Under the Red Dragon

After devouring two mountain deer, carefully selected by Raven and brimming with fat, Kalon nestled in his cave and drifted into slumber.

The gold and gems, painstakingly piled up by the kobolds, were scattered across the floor as he settled down.

Kalon lay amidst the shimmering treasure, his scales gleaming in harmony with the opulent light.

In his semiconscious state, Kalon began to deliberately influence his subconscious through self-hypnosis, aiming to affect the energy produced by the mysterious runes—the 'Mind-Energy Vortex,' as he tentatively called this wondrous power.

Initially, it proved challenging.

In that liminal space between wakefulness and sleep, his consciousness struggled to form coherent thoughts, much like those who dream without realizing they are dreaming, let alone maintaining awareness to complete a logical idea.

Occasionally, just as a lucid thought flickered to life, it would abruptly morph into another, akin to the ceaseless, disjointed scenes of a dream.

However, with persistent effort, he began to seize those fleeting moments of lucidity, gradually extending their duration.

When he first managed to sustain a clear, logical thought, he sensed a presence within the Mind-Energy Vortex—a lofty consciousness, detachedly observing all before it, mysteriously linked to the runes within.

In that instant, Kalon understood: it was the fundamental consciousness of all beings, his true nature and primal spirit.

The vortex and the space it occupied were his own subconscious ocean, with the Mind-Energy Vortex serving as its core.

This marked the first time he could actively observe this space, rather than passively sensing it during deep sleep.

As Kalon's consciousness connected with his primal essence, he felt as though his awareness gained true vision, his perspective rapidly expanding.

He saw the surging flow of his own Evil Dragon blood, the fortress-like walls of his veins, from the smallest capillaries to the largest arteries.

His view widened, revealing his red form resting within the cave, surrounded by gold, gems, and rare minerals.

At the cave's entrance, a Gold-Eating Beast lay curled up, listlessly yawning, its furry paws meticulously cleaning its face.

Beyond that, he could distinctly perceive the various magical elements that existed in the world, invisible to the naked eye, along with the subtle fluctuations of unknown particles—a vibrant, kaleidoscopic display that defied easy description.

Kalon felt as though he could reach out and touch these elements with a mere flick of his claw.

The sensation resembled a profound meditative state for a mage, or perhaps akin to the Taoist concept of observing and understanding the heavens and earth, though such a state was mentally taxing.

Kalon voluntarily severed the connection after only a few minutes.

This was the origin of all biological perception, granting the power of awareness to every creature in the world.

The strength of this perception was directly tied to the power of a creature's true nature, soul, and spirit.

He estimated his current range of perception to be a circular area with a radius of about a hundred meters around him, though thick mountain walls and rock formations would impede his senses.

In open spaces, his range would likely be greater.

A wave of elation surged through his consciousness as he drifted into true sleep.

Once his mind recovered, he would attempt to use the power of the Mind-Energy Vortex to conduct an experimental enhancement on himself.

“Aangh,” Blue Dragon Dos lifted his head, mimicking Kalon's command to encircle the prey.

The young dragons perched on the thick branches of giant trees, watching over the frantically fleeing greenskins in the forest camp.

The leader of the goblin tribe was a strong goblin variant, an Earth Goblin.

This brutal, mindless Earth Goblin wanted to lead the tribe to break out and burrow into the escape tunnels, but few of the cowardly goblin subordinates followed him.

Before he could rush out a few steps, he was nailed to the ground by a volley of iron-clad wooden spears from the kobold warriors who gradually surrounded him.

The commotion and chaos in the goblin camp were quickly suppressed by the kobold warriors.

Corpses strung together by spears made the chaotic goblins quiet and orderly, one by one趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴趴

The young dragons, however, began to shirk their responsibilities.

Even Antajeena, the Green Dragon who most desired to acquire followers, was unwilling to accept these filthy, foul-smelling green-skinned dwarves, not to mention the proud Red Dragon Kleineria, who wanted the kobold warriors to kill all the greenskins and bury them in the dragon's orchard as fertilizer.

In the end, Blue Dragon Dos made the decision.

He had learned a bit of the art of passing the buck from the Red Dragon, so he called over the kobold leader and instructed, “Bagg, you will be temporarily responsible for managing these greenskins.

Don't let them cause trouble.

They must learn to have order like you kobolds.

The rest will be decided after Kalon wakes up.”

