From appearing in Saga’s field of vision to descending upon Grayrock Isle, it took but a brief moment.

Whoosh!

With a howling gale that sent sand and stones flying, the massive Sapphire Dragon beat its wings, slowing down under Saga’s watchful gaze. Gradually, it folded its wings and landed on all fours before Saga.

“Are you the famed King of the Near Seas?”

The dragon’s eyes, like pools of azure, reflected Saga’s impressive appearance. The Sapphire Dragon sized him up and then spoke in a cold voice, uttering the Dragon Tongue.

“Currently, it’s but a hollow title bestowed by ignorant fools with ill intentions. However, I will soon make it a reality.”

Saga replied calmly.

The Sapphire Dragon fell silent for a moment, gazing at the Golden Dragon before it.

Its scales, with a golden sheen and countless irregular facets like diamonds, were even more beautiful than those of the Gemstone Dragons, dazzling the Sapphire Dragon.

It was hard to imagine a dragon whose scales could so perfectly embody the aesthetic of Dragon Kind.

Feeling the profound Dragon Might emanating from the Golden Dragon before it, and the sense of danger detected by its battle instincts, the Sapphire Dragon stared at Saga. Its tail, like a gemstone, twitched with eagerness to move and spoke:

“It seems you do not deny the title of King of the Near Seas.”

“And not just that, but also—Emperor Dragon.”

The Sapphire Dragon paced around the rugged surroundings, its gaze never leaving Saga as it muttered, “Emperor Dragon, Emperor Dragon.”

“You soar through the vast skies, you soar over the boundless earth, you soar across the endless seas.”

“Your scales shine like gold, your eyes sparkle, reflecting endless light.”

“…”

“Emperor Dragon, oh Emperor Dragon, you will eventually be renowned across the four seas and eight deserts.”

After a pause, it said in a deep voice, “The subject of this poem must be you, huh? Heh, Emperor Dragon, the king among dragons, what a grand title. Do you think I should praise your confidence, or condemn your arrogance and ignorance?”

The Sapphire Dragon was not only drawn here by the title of King of the Near Seas.

Most importantly, it was the title of Emperor Dragon.

To some young and hot-blooded dragons, this was nothing short of a provocation.

Only the most audacious and conceited among Dragon Kind would dare to take on such a title that would displease the vast majority of their kin.

Initially, the Sapphire Dragon had heard the Emperor Dragon poem sung by a wandering Tiger Shark bard and thought it was in praise of some ancient dragon.

However, upon hearing the titles of King of the Near Seas and Emperor Dragon while passing by the Near Seas, and learning that the other party was definitely not some ancient dragon, it felt deceived and specifically came to the Grayrock Archipelago.

Facing the Sapphire Dragon, which had bared its fangs and was already posing for battle, Saga lifted his chin and said straightforwardly, “You’ve said so much, just to provoke my anger. Unfortunately, you’re not significant enough to stir such intense emotions in me.”

“However, you’re here to fight me, aren’t you? I’ve been feeling a bit itchy for a fight myself lately, so I can satisfy you.”

The Sapphire Dragon was combative, but not as reckless as the Red Dragon. They would skillfully use various battle strategies, each a master tactician. Usually, Sapphire Dragons liked to enrage their targets with words, causing them to lose their cool and rationality.

The Sapphire Dragon was momentarily taken aback, then its gaze grew more serious.

It crouched low, muscles taut as if ready to pounce at any moment.

In terms of size, this mature Sapphire Dragon was larger than Saga. Generally, a dragon’s size also indicated its level of strength. Although the Sapphire Dragon felt a faint sense of danger from Saga, it still believed it had the upper hand.

However, just as the Sapphire Dragon could no longer contain itself, its aura peaking and ready to strike…

Saga suddenly spoke:

“Wait, a mere battle seems rather dull.”

“Even if I beat you, there’s no gain for me, just a waste of energy.”

