As time quietly slipped by, the banquet atmosphere continued to heat up in the fortress forecourt where wind and snow howled.
A large number of low-level subordinates of various forms, like busy worker ants, carefully wove between the massive, awe-inspiring Dragons and those powerful monster leaders, serving giant bowls filled with broth, whole roasted beasts sizzling on bonfires, and barrels of fragrant fine wine.
After agreeing on a sparring match with the Red-Iron Dragon later, Alberto, in his human form, set aside the majesty and aloofness of a Gold Dragon and began to improvise a dance in the center of the venue once again.
His golden hair flew, his posture free and uninhibited.
Garros's massive body lay prone on a stone platform covered with thick animal skins, his head slightly lowered.
He ate at a leisurely pace, his sharp gaze sweeping across the venue, enjoying this long-lost clamor and celebratory atmosphere, and then tilted his head slightly to look at the Iron Dragon beside him.
"Solrog, during the time I was asleep, have there been any critical matters in the outside world worth noting?"
The low voice cut through the noise and clamor, reaching the Iron Dragon's ears.
The Iron Dragon, who had a unique fondness for sweets, had just gulped down a large jar of sweet, sticky bee syrup.
He was still savoring it, extending his rough tongue to lick the crystal sugar stains sticking to the edge of his lower jaw.
"There are many."
Hearing Garros's words, he said: "There are a great many things worth noting."
"The changes in the winds and clouds over these past ten-plus years have far exceeded our expectations."
"It is not just the civil unrest within the federation that we foresaw growing increasingly intense; the entire Planet Bernardo seems to have stepped into a turbulent and unstable great era."
Garros nodded slightly, signaling him to continue: "Tell me in detail."
The Iron Dragon was silent for a moment, organizing and integrating the information collected from visiting merchant groups, adventurers from Ximu Town, and channels like Gorton in his mind.
"First, it is the Elven Empire, Nausir."
After weighing his words, the Iron Dragon said: "They claim that while exploring the starry sky, they discovered the existence of other life-bearing planets and have already attempted to make initial diplomatic contact."
This first matter was no small thing, causing Garros to glance over slightly.
There was not only one Empire on Planet Bernardo.
They maintained a fragile and subtle surface peace with each other, while in secret, they were constantly engaged in fierce competition and power struggles; and among all the Empires, the one that vaguely held the hegemonic position in terms of comprehensive national strength and level of civilization was the Elven Empire, Nausir.
They were almost always at the forefront of the era, and the exploration of the starry sky was also initiated by them.
It needs to be clarified here that exploring the starry sky still belongs to the exploration within the Material Plane, not cross-dimensional.
The scale of different Material Planes varies wildly; small ones might only have a single floating continent, while large ones could be planets, star systems, or even an entire Universe.
The sum of all these Material Planes constitutes the vast and boundless Main Material Plane.
Therefore, exploration within a Material Plane, cross-Material Plane exploration, and cross-dimensional exploration are three completely different concepts, and their methods of exploration and difficulties are also completely different.
The Nausir Empire's discovery of other life-bearing planets meant that the Material Plane where Planet Bernardo is located is not an isolated planetary world; its vastness far exceeds imagination, containing more unknown resources and endless potential waiting to be unearthed.
Likewise, it also contained other unknown dangers.
Immediately after, the Iron Dragon Sorog's topic turned to the Orc Empire, Kantum.
They attempted to completely conquer the entire Selesia continent with iron and blood, bringing it completely under the territory of Kantum.
This news did not make Garros feel too surprised.
In the treasure trove of knowledge within the dragon heritage, there was a clear record of the Kantum Empire.
That was a war machine where theocracy and monarchy were highly unified; their state religion was called [Fang Holy Court], fanatically believing in the main god of the Orc race.
The Sleepless One, the Watcher — Gruumsh.
That was a deity symbolizing rage, battle, and conquest!
And the core doctrine of the Fang Holy Court was to launch an endless holy war against the entire world.
[Kill all enemies who dare to resist, enslave all conquered living beings; only through eternal war and total destruction can the Orcs seize broader living space and win the eternal favor of the gods.]
