Creekwood Territory, Council Hall.
The fireplace crackled with burning pine, its warmth dispelling the chill of the wilderness morning.
Galos, in his black cat form, lay curled lazily on the cushion of a high-backed chair, his vertical pupils half-closed, the tip of his tail tapping intermittently.
"Thanks to the many rules and laws you have established and rigorously enforced, Creekwood Territory is currently operating smoothly and orderly overall."
Across from him, Sharl reported on the general situation of the territory: "Adventurers and large merchant groups come and go endlessly, and the number of intelligent creatures choosing to settle or reside here long-term is also steadily increasing."
"Although deep-seated discrimination, prejudice, and unavoidable minor frictions and conflicts still exist between different races, all contradictions are currently within controllable limits, and the overall situation is stable."
After finishing these general observations,
Sharl paused briefly to organize more specific language, then continued: "However, beneath this stability, some notable anomalies have indeed occurred."
"For example, the swamp south of Creekwood Territory."
"That area has always been a paradise for wetland creatures, and its ecosystem maintains its own balance."
"Several years ago, the behavior of creatures within the swamp suddenly became extremely abnormal and violent."
"Large numbers of creatures began to flee the swamp area in groups, spreading outwards in panic, even forming small-scale beast tides that once impacted the southern defenses of Creekwood Town."
"After successfully repelling and resolving several beast tide assaults, I personally led a team of elites into the depths of the swamp to investigate, and ultimately discovered that a group of swamp frogmen, who worshipped an evil god, were performing bloody sacrifices with living creatures, conducting an evil ritual, and successfully summoned an evil demon from a lower plane."
Sharl's tone became a little solemn.
"I engaged in a fierce battle with the evil demon, and at first, it was indeed difficult to parry, but fortunately, I luckily broke through during the battle, improving my strength, and finally managed to slay it. The accompanying elites also took the opportunity to clear out and completely annihilate that group of fallen frogmen."
Evil demon – this is a broad and dangerous term.
It could be a demon from the lower realms, or a devil from the Nine Hells, or even an avatar or offspring of some fallen deity.
After listening to Sharl's narration, Galos fell into a brief silence.
Breaking through during battle... This kind of plot, which seemed to exist only in the heroic epics sung by bards or in cheap knight novels, actually happened to his Flower Lord, proving his unfathomable potential.
As for Dragon, a long-lived species, there is no such concept as breaking through during battle.
The growth of Dragon power relies more on the accumulation of time and evolution during sleep.
However, Galos did not envy this.
Hard tempering through countless trials, and daily accumulation and precipitation, these were the true sources of his strength.
If he were to encounter a powerful enemy one day and achieve a breakthrough in battle, it would never be mere luck, but the inevitable result of long-term effort, a natural outcome when his accumulated quantity finally reached the critical point for a qualitative change.
"Continue."
Galos subconsciously raised a front paw, extended his pink tongue with barbs, and slowly groomed the fur on it.
He found that after using Polymorph, he would always unconsciously want to perform behaviors consistent with the current race's habits.
Sharl himself was someone who loved small animals.
He couldn't help but glance at the muscular, uniquely styled black cat beside him, struggling to suppress certain thoughts that might be disrespectful, and quietly lowered his slightly raised arm.
"About two years ago, in a mining pit being exploited in the eastern part of Creekwood Territory, miners repeatedly went missing for unknown reasons."
"As time passed, the number of missing persons not only did not decrease but gradually increased, and even some golems responsible for mining were damaged."
"I personally ventured into the bottom of the pit to investigate and discovered an extremely powerful earth giant, mutated for unknown reasons, which regarded the entire mine tunnel system as its new territory, was extremely xenophobic, and completely uncommunicative."
Sharl continued.
"So, after a not-so-easy battle, I finally killed it, completely resolving this hidden danger."
After hearing the narration about the mine pit, Galos was thoughtful.
The mine pit, which was rumored to contain a legendary item, in the underground ruins beneath the abandoned mine pit, with his current level of strength, he might already be qualified to explore it.
"However, something that can cause the destruction of a city... if the rumors are true, that legendary item is probably extremely dangerous."
"To be safe, it is better to first send sufficiently powerful family members to explore."
Galos quietly planned in his mind.
Immediately after, Sharl continued his report.
He eloquently listed seven or eight other anomalous incidents he had handled in recent years, most of which he had properly resolved.
However, judging from the timeline of these incidents, their frequency was clearly increasing, which undoubtedly confirmed the trend of Serre Wilderness becoming increasingly chaotic and dangerous.
In addition, although Sharl's tone remained calm and objective, Galos still caught the underlying meaning in his words.
This Flower Lord seemed to be emphasizing his great contributions to the territory.
"You did very well."