“Yes, Master Dos,” Bagg, the kobold leader who was randomly given a name by Kalon, lowered his head humbly.

“Then let’s take our spoils back.

According to Kalon’s instructions, you kobolds will also own a portion of the spoils.

Go back and rest well.

The next battle will come soon.

We must sweep away all tribes in the territory that do not belong to the dragon's followers before Kalon awakens,” the Blue Dragon instructed.

After speaking, the Blue Dragon led the high-spirited young dragons into the air and returned to the lair.

The elated young dragons did not know that hidden dangers were approaching.

Powerful enemies from afar were already on their way.

A powerful ogre tribe from the rich bay was advancing towards the Dragon Nest Mountains in a tall forest that seemed to block the view of eagles in the sky.

A banshee enslaved by the ogre wizard quietly flew ahead to scout the way and point out the direction.

The tall ogre tyrant Morgo strode at the very front, with two strong ogre warriors carrying his weapon beside him.

This was a heavy long axe with no embellishments at all.

The blunt axe seemed to have little sharpness, but the ogre tyrant's power was the best blade of this unadorned axe.

The old two-headed wizard, accompanied by all the wizards in the tribe, walked in the middle of the hundreds of ogre troops next to the behemoth's long couch, which was carried by four brutal bear goblin slaves.

The behemoth Fafna, heavily protected, lay half-reclined on the couch, her right hand propping up her cheek, and a young forest banshee stood on her outstretched left hand, who was the next generation master of the banshees enslaved by the ogre tribe.

At this stage, the banshee was unable to fully master her powers, and the unconscious sounds she made would affect the spirits of other creatures.

A banshee who fully activated her talent could easily control powerful warriors among humans.

But at this moment, the banshee who was singing a melodious song was regarded as a toy by the behemoth.

The seductive and bewitching voice was regarded as music, completely isolated from the small space on the couch.

The other ogres could only see the banshee opening her mouth in vain but unable to make any sound.

Following behind the ogre team was a small team of humans, actually those daring merchants.

The merchant Orsu was not like those merchants who occasionally came to try their luck or venture to open up new business opportunities without any background.

He came from a treasurer family of the Cathay Empire, with strong financial resources, and often traveled between the empire and the orc kingdom on the other side of the sea.

Even in the orc kingdom, he had a deep background, which could be seen from the two powerful orc warriors around him at this time.

These were descendants of ancient orcs, reserve warriors of the orc royal family's guard, Biao warriors.

The ten human warriors in the rest of the team were also wearing sophisticated leather armor and sharp weapons, with a cold and sharp aura tempered between life and death, and among them was actually a mage with a fairly noble status in human society.

Originally, Orsu planned to habitually use the scraps left over from trading with the orc kingdom and some unused inventory to make a fortune from the ogre tribe and leave, but when he heard the ogre wizard say that the tribe planned to conquer a young dragon group and sell those young dragon cubs to him, he was greatly moved and actually took the risk himself, bringing his guards along.

Orsu couldn't help but admire his foresight.

At first, when he led the family's merchant fleet here, he discovered the ogre behemoth, who was so beautiful that she didn't look like a creature from the human world, and was immediately amazed, and even thought about taking the behemoth away and dedicating her to an important figure in the empire, so that he would definitely be appreciated, and maybe he could embark on an official career and no longer be just a member of the treasurer family.

However, this rare behemoth not only possessed mysterious and powerful mental abilities herself, but the ogre tribe also had a rare atavistic ogre tyrant and powerful wizards.

It was difficult to accomplish this by his own strength.

Besides, it was too far away here, and as a merchant, the long-term and continuous income was also a factor he needed to consider.

So he gave up his plan, and cultivating a trader with controllable strength might be more in line with his interests.

Now the time has come for his foresight to be rewarded.

The mysterious dragon, as a higher race in the world of Akania, is almost the partner and contract object that all humans in the world dream of.

As long as he can bring back these young dragons, those noble mage masters and important figures in the empire will flock to him, and he will become popular.

The ordinary days of the past will soon pass, and he will not need to pretend to be powerful, but become a real noble.

Thinking of this, Orsu's eyes became eager.

Maybe he can also keep a dragon for himself, make a contract with the young dragon, and in the future, the new family he creates will have a strong guardian and reliance, and he doesn't need to worry about not being able to keep this dragon, because he is bringing back several of them.

Orsu stared at the gradually descending night, and he didn't even realize that this wild land was so beautiful.