“You’ve come all the way to the Grayrock Archipelago, as a challenger, you should offer something if you lose.”

Hearing Saga’s words, the Sapphire Dragon paused, its face covered in pale blue gem-like scales showing a hint of annoyance, and its previously peaking aura weakened a bit.

Seeing this, Saga imperceptibly nodded.

Since the other party wanted to play strategy, Saga played along, disrupting the eager Sapphire Dragon, causing it to become irritable.

“What do you want?” the Sapphire Dragon asked.

Saga’s gaze swept over the Sapphire Dragon before saying, “If you lose, serve me for ten years.”

His gaze fell on the Sapphire Dragon’s slender tail, and he continued, “Also, give me the tip of your tail. The tail gem of a Sapphire Dragon is a fine collectible.”

The tip of the Sapphire Dragon’s tail was suspended by psychic energy, resembling a diamond-shaped blue gem.

Compared to real gems, the tail gem of a Sapphire Dragon was even more precious.

“Fine! And if I win?”

The combative Sapphire Dragon didn’t shrink back. To a long-lived species, ten years of servitude was not unacceptable, and the tail gem could regrow.

Saga looked around calmly and said:

“If you win, this vast Grayrock Archipelago is yours, including all my treasures.”

Hearing this, the Sapphire Dragon took a deep breath and then said, “It seems you’re very confident in your strength. Good, I accept this wager.”

As soon as the words fell, the Sapphire Dragon couldn’t wait to charge forward, its wings flapping to accelerate with each step, cracking the ground of Grayrock Isle and raising clouds of dust, like a blue meteor hurtling towards the Golden Dragon.

At the end of its charge, the Sapphire Dragon opened its mouth and roared.

Boom!

Stunning Thunder!

It was as if invisible thunder erupted from the ground; the roar was like thunder, intangible, but carrying real force, shattering the nearby rocks instantly and creating a visible shockwave that swept over the Golden Dragon.

The ground beneath Saga’s feet and the strange rocks beside him turned to dust, but his body, facing the Sapphire Dragon’s thunderous attack, remained unmoved, resolute and unyielding as if facing only a breeze, not a terrifying thunder capable of pulverizing hard rocks.

Watching the unscathed Saga, the high-ranking, slightly superior Sapphire Dragon showed a look of surprise, but its relentless and fierce movements did not stop.

Hum!

A pale blue psychic light shone on the Sapphire Dragon, then detached from its body, forming two identical Sapphire Dragons. From the overall silhouette to the finest scale details, the three Sapphire Dragons now appeared exactly the same, indistinguishable from one another.

Psychic Duplication!

One Sapphire Dragon faced the front, while the other two were on the left and right. All three roared and pounced towards Saga simultaneously.

In an instant.

The combatants clashed at close quarters.

From three directions, the three Sapphire Dragons launched a fierce assault.

A flurry of claw shadows enveloped Saga, tearing through the air with a powerful howl.

However, before the claw shadows could reach him…

The Golden Dragon, who had been calmly waiting in place for the Sapphire Dragon to approach, sprang into action. He stood up abruptly, his disdainful gaze sweeping over the Sapphire Dragon before him. His claw, covered in a layer of golden scales, struck first, a flash of movement that instantly landed on the head of the Sapphire Dragon facing him.

At that moment, the piercing sound of claws cutting through the air rang out.

Bang!

The Sapphire Dragon in front shattered, turning into a shower of psychic light.

After the strike, Saga didn’t pause for a moment. His body spun, his tail sweeping and claws striking. In the blink of an eye, another Sapphire Dragon was shattered, turning into dissipating psychic energy, and one more had its faceplate broken, flung far away, crashing heavily to the ground and plowing a long trench, smashing countless boulders before stopping nearly a kilometer away.

All this happened in an extremely short time.

From an outside perspective, it seemed as if the Sapphire Dragon flew towards Saga, split into three, and then launched an attack around him. But in the next second, it was countered by Saga, with two duplicates instantly destroyed and the original sent flying.

