Chapter 440: The Weaver and the Green Dragon |
After informing those present about the possible outbreak of war, the bearded Guild Master soon caused more detailed images to bloom on the curtain behind him.
Those were images captured by elite squads dispatched by the Adventurers Guild at the risk of almost certain death.
In the images, large numbers of monsters were gathering in an orderly manner within the forest.
Especially the well-known monster tribes within the forest, which were currently moving like a line of ants, transporting supplies. The scene looked quite spectacular.
However, considering these would all be humanity's enemies in the future, the sense of spectacle was mixed with a heavy feeling.
The Green Dragon Queen, as one of the borderland Lords, held a status roughly equivalent to a border count in a human kingdom. Not only was her personal strength incredibly powerful, but the monster legions under her command were also extremely formidable.
On ordinary days, the vast majority of targets adventurers encountered on subjugation commissions were mostly wild monsters or small monster tribes. These monsters, whether in terms of elite quality, weaponry and equipment, mutual coordination, or overall morale, were far inferior to the former.
Monster forces like the Green Dragon Queen's had a very clear internal hierarchy and promotion path. Especially within those large tribes, many even possessed inheritances of magic and martial arts. Combined with relatively superior bloodlines, the probability of them producing monsters with challenge levels was far greater than that of ordinary monster tribes.
Therefore, even with the same number of monster legions, the strength gap between those belonging to the Green Dragon Queen and a ragtag group of wild monsters was at least severalfold.
Over a hundred years ago, during the early stages of the great war that swept the entire continent between humans and monsters, many adventurers died due to underestimating their enemies based on misjudged strength.
Why did monsters of the same type and similar level display combat power far exceeding that of other ordinary monsters encountered in the wild during actual battles?
Misjudging information could lead to completely different battle outcomes. In close-quarters combat, the enemy's faster speed and greater strength could overwhelm adventurers, leading to their demise caught off guard.
Sometimes, they couldn't even bring their full strength to bear before having to close their eyes in regretful defeat.
Essentially, most low-level battles came down to who could land a weapon strike or spell on the opponent's vital point first. Whoever was faster, won.
Therefore, the outcome was often decided in just a fleeting moment.
In such situations, intelligence and mental preparation became even more crucial.
Most of the adventurers present listened and silently committed this to memory.
Actually, this point was more important for lower-level adventurers. After all, in higher-level combat, both sides had relatively richer methods and combat experience. Unless there was an enormous disparity in strength, it was less likely for someone to die due to underestimation.
After introducing the basic situation of the Green Dragon Army under the Green Dragon Queen, the bearded Guild Master immediately began introducing the main figure herself.
However, regarding intelligence on the Green Dragon Queen behind the legions, the Adventurers Guild had been able to collect very little.
The reason was that during the century of peace after the war, this adult Dragon had almost always lived in seclusion, let alone crossed the border and reached human territory. Such close-range invasions had never occurred even once.
Furthermore, the Green Dragon Lair was located deep in the heart of the Emerald Forest, surrounded and protected by numerous large monster lairs. For ordinary scout squads to infiltrate it was practically no different from suicide.
Therefore, the intelligence the Guild Master could introduce was all about that adult Green Dragon from a hundred years ago.
Lord of the Emerald Forest, Aetherass.
Known Challenge Level: Level 16 (Recorded data from a century ago. Warning: This target has been dormant for a century. Its current strength is highly likely to have broken through to Level 17, or even lower.)
Race: Green Dragon
Age Stage: Approximately 600 years old (Adult Dragon)
Size: Main body length approximately 35 meters, tail length approximately 23 meters, upright shoulder height over 13 meters, wingspan approximately 90 meters.
Epic Domain: [Emerald Kingdom]
When the Domain is deployed, within a radius of three kilometers centered on Aetherass, the area transforms into an absolute death jungle under her rule.
This Domain possesses three layers of erosion effects:
First Layer [Life Drain]: Within the Domain's coverage, all living targets continuously lose vitality. The lower the level, the faster the loss. Professionals below Level 5 will die of heart failure within ten breaths without special protection.
Second Layer [Plant Animation]: All plants within the Domain's coverage are granted consciousness, temporarily transformed into servants obeying Aetherass. Trees become Treants, vines become vine snakes, and even grass blades turn into blades that slice flesh.
Third Layer [Toxic Spores]: The Domain becomes filled with emerald-green spore clouds. Inhaling them causes varying degrees of side effects: hallucinations, internal organ corrosion, mana disruption, etc. The Domains of Transcendent experts will also be eroded and heavily suppressed.
