Age of Adepts

“Ransom? Ransom how?”

Even with all his experience, Greem couldn’t help but be suspicious of this word.

“Hand over all imprisoned dragons, and I can absolve you of your crimes and draw up the metal city and all land within a hundred square kilometers as your territory. From now on, you will have the same authority as the dragon lords and may move freely about within Lance. However, you and your subordinates are never to attack any of the dragon lords from this day forth!” The amethyst dragon solemnly warned, as if this was the greatest compromise he could make.

Greem’s expression froze, and he couldn’t help but break out into a cold smile.

Wasn’t it just recruiting us adept!?

Return the dragons and gain the same authority as the dragon lords…fuck, I’m a proper Third Grade adept. What do I want the influence of a lord in your plane of Lance for? For this hundred square kilometers of territory? For the ignorant natives in this territory?

Ogres, trolls, gnolls. Which of these can I not just catch from another plane? Do I need to come to your dragon plane to catch them? What was most valuable in a dragon plane? Of course, it was the dragons!

Every single high-grade dragon of Lance was a wealthy and rich tycoon. Capture any one of them, scour their lair and the Crimson adepts would instantly have their pockets filled their treasure and gold.

Do I need to give up on such tremendous wealth and resources for the empty title of Lord?

Greem chuckled.

“And if I don’t accept?”

The crystal-clear eyes of the amethyst dragon glowed with a cold and sinister light as he roared loudly, “Then prepare for war! You will endure the wrath of a Fourth Grade dragon.”

The amethyst dragon’s beautiful crystal wings once again unfurled as a wild and barbaric aura pressed toward the adepts.

“Hmph, you talked so much, yet it just ended in a fight anyway.”

Greem waved his hand. At his signal, the Mothership, skyships, and chariots silently retreated into the distance, leaving only him and the golem dragon on the battlefield.

However, Gru and Mary stayed and stood behind him.

Third Grade Thunder Dragon Arms and Emerald Dragon Iritina also hid within the Mothership, not daring to reveal themselves to this Fourth Grade dragon leader.

It couldn’t be helped.

Against a Fourth Grade dragon, weak subordinates were of no help and would instead become weaknesses that the enemy could exploit. It was easier for them to retreat and have the high-grade fighters deal with the Fourth Grade amethyst dragon.

In all honesty, the true might of the golem dragon had never been verified since its creation.

The Crimson Clan might have classified it as a Fourth Grade magical machine, but most of the other adepts in their world only considered it a pseudo-Fourth Grade golem.

After all, it was hard to find a suitable Fourth Grade opponent for the magical golem dragon in the World of Adepts.

A reckless challenge against other Fourth Grade adepts meant a provocation to start an adept war on the Crimson Clan’s part. Regardless of the outcome, it would be an incredible blow to the clan’s foundations and development.

That was why the golem dragon had not had any experience battling against a Fourth Grade creature in the ten years since it had been created.

However, today was indeed the best chance for verifying its might!

Even if the amethyst dragon had come in peace, Greem would never have so quickly given up on the opportunity to fight.

As the weaker forces retreated, the only ones left in this massive space of over fifteen kilometers was the golem dragon and the amethyst dragon, staring down at each other.

Greem, Mary, and the elementium magical machine stood on the golem dragon’s head, while Gru secretly entered the belly of the dragon. When the fighting reached its most intense, the ultra-large magic generator furnace of the golem dragon alone would not be enough for its power output. Thus, Gru needed to provide some auxiliary support and indirectly enhance the power of the golem dragon.

The battle approached, and the golem dragon’s four thick metal limbs dug into the earth beneath it. The magic generator in its large chest cavity started to function at maximum capacity, outputting as much magical energy as possible.

Overwhelming magical energy thrashed through the energy pipes within its body, most of it being absorbed by the magical machinery spread across its structure. However, there was always excessive magical energy that seeped through the metal, creating a horrifying energy radiation zone around the golem dragon.

Ordinary magical creature would not be able to survive in such high-radiation areas. The violent and active energy particles would destroy the elementium stability of their muscle tissues and cause them to die a painful death.

Countless turrets arose on the broad back of the gigantic machine, and black cannon barrels spun about and locked onto the amethyst dragon in the distance. The most impressive of which was the two giant goblin cannons at the center of the dragon’s back.

In all honesty, anyone would be scared to see a cannon barrel with a diameter of three meters!