“What a fierce counterattack.”

On the other side, the Sapphire Dragon shook its dizzy head, propping itself back up, with searing pain emanating from all over its body, especially the faceplate.

After taking a deep breath, the Sapphire Dragon’s expression became more solemn.

“It’s not big in size, but its close combat ability is truly terrifying.”

“Is it an Outsider Dragon that has focused all its skills on close combat?”

Unable to gain an advantage through size, the Sapphire Dragon changed its battle strategy. It soared into the air, surrounded by a faint psychic glow, and then dove headfirst towards the ground.

Meld with Stone Technique!

The ground made of soil and rocks touched the Sapphire Dragon’s head, and in an instant, the solid earth seemed to turn into water. Just like diving into a river, the Sapphire Dragon’s entire body easily submerged into the ground, disappearing without a trace, without causing any disturbance. The ground did not crack or sink; it was as if it had merged with it.

At the same time, the Sapphire Dragon’s voice echoed in Saga’s mind.

“Lower your guard.”

This was one of the psychic abilities mastered by the Sapphire Dragon, known as the Enchanting Whisper, a seductive voice that could make the target act according to the Sapphire Dragon’s words.

Boom!

The rocks beneath Saga rose and deformed, turning into a giant hand that tried to grasp him.

Saga’s gaze remained calm as he suddenly lifted his hind legs and stomped heavily.

Crash!

The stone hand shattered into flying debris.

At the same time, a deep voice also echoed in the Sapphire Dragon’s heart:

“Leave the underground.”

This voice carried an undeniable command and was filled with a substantial amount of psychic energy.

“Psychic abilities?”

The Sapphire Dragon was startled at first, instinctively building mental defenses, but its defenses crumbled like paper before Saga, easily dissolved. The Sapphire Dragon’s gaze became vacant, and with a whoosh, it flew out of the ground.

Bang!

Saga’s wings flapped, creating a horizontal gravitational wave like a giant blade that heavily struck the Sapphire Dragon’s chest, pushing her backward.

During this, the Sapphire Dragon had already come to its senses.

She roared, tearing at the gravity blade with her claws, flapping her wings, and stomping the ground with her feet, but she was still pushed back hundreds of meters before barely stopping.

A shocking fracture appeared on the scales at her chest.

This was the damage caused by the gravity blade.

“You, how do you also have psychic abilities?” the Sapphire Dragon couldn’t help but say.

“This is not exclusive to Gemstone Dragons.” The young dragon grinned, suddenly disappearing from the Sapphire Dragon’s view, then reappeared in front of her, clenching his claw into a fist and delivering an uppercut to the Sapphire Dragon’s chin.

Boom!

The massive body of the Sapphire Dragon shot straight into the sky.

The golden dragon shadow also rose from the ground, moving even faster, quickly surpassing the Sapphire Dragon, and then stomped down from above. The powerful hind legs landed on the Sapphire Dragon’s head, the wings adding force, driving the Sapphire Dragon down heavily.

Crash!

The ground erupted in dust, and numerous cracks radiated outward like branching tree limbs.

At the same time, Saga leisurely folded his wings and descended, then swept his claw, the resulting gust dispersing the dust to reveal the scene inside.

In the huge ground pit.

The Sapphire Dragon lay belly-up, its scales largely shattered from its back to its tail tip, its psychic spines all drooping listlessly, breathing heavily like thunder.

Upon seeing the Golden Dragon before her, the Sapphire Dragon roared, her combative bloodline flowing in her veins. She wanted to turn over and stand up to continue the fight.

Suddenly.

A force gripped her neck, and her body uncontrollably lifted into the air.

Saga held the Sapphire Dragon’s slender neck in his claw, flapping his wings and suspending her thousand-ton body vertically in the air.

