After battling for a full seven days and nights, and resting for several days thereafter,

The Golden Dragon slowly opened its eyes, revealing a spirited gaze. Tixil the Amethyst Dragon had already reverted to her true form and, unbeknownst to when, had moved to Saga’s side, her smaller body snuggling against him.

“Your timing couldn’t be better,” Charlotte, who had also become one of Saga’s mates midway, had likewise returned to her true form.

Her vibrant and beautiful draconic body lay directly atop Saga’s back, and even in her sleep, she occasionally stuck out her tongue to lick Saga’s scales, her drool dampening a sizable area of his back.

Meanwhile,

Sensing the awakening of the Golden Dragon, both Tixil and Charlotte slowly opened their eyes.

Regaining their senses and realizing the madness of the recent past, the two Little Dragonesses were initially hesitant to look at Saga, but their draconic nature soon adapted to the current situation, devoid of excessive shyness or reserve.

“So, we’re mates from now on?”

Charlotte, still lying on Saga’s back, poked her head out and blinked as she inquired.

“Yes.”

Saga nodded and smiled in response.

“You and Tixil now belong to me.”

With an unquestionable tone, the Golden Dragon declared solemnly.

In the world of Dragon Kind, strength is revered. The domineering aura that Saga exuded was irresistibly charming to the two Little Dragonesses. The Golden Dragon’s entire being radiated a potent masculine pheromone, causing Tixil and Charlotte’s normally impervious draconic bodies to soften slightly.

“Cuddle.”

Charlotte snuggled closer to Saga, her eyes brimming with allure as she playfully suggested, with Tixil also moving closer, not to be outdone.

The dragons, having just experienced something entirely new, were somewhat unrestrained.

Fortunately, dragons possess robust constitutions and only need a brief rest, indeed requiring little restraint.

Thus, the three dragons, following their instincts, battled once more within the Dragon’s Nest until the sky darkened and night fell. When a sliver of starlight shone on the edge of the Dragon’s Nest,

The resolute-willed Saga realized he could not immerse himself too deeply in desire.

Though the sensation was delightful, it was quite draining and left him without sufficient time for disciplined physical training and the study of basic force.

He extricated himself from the entanglement of the two Little Dragonesses and said firmly:

“Tixil, Charlotte.”

“Do not let desire breach your will. We need to pause for a while.”

Both the Amethyst Dragon and the Gemstone Dragon realized things had been a bit too wild lately, so they nodded in agreement, heeding Saga’s words, and said, “Alright, let’s leave the Dragon’s Nest and go outside for a change of air.”

After a pause, Tixil addressed the Golden Dragon before her:

“You’ve just arrived at the Emerald Gorge. Let us show you around.”

“Let’s go.”

Saga nodded.

Subsequently, Saga and the two Little Dragonesses left the hormone-charged Dragon’s Nest and emerged under the vast night sky, where the stars descended from the heavens, casting a faint glow on their scaly armor.

Sigh.

The Golden Dragon took a deep breath.

Fresh air filled his lungs, bringing a sense of renewal.

“Within the Emerald Gorge, aside from the Gemstone Forest I occupy, there are several other powers,”

Tixil’s gaze wandered into the distance, sweeping over the Emerald Gorge from high above.

Following her gaze, Saga looked towards the side of the gorge that bordered the Dragonfall Mountains.

“Across the great river in the middle of the Emerald Gorge, there is a tribe of Stone Giants on the other side.”

“The Stone Giant tribe’s territory is somewhat larger than our Gemstone Forest, but since they are unwilling to cross the river, we have not provoked them, and for now, we live in peace.”

Charlotte, her wings shimmering with light, continued the conversation:

“However, this peace may not last forever. Dragons and Giants cannot coexist harmoniously in the same territory.”

The Amethyst Dragon looked towards the land of the Stone Giants and said softly:

“Let’s see if the Stone Giants will take the initiative to invade us.”

“The territory of the Gemstone Forest is currently sufficient for us, and there is no need to wage war against the Stone Giant tribe.”

