Ashen Dragon

Chapter 537: Chapter 9: Dragon Awakens_2 Chapter 537: Chapter 9: Dragon Awakens_2 On the other hand, steam magic bats, firebirds, fire imps, and lava monsters from the Fire Elemental Plane occasionally appeared here.

A year ago, His Majesty Cassius fell into slumber. This time, there was no scourge, but the environment on a larger scale gradually changed.

At the beginning, the Guards stationed at the gate did not notice the abnormality, but soon they discovered— the environment was gradually changing!

Three months later, the temperature around the Royal Palace had reached a level unbearable for ordinary people, and the Tiefling Guards stationed at the gate of the palace were replaced by Half-Red Dragon Guards.

Even now, even those retainers with high concentrations of Dragon Blood felt the heat increasingly unbearable.

But for the sake of their belief, they still performed their duties faithfully at their respective posts— such as Udo Deko.

He was once a slave of the Sveno Duchy and also a gladiator used by the nobles for entertainment.

After the Burning Ash Kingdom liberated him, Udo Deko resolutely joined the army and vowed lifelong loyalty to His Majesty Cassius.

In that Northland War, he was like a frenzied beast, tearing a noble knight in half on his own, and thus earned Dolores’ commendation.

He exchanged his military merits for a Dragon Blood Elixir, drank it without hesitation, endured the excruciating pain, and became a Half-Red Dragon.

Now, he finally came to the Steel Dragonwing Palace, guarding near the Red Dragon. For him, it was an immense honor.

“Did you hear? A demon attacked the imperial capital this time! And on the Coronation Day, no less!”

“So audacious!”

“Did the cabinet say anything about it?”

At the entrance of the Steel Dragonwing Palace, numerous Half-Red Dragon Guards were indignant about this.

But Udo still stood there with his gun, his expression cold and stern, guarding the gate like a statue.

He calmly said, “Those demons are just flies from The Abyss. Once His Majesty wakes up, they will be utterly obliterated.

Their ridiculous actions are like moths to a flame, not worth mentioning.”

Another Half-Red Dragon Guard sighed and said, “But His Majesty has been asleep for a year now.

You know how long giant dragons live, let alone an existence like His Majesty. It is possible to sleep for hundreds of years. I just worry…”

Udo snorted coldly, disdainfully said, “So what? As long as His Majesty does not wake up, I will keep standing here. Zac, you still don’t understand…”

“Boom!”

The ground trembled, and the mountains shook.

Ashes and sparks danced wildly in mid-air, forming billows of dense smoke. The ground suddenly cracked, revealing several huge, fire-illuminated hideous fissures.

The Half-Red Dragon Guards struggled to keep their balance and became somewhat frantic.

“What’s happening?”

“Hurry, run!”

“It’s a catastrophe! A catastrophe is coming! I heard from the former Tiefling Guard Captain that it’s the residual power of the great Red Dragon.

But to us mortals, it’s a destructive disaster!”

The Half-Red Dragon Guard Captain shouted fearfully.

“It’s His Majesty! His Majesty is awakening!”

Only Udo Deko looked towards the resting place of the Red Dragon; his dragonified face filled with joy and fanaticism.

In an instant, the heavy smoke enveloped the land, covering the sky, making the surroundings filled with the scent of smoke and sulfur.

Even Northwind Castle, dozens of miles away, was affected, and the residents inside the city looked towards the south in panic.

“Whoosh—”
One meteor after another, with brilliant fiery tails, streaked across the sky, tearing open one rift after another in the gray-black sky.

The thick smoke on the mountains rolled, sparks and flowing flames danced within it, and a scorching whirlwind surged, eventually forming a tornado of fire and smoke connecting heaven and earth.

Everything around, whether it was rubble, ashes, or scorched trees, was swept in, becoming fuel for the tornado.

“The Burning Dragon…”

Udo raised his head, blankly staring at the magnificent scene sweeping across the world, his throat trembling, uttering that famous nickname.

The Northern Nobility came up with this nickname to spread fear. How fitting— a dragon that can burn even ashes.

“Udo, hurry up!”

“Don’t just stand there. You’ll lose your life!”

Another guard urged anxiously, but Udo seemed not to hear, still excitedly looking up at the sky.

Stupendous.

Such was the power of His Majesty, enough to destroy all mortals, burning everything standing in his way.

Years ago, he personally witnessed the Red Dragon annihilate the seemingly invincible Northern Allied Forces, and his former nightmare— that Count Angus who leashed him like a beast— also turned to ashes.

Since then, the Red Dragon had become his sole belief.

“Roar—”
At this moment, a distant roar echoed from the mountain, resounding through the heavens and earth.

Immediately, an invisible force rapidly spread from the mountain at the center, filling a radius of a hundred miles, lifting ring-shaped dust clouds.

“Your, Your Majesty…”

Instantly, all Half-Red Dragons paused, feeling the pressure from deep within their blood, and knelt in that direction.

“Boom!”

A massive shadow violently broke the rock layers, flew out from the mountaintop, and plunged into the tornado of fire and smoke.

At that moment, he seemed to be the center of the world.

Immediately, the dense smoke in the sky swept towards him, and even the meteors about to fall to the ground turned into flowing flames, rushing towards that figure.

All the ashes, sparks, flowing flames, and smoke gathered towards him, forming a massive vortex.

Finally, the thick smoke dissipated, and the sky became pristine again.