Galos's deep voice interrupted Sharl's continuous narration.
In his black cat form, he raised his head, his vertical pupils looking directly at Sharl, as if he could see through appearances into people's hearts.
"As a Lord, you are dedicated and have made significant achievements."
Galos said: "So, tell me, what reward do you desire?"
Realizing that his little thoughts seemed to have been seen through, the Flower Lord's face showed a slightly embarrassed smile.
He hesitated for a moment, then said: "I found my true love in Creekwood Territory."
"However, she is not human, but a beautiful and intelligent Snakewoman, Beverly."
Galos already knew about this from Iron Dragon Sorog and the Snakeman Swordsaint. He nodded his huge cat head slightly, signaling the other party to continue and not beat around the bush.
Having received his Lord's tacit approval, Sharl breathed a sigh of relief, a sweet smile on his lips.
"After becoming partners, our relationship has always been very harmonious and compatible, our souls intertwined."
"Most importantly, our love for each other has not diminished with the passage of time; instead, like aged fine wine, it has become even more mellow and ardent."
"She likes to use her flexible body in the garden under the moonlight..."
"Stop!" Galos interrupted him again: "Get to the point, I'm not interested in the details of your love story."
"Sorry, sorry." Sharl quickly stopped talking.
He said: "I always can't help but want to share this cross-racial romantic love with others. Getting back to the main topic, the only problem Beverly and I currently have is that we have never been able to have a child of our own."
"As you know, neither humans nor snakemen have the powerful reproductive advantage of Dragon, which is almost unrestricted by race, in terms of reproduction."
"We desperately wish to have a biological offspring with both our bloodlines."
"But according to all known records and cases, the probability of successfully bearing offspring from such cross-racial unions is extremely slim."
At this point, after a few seconds of pause, Sharl lowered his voice.
"I accidentally heard about an ancient and rare alchemy formula, one of its main ingredients is Dragon blood."
"It is said that the strong liquor brewed with this formula can not only greatly enhance the… effect in that area, but also has a small chance to help overcome stubborn reproductive isolation, allowing creatures of different races, after mating, to have a chance to bear healthy offspring."
Galos tilted his large cat head, his gaze focused on Sharl's face.
"So, you want my blood?"
His voice was still calm, but his squatting posture adjusted slightly, and the exaggerated muscle lines around him seemed to tighten even more.
"Yes, but you must use the sword in your hand to take it yourself."
The big black cat, like a muscular overlord, bared his teeth slightly, his gaze becoming dangerous.
"No! You completely misunderstood!"
Share quickly explained, "It's not that your blood is absolutely necessary; the blood of any true Dragon can be used as a raw material! I just wanted to first ask for your permission to try and collect some Dragon blood, no matter which member it comes from."
Galos's posture relaxed slightly, and he nodded.
"In that case, you can offer enough gold, gems, or other equivalent valuables to exchange for some Dragon blood with other members of the Dragon race.
I think they'll be very happy to make that deal."
In their weaker or poorer periods, it was common for Dragons to sell off shed scales, a small amount of blood, or even a few old teeth to quickly accumulate wealth.
This was not considered a disgrace for Dragons; it was more like a reasonable utilization of resources, a way to quickly accumulate wealth.
After receiving Galos's approval, Share's face immediately showed a relieved smile.
"Thank you so much for your understanding and permission."
Having resolved this personal matter, Share's expression quickly returned to the steady demeanor of a Lord.
Immediately after, the ease on his face faded, replaced by an unprecedented solemnity and seriousness.
"Besides the matters I have already dealt with, there was one more thing I hadn't yet reported to you when I was just briefing you on the main events."
"About a year ago, while you were still in your deep sleep, an unusual female missionary arrived in Creekwood Territory."
"She called herself Alya, with the title 'Emissary of Good luck,' and claimed to serve the Goddess of luck, the deity who governs the world's luck and opportunities."
"Lady Alya was elegant in her demeanor and gentle in her speech, openly proclaiming the doctrines of the Church of Good luck in Creekwood Town's square and taverns, advocating for following the guidance of fate and embracing the blessings of luck."
"At the same time, she didn't preach empty words.
She freely offered potions that could quickly restore stamina to passing adventurers and merchant groups, as well as some minor blessings said to bring short-term luck.
She did this to attract people's attention and goodwill, intending to develop followers in Creekwood Territory."
"When I learned of the situation, I immediately sought her out and clearly informed her that all forms of unofficial missionary activities were prohibited here.
After that, she didn't linger and quickly left and disappeared."
As the territory grew more prosperous, it was difficult to completely avoid attracting the attention of religious organizations and their attempts to proselytize.
This seemed to be just a rather ordinary interlude.