The combative Sapphire Dragon struggled frantically, but the Golden Dragon’s claw was immovable like a mountain, firmly clamping her neck and tightening continuously.

The immense feeling of suffocation was about to drown the Sapphire Dragon’s consciousness when…

The flames of fighting spirit burning fiercely within her finally extinguished, and the Sapphire Dragon shuddered, then under the calm gaze of the other, she lowered her gaze, avoiding direct eye contact, and said in a strained whisper:

“I, I’ve lost.”

Hearing this, Saga released his claw.

The Sapphire Dragon flapped its wings and landed unsteadily, then looked up at the golden dragon shadow above, exhaling and saying, “King of the Near Seas, you are truly deserving.”

As for the title of Emperor Dragon, the Sapphire Dragon still refused to acknowledge it deep inside.

The tail curled to the front, and the Sapphire Dragon’s tail gem, wrapped in a faint psychic glow, floated up and eventually reached Saga.

Saga took the tail gem.

This diamond-shaped blue tail gem refracted beautiful light under the moon, like the pale blue of a clear summer sky. If not revealed, no one would imagine it was actually a dragon’s tail rather than a top-grade Magic Gem.

Storing the tail gem away.

Saga looked down at the Sapphire Dragon and said, “I am indeed the King of the Near Seas, but what about Emperor Dragon?”

The Sapphire Dragon hesitated for a moment, then insisted, “That is not a title for dragons of our level to compare with.”

“Even ancient dragons and primordial dragons are not worthy of such a title in terms of status.”

“I suggest you change your title, otherwise you’ll only encounter more and more trouble, like me, who came here for this reason.”

Hearing the Sapphire Dragon’s words, Saga did not get angry but nodded slightly.

He looked at the Sapphire Dragon and said:

“I know I’m not yet worthy of the title of Emperor Dragon, but it is the goal I’m striving for.”

“I am certain that in the not-too-distant future, both mortals and my kin will sincerely acknowledge me as the Emperor Dragon.”

“As for the troubles you mentioned… I never fear trouble. Rather than wandering in a calm world, I prefer to soar through storms and dance on the edge of a blade.”

Such grandiosity was rare even among Red Dragons.

But for some reason, the Sapphire Dragon inexplicably felt that this Outsider Dragon before her might indeed achieve it. Dragons respect the powerful, and Saga’s transcendent charm, unconsciously emanating from the young dragon, captivated the Sapphire Dragon.

“I wonder what kind of dragon he is.”

“Metal Dragon, Gemstone Dragon, Chromatic Dragon? All are possible.”

“If he’s a Gemstone Dragon, he should be an adult by now. If he’s a Metal Dragon or a Chromatic Dragon, perhaps he’s still a young dragon. No, he’s an Outsider Dragon; I can’t judge him by conventional standards.”

The Sapphire Dragon looked at Saga, unable to help but think.

Among all dragons, Gemstone Dragons are relatively small in size. This mature Gemstone Dragon was only sixteen meters long, and she was one of the better individuals among her kin, but a young Red Dragon could already reach this size.

I don’t know what age he is.

After the doubt arose in her heart, the Sapphire Dragon instinctively used one of her psychic spells—Age Identification!

Seventeen years old.

A number visible only to the Sapphire Dragon floated above Saga’s head.

Seventeen?

After receiving the identification result, the Sapphire Dragon rubbed her eyes and looked again at the Golden Dragon in her view, exclaiming, “Seventeen, how can this be seventeen years old? A high-ranking young dragon at seventeen?”

She couldn’t believe it, her gaze sharpening as she looked again with concentrated psychic energy.

At the same time, Saga frowned slightly, sensing the probing gaze of the other party. His psychic energy vibrated to form a defense, and the age number floating above his head immediately collapsed, causing pain in the Sapphire Dragon’s eyes.

“You’re only seventeen this year!”

She exclaimed in shock.

Seeing her inexperienced reaction, Saga lifted his chin and said, “What do you think?”

