In the subcontinent of Roghagen, the conflict between orcs and humans continued unabated. The higher echelons of both sides focused on strategies to combat and annihilate the opposing forces while plundering resources to strengthen themselves. Amidst this ongoing struggle, neither side noticed the subtle changes happening across the continent.
For instance, dragons in many regions had disappeared, a fact noticed by adventurers who often roamed the wilds. These adventurers, who operated outside the bounds of established authorities, observed this anomaly, but their findings were largely ignored by human rulers, as the disappearance of dragons was not necessarily a bad thing for humanity.
However, over time, as reports from various regions were compiled by organizations like the Adventurers' Guild, it became apparent to the human leadership that the number of dragons across the entire continent was rapidly declining. By investigating known dragon lair locations, they discovered that the dragons' disappearance was organized—there was no sign of struggle, and the treasure hoards were meticulously cleared out, suggesting the dragons had relocated safely and deliberately.
This discovery fueled conspiracy theories among certain dark-minded or ill-intentioned humans, who began to speculate about a draconic plot against humanity. These "dragon threat" theories spread quickly, though they were taken seriously by few. The more forward-thinking rulers dismissed these concerns, recognizing that the age of giant beasts had long passed. While dragons might still hold sway in certain areas with their powerful forces, they were vastly outnumbered by humans and lacked the foundational strength to rule the world again.
As the number of dragons on the continent dwindled, the overall situation remained largely unaffected, with no significant disruptions to the ongoing conflicts. The only noticeable impact was in the minds of low-level adventurers, for whom dragons increasingly became mere legends. In fact, a few decades after the dragons' disappearance, some ignorant scholars even began to claim that dragons were nothing more than mythical creatures, figments of the imagination.
But the truth was that dragons had not gone extinct on the Roghagen subcontinent. In a vast, isolated landmass cut off from the main continent by the towering Transverse Mountains, dragons still thrived, and their numbers were growing. This region was home to all known dragon species, including the five-colored and metallic dragons.
This peninsula was also home to a sparsely populated yet technologically advanced nation, a multi-species society comprising humans, orcs, dwarves, elves, giants, and even sea-dwelling creatures like nagas and mermaids. The human population in this nation was steadily increasing, driven by its rulers, who, following the orders of a certain powerful figure, were relentlessly raiding the main continent for more people.
In a war-torn world, acquiring a population wasn't difficult. As long as you could provide the basics—food, shelter, and clothing—many impoverished commoners were willing to follow you. Thus, Bernard, a dragon knight and the current Duke of the Red Dragon Principality, managed to acquire tens of thousands of people each month with the help of influential figures from the Guishuang Kingdom. This allowed the principality to cultivate tens of thousands of acres of fertile land every month.
...
"Your Highness, we've successfully recruited most of the dragons on this continent. Except for a few in extremely remote areas, we've gathered all the dragons we could find," reported Mia, her tall, slender legs gracefully carrying her as she approached Muria.
"Very well. There's no need to search for the remaining ones. Activate Synapse; it's time to head to the next subcontinent. We've already stayed here for six years; it's time to move on."
When the effort and reward are disproportionate, it's time to give up. Muria wasn't about to waste Synapse's resources indefinitely to track down a few stray dragons.
...
"Surrender or be sealed—your choice!"
In a sandstorm-swept desert, a massive dragon lay pinned to the ground by a towering Titan, whose immense strength was like a mountain's weight. The Titan held a giant halberd, its blade pressed against the ancient blue dragon's neck, its golden edge gleaming menacingly.
"I choose to surrender," grumbled the ancient blue dragon, who had been peacefully sleeping beneath the sands before being dragged out and beaten. He sensed that if he refused, the halberd at his neck would undoubtedly come down, for the Titan's hostility was all too clear.
"Swear loyalty to the Nine-Faced Dragon God Io!" Muria commanded coldly. Every grown five-colored dragon had blood on their claws. Showing mercy to such wicked creatures was foolish. Muria spared this one only because they shared a draconic lineage, offering it a chance to swear loyalty rather than killing it outright. Even so, Muria regarded these dragons merely as weapons.
Dragons require resources to grow strong. Even those who rely on "sleep to grow stronger" choose spots rich in elemental energy—resources in themselves, often fought over and won through force.
"The great Io may not respond to my oath. Could I swear to the Mother of Evil Dragons instead?"
"Don't play tricks with me," Muria snarled, kicking the blue dragon hard. This dragon was close to reaching the ancient dragon stage, after which it would be summoned by Tiamat, the five-colored dragon queen, with a chance to enter her divine realm. An oath to her would be meaningless.
Under the threat of the halberd, the ancient dragon finally swore loyalty, albeit reluctantly.
"Someone, take this creature back and educate it on Synapse's rules," Muria ordered, shouting towards his entourage. A dark spatial rift opened behind him, and a graceful silver dragon emerged. She looked at the injured blue dragon indifferently but gazed at Muria, who was crackling with lightning, with concern.
"Your Highness, this is the third ancient dragon you've subdued. Don't you think you should rest?"
"I'm fine. I still have enough energy to fight seven more battles," Muria replied cheerfully, declining the silver dragon's concern. He could feel his power growing, albeit slowly, with each battle, and he was eager to advance to the fourth tier of legend.
Ignoring the silver dragon's exasperated look, Muria tore through space to another part of the continent. Where there was one ancient dragon, there wouldn't be another nearby.
...
When they arrived on the seventh continent, Muria disembarked from Synapse and began scouring the land for ancient dragons to fight. He also ordered his adult and ancient dragons to search for local wild dragons.
Muria wasn't satisfied with the Dragon Academy's current enrollment of fewer than two thousand dragon students. He wanted to expand both the number of teachers and students, driven by an insatiable desire, for a dragon's greed knows no bounds.
The dragons set out from Synapse, scouring the continent for wild dragons. They were instructed to capture and bring back any dragon they could handle, and to report directly to Muria if they encountered an ancient dragon. Capturing dragons meant defeating and sealing them, then taking them back to Synapse—especially young dragons or unhatched eggs.
To incentivize this, Muria had his dragon kin develop a detailed merit system. Capturing six young dragons under fifteen years old would earn as much merit as capturing one adult dragon. Of course, merits varied based on the type of dragon. If someone brought back a legendary dragon egg, the merit would be significantly higher, though no dragon had earned such a reward yet—legendary dragons were extraordinarily rare, and Muria had only ever seen one when his father captured one during his childhood.
"Your Highness, we've found signs of a legendary dragon."
While Muria was scouring the continent for ancient five-colored dragons, he received an unexpected report. This news caught his full attention, and he immediately rushed back to Synapse.
"Tell me, where is this legendary dragon? And what kind is it—an Imposing Dragon or a Chromatic Dragon?"
According to legend, there were three types of legendary dragons, but Muria didn't believe in the existence of the third. The idea of a Time Dragon seemed like a fantasy to him. How could there be a dragon that controlled time? Time was an absolute, irreversible force, something Muria firmly believed.
"Your Highness, it's a Chromatic Dragon. We haven't pinpointed its exact location; one of our scouts found a legend about it in a city. Eager to earn merit, he quickly reported it."
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