The Rise of the Titan

"Have you heard? A powerful and terrifying dragon, the Ice Queen, has emerged in the south. She possesses unmatched strength and commands a formidable army of monsters. In less than a month, she has conquered four duchies."

"Pfft, who hasn't heard by now? She's a white dragon with terrifying and evil power. The Duchy of Greatland had three legends defending it. All three faced the Ice Queen and were not only defeated but also killed on the spot."

"The Ice Queen, truly formidable! I wonder who will be the one to finally slay her?" An adventurer covered in the scent of blood sighed in a bustling tavern. Legends were beings he could only look up to, yet this dragon had slain them with ease, instilling a deep fear in everyone.

"No matter how strong, the Ice Queen is just a white dragon. It's said that in the three months since she invaded our human territories, over five million people have been killed. Anyone who dared to oppose her was turned into an ice sculpture. Such brutal acts will surely lead to her downfall!"

"Spare me the nonsense. A white dragon, however weak compared to other dragons, can still crush humans like insects. Look at how she conquered four duchies in under a month. Do you know how other races are laughing at us humans now?"

"Laughing? Who's laughing? Let their legends fight the Ice Queen! Humph, they'd end up as ice sculptures too. The Ice Queen can't be compared to ordinary white dragons. She's on another level."

"Indeed. According to reports from Venia, the Ice Queen is vastly different from typical white dragons. They say even ancient white dragons are not half her size. When she spreads her wings, she can cover half the sky."

"Hmm, with such a size, she might have an ancestral bloodline, possibly a highly potent one. Or, she could be a legendary-grade ancestral white dragon herself, appearing to carry out the dark tasks of the Dragon Queen, slaughtering humans and wreaking havoc on kingdoms."

"Gasp, that's quite possible. If that's the case, the Ice Queen will definitely make more moves. Conquering just four countries won't satisfy the Dragon God. There will be more attacks. I hope she doesn't come for our Duchy of Karancy."

"You're overthinking. The closest duchy she conquered, Greatland, is still three duchies away from us. How could she get here?"

"If she does get here, it would mean the end of the Nineteen Northern Kingdoms... No, the Fifteen Kingdoms now. But that's impossible. The Ice Queen won't live long enough for that to happen."

"Yes, the Grand Dukes of the Northern and Eastern Regions have already united, gathering their forces to hunt down the Ice Queen. Think about it, the combined kingdoms of the Northeast number nearly fifty, with over a hundred legends among them. Can a single legendary white dragon withstand that? Even if she's an ancestral dragon, sheer numbers would overwhelm her."

"It's not that simple. After the Ice Queen conquered the four northern duchies, the rulers talked about forming a dragon-slaying expedition. But it's been two months, and they're still 'forming' it. Nothing's been done yet."

"Hmph, those in the Eastern Region have always looked down on us in the North. Now that a white dragon has battered us like this, they're even more delighted. This 'alliance' is just for show. The Eastern Region won't lift a finger to help. We can only rely on ourselves."

"Damn it, this is so frustrating." A heavily built warrior slammed his fist on the wooden table in the tavern, causing countless cracks to spread under his hand. "If only I were a soul-intent level warrior, I could answer the Grand Duke's call and join the dragon-slaying expedition."

"Are you out of your mind? If you had soul-intent level power, why join the expedition and get yourself killed? Even legends might not survive this. A soul-intent level warrior would be cannon fodder."

"Exactly. With soul-intent level strength, you could have wealth, women, and status. Why join a suicide mission? Look, none of the Northern nobles have stirred. None of the Grand Dukes have volunteered for the expedition. They all cherish their lives! Who would willingly fight a legendary dragon?"

"I would." Suddenly, a resolute and youthful voice broke the noise in the tavern, making it fall silent instantly.

Everyone turned to see a tall, handsome young man with red hair. He was accompanied by two women and another man, all equally striking and clearly not to be trifled with.

"Such a young man, full of life. Not even a century old, and already a soul-intent level warrior. A true genius," remarked an old wizard with a skeletal appearance, his voice tinged with barely concealed envy as he longed for such a young and strong body.

"Are you really planning to join the expedition?" a burly man cautiously asked the red-haired youth, who made him feel inferior for having spent nearly two centuries stuck at the gold level.

"Where can I sign up..." The red-haired youth began, but was cut off mid-sentence by a finely crafted goblet pressed against his mouth.

"Sorry, my brother drank too much and got a bit confused. Please ignore his ramblings," said the black-haired, golden-eyed boy holding the goblet. He smiled at everyone and raised his own drink, "Continue your conversation. Don't mind us."

The adventurers in the tavern, all seasoned veterans, exchanged knowing glances. They had long since learned not to judge by appearances. Muria's youthful looks didn't surprise them much. Many powerful beings preferred to appear younger than they were, especially among the older, more shameless ones who often disguised themselves as young girls despite being over a thousand years old.

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