."

The scales across the surface of its entire body had become crystal clear under the bathing of the magic power as if a huge translucent white dragon was coiling up, resting in its own position. Right before it, there were countless strange utensils and magic runes. This dragon was using its magic power to control these instruments while it was asking the other dragon standing beside it using the dragon's language, "What are you doing coming to my place? You should be getting prepared now and wait for the Five-headed Dragon God to give the next prophecy."

"Yakov, don't change the topic."

The gigantic dragon that was known by the name Agamu had dragon scales that looked like they were made of white marble. There was also icy-white magic energy surging from its scales. They seemed extremely tough. This enormously huge and strong dragon was vibrating the air with its throat as it spoke in a really low voice. "The Dragon God has given its order. He wants me to wait for an opportunity to raid the gathering grounds of humans. And why are you sending out those experimental ones that have not been tamed to attack those unrelated villages?"

Agamu's said angrily, "That is giving a hint to the humans and would give them time to prepare!"

After hearing the accusations from its friend, Yakov stopped manipulating the utensils and the runes with its magic power. Then it turned around to look at the gigantic dragon with a strong and tough body. After that, it disdainfully said, "Listen. I'm not the one who sent them out. They went out all on their own. No one could have bound those low-level scum anyway. They have the most dreadful beasty bloodline of the Elder ones in this world deep within their bodies. They are the representation of the wild. There will be no controlling them."

"And we can rest assure that those humans will not find out that we are controlling these things from the shadows. They will only be regarded as an unexpected but a common beast attack. Thanks to the natural laws of this world. Over hundreds of years ago, such incidents had happened over countless of times already."

The dragon's voice was full of confidence. "They won't be able to react."

"Perhaps you're right."

Agamu fluttered its dragon wings for a little. The dragon wings which had the look of a rock with a grainy texture had set off a gust of wind in the room. It disapproved of the words of the white dragon in front of it. "But I still feel that you are a little too lax now. You've dissatisfied the dragon god greatly… No need to argue. Your disgusting expression has already surfaced on those distasteful scales of yours."

Meanwhile, Yakov had also responded with its deep rumbling voice as if it was giggling, "You don't have to say it out though. I've not thought about arguing about it in the first place. Since the beginning, I've felt that the order given was strange and inexplicable."

"To launch an all-out war on the humans- Upon making such a decision, even a god would be deemed mad."

The dragon lifted its head and used its icy blue eyes to stare at its own friend. "I will not go against the prophecy given by the gods. However, I must say… this decision is stupid. It's exactly like sending us, the Pentashade Dragon species, to our own demise. Our special status in this world might be ruined."

"We dragons…"

"The population of us dragons… we do not have the number to shove ourselves into this war."

Yakov interrupted the words of its friends. Then it lowered its head and continued on to use magic power to manipulate the instruments in front of it. It was doing some sort of experiment that nobody knew what it was. "The status of Dragon Island is built upon the conditions of our powerful and yet equal strength, and our neutral position in this world. That is the agreement that is made even before human's civilization has reached its peak. At that time, we had lost the confidence to replace the status of humans as the 'main race of civilization', the carrier of the kindling Flame. Hence we retreated and begged. That was how we had obtained the right to continue breeding our own kind."

"Meanwhile, currently, although humans have not returned to the peak of their strength like they did over thousands of years ago, there are numerous champions emerging. We have four dragon kings, and two dragon gods. However, the humans already have nine Legendary-Tier champions from the looks of it. There might be even more of them in the dark. They also have seven gods—What is the Five-headed Dragon God thinking by making such a decision? The Million Steel Dragon (Metallic Dragon God) would have never supported this decision."

"Hence we need to use the engineered Berserk Dragon Plague to keep those countless dragons in line, manipulate them."

Agamu murmured, "The Million Steel Dragon has been drawn over to the human's side. It has forgotten the pride of the Dragon race. We're the great race, the great species that came from beyind the astral realms. Even though we're suffering a temporary setback because of our failure and defeat, we should not become peasants to the other races, not like this. The dragon gods only want to restore our deserved status, nothing more."

"You make it sound so simple."

The white dragon with translucent scales remained in silence for a moment. Then it let out a long sigh. "I just caught the scent of bad smell from the power of the chaotic draconic beasts. Our ancestors left their home because of a catastrophe. They have come to this world and they have engraved the taste of disaster into our bloodline… And now, I've sensed the same scent in the middle of the dark purplish mist… that had really made me…"

Boom!

A rumbling sound that shook the earth came in from outside the dragon lair. The horrific tremors had shattered the layer of ice on the ceiling of the room. Instantly, countless shattered ices particles were pouring down to the ground like a brewing ice storm. There was a layer of translucent magical barrier emerged all around the body of the two gigantic dragons, isolating those ice shrapnels from hurting them. The dragons were looking at each other as their faces were filled with astonishment and uncertainty.

Did someone just attack their lair?

Who would be so bold to do that?!

Boom!

The second tremor came along. However, the sound was much shorter than the first, and the tremor was much more violent than the first one. There were cracks appearing all over the sides of the ice room. It was only because of the magic energy flowing all around the ice room, the room was able to barely hold itself together from collapsing apart.

"Mentor Yakov, Chief Agamu!"

A roar of a dragon that sounded a little unsettled and panicked came from the outside of the room. The voice was calling out the names of the two gigantic dragons. "Hostile incoming!"

Meanwhile, in the heart of the dragon lair, in the middle of a gigantic circular conference hall.

The dome-shaped building that was built with ice of eternity and countless magic circles was shaking violently. Lines of hot red cracks were spreading over the surface of the white ice layer, shattering it. Then, the shattered ice was scorched to boiling point and turned into steam almost in an instant. Under an incredibly unparalleled strength, the dome-shaped building that was already shaking violently was completely crushed into pieces. Along with the violent rumbling sound, countless large layers of ice were collapsing, bringing up enormously powerful impacts and howling winds all around the area.

Meanwhile, the shadow of a man riding on a horse, holding a great sword and a great axe came through layers of thick ice and heavily smashed right into the middle of the living hall. In an instant, the entire dragon lair was shaking so violently as if the place was hit by an earthquake. Under the long neighing of the war horse, the Combat Aura that was brewing on like endless streams of flames was bursting out one wave after another, sweeping away all the ice particles and steam in his surroundings.

In the meantime, Joshua's silhouette of being fully armed also appeared right before the eyes of those colossal dragons that only arrived at the scene.

Beneath the helmet, two red lights flashed. A thunderous voice rang throughout the dragon lair.

"All of you must die."