Seeing that the fearsome magical machine had completed its combat preparations, the Fourth Grade Amethyst Dragon Toril roared. He did not take to the skies and instead chose to land and circle the golem dragon on its limbs.

Toril’s impressive battle experience allowed him to discern that the golem dragon’s mobility was pathetic and that it relied mostly on its metal body and powerful cannons. Against such an opponent, taking to the skies would not accomplish much. The machine only needed to wait, and he would not be able to harm it in any fashion.

Apart from dragon’s breath and Dragontongue magic, Toril had no other means of attacking from a distance. Even thinking with his pinky, Toril could tell that he would not fare well in an exchange of bombardment. There were far too many cannons outfitted on that golem dragon.

In fact, if he took to the skies, his flying speed would never be able to match the rate at which the cannons turned. When that happened, he would be turning himself into the easiest target for the opponent!

Perhaps because they had discovered the commotion here, but a Mothership rose from the Capital of Eternity as well. It did not approach the battlefield and simply observed from a distance.

Fourth Grade Amethyst Dragon Toril paid it no heed and continued to circle the golem dragon slowly. His body gleamed and glittered in the gentle sun, becoming even more colorful and fantastical.

Amethyst dragons were pretty skilled at hiding themselves as well.

However, compared to the mist-morphing abilities of the water dragons, their stealth relied on light refraction and visual avoidance. That meant the naked eye would only be able to see the afterimages created by the light refracted by the amethyst dragon’s scales if your spirit was unable to lock on to the actual being.

Greem was worried that a group of magical goblins might not be able to fight against the Fourth Grade amethyst dragon, even with the golem dragon. That was why he had chosen to step forth and act as the golem dragon’s eyes.

He might not be of the same grade as Toril, but the panoramic vision and the Chip’s scans were a counter to such light refraction. With Greem present in the battle, the golem dragon would have no fear of being unable to locate its exact target!

Toril circled the golem dragon twice and familiarized himself with the ground around them. Finally, he could no longer suppress his fury and lunged at the enemy with heavy steps.

The golem dragon did not hold back either. Its entire body glowed with light, and a downpour of cannon fire greeted Toril.

However, these attacks were all from ordinary magic energy cannons. The two giant barrels were still primed but had not been fired.

As expected, this charge was a feint from the amethyst dragon.

He quickly moved aside after the initial charge and avoided most of the cannon fire with unprecedented agility and speed. The magic energy cannons could not catch up to the phantasmal speed of the amethyst dragon no matter how quickly they turned their barrels.

The small number of energy fireballs that did not miss was blocked by a transparent forcefield around the amethyst dragon’s body. Apart from some slight energy waves, they had not been able to harm the dragon at all.

“Correct firing mode, switch to regional diffuse bombardment!” Gonga shouted inside the golem.

One moment later, the magic energy cannons on the golem dragon no longer pursued the silhouette of the amethyst dragon. They instead started to bombard the possible areas where he could stop at in an irregular pattern of bombardment.

Although it increased the number of energy fireballs that hit the amethyst dragon, the points of impact were much more scattered. They still could not injure the dragon apart from causing larger energy waves.

Greem and Gonga sighed at the same time.

Fourth Grade dragons were truly difficult to deal with!

They had no choices now. If they wanted to threaten the dragon, they would have to concentrate the cannon fire. However, this made it very easy for the dragon to dodge with his speed and movements. If they chose diffuse bombardment without a specific target, it would scatter the strength of the attacks and be a waste of firepower.

As expected, upon realizing that the cannons on the golem dragon were of a minimal threat to himself, Toril dashed forward once again, charging straight for the golem’s right front leg.

The golem dragon was over a hundred meters long, while the amethyst dragon was only thirty meters long. Though they were both at Fourth Grade, the magical machine dragon was a good deal larger and stronger than the amethyst dragon.

Like a hulking giant fighting against a small fighter only the height of his knees, the initiative remained firmly in the hands of the amethyst dragon despite the size differential.

The golem dragon did not back down when the amethyst dragon lunged at it. It moved forward with its thick and firm metal limbs and charged in response. The giant metal mouth opened to its limits and bit at the amethyst dragon’s head.

Those rows of sharp metal teeth gleamed with a cold light. From close up, it looked as if a row of hills were crashing down upon you.

However, the next second, the golem dragon’s head swerved left as the amethyst dragon’s tail whipped across the right of its face.

The sharp sound of a tail cutting through air rang out loud.