Emerald Gorge, adjacent to the Dragonfall Mountains, is home to the Stone Giant tribe.

The vast mountain range blocks the moonlight descending from the sky, casting shadows where rugged and primitive stone structures rise in succession, housing a true race of giants, the Stone Giants.

Under the cover of night, the Stone Giants usually rest, their habits so simple that they remain motionless even during the day, like silent boulders, having no need for food or water, and little desire.

Yet on this night, the awake Stone Giant chieftain was an exception.

With a face as rough and tough as weathered rock, the chieftain stood nearly ten meters tall, his body carved from the hardest marble, muscles of stone bulging like iron and steel, his surface gleaming with a metallic luster, heavy and powerful, every move seemingly capable of causing the earth to quake.

“The number of Gemstone Dragons residing in the Fairy Forest is gradually increasing…”

The Stone Giant chieftain thought in silence.

The Fairy Forest referred to here is the Gemstone Forest of Emerald Gorge, called so by the Stone Giants due to its original inhabitants, a group of little fairies. The Gemstone Dragons that later arrived named it the Gemstone Forest, as the initial form of the Gemstone Dragon nation.

“Although I do not wish to initiate war, once the number of Gemstone Dragons continues to grow, they will not tolerate our neighboring Stone Giant tribe.”

Not only the Amethyst Dragon considered the threat of the Stone Giant tribe.

In fact, ever since the Gemstone Dragons arrived at Emerald Gorge, the Stone Giants had already identified them as a significant threat to their tribe.

However, due to their non-aggressive nature and preference for neutrality, and their reluctance to cross the gorge’s river, they hesitated to act.

But as time passed, and more Gemstone Dragons gathered in Emerald Gorge, strengthening their numbers, the Stone Giant chieftain grew increasingly restless.

“We can no longer ignore the Gemstone Dragons.”

“Sooner or later, they will strike at our tribe.”

With such thoughts, the Stone Giant chieftain planned to prepare his lazy kin psychologically, and once ready, to expel the Gemstone Dragons from the other side of the gorge’s river.

Knowing that the combined strength of the Gemstone Dragons was still inferior to their own tribe, the Stone Giant chieftain was not in a hurry to attack.

However, before he could act on his thoughts, vast draconic auras surged, appearing without warning above the Stone Giant tribe.

“Hmm?”

The Stone Giant chieftain was slightly startled.

At the same time, the Gemstone Dragons appeared above the Stone Giant tribe’s airspace through group psychic teleportation, looking down from a high vantage point at the rugged Stone Giant structures, and immediately unleashed a covering barrage of Dragon Breath.

Boom!

The ground shook violently.

A large stone house was hit by a descending purple crystal, shattering in a brilliant purple light, including the sleeping Stone Giants within. This was another type of breath from the Amethyst Dragon, aside from the singularity breath, called the Amethyst Breath, capable of spewing out purple crystal energy with a powerful explosive effect.

This was only the beginning.

The Sonic Breath of the Sapphire Dragon, the Dark Erosion Breath of the Topaz Dragon, the Bewitching Breath of the Jade Dragon, the Radiant Breath of the Crystal Dragon, and a colorful Flame Breath from the Gemstone Dragon mixed in among them.

Various Dragon Breaths illuminated the same area.

The deep night was lit as bright as day, and the Stone Giant tribe under the shadow of the Dragonfall Mountains was swept by Dragon Breath, creating a beautiful yet dangerous and terrifying spectacle.

Caught off guard, many Stone Giants died in their sleep during the first wave of the Gemstone Dragons’ assault.

This demonstrated the importance of striking first.

“Damn Dragon Kind!”

Even the slow-reacting Stone Giant chieftain realized that their tribe was under attack by the Gemstone Dragons.

Before they could act, they were preemptively ambushed, and a great sense of rage emerged from within.

Boom!

The Stone Giant chieftain bent his legs slightly and burst forth as if a massive boulder had shattered the roof of his house, then charged straight at a Sapphire Dragon circling in the sky.

This Sapphire Dragon, initially confronting Saga, possessed the strength of the eighth order.

Facing the Stone Giant chieftain, who was close to legend and at the ninth-order limit, it felt a slight tension.

The advantage of flight became apparent.

In front of the charging Stone Giant chieftain, the Sapphire Dragon flapped its wings, creating a howling wind, its azure body rising sharply, causing the Stone Giant chieftain’s upward charge to miss.

At the same time.

Tixil the Amethyst Dragon, who had just killed several Stone Giants with her breath, turned her head, her eyes glowing with psychic brilliance as she stared at the Stone Giant chieftain.

Eighth-level psychic ability—Abyss of Death!

