Chapter 281: The Iron Dragon King, Defeated?

"My name is Garlogosin, revered by the heavy metal dragon clans of eighteen primary material worlds, the current Iron Dragon King."

A voice as grating as steel on steel was uttered.

Ignoring the wary eyes of many legendary true dragons, a massive dark shadow raised its head, looking directly at the silver dragon at the highest point of the Eternal Hall.

Garon's expression remained calm as he looked towards the massive dark shadow.

This was a heavy metal dragon, and among them, the strongest individual, an iron dragon.

Its arrival in such a manner was very likely as an unwelcome guest.

It had nearly pure black metallic scales, each piece of steel armor rough yet exuding an unbreakable will, like the darkest night. From the neck to the spine and all the way to the tail of the iron dragon, sharp, ferocious black metallic spikes densely covered its body. Its thick limbs indicated its immense strength, muscles bulging under the scales.

Moreover, what was most impossible to ignore was this iron dragon's size.

It measured fifty-two meters from head to tail, resembling a black metal mountain, and its rather stout body made it appear even more oppressive.

"A primeval iron dragon over four thousand seven hundred years old."

Garon judged the age of this iron dragon.

Such a level of ancient dragon could almost be said to be invincible in the primary material worlds.

Though not yet a demigod, it was very close.

Its creature level had reached thirty-eight.

Any godly avatar that faced this ancient iron dragon would likely be torn to shreds quickly.

"What is it trying to do by stepping out at this time?"

"Could it be that it also wants to be the lord of the Dragon Court?"

"No, an old creature that has lived for thousands of years wouldn't be foolish; it should know that it doesn't qualify to be the lord of the Dragon Court."

Garon thought to himself.

Outwardly, this ancient iron dragon's strength seemed to be slightly higher than Garon's, but being the lord of the Dragon Court isn't just about having strength. Without a proper identity, the legendary dragons wouldn't recognize it.

As if hearing Garon's inner thoughts, Garlogosin stared at Garon.

It licked its metallic lips with its tongue, and a not-so-pleasant smile appeared on its hard, black dragon face.

"Esteemed Time Dragon, I have long heard of your legendary dragon kind."

"To celebrate your becoming the lord of the Dragon Court, I have brought a gift that you may like."

As it spoke,

A nearly six-meter-diameter, irregularly shaped black gemstone was presented.

Such a volume of a whole magic gemstone was extremely rare, whether for collection or use, it was a great item.

Indeed, it was an exquisite gift for a dragon.

As soon as the black gemstone was revealed, it attracted the eyes of many true dragons. Some dragons couldn't help but show a hint of greed in their eyes, but they quickly restrained themselves. Whether it was the Iron Dragon King's or the Time Dragon's treasure, it wasn't something that ordinary legendary dragons in attendance could covet.

Under the control of the Iron Dragon King, the black gemstone floated in front of Garon.

Garon was not polite.

Although he didn't understand what this fellow wanted to do, he wouldn't refuse a good item.

After confirming there were no problems or hidden dangers with the gemstone, Garon used a claw to open a dimensional space and stored it away.

"I have accepted your gift. If you have come here for a reason, speak plainly."

Garon said to the Iron Dragon King.

At the same time, he donned the dragon horns formed by the Dragon Court's covenant.

As soon as the dragon horns touched Garon's forehead, they emitted a faint glow, adjusting their size to fit Garon perfectly.

"I am glad you like this gift."

"However, I have an impolite request. I wonder if you would be willing to listen."

After presenting the gift, the Iron Dragon King said.

Typically, iron dragons belong to the evil alignment, their temperament even more tyrannical and ferocious than chromatic dragons. However, this ancient iron dragon appearing here was already over four thousand years old, not an age to be swayed by mere temperament. Its true intentions were hard to discern at a glance, but at least, its attitude towards Garon was relatively mild.

"Speak."

The silver dragon said calmly, his voice devoid of emotion.

