Chapter 1
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Chapter 1: Snow on the Mountain Peak
The long and drawn-out war between the Texi Empire and the Su Lan Empire has transformed inexperienced recruits, who only recently stepped onto the battlefield, into true warriors, numb to life and death, in just a few days. They have gone from being terrified at the sight of bloody limbs to becoming hardened soldiers.
Here, the term "veteran" applies only to those soldiers who have survived three months without falling in battle. Soldiers from the empire’s various provinces continuously flow toward the central Helar Mountains, rushing headlong into the area filled with flashing blades and the intertwining of life and death.
The few surviving veterans from several months on the battlefield have become true killing machines, their cold, merciless eyes reflecting the harsh realities of war. After pushing back the final enemy force, they collapse into a deep sleep before even reaching their barracks. They wake only to eat, and then wait for the horn to sound for the next charge, even finding time to drag another down with them before they die. Yet, many veterans, lost in the chaos of battle, forget everything and fail to return safely, falling forever on the battlefield.
High-ranking commanders from both nations have long grown tired of this war, which has lingered for five or six years without resolution. Countless battles with various tactics and strategies have emerged, with different legions taking turns to fight, ultimately spiraling into a simple war of attrition. Offense and defense have lost all order, as the command center mechanically issues charge orders daily. Without needing enforcement teams with bloody blades, soldiers instinctively form ranks and charge toward the enemy camp, their voices hoarse from the effort. In the meat-grinder of battle, pain and death no longer evoke feelings of being alive; only by being killed by the enemy can they finally achieve relief.
The casters, once seen as noble masters, have lost their former grace. With a dust-covered appearance, they desperately cast spells and meditate, as precious magic crystals and cores are sent from the rear in a constant stream, squandered luxuriously. There is no time to admire their beautiful and miraculous forms or marvel at the overwhelming waves of magical energy before they are drained of power and reduced to worthless dust. The air behind the battlefield is filled with a special scent of magical spices that increases spellcasting success rates. Even without lavishly spreading these expensive spices, the air can still aid in mental focus and stability; mere mechanical chanting suffices for successful spellcasting.
The battlefield skies are exceptionally perilous, home to the most advanced military forces of both empires. The dragon knights, seldom seen, have become common in this setting.
Becoming a dragon knight requires passing various trials, possessing strength, perseverance, and luck. Only those who meet these stringent conditions can qualify for the soul resonance needed to form a pact with a dragon, entering a mutual partnership based on shared glory. Sometimes, even powerful warriors can pass every test but still fail to achieve soul resonance, thus remaining unable to become dragon knights.
Ultimately, only one or two individuals out of every hundred thousand can be fortunate enough to earn this honor. This rigorous selection process keeps the number of dragon knights low. Once they become dragon knights, their battle energy training accelerates due to the resonance with their dragon partners.
Some have managed to defeat and force a dragon to become their steed through sheer strength, but they face the wrath and relentless pursuit of the dragon kin in the future. So far, few have dared to take such a global risk; those who have soon meet their demise. A forced dragon mount does not grant any benefits in training, truly the greatest advantage of being a dragon knight is that, given time to grow, they will soon become immensely powerful beings.
Ordinary people consider seeing a dragon knight a lifetime bragging point. Now, the Helar Mountains have nearly become a duel ground for aerial warriors from both nations. Just by occasionally looking up, one can see colossal dragons roaring through the sky, using their elevated positions to unleash fierce breath attacks, sending waves of horrified screams erupting from the ground. They clash savagely with opposing dragons or other aerial forces, erupting shockwaves of magic that ripple through the air.
The fall of powerful figures like battle mages and sword saints, which once stirred small tremors, has become commonplace here; the formerly unbeatable reputation of dragon knights has dissipated. Nearly every month, at least one dragon knight and their dragon mount perish on the battlefield, either slain by equally matched opponents or unfortunate enough to be injured and captured by enemy light infantry, overwhelmed by sheer numbers and suffering massive casualties, like ants that bring down an elephant.
