Ashen Dragon

Anzeta Great Wilderness.

Ashes Palace.

"It's truly befitting of His Majesty Cassius's residence." Dracalis lifted her head, gazing at the magnificent palace, with a genuine sigh of admiration.

"If only I could claim it for myself..." Staring at the resplendent, luxurious complex, the female couldn't help but lick her lips, greed glinting in her golden eyes.

This was the nature of a dragon.

But such thoughts only flashed through her mind without being put into practice. If this were the palace of a mortal king, Dracalis would've long begun her plunder and conquest.

But she knew she was about to face the highest ruler of the North of Fianso––one of the most powerful giant dragons of the Material Plane—the Ashen Emperor, Cassius.

If the first impression of this palace is opulence,

then the second impression is grandeur.

Everything inside the palace was enormous, whether the gates, the stairs, the seats, or the halls—it was extraordinarily large.

The heavy metal gate engraved with the emblem of the Ashen Empire alone stood fifty meters tall, and the palaces soared even higher; ordinary people wouldn't see the top without straining their necks upwards.

Even a large Red Dragon seemed rather insignificant in front of the majestic palace.

As she drew closer to the palace, the surrounding air grew hotter, as if it were about to burn; mortals in this region wouldn't last long without being scorched alive.

Therefore, the guards stationed at the palace were Half-Red Dragon folk with high bloodline concentration, as well as atavistic Bipedal Wyverns.

"Roar——"

Roars echoed from above, where over a dozen Bipedal Wyverns perched atop the watchtower, craning their necks to roar, full of majestic presence.

Even when faced with the Red Dragon, whose blood suppressed them, these Bipedal Wyverns showed no fear, gazing down at the opponent, baring their sharp teeth.

And the soldiers guarding the palace remained on high alert.

They patrolled back and forth on the city walls, readying the magic heavy cannons, with dozens of dark muzzles pointed at the Red Dragon, poised for any assault.

"Vile Wyvern kin reptiles, hybrid humans, devil descendants... how insolent." Dracalis lifted her head, eyes filled with contempt, a cruel smile spreading across her face.

She took to the sky, flapping her wings, looking down disdainfully at the creatures below.

This Red Dragon instinctively wanted to teach these insolent lower beings a lesson, with an overwhelming aura of murder in her eyes.

Under that murderous aura, even the Bipedal Wyverns trembled all over.

Yet they did not retreat, managing to maintain their stance, issuing suppressed growls at the Red Dragon not far away.

The group of Bipedal Wyverns knew well that behind them was the Ashen Emperor, and no enemy could behave arrogantly in his presence.

And their primary task was merely to uphold the empire's dignity, giving the visitors enough oppressive feeling.

The Red Dragon's veins bulged, her face savage, as if about to lose control and attack.

The Tiefling Captain of the Guards stepped forward, saying solemnly, "You must be Lady Dracalis, you are qualified to enter the palace."

"However, you must know that the palace is a no-fly zone. Except for His Majesty Cassius, no one else is allowed to fly here. If you disobey... you bear the consequences."

"Remember, this is the palace of the Ashen Empire."

"Here, even the divine must obey the rules and heed the commands of His Imperial Majesty." At the end, the Tiefling Guard Captain deliberately emphasized his tone.

Simultaneously, a pressure of laws emanated from him—that was the power granted by the[Sovereign Divine Authority].

The Red Dragon finally calmed down, reassessing the situation.

"Is that... a Legendary Spellcaster?" Dracalis was startled, then shook her head, thinking, "Impossible, such a figure wouldn't be content as a guard!"

She looked at the group of Bipedal Wyverns; these lowly reptiles were extraordinarily large and strong, averaging over ten meters in length, nearly akin to ordinary young giant dragons.

"They are far stronger than their kind, almost becoming a new species..." Dracalis was astonished.

"Truly, His Majesty Cassius, his noble bloodline even influences his retainers." She sighed from the bottom of her heart again.

The female Red Dragon descended from the sky, approached the city gate, yet still maintained a haughty posture with her chin slightly raised.

With a heavy sound, the palace gates slowly opened, Dracalis stepped into the palace, striding towards the distant main hall.

---According to Tiniya, Cassius would be waiting for her audience there.

The main hall of the palace was extraordinarily exaggerated, towering hundreds of meters high, like a giant pillar supporting heaven and earth.

Dracalis moved along the path, gradually approaching the palace gate, the closer she got, the more she felt that overwhelming pressure, involuntarily feeling the urge to worship.

"Such level of Dragon's Might..."

Dracalis closed her eyes, carefully sensing that intense oppression, her heart pounding, her excitement mounting.

Dracalis, possessing the noble blood of an Atavistic Red Dragon with Ancestral Dragon Blood, was typically immune to bloodline suppression from other giant dragons—even Ancient Dragons.

Yet now, she felt a terrifying pressure penetrating her soul; this was unprecedented.

"Boom——"

With a dull rumble, the doors to the main hall opened slowly, a wave of scorching smoke gushed forth, and the vast Dragon's Might poured out.

Dracalis entered the gate.