Duke Cassius's Covetous Gaze

After a brief report, the knight suddenly had a thought, "Your Grace, not long ago, a village at the border of our kingdom suffered an attack from a Red Dragon. Although no substantial damage was caused, a number of women were abducted. Should we seek the aid of the Metallic Dragons?"

The Metallic Dragons were known to uphold virtue and justice, often aiding the weak and striking down evil without ever meddling in human conflicts. They were observers, detached from worldly affairs.

Typically, if the kingdom was under assault by a chromatic dragon and the destruction was not too severe, most kingdoms would employ the mediation of the Metallic Dragons.

However, Duke Cassius furrowed his brow upon hearing this, "A Red Dragon? The same Red Dragon that tried to extort the Silvermoon Kingdom before and was driven away?"

Although there were many dragons near the Silvermoon Kingdom, Red Dragons were rare. The Red Dragon who had sheltered Caesar and liked to plunder human caravans, terrorize prosperous cities of the kingdom – each time she returned to her lair, she brought back a vast hoard that made even Caesar envious.

Still, the might of the Silvermoon Kingdom was formidable. Other than spellcasters, the number of high-level professions perhaps even exceeded those in the Morningstar Kingdom. Under such power, typical chromatic dragons would not dare to openly attack; they'd rather sneak around to steal.

But Red Dragons were an exception.

Amongst all dragons, Red Dragons were the proudest, most arrogant, and most brash. They dared to do things other dragons would not even consider, earning a notorious reputation among human realms.

With the status quo, it was common for wrongdoers to face the united wrath of the Metallic Dragons.

"It is not the same Red Dragon," the knight clarified. "According to the report from the local lord, this Red Dragon is about twelve meters in body length with an eighteen-meter wingspan, much smaller than the previous perpetrator. It may have arrived in our Silvermoon Kingdom recently."

Duke Cassius's eyes flickered with an uncertain glow. This dragon was likely in its adolescence. Even at this age, it posed a significant threat – a nightmare for any human city yet to face their force.

But high-ranking professionals were another story. These were like hero units in a game, each a true paragon of humanity, requiring extraordinary talent and overcoming tremendous adversity to reach such heights.

Even the most hardened dragons could not ignore them.

Suddenly, an audacious thought crossed Duke Cassius's mind – to capture this immature Red Dragon alive. Not to enslave it, for proud Red Dragons would rather die than submit to humans.

His true intention was to sacrifice the dragon to a great entity. As a chromatic dragon, the Red Dragon stood atop the hierarchy of magical creatures. Once of sufficient age, it could ascend to a legendary status, unrivaled by many other racial bloodlines.

By offering such a sacrifice, Duke Cassius, who secretly sacrificed many, including members of his own family, saw only negligible rewards.

But the news of this Red Dragon sparked avarice within him.

If he could sacrifice it to that sublime being, surely he would be generously rewarded, perhaps even reaching the legendary domain in his lifetime...

A month swiftly passed by.

The Karl Mountains remained turbulent, with frequent shifts in territorial beasts. Day by day, beasts were bathed in elemental forces, becoming ferocious variants, whilst magical creatures transformed, claiming new dominions. The lands of wilderness tribes were never static.

Meanwhile, within the confines of the Red Dragons' lair, a colossal creature began to stir from its lengthy slumber, opening eyes that shone like the blazing sun.

Golden flames flickered in those eyes, causing the surrounding magma to roil with renewed fervor as if reigniting a long-dormant volcano.

Caesar roused his newly attained consciousness. He flapped his wings, and tranquility returned to the molten surroundings.

"Have I slept for a month?" wondered Caesar, shaking his head as he took stock of his environment. The pool of magma had seemingly shrunk – not because the pool had decreased in size, but because he had grown.

Using the reflection in the magma, he beheld his transformation.

The first thing that struck him were his eyes. Dragon eyes come in many hues, but his once-ruby eyes had now taken on the brilliance of the sun, their golden fire outshining pure gold and radiating sovereign might.

Caesar quickly realized this was the result of that ten percent anomaly.

It wasn't just his eyes; the red scales seemed touched with a golden sheen, sparkling like precious gems. Those scales armored him like an impregnable golden fortress – majestic and formidable. 

"I've become even more handsome..."

That was his first thought upon seeing the change.

Then, he noticed the difference in his size, and his reflection in the lava almost made him gasp in shock.

"My size..."