Among the nearly 105 registered dragon knights of the Su Lan Empire, 61 have concentrated on the battlefield of the Helar Mountains, while the remaining 44 guard the Imperial City. In comparison, the Texi Empire has only a handful of dragon knights, with their main forces comprising over 600 griffin and thunder eagle knights. Though individually they lack the power of dragons, their numbers and strategic formations provide an advantage.
A sharp, elongated, strange sound resonates from a peak of the Helar Mountains, which lies above the snow line, covered in ice and snow for countless millennia.
At the snowy summit stands a figure clad in black, blowing a peculiar short flute over seven inches long. The harsh winter winds whip against his black mystic steel armor from head to toe, while his crimson cloak billows in the wind, like a battle flag unfurling. Above him, the air shimmers as if waves of water ripple through the void. Sharp dragon horns adorn his head, covered in steel-like scales, and a colossal beast unfurls huge wings behind him as it bursts forth.
“Roar…” The resounding roar of authority erupts from over 100 meters above the summit.
The force of the roar sends shockwaves ripple outward like ripples in water, sweeping away the lingering white mist at the peak. Nearby mountains tremble under the deafening sound, years of accumulated snow loosening and cascading down, swelling and amplifying into a tremendous avalanche.
A youthful golden dragon, less than a thousand years old, reveals its fierce form in the air. Its ten-meter-long body moves gracefully as it circles the snowy peak, showing no signs of slowing down. With a powerful flap of its wings, it lunges toward the summit, but as it nears the thick, steel-like layers of ice and snow at the top, it lets out a low dragon’s howl and suddenly pauses in mid-air, crashing heavily onto the peak, sending countless snowflakes and ice grains soaring into the air, crashing onto the rocks and ice below with a loud bang, nearly causing the summit to collapse.
The sudden and strange hovering effect is unique to golden dragons—an anti-gravity effect allowing their massive weight to remain airborne, a skill every golden dragon inherently possesses. Without it, the ground would be unable to bear the weight of a golden dragon; stepping down would feel like sinking into quicksand.
The seven-inch dragon flute serves as a testament to the bond between dragon knights and their dragon partners. Ten thousand years ago, this ancient alliance was forged between the dragon and human races to counter extraterrestrial threats. Combining the might of dragons and the creativity of humankind, they pushed power and wisdom to the limits. Each dragon flute is crafted from precious materials and mysterious techniques by alchemists and artisans of both races.
Once a dragon and knight sign their pact through the flute, the dragon gains an eternal resting space and the ability to respond to summons across space. The dragon can recuperate in this space and emerge at its knight’s side when the flute sounds or during moments of emergency.
Each dragon flute has its unique sound, meaning every dragon that signs a knight’s contract can only hear the sound of their knight’s specific flute.
This golden dragon resembles a menacing weapon, adorned with sharp instruments covering its body. Its wings, formed from countless swords, provide natural protection with metallic armor enclosing every part and joint of its body. Even the most skilled human artisans could not forge such exquisite and fierce armor, adorned with intricate dark patterns. Its claws are sharp as divine weapons, effortlessly shattering ice thousands of years old with a single strike. Its horns seem to brew latent thunder, with flashes of lightning zipping through the air. The bloodthirsty atmosphere surrounding it feels tangible, as its bowl-sized crimson slit pupils lock onto the knight before it, seemingly ready to pounce and tear him apart.
“Gold, how’s the recovery going?” A voice emerges from a helmet that shrouds the young man’s head, leaving only his eyes visible, exhaling thick white mist. He appears unfazed by the dragon’s intimidating presence or its menacing actions toward him.
“Hmph! How infuriating! I can’t wait to face those flies from the Texi Empire again,” he chuckles. “Hey, Little Morin, don’t you dare fall! I would be very sad.” The dragon’s once-perfect tail, now disfigured, begins to tremble and twist as if alive, reshaping its complex structure at an observable speed. Though it can recover quickly, its strength will diminish significantly.