Hearing this, Saga narrowed his eyes, rejecting Tixil’s idea.

The majestic Golden Dragon, calm and profound under the moonlight, said slowly:

“Why wait for the Stone Giants to invade?”

“Rather than waiting, I think it’s better to take the initiative. In all matters, one should seize the initiative.”

Saga, who had become the King of the Near Seas through force, was not one to wait for others to invade. Even before he became a legend, he dared to conquer those under the protection of legends.

A mere Stone Giant tribe, in Saga’s view, could be dealt with directly.

The idea of ‘do not offend me, and I will not offend you’ was not something Saga entertained.

It all depended on whether he wanted to act or not.

However, he also understood Tixil’s perspective.

As an Amethyst Dragon, Tixil belonged to the neutral-good-aligned Gemstone Dragons, who generally adhered to the principle of not interfering with others. Among all Giant races, the Stone Giants had the most ‘harmonious’ relationship with Dragon Kind, as they only cared about their own kind, revered only the God of Stone Giants, and were indifferent to other Giant races and their gods, even being considered an independent race with the least conflict with Dragon Kind.

If there were any Giants that could be neighbors to dragons,

Then the Stone Giants were the most likely candidates.

“Seize the initiative,”

Tixil pondered Saga’s words thoughtfully.

Charlotte blinked and said, “Isn’t that a bit harsh? The Stone Giants aren’t that bad. If we attack them without provocation, won’t we become the Evil Dragons?”

Although an Outsider, Charlotte was a pure-blooded Gemstone Dragon.

The heart of a Gemstone Dragon leans towards goodness.

After hearing Charlotte’s words, Saga shook his head imperceptibly.

Previously, as friends, it was fine to have different views on various matters. But now that they were his mates, Saga felt it was necessary for them to gradually abandon naive notions.

Goodness was acceptable, but it depended on the situation.

In a situation where enmity was inevitable, war had nothing to do with good or evil.

“Charlotte, whether you are good or bad is not determined by a single conflict with a hostile race.”

“You both know in your hearts that dragons and giants cannot coexist. As time passes, war will inevitably break out.”

“Rather than waiting for an unprepared invasion by the Stone Giants, it’s better to be proactive and strike first.”

“One mountain cannot harbor two tigers. Since we have chosen the Emerald Gorge as our territory, then all unstable powers within the gorge must be eradicated or subdued, or they will eventually affect us.”

Grinning, Saga persuasively added:

“Moreover, subjugating other species and then reshaping them according to your will, guiding them to follow your principles, can be quite an interesting endeavor.”

After listening to Saga’s words, both Little Dragonesses fell into deep thought.

Saga’s reasoning did not align with the dragon heritage they had been taught.

If it were any other creature speaking thus, they would have scoffed and disregarded it.

But because of their deep-seated admiration and affection for Saga, they were receptive to his words and listened intently.

Saga looked at the Gemstone Dragon and spoke unhurriedly:

“Charlotte, let me ask you a question.”

“Do you think that my use of violence and slaughter to disregard all obstacles and lead the Near Seas, showing no mercy to those who defy me, is the behavior of an Evil Dragon or a Good Dragon?”

Charlotte stuck out her tongue and said timidly:

“Well, don’t get mad, but I’ll tell you the truth.”

“I think you’re quite bad. But, I find it very attractive, and since you’re a red-gold hybrid, it’s not unreasonable for you to act this way.”

Because she was swayed by Saga’s charm from the start,

Although she thought Saga was bad, Charlotte was also enamored with that badness.

Saga smiled slightly and asked Tixil the Amethyst Dragon:

“Tixil, why do you think Charlotte finds me bad?”

“Is it because of the violent and authoritarian style of the Chromatic Dragons?”

The Amethyst Dragon ventured a guess.

“Probably,” the Gemstone Dragon nodded.

At that moment, the resplendent Golden Dragon shook his head and said, “Then, what if I tell you…”

“After I swept aside all obstacles with violence and became the sole ruler of the Near Seas, the previous situation of constant friction and warfare among the Near Seas nations disappeared. Under my rule, they stood on the same front, traded and cooperated more harmoniously, let go of their vigilance and defenses against each other, and developed together, becoming more peaceful and stable than before. What would you think?”