Such an extremely warlike Empire.
After defeating their most troublesome opponent, the Giants, it was almost an inevitable choice to want to remove other obstacles and completely conquer the Selesia continent.
But this was destined to be a long and variable-filled process.
Other Empires, especially the Elven Empire, which had the deepest grievances with the Orcs and would absolutely not sit by and watch them grow stronger, would inevitably try every means to obstruct them from the sidelines, and would never let the war flags of the Orc Empire cover every inch of Selesia.
However, the information revealed by the Iron Dragon Sorog next completely exceeded Garros's expectations.
All Metallic Dragons of adult age or older returned to the Dragon Domain collectively to hold an ancient and massive ritual, attempting to assist the top powerhouse of the Dragon Clan, [Sky-Covering Wing], in breaking through the limits of life and stepping into the realm of immortality.
And such a critical ritual was brazenly ambushed by the Chromatic Dragons.
The perpetrator of the attack was an Ancient Dragon who enjoyed the fierce reputation of [Winters End · White Dragon of Ten Thousand Laws] — Heatherfill.
Garros knew this Dragon.
Because her fierce reputation and Legendary deeds were also clearly imprinted in the dragon heritage.
Even among the Ancient Chromatic Dragons, where powerhouses were as common as clouds, she was definitely a terrifying existence among the best, so much so that many ordinary White Dragons took pride in her, viewing her as the symbol and pride of the rise of the White Dragon Clan.
"A White Dragon who can be so remembered by the dragon heritage... is definitely not simple."
Garros silently recited in his heart, quickly searching the records in the heritage about this White Dragon of Ten Thousand Laws.
In short, this was a Law-Devouring Dragon who had reached the Peak of the magical path, but also suffered from severe paranoid mental illness because of it.
It is said that every scale on her body was engraved with mysterious and dangerous magical runes.
In order to go further on the path of magic, she could use any means necessary and do anything shocking.
However.
She was essentially different from other Law-Devouring Dragons who were equally crazy but often died prematurely.
Other Law-Devouring Dragons often lost their minds due to extreme greed for magical knowledge and made foolish acts like moths to a flame.
For example.
For a tattered notebook recording ancient forbidden Spells, they would dare to break into a heavily guarded Legendary Spellcaster's tower alone and recklessly, eventually ending up with no bones left.
But the White Dragon of Ten Thousand Laws, Heatherfill, was completely different.
She was extremely adept at utilizing her own advantages and possessed the patience of a top predator. Although she was a White Dragon, she was not inferior to a Green Dragon in schemes and tricks. She was like a spider lurking in the shadows, able to weave a web for decades or even centuries for a single goal.
She had a very famous deed circulating among the Dragon Clan.
In order to seize the unfathomable knowledge treasure house and covetable magical Legacy of a Legendary Spellcaster.
She used Polymorph magic, transforming into a beautiful, intelligent, and knowledge-hungry human appearance, while not hiding her racial identity. After careful planning, she eventually walked into the lonely life of that Spellcaster as a wife.
She accompanied the Legendary Spellcaster like the most loyal partner.
Not for a short few years, but for a long time, enough to allow small dynasties to change — a full three hundred years!
She used the longevity advantage of a long-lived species to turn the long years into silent erosion.
She carefully maintained her disguise, playing the role of a gentle and considerate partner, offering just the right care and insights when the Spellcaster was researching.
She waited patiently, waiting for the human Spellcaster to burn out his Mortal life candle bit by bit in the regret of exploring the ultimate mysteries of magic, and eventually pass away from old age.
In the end, she naturally inherited everything of his.
His lifelong research manuscripts, his vast collection of magical books, his collection of infinitely powerful magical items, and a Legendary Spellcaster's tower that condensed the Spellcaster's life's efforts.
It was this tower, and the terrifying knowledge contained within it, that became the cornerstone of the true rise of the White Dragon of Ten Thousand Laws, Heatherfill.
To step onto the Peak of the magical path, she could use any means, cast aside all moral shackles and worldly constraints. She was naturally cunning, good at weaving lies and illusions, and did not lack the patience of a top predator.
