MTLNOVEL chapter 382 - Inferno Continent
Just like he said: 'What could happen to him?' Taufik's journey to the Inferno Continent went as smoothly as a gacha game with a maxed-out Pity system. No obstacles, no surprises. In just a few hours, he arrived without a hitch.
# A/N - "I quit playing gacha games, I'm too unlucky"
Taufik had never set foot on the Inferno Continent before, but upon arrival, he could only nod in agreement... True to its name.
"…Yep. This continent really is full of inferno"
A wave of oppressive heat rolled over him, thick and heavy like the breath of some slumbering titan beneath the earth. The ground beneath Taufik's feet throbbed with latent fire, raw Mana, ancient, and barely restrained, pulsing like a heartbeat too close to the surface.
Above, the sky above was no comfort. It burned a dull, relentless crimson, as if twilight had taken root and refused to let the sun rise again.
There was no wind, only heat, rising in shimmering waves that blurred the horizon into a molten dream.
Taufik took a slow breath, letting his senses adjust.
He then, took a few careful steps forward, eyes scanning the hellish vista around him.
Before him loomed an active volcano, its throat roaring with deep, guttural tremors.
Molten magma spilled endlessly from its peak, snaking down in glowing rivers that cut through the cracked terrain like veins of living fire.
What caught his attention, however, wasn't the mountain, but the creatures within its magma flow.
Dark-scaled beasts, some serpent-like, others resembling amphibians with plated armor, moved gracefully through the river of lava as if it were cool water.
Their hides shimmered with an iridescent heat resistance, and their movements were calm, almost lazy at home in the inferno.
Taufik narrowed his eyes, mildly surprised.
"…Huh. Lava-swimming wildlife," He muttered, the corner of his lips twitching in amusement. "That's new"
Still, he didn't linger on it long.
Each of the Four Continents had their own endemic species, creatures that had adapted over generations to survive in extreme conditions.
The Inferno Continent was no exception. And so, with little more than a thoughtful hum, Taufik accepted it and moved on.
From the edge of a blackened ridge nearby, several figures began to approach. Their armor gleamed with a metallic sheen, tempered in fire, dyed deep dari crimson, and lined with glowing patterns of heat-imbued runes.
Their wings, scaled and wide, twitched reflexively as they walked with heavy discipline.
A squad of Red Dragon soldiers. One at the front, slightly taller than the rest and with a thick scar running across his cheek, stepped forward and dropped to one knee, fist across his chest in a warrior's salute.
"Sir Savior," The soldier said, his voice low and respectful, laced with a note of awe. "Welcome to the Inferno Continent. Apologies, we couldn't provide a proper reception upon your arrival"
Taufik's shadow rippled beneath him, stretching subtly in every direction, resonating with the dense, volatile mana that saturated the air. It was as if the very presence of the land demanded respect or caution.
"...It's fine," Taufik replied, his tone casual. His eyes drifted toward the horizon, where rivers of molten rock snaked across scorched plains. Creatures basked in the lava-like fish in water. "I got to see something new, so it's alright"
"Thank you for your understanding, Sir," The dragonkin bowed again. "Please, if you'd allow it... Ride on my back. I'll take you straight to our King without delay"
Taufik didn't answer immediately. His eyes scanned the horizon once more, the scorched land, the ash-laced winds, the eerie beauty of a continent forged in flame.
The air was heavy, but not unwelcoming. It hummed with old power.
Without shifting his gaze, he spoke.
"... I'm in the mood to walk. So let's just walk"
The Red Dragon soldier hesitated, clearly unused to such a request, but nodded with understanding.
"As you wish, Sir Savior. We'll guide you the way"
And so, step by step, Taufik walked forward, into the heart of the Inferno.
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"...So, since when did you guys start wearing armor like that?" Taufik asked, his eyes narrowing slightly as he glanced at the Red Dragon soldiers walking beside him. "I remember... Last time, none of you wore anything like that"
Their armor gleamed like molten metal, forged from a dark crimson alloy that shimmered with residual heat.
Jagged scales adorned the plating, designed not only for protection but also to radiate the aura of intimidation befitting their kind.
Each step they took sent faint sparks flickering from the scorched ground beneath them.
