Starting with watering the World Tree for otherworldly survival

Page 163

"So... my mission is to protect the Dragon Emperor—the mother of Nidhogg's offspring?"

This statement nearly gave Zilong a major headache. As a Nidhogg, a dragon with the bloodline of a chief god... the future Dragon Emperor... actually had a human mother?

"You are Shiryu, aren't you? How could the most intelligent evil dragon be so foolish as to repeatedly confirm one thing with me? Don't disappoint me about your abilities, little Shiryu."

"This is the first and last task, and I need you to do it as well as possible. Understand?"

In Tiamat's plan, Shiryu will constantly put pressure on Jinlong, forcing it to inflict more fatal wounds on Azure Rathalos and Pink Rathian.

Then, she sent Qin Xinru and Zhong Xiling quickly to the battlefield. She also had Deng Liu hold the newly hatched Sakura Fire Dragon so they could witness the upcoming scene.

"The Pink Rathalos that attacked the village, and the Azure Rathalos that arrived, were defeated by the 'righteous' Golden Rathalos. Its largest cub witnessed and remembered everything."

"Then... the young fire dragon's enemies were killed by the purple dragon and the humans who saved it."

"She witnessed the death of her real mother, and the truth about how Qin Xinru and Zhong Xiling challenged the Golden Dragon to protect her and avenge their mother. The Sakura Fire Dragon told all this when her sisters hatched."

"Then, the young fire dragons understood the sorrow they had suffered. Faced with the humans and white dragons who cared for them wholeheartedly, like mothers, they were willing to give their affection and trust in return."

Zilong understood that Tiamat's arrangement was a seemingly passive but actually deliberate scheme to guide everything toward the outcome she desired!

On the surface, this is indeed the truth.

The Golden Dragon appeared here precisely to hunt down the Pink Rathian. It also intends to take the Rathian eggs from its lair to trade with Palemot City. Materials from the Pink Rathian will also be part of the trade.

Even without the intervention of Zilong, Tiamat, Qin Xinru, and others, Jinlong would still eventually kill Cang and Ying, the two fire dragons; it was just a matter of how much effort it would take.

Instead of taking action in the face of this situation, we should create a scene where the young Rathalos witnesses the truth, letting it know that the Golden Dragon is the murderer and that humans are willing to protect her.

Given Qin Xinru and Zhong Xiling's kindness, their initial intention was only to obtain the golden dragon's blood. After all, they wouldn't intentionally kill a metal dragon that defended human villages and acted righteously.

—Even if the other party has true dragon blood that can be used for Dragon Origin Battle Qi.

Therefore, a battle would break out. Tiamat then used telepathy to summon Qin Xinru and Zhong Xiling to join the battle, attempting to obtain the golden dragon's blood using their weapons.

During this process, Tiamat also instructed them not to talk to the Golden Dragon. After all, even if they said they were going to collect blood, the Golden Dragon wouldn't believe them if they came fully armed with Qilin weapons.

Thus, two human hunters, who had witnessed the death of their parents as pink Rathalos cubs and intended to raise them, stepped in to fight the golden dragon—

Then, Jinlong, who had a blood feud with the murderer of his mother, was killed by Zilong, who wanted to surrender.

Next, after the Pink Rathian understands everything, it will remain loyal to the two who were willing to give them the warmth of a family and even stood up for their mother, challenging the Gold Dragon.

The purple dragon who finally defeats the golden dragon will also become a hero... or rather, a benefactor in the hearts of the hatchling Rathalos.

Although doing so would result in the death of the golden dragon, and the purple dragon would lose one more familiar to tame.

But the newly hatched Pink Rathian cub will understand how its real mother died.

As they grow older, fire dragons will gradually develop the intelligence of adult humans—approaching that of white dragons. What will happen if they begin to think about their true mother?

Tiamat didn't want her favored Lantern to suddenly face an attack from several fire dragons turning against her one day, decades later.

Therefore, it is very important to let them know the cause of their mother's death in advance.

"Those hatchlings... is it worth it?"

Zilong couldn't help but ask herself a question, but how could her doubts escape Tiamat's notice?

"It's worth it, six in a litter. One cherry blossom, one blue dragon, two gold dragons, and two silver dragons. They can grow into very good fighting force and serve my little white dragon girl~"

This will let these fire dragon cubs know that their mother was killed by a golden dragon. Afterwards, they will be wholeheartedly grateful and repay the kindness of Deng Liu and Qin Xinru, who raised them, with absolute loyalty.

Qin Xinru, Zhong Xiling, and Deng Liu would never know Tiamat's thoughts. And Tiamat simply revealed the truth to the hatchlings.

Dragons are creatures with a strong sense of family, and—

"Afterwards, they will go to Pale Moon City to find skilled craftsmen to forge weapons, and the two fire dragons will be the materials. If the little fire dragons see that their benefactor has a flying dragon sword that is pink or blue..."