With these traits, Heatherfill grew from an inconspicuous ordinary White Dragon step by step into the current Winters End.
"But, why would such a deep-thinking Dragon attack the Metallic Dragon Domain?"
"Could it be that Sky-Covering Wing holds the magical knowledge she covets?"
This seemed to be the most reasonable explanation.
But what was the truth? Garros could only remain ignorant of it.
As Iron Dragon Sorog continued his narration, the major events that had occurred on Planet Bernardo over the past decade or so gradually outlined a magnificent yet turbulent picture in Garros's mind.
Above, the Elven Empire explored the starry sky, making contact with alien civilizations; in the middle, the Orc Empire sounded the horn of war, intending to conquer the continent; below, the Human Empire frantically developed planes, attempting to harness the power of the Abyss.
Truly, everyone had their own agendas and their own unique skills. A faint sense of unease sprouted and spread in the depths of Garros's heart.
"No matter which of these three paths encounters a serious error during exploration, it could evolve into a disaster with massive repercussions."
"Especially the Holden Empire's Abyss development plan."
"Once it spirals out of control, the entire Atlan Continent will likely be in imminent danger."
The dragon heritage clearly recorded such instances.
In other distant Material Planes, due to the evil schemes of certain demon lords or the foolish, overconfident actions of certain factions, entire Material Planes had been dragged into the Abyss and completely devoured. Such things were not without precedent.
As for examples of entire continents being swallowed by the Abyss, they were even more common.
Unfortunately.
Even though he sensed this potential massive crisis, Garros knew he was currently powerless to do anything about it. When the sky falls, the tall ones take the hit; such major matters were not for him to worry about.
"It is meaningless to consider these unreachable threats right now."
"For me, the most important thing at the moment is simply to become stronger and grow rapidly."
"As long as I possess sufficiently powerful strength, no matter what earth-shattering changes occur in the future, I will be able to stand unmoved and pass through them safely."
"If I am weak, even if I hide at the end of the world, I will not escape the doom of destruction."
Garros quickly reined in his thoughts, his gaze becoming calm and firm once more.
Among the many major events, the movements of those Empires were still too distant for the current Molten Iron Tribe.
Analyzing it carefully, what held the most practical significance for him and the tribe was the federation's full-scale civil war and the mutual destruction of the two Legendary kings in the Permafrost Tundra; both events provided rare opportunities for the next stage of the Molten Iron Tribe's development.
Just at this moment.
The figure practicing swordplay in the field suddenly stopped.
Alberto suddenly turned his head, looking at the Red-Iron Dragon with burning eyes.
He looked up and down at Garros's highly oppressive dragon body, with unconcealed curiosity on his face, and asked: "Garros, since you have already entered the Young Adult Dragon stage, you should have mastered Polymorph by now, right?"
Garros nodded.
Alberto immediately became interested and said: "With your dragon body, which is strong to the point of being unbelievable, I am truly curious: what will you look like when you use Polymorph to transform into a human form?"
"Could you satisfy my little curiosity?"
Garros had little interest in such a display and was just about to refuse.
Just as the thought arose and before he could speak.
At that very moment, he felt something gently poke his side.
Turning his head, he saw it was the Red-Silver Dragon Deborah poking him with the tip of her tail. Deborah's eyes were sparkling with full curiosity and anticipation, looking at him imploringly.
"Transform, Garros."
She blinked her eyes and said.
The Polymorph mastered by a Young Adult Dragon is not yet enough to support a dragon in changing its appearance and features at will.
The effect of this Spell is more based on the dragon's own form, temperament, and physical attributes, projecting a corresponding humanoid image rather than shaping it entirely according to one's own will.
As a Metallic Dragon, Deborah was naturally full of desire to explore what Garros's corresponding human form looked like.
In comparison.
The Iron Dragon Sorog, Red Dragon Samantha, and other Chromatic Dragons nearby seemed uninterested and indifferent.
Evil Dragons generally preferred their own mighty and powerful original dragon forms.
They believed that their massive, resilient bodies, covered in scales and equipped with wings and sharp claws, were the perfect symbol of power and majesty!
