The Red Dragon Just Wants To Do As It Pleases

"Lord Ephelomon, you called for me?"

Ephelomon slowly turned. His eyes, steeped in countless ages on the battlefields of gods, were like the eternally crimson sky of Avernus—laden with disdain for life and murderous intent. They fell upon David, quietly sizing him up.

If Lizrite's murderous crimson intent, born from the Bloodscale Berserker, was a freshly sharpened blade, then Ancestor Ephelomon—who had fused madness into his very soul—was the embodiment of that murderous intent. It made David feel as if he were back on the Blood War battlefields, where a single moment of carelessness could mean instant death.

As the saying goes:

The grace of the gods is as vast as the sea,

Their might as inescapable as a prison.

Even this Red Dragon ancestor was merely a Demigod who had achieved his status through a Deification Dragon.

At this moment, David also had a realization: It's likely that the Bloodscale Berserker, this advanced profession, originated from this very being before me. What a treasure!

[Authority—Jealousy]

[Authority—Greed]

[Authority—Arrogance]

David, who had been trembling like chaff in the wind before this overwhelming sea of murderous intent, suddenly experienced an 'epiphany' reminiscent of protagonists in fantasy novels.

[Wrath]

[Wrath]

[Wrath]

However, his trembling wasn't out of fear, but an excitement stirred by the intermingling of frenzy and anger, even a secret delight.

Under three successive outbursts of [Wrath], David's innate [Ferocious Aura] as a True Dragon—his Dragon Might—suddenly merged with this frenzied power.

His Dragon Might thus transformed into [Terrifying Presence], and then, fueled by his own [Wrath], it ascended into [Endless Fury].

This murderous aura, copied from his own ancestor, compounded so rapidly that while replicating only the first stage of the Bloodscale Berserker, David already vaguely manifested traits of its sixth stage, [Dragon's Rage]: he went utterly 'berserk.'

Then, as if facing a threat from one of his own kind, he arched his upper body forward, raised his rear, and snarled at Ephelomon, "You dare to provoke me too? Do you want to die? Huh?!!"

[Arrogance]

[Wrath]

The disparity in their sizes was stark. The scene resembled a two-month-old kitten, just finding its fierceness, hissing and spitting curses at a prime Northeast Tiger.

But unlike true Bloodscale Berserkers who genuinely 'lost their minds,' David quickly snapped out of it. He shuddered, and his face, twisted into a fierce snarl by rage, instantly softened into an obedient and almost endearing dragon's visage. His highly arched dragon haunches also slowly settled back to the ground.

"Ah! Ancestor Lord Ephelomon, your [Bloodscale Fury] is truly as formidable as rumored! It made me lose my senses for a moment and speak out of turn. Thank you for your gift, Ancestor. As your descendant, David Uthos, I will ensure that the fearsome name of the Bloodscale Berserker spreads across all planes of the Multiverse."

With those words, he flattered Ancestor Ephelomon, expressing gratitude for the unsolicited gift while also subtly conveying his reluctance to 'meddle in the gods' battlefield.'

Ephelomon, as if he had expected this, burst into loud laughter. The more he looked at David, his distant descendant, the more pleased he was, yet also the more he felt it was a pity.

"Worthy of being my descendant, and worthy of being the child of Pafila, the Crimson Calamity. When Pafila told me you possess the ability to directly 'reproduce what you witness,' I doubted that anything so inconceivable could exist—an ability to ignore 'phenomena' and directly rewrite underlying rules. Now it seems that while such an ability is not without 'cost' to you, it is indeed achievable. Even I feel a tinge of envy."

At this, Ephelomon looked deeply at David and sneered, "All the better. In that case, your mother's insistence was indeed justified. If you were to barge blindly into the sight of the gods with such an ability, you would undoubtedly attract covetous eyes. It's possible that even with Pafila and I watching over you, we couldn't prevent a direct 'erasure' targeting you."

David shuddered, recalling how petitioners and demons had melted like snowflakes years ago under his mother Pafila's 'nuclear fission chain execution.'