"I am curious to know, as the Iron Dragon King, how big a gap exists between myself and the legendary Time Dragon."

"Therefore, I hope, under the witness of my kin and the dragon gods, that you will not be stingy with your power, and allow me to experience the might of time."

Clearly, this ancient iron dragon knew that dragon gods were watching.

Yet, it still came, and even challenged Garon.

"If I cannot withstand your power, I am willing to bring my legendary iron dragons to join the Dragon Court, to build the dragon race's glory with our kin."

The term "kin" was emphasized by the Iron Dragon King.

However, iron dragons, despite their not insignificant strength, have always held a somewhat awkward position in dragon society, being a dragon clan without any backing. Even if they actively sought faith, no dragon god was willing to accept them, since these creatures were once part of the metal dragons, and only the evil dragon goddess, who didn't mind the Platinum Dragon God, welcomed the worship of iron dragons.

But all iron dragons have a natural aversion to the evil dragon goddess.

As they spoke, space began to ripple violently.

Cobalt, nickel, chrome, iron, and tungsten dragons, legendary iron dragons, began to appear, totaling over seventy in number, their metallic luster scales catching the eye.

As the Iron Dragon King, it had only so many legendary iron dragons from eighteen primary material worlds under its command.

Moreover, the current Iron Dragon King, although seemingly quite strong, was far incomparable to the first Iron Dragon King known to Garon, who could directly contend with dragon gods, bearing titles like Supreme Dragon, All-Powerful Dragon, and so on, clearly not to be trifled with. This generation's Iron Dragon King had not yet reached demigod status.

This showed the iron dragons' living environment was quite dire.

Whether it was the dragon king or ordinary iron dragons, they were in a harsh environment, deteriorating with each generation. These heavy metal dragons, like the chromatic and metallic dragons, mainly lived in the primary material worlds, but taking the Noah Continent as an example, one could hardly see any iron dragons in the entire primary material world.

Garon glanced slightly downward, his gaze sweeping over the legendary iron dragons.

These legendary dragons that followed the Iron Dragon King maintained their silence, although occasionally glancing at Garon, they remained quiet.

After a few looks, Garon turned his gaze back to the ancient iron dragon.

From the Iron Dragon King's words and demeanor, it seemed not to have come to pick a fight.

A creature over four thousand years old, was it simply looking for a fight with him, the Time Dragon?

"If I lose?"

Garon didn't immediately agree, his eyes narrowing as he spoke.

The Iron Dragon King thought for a moment, then said casually, "If you lose, please visit my Black Iron Castle for a few days after the coronation, to admire the various treasures I have collected there. If there's anything you like, feel free to take it."

It seemed he truly just wanted a straightforward fight.

Garon couldn't figure out what the Iron Dragon King was up to.

Inviting other dragons to visit one's lair and admire one's collection is a way of expressing goodwill among true dragons, not to mention the Iron Dragon King also generously offered to give Garon some treasures.

Garon himself was quite wealthy.

But he knew his wealth probably couldn't compare to that of an old creature that had lived for thousands of years. Over long periods, the Iron Dragon King's fortress would definitely contain many treasures, like the black gemstone of such volume that Garon didn't have.

Should he refuse the Iron Dragon King's challenge,

Garon, having just assumed the role of Lord of the Dragon Court, would definitely lose some trust from legendary dragons, believing he lacked the power to maintain his dignity and position.

The history of dragons is written by the powerful.

In dragon society, strength determines everything.

So when the Iron Dragon King issued a challenge to Garon, even Lockweed and the others showed no intention of stopping it.

Under the watchful eyes of many true dragons, Garon smiled, then gazed at the Iron Dragon King, slightly tilting his head, his voice calm as a placid lake: "Since the Iron Dragon King wishes to witness the power of time and has shown such sincerity, how could I refuse?"

Hearing Garon's response, the legendary dragons surrounding the Eternal Hall silently dispersed.

