Chapter 384: Unexpected Reinforcements

In the south of the Nordhill Continent, Willy stepped off the Teleportation Platform into Nine Eyes Alliance territory. Shouldering his heavy mission, he took to the sky and flew toward the Elven Forest. Much like the Cat-Woman, the silver dragon scholar made his home within the elven woods. The only difference was that while her home sat nestled among the trees, his was perched atop a snow-capped peak rising from the forest.

The towering snowy peak made for a perfect landmark. Willy couldn't have gotten lost even if he tried as he flew toward the silver dragon scholar's residence, a place he had visited once before.

He landed above the snow line, shrank his body, and walked toward an inconspicuous little cave.

The interior was no different from any ordinary cavern. The uneven rock walls were freezing to the touch, and the cratered floor forced him to hop over a few gaps. Willy followed the tunnel to its end and knocked against the solid stone wall.

Moments later, a silvery light flared across the unremarkable stone. The glow outlined the shape of a doorway, filled with arcane magic runes.

A secret magic door!

The door swung open, and out walked the silver dragon scholar, Jetesla Nashudine, wearing the guise of an elderly human.

"Ah, Willy. Welcome to my home."

The silver dragon scholar ushered his guest inside. Willy looked around the room, finding almost nothing but books as far as his eyes could see. Endless bookshelves replaced the walls entirely, while the stacks on the desk towered higher than a grown man. Above them, a magnificent star map painted the ceiling.

Wedged between the bookshelves on either side of the room sat two shrines, each housing a different idol. One depicted the source of the metallic dragon bloodline, the northern dragon god, Bahamut. The other was dedicated to the God of Knowledge.

"Senior Jetesla, I've come because..."

Willy gave him a brief rundown of the situation in the Muxinge plane. As he finished, the silver dragon scholar furrowed his brow.

"Those Titans truly are a menace, but I'm sorry, Willy. Please tell Amos that I can't help him with this, and there is no way the Nine Eyes Alliance can join the war at a time like this."

"Senior..."

"Listen to me, Willy. It isn't that I don't want to help, but rather that I can't. Something has happened in Quicksand Purgatory. Just yesterday, the Nine Eyes Alliance recalled all their powerhouses from the Abyss to prevent the evil entity trapped within Quicksand Purgatory from breaking out of its cage. If you had arrived just a little later, I would have already teleported to the Nine Eyes Alliance."

"Evil entity?"

Willy looked at him in confusion.

"What kind of entity?"

"At your current level of strength, knowing will do you no good. Go back and ask your brother about it. He will understand."

Willy had no idea what the silver dragon scholar was talking about, but the fact that the Nine Eyes Alliance had recalled their powerhouses from the Abyss was enough to prove just how severe the situation was.

Realizing that seeking help from the Nine Eyes Alliance was a dead end, Willy rushed back to the Muxinge plane as fast as he could and appeared before the White Dragon Lord.

"Quicksand Purgatory? Are you absolutely sure Senior Jetesla was talking about the Quicksand Purgatory guarded by the Thunder Tyrant?!"

"Uh... the senior didn't go into detail," Willy replied. "But the problem is extremely serious. They even withdrew all their powerhouses from the Abyss."

Willy didn't know much about Quicksand Purgatory, but he had certainly heard of the Thunder Tyrant—the blue dragon who stood as one of the High-Tier Legendary Chromatic Dragons in Nordhill.

"Brother, what exactly is inside Quicksand Purgatory?" Willy asked. "Why does it require the Thunder Tyrant to guard it?"

"During the middle era of the Elf Dynasty, an otherworldly Abomination invaded the Nordhill Continent," the White Dragon Lord explained. "Unfortunately for the Abomination, it crossed paths with the Elf Dynasty at the very height of its power and was sealed inside a demiplane attached to the Nordhill Plane. Once it was sealed away, its power bled into the entire demiplane, gradually turning a once-picturesque world into an endless desert of sand. The sheer contrast made it look like a living hell, which is why the Elves named it Quicksand Purgatory."

"Then why would the Thunder Tyrant go out of his way to guard it?"

"That, I don't know. I only heard this ancient tale in passing."

A sense of foreboding washed over the White Dragon Lord. At this point, he could only pin his hopes on the Raven Council successfully pulling the aquatic races into their alliance.

Before long, Grimos Raven's familiar arrived at the White Tower via the Teleportation Platform.

"Caw! Lord Amos, how did things go with the Nine Eyes Alliance?"

"We ran into an unexpected problem," the White Dragon Lord said. "Something has happened in Quicksand Purgatory. The Elves are in an uproar, and the Nine Eyes Alliance has been dragged into it as well. What about the sea races?"

"Both the Naga Queen and the Mermaid Empress refused! They kicked my envoy out without even bothering to give a reason, caw!"

The White Dragon Lord could see a bitter smile reflected in the raven's eyes.

"Without new allies, the Titans will defeat us sooner or later, caw! We need to cut our losses and withdraw the troops."

The White Dragon Lord nodded in agreement, and the raven hopped back onto the Teleportation Platform to depart.

