Chapter 401: Rock! Paper! Scissors!

Steering the White Tower, the White Dragon Lord dodged the incoming Spear of Lightning and flew into the endless, chaotic void currents. He drifted along the turbulent flow until the collapsing world was no longer visible.

After shaking off the Titans, the White Dragon Lord teleported the White Tower back to Nordhill. It descended toward its original site inside the royal palace of Oqi City. Once the tower locked perfectly into its foundation, it automatically began drawing magical energy from the earth to replenish its depleted Elemental Pools.

Back in his own territory, the White Dragon Lord finally relaxed. He turned to the numerous High-Tier Legendary Dragons who had followed him.

"Everyone! Welcome to the Afiaiv Kingdom! This is my domain. If you do not have any pressing matters to attend to, you are welcome to stay and enjoy yourselves for a while."

Crimson Flame Streamer, who had been pulling a long face, cheered up a bit. "Alright, then I will turn my sorrow and anger into appetite! I am going to freeload off you, Amos, and you are not allowed to chase me away."

"You can stay as long as you like," Amos said.

If Crimson Flame Streamer was willing to live in the Afiaiv Kingdom long-term, the White Dragon Lord would be more than welcoming. Even if the red copper dragon never worked directly for White Castle, having such a formidable fighter residing in the territory would give the White Dragon Lord much more peace of mind whenever he left home.

"I won't be staying," the Matron of Venom said. "I have a mountain of matters waiting for me at home, and I still don't know how many of my children made it back."

"Amos, I am leaving as well," Flame of the Molten Mountain added. "I can't wait to show off my spoils to my old friends!"

...

In the end, Crimson Flame Streamer and thirty-four solitary dragons decided to spend some time relaxing in the Afiaiv Kingdom. The White Dragon Lord immediately ordered the White Castle Royal Kitchen to prepare a celebration banquet.

...

Meanwhile, in the Bottomless Abyss, the White Dragon Lord's main body observed his clone's actions with deep satisfaction. Befriending so many High-Tier Legendary Dragons was undoubtedly the right move. If anything ever happened in the future, it would be much easier to find helpers.

Seeing his clone begin the banquet with the other dragons, the White Dragon Lord shifted his attention away and began mentally calculating the gains from this operation.

First was the Small Material Plane—the Muxinge Plane. The dragons had successfully driven out its resident Titans, leaving the entire world ownerless. However, since the Mother of Lightning had ascended to become an Abomination Rank powerhouse and knew the plane's coordinates, the White Dragon Lord had no intention of occupying it. Still, the Muxinge Plane boasted a vast ocean. The murlocs he had originally dispatched there had not returned, making it a perfect paradise for them. Given the murlocs' reproductive capabilities, they would likely overrun the entire ocean soon.

Second was the extensive network of dragon connections. By piloting the White Tower into battle and leading the dragons to victory, the White Dragon Lord had amassed a tremendous amount of prestige and goodwill. This network was perhaps more valuable than all the tangible loot combined. The only downside was that he had thoroughly earned the Titans' hatred. Although he had not exposed his true name during the operation, the White Tower could not be hidden from anyone determined to investigate. Sooner or later, the Titans would uncover his real identity.

Finally, there was Tiamat's reward. After the Black King succeeded, the Five-Headed Dragon Queen announced the reward roster. Unsurprisingly, as the initiator and highest leader of the operation, the White Dragon Lord's name was on the list to receive Divinity. The other two were the green dragon, the Matron of Venom, and the red dragon, Wings of Ashen Ruin. The Five-Headed Dragon Queen was clearly playing favorites with the Chromatic Dragons; otherwise, Crimson Flame Streamer would have definitely made the list.

Though the reward roster had been announced, the Dragon Queen hadn't specified when the rewards would actually be distributed.

Soon after, the White Dragon Lord received explosive news through Alliance channels. While the dragons and Titans were fighting in the Sincaro Titan World, Tiamat and the God of the Dark Titans, Astraeus, had thrown down in a direct clash. The situation only avoided further escalation because the Divine Alliance stepped in to mediate.

If they weren't in the middle of the blood war, a time when the Abyss could ill afford internal chaos, the incident would very likely have spiraled into an all-out war between the dragons and Titans.

Not long after, the Dragon Queen's divine envoy delivered the reward directly into the White Dragon Lord's hands.

The White Dragon Lord stared at the crystal floating above his palm. The Divinity stored within radiated a milky-white glow, enticing him to devour it.

Taking a deep breath, the White Dragon Lord pressed the crystal against his forehead. His tyrannical spiritual power surged outward, tangling with the Divinity. As his spiritual power and the Divinity gradually merged, his mind felt incredibly clear and his spirit invigorated.

Suddenly, elemental energy from the outside world madly drilled into his body. Inside the Magic Tower, Cat-Woman and his other companions sensed the massive convergence of elements. They all turned to look toward the White Dragon Lord's room, their eyes filled with unconcealed envy and a touch of jealousy.

