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The Grayrock Archipelago is over four thousand kilometers away from Moon Bay, a distance that is not considered far for dragons.
Without encountering any unexpected delays, it took less than two days for four dragons of different ages and species to arrive at the Grayrock Archipelago and descend upon Gold Sand Island, ruled by the Topaz Dragon.
Within the territory of the Topaz Dragon.
A war mobilization against the Storm Giant clan is now underway. The Topaz Dragon's loyal followers, composed of a multitude of creatures such as jackalweres, sea lizardfolk, giant jaw hounds, and warrior centaurs, donned their armor and weapons, ready for battle.
Apart from the sixteen-meter-long, imposing Topaz Dragon lord.
The most conspicuous were a blue dragon over ten meters long and a sea dragon not smaller in size than the blue dragon.
A sixth-order Subdragon, the sea dragon.
This Subdragon had smooth pale blue scales with sparse gray-white patterns, surrounded by dense water vapor. Instead of dragon horns, it had fin-like spiky folds on its head. It carried a dragon aura that was neither strong nor weak, weaker than that of the Topaz Earth Dragon but stronger than that of ordinary Subdragons, having undergone transformation by the Dragon Vein.
As for Saga and the Brass Dragon.
Their figures were not visible on the surface.
Appearing openly on the battlefield would only make the Storm Giants vigilant and tense.
Giants, like dragons, are warlike and value honor, but this does not mean they will engage in a meaningless fight to the death when at an absolute disadvantage. Once they believe they are no match for dragons and there is no chance of victory, they will immediately retreat and flee.
The kin of the giants may not escape the pursuit of dragons.
But the Storm Giants, who live in the sea all year round, are difficult to kill completely once they are determined to flee.
To prevent future troubles, Saga and the Brass Dragon hid themselves.
In this way, once the war breaks out, these two dragons hidden in the shadows can strike at the right moment, dealing a heavy blow to the Storm Giants and depriving them of the chance to escape.
The Shaper Caster, newly enslaved by the Topaz Dragon lord, was also hidden among the legions below.
At this moment, the Topaz Dragon stood atop a cliff, overlooking its legion of followers, and said:
"The stench of the Storm Giants is unbearable."
"My loyal followers, don your armor and take up your weapons. Prepare for war on behalf of your lord and crush them!"
It also used its psychic abilities, spreading its invisible mental force far and wide to boost the morale of its followers. The naturally warlike creatures, influenced by this, were invigorated and eager to fight.
Thousands of kilometers above sea level.
Among the drifting winds and clouds, Saga and the Brass Dragon, in their invisible state, looked down from the cloud layers stacked like stairs.
Within the vast expanse of vision, the endless sea seemed like a wide, striped curtain of sky blue.
The Grayrock Archipelago was just a tiny scene on this curtain, with Gold Sand Island and Boulder Island appearing as insignificant specks.
Saga looked down.
His dragon's far-reaching vision allowed him to clearly see the activities on the 'specks.'
On Gold Sand Island, the Topaz Dragon and its followers were making preparations for war.
"The scale of an adult dragon lord's power is quite a bit stronger than mine."
The swarming followers, both in number and average rank, surpassed Saga's own followers. However, the quality of Saga's followers was higher. Among them was a former ninth-ring Necromancer and a high-ranking seventh-order Tremorboar skeleton, which the Topaz Dragon's followers did not have. The strongest individual among the Topaz Dragon's followers was only sixth-order.
"Many of its follower leaders have completed the Dragon Vein transformation."
Saga's gaze swept over the monster army, thinking silently.
Within the Topaz Dragon's monster legion, there were muscular jackalweres with a pair of yellow horns standing over three meters tall like small giants, warrior centaurs covered in scales nearly five meters long, agile and strong, wielding terrifying spears, and sea lizardfolk Warlocks with rich magical elements around their tails as thick as dragon tails. These monster leaders all possessed fifth-order strength.
Their species were different, their appearances distinct.
But what they had in common was the dragon aura originating from the Topaz Dragon, all having undergone the Dragon Vein transformation.
"The core followers transformed by the Dragon Vein are truly reliable for dragons, like the Red Dragoness who has many Dragon Vein followers."
Saga thought to himself.
Dragon Vein transformation is not something that can be done casually. First, it tests the willpower of the followers and their resistance to the erosion of dragon blood. Rashly subjecting favored followers to Dragon Vein transformation often results in corpses killed by one's own dragon blood.
Secondly, it also places a burden on the dragon itself.
The dragon blood used for the Dragon Vein transformation is not ordinary blood but the blood from the base blood vessels, the magical organs within a dragon's body. Only this kind of dragon blood can perform the Dragon Vein transformation, turning ordinary lifeforms into Dragon Vein lifeforms.