Instantly, the Stone Giant chieftain’s massive and heavy body trembled, its pupils constricting like needles, experiencing a great fear as if facing actual death.

Unlike Saga, who only used the path of the Mind Warlock as an auxiliary and had recently been neglecting his studies in psychic abilities, failing to master high-level psychic abilities that matched his psychic strength.

Tixil, who devoted herself entirely to the path of the Mind Warlock, had already mastered a considerable number of eighth-level psychic abilities.

Including the Abyss of Death, which plunged the Stone Giant chieftain into a deep abyss.

The thick shadow of death enveloped the Stone Giant chieftain’s spirit, making it emit a deathly aura, as if already dead, plummeting to the ground.

“Good opportunity.”

The Sapphire Dragon, which had just soared, had its fighting spirit ignited, diving straight at the Stone Giant chieftain to finish it off.

“Be careful!”

A sudden warning from Tixil the Amethyst Dragon echoed in their minds.

At the same time.

The Stone Giant chieftain swung its arms, roaring, and the deathly aura around it dissipated.

The Stone Giant race had an extraordinary resistance to psychic attacks, and with the Stone Giant chieftain being of higher order than Tixil, her Abyss of Death could not keep the Stone Giant chieftain dazed for long.

Thud!

The Stone Giant chieftain’s thick arm slammed into the Sapphire Dragon’s head.

Under the heavy blow of the Stone Giant chieftain, the twenty-meter-long Sapphire Dragon was sent flying, its massive body drawing a parabola, its head buzzing as if intoxicated by Green Dragon brew.

“Gemstone Dragons, you’ve crossed the line!”

With an angry roar, the Stone Giant chieftain, having landed steadily, looked up at the circling Gemstone Dragons, plunging its arm deep into the earth.

In an instant.

The ground seemed to come alive, rising up.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Earth spikes shot up like a torrential downpour, reversing towards the sky.

The other Stone Giants were not idle either; regaining their senses, they launched long-range attacks at the Gemstone Dragons in the sky.

Heavy boulders flew from their hands, dark and whistling, smashing towards the sky.

The Stone Giants’ throws were swift and fierce.

But the Gemstone Dragons were not easy targets, navigating through the boulder rain with agile and nimble bodies. If they encountered a trajectory that was particularly tricky and blocked their movement space, they would use Psychic Step to teleport away if they couldn’t dodge.

While dodging.

The Gemstone Dragons also counterattacked when they could.

No distinction between friend and foe!

For several Stone Giants huddled together, a high-ranking Topaz Dragon used its signature psychic ability.

In an instant, in the eyes of one of the seventh-order Stone Giants, its companions suddenly transformed into Gemstone Dragons, menacingly charging at it.

Instinctively, the high-ranking Stone Giant attacked the ‘Gemstone Dragons,’ immediately causing chaos around it.

Although it was only affected for a few seconds, by the time it regained its senses, two mid-ranking kin lay dead before it, smashed by its own hands.

The brilliance of psychic energy flickered non-stop.

Psychic Spear, Mind Stab, Mind Blast, Sensory Deprivation, Personality Parasite—a multitude of psychic abilities swept towards the Stone Giant tribe like they cost nothing.

In a short time.

The Stone Giant tribe fell into a disadvantage.

Facing the highly mobile Dragon Kind with air superiority, the Stone Giants on the ground could only take hits.

But as a race capable of contending with Dragon Kind, the Stone Giants also had their means of response.

The Stone Giant chieftain took a deep breath, then suddenly lifted his pillar-like leg and stomped the ground hard.

Hum!

The ground did not shatter, but a circle of magical runes radiated from the Stone Giant chieftain’s foot, and the other Stone Giants did the same. In an instant, a complex and intricate magic array took shape on the ground.

Although they mainly relied on physical combat.

The Stone Giants also possessed spell-like abilities, such as the anti-air array specifically designed to drag flying dragons into ground combat.

The array constructed by the Stone Giant tribe lit up.

Suddenly, the Gemstone Dragons circling in the air felt an immense pressure, their bodies becoming unprecedentedly heavy, making flight extremely difficult.

“Crush their bones!”

The Stone Giant chieftain roared.

Numerous Stone Giants shouted in unison, their dull voices echoing to the heavens.

Next, the tide of battle turned.

As flying became difficult, the Gemstone Dragons were forced to descend to the ground, where they began a direct confrontation with the Stone Giant tribe.

It was well known that among the three common types of dragons, the Gemstone Dragons were the weakest in terms of physical attributes.

Compared to the Chromatic Dragons and Metal Dragons, they were not adept at close combat. Against Stone Giants of the same order, they could only fight to a draw at close range, unable to gain an advantage.

However, the Stone Giants were more numerous.

