Tale of the Red Dragon Without Dragon’s Might
Chapter 337 - 332 You Have Degraded

Chapter 337: Chapter 332 You Have Degraded

Leon never hated seawater. Though it was salty and bitter, as long as one refrained from drinking it, there was no issue. What he disliked was how dried seawater left fine grains of salt on the skin. For this reason, as soon as he landed on an island, he’d search all over for fresh water to rinse himself off. Unfortunately, even after flying in circles above the island, he couldn’t find any waterfalls or rivers.

"Nozdormu?" Tatiss tilted her head and looked at Leon, oblivious to the fact that Leon had given a false name. It was necessary to use a false name—this was the Flash Sea, and the name Leon carried considerable fame here. Even though, strictly speaking, Leon was supposed to be a Red Dragon. "You must be a Bronze Dragon from somewhere else."

"How did you know?" Leon replied casually.

Tatiss stood on the cliff, gazing down at the ocean. Waves crashed against the rocks, churning up endless foam. With pride, she declared, "Because I know all the Bronze Dragons living in the Flash Sea."

"I came from the Vortex Sea," Leon said. He had initially intended to mention the North Sea but quickly reconsidered—the North Sea was too far from the Flash Sea, and its climate didn’t suit Bronze Dragons.

"The Vortex Sea near the Empire?" Tatiss said. "I chased after a shark there once."

Leon chuckled, leaving the comment unanswered.

Still, good friendships mattered most. Tatiss only briefly questioned Leon before turning her attention to Fiora. Like a graceful feline, she circled Fiora, lifting a claw to touch Fiora’s scales. She remarked, "Fiora, you’ve grown so fast. I remember you’re younger than me, yet you’ve become even bigger."

It wasn’t surprising that Tatiss’s eyes shone with longing—her green pupils sparkled brilliantly. After all, for dragons, the larger their size, the stronger and more beautiful they were. Beauty was built on robust vitality and flourishing life energy.

Leon listened from the side, feeling a surge of pride. It was all thanks to his transformation of Volcanic Island into a feng shui haven; otherwise, Fiora could never have achieved such a magnificent size.

The current issue with Volcanic Island was its limitations: too many creatures residing there would affect Leon’s ability to absorb nature’s spiritual energy efficiently. As such, he needed to maintain the population within a certain range... For now, there was no place for Brass Dragons to settle on the island.

"Your scales are also beautiful." Tatiss nodded lightly. "But why does your aura resemble that of spiritual creatures or Celestial Life—like a Fairy Dragon?"

"I don’t know either," Fiora replied, thinking to herself about how everyone living on Volcanic Island seemed to exhibit similar traits. Of course, it wasn’t a significant issue.

"I want to be like you. What do you usually eat?" Tatiss asked. "Eating pearls probably doesn’t work, since I often snack on pearls... Or maybe I’m not eating enough?"

"Just eating normally," Fiora replied. Most of the time, as an Inspector, she appeared in human form. "Human food—I eat human food more often."

"Do you like being in human form?" Tatiss spun in place, transforming into a short-haired young woman dressed like a sailor.

"I do," Fiora said, transforming into her human form, appearing as a Knight Lady with a golden ponytail.

Leon, not wanting to dampen the mood, activated his Transformation Skill.

"Why do I feel like you’ve been distracted all this time?" Tatiss leaned toward Fiora, their noses nearly touching.

"Have I?" Fiora took a deep breath and quickly changed the subject. "I remember you left the Flash Sea after entering your youth, didn’t you?"

"I came back specifically in response to a plea for help from Triton Fishmen. I heard a Kraken appeared in the Flash Sea... It must be driven away, or the Flash Sea will never know peace," Tatiss said, clasping her hands behind her back. "You’ve lived in the Flash Sea all this time; surely you’ve heard about the Kraken."

"Yes," Tatiss’s expression suddenly turned solemn. "I heard something—though I’m not sure if it’s true—that I want you to verify. It’s about a Bronze Dragon named Fiora working at Watchtower Port, which is ruled by a brutal Red Dragon. In other words, this Bronze Dragon is serving the Red Dragon."

And so, the conflict began?