The Sapphire Dragon paid no attention to the pain in her eyes, showing a dazed expression and murmuring in disbelief.

“A seventeen-year-old young dragon, already nearly fifteen meters from head to tail, and able to overpower and defeat me across ranks…”

She lifted her head, looking up at the figure of the Golden Dragon, which seemed even taller.

Sigh. The Sapphire Dragon sighed, lowered her head, and the row of spines on her tail drooped listlessly.

I’ve really lived in vain for over two hundred and forty years. Reflecting on her past, the Sapphire Dragon suddenly understood the thoughts of many ordinary creatures when facing her, understanding the disparities of the world.

Reaching high-ranking eighth tier before three hundred years old once made the Sapphire Dragon a little proud.

Because it typically takes over three hundred years for a Sapphire Dragon to reach high-ranking eighth tier.

But now, her little pride has vanished.

Why is there such a big gap between dragons? At seventeen, I was probably just reaching the fourth tier, yet he has already been revered as the King of the Near Seas, feared and dreaded by many nations. The Sapphire Dragon thought to herself.

“What’s your name?”

She heard Saga’s deep voice, resonating directly in her mind.

“Ireth.”

The Sapphire Dragon’s voice was very defeated.

At the same time, the young Golden Dragon looked down at the Sapphire Dragon below, whose spirit was dampened by his blow, feeling her inner confusion and dimness.

It’s normal for a mature dragon to be beaten down and become negative by a young dragon who isn’t even a fraction of her age.

However, Saga didn’t want to see the Sapphire Dragon, who would be serving him for the next ten years, in such a dispirited state.

She would still be needed in the likely upcoming war.

After considering his words, Saga’s voice echoed again in the Sapphire Dragon’s heart.

“Ireth, I sense your negativity.”

The Sapphire Dragon was slightly startled, then looked up again at the golden dragon shadow suspended in the air.

“My understanding of Sapphire Dragons is that no matter what setbacks they encounter, they never lose their fighting spirit, as combative as they come.”

“You are the first Sapphire Dragon I’ve met, and I don’t want to see you in such a negative state.”

After a pause, Saga softened his tone and continued, “A momentary failure doesn’t determine anything. We all have infinite possibilities. I know of a kin who held a high position and showed no notable talents until over three hundred years old. But with a sudden burst, it rose like a comet within a few decades, reaching the pinnacle of the world to a degree unimaginable to ordinary dragons.”

Hearing this, the Sapphire Dragon’s expression brightened a bit.

“Really?”

“Of course, there’s no point in lying to you.”

Saga wasn’t lying to the Sapphire Dragon, just omitting a little information, like the fact that the “sudden burst” of a certain big Golden Dragon was actually due to a special talent that was very powerful, only discovered later in life, and then it soared to great heights.

“Accumulating and then bursting forth… Yes, the future holds infinite possibilities.”

“I’m only over two hundred years old, and with the long lifespan of dragons, this is just the beginning of my dragon life. Anything can happen in the future.”

Encouraged by Saga’s words, the Sapphire Dragon quickly rallied.

Meanwhile, the golden dragon shadow in her view, for some reason, seemed even more majestic despite being smaller than her.

Emperor Dragon… The Sapphire Dragon had thought it was a presumptuous title Saga had given himself out of ignorance, but now it seemed… it might not be the case.

“May I know your name?” the Sapphire Dragon shook her head and inquired.

“Saga Alzhus.”

The Sapphire Dragon lowered her head to Saga and said, “King of the Near Seas, Saga Alzhus, I will serve you faithfully for the next ten years as agreed.”

Saga imperceptibly nodded, showing a satisfied smile.

With the addition of this eighth-tier Sapphire Dragon to the Grayrock Archipelago, along with a host of monsters drawn by the fame of the King of the Near Seas, Saga felt confident that even if faced with a joint challenge from eight human duchies, he would emerge victorious.

ps: I would appreciate your vote.