Although the Gemstone Dragons here were all high-ranking, there were less than ten in total.

There were about twenty high-ranking members of the Stone Giant tribe, and other mid-ranking Stone Giants also assisted their powerful kin in attacking, with each Gemstone Dragon facing at least two high-ranking Stone Giants and even more ordinary Stone Giants. Under the siege, they quickly fell into a disadvantage.

At this moment, the Stone Giant chieftain looked towards Tixil, the leading Amethyst Dragon.

“I will twist off your head as a trophy.”

Responding to the Stone Giant chieftain was the proudly stretching body of Charlotte the Gemstone Dragon.

“Big oaf, submit to my beauty.”

Scales burst forth with dazzling colors, captivating and enchanting, even the slow-witted Stone Giant chieftain was momentarily stunned, immersed in Charlotte’s charm.

At the same time.

Tixil had already opened her dragon maw.

A singularity breath, filled with a sense of extreme danger, rapidly brewed in her mouth, targeting the dazed Stone Giant chieftain, ready to strike.

Crack!

The ground beside her suddenly rose, a sharp stone spike stabbing towards the Amethyst Dragon’s head from the side.

Reluctantly, Tixil abandoned her breath and dodged the stone spike attack.

“Die!”

Not far away, a seventh-order Stone Giant wielding a giant axe charged towards Tixil, then leaped with a chopping strike, its massive body and matching fierce axe exuding a mighty aura as if it could split mountains.

Seeing this, Tixil’s body shone with psychic brilliance, her pupils reflecting the Stone Giant’s rocky figure.

“All things in the world are but reflections of the mind.”

She whispered quietly in her heart, her eyes shining with dazzling psychic light.

Eighth-level psychic ability—Distort Reality!

Among all eighth-level psychic abilities, this was the most difficult to learn and the strongest.

Mastering this psychic ability allowed a Mind Warlock to reshape reality to some extent based on their thoughts.

At the same time, the eighth-order Stone Giant paused slightly, feeling a strange change happening to itself.

Boom!

The tall and fierce stone body suddenly disintegrated, breaking apart, but no debris flew out, only a sky full of dancing flowers. The Stone Giant shattered into blossoms, including the axe it wielded, instantly killed by Tixil the Amethyst Dragon with a single move.

“Pity, this move is ineffective against the Stone Giant chieftain whose order exceeds mine.”

The Amethyst Dragon exhaled.

Distort Reality consumed a lot of psychic energy and had limits. The stronger the target was in reality, the harder it was to twist and change according to one’s will.

“Balzan!”

An angry roar sounded.

Seeing a comrade of many years die, the Stone Giant chieftain’s eyes nearly split with fury.

Rage made its will more resolute than ever, rendering Charlotte’s charm completely ineffective.

The Stone Giant chieftain’s steps shook the earth as it charged towards the Amethyst Dragon, and several other high-ranking Stone Giants rushed towards the Gemstone Dragon and Amethyst Dragon from the surroundings.

If it were only the Stone Giant chieftain.

Charlotte and Tixil could easily handle it, both capable of fighting beyond their orders. However, there were quite a few high-ranking Stone Giants here, and the other Gemstone Dragons were too busy to assist. But as the Stone Giants focused on attacking the Amethyst Dragon and Gemstone Dragon, the situation for the other Gemstone Dragons improved significantly.

At this time, under the leadership of the Stone Giant chieftain.

Several high-ranking Stone Giants launched a siege on the Gemstone Dragon and Amethyst Dragon.

Charlotte was doing fine.

The high-ranking Stone Giants surrounding her frequently lost focus under her charm, unable to form a decent offensive.

But Tixil’s situation was more dire.

She faced the Stone Giant chieftain and three high-ranking giants alone. The ninth-order Stone Giant chieftain was no weakling, the highest order present, and had helpers. Tixil bore the greatest pressure.

Facing the siege of the Stone Giants.

The Amethyst Dragon countered with a wealth of psychic abilities, using countless psychic abilities.

Mind Clone, Damage Transfer, Mind Crush, Intellectual Erosion—her knowledge of psychic abilities far exceeded that of a normal Mind Warlock of the same order, and her use was so proficient and effortless that it would amaze any Mind Warlock.

However, against the naturally psychic-resistant and numerous Stone Giants.

As her own psychic energy rapidly depleted, Tixil inevitably fell into a difficult situation.

Although she was also exceptionally talented and powerful, she had not yet reached Saga’s level, unable to effortlessly handle outnumbered battles beyond her order.

Bang, bang, bang!

The divided phantom bodies were shattered by the Stone Giants.

The Stone Giant chieftain clenched its fists and charged towards the Amethyst Dragon.