Although various methods of resurrection existed in this world, at the level of the gods, there were also many ways to directly erase an enemy from the soul itself, eliminating any future threat.

After all, even deities were not eternal and immutable.

"Hmm, since you don't wish to go to the battlefield of gods, and can't for the time being, then, given your nature, are you planning to head straight back to Elariya?"

Hearing Ephelomon's tone, David couldn't help but feel that returning to Elariya sounded like a vacation.

Damn it, this is the one thing I dislike about the Chromatic Dragons. Aside from my mother Pafila, this Red Dragon ancestor before me, and even Tiamat, they all seem desperate to inject me with some kind of growth stimulant, wanting me to mature into an Ancient Dragon overnight so I can 'shoulder great responsibilities.' I'm clearly still just a kid! Besides, when I return to Elariya, won't I be dealing with the High Elves...

Before he could even finish his internal rant, he saw Ephelomon squinting. "And then pick a fight with those Moon Elves?" Ephelomon asked.

David clicked his tongue. What else could he say? "Your wisdom is profound, Ancestor."

Originally, David had thought this Red Dragon ancestor would try to stop him. After all, it was a personal vendetta. Furthermore, the Chromatic Dragon Queen's forces were currently spread too thin. Especially with The Slaying King Star's arrival initiating destruction, large-scale mobilization on the prime material plane was impossible, let alone providing him support.

But unexpectedly, Ephelomon smiled like a sly old fox who had just stolen some chickens. "Good!" he said. "Daring to launch a vengeful offensive against the enemy despite being at an absolute disadvantage—truly worthy of being my spawn, the get of Ephelomon Sed Ponga! Not like those pathetic degenerates who mingle with the Githyanki in the Astral Plane, only getting worse for it. They only know how to bully the weak and fear the strong; they've long forgotten how a real hard-fought battle is waged."

Listening to this, David sneered internally. It's true, he thought, you can't escape the 'wealth doesn't last three generations' curse anywhere, not even for an ancestor like Pafila. He also hadn't expected that the Red Dragon pirate fleet, renowned in the Astral Plane and across various planes, would be dismissed by this ancestor with impressions of 'bullying the weak and fearing the strong' and being 'pathetic.'

Wait a second, this speech pattern seems familiar... he thought. Back when Tiamat conned me into going to Toriel to 'do espionage,' she started with similar rambling before getting straight to the point.

Sure enough, Ephelomon saw that David had caught on to his intentions. His smile, which looked more like a Green Dragon's than a Red Dragon's, widened. From out of nowhere, his tail tip produced a token engraved with the 'Crimson Dragon Command' and tossed it straight at David.

David had no intention of catching it. However, when he saw that gleaming token, crafted from some unidentifiable rare metal, flying towards him, it was as if supreme power and a mountain of gold were heading his way. Before he could even react, his claws had already snatched it, his eyes sparkling.

[Greed]

The moment he caught the token, David instinctively wanted to bite it to see what material it was made of. Then he immediately cursed internally: Why are my claws so eager! This is clearly a trap!

As expected, he looked up to see Ephelomon smiling at him. "This is the Dragon King's Decree I forged when I formed Sed Ponga," Ephelomon said. "It can command my vassals and direct bloodline descendants."

"David Uthos, you mentioned you're short on troops, didn't you? Don't be polite. Just take them and go fight those Moon Elves."

David was dumbfounded. An inexplicable surge of excitement rushed through him.

Has my luck finally turned? Is this a case of a pillow appearing just when I'm sleepy?

Wait, command Ephelomon's direct bloodline descendants... But how old is Ancestor Ephelomon anyway? His vassals and direct descendants from back then must have either died of old age or come to Evil Scale Fortress to continue serving him, right?

David stared blankly at this rather shameless Red Dragon ancestor. Sure enough, he saw the ancestor feign confusion as he pretended to search his memory. "Although," Ephelomon continued, "I have no idea which generation Sed Ponga has reached by now."

Right... David thought with resignation. I knew it would be like this. Isn't this just setting me up to be a crooked Dragon King?