The Red Dragon Just Wants To Do As It Pleases-Chapter 477 - 282: Can’t Sit Still Anymore

While David was attempting to tame his irascible mother-in-law in the depths of The Dark Mountains, thousands of miles away on the outskirts of Eight Peaks Mountain, Menekver, the elderly High Elf Court Mage and former Dean of the Dewensen Academy, sat within ’Mage Duncan’s Manor’—a mansion nestled in a desolate valley. He was on the top floor, enjoying the northwestern breeze, sipping civet coffee, and idly passing the time.

As a Spellcaster, especially one who was not a core member of the Eternal Gathering Island faction and known as the ’Thrice-Named Mage,’ he knew he would never be fully trusted by the Elf Queen Arasya. He understood that the more he did, the more mistakes he might make. Therefore, he reasoned, why not pass his time in safety and leisure instead? The Dewensen upper echelons might even be more at ease with him that way.

In his eyes, this so-called ’war to reclaim the elf ancestral land’ lacked substantial meaning. Given the nature of the High Elves, and without resolving their various internal conflicts, hastily establishing an enclave dozens of times larger than their homeland could, in the long run, be a path to ruin. If David, far away in the north, knew of this old Elf’s thoughts, he would wholeheartedly agree: after all, the Sun Never Sets Empire of his Blue Star homeland and the subsequent Amerigan were cautionary tales.

But fate doesn’t cater to the wishes of elves. While Menekver desired to retire peacefully on the Old Continent, far from political whirlwinds, a severe ripple suddenly flashed through the Static Illusion within the Magic Crystal Ball, which was set on an exquisitely carved stand—it was a burst of magic and primal energy.

Menekver’s pupils abruptly constricted, and the Magic Crystal Ball, responding to his will, swiftly zoomed in on the source of the Mana Energy explosion.

He saw two Red Dragons locked in a fierce battle deep within The Dark Mountains.

No, beyond that, two Silver Dragons circled at a distance, using their frosty Dragon Breath to run interference, yet not daring to get too close. The energy level of the battling Red Dragons had reached a terrifying, catastrophic scale, akin to a mobile natural disaster.

Although the thunderous roars of the Dragons couldn’t be heard through the crystal ball, the vibrations from their roars visibly shattered the rocky peaks around The Dark Mountains. Steam billowed in the sky like converging storm clouds. Molten lava flowed incessantly from crevices in the mountain walls, like blood on a battlefield.

Flameclaw, who had gained notoriety early on, was easy to identify. It was even mentioned in Dewensen’s textbooks, having first come to prominence during the great wars of the Old Continent.

But upon recognizing the other Dragon, Menekver, who had been watching with some detached interest, suddenly widened his eyes in disbelief.

"David Uthos? When did this fellow reach the Legendary rank?"

Clearly, he vividly remembered the Red Dragon who, even in its youth, had caused such an uproar at Dewensen Academy that it nearly became uncontrollable.

Back then, David’s rampage at Dewensen Academy was still within a somewhat acceptable range. After all, Dragons were apex predators on the material plane, and it wasn’t unheard of for mature ones to incinerate a town, such incidents occasionally making the news. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Wasn’t it quite normal for a child of the Crimson Calamity to be somewhat special?

But this Dragon was still just a youth! How could he be fighting evenly with a Legendary Red Dragon? Even David’s mother, Pafila, had only risen to infamy as the ’Crimson Calamity’ after reaching adulthood during the Second Dragon Feces War.

Luckily, the worldly Menekver quickly noticed something amiss.

David’s Mana Energy was indeed boundless, even appearing to overwhelm the other, ’Flameclaw.’ Under the gaze of the Eye of Truth, he was like a sun fallen into the material realm. However, his power was diminishing at a visible rate.

Could it be some secret art that grants Legendary power for a short time? This explanation was more palatable. For instance, the Fiendfire Elixir, purportedly made with the blood of the Balrog Fiend as a primary ingredient, was rumored to have a similar effect. Of course, the price for creatures not immune to fire was to be burned to ash once the elixir’s effect expired. Even if one managed to avoid this fate through other means, they risked mental derangement, potentially transforming into a chaotic evil creature, much like a Demon.

So, what benefits or objectives could drive such a promising young Red Dragon to risk so much, to fight a Legendary Red Dragon to the death, incurring such a heavy potential cost?

As Menekver continued to watch intently, he soon noticed something else was amiss.

The state of Flameclaw at this moment was highly abnormal! Its scales shone with an eerie red light amidst the fury and flames. Its eyes, like two glowing cinders in lava, reflected a distorted reality. This draconic form, once imposing and majestic, was now completely driven by madness and instinct.

Such madness? Could it be!?

Menekver’s heart skipped a beat. Sure enough, using the ’True Sight’ effect inherent to the Magic Crystal Ball, he saw the source of chaotically swirling Mana Energy within Flameclaw’s belly.

A Dragon Mad Lock? And it had been swallowed by a Red Dragon!

Menekver could no longer sit still.

Legend told that to overthrow the Dragons’ dominion over the entire Continent and their enslavement of the Elves, a renowned High Elf craftsman named Wieldomont acted under the secret decree of the Elves’ chief god. With the aid of the Moon Goddess Sahani, he designed and forged a world-renowned Magic Enigma Lock—the Dragon Mad Lock.

However, few knew that besides the primary Starlight Dragon Frenzy Shackles erected on The Slaying King Star, five auxiliary sets had also been forged. These auxiliary locks, encased respectively in platinum, mithril, bronze, red copper, and brass, each incorporated the eye of an ancient Chromatic Dragon—red, blue, green, black, or white.

One set was deployed to the Krynn plane, another to the Dragonlance Plane, and a third to the Greyhawk Aus Plane. As the primary battlefield, the continent of Ferren was allocated two sets: the platinum and mithril ones.

However, after the Battle of Dragonfall, the most powerful platinum set was seized and sealed by a Gold Dragon of Toriel. The Gold Dragon hoped to decipher it, much like other Mystlocks, and thereby understand the Starlight Dragon Frenzy Shackles from The Slaying King Star. The mithril set, on the other hand, was also damaged in the war and disappeared without a trace.

During Toriel’s Year of Wandering Dragons, it was rumored that a resurrected leader of the Dragon Worship Cult, a man named Samast, used it to unleash a catastrophe that swept the Continent, before it vanished once more.

So... Flameclaw possesses that very set?

At this thought, Menekver took a deep breath. He decided to immediately convey this crucial piece of information—vital to the interests of all High Elves—to the front lines at Eight Peaks Mountain.

If such an oversight occurred on his watch, it wouldn’t just be a question of whether he could continue his leisurely life. Instead, his entire family, and even his students, would face the suspicion of their entire race and suffer the consequences. Even being charged with treason was not out of the question.

With this in mind, the elderly Elf Mage stood. His towering figure cast a long shadow among the rows of books. With a light wave of his Magic Wand, a gleaming Teleportation Gate silently unfolded. Under the cold starlight, the Mage stepped through the portal, which then closed firmly behind him, leaving only a sigh in the air.

If possible, he truly did not want to provoke that Red Dragon.

Lest it bring upon him the attention of that mighty deity...

Never mind, duty calls. I’ll go scout the situation first, he thought. Worst case, I can just observe from the periphery. I’m old now; surely the younger Elves will understand, won’t they?