Chapter 298: Willy Awakens

The White Dragon Lord lowered his head in thought. He had heard of the Lord of Withered Bones—the ruler of a Necromantic Plane and a skeleton emperor at the Abomination Rank. He had never heard of The Witherer, though the title suggested a lich. As for the Undead Dragon King, Padesam Frostsoul, that went without saying: he was a dracolich.

Dracoliches, transformed from true dragons, were natural subordinates of Padesam Frostsoul. It made sense that the Cult of the Dragon was so obsessed with creating them.

A thought suddenly struck the White Dragon Lord. If dracoliches were the natural subordinates of Padesam Frostsoul, who did regular liches answer to?

"Sir Philidel, are you a member of the Cult of the Dragon?"

"Of course, though I am merely an outer member. In fact, nearly every lich in Nordhill is an outer member of the Cult of the Dragon, save for those who maintain ties with their former organizations."

The White Dragon Lord grew thoughtful. Most liches had belonged to some faction when they were alive. If their organization accepted their new identity, the lich might continue to serve them. That explained where the Black Robe Wizard's Association got the undead miners they sold.

However, this could never be brought out into the open. Both The Gods and the general public abhorred the undead. Souls that failed to return to the embrace of the divine undeniably harmed the interests of The Gods, and ordinary people naturally did not want their corpses desecrated after death.

The White Dragon Lord wondered if he could recruit a few liches to serve White Castle.

After thinking it over, he dismissed the idea. A lich was a ticking time bomb. There was no telling when one might be twisted by necromantic energy and unleash an undead scourge to destroy the world. In truth, many weaker planes had perished exactly this way, reduced to nothing more than a Necromantic Realm.

Although he couldn't recruit them, he could certainly collaborate with them. The White Dragon Lord recalled the partnership models between massive conglomerates and laboratories from his past life.

"Sir Philidel, I have a proposal that will benefit us both. Are you interested?"

"If it's a win-win situation, why wouldn't I be?"

"I imagine you don't craft magical items for the Cult of the Dragon out of genuine desire, but rather because you need funding for your experiments."

Philidel completely agreed. If not for the need to buy magical materials, who in their right mind would want to craft useless trinkets they couldn't even use?

The White Dragon Lord continued.

"I am willing to fund your magical experiments, and in return, we will share the results. This way, you won't have to waste time gathering materials, nor will you suffer any substantial losses. What do you say?"

The lich fell silent for a moment.

"And if the experiments fail...?"

No investment came without risk. The White Dragon Lord didn't hesitate.

"If they fail, we analyze the cause and start over. I will continue to provide the materials."

Philidel was delighted. When a lich sold experimental results to the Cult of the Dragon, the Cult purchased them based on the value of the knowledge. The Cult always turned a profit, but the lich was not so guaranteed. Sometimes the payout couldn't even cover the cost of the materials, though occasionally they might make a fortune.

Under the White Dragon Lord's proposal, the dragon would bear almost all the risk, guaranteeing the lich would never operate at a loss. Conversely, if the lich produced a highly valuable result, the White Dragon Lord stood to make a massive profit.

Naturally, the lich had no reason to refuse such a mutually beneficial offer.

The two parties immediately drafted an agreement and signed a contract.

With the deal struck, Philidel spilled everything he knew about the Cult of the Dragon. The White Dragon Lord finally gained a solid understanding of the Cult's operations across Nordhill.

The Cult of the Dragon had three High-Tier Legends stationed in Nordhill, each representing the respective interests of the Lord of Withered Bones, The Witherer, and the Undead Dragon King.

The White Dragon Lord now had a clear plan regarding his cooperation with the Witches' Council. He was temporarily unwilling to clash with the Cult of the Dragon. It wasn't out of fear; after all, a strong dragon cannot crush the local snake, and the combined strength of White Castle and the Witches' Council was more than enough to suppress the Cult.

However, having experienced the lucrative profits of developing a sub-plane firsthand, he realized that the potential gains in the Desolation of Extreme Winter did not justify the risks. Yet the Witches' Council pushed forward without hesitation. There had to be an ulterior motive.

Facing a powerful enemy while standing beside an ally harboring hidden intentions was simply too risky. The White Dragon Lord had no choice but to reconsider his position carefully.

...

Summer, Year Five of the White Tower Calendar.

The White Dragon Lord continued his disciplined routine. He occasionally handled state affairs for the Afiaiv Kingdom, but spent the rest of his time sleeping, studying magic in the White Tower, or conducting magical experiments.

Over the past year, the lich Philidel had repaired his body and returned to his lair on Blood Rage Island, officially becoming the first lich—or rather, scientist—funded by the White Dragon Lord.