Ordinary dragon blood, although also domineering and beneficial when imbued, does not have the effect of allowing ordinary lifeforms to defy the heavens and be reborn anew.
"My current followers. Only Tig is likely to safely undergo the Dragon Vein transformation."
This mutated shark tiger has a tenacious will and a robust physique. Saga estimated that its chances of success were high. Even Ilum, who is slightly stronger than Tig, might not succeed due to insufficient temperament.
Saga narrowed his eyes, looking towards Boulder Island.
The Storm Giants on Boulder Island were also preparing for war.
Bulky ogres, hunched trolls with fierce claws, muscular and towering minotaurs, and various ordinary third-order griffins circling in the air, along with fierce wolf giants, and so on.
The Storm Giants had fewer followers, but they were more elite than those of the Topaz Dragon.
Ogres, giants, minotaurs, these were all brave and strong in battle, especially the wolf giants, a sub-giant species. However, although giants, like dragons, enjoy subjugating followers, giant blood does not have the effects of dragon blood and cannot further enhance the strength and potential of their followers.
Two adult Storm Giants, standing five to six meters at the shoulder and clad in metal armor, with exaggeratedly large weapons beside them, were speaking loudly about something.
From a distance, Saga could only see their mouths moving, unable to hear the exact words.
Although he did not understand giant lip-reading, they were likely saying something to inspire their followers' morale.
After all, they needed to motivate their followers to fight for them. Before the war began, they had to say something to boost morale.
The followers of the giants, unlike those of true dragons, lacked the ability for Dragon Vein transformation. If the casualties were significant, the follower leaders would likely flee with their kin or even defect. Therefore, boosting morale was quite important.
Conversely.
The core followers of dragons, those leaders transformed by the Dragon Vein, had no notion of betrayal.
If their kin showed signs of retreat, the Dragon Vein followers would even commit a massacre, forcing their kin to obey and continue fighting.
The layered clouds trembled slightly.
Saga's gaze swept over the leading high-ranking Storm Giants. Since they were quite perceptive, he only glanced briefly.
"I wonder how long I could hold my own against this Storm Giant leader with all my abilities."
Saga assessed himself.
Now, he had grown from just over six meters to nearly seven meters in length, approaching seven meters. His biological level had increased from 8 to 9, nearing the fifth order, making him a mature fourth-order lifeform. Once he reached biological level 10, he would be considered a fifth-order lifeform.
"Fourth-order against seventh-order, and the opponent is a Storm Giant. Without using the Golden Radiance Shield, I'm probably no match."
A seventh-order Storm Giant or dragon could defeat ordinary eighth-order lifeforms.
After all, they are high-ranking species found in many worlds, with a higher status.
Meanwhile.
The Brass Dragon, lurking near Saga and also using spells to remain invisible, whispered to Saga:
"By the way, you haven't answered my question yet. Are you purely a Gemstone Dragon Outsider, or do you have Metal Dragon blood? I smell something similar to the Golden Dragon on you, hmm, but there's also a scent I dislike, as if it belongs to the Chromatic Dragons. Is this my imagination, or do you indeed have these bloodlines?"
Saga intended to remain silent, unwilling to engage in endless conversation with the Brass Dragon.
Normally, when a sapient being sees that the other party is silent and unresponsive, they would tactfully shut up and lose the desire to converse. Unfortunately, this individual was a Brass Dragon with a penchant for talking. Faced with the silent golden Hatchling Dragon, the Brass Dragon took a deep breath and then began to babble, harassing Saga with words.
Saga used his psychic abilities to block his hearing.
However, the Brass Dragon's voice came directly from his mind. This was the Brass Dragon's gift of eloquence, a passive spell fixed to the language that every Brass Dragon mastered at a very high level.
Annoyed, Saga answered her initial question:
"You can consider me a mix of Gemstone Dragon, Chromatic Dragon, and Metal Dragon."
He casually added the Gemstone Dragon bloodline to himself. Since his diamond-like scales resembled many Gemstone Dragons' and he also used psychic powers, the Brass Dragon did not suspect anything.
The Brass Dragon exclaimed in amazement:
"So it's true, a mix of three major dragon types. You're the first I know of; I haven't even heard of others."
Mixed blood is not just about having parents from different dragon species.
Most importantly, it means inheriting the positive abilities from both parents, not like most dragons that only inherit from one parent. This cannot be considered mixed blood, even if the parents belong to different dragon species.
The Brass Dragon opened her mouth, wanting to say more.
Saga promptly interrupted her:
"The war between the Topaz Dragon and the Storm Giants is about to begin. Focus."
The Topaz Dragon lord led its legion of followers into the sea, heading straight for Boulder Island with an aggressive and unhidden momentum.