"Do you think they might run away?"

In some villages, hunters would hunt fire dragons, craft them into equipment, and then hatch their daughters. They would then raise them as mounts, companions, and so on.

But tragically, their mothers may be wearing them or holding them in the hands of their trusted owners.

Some dragons, after understanding the truth, choose to quietly survive alongside their hunter companions. But others may flee or go berserk and injure people.

Tiamat's idea was simple: to let the young fire dragons know how their mother died. Then, she would tell them openly that she would keep the Azure Rathalos and Pink Rathian alive by forging weapons.

This hunter-like rhetoric is the best way to keep the young dragon calm. It's the best approach without resorting to complicated contracts or enslavement.

Zilong felt somewhat ashamed... This seemingly unnecessary task, however, allowed the young fire dragons to understand the truth presented to them from the very beginning.

They will genuinely treat them well and give them warmth. These are Qin Xinru, Zhong Xiling, and Bai Longdengliu.

The one who uses the "truth" to achieve her goals is none other than the evil dragon queen Tiamat.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I will do as you say. Your benevolent evil terrifies me and makes me submit."

Tiamat added:

"Oh, right, that noble girl who took the gem given to her by the golden dragon to ask for help. Don't kill her. Just say that the golden dragon was killed by you in the fight with the pair of fire dragons."

"As a human adventurer, it would be difficult to travel among human city-states if one were to be known for killing a metal dragon."

"As the warrior who protects them, you must do things that human adventurers cannot do. Take on responsibilities that human adventurers cannot take on, understand?"

Zilong nodded and said:

“When necessary, I will take care of everything. Purple Dragon Wolper Mingyuan swears allegiance to Dragon Emperor Qin He, Zhong Liuxiu and his mistress.”

The conversation ended; everything that had just happened occurred in a fraction of a second. The restraints that Shiryu had placed on himself were dispelled by Tiamat's magic.

Purple dragons are among the most charismatic dragon species, and Vulpo is a beautiful purple dragon girl. She seals her appearance to instill fear in her opponents.

But now, Shiryu no longer needs it.

Chapter 243 Wolper and Ulu

Under Tiamat's arrangement, Qin Xinru and Zhong Xiling on the other side had already rushed to the battlefield.

Although she didn't understand Tiamat's intentions, Tōru obediently did as she was told. The tiny little girl had a newly hatched Pink Rathian chick perched atop her head.

Just as Tiamat finished negotiating with Vulper the Purple Dragon, Bahamut immediately joined in.

Bahamut can tolerate Tiamat's actions regarding Qin He and Zhong Liuxiu's mother.

But if she were to openly threaten the life of the metal dragon under the pretext of training the two of them, Bahamut would absolutely not stand idly by.

Knowing this, Tiamat deliberately made Bahamut aware of the clues to her scheme.

Bahamut, as is her custom, usually guides the golden dragons on how to escape predicaments. But how could the young golden dragon possibly defeat Tiamat?

Therefore, Tiamat's old rival will personally come to take the Golden Dragon away, allowing it to be reborn on Platinum Dragon Island, thus perfectly resolving everything.

As the golden dragon was expending its breath and magic to kill the two fire dragons in front of it, its consciousness was immediately drawn into Bahamut's sea of ​​consciousness.

Unlike Tiamat, Bahamut's divine form was extremely majestic and sacred. This startled even the golden dragon, who had just been engaged in a fierce battle.

Vast and boundless. Her azure eyes were as boundless, high, and unfathomable as the sky; any change in her eyes reflected a shift in her mood.

The great Lord of the North Wind was surrounded by seven tiny canaries.

Those are Bahamut's guardians—seven incredibly powerful golden dragons. They transform into birds in the forest, maidens in the city, and reveal their true selves when fighting against evil.

“My child, you did a great job.”

Suddenly, its consciousness connected with the great Lord of the North Wind, Bahamut. The golden dragon could hardly believe its eyes; what was happening?

"Your Majesty Bahamut."

Even in dire straits, the young golden dragon bows his head in utter devotion to the noble monarch, offering Bahamut the utmost respect.

"Young golden dragon, Ulu Sannor. You are a good dragon to be proud of. Even though you have played harmless jokes with young adventurers and hunters, you are still an undeniable warrior who fights for the weak."

“You’ve now gotten involved in Tiamat’s scheme. My despicable old rival deliberately leaked the plan, allowing me to detect the clues—”

The majestic platinum dragon raises its head:

“I will not stand idly by and watch her run rampant; I will tell you everything.”

Bahamut quickly informed the Golden Dragon of everything that had happened.

The Dragon Emperor and its mother, the hatchlings of Rathalos and their mothers, and Tiamat...

Then, Jinlong Wulu replied:

“Your Majesty Bahamut, I understand. But if it happened again, I would still fight the dragon, both to protect the interests of the people and for my own.”