Driven by a fanatical obsession with magic and a tireless undead body, Philidel burned through money faster than even the White Dragon Lord. His research expenses for the previous year alone reached a staggering 60 million gold coins. This staggering sum forced the White Dragon Lord to suppress any thoughts of funding additional liches—especially since he still had a prospective lich of his own to take care of.

Old Jimmy's soul was still roasting over the Soul-Forging Fire. His soul strength had yet to meet the required standard. Qualifying for a lich transformation without first reaching the Legendary Rank naturally required a massive price. The White Dragon Lord estimated that he would need to roast for another twenty years or so.

Ala and Scarlett, who had been slumbering in Dark Furnace Fortress, had already awakened and returned to the Sub-Dragon Legion.

Neither possessed top-tier innate talent, so their surge in strength upon stepping into the Legendary Rank wasn't overly exaggerated; they were roughly on par with the gray dwarf prince. However, their lifespans were far longer. While their hopes of reaching High-Tier Legend were slim, attaining Peak Legendary Rank shouldn't be an issue.

It was worth mentioning that after Ala and Scarlett awoke, the White Dragon Lord dispatched an army of 10,000 murlocs deep underground to begin exploring the Underworld.

They didn't find any passages leading to other Dark Lands, but they did discover several ore veins, meaning their efforts hadn't been entirely in vain.

Two other major events occurred at White Castle over the course of the year. Following Gurgalu, the gnoll Hogg Riverclaw and the nightrunner leader Bucky Darkscale both broke through to the Legendary Rank.

To date, White Castle boasted seven powerhouses at the Legendary Rank Tier: Gurgalu, Hogg Riverclaw, the gray dwarf prince, the Earth Dragon King, the two wyverns, and the Nether Panther. Add in the Dragon Brother and Dragon Sister—who were guaranteed to reach the Legendary Rank—as well as the top brass gold and red dragons from Ten Thousand Dragon Island, and their visible roster of legendary powerhouses numbered a staggering twelve.

The Nordhill Continent possessed tens of thousands of legendary powerhouses, so twelve was nothing unusual for a major faction. Even so, it finally allowed White Castle to bridge the gap in its hierarchy between its High-Tier Legends and standard legendary combatants.

Furthermore, it was highly foreseeable that in the next eighty years, White Castle would experience an explosive surge in legendary powerhouses. Putting aside the young dragons currently receiving their education on Ten Thousand Dragon Island, the sheer population base of monster citizens raised under White Castle's new policies—combined with high-quality professional education—would inevitably produce several, perhaps even dozens, of new legends.

Today's White Castle, in both current strength and future potential, was undeniably one of Nordhill's apex factions.

The prosperity of the Afiaiv Kingdom was a given. Seeking fortune and avoiding danger was the natural instinct of intelligent beings, and more and more of the continent's high-quality populace was flocking to the Overseas Archipelago to settle down.

In just over eighty years since the white dragon's arrival, the once-barren wilderness of the Overseas Archipelago had transformed into a renowned hub of prosperity on the Nordhill Continent.

The speed and ferocity of the Overseas Archipelago's development were unprecedented in Nordhill's history, leaving countless scholars in awe. As the ruler of the Afiaiv Kingdom, the White Dragon Lord had become the most famous Chromatic Dragon on the Nordhill Continent.

The Afiaiv Kingdom's sheer momentum alarmed many across the continent. They saw it as an omen that monsters would usurp humanity's dominance over the land. Arguing that the monster kingdom's growth needed to be suppressed, they published a slew of literature, spearheaded by works like The Afiaiv Kingdom Threat Theory.

However, others dismissed The Afiaiv Kingdom Threat Theory as baseless paranoia. There were humans in the Afiaiv Kingdom as well, and they faced no discrimination whatsoever.

On the contrary, their natural intellect meant that human standing within the Afiaiv Kingdom's administrative system was rising year by year. The statesman Hobbes, in particular, stood among the kingdom's highest-ranking officials.

Of course, these were merely the views of ordinary people who remained ignorant of the truths of the world. The great human nobility and powerhouses who were qualified to know of the Council's existence understood perfectly well that as long as Merlin Heavenly Principle still drew breath, humanity's dominion over the continent remained unshakeable.

Thus, the major factions and kingdoms maintained a rational stance toward White Castle's expansion. Those doing business continued to do business, and those exchanging pleasantries continued to do so. In fact, thanks to the vast potential White Castle displayed, its trade networks only grew more prosperous.

The White Dragon Lord paid no heed to the outside world's opinions. He remained entirely focused on his path of magic, profoundly aware that in this world, strength was everything. When faced with a fist, a mouth was only good for getting swollen.

After stepping into the Legendary Rank, the White Dragon Lord's physical development gradually slowed, and the growth of his Creature Level slowed along with it. At his current pace, he estimated it would take an entire century for his Creature Level to reach Level 25.