"...We're learning from our mistakes, sir," The soldier said, his steps steady beside Taufik as the heat shimmered around them. "The generation before us always believed that wearing armor was a sign of weakness. That our scales alone were enough... That relying on anything else meant you lacked pride as a dragon... That's why the Red Dragons of the generations before us disliked the Golden Dragon so much"
Taufik listened quietly, his gaze still forward, the rhythm of their steps echoing lightly across the charred stone.
"But after our current king took the throne, everything changed. At first, there was resistance, especially from the elders, the ones who survived under the rule of the previous king. To them, tradition was law. But over time, that thinking began to shift. They saw how the world had changed... How strength wasn't just about raw power anymore"
He paused for a moment, then added with quiet pride, "Now, most of us wear armor not because we need it, but because we chose to evolve"
Taufik smirked slightly, his tone dry.
"...Heh. About time The Red Dragons stopped being so stubborn, huh? That's good"
The soldier chuckled. "Some of us still are. But we're getting there"
"Don't rush," Taufik replied calmly, his voice steady against the crackling air. "Sometimes, forced change only leads to ruin. Growth takes time. Push too hard, and it breaks instead of bending"
The soldier beside him slowed slightly, the words settling on him like the ash drifting from the distant volcano ridge, soft, but impossible to ignore.
"...You're right, Sir Savior," He said after a long pause. "Our king said something similar once: 'Change must be guided, not imposed. Even fire, if left wild, consumes instead of forging'"
Taufik glanced sideways, an eyebrow slightly raised, genuinely intrigued.
"Heh... Sounds like a wise one, your king"
A flicker of pride ignited in the soldier's eyes as he answered, "He is, sir. Our King is our pride"
The others trailing behind nodded silently, their expressions serious and respectful.
These weren't just soldiers, they were believers, bound not only by command but by conviction.
Taufik, though quietly impressed, exhaled a faint sigh, his gaze trailing to the sky, where ash and ember danced endlessly in the crimson haze.
"...If only the previous Red Dragon King had that same mindset," He murmured. "Maybe things wouldn't have become so tangled. Pride, arrogance, and Greed... It led to needless bloodshed. And now, it's your generation carrying the weight of that failure"
The air grew heavier for a moment, though not from heat.
The truth of Taufik's words settled like an old scar, pain dulled with time but still remembered.
And yet, the soldier's voice held no bitterness when he spoke again.
"...Maybe so, sir. But even forged steel must endure the hammer. We'll carry it, and we'll make sure the next generation doesn't inherit a broken legacy"
Taufik smiled faintly, his shadows trailing quietly behind him with each step as the blackened landscape ahead gave way to a faint red glow, the distant outline of a great fortress nestled within the crater of a colossal, sleeping volcano.
"Good," He said. "Then show me that future, I'll wait"
The soldier straightened at Taufik's words, the flicker of resolve in his eyes hardening into something deeper, something that felt almost like destiny.
"Yes, Sir Savior," He said, voice steady. "We will"
Their footsteps echoed over the blackened obsidian paths as the group crested the last ridge.
Below them, nestled in the heart of a vast volcanic basin, was the Red Dragon Kingdom.
Massive walls of charred stone curved like the ribs of a fallen titan, encircling a city that pulsed with controlled flame.
Lava channels flowed like glowing veins, illuminating spires of dark crimson and black metal, their surfaces engraved with ancient runes and clawed emblems. Above it all, perched against the volcanic slopes, loomed the fortress.
Igneus Regia, the Throne of Embers.
The soldier gestured forward. "That is our capital… And where the King awaits you"
Taufik gazed down at the infernal city with an unreadable expression. The wind tugged at his coat, and the air shimmered with heat, but his presence remained calm, anchored.
"...Then let's not keep him waiting"
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The path toward the great obsidian gates of Igneus Regia was lined with Red Dragons, majestic and terrifying, each radiating power forged in fire and centuries of pride.
Some stood tall in their towering dragon forms, wings folded neatly like cloaks of flame, while others wore human guises, armored and regal, their eyes burning with ember-hued reverence.
As Taufik passed, their reaction was uniform, they bowed. Deeply, solemnly.
It wