Realizing that the Grayrock Archipelago would fall under the dominion of the dragon before them, and that the human duchy would not escape unscathed, the monk who had yet to fulfill his dream decisively surrendered.

For the monk, as long as he could build the monastery of his dreams, it made no difference whether he pledged loyalty to humans or dragons.

“Very well, open your mind.”

The monk hesitated for a moment, then let down his mental defenses.

Boom!

It was as if thousands of thunderbolts struck, shattering his heart chambers, leaving the monk’s gaze empty as the soul brand seared into his heart.

Immediately after, the dragon lowered its gaze, looking down upon the battlefield with disdain.

Boom!

The rolling Dragon Might burst forth like a tsunami, sweeping over the human troops engaged in battle with the monster legion.

One by one, the elite soldiers of the human legion, many of whom had stepped onto the Transcendent path, were inevitably affected despite their strength. Their actions became stiff and slow under the terrifying and dreadful shadow of the dragon, while the monsters’ morale soared, roaring and howling with excitement.

As the tide turned, the human legion, which had been evenly matched, was routed in an instant, blood flowing like rivers.

“Surrender, submit to my will! Bow down to me and praise my name—Emperor Dragon!”

The dragon’s roar penetrated their souls, its might rolling in waves, unceasingly surging.

Many remaining soldiers trembled, unable to hold their weapons, discarding their armor, giving up resistance, and muttering the Emperor Dragon’s title.

Some warriors, either more resolute or more successfully brainwashed by the duchy’s rulers, did not give up despite the fear induced by the Dragon Might. They chose to defend their honor as warriors with their lives, only to be swiftly torn apart by the monster army, their remains tossed into the churning sea, staining the waters red.

Moments later.

With the death of the last stubborn resister, the war, which had not lasted long, came to an end.

The dragon’s kin cleaned up the aftermath, while the Golden Dragon hovered in the sky, calmly gazing down.

Its massive body cast a shadow over the sun, enveloping the monsters below in darkness.

Suddenly.

The sea surged and exploded.

A golden figure burst through the water with countless droplets, soaring towards the heavens.

The figure had golden wings like a monster, limbs, and a human-like face. This was a Gryphon Knight in Body Fusion.

Drenched in water, he ascended against the sky with a roar, his eyes bloodshot with dense veins.

Saga noticed the frenzied Gryphon Knight.

His expression unchanged, he simply glanced over.

The knight was close to death, no threat at all.

Under Saga’s calm and indifferent gaze, the Gryphon Knight’s wingbeats slowed, his aura weakening until, mere meters from Saga, his wings ceased altogether, and he reverted to his human and Gryphon form in a pale glow.

Unlike his former glory, the knight was now gray-haired and wrinkled, and the Gryphon was similarly on the brink of death, its life force flickering like a candle in the wind.

Plunk!

Both knight and Gryphon plunged into the ocean, their small figures swallowed by the roaring waves.

The Golden Dragon withdrew its gaze, turning its head to look towards the sky.

A radiant smile spread across the dragon’s face, and Saga spoke unhurriedly:

“Are you prepared for my arrival?”

Boom!

An invisible gravitational wave swept across, causing unnatural distortions in the sky as if something had shattered.

At the same time.

In the human duchy on West Sea Island, within the royal palace.

The duchy’s high-ranking officials, who had been monitoring the war through scrying orbs, saw the scene freeze on the dragon’s upward smile.

They fell silent, exchanging glances, the atmosphere nearly solidifying.

Minutes later, someone finally spoke with difficulty:

“Gentlemen, the dragon’s ferocity is pressing. What shall we do next?”

Before the nobles could discuss, a great commotion arose from the human duchy.

Whoosh!

Clouds, wind, and sunlight were all torn asunder by a pair of golden wings, the Golden Dragon approaching at breakneck speed, silent and swift, appearing in the duchy’s airspace in an instant.

One after another, the densely packed buildings were suddenly shrouded in an inexplicable shadow.

People shopping, strolling, or working looked up as the shadow stretched over them.

Then, the majestic and dignified Golden Dragon came into view.

Silence.

First, a deathly silence.

Seconds later, someone screamed, and panic spread like a plague. The duchy, not overly populous or large, fell into chaos.

“A dragon! It’s a dragon!”

“My God, a living dragon.”

“Such a majestic and beautiful beast.”

“Gods above, please protect us.”

“Why is there a dragon here?”

“…”

Reactions varied.

The Grayrock Archipelago was known for dragons.

The citizens of the human duchy had always known this, but most ordinary people never had the chance to see a dragon in their short lives.

Under normal circumstances, the duchy’s higher powers would not allow a dragon to roam freely in their airspace.

Saga did not exert his Dragon Might.

But merely revealing his True Dragon form was enough to instill fear in many ordinary people, causing unrest throughout the nation.

Minutes later.

On the easternmost side of West Sea Island.

From top to bottom, majestic buildings stood against the steep cliff slopes by the sea. At the highest point, a row of palaces, more grand and ancient than the others and huddled together with spired rooftops, was the heart of power for the human duchy—the Rus royal family.

The waves ceaselessly washed against the other side of the cliff, the sound of surging waves ever-present.

On normal days, many nobles living in the Rus palace would lean against the gilded windows, listening to the sea breeze and waves, gazing out at the vast ocean with melodramatic sighs.

But now.

Nearly all living beings inside the Rus palace.

From the king who held the nation’s reins to the servants responsible for cleaning the palace, even the pets of the nobles, reacted just like their owners.

All were struck dumb.

A suffocating Dragon Might pervaded, enveloping the area, omnipresent.

Meanwhile, inside the King’s Hall.

Numerous guards and nobles, including Rus XIII seated on the throne, all displayed looks of terror, devoid of their usual calm.

The source of their fear, which had plunged the entire palace into silence, was now reflected in their vision.

At the center of the King’s Hall, on the exquisite carpet, a Golden Dragon lay coiled.

It had diamond-like golden scales, three pairs of extraordinary horns on its head, and a perfectly fitting crown in the middle. Sunlight streamed through the gilded windows, casting a radiant aura of majesty upon the dragon.

The dragon’s gaze was serene.

Surrounded by spear-wielding guards, it seemed as relaxed as if in its own Dragon’s Nest, indifferent to the guards around it.

Coiled comfortably on the ground, its height was almost level with the king on the steps.

Saga was looking directly at Rus XIII.

Yet, although it was a level gaze, the king felt as if he was being looked down upon, as if a true sovereign was scrutinizing his subject, and he was but an insignificant ant in the other’s eyes.

Saga’s gaze shifted, passing over the frightened king on the throne, to two figures behind him.

One on each side, two guards stood motionless like statues, unyielding even under the dragon’s might.

“Will as strong as steel, minds filled only with loyalty to the king, high-ranking warriors who hold the king’s commands as sacred.”

How could a king with lesser Transcendent power control generals stronger than himself?

Apart from the intangible influence of hereditary power, the royal family also had its own foundations, such as the powerful death soldiers raised from childhood to be loyal only to the royal family, to the king.

There were not just two high-ranking death soldiers behind the king.

The guards and court mages surrounding Saga, all on alert with tense faces, were also elites, at least of middle-tier standing.

Unfortunately, they still appeared as a mob in the eyes of the now-present Saga.

Shaking his head, causing a stir among the guards, Saga’s gaze returned to the king.

This king of the duchy, Rus XIII, was a mid-tier sixth-order warrior.

Although a warrior, he had never experienced combat. The king was somewhat aged, but his skin was smooth, his face plump, his palms white and unmarred by any scars.

Such a half-baked sixth-order warrior, Saga could have killed him effortlessly even when he was a mere third-order Hatchling Dragon, let alone now.

Facing Saga, under the tangible and overwhelming gaze of the True Dragon.

The king struggled to maintain composure, trying to appear dignified, but his trembling lips betrayed his deep-seated fear.

After choosing his words carefully, the king tried to make his voice sound less shaky.

“Mighty dragon, I know why you have come. As the defeated party, in accordance with the treaties set by the High Council of Nations, I am willing to pay the reparations…”

The High Council of Nations was not just composed of imperial members.

It was a vast organization formed by many empires, along with kingdoms, duchies, independent city-states, and other powers, mainly responsible for mediating disputes between nations and many other tedious affairs. The empires held the highest status within, somewhat similar to the United Nations from Saga’s previous world.

The king’s attempt to show weakness was not yet complete.

Saga’s gaze sharpened, staring into the king’s eyes with a forceful stance, interrupting his words with a deep voice:

“In you, I see weakness and incompetence, mediocrity and short-sightedness. I was wondering why a small duchy would dare to offend Dragon Might. After seeing you, I understand the reason.”

The king’s breath hitched, nodding submissively under the Dragon Might.

Saga’s expression remained calm as he slowly rose, causing another stir among the guards.

Many guards pointed their weapons at the Golden Dragon, but none dared to strike, even though the dragon appeared relaxed and unguarded.

“I dislike roundabout, insinuating conversations.”

“Now, let me make myself clear.”

After a pause, the dragon’s gaze loomed over the king, calmly saying, “Come here, kneel before me, declare your loyalty to me, become my vassal, and I can forgive your disrespect, overlook your weakness and incompetence, and let you continue to be king.”

Saga had no interest in being an emperor himself.

He allowed his kin to address him as His Majesty and self-proclaimed the title of Emperor Dragon, but he had no intention of becoming an emperor. It was merely a symbol, representing the highest status.

To truly become an emperor and create an empire would be nothing but trouble.

Saga’s goal was to achieve limitless power for himself, not to form alliances.

But Saga also needed some power, which could satisfy his desire to command other beings and reign supreme, to improve his quality of life, so he wouldn’t have to do everything himself.

For this, he chose not to be an emperor, but to have emperors and kings pledge loyalty to him.

As soon as the words fell, there was an uproar.

A sixth-tier guard captain couldn’t help but roar:

“You are too arrogant! This is a human nation!”

Bang!

The dragon’s tail lifted and fell with a speed beyond the reaction of all present, smashing heavily onto the guard. The man was reduced to a mash of flesh and bone, compressed by twisted metal armor, as soon as he finished speaking.

The dragon’s ferocity was palpable.

A deadly silence enveloped the palace once more.

“Your lives are all at the mercy of my thoughts.”

“If I wish, I could erase your entire nation from this world.”

The Golden Dragon spoke evenly, with the calmness of stating a fact, yet beneath that calm seemed to lurk a gathering storm.

“Choose, king.”

Saga’s faceplate was expressionless, his imposing gaze once again enveloping the king.

The king glanced at the two statue-like death soldiers with the corner of his eye, then took several deep breaths, his gaze hesitant and wavering.

Finally.

Not wanting to give up his comfortable life as king, he chose to abandon the idea of ordering the high-ranking death soldiers and guards to fight to the death against the dragon.

His body trembling, he stood up.

Under the watchful eyes of many, the king stepped down from the steps.

“King! You should not do this!”

“To submit to a dragon, the glory of the Rus royal house will be no more!”

A nobleman cried out with a resolute look.

The king gave a wry smile and said, “If the Rus royal house itself ceases to exist, what use is glory?”

“It shouldn’t be like this, you shouldn’t do this.”

The nobleman muttered to himself, then violently rammed his head into a palace column, collapsing to the ground, convulsing, and gradually falling silent as blood stained the solemn column.

Throughout this, Saga’s gaze remained indifferent, unmoved, as if he were a detached observer.

“Sigh.”

With a sigh, the king shook his head and continued down the steps.

“We should share the fate of the royal house, not live in disgrace!”

“If the Evil Dragon dares to destroy the nation, the other countries in the council will not stand idly by!”

“Better to take it down with us than to submit!”

Bang!

More nobles, unable to bear the sight of the king’s humiliation, advised against submission, even slamming themselves to death, but the king no longer stopped.

He continued to descend, each step accompanied by the life of a royal noble, until he stood before the dragon.

The king bowed his head and said:

“Mighty dragon, I offer my loyalty to you, henceforth I will obey your commands, please do not harm the citizens of my country, they pose no threat to you.”

Some nobles had said before their suicide that if the dragon destroyed the nation, it would be placed on the wanted list of many human countries, urging the king not to submit.

But how could the king not understand this?

He could choose to die rather than submit.

However, among the other nobles who chose to remain silent and watch coldly, his own blood relatives, there were always those eager to be emperor, to be the emperor under one dragon, above ten thousand people.

Although the duchy was small, it was not without strife and deception.

The king did not want to lose his current position.

Glory?

Although weak and incompetent, the king understood deep down that his country had no glory to speak of. For the weak, it was an absolute luxury, and the weak nation was no exception.

The dragon extended a Sharp claw, touching the king’s head.

“It takes courage to lay down one’s dignity and become a servant; you have made the right choice.”

After a pause, Saga looked down at the king, smiled, and said, “You have saved all the people on this island. If they are grateful, they should thank you from the bottom of their hearts.”

Hearing the dragon’s words, the king was slightly startled.

Deep down, the guilt of being a traitor was greatly diminished.

Yes, I chose to submit to save the people; I am a wise king! he thought.

“I am even more grateful for your mercy and compassion,” the king said quietly.

“Submit to me, carry out my commands, and as long as you don’t disappoint me, no matter how weak and incompetent you are, the throne will belong to you,” Saga said slowly.

He only needed the other party to be loyal to him, to obey him.

As for the rest, such as how the other high-ranking nobles saw him, how the ordinary citizens of the country viewed him, Saga did not care.

Why would a True Dragon care about the opinions of ants?

He only needed submission, whether out of fear or loyalty.

At the same time, the king, who had realized who his greatest support was, nodded heavily.

“I prostrate myself under your dragon wing, willingly,” he said.

The dragon’s claw shone with the light of psionic energy, then effortlessly penetrated the king’s heart, planting the soul brand.

Before long, the citizens of West Sea Island saw the dragon’s figure flying away.

The ordinary citizens of this small duchy had no idea that their king had become a servant to the dragon, only marveling at the dragon’s majesty and power.

As for the high-ranking nobles who understood the truth, they divided the lands and wealth of the nobles who had died by their own hand, continuing their previous lives without much desire to resist.

Of course, not all the surviving nobles were willing to live in the shadow of the dragon, and resistance was inevitable.

But once such resisters were discovered, to maintain his ruling position, the king would directly order their arrest, and without trial, they would be sent to the stake.