Ashen Dragon

He took a deep breath, and then with a solemn tone and a grateful expression, he said: "My name is Ed Klein, King of Blackstone Mountain, descendant of Du Masong, follower of Moradin.

I do not know... may I have the honor of knowing your esteemed name?"

"Titus."

The Gold Dragon looked down at the dwarf, speaking slowly and with a charismatic voice, warm and deep.

"You may call me Titus. As for my identity... I am but a Gold Dragon passing by.

I simply couldn't stand the rude and barbaric actions of the Orcs, so I decided to lend you a modest helping hand."

Ed laughed heartily: "Lord Titus, you did much more than lend a helping hand, you changed the tide of this war!

Had you not valiantly intervened, whether Aivendel could have withstood the fierce onslaught of the Orcs would have been in question.

Rest assured, as a token of our gratitude, our High Mountain Kingdom will definitely present you with our most precious treasures. We dwarves are quite confident in crafting artifacts and jewelry."

The Dwarf King had considerable experience in dealing with Metal Dragons, having fought side by side with the Silver Dragons of the Melwood Clan.

One of the most important aspects of this was— even if the Metal Dragons claimed indifference, one must not forget to offer them sufficient monetary compensation, lest they hold a grudge.

Vengefulness, greed, these traits are almost universal amongst the giant dragons, and even the kind and righteous Metal Dragons are no exception.

"Lord Ed."

The Gold Dragon turned its head, gazing into the distance, with eyes like pools of gold slightly narrowed, emitting a faint shimmer.

"Compensation can be discussed later, it's not important right now. Be aware—the war you face is far from over.

The recent assault was probably just a probe; the Orc army numbers above two hundred thousand, among them are those who can match you or me in strength."

"Two hundred thousand?"

"Yes, and based on my observation, more Orcs are being mobilized towards the South on the Wuge Prairie."

Ed's heart trembled at the revelation.

The number of the Orc army far exceeded the total population of the High Mountain Kingdom, and if things continued this way, the fall of Aivendel was nearly inevitable.

Seemingly perceiving the dwarf's emotional fluctuation, the Gold Dragon raised an eyebrow: "Are you afraid?"

The Dwarf King let out a deep sigh and smiled bitterly: "Of course I'm afraid, who wouldn't be?

But... it's not the horde of Orcs I fear, rather the possibility of my subjects becoming slaves, and the prospect of Aivendel, the symbol of Dwarven glory, falling.

Ed's gaze became stern, and he spoke with unwavering resolve: "Lord Titus, I thank you once again for your profound wisdom.

The High Mountain Kingdom is the ancestral legacy of our Dwarven race, and even if the enemy increases tenfold, we will never give up."

"Very good."

The Gold Dragon folded its wings and strolled gracefully on the towering city walls, inspecting the Dwarf Garrison.

"Oh Dwarf, I see your determination and will to resist invasion. The Orc legion is powerful, but not invincible. I will continue to stay in Aivendel to assist you, until...

victory is ours."

Ed solemnly placed his Warhammer over his chest, his voice filled with gratitude: "On behalf of all the people of the High Mountain Kingdom, I pay respect to you, great Lord Titus.

From this moment on, you are our eternal friend. My abilities are limited, but wherever you are in Fianso, the Dwarves will do their utmost to offer you aid."

Unlike the reserved Elves, the Dwarves have always been clear about their likes and dislikes, and even their King is no exception in expressing their feelings bluntly.

In the heart of the Dwarf King, this mysterious and powerful Gold Dragon had already become a steadfast ally of the High Mountain Kingdom.

Even though he did not know the background of "Lord Titus", after all, this was a noble Gold Dragon!

Gold Dragons symbolize righteousness and order, faithful followers of Bahamut, the leaders among the Metal Dragons, who would question such beings?

Yet at the same time, the Gold Dragon's heart was also filled with contentment. Rather than being called "Titus", he should be addressed by his true name—Cassius Klaubow Norixius.

Indeed, this Gold Dragon was the Ashen Emperor, or more precisely, the Dragonic Incarnation bearing the Emperor's will.

Meanwhile, his true self was still in the Dragon Blood Mountain within the Empire, refining the Blood of Karyx.

Upon leaving Anzeta Great Wilderness, Cassius took advantage of the ability "Incarnate Ancient Dragon" to transform into an Ancient Gold Dragon.

Then, leveraging his knowledge about the plot, he intervened at a critical moment in the world-renowned "Battle of Blackstone Mountain" in the future, helping the Dwarves emerge victorious.

In reality, even if the Gold Dragon disguised as Cassius did not partake in this war, that "Master of High Mountains", Ed, would have broken free from constraints and used the Divine Relic left by the Gods of Modin Saman to fend off the Orc invasion, fighting to the last to defend Aivendel.

But Cassius turned the added splendor into life-saving assistance, making the appearance and help of "Gold Dragon Titus" an indispensable part of the Dwarven victory.

"Heh heh... Dwarf, since I have saved your nation and you are so grateful, then repay me with the entire Blackstone Mountain Range.

In the near future, my Empire will collect the dues from you."

Watching the grateful expressions of the Dwarves, Titus, or rather Cassius, secretly chuckled to himself.

But then he heard Ed say with deep concern: "Lord Titus, could you possibly contact His Majesty Bahamut of Heavenly Mountain..."