Even when they sometimes needed to transform into human form, they preferred to retain some dragon characteristics, such as imposing horns, scales covering parts of their skin, a powerful dragon tail, or slit pupils flashing with non-human light.
This was to display the nobility and extraordinariness of their Bloodline, rather than turning completely into a weak alien appearance.
Under the expectant gazes of both Alberto and Deborah.
The Red-Iron Dragon pondered for a few seconds and finally made a decision, his massive, recumbent body slowly standing up.
At the same time, a burst of intense but non-blinding magical radiance surged from within his body and quickly enveloped him.
Under the shroud of this light, the Red-Iron Dragon, who was standing up, underwent a stunning transformation.
His massive volume shrank rapidly; the imposing, winding horns retracted and transformed into a thick mane of black-red hair cascading to his shoulders; the sharp claws and feet covered in thick scales were reshaped into slender and powerful limbs and hands; the heavy dragon scales receded like a tide, turning into tough skin that seemed to have been forged and tempered...
Almost in the blink of an eye, the fierce Red-Iron Dragon had disappeared.
In his place, standing on the spot, was a young man over two meters tall, with a physique that was incredibly burly and heroic.
He was over two meters tall, his entire body covered in knotted, bulging muscles, as if cast from steel and iron.
His posture was wild yet full of aesthetic beauty, with body lines and contours as if carved by a knife and axe.
His features were deep, his nose bridge high, and his jawline firm, as if an ancient Greek god's sculpture had come back to life.
Just by standing there, he naturally exuded a suffocating sense of powerful pressure and visual impact.
This was completely different from Alberto's delicate, handsome, yet somewhat slender appearance. Garros's human form intuitively gave people a feeling of terrifying strength, far from being just simply good-looking.
"Gar... Garros... you, you forgot to create clothes!"
The Red-Silver Dragon Deborah's voice broke the brief silence.
She subconsciously stretched out a huge Silver Dragon foreclaw and slammed it in front of her dragon face, but between those thick claws, there were clearly several small gaps. A pair of dragon eyes, full of curiosity and amazement, were peeking through the gaps, quietly examining the male body below that was as perfect as a work of art.
At the same time.
Garros also immediately realized the problem.
Due to his lack of proficiency with Polymorph and because he had been urged so suddenly, he had completely forgotten the need to weave a set of clothes using magical energy during the transformation process.
As a result, he was currently completely naked and without any concealment.
Every rise and fall of his body, every ounce of power, and that virile male symbol were all openly exposed to everyone's eyes in the flickering light of the campfire.
"Those who achieve great things do not sweat the small details."
Garros said with an unchanging expression.
In this kind of situation, as long as I am not embarrassed, others are the ones who will be embarrassed.
In reality, apart from the self-abased Gold Dragon and the shy and curious Red-Silver Dragon, the other Chromatic Dragons, including the retainers, had no obvious reaction.
However.
The unconstrained Garros eventually used his dragon scales to manifest a suit of armor.
He moved his body and found that in human form, he could only exert about fifty percent of his strength, and his movements needed to be carefully controlled; otherwise, there was a feeling that he was about to revert to his true form.
"If I master it, I should be able to exert more strength, but in any case, it cannot compare to my original form."
"I should use this form less when it is not necessary; if I am ambushed and cannot react in time, it could lead to serious consequences."
Garros thought to himself.
He did not like to place himself in danger.
At this moment, Alberto looked at the strong and imposing human figure, his eyes flickering slightly, and suddenly said: "Garros, I want to challenge you in your current human form!"
Pausing, he continued: "If I win, my remaining debt will be wiped clean."
"If I lose, then the debt will double!"
Metallic Dragons, who frequently use Polymorph, possess very rich and detailed experiential knowledge regarding Polymorph in their heritage.
A Metallic Dragon in human form can exert about seventy percent of its strength, while an Evil Dragon can only manage forty or fifty percent.
During Garros's slumber, Alberto watched over the Molten Iron Tribe for him, and his debt, including interest, was almost paid off. Now, Alberto wanted to pay it off completely in one go and regain his 'freedom'.
He felt that he could do it again.