Chapter 45: Choice and Departure

With a thought, an invisible magical hand unfurled the huge map.

The black dragon's gaze stopped at the southeast region of the map.

The vast Fish Spirit Marsh lay there.

Further east of the Fish Spirit Marsh lay a gray region whose area was several times larger than that of the marsh.

This gray area represented the resting place of the dead in the Darkmarsh Forest—the Howling Gray Land.

The Undead Overlord ruled there.

Countless undead were born and fought there, but most of the time the Undead Overlord restrained them within the Howling Gray Land, keeping them from contacting the living.

Only during the Darkmarsh War, which occurs once every hundred years, do countless undead emerge, bearing hatred for the living and letting out their own spectral roars.

Looking at the map, and at the striking, scar‑like Howling Gray Land region, Lai Ang remained silent for a long time.

However, there was also good news: between the Howling Gray Land and the Fish Spirit Marsh lay a dense mountain range, and not far away was a outpost of the Jade Dream.

The outpost was garrisoned by three adolescent‑stage green dragons and had been operated for decades.

These three adolescent green dragons were all graduates of the Jade Dream from past cohorts; unlike the wild lord dragons of the wilderness, they had received a complete institutional education as lord dragons.

After decades of operation, Lai Ang would certainly not believe that these three green dragons had failed to build a powerful monster army.

Among the colored dragon species, blue and green dragons are the most skilled at managing territories.

"If I still choose to go to the Fish Spirit Marsh, I should set out now; there's no need to linger at the academy," Lai Ang thought.

Taking advantage of the fact that the Darkmarsh War had not yet truly begun, he would go to the Fish Spirit Marsh to familiarize himself with the environment and, using equipment forged from magic steel, arm the Darkscale Tribe established by Di Wu Ge Si.

If Di Wu Ge Si had already died or had never developed a decent monster tribe in these years, Lai Ang could also return to the academy before the war started.

Afterwards he would honestly become a homebody dragon; after all, with the idle‑training slot he could gradually increase his strength—"No, even if he stayed in Jade City, he still had to complete the Jade Dream's tasks."

The Jade Dream does not raise these young dragons for nothing; they must demonstrate value and provide feedback to the Jade Dream.

Even if one gave up the status of lord dragon and stayed in Jade City, it was not necessarily safe.

Many giant dragons had died on missions over the years, and they were far from few.

After much thought, Lai Ang had made up his mind.

"I'll definitely go to the Fish Spirit Marsh to have a look; I've laid out plans for so many years—what if Di Wu Ge Si has developed well there?" Lai Ang muttered to himself.

Moreover, in order to graduate and go to the Fish Spirit Marsh as a lord dragon, over these years it had employed both kindness and authority, subduing all the black dragons of the Black Dragon Fortress.

As long as Lai Ang chose to become a lord dragon, given the great strength and potential he had shown over the years, they would likely choose to follow him to the Fish Spirit Marsh.

Just as the hybrid juvenile dragon Kremer had done, after its graduation seven juvenile dragons willingly followed it away together.

Giant dragons are proud, stemming from their own immense strength. But if you display strength, potential, and leadership far surpassing theirs, it is not impossible for them to submit to your command.

Having made his decision, Lai Ang was full of resolve and immediately began preparing to set out for the Fish Spirit Marsh.

After the academy learned of this, it also tacitly permitted Lai Ang's actions.

Young dragons are inherently free; if you wish, you may leave at any time, but everything you have consumed at the academy must be repaid—if you cannot repay it temporarily, you sign a contract and repay in installments.

This time Lai Ang's trip is not considered a graduation from the academy; he is merely going first to the Fish Spirit Marsh to scout the situation.

"What is your choice?"

At the Black Dragon Fortress, a burly black dragon stood at the front, looking down at the eleven young dragons below.

Ten black dragons and one white dragon. Among the black dragons, aside from the four hatchlings recently brought in, the remaining six are juveniles.

Each of them is at least 4.5 meters in length.

Sai Jia, Ai Di, Pana, and Ai Er Duo—these four all exceed five meters in length, having reached Third Rank. Among them, Ai Er Duo, Ai Di, and the white dragon Pana are roughly equal in strength, each about five meters long.

Sai Jia is the strongest, exceeding six and a half meters in length, closely chasing Lai Ang.

Adding Lai Ang, this is the total strength of the Black Dragon Fortress.

Over the years, those black dragons that reached eleven years of age and entered the adolescent stage have all graduated and left, including the original Black Dragon Fortress's leader black dragon Hol.

These original hatchlings of Lai Ang have instead become the "big brothers and sisters" of the Black Dragon Fortress.

"Naturally I'll follow the big brother," Second Brother Ai Di said without hesitation.

Over these years it and Sai Jia have followed the big brother, enjoying the best of everything.

Ai Di, who had been clever since childhood, felt that continuing to follow the big brother offered better prospects.

Lai Ang nodded, looking toward Third Brother Sai Jia. Sai Jia was also the one Lai Ang valued most in the Black Dragon Fortress.

Given his growth rate, he would likely break through to Fourth Rank within two years, before entering the adolescent dragon stage, and could become a strong aide to Lai Ang.

"I've never defeated you," Sai Jia snorted coldly.

"Good," Lai Ang nodded.

For this third brother, who had been stubborn from childhood to adulthood, he naturally understood the underlying meaning of his words.

"I also want to follow the leader," Pana said in a soft, tender voice; a dragon's voice changes with age, and at this moment Pana's voice was equivalent to that of a seven‑ or eight‑year‑old human girl.

In the end, as Lai Ang had expected, all eleven young dragons were willing to follow him to the Fish Spirit Marsh.

However, those four hatchlings were persuaded by Lai Ang to step back.

Hatchling‑stage dragons are too weak; Lai Ang does not have the energy to protect them properly.

Three days later.

Lai Ang and the seven young dragons, carrying their own belongings, set out on the road to the Fish Spirit Marsh.

In the dense jungle, a sturdy black dragon flew low ahead, followed by six black dragon juveniles and one white dragon juvenile close behind.

One kilometer above the eight young dragons, a phantom eyeball floated.

This was the spell Mage's Eye.

Relying on Mage's Eye to scout ahead for danger, Lai Ang and company passed through two to three hundred kilometers of forest in a day.

"Five hundred meters ahead there are several second‑rank magical beasts, currently feeding and resting."

Flying low at the front, Lai Ang reminded the young dragons behind him.

Soon, the little dragons tacitly spread out and went to surround and exterminate the few second‑rank magical beasts.

A moment later.

Accompanied by faint beast roars and miserable cries, the battle had already ended.

Lai Ang and the others gulped down flesh and blood in a hidden corner, replenishing the stamina they had expended along the way.

(End of chapter)