Of course, if other dragons knew the White Dragon Lord considered this speed "slow," they would probably cry themselves to death in the latrines.

Physical maturation could only be achieved through the accumulation of time, but his Mage level could be raised through sheer hard work.

After unrelenting and grueling practice, the White Dragon Lord's Mage level had increased by one. His current status was:

[Name]: Amos Aldrich

[Level]: Level 22 Dragon / Level 21 Mage

[Strength]: Legendary Rank

[Alignment]: Lawful Neutral

[Description]: You are a male Ancestral White Dragon in the Adult Stage. Compared to ordinary white dragons, you are an entirely different species altogether. Ancestral White Dragons possess a complete Dragon Inheritance. You have comprehended the true essence of soul laws, imbuing your breath with soul attacks. On the path of the Mage professional, you have forged your own way and become a legend of this era. You have received the blessing of a powerful Ice Elemental, who regards you as an intimate companion, drastically amplifying the power of your ice magic. In terms of comprehensive combat strength, you are fully capable of rivaling a High-Tier Legend.

Today, just like any other day, the White Dragon Lord was in his laboratory, verifying magical theories.

Suddenly, the Tower Spirit sent a message. The energy reactions within Willy, who was slumbering on the second underground floor, were steadily rising.

The White Dragon Lord was overjoyed. After five years of slumber, his Dragon Brother and two Dragon Sisters were finally about to awaken. He hastily teleported to the second underground floor of the White Tower.

By the time he arrived, Willy's heartbeat—slowed from years of hibernation—was steadily accelerating. His breathing rhythm had shifted as well. His metamorphosis was complete, and he was on the verge of waking.

Before long, Willy's eyelids twitched. The transparent nictitating membranes protecting his eyes slowly retracted, revealing the golden, diamond-shaped pupils beneath. Having just woken up, a trace of confusion lingered in his gaze.

Willy's consciousness gradually returned. As his body fully awakened, he slowly climbed to his feet.

"Roar!"

Willy stretched his frame and beat his dragon wings, throwing his head back to loose a thrilled, draconic roar. After five years of slumber, his stored body fat had long been depleted, leaving him looking almost emaciated. Yet, he was practically vibrating with adrenaline, feeling an absolute surge of power coursing through his entire body.

He was now an Adult Dragon at the Legendary Rank Tier!

"Scan!"

[Name]: Willy Aldrich

[Level]: Level 21 Dragon / Level 17 Warrior

[Strength]: Legendary Rank

[Alignment]: Lawful Neutral

[Description]: He was originally an ordinary white dragon, but due to his older brother's emergence, the trajectory of his fate underwent a massive shift. Striving to emulate his brother, he took up the Warrior class and achieved extraordinary results. Having undergone a high-level Bloodline Advancement Ritual, his body now contains a trace of the Ancestral Dragon bloodline. The gates to becoming an Ancient Dragon have opened for him.

The White Dragon Lord examined his brother's physical condition. The density of the Ancestral Dragon bloodline in Willy's body was roughly the same as his own before he had fully advanced to an Ancestral Dragon. It was enough to sustain Willy's growth all the way to an Ancient Dragon, allowing him to step into High-Tier Legend.

Moreover, thanks to the Ancestral Dragon bloodline, Willy's Creature Level upon reaching adulthood was already Level 21. Ordinary dragons only hit Level 20 when they reached adulthood. This was the inherent advantage of the bloodline: a sturdier physique and vastly superior combat power.

The greater the benefits obtained, the longer the required slumber. The White Dragon Lord himself had slept for nearly ten years, waking up at Level 22 straightaway.

If Willy, the first to awaken, had already secured his ticket to becoming an Ancient Dragon, the two still-slumbering Dragon Sisters certainly wouldn't fare any worse!

The White Dragon Lord let Willy vent his excitement inside the soundproofed barrier.

After a while, Willy caught sight of his older brother standing nearby. He cut his excited roars short and quickly trotted through the barrier toward the White Dragon Lord.

"Brother, I'm starving to death!"

Now that his initial rush of excitement had faded, an overwhelming tide of hunger crashed over him. Willy felt as though his own stomach acid was about to digest his stomach outright.

The White Dragon Lord immediately teleported Willy to the dining hall. Anything within a ten-kilometer radius of the White Tower was his absolute home turf.

Willy shoved an entire sheep straight into his maw. He chewed twice as a mere formality before swallowing it down his throat. Then, grabbing a platter of precious deep-sea fish, he tipped his head back and dumped the entire portion into his gaping mouth.

Holding the massive silver platter in his claws, Willy stared at the stacks of dishes piled higher than his own head. Too lazy to even stand up, he just shoved the silver platter directly into his mouth. After crunching down the platter in two or three bites, he grabbed the rest of the food off the table and continued his frantic gorge.