Ulu knew that this wasn't the first time the Pink Rathian had attacked Pale Moon City. It had developed a habit of attacking humans, and if left unchecked, it would surely cause disaster in the future.

"To the young Rathalos, I am indeed the murderer of their mother. I am not entirely noble either, and I would think of selling them and the materials from their mother's body to human cities at a reasonable price."

Throughout her writing, Ulu makes no attempt to conceal her self-interest. By giving the dragon eggs to humans, she entrusts them with the power to defend themselves.

Metal dragons don't appear often, but the weak who need rescue and help are always there.

At the same time, this also provides another home for the orphaned Rathalos. Ullu herself will also receive a generous reward commensurate with her righteous act.

There's no such thing as a free lunch, especially for this golden dragon that's prone to extortion and cunning. It's willing to make sacrifices for good deeds, but it doesn't need to hide its desires.

“Very good, Ulu~ Tiamat is now offering benefits to that purple dragon Volper. She is using the methods of the Three-Tailed Dragon Queen to help the purple dragon awaken and become the ancestral dragon.”

Of course, that wasn't the case; Bahamut was simply telling Ullu a white lie. Tiamat had no immediate plans to awaken Vulper's bloodline.

This was simply Bahamut's own decision; she wanted to reward Ullu.

"Now, I give you the same opportunity—my child. You are a noble metal dragon, unswayed by position, truly worthy of pride."

"I now wish to send you to the Land of Forsaken Gods. To the side of the future Dragon Emperor Qin He and Zhong Liuxiu. Are you willing to assist them?"

Bahamut inquired, and after a moment's thought, Ulu nodded to the Lord of the North Winds:

“Your Majesty Bahamut, I can sense that Prince Qin He and his mother are both kind people. The two mistresses protected Cold Winter City from the beast tide, and Prince Qin He quelled the disaster in the Dead City. These are all righteous deeds.”

"But I want to see for myself what kind of monarch Emperor Qin He really is."

Bahamut nodded, and at the same time, she removed the restraints that Ulu had placed on herself.

Soon, Ulu's true appearance was revealed. Her human form differed from the slender and petite loli appearance of most metal dragons; she appeared tall and pretty.

"I will send you to the Thirteenth Dungeon, where you can hone your skills and search for Qin He."

By bestowing upon Ul's bloodline power, Bahamut caused the golden dragon blood to begin its ancestral reversion.

……

The communication was brief; Azure Rathalos and Pink Rathalos fell to the raging flames under the physical assault and magical bombardment of the Golden Dragon.

Bahamut wouldn't let the approaching Rathalos witness such a cruel scene; the Platinum Dragon King's power descended from the heavens, extinguishing the flames burning in the forest.

She then used her own power to transform Azure Rathalos and Pink Rathian into the prepared materials.

Scales, dragon tail, hard shell, precious stones... Bahamut put the two fallen fire dragons into the treasure chest.

Tiamat's original plan was to provide materials to Qin Xinru and her group to first forge the prototype of the Flying Dragon Blade.

That is, it is forged from green fire dragon material, such as the common Flying Dragon Blade - Blue Leaf.

They had already acquired the poison sac of the Poison Bird as the main material for forging. They only needed to obtain the Swallow Stone, the Fire Dragon's shell, and the Reverse Scale to complete the forging.

If there are no suitable craftsmen in Palemoon City, Tiamat wouldn't mind taking the materials and making them a few ready-made dragon knives or other weapons.

Knowing this, Bahamut stuffed extra materials into the treasure chest for the two of them.

Incidentally, Bahamut also searched near Platinum Dragon Island and found two unhatched fire dragon eggs. He placed the souls of Azure Rathalos and Pink Rathian inside them.

Unhatched gold and silver dragon eggs are reborn, and the two souls are given a new future.

Then, the two dragon eggs were given to Palemot City. The damage caused to the city by the Pink Rathian would be compensated by these dragons serving as guardians of the city.

Bahamut then put the two promising dragon eggs and her shrine into a treasure chest. Next, she will guide Qin Xinru and Zhong Xiling to sell the two dragon eggs to Dan Yue City.

Incidentally, Bahamut also spared some attention to prevent Tiamat from making any further moves, and she even placed a peak-level seventh-tier golden dragon core into the treasure chest.

In this way, the two of them can also gain the power of the Golden Dragon in their Dragon Origin Battle Qi.

……

"Huh? There are two treasure chests, and—"

Upon seeing the purple dragon in front of them, Qin Xinru and Zhong Xiling became nervous.

When they appeared on the battlefield, the Golden Dragon, Azure Rathalos, and Pink Rathalos all vanished without a trace, a sudden turn of events that even surprised Volper.

"It seems my old friend has made his move, Volper. Now, you may proceed with your other tasks: swear allegiance to the Dragon Emperor's matriarch."

Even Bahamut's involvement, including funding it out of his own pocket, was taken into consideration. Now, Tiamat has successfully ensured that everyone benefits.