However, as he spoke of this, Share's expression grew even more solemn.
"The crucial issue is that when I personally confronted that missionary, I was completely unable to discern her true depth."
"Not only could I not perceive her life level, but I also couldn't sense any special energy fluctuations or extraordinary characteristics on her.
She stood there like the purest, most ordinary mortal, devoid of any power."
"This means either she really is just a powerless mortal, or... her level of strength far exceeds the limits of my perception."
"Considering that when she left, I cautiously tracked her for a distance in secret, only to inexplicably lose all traces of her completely, the second possibility is undoubtedly much greater."
Hearing Share's description, Galos's eyes narrowed slightly, his vertical pupils turning into two cold, thin lines.
His previously somewhat casual posture vanished instantly, and though his body still maintained its feline form, a weighty and powerful aura of majesty naturally emanated from him.
To make a seasoned human expert like Share, who is level 19 and has keen senses, completely unable to gauge her depth.
This most likely meant that the opponent was a powerful individual who had stepped into the Legendary realm! A person suspected to be of Bishop level.
It was no wonder Share was treating this so cautiously.
Below Legendary, all are mortals!
Between mortals and Legendary beings, there exists an almost insurmountable chasm, a sublimation and transformation of life's essence.
To give the most intuitive example:
If both were Legendary, a Legendary Dragon, relying on its racial talent and powerful physique, would still hold a significant advantage against a Legendary human.
But if it were a Dragon at the peak of level 20, just one step away from Legendary, facing a Legendary human expert who had truly entered level 21.
In a battle between the two, the Dragon's chances of winning would become extremely slim, almost nonexistent.
Even for a proud Dragon, their ancient inherited knowledge clearly contained a warning: "The fangs and claws of a mortal cannot touch a Legendary body; only another Legendary can deal with a Legendary."
The power of a Legendary being is not just about the exponential increase in basic attributes like strength, speed, and reaction.
Its truly terrifying aspect lies in the unique ability shaped by a deep understanding of the world's rules—the Domain!
When an entity advances to Legendary.
He will, based on his core cognition, unique will, and a lifetime's accumulation of experience and path, create a unique "Domain" belonging only to him, capable of locally rewriting the rules of reality.
Within the scope of this Domain, certain fundamental material rules will be drastically altered.
For example: making spatial orientation inverted and chaotic, left becoming right, up becoming down; making an ordinary stone harder than adamantine; giving a rusty iron sword the concept of cutting through everything within the Domain; or even making flames cold and ice burning hot.
And among them, the most common concept bestowed by a Domain, which has almost become a standard for Legendary beings, is—Absolute Defense.
Unless countered by another Legendary Domain or power, or the intensity of the attack exceeds the conceptual limit that the Legendary Domain can bear, or the Legendary being's own energy is completely exhausted.
Otherwise, within this Domain, the Legendary being is truly impregnable! Against any attack below Legendary, he is almost invincible!
In short, after a mortal transforms into a Legendary being, they will master a powerful mechanism.
Unless certain stats are so heaven-defying that they can break the mechanism, a mortal will have no chance of winning against a Legendary being.
Of course, a Legendary Domain has range limitations, and continuous deployment also consumes enormous energy.
Therefore, a Legendary being is not completely invincible.
But even so, when facing entities below Legendary, no matter their race, a Legendary being can still be considered almost invincible.
"No need to be overly nervous."
"As an apostle of a deity, the other party might also possess some high-level divine spell capable of completely resisting external detection, or hold related powerful magical items."
Galos's pupils slowly dilated, analyzing another possibility.
"Since this Emissary of Good luck has already voluntarily left Creekwood Territory, before there are any further developments, let's not actively delve deeper.
If she comes again, or if you discover anything new, you must inform me immediately."
His expression returned to calm, but his heart had already raised its vigilance.
The current Serre Wilderness was truly like a simmering cauldron, with all sorts of hidden demons and monsters seemingly beginning to emerge.
"I've become stronger than before I fell asleep... but the level of contact and potential opponents are also constantly increasing.
I still cannot relax in the slightest; I must remain cautious at all times."
Galos silently admonished himself.
Just then, Share seemed to sense something, and quickly took out a communication stone from his Pregnant, which was vibrating slightly and emitting a magical glow.
He held it to his ear, and immediately, the unusually tense voice of a sentinel captain came through.
"Lord! Urgent military intelligence!"
"The Third Eastern Outpost has discovered a large number of undead creatures gathering!
Their numbers are extremely vast! And at least three or more types of high-level undead presences have been observed among them.
Their direction seems to be Creekwood Territory!"
PS: Today I watched so many parade videos that I lost track of time.
I'll take a small break and try to finish the battle plot in one go tomorrow.
Also, asking for monthly votes.