"Willy, go find Dumahado, the leader of the Resistance Army. Tell him that if he wants to leave with us, he needs to gather his people now. The Portal will only remain open for one day."

Since the White Dragon Lord had long since dismantled the Magic Tower in the region occupied by the Resistance Army, he wasn't worried about Willy's safety out on his own.

Willy accepted the mission and flew off toward the Resistance Army, while the White Dragon Lord began organizing his massive army for a full retreat.

That night, the White Dragon Lord commanded the White Tower to hover in the sky above a small island. Like a god looking down from the heavens, he watched the endless tide of monsters lining up to step through the Portal.

Dumahado, the leader of the Resistance Army, declined the White Dragon Lord's offer. The White Dragon Lord respected his choice and began evacuating the army.

Across the ocean's surface, the White Dragon Lord forged a highway of solid ice leading straight to the island housing the Portal, and the army marched along it into the rift. Meanwhile, Willy stood on Glamorgan Island, receiving the forces returning to Nordhill. High above, the White Dragon Lord and the other legendary powerhouses manned the White Tower to deter the Titans. Fortunately, the Lord of Red Lotus was so accustomed to fighting on the defensive that he had yet to notice the White Dragon Lord's actions.

Everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.

Suddenly, a massive surge of energy rippled outward from the Portal. A brilliant, fiery red figure came blasting out of the rift, bowling over a huge swath of the monster army waiting to cross. An earth-shattering roar pierced the heavens.

"Where are the Titans?!"

...

Half a day earlier, after sending Willy on his way, the silver dragon scholar, Jetesla Nashudine, traveled to the Nine Eyes Alliance Headquarters to attend a meeting.

By the time the silver dragon scholar arrived, the Nine Eyes Alliance's ring-shaped conference hall was as chaotic as a bustling market. Numerous high-ranking alliance officials were fuming with anger.

"The Flame of the Molten Mountain has gone too far! To cause trouble for us at a time like this! This is outright extortion!"

"We must punish him!"

"Report him to Lord Merlin Heavenly Principle! Request Council arbitration!"

"Arbitration?! The thing sealed in Quicksand Purgatory isn't a Demon, and the Flame of the Molten Mountain hasn't colluded with any enemies! Applying for arbitration won't do a damn thing!"

...

"Quiet!"

An elven Mage slammed his hand onto the table.

"Fellow council members, our utmost priority is still Quicksand Purgatory. We must find a way to drive the Flame of the Molten Mountain away, or at the very least, stop him from wreaking further havoc in the Elven Forest. His forces have already sacked an entire city."

"But Her Majesty the Empress and His Highness the Prince have both gone to Quicksand Purgatory. Who among us can possibly defeat him now?"

The crowd shifted their gazes to the newly arrived silver dragon scholar. If anyone could hold their own against the Flame of the Molten Mountain, it was only the silver dragon scholar. The only problem was that he was not exactly skilled in combat.

The silver dragon scholar offered a bitter smile.

"Even if I could hold off the Flame of the Molten Mountain, who would deal with the Adult red dragons under his command? In the end, it would only reduce the Elven Forest to a sea of fire."

A collective headache gripped the room. More than property loss, they feared the destruction of the Elven Forest. This was the drawback of having a battlefield in their own territory.

The silver dragon scholar recalled the news Willy had brought.

"I have thought of a way."

...

The silver dragon scholar, Jetesla Nashudine, rapidly flew across the sky above the Elven Forest, looking toward the black smoke in the distance. It was the mark of the red dragons' rampage.

Driven by their inherently greedy nature, red dragons possessed an insatiable thirst for treasure. This sickly obsession compelled them to amass wealth by any means necessary, and for beasts of such terrifying power, simple, brutal robbery was a very fitting method.

The Flame of the Molten Mountain, McIntosh Williams, and his flight of red dragons loved nothing more than plundering the wealthy Elves. Sacking a single elven city was worth as much as raiding ten thousand ordinary merchant caravans.

Gradually, the silver dragon scholar drew near and spotted the flock of red dragons flying through the black smoke above the elven city. The city's defenders were still resisting, while more than thirty red dragons periodically spewed flames down upon the city.

The silver dragon scholar flew straight toward the red dragons. The pressure of his High-Tier Legendary Level made them treat him as a mortal threat. They collectively stopped attacking the elven city and stared warily at the approaching silver dragon, the world-incinerating Dragon Breath brewing in their mouths.

Ignoring the red dragons' threatening growls and the Dragon Breath brewing in their mouths, the silver dragon scholar stopped in front of them, maintaining a safe distance.

"I am here for your king. Where is he?"

Seeing the red dragons exchange glances without any response, the silver dragon scholar let out a sigh.

"Forget it. Even if you refuse to speak, I already know he is hiding nearby."

The Elven Forest was home to multiple High-Tier Legends. The cunning Flame of the Molten Mountain always preferred to send his subordinates to lead the charge while he hid in the shadows to evaluate the situation. The silver dragon scholar cast a magic spell to amplify his voice.

"McIntosh Williams! You coward, only daring to hide in the dark! A disgrace to the Red Dragon Clan! Come out!"