Combat Style: As a Green Dragon, known among Chromatic Dragons for strategy and cunning, Aetherass rarely engages in frontal charges. In several battles a century ago, she displayed tactical acumen far surpassing other Chromatic Dragons of her age group. In legion warfare, she frequently uses [Emerald Kingdom] to animate plants and split the battlefield, while releasing spreading toxic spores to poison opponents. When facing opponents of similar strength, she mostly uses large-scale, long-range spells for containment, preferring to remotely harass lower-level adventurers to force pursuers to split their attention for defense.
....
A long list of detailed intelligence was displayed on the curtain.
Although the information was indeed not the most current, its content was far more detailed than Gauss had imagined.
At the end of the intelligence report, the name of the human who compiled it was left.
Erich Xavier.
Low murmurs of discussion soon arose among the crowd.
"Xavier... That Xavier family?"
"Obviously, is there a second Xavier family in Coldjade Province?"
Most of the adventurers present were of the new generation born many years after the war, so their impressions of the war a century ago and the figures in it were actually quite limited.
Especially youngsters like Gauss, whose age wasn't even a fraction of that time.
"Erich Xavier, the Grand Mage from a century ago, title [Spellweaver]. I've heard that name. It's said he was the most outstanding genius of the Xavier family of that generation. He advanced to professional at thirteen, reached Master at twenty-two, stepped into Transcendent at forty, and broke through to Epic at seventy...."
The person sharing the information in a low voice had a tone mixed with a hint of yearning.
From any perspective, for the vast majority of adventurers, this was a top-tier genius. What was even more enviable wasn't his dazzling early years, but his ability to maintain strong momentum throughout.
He advanced step by step, seemingly without encountering too many bottlenecks. Especially entering Transcendent at forty and breaking through to Epic at seventy were considered quite young stages.
Some geniuses might advance rapidly in the early stages, but then inexplicably stagnate for many years at a certain point, possibly never breaking through beyond Transcendent in their lifetime.
"What about later? Did he break through to Legendary?"
"Is he still alive now?"
The speaker's companions couldn't help but ask curiously.
"No, that Grand Mage has passed away. It's said he was also affected by the Green Dragon Queen's toxins, damaging his foundation. After the war ended, he reportedly rarely appeared in public. It wasn't until the Xavier family held his funeral that other families learned of his death."
The people around couldn't help but sigh with regret upon hearing this.
Gauss was no exception.
At least judging by that Spellweaver's breakthrough speed, he seemed to have the potential to reach greater heights. If he were still alive today, although the probability was low, it was possible the human faction would have gained another Legendary powerhouse.
Every Legendary powerhouse was like a stabilizing pillar for humanity, capable of easily reversing the outcome of a large-scale battle.
From this perspective, one could also see how difficult it was to ascend to the Legendary rank. Even with astonishing, peerless talent, one had to endure many trials from the outside world over a long time. One misstep could mean losing the possibility of climbing higher forever.
"However, it's said that Lord Spellweaver also inflicted quite serious injuries on that Green Dragon Queen. That's why the Green Dragon Queen fell into a long period of dormancy to recuperate during the late war and after the war ended."
Gauss silently listened to the intelligence being shared around him.
This was obviously a reasonable thing. Being able to contend with each other on the battlefield meant their actual combat strength was at least at a similar level. It didn't make sense for one to have their foundation damaged while the other remained unscathed. They had most likely fought with true ferocity.
But, since the Green Dragon Queen was planning war again, it indicated her injuries had most likely completely healed.
This was the innate physical talent of Dragons. Even with similar combat strength, the gap in physical talent between humans and Dragons was still too vast.
The only uncertainty was whether the Green Dragon had merely recovered to her previous strength or had advanced further during her dormancy.
Another worry also hung in everyone's hearts.
Leaving aside the distant, unknown Demon King for now, who would deal with the Green Dragon Queen of the Emerald Forest now?
Relying on the 15th-level paladin, Matthias Monroe, Guild Master of the Barry Adventurers Guild on stage? Although his strength was extremely powerful compared to everyone present, he was undoubtedly not a match for the Green Dragon Queen.
Spellweaver Erich Xavier had passed away, and it was said the strongest among his descendants in the Xavier family nowadays was merely a top-tier Transcendent expert.
Yet there was also an enormous combat strength gap between Transcendent and Epic.
Relying on multiple top-tier Transcendent experts to contend against the Epic-level combat strength of the Green Dragon Queen was undoubtedly wishful thinking.
Furthermore, under the Green Dragon Queen, there were also no shortage of Transcendent monsters.
"Please rest assured, everyone. The Royal Capital has long had arrangements for this. The Green Dragon Queen does not require our local adventurers to handle her."
Matthias Monroe spoke up to suppress the gradually spreading unease in the assembly hall.