Good friends were about to clash due to differing paths.

Leon, enjoying the drama, perked up his ears, eager to hear Fiora’s reply.

Fiora clenched her fists momentarily before loosening them. She glanced at Leon, lightly bit her lip, raised her head to meet Tatiss’s gaze, lowered it again, and then raised it once more. "Not every Red Dragon is cruel and heartless," she said.

"I’ve heard that Red Dragon slaughtered several Frost Giant villages on the Lost Plateau... If Frost Giants are evil and deserve punishment, then how do you explain his attack on Elf City Danalan?" Tatiss argued. "And I’ve also heard he massacred ten thousand people at Watchtower Port, throwing anyone who opposed him into the sea to feed the fish."

"I can’t deny the earlier accusations, but the claim that he massacred ten thousand people at Watchtower Port is pure fabrication," Fiora rebutted smartly. "The Talia Alliance likely smeared the Red Dragon, portraying him as a demon, butcher, and tyrant."

"Why are you always defending the Red Dragon?" Tatiss furrowed her brow. "You’re a Metal Knight, aren’t you? The Metal Knights’ goal is to stop Colorful Dragons from running rampant. How can you now ally yourself with a Colorful Dragon, especially a Red Dragon?"

"I’m just speaking the truth," Fiora said, squaring her shoulders. "The Red Dragon does have many problems. He loves shouting slogans, stirring up trouble with socialism, tidy homes, shared neighborhood responsibilities, five-year plans, special economic zones... If he suspects you harbor malicious intent, he won’t hesitate to kill you. If he thinks you’re hoarding grain to sell at high prices, engaging in speculation and profiteering, he’ll order your home raided directly..."

"To many, the Red Dragon is cruel, arrogant, fickle, capricious, self-righteous, and reckless. But even more people praise him, and the growing population in Watchtower Port is the best proof." Fiora continued, "They’re expanding the city again and planning to build new towns elsewhere."

"The Red Dragon isn’t perfect, but he’s done better than most." Fiora stared directly at Tatiss. "I work for the Red Dragon, and my conscience is clear—I know I’m doing the right thing."

"Even if he seems passable now, sooner or later, he’ll reveal his monstrous and terrifying nature, spreading evil and fear across the world," Tatiss retorted.

Leon stayed silent. Had he not been a Red Dragon himself, he might have held similar prejudices. Normal Red Dragons were notorious for their terrible personalities: greedy, arrogant, cruel, prone to lashing out, and brutal enough to raze towns and villages out of sheer anger. Even creatures loyal to Red Dragons lived in constant fear of being burned or devoured on a whim.

His mother and sister were relatively mild-tempered among Red Dragons—likely because he had taught them well.

"If such a day ever comes, if he becomes vile and tyrannical, I will stand against him. I’ll use my sword, my sharp teeth, and claws," Fiora said. "We cannot judge on baseless charges."

"It might already be too late," Tatiss said.

"It’s already too late now," Fiora said. "The elderly Green Dragon Slankus from the Emerald Corridor—you must’ve heard of him, right? He was effortlessly slain by the Red Dragon, who claimed the entire Emerald Corridor for himself. The Kraken you plan to confront—whether on land or underwater—is no match for him."

"You’ve never seen him—I have," Fiora added. "He spans the heavens and seas, impervious to blades, with three heads and six arms, ever-changing. He doesn’t just wield fire but lightning as well."

After Fiora’s passionate tirade, the air fell silent.

"You’ve fallen," Tatiss said, reverting to her Dragon Form. "I don’t want to fight you, but I will persuade the others to revoke your Metal Knight title."

"The mission of the Metal Knights is to stop Colorful Dragons from sowing terror and chaos—not simply to oppose them at every turn," Fiora pointed at Tatiss. "Get your priorities straight, you fool."

Tatiss ignored her, flapping her wings and taking off.

"I thought you’d need some backup," Leon genuinely believed Fiora might have needed his support. "Never expected your resolve to be so firm."

"What do you think? I’m Fiora—the Metal Knight," Fiora declared. Despite her bravado, tears welled up in her eyes as she turned away.

Leon approached, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.