At the same time, excitement and curiosity were evident in the eyes of the legendary dragons.

The legendary Time Dragon versus the current Iron Dragon King.

Both were formidable, but who would win if a battle ensued?

These dragons were eager to know the answer.

They moved away from the Eternal Hall, leaving a vast area for Garon and the Iron Dragon King to fight, watching from afar with their extraordinary vision.

Meanwhile,

The Iron Dragon King, looking at Garon, seemed to become even darker and more profound.

"Esteemed Time Dragon, forgive my impertinence."

It spoke.

Then, the ferocious dragon made of metal moved.

Its dragon wings flapped violently.

The Iron Dragon King disappeared from its spot.

Only after, a deafening sonic boom followed.

Boom!

An immense force stirred up a hurricane, the terrifying wind pressure spreading from where the Iron Dragon King had been, sweeping through like a devastating force, pushing aside the clouds, creating a scene akin to a towering tsunami, clearing a patch of the sky in the dense cloud sea.

Such fierce assaults left the watching legendary dragons breathless.

Legendary dragons, not easily provoked, gathered at the Dragon Court, each a ruler in their own primary material world. But witnessing Garon and the Iron Dragon King's power, they felt their own insignificance.

Even legendary dragons of over twenty levels felt like mere magical creatures compared to these nearly forty-level giants.

Both were legendary, yet the gap was vast.

In an instant, the Iron Dragon King's wings tore through the not-so-stable demi-plane, leaving a dark trail in space, directly approaching the Time Dragon, seemingly intent on winning through physical prowess.

Moreover, as the cream of the crop among heavy metal dragons, iron dragons boast almost unparalleled defense among all true dragons.

That steel body, at equal levels, was nearly indestructible.

In a very brief moment, the Iron Dragon King closed in within a kilometer of Garon.

In another blink, it was merely three hundred meters away.

For legendary dragons, this distance was as close as face-to-face combat.

Garon could clearly see the smoky black scales on the Iron Dragon King, its ferocious appearance, and feel the fierce hurricane it brought as it charged.

Those familiar with Garon knew he favored opponents who approached him, especially those skilled in close combat.

A move that eats all.

Time stop was incredibly effective in such situations.

Under Garon's calm gaze, the Iron Dragon King, after getting close, extended its cold, gleaming black claw, the hard metallic luster revealing its lethal power. Raising its claw, it swung at Garon.

With legendary dragons watching, time seemed to slow down.

No, not seemed— it actually did slow down.

First, the Iron Dragon King's movements slowed, then, like the wind and clouds previously frozen by Garon, everything around it stopped, motionless, as if a lifelike giant dragon sculpture.

"Such a terrifying time stop."

"Even the formidable Iron Dragon King couldn't avoid it."

"Unable to break free from time stop, isn't it like being slaughtered without a chance to fight back?"

Witnessing this, the legendary dragons widened their eyes, gasping in shock.

Seeing a primeval iron dragon over fifty meters long frozen in time had a greater impact than Garon simply freezing some wind and clouds before. Now, any dragon that had doubts about the Time Dragon's power no longer questioned how terrifying it could be.

However,

The silver dragon with stirring eyes harbored a trace of confusion.

Garon knew his time stop wasn't invincible.

After all, it was a near-demigod dragon, with strong resistance to various negative states. Garon could clearly sense a force around the Iron Dragon King that resisted the power of time. Time stop couldn't fully take effect; if the Iron Dragon King resisted, it could move somewhat within the time stop domain, albeit with great restriction.

This guy, couldn't be a plant by a dragon god, could he?

Was this to enhance the Dragon Court and his own influence, intentionally letting an Iron Dragon King serve as his stepping stone, sacrificing the Iron Dragon King's reputation to establish the Time Dragon's renown?

Garon thought quietly.

Seeing the Iron Dragon King motionless, looking utterly powerless yet with a fierce expression and bulging muscles as if exerting all its strength, Garon inwardly sighed.

