The Rise of the Titan

Under the faint draconic aura emanating from the immature white dragon, some humans and animals instinctively moved away. Those unable to move simply lay prostrate on the ground, finding it easier to bear.

As civilians and adventurers distanced themselves, a group of humans dressed in white robes, each bearing an emblem of a white dragon clutching a scroll on their chests, approached with humble and respectful demeanors.

"Lord White Dragon, is there anything you need?"

"I'm hungry," the white dragon said, scratching its belly after a moment's hesitation. To be honest, if it hadn't seen no trace of prey from the sky, it wouldn't have entered a human settlement for food.

"Three frozen yak. As per Her Majesty's decree, you need to pay three silver coins." Quickly, the robed humans, appearing to be dragon servants, brought three frost-covered yak carcasses before the dragon.

"Can't you make it cheaper?" the white dragon complained bitterly. This was the main reason it disliked entering human settlements – it had to pay for food!

"This is Her Majesty's regulation. We, the subordinates, have no authority to change it," the leading robed servant replied with a humble smile but spoke firmly, clearly indicating that the food wouldn't be given without payment, even at the risk of death.

"Too expensive," the dragon grumbled, reluctantly scraping three silver coins from between its scales and handing them to the dragon servants designated to serve it.

"How's that?" Muria, standing beside the stunned demon hunter on the top floor of a three-story inn nearby, smiled. "A white dragon that pays for its meals. First time seeing that?"

"Yes, it's my first time." Leon stared, mouth agape, at the white dragon tearing into the yak meat, his worldview shaken once again.

"Well, what a coincidence. It's my first time too." Muria showed an expression of amazement. "I must say, Claudia never ceases to impress me, achieving something like this."

"Incredible," Fiona commented.

"Unbelievable," echoed Hesser, the silver moon elf, eyes shining as she watched the dragon eat. Most humanoid intelligent creatures dream of becoming a dragon rider.

"A dragon that doesn't disturb the populace, follows the law, and pays for its food. Would you call such a dragon evil?" Muria asked the demon hunter.

"No, it's not an evil dragon." Instinctively, Leon shook his head. If it weren't for the scales marking its species, he could almost believe it was a silver dragon. Such elegance and composure in eating could only be associated with a silver dragon.

"Exactly," Muria patted Leon on the shoulder. "Seeing is believing. Do you still want to join the dragon-slaying expedition?"

"The Frost Queen may not be wantonly slaughtering humans, but her conquest of the northern four kingdoms caused at least two million human casualties. These are the numbers we've verified ourselves; the actual toll is likely higher."

"Deaths are inevitable in the process of conquest."

"She attacked human nations and overthrew the governments of four countries. As a demon hunter knight sworn to protect humanity, it is my duty to repel her and drive her out of human lands."

"Leon, remember, as a demon hunter, why do you fight these powerful monsters?" Muria pressed on without waiting for Leon's answer. "Is it to maintain the regimes of corrupt rulers?"

"Of course not. I fight to protect humanity."

"And to ensure a better life for humans, right?"

The red-haired youth frowned but then nodded, "Yes."

"Then why oppose the Frost Queen? Do you want to restore the four duchies so that the common people continue to live in misery, oppressed by rulers who don't care about them?"

"You mean, under the Frost Queen's rule, humans could have a better life?"

"Absolutely. Claudia is an exceptionally visionary white dragon. She will undoubtedly ensure that humans under her rule live better lives than before and even provide everyone the opportunity to change their fate through learning."

Muria spoke calmly, confident in his knowledge of Claudia. She was the dragon he had raised.

"Change their fate through learning! Like the humans in Synapse!" This time, Leon fell silent. He knew Muria's stance on humans: never kill evildoers unless necessary; instead, sentence them to a lifetime of labor. For those who were good or law-abiding, they received treatment unimaginable to ordinary humans.

In Synapse, as long as they weren't criminals, humans could pursue any knowledge or skills according to their talents and interests, regardless of their status. This level of tolerance and privilege was why Leon had been willing to fight to the death for Synapse's survival during Muria's slumber.

"She's a dragon I raised. I know her best."

"If the Frost Queen can provide humans under her rule with lives as good as those in Synapse, I will use my demon-hunting sword to defend her rule."

"Now you're talking sense." Muria smiled approvingly, pleased to see the once-stubborn knight reconsider his stance.

"I want to see the Frost City with my own eyes, to see if the Frost Queen is as you say."

"Sure, I want to meet her too."

...

"I think we've come to the wrong place. This isn't a human city. Coming here to observe the Frost Queen's governance over humans wasn't well thought out." Muria stood with Fiona, Hesser, and Leon before a majestic ice city, watching numerous white dragons circling above and a variety of creatures passing through the tall city gates. He had a playful smile. "But since we're here, we might as well take a look inside."

As he spoke, a powerful pressure, typical of a legend, swept over the area. However, it had no effect; the white dragons in the sky, the creatures guarding the city, and even those passing through the gates remained unaffected, as if they didn't sense it.

"What a coincidence, look who's here." Muria noticed seven airships appearing in the sky over the ice city, his smile broadening. "Leon, your dragon-slaying expedition is here."

"What?" Leon was stunned at the sight of the seven airships emerging from shattered space, each exuding a grand presence. "Is this all the dragon-slaying force assembled by the fifteen northern countries after two months? Just seven airships?"

"Isn't this normal?" Muria observed the modest assembly over the ice city with a smile. "The technology to build airships is controlled by forces no less than kingdoms. All the northern countries are duchies, and given their harsh environment, they aren't wealthy. Gathering seven airships is already impressive. Maintaining airships is very costly."

Leon was at a loss for words, feeling an unexpected sense of pride as a Synapse citizen. As a soul-level demon hunter knight, his combat prowess in armor could crush red dragons of the same level, making him a pillar of Synapse.

When he hunted, it was easy to rally thirty airships to follow him, and even the arrogant red dragon Cynthia, self-styled leader of the Punitive Legion, had assembled a fleet of over a hundred airships.

In comparison, the disparity left Leon with only one thought: the northern countries are truly poor!

"Frost Queen, come out!" Despite the poverty of the fifteen northern countries, the seven legends in the expedition were undoubtedly genuine. A middle-aged man in plain clothes wielding a long sword stepped forward, sending a powerful sword beam toward the ice city below.

"Is it just you seven?" The sword beam, enveloped in a chill as it neared the ice city, disintegrated into specks of light without harming any buildings. A cold voice accompanied this phenomenon, and a pure white dragon, over a hundred meters long and radiating an aura of chilling majesty, emerged from the ice palace at the city's center.

"What an arrogant white dragon." The leading sword saint laughed at Claudia's words. A single legendary white dragon could be surrounded and killed by five well-coordinated legends. Now, with seven legends, all stronger than her, she still found them insufficient. How much did she underestimate humans?

"This is my domain!" Claudia's eyes glowed with a faint golden hue, exuding an unapproachable majesty. As she spoke, hundreds of white dragons rose from the ice city, joining the already airborne ones, forming a formidable battle formation within moments, catching the human legends off guard.

Roar! The collective power of over three hundred white dragons converged on Claudia. Encircled by icy energy, a gigantic ice dragon, nearly three hundred meters long, manifested above the recently conquered land, letting out a resounding roar.

"Finally, the true use of a retinue army: forming a battle formation and leveraging the power of the entire legion to enhance oneself, fighting across levels." Standing on an icy mountain, Muria watched the colossal dragon in the sky, his eyes filled with admiration. "As expected of a prodigy, she formed a true retinue army ahead of me. But then again, being a pure-blood white dragon gives her an innate advantage."

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