Beneath the Red Dragon

”Little one, you are still young, you should be frivolous and lively, not always pretending to be mature!”

With a fierce turn, Gabriel disregarded the words of the Ancestral Red Dragon, treating them as nothing more than idle chatter. Click, the dragon’s facade lowered once again.

The powerful Dragon-blooded Angel resumed its dignified and enigmatic appearance.

By the time Karon strolled into the garden, the Dragon Group had already assembled, and the Caster Corps was also ready and waiting amidst the Giant Dragon’s garden.

The area where the World Tree Owo originally grew had been etched with intricate magic patterns using powder mixed from Mithril and gold along with Magic Elements by these mages.

The dense magic patterns were so complex that even Middle-tier Mages would feel dizzy at just a glance, as their spiritual power breadth couldn’t bear the knowledge from these intricate patterns.

Yet, these vast magic patterns enveloping World Tree Owo formed a colossal magical network, a massive magic array so extensive that even the tree’s canopy couldn’t completely cover all its veins.

Among the nodes adorned with thousands of Magic Crystal Stones and Magic Gemstones stood casters clad in various colored mage robes.

Many of these casters wielded magic staffs forged from the Tree of Life, with large Essence Gems set into them.

Even their mage robes were woven from Golden Thread and Magic Silk or Spider Silk, which not only avoided hindering magic but even enhanced it, embodying opulence down to the core.

It’s not that all mages of the Empire are so affluent, but those standing here belong to the Caster Corps wholly of the Empire, nurtured by the academy established by the Dragon Group before the Empire’s formation through various methods.

Other low-level mages, still cautiously constructing spell models countless times due to shallow spiritual power before daring to truly use spiritual power for such constructions, were still meditating arduously to incrementally increase their spiritual power and magic day by day.

Mages trained by the Empire could already utilize bottle after bottle of magic potion to enhance their magic power under Imperial resource distribution.

By engraving magic arrays with gold and silver powders to maintain meditative peace and using meditation rooms inlaid with Magic Crystal Stones, they could broaden their spiritual power.

While exploiting resources retrieved from small Elemental Planes, these mages were also greatly supported, rapidly increasing the Empire’s caster numbers.

With the tilt of substantial resources, many low-tier and middle-tier mages could be rapidly spawned, and those with outstanding talent worry not about growth resources.

Though Karon didn’t deliberately note how many years it took the Empire to train these mages, it probably approached a decade, suffice to see a generation of shorter-lived beings grow.

Thus, among the hundreds of low-tier mages, dozens of middle-tier mages, and a few dozens of high-tier mages, the backbone forces are the Empire’s core corps.

They, like the mighty warriors, serve as the foundation for the Dragons’ support within the Empire, ensuring economic growth, development of Magic Civilization, victories in wars, sharing entirely consistent interests and goals with the Empire.

Other casters, too, were meticulously selected by the Empire, thoroughly bound individuals.

This mobilized nearly all the Empire’s temporary strength; if lost, the Empire’s progress and growth would decelerate.

These casters, aware of this mission’s significance, silently awaited the Emperor of the Imperial’s commands.

Karon scanned these rather young mages, nodding slightly.

Holding dominance in the Mage Corps, the Empire’s most outstanding young high-tier mage, Sakro, slightly inclined his body before turning around, addressing the Caster Corps: ”I have long explained the mission’s purpose and its importance,”

”Before His Majesty, I also offer you the choice; if you choose to opt out, now is still the chance!”

The casters remained silent, their actions attesting to their stance.

As they arose from the Empire, their home is here, their nation is here, and the values instilled since youth made their spirits endorse this integrated civilization and Empire.

”Good,” Sakro expressed satisfaction, smiling: ”The Empire’s rule began from the chronology of dragons, but its continuation lies in our hands,”

”We and the Empire rise together, grieve together, rest together,”

”Should we fail today, we’ll leave experiences and lessons for future generations to pioneer growth along our path, our names etched on the Empire’s pillar of merit, forever revered.”

The eyes of each caster began to shine, clenching tight fists, influenced by Sakro’s spirited words, their emotions resonating.

”Therefore, let’s pave the way for the Empire to extend even further!”

Sakro laughed aloud, raising his magic staff high.

Each mage hoisted their staff; under such atmosphere, they shared a united sentiment, indistinguishable from each other. A realm enveloped the Caster Corps, akin to a legion’s will’s mighty blessing.

Yet it uniquely belonged to the mages: Sensory Spellcasting, the Power of Alliance!

Magic Crystal Stones glimmered at this time, nodes quickly illuminated, magic array veins flowing with magical light streams, the colossal array gradually lit up under hundreds of casters’ collaborative spellcasting, beginning to operate.

At the outermost edge, the ones wearing Dragon God Badge insignias began praying for the Magic Dragon God’s power to descend.

These users of Magic Dragon God’s power weren’t followers of this Dragon God; they revered and worshipped the existent Dragons, yet could wield certain power of the Magic Dragon God due to a deal between the Dragon Emperor and the Dragon God.

In the concept of tranquility inherent to night, the Magic Dragon God’s tranquil domain provided far stronger effects, invisibly covering the garden, preventing outsiders from perceiving, keeping even the Outer God from scrutinizing.

Within the vast magic array at the center stood the Ogre Giantess Fafnir, bowing beside World Tree Owo, opening her bloodline talent guided by the spiritual power convergence of countless casters within the array.

”Howl!”

Chilling howls echoed through this tranquil domain, an immense shadow stretched forth behind the Ogre Giantess.

She possessed three heads, hair like the movement of sea serpents, features resembling the Giant Demon face, more vast and ancient.

This was the bloodline power of the Giant Demon, the inherited talent of the ancient demigod, Three-headed Sea Demon.

Vast spiritual power was drawn, gathered, and absorbed by the Sea Demon guided by Giant Demon Fafnir’s talent, allowing the central head of the Three-headed Sea Demon to gradually manifest from shadow to reality.

The tremendous mental pressure swept across this tranquil domain.

At the moment the Three-headed Sea Demon’s head formed, the Giant Demon Fafnir suddenly looked up, bloodied cheeks.

Rumble,

The earth rolled, a thick root veined and rugged erupted from the ground; it was one of the World Tree Owo’s main roots.

At that moment, supported by the Giant Demon, this huge main root surged forth, like a thunderbolt piercing through space, towards the void distant, penetrating the barrier of Icaria World, reaching towards immeasurable distances.