Solrog’s pupils shrank dramatically into two thin lines, the muscles beneath the Dragon Scale involuntarily twitching.
"Ga... Ga... Galos?!"
It stared at the Red Iron Dragon, larger and more robust than itself, and stamred out syllables of disbelief from its throat.
Perhaps it was too stunned.
It felt as if attacked, its voice sharp and piercing, like a lynx’s howl, not resembling the language of an Iron Dragon.
Opposite it, Galos raised his chin with satisfaction, spreading the massive Celestial Cot Wings, casting a shadow as if blotting out the sky, engulfing Solrog entirely.
"Ah, these wings overshadowing the heavens seem to belong on ; no wonder they couldn’t be seen on you."
He appeared amused, a trace of delight curving at the corner of his mouth.
Iron Dragon Solrog fell silent, opening his mouth as if to speak, but hesitated and finally remained wordless.
"Get up, my pitiful brother."
"I never thought you would fall beneath an Ogre."
Having already found satisfaction in Solrog’s reaction, Galos stopped short of further mockery or insult, leaving so dignity for his brother.
From the mont the Ogre stepped onto Shattered Stone Beach, and as the Iron Dragon commanded his Followers to retreat while counterattacking.
Galos had been silently circling in the sky, watching the battle below, while the Iron Dragon, focused on the battle, did not notice his presence.
Galos observed the entire process, taking note of Iron Dragon’s responses and strategies.
He understood clearly his Followers’ strengths and the Ogre’s weaknesses, and utilized the traits of each side, using the environnt and terrain to capitalize on his side’s advantages and deepen the enemy’s disadvantages, strategically allowing the weaker Jackal-Wolf Folk and Kobold to maneuver against the Ogre.
There was even a mont when the tide turned, transforming disadvantages into advantages.
The biggest issue lay within the Dragon Race’s nature.
The Iron Dragon, when at a disadvantage, could think rationally and calmly, yet when gaining the upper hand, arrogance and conceit grew, affecting its judgnt, eventually leading to a wrong choice, taking risks, and being captured.
If Solrog could suppress his arrogant and conceited thoughts, maintaining calm and reasoning throughout, patiently wearing down his enemy.
The Ogre forces would suffer heavy losses, forcing Galos to appear sooner.
However.
Even Galos couldn’t entirely suppress the negative emotions in the bloodline of the Evil Dragon, so Solrog being affected was understandable; his performance, in Galos’s eyes, was satisfactory.
"In terms of territorial managent and clan planning, the Iron Dragon is a natural master."
"Having Solrog follow and assist in managing the territory allows to detach from mundane affairs and focus more on my own strengthening."
This was Galos’s thought.
The first ti going to Shattered Stone Beach, upon confirming the King of Iron was Solrog, his own brother, Galos didn’t recognize him imdiately, but instead dispatched Followers to attack, both to demonstrate and prove he was worth following, and to verify Solrog’s skills; satisfying vanity was just incidental and not worth ntioning.
Now it seems.
Despite so shortcomings, Solrog is generally usable; moreover, he is only an eighteen-year-old juvenile dragon with substantial room for growth.
The Ogre Mage removed the binding Magic.
The chains entwining Solrog were also withdrawn.
He feebly staggered to his feet, bared his fangs, and quietly defended himself: "I was rely careless, and their numbers were vast, their weapons well-crafted; my Followers hardly stood a chance, outnumbered and overwheld."
Galos shook his head, directly refuting: "No, it wasn’t carelessness."
He straightforwardly pointed out the mistake Solrog made.
"Your arrogance deceived you."
"Deep down, you knew the Gluttonous Demon isn’t inferior to the Dragon Race, and the Dragon Vein Gluttonous Demon must be approached cautiously."
"Yet you arrogantly assud you could decapitate it, lost patience after re probing, taking advantage to drag you to the ground."
Galos spoke patiently: "You should relish having encountered ."
"Otherwise, your arrogance would have led to your demise."
To these words, Solrog didn’t refute them, as Galos spoke truth, and Solrog knew this well.
He knew he shouldn’t be arrogant, trying to combat the arrogance within, but sotis, with Dragon’s Blood boiling in his veins, he would forget this fact.
The young Iron Dragon fell back into silence.
He shook his body, the intense pain made him more conscious.
He looked up at his brother, no longer the cute and tender dragon he rembered from age two, asking, "Galos, did you deliberately co to mock my folly and weakness, seeking to bring sha?"
Even as a young dragon, Solrog clearly understood that his brother’s potential surpassed his own.
The positive mixed-breed Red Iron Dragon possessed talent comparable to the Golden Dragon.
Thus he tried various sches to trick Galos into journeying with him, surviving in the wilderness together, but much to his disappointnt, Galos was too clever; even at one or two, Galos was impervious to his tactics.
Solrog had predicted.
Should Galos not et premature death, he’d likely grow to heights beyond his own — from the perspective of a Dragon Race’s pride and conceit, recognizing this is truly remarkable.
But what Solrog didn’t anticipate.
Was that at fourteen, without reaching adolescent dragon age, Galos had already surpassed him, appearing fearsoly strong at first glance, and Solrog felt a hint of fear upon seeing him.
Due to this disparity and fear.
Iron Dragon Solrog felt profound disappointnt and unwillingness, exceeding the bitterness of being defeated by an Ogre.
He held grand ambitions, envisioning a magnificent plan to build a Dragon Empire, yet reality found him kneeling before his younger brother, unable to even defeat his Followers.
Galos shook his head slowly and calmly.
"Solrog, my dear brother, this isn’t mockery but a reminder."
He lowered his formidable head, looking at the young Iron Dragon, saying: "You’re the wisest, most ambitious Iron Dragon I have ever seen; with similar blood flowing within us, I know you well."
"A temporary failure won’t discourage you, nor will victory rob you of reason."
"You’ll summarize lessons from wins and losses, absorbing teachings."
"Only arrogance and vanity are the greatest hurdles on your path to growth."
"But I’ve always believed you are different from other dragons, that you can overco them, transcend yourself."
Each word from Galos’s lips.
The young Iron Dragon’s eyes beca slightly brighter, his lowered head gradually lifted, tail unconsciously swaying.
He hadn’t realized.
Galos’s speech resembled the motivational techniques within The Prince, used to recruit Followers, similar in essence to his old tactics, rely transforming negative suppression into positive guidance.
Ultimately.
The Red Iron Dragon flashed a smile at his brother, sprawled in the mud, extending a claw.
"Solrog, my dear brother, I hope you can stand by my side and together build a glorious Dragon Empire, restoring the ancient glory of the Dragon Race, a dream shared by us, to be realized together."
The young Iron Dragon was montarily stunned.
He raised his head towards Galos, looking at that face sowhat obscured by the light, only the eyes vibrant, spontaneously feeling a surge of an intense, indescribable palpitation.
Not fear, nor tension.
It was a more inexplicable special feeling, making the Iron Dragon’s mind go blank.
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