Looking at the motionless Iron Dragon King, Garon narrowed his eyes, unleashing the Claw of Temporal Fracture.

Chaotic time clung to his claw, forming an indestructible weapon.

Extending the Claw of Temporal Fracture, he slowly approached the Iron Dragon King's neck. Throughout, the creature remained still, until the Claw of Temporal Fracture virtually held its throat, capturing the Iron Dragon King's vital point.

At this moment,

If Garon wished to kill the Iron Dragon King, merely closing the Claw of Temporal Fracture would suffice to snap its neck.

It didn't resist, placing its life in Garon's claws.

Hum!

The intangible force of time dissipated like water.

Time resumed its flow, the wild winds and rolling clouds once again visible to the many true dragons.

Realizing its neck was under Garon's control, the Iron Dragon King's expression drastically changed, exclaiming, "Wh-what? What's going on?"

"I, the mighty Iron Dragon King, defeated in a single move!"

Its incredulous voice rang loudly, reaching every legendary dragon.

Garon released his claw, quietly observing the Iron Dragon King, watching its performance.

Meanwhile, the legendary true dragons regathered, their astonished gaze shifting between the Time Dragon and the Iron Dragon King, then looking at Garon with even more reverence and genuine respect.

The Iron Dragon King seemed unable to accept reality.

After a roar of disbelief, it froze, taking nearly half a minute to recover.

Glancing at the Time Dragon and then at the surrounding legendary dragons, the Iron Dragon King fell silent for a long time before finally letting out a long sigh. In front of all the legendary dragons, it said, "The power of time is so formidable. I, Garlogosin, the current king of the Iron Dragons, admit defeat wholeheartedly."

Such exquisite acting for a dragon, Garon wondered where it came from.

By now, he understood.

From the moment it appeared here, the Iron Dragon King's goal wasn't to fight him.

It deliberately showed a domineering presence, then lost to Garon, highlighting the Time Dragon's strength.

Was the ultimate reason to regain the favor and protection of the dragon gods, escaping the plight of the Iron Dragon clan?

Beyond that, Garon could think of no other reason for the Iron Dragon King's actions.

To use its reputation to elevate another dragon, as the king of the Iron Dragons, part of a race that highly values honor and dignity, this was indeed a difficult decision. For dragons, losing their reputation is like losing hard-earned treasures.

Once the news spread,

From then on,

When mentioning the Iron Dragon King, people would not think of its strength or ferocity but would recall the Time Dragon that defeated it in a single blow, and the Dragon Court led by the Time Dragon, marveling at the power of time.

"It was just a spar."

"If it were a fight to the death, I might not win so easily."

Garon said emotionlessly.

"Respected Lord of the Dragon Court, you don't need to spare my feelings."

"I am far from being your match."

The Iron Dragon King expressed gratitude as if Garon was salvaging its honor, and said.

Following this, with the Iron Dragon King subdued in a moment, causing the legendary dragons to acknowledge Garon's strength, plus the promise of eternal life before, some legendary dragons who were reluctant to join the Dragon Court gradually changed their minds. They submitted their true names and scales into the Eternal Hall, forming a covenant with the Dragon Court.

Including the Iron Dragon King itself.

Many legendary iron dragons brought by it also formed a covenant with the Dragon Court, strengthening the power of the Dragon Court covenant.

Garon looked around, his gaze sweeping over the legendary dragons.

He could feel the power contained in the third pair of dragon horns formed by the Dragon Court covenant growing stronger, able to summon the covenant's power, coupled with his own time powers, he felt he could now confront demigods in a higher league.

At this moment,

Above the head of the silver dragon, a total of six dragon horns, majestic and gleaming, stood like a true dragon's crown, shining brightly.

___________________

(Support with power stones, comments or reviews)

If you guys enjoy this story, In support me on Patreon and get access to +200 advance Chapters

Read Ahead

Patreon.com/INNIT