"Meow! Another breakthrough! He really isn't leaving any room for the rest of us! Meow!"

The White Dragon Lord had just broken through not too long ago, following the fierce battle with the Blade Sovereign. Now he was advancing again. It was no wonder even Cat-Woman felt a tinge of jealousy.

Several days passed. Once his spiritual power fully integrated with the Divinity, the White Dragon Lord successfully completed his breakthrough and opened his eyes.

"Scan."

[Name]: Amos Aldrich

[Level]: Level 24 Dragon, Level 26 Mage

[Strength]: High-Tier Legend

[Alignment]: Lawful Neutral

[Description]: You are a male Adult Stage Ancestral divine White Dragon. Compared to ordinary white dragons, you are an entirely different creature altogether. Ancestral White Dragons possess the complete Dragon Inheritance. You have grasped the true essence of the laws of the soul, infusing your breath with soul attacks. On the path of a Mage professional, you have carved out your own way and achieved a generation of legend. You have received the blessing of a powerful Ice Elemental, who regards you as an intimate partner, drastically boosting the power of your ice magic. Having fused with a strand of Divinity, you now possess partial characteristics of an eternal existence, granting you immunity to instant death magic... In terms of actual combat prowess, you can walk unopposed among High-Tier Legends.

Both his Mage level and his Creature Level had increased by one. A flash of uncontrollable joy flickered in the White Dragon Lord's eyes.

"I didn't expect fusing with Divinity to have such benefits!"

The White Dragon Lord savored the advantages brought by the Divinity. His brain's calculation speed was faster, his body had grown a bit sturdier, and his mana reserves had expanded... The margin of improvement in each individual aspect wasn't massive, but the sheer comprehensiveness of the upgrade made it exceptional.

Ice Mirror Spell!

The White Dragon Lord stared at his reflection in the Ice Mirror Spell. His outward appearance hadn't changed much, but his golden pupils now radiated a piercing glint that exuded an intense, oppressive pressure at a single glance.

This was simply because he had just fused with the Divinity and broken through; the White Dragon Lord couldn't yet perfectly control his suddenly increased power.

After reveling in the excitement for a while, the White Dragon Lord gradually calmed down and returned to normal. He stood up, opened his door, and made his way to the conference room. It was completely empty at the moment, so he began rummaging through the old war reports.

As defenders stationed at a blood war fortress, the White Dragon Lord, Cat-Woman, Lilith, and the others didn't go to the front lines to slaughter demons, but they constantly monitored the war's progression. Their primary means of keeping an eye on the blood war was through the battle reports sent back from the front.

Because of his breakthrough, the White Dragon Lord hadn't read a report in days, which was why he came straight here to look for them upon finishing. Soon enough, he found what he was looking for.

"Desolate Blood Plains. The demon, devil, and divine factions have committed a cumulative total of 20 million troops..."

...

The contents were the same as always, recording how many troops both sides had deployed and which famous powerhouses had fallen.

Looking at casualty figures measured in the millions, the White Dragon Lord felt somewhat numb. On the Blood War Battlefield, "rivers of blood" was not just a figure of speech.

Just then, the conference room doors were pushed open and Cat-Woman walked in. Seeing the White Dragon Lord reading the old war reports, her gaze turned complex. Even with her power over life and death, she was no longer confident she could defeat him.

"Meow. Congratulations, Amos."

"Thank you. Have today's reports arrived yet?"

"Not yet, but they should be here soon, meow."

"Congratulations, Amos! We absolutely have to celebrate properly tonight!"

Before he even stepped through the door, the booming voice of the gold dragon, Leopold Chodmartin, rang out. A smile touched the corners of the White Dragon Lord's mouth.

"Of course!"

"Congratulations, Lord Amos. May the light of justice guide you."

"Thank you, Priest Sinod."

The Extreme Cold Witch, Lilith, walked through the conference room doors holding today's war reports.

"Everyone! I have bad news for you all! Ah, and congratulations, Amos."

"Thanks. What bad news?"

The five High-Tier Legends stationed at Blackrock Fortress sat around the conference table. Lilith passed the report to Cat-Woman as she explained the situation to her companions.

"The devils screwed over the Divine Alliance. We've suffered a defeat on the Desolate Blood Plains battlefield."

"What?"

The White Dragon Lord, the gold dragon, and Priest Sinod were all shocked. Cat-Woman, currently reading the report, frowned and read aloud as she skimmed.

"'At the height of the battle, the devils suddenly withdrew their forces. The Divine Alliance army was left to face ten million demons alone, and the Allied Forces suffered catastrophic casualties! The major battle was lost, forcing a full-scale retreat...'"

The White Dragon Lord's expression turned grave. This was the first time the Divine Alliance had been forced to retreat since the blood war began.

Bang!

The gold dragon, Leopold, was furious. He slammed his palm onto the conference table.