The red dragons, the elven defenders in the plundered city, and the civilians were all left dumbfounded.

When had the arrogant High-Tier Legendary Level red dragon, the Flame of the Molten Mountain, ever been insulted to his face like this? Fury surged in his heart.

Along with the rising fury, the Flame of the Molten Mountain radiated a blistering heat from his body, instantly baking the surrounding green leaves until they withered, curled, and burst into flames.

"JE! TES! LA!"

The Flame of the Molten Mountain violently flapped his wings and shot into the sky from the hidden forest, endless flames erupting from the red dragon's body.

Domain of Incineration!

The flames dyed the sky red. The Elves in the city immediately felt a wave of heat wash over them. The ever-spring Elven Forest seemed to instantly enter the hottest heights of summer.

The Flame of the Molten Mountain glared furiously at the indifferent silver dragon scholar.

"You dare insult me! Do you really think I wouldn't dare kill you just because we are of the same race?!"

"Hmph! You coward, you only dare to fight your own kind!"

The silver dragon scholar's calm expression and sarcastic words made the fury in the Flame of the Molten Mountain's heart burn even brighter.

"What did you say?! I dare you to say it again!"

"I said you're a coward who only dares to fight your own kind! If you have the skill, go to the Abyss and kill Demons! Kill Titans! Acting tough inside Nordhill and driving your subordinates to slaughter defenseless Elves—what kind of skill is that!"

"Good! Good! Good!"

The Flame of the Molten Mountain was so enraged that he laughed.

"You actually dare to ask what kind of skill I have? Then I'll show you my skill!"

Saying this, the Flame of the Molten Mountain prepared to attack.

"Wait! In the name of Their Majesties Bahamut and Tiamat, I am not here to pick a fight with you."

Hearing the silver dragon scholar invoke the names of the two dragon gods, the battle intent in the Flame of the Molten Mountain's heart dissipated significantly. After all, the two dragon gods expressly forbade infighting within the Dragon Race. More importantly, since the silver dragon scholar called their divine names directly, there was no guarantee the two dragon gods hadn't already noticed this place.

"In the name of Her Majesty the Dragon Queen! Get lost! Otherwise I really will kill you!!!"

"I came to tell you a piece of news. I will leave as soon as I am done."

The Flame of the Molten Mountain narrowed his eyes, baring his jagged fangs.

"Do not test my patience!"

"It's about the Titans."

"Hmph!"

After a cold snort, the Flame of the Molten Mountain retracted his fangs. Clearly, he still cared very much about news of his mortal enemies, the Titans.

"Hurry up and speak! Get lost once you're done!"

The silver dragon scholar was not angry.

"The White Dragon King of Yafiavi, Amos Aldrich, has invaded a small Titan plane—the Muxinge plane—and is currently at war with the Titans. He has already killed over a dozen Titans, and the Portal to the Titan plane is located on Glamorgan Island in the Afiaiv Kingdom."

After the silver dragon scholar finished speaking, he turned around and left. After flying a certain distance, the silver dragon scholar looked back.

"Oh, right! The leader of these Titans is also an old rival of you red dragons—a High-Tier Legendary Level molten titan. It is said he is called Madahak, Lord of the Red Lotus. If you can take off his head, I will apologize to you for my earlier words."

Catching a glimpse of the Flame of the Molten Mountain's conflicted expression, the silver dragon scholar secretly rejoiced. Next, it would just depend on whether the Flame of the Molten Mountain took the bait. If he went to the Muxinge plane to fight the Titans, it would not only solve the Nine Eyes Alliance's urgent crisis, but also bring the White Dragon Lord a powerful ally.

The Flame of the Molten Mountain looked at the silver dragon scholar's retreating back, then looked at the burning elven city below, feeling deeply conflicted.

As a High-Tier Legendary red dragon who had lived for over ten thousand years, the Flame of the Molten Mountain might have been impulsive and easily angered, but he was no fool. He understood the conspiracy in the silver dragon scholar's words—or rather, the overt scheme.

The Dragon Race's most hated enemies were the Titans, and the molten titans who shared their elemental affinity were the Titans the red dragons despised most, bar none. If he could personally hunt down a molten titan of the same level and claim its head as a trophy, not only would the silver dragon scholar have to apologize for his earlier offense, but other dragons would cast looks of envy and admiration. The latter was especially tempting for the immensely prideful Flame of the Molten Mountain.

"Let's go! We're going to fight Titans!"

The Flame of the Molten Mountain led the red dragons and disappeared from the skies above the Elven Forest.

Borrowing the Magic Towers scattered across the Nordhill Plane, the Flame of the Molten Mountain led the dragons across the continent to the third largest island of the Afiaiv Kingdom, Glamorgan Island, and discovered Willy guarding by the Portal.

Seeing a large flock of red dragons descending from the sky, Willy looked utterly dumbfounded.

"Is this the Portal to the Muxinge plane?"

Willy nodded subconsciously, and the Flame of the Molten Mountain plunged headfirst into the Portal.

"Where are the Titans?!"