Ashen Dragon

This Black Dragon wreaked havoc in the southeast of Seleucis, delighting in devouring human children, and was Liam's old adversary, having been blinded by his arrow.

"Then I'll blind your other eye too!"

Liam unhesitatingly raised his bow, drew the string taut, and aimed at the airborne one-eyed Black Dragon.

"Whoosh—"

The arrow flew out, accompanied by a piercing blast, heading straight for the Black Dragon's remaining left eye.

However, the Black Dragon was prepared. Roaring in anger, it spewed a rapidly corrosive acid from its throat, instantly dissolving the arrow.

At this moment, the distance between them was no more than a hundred meters, but Liam chose not to flee, standing his ground and locking eyes with the Black Dragon.

To the Black Dragon, this human had already given up hope, losing the chance to escape. The grin on its gaunt dragon face grew ever more ferocious, the thrill of impending revenge filling its heart.

"Human, I will crush you into pulp!"

But just then, a scorching flame descended from the sky, crashing into the Black Dragon and sending it flying, nearly plunging to the ground.

"Roar—"

A piercing roar echoed through the sky as the Black Dragon lifted its head in terror, only to see a majestic Gold Dragon appear in the heavens, spreading wide its wings, the membranes reflecting a metallic sheen.

"Black Dragon! It's time for you to join your Mother Goddess in Hell!" The Gold Dragon flapped its wings, diving down and using its robust body to hurl the Black Dragon away.

As the strongest among Metal Dragons, the Gold Dragon often held its ground against the Red Dragon, easily overpowering a Black Dragon.

The two colossal figures, one black and one gold, tangled and fought in midair, with scales and dragon blood flying everywhere. But in a short time, the Black Dragon was covered in wounds, with large patches torn away, even its wings broken, forcing it to staggeringly flee.

While retreating, the Black Dragon managed to turn its head and snarl threats: "Gold Dragon, I won't let you go, one day..."

"Whoosh—"

A sharp arrow pierced through the air, shooting through the narrow opening of the Black Dragon's open mouth, burrowing deep into its throat and emerging from the back of its neck.

Blood gushed from the Black Dragon's mouth, its eyes growing vacant with disbelief, as it clumsily flapped its wings a few times before plummeting into the depths of the gorge.

A hundred meters away, Liam held onto his bow, his right hand slightly trembling from the exertion. He gazed coldly at the distant Black Dragon, sneering as he spoke, "Arrogant monster, you actually forgot about me. Did you forget how you lost your right eye?"

Meanwhile, the full-grown Gold Dragon circled in the high air, watching as the Black Dragon fell into the ravine, its expression unmistakably cold: "This is war, five-colored dragons, you all should pay the price for your actions..."

Swinging its wings, the Gold Dragon once again lunged toward a Blue Dragon hovering over the gorge, as lightning and flames intertwined, the roars of giant dragons reverberating within the chasm without end.

The largest and most prosperous trade city-state in the bay area, a mix of nobles, commoners, and thieves, dubbed by adventurers as a "haven for conspirators." Bod's Gate is named after a hero, Bodlan, a Gray Harbor adventurer who explored beyond the continent of Sword Sea, returned with wealth to Gray Harbor, and led a team to establish this city. Based on residents' status, Bod's Gate is divided into the nobles' Upper City District, the commoners' Lower District, and Outer City District scattered around Chenyi Mountain, where the gate that separates Upper and Lower City is called Bod's Gate, the city is named after it and serves as a monument to its founder Bodlan. Currently, Bod's Gate is ruled by a council of four, all Grand Dukes, with one serving as the council leader. In case of a tie during voting, Grand Duke Elder Ravenclaw makes the decision. The Upper City's security is managed by the elite class's official police force, the Guard, while other areas' security falls under a mercenary group known as the Flaming Fist, with Elder Ravenclaw as the highest leader of the mercenary group. Flaming Fist headquarters is located at Bodlan Sea Tower, the strongest fortress against sea invasions, and like a crescent encircles Bod's Gate's economic lifeline—Gray Harbor, with hundreds of merchant ships arriving and departing daily, bringing gold coins along with greed and sin. Upper City District is relatively elevated, comprising Castle District, Temple District, Manoburn District, and Wide Alley District, with an abundance of religious buildings, Miracle Hall, and Supreme Miracle House, all serving as the Church centers of the God of Craft, Gund in Bod's Gate. Miracle Hall showcases Gund's grand inventions, while Supreme Miracle House functions as a workshop. Lower District consists mostly of stone houses and has six districts: Sea Tower District, Blonrich District, Steep District, Crowded Side District, East Road District, and Branpton District. Middle-class mostly reside in Blonrich District, close to the power elite of Upper City District, while East Road District, near the connection to Outer District Stone Lizard Gate, is relatively more mixed, featuring many bustling bars and cheap inns. Sea Tower District serves as the base for the Flaming Fist mercenary group, positioned at the largest rocky offshore island in Sea Tower District, housing the Bodlan Sea Tower Mercenary group headquarters. Branpton District and Steep District are relatively rundown, home to sailors and laborers. Outer District stretches along Chongsar River, teeming with temporary buildings and shantytowns, a slum's landmark being a stone bridge, Flying Dragon Crossroad. It's crowded with stalls, some having expanded the bridge with wooden planks to build additional structures. Law and Order here are non-existent, with Flaming Fist's protection scope severely limited. Some displaced poor or criminals gather here. The sewer vault's moss glimmers under dim phosphorescent lantern light, murky sewage laps at boot soles with each step eliciting a gooey "glug" sound. Purplish-black slime seeps from wall cracks, converging towards the drainage like veins—unique neural corrosive matter of the Spirit Sucking Monster Nest, inhalation by ordinary people creates auditory hallucinations, as though countless tiny tendrils are writhing within ear canals. Suddenly, a crackling sound of misaligned bones echoed behind a fractured cast iron pipes, as if something was twisting through a narrow space. Spirit Suckers erupted from the water, pale humanoid bodies shrouded in rot matter, octopus-like head tentacles vibrating at high frequency, releasing a visible purple Mind Shock Wave. The leading guard's helmet dented, eyeballs exploded into blood mist under increased cranial pressure; the second didn't scream before tendrils pierced ear holes, spinal cord yanked from the body like a marionette; the sole survivor staggered back, firearm mishap's roar consumed by spirit sucking monster's collective sub-frequency screech. These spirit suckers clearly underwent tactical training. Two feinting individuals slapped the water's surface with tentacles, raising a mist shrouded in corrosive liquid to obscure vision; a third descended from the ceiling, sucker adhered to a guard's skull, tendril precisely pierced the occipital foramen—not instantly lethal, but coercively manipulated captive to turn, using his trembling hands to reload companion's firearm. At this point, a fourth spirit sucker was slicing open a fallen guard's chest with knuckle bone blades, extracting a warm liver and cramming into mouthpiece, pale yellow digestive fluid trickling from the lower jaw, sizzling smoke arose from the ground. Three patrolling guards just raised lanterns, sewage suddenly exploded! Four spirit suckers parasitic beings weren't completely dead. Guard remains suddenly twitched, climbing up, neck gash sprouted semi-translucent spirit sucker embryonic tentacles, pupils blurred into milky white, grabbing dagger to stab former comrades, throat squeezing out a non-human synthesized voice: "Skull...for the main brain...". True horror had barely revealed—distant sewage pond began boiling, more pale figures surfaced, using tentacles to drag a dozen captives cocooned in slime, human faces underneath twisted into silent screams.