"Those damned devils! They must be held accountable!"

Priest Sinod said, "Holding the devils accountable is a matter for the higher-ups to consider. Right now, we should be worrying about the future trajectory of the war. Let's hope this battle doesn't become a turning point."

The White Dragon Lord nodded.

"If our lines start to collapse, the flames of war might just spread all the way to Blackrock Fortress..."

Just as the White Dragon Lord and his companions were discussing the situation, the expression of the Floating Tower's master, Lilith, abruptly changed.

"Connect!"

A half-body projection of Engru Ghostwolf appeared in midair above the conference room.

"Good afternoon, everyone. The situation is urgent, so I will skip the pleasantries," Engru Ghostwolf said. "Due to the defeat on the front lines, the Alliance has lost four High-Tier Legend powerhouses who need to be replaced immediately. The Alliance has decided to draft personnel from the various garrisoned cities. Blackrock Fortress must provide one person. Whether you volunteer or draw lots is up to you, but whoever it is must arrive at the front lines to assemble before the blood moon rises."

As soon as he finished speaking, Engru Ghostwolf's projection vanished, leaving only a magical map suspended in the air. The location specifically marked with a red arrow was the assembly point.

Inside the conference room, the five High-Tier Legends exchanged glances. Lilith was the first to break the silence.

"Is anyone willing to volunteer?"

The White Dragon Lord looked around at the group. The gold dragon was still a bit too weak; joining the blood war directly would likely cost him his life. Lilith was the master of the Floating Tower and clearly reluctant to go. Priest Sinod was geared toward a support class and didn't excel in direct combat. The most suitable candidates among them were himself and Cat-Woman, as both possessed immense combat prowess and therefore had much higher chances of survival.

He looked at Cat-Woman and found her already looking back at him.

"I'll go," they said at the same time.

Cat-Woman raised an eyebrow.

"Let's settle this with Rock, Paper, Scissors. The winner goes, meow."

The White Dragon Lord shrugged.

"As you wish."

"Rock! Paper! Scissors!"

The White Dragon Lord formed scissors with his dragon claws, looking down at Cat-Woman's open, flattened paw.

"Well, you lose," he said.

Cat-Woman looked thoroughly dejected, her ears folding flat against her head.

"Sigh, what a letdown."

The White Dragon Lord explained, "I just broke through, so I need real combat to stabilize my realm anyway. Besides, I've been wanting to see the true glory of the blood war for a long time."

Before making this decision, the White Dragon Lord had thought it through carefully. It was still far too early for Abomination Rank powerhouses to personally take the field, making High-Tier Legends the supreme combat forces on the battlefield. Since his main body could walk unopposed among High-Tier Legends, and he could summon his clone and the White Tower if absolutely necessary, the likelihood of him encountering genuine danger was incredibly low—as long as he didn't actively court death.

Furthermore, while the blood war was dangerous, the rewards were massive. The loot harvested from High-Tier Legendary demons would be extremely valuable, and military merit was a treasure that money simply couldn't buy.

It was important to remember that the Nordhill Guardian Council had exchanged their accumulated military merit for Floating Tower technology from the Otag World. Moreover, the highest service the Guardian Council offered was an upgrade to a Floating Tower. If the White Dragon Lord wanted to upgrade his White Tower into a Floating City, working for the Alliance was currently his only path.

Of course, his journey toward a Floating City was bound to be fraught with endless difficulties. The Nordhill Guardian Council had saved up points for who knew how many years before they could trade for the Floating City technology.

Thoughts of the Floating City drew his mind to the Otag World, where Mage Alan hailed from. As the inheritor of the Arcane Empire's civilization, it undoubtedly possessed vast stores of magical knowledge.

With a multitude of thoughts swirling in his mind, the White Dragon Lord flapped his wings and flew out of Blackrock Fortress, heading toward the distant blood war front lines.

Under the illumination of the three suns, the White Dragon Lord cast a massive, dragon-shaped shadow across the desolate Abyss landscape. Ground-dwelling creatures looked up warily, only to find that the owner of the silhouette had already flown far past their territory.

High in the sky, the rapidly flying White Dragon Lord scanned the abyssal earth. He spotted a battlefield riddled with the scars of magic. The ground was heavily cratered, and a massive, raised volcano sat in the center of it all. The volcano was surrounded by cooled magma—the lingering traces of a Forbidden Spell-level Volcanic Eruption.

Aside from the volcano itself, the surrounding land had been dyed dark red with blood. Even flying so high in the sky, the White Dragon Lord could smell the pungent stench of gore, reminiscent of dried rust.

The White Dragon Lord could almost visualize the scene when the battle erupted. Demons, devils, angels, and entities from all across the planes of the multiverse clashing in a decisive struggle on this very soil. Battle aura and magic colliding, corpses floating in pools of blood, and countless soldiers trampling over mounds of bodies as they fought desperately against crazed demons...