Hearing this, both the Amethyst Dragon Tixil and the Gemstone Dragon Charlotte were taken aback, then fell into contemplation.

“Means do not define good or evil.”

“The outcome is what matters most. If the result you create is good, then it can be considered a just act.”

After a moment, Charlotte’s eyes brightened, and she said thoughtfully.

“The key point is, whether it’s justice or evil, it’s defined by the victor.”

Saga stated flatly.

The Amethyst Dragon exhaled, her eyes shining with psychic brilliance as she processed her thoughts and said slowly, “Saga, I think I understand what you mean.”

“Do you still want to wait for the Stone Giants to offend us before taking action?”

Saga looked at the Amethyst Dragon.

Tixil shook her head decisively:

“No, we should deal with them sooner rather than later so that the Emerald Gorge can develop better under my vision.”

The Golden Dragon’s faceplate smiled as he patted his paw, saying:

“If you want to establish a Gemstone Dragon nation, you need to be clear that similar situations will arise many times in the future. By then, I believe you’ll know what to do.”

The Amethyst Dragon nodded earnestly.

“Then let’s think about how to deal with the Stone Giant tribe. I’ve found those ugly brutes annoying for a while now.”

Charlotte spoke up.

“How strong is their tribal force?”

Saga inquired.

The Amethyst Dragon pondered and said:

“This Stone Giant tribe has a ninth-tier Stone Giant chieftain, and about twenty other seventh and eighth-tier Stone Giants. Although Stone Giants are no match for us Gemstone Dragons one-on-one, they have the advantage in numbers. Their thinking is as solid as rock, stubborn and hard, somewhat countering our Gemstone Dragons’ psychic abilities. I didn’t want to provoke them, and this was one of the considerations.”

The Golden Dragon grinned, extending his dragon claw to ruffle the Amethyst Dragon’s head.

“Now that I’m here, you don’t need to worry.”

“Hehe, the renowned King of the Near Seas is here.”

“What’s a little Stone Giant tribe? Just a flick of the finger and they’re gone.”

Charlotte moved closer, nudging Saga’s other paw with her head, asking him to rub her head too, while giggling.

Indulgently stroking the heads of the two Little Dragonesses, Saga then asked:

“You mentioned there are several powers within the Emerald Gorge, aside from the Stone Giants?”

Although Saga appeared brash on the surface, he was meticulous at heart, often considering the impact of other factors before acting, not tackling problems blindly.

“There’s also a pack of Wind Demons and a group of multi-headed Serpent Lizards that dwell in the riverbed of the gorge.”

“However, they are of little concern. The main threat comes from the Stone Giants.”

Charlotte said.

After she finished, the Amethyst Dragon added:

“Also, there are always some Ratmen burrowing up from underground.”

“There seems to be something in the Emerald Gorge that attracts them, causing them to flock here incessantly.”

“Not just in the Gemstone Forest, but the other powers are also constantly dealing with the rodent menace.”

In the underground Ratmen Empire of the Yar Continent, rather than an empire, it’s more like a collection of Ratmen tribes of various sizes, with scattered powers but nearly covering the entire Yar Continent underground. They have strong reproductive capabilities, seemingly endless and inexhaustible.

The Ratmen Empire, like the Undead Empire, is not part of the High Council of Nations.

The countless Ratmen have caused much trouble for the many nations on the surface of the Yar Continent.

Most of these nations are supporters of the Skyrealm Empire. For a time, the Skyrealm Empire wanted to deal with the Ratmen, but the Ratmen tribes are scattered everywhere and hidden in the underworld. Although the Skyrealm Empire’s enforcers once bathed the land in Ratmen blood, they always managed to rebound quickly and cause rodent plagues in various regions of the Yar Continent.

To this day,

The casters of the Skyrealm Empire still occasionally go to exterminate Ratmen and are researching spells that could severely damage the Ratmen Empire.