At the same time, Stone Giants attacked from other directions, blocking the Amethyst Dragon’s movement space.

Having used Psychic Step multiple times before, she could not use spatial psychic abilities due to mental fatigue. In such a situation, if she wasn’t careful, the Amethyst Dragon would suffer heavy damage.

But the Amethyst Dragon in crisis did not panic.

The intense mental tension made time seem to slow down, and the Amethyst Dragon, using full-spectrum psychic perception, could clearly see the satisfied smiles on the Stone Giants’ faces, as if they had already subdued her.

She shook her head.

The Amethyst Dragon stood serenely in place, whispering in her heart.

“Saga, I need you.”

She said in her heart.

“You’ve done well enough.”

“Now, leave the rest to me.”

A reassuring and trustworthy deep Dragon Tongue echoed in her mind.

At the same time.

Accompanied by the whisper in her heart.

A golden radiance lit up in the sky, like the sun rising in the night.

A golden dragon shadow appeared, swift as lightning, descending from the sky and piercing the earth.

Crash!

The earth shattered, undulating like the sea, and several Stone Giants attacking the Amethyst Dragon only caught a glimpse of golden scales before feeling an overwhelming force erupt with irresistible momentum, creating a terrifying repulsion that swept over them, crushing and blowing them away, their thousands of tons of heavy bodies unable to resist being flung out.

Dragon wings flapped.

The fierce wind dispersed the rolling dust.

Diamond-like dragon scales shone with a brilliant gold, majestic horns curled towards the sky, and the majestic and agile Golden Dragon stood imposingly on the ravaged earth.

In the distance, the Stone Giants blown away and fallen to the ground struggled to rise from the pits beneath them.

Noticing the newly arrived Golden Dragon in their field of vision and feeling the storm-like terrifying presence, they felt as if they had fallen into an abyss.

The Golden Dragon’s gaze was indifferent, sweeping over the group of Stone Giants.

“Kneel.”

He spoke calmly.

“You”

The words of the Stone Giant chieftain were abruptly cut off.

Because a ninefold super gravity suddenly descended.

The pressure of over ten thousand tons, like an invisible giant hand, pressed down all the Stone Giants who had just stood up.

Not just these few Stone Giants.

The gravity field radiated from the Golden Dragon, affecting all Stone Giants in its path, pressing them to the ground, unable to rise again.

Tixil and Charlotte’s eyes sparkled with admiration for their partner’s strength.

The other battered Gemstone Dragons glanced at the surrounding Stone Giants lying in heaps, stunned, then couldn’t help but look at the King of the Near Seas with awe and admiration.

Seeing is believing, and this time they truly realized the true strength of this King of the Near Seas.

“No!”

The Stone Giant chieftain’s face pressed against the ground, whimpering in anger.

It struggled to lift its head, looking up at the dazzling Golden Dragon in its field of vision, filled with unwillingness and resistance.

Resisting the super gravity field, the Stone Giant chieftain struggled to rise, but looking around, only this ninth-order chieftain could barely stand.

Looking at the Golden Dragon.

The Stone Giant chieftain saw its own wretched reflection through those golden dragon eyes, as well as the other’s disdain and indifference.

“I said, kneel.”

It heard the dragon’s low voice, and then a force more fierce and powerful than before descended.

Faced with Saga’s concentrated super gravity suppression, the Stone Giant chieftain could no longer resist, its body sinking, helplessly kneeling on the ground.

“Impossible.”

The Stone Giant chieftain clenched its teeth, exerting so much force that its stone teeth cracked.

It growled, attempting to rise again, but as its limbs cracked continuously, it failed to stand, remaining in a submissive posture before the dragon.

Struggling was futile.

The Stone Giant chieftain issued a resentful rebuke, accusing the Gemstone Dragons of being invaders who attacked their tribe, which had lived in peace in Emerald Gorge.

The Golden Dragon approached the Stone Giant chieftain, looking down upon it from a high vantage point.

“Victors rule, losers eat dust.”

“This is the simplest truth since ancient times.”

“Loser, you will submit under my wings, becoming a dragon’s servant, in exchange for your life.”

The Stone Giant chieftain’s rough face ignited with anger.

“Dream on! Giants would rather die than submit to you despicable, arrogant Dragon Kind. Do you think we are some lowly race?”

It declared resolutely, showing a readiness to face death.

The corners of the Golden Dragon’s mouth curled up, revealing a smile that, to the Stone Giant chieftain, seemed devilish.

“I admire your spirit of resistance, but to defy my will? That’s not up to you.”

Including Saga, all the Gemstone Dragons present were Mind Warlocks, and for a Mind Warlock, any mental resistance and defiance could be dissolved.