"A being like the Green Dragon Queen naturally does not need to be faced head-on by our local adventurers."
"And even if war breaks out, she will not appear on the battlefield we are on."
"I can clearly tell you all that experts with Epic-level combat strength have already arrived in Coldjade Province. However, these arrangements are still in a confidential stage. The specific individuals and deployment details, I regret, cannot be disclosed publicly here."
Upon hearing the Guild Master's further explanation and reassurance, the crowd felt slightly more at ease, experiencing a sense of relief.
This wasn't because they were cowardly. It was simply that the paper strength of that adult Green Dragon looked too terrifying.
If they had to face that enemy, she wouldn't even need to do much. Simply deploying her passive-like Domain would probably plunge everyone into hell.
That was absolutely an enemy they could not face.
Most people present were adventurers. Their businesses, families, and loved ones were all in Coldjade Province. They were willing to contribute to some extent. But if they were asked to go to their deaths, they would probably scatter to the winds before long. Even if it meant being blacklisted by the Adventurers Guild and losing substantial fixed assets locally.
The Adventurers Guild and the Royal Capital could obviously also consider this layer. Naturally, they would dispatch suitable strong experts to support Coldjade Province in the case of insufficient top-tier combat strength locally, to prevent top-tier combatants from causing devastating blows to mid and lower-level adventurers and armies.
Therefore, unless the Royal Capital allowed Coldjade Province to fall, Epic-level combat strength support was absolutely guaranteed.
Gauss was just wondering whether even more powerful combat strength would be dispatched, such as top-tier Epic experts, or even stronger Legendary powerhouses.
Gauss speculated that there were most likely Legendary powerhouses within the Kingdom of Carlos.
Although according to the historical records of the Kingdom of Carlos Adventurers Guild, the kingdom had only ever produced five Platinum Rank adventurers, i.e., Legendary combat strength, which sounded pitifully few. Based on this public number, it wasn't impossible that no Legendary powerhouses existed within the kingdom in this era.
But it must be known that not every professional chose to register as an adventurer. This was especially true for the direct descendants of high-ranking nobles. Taking Gauss's own surroundings as an example, Vice Dean Kieran Xavier of the Xavier family, whom he met at the Falim Magic Academy, had never registered with the Adventurers Guild.
He had chatted with Vice Dean Kieran during his spare time outside of teaching.
His case was not an isolated one.
For the direct descendants of major nobles with inheritance rights, even if they wanted to gain experience, they might not become adventurers. Or they might register under a false identity and later have it deleted through family means after reaching a certain level.
There were multiple reasons for this.
For someone like Kieran, there was simply no need. The resources and magic he required could be obtained from the Xavier family. Even when going out for experience, there were elders secretly watching over him. Taking commissions from the Adventurers Guild, forming teams, and earning profits were just a waste of time for him.
Another reason was naturally status and position. In the eyes of some direct descendants of major nobles, although they wouldn't say it outright, they more or less felt that mixing with the common rabble and becoming an adventurer was beneath their dignity.
The most important reason was personal safety. Registering as an adventurer and moving about freely outside entailed more risks for the direct descendants of major nobles.
These risks came not only from monsters but more so from other fellow adventurers.
Whether it was seizing treasures they might carry or kidnapping them to demand huge ransoms from their families, it was an irresistible temptation for some adventurers with ill intentions.
Therefore, even if descendants of major nobles yearned for the adventurer identity, they would often choose to forge identities to prevent encountering desperate individuals.
If top-tier Epic or Legendary combat strength were urgently transferred to Coldjade Province, could that adult Green Dragon be completely killed?
Gauss stroked his chin.
He possessed far too little intelligence, so his analysis of the situation could only be like viewing flowers through fog.
But one thing was known: whether they chose to bring in higher-level combat strength or not, there were certainly reasons unknown to ordinary adventurers like them.
Because the monster faction also did not lack Legendary combat strength. Perhaps some special balance mechanism existed.
Otherwise, if Legendary powerhouses acted wantonly against the mid and lower levels, there wouldn't even be a chance for Epic or Transcendent-level slaughter.
On this continent, although Legendary combat strength was extremely rare, it was not extinct.
As for that Legendary Sword Saint Roland, he was a different existence from the other Legendaries.
Gauss had once heard that although Roland was publicly known by the title of Legendary Sword Saint, his true combat strength far exceeded that of ordinary Legendaries. He might have reached or even surpassed the Demigod level.
However, due to some secular religious factors, he could not be openly given that title.
Nevertheless, among the people, he had always been revered with titles like "Invincible in the Mortal Realm" and "God of the Mortal Realm." In the descriptions passed down by bards, during Roland's peak period, it was said even divine avatars descending to the Prime Material Plane could hardly contend with him.