However, the Ratmen have strong adaptability. To become an empire-scale power, they are not simple creatures.

During the bombardment by the Skyrealm Empire’s spells, the Ratmen’s resistance to various spells also increased, making them not so easily devastated. They are engaged in a long-term tug-of-war, of course, with the Skyrealm Empire holding an absolute advantage, and the Ratmen Empire can only endure the onslaught.

“Ratmen. Let’s not worry about them for now.”

“Next time the Ratmen come, figure out their source. If possible, uproot their root tribe, or they will continue to harass the Emerald Gorge.”

Ratmen tribes vary in strength.

In a pyramid-like distribution model of strength, the weaker tribes are certainly more numerous.

The Ratmen flocking to the Emerald Gorge are continuously eliminated, indicating that their tribes are not very strong. If the source can be traced and the tribes eradicated, the rodent problem can be resolved.

After a pause, Saga continued, “That said, Tixil, go and rally the other Gemstone Dragons now. Prepare to wage war against the Stone Giant tribe.”

“So soon?”

Charlotte’s eyes widened.

“Since we’ve decided to confront them, it’s best to take action immediately.”

Saga’s decisiveness was always strong.

The Stone Giant tribe was just across a river from the Gemstone Forest; there was no need to wait to act against them.

There were no legendary beings involved, so there was no need for concern.

In fact, based on the Amethyst Dragon’s description, Saga alone was more than enough to steamroll them, even with their ninth-tier leader. But how could that compare to Saga, who was on par with legends?

However, Saga did not want his mates to become overly dependent on him.

He was not a nanny, and he did not desire mates who were merely decorative vases.

If he were only after beauty, the concubines offered by the Near Seas nations were all top-notch beauties.

Saga’s ideal mates were also his allies, partners who could grow and develop together, not vases that needed his constant care and protection.

Both Tixil and Charlotte were beings of extraordinary talent, with considerable combat strength and potential.

Letting them show their capabilities, with himself supporting from behind, was sufficient.

“Additionally, Tixil, if you want to create a Gemstone Dragon nation and attract more Gemstone Dragons, relying on the current empty cliff won’t be enough.”

“Stone Giants have abundant stamina, great strength, and can manipulate elemental earth energy, making them excellent at constructing basic buildings. They would make good slaves.”

Saga added.

Tixil was moved.

“Alright, then I’ll call the Gemstone Dragons now, and together we’ll conquer the Stone Giant tribe!”

“Wait here for me.”

The Amethyst Dragon took a deep breath and then soared, flying towards the Gemstone Dragon cliff.

As a powerful Mind Warlock, Tixil was adept at rallying emotions. Soon, the Dragon Might rose and fell in waves from the Gemstone Dragon cliff, thick with the scent of battle.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

Dragon wings flapped, creating a howling sound in the air currents.

All the Gemstone Dragons of fighting age in the Gemstone Forest, under the lead of the Amethyst Dragon, soared together.

“Tixil, you lead the Gemstone Dragon Kind, along with Charlotte, to wage war against the Stone Giant tribe.”

“I will support you from behind, so you can fight without worries.”

In their minds, Saga simultaneously spoke to both the Amethyst Dragon and the Gemstone Dragon.

Battle was in the nature of dragons, whether neutral Gemstone Dragons or good-hearted Metal Dragons.

Hearing Saga’s psychic whisper, the battle genes in the blood of the Amethyst Dragon and the Gemstone Dragon stirred, eager for action.

As they spoke, the Golden Dragon’s body inch by inch vanished into the night, disappearing without a trace.

At the same time, the Amethyst Dragon called out to her kin.

“The Stone Giant tribe is a threat that cannot be ignored.”

“Since a battle is inevitable, let’s make them understand the awe of Dragon Kind now, let them prostrate under our dragon wings.”

“Follow me, my kin, let us together sweep away the obstructive Stone Giant tribe! Trample their stony bodies to lay the foundation for the Gemstone Dragon nation!”

A group of Gemstone Dragons soared under the night sky, crossing the rushing river of the gorge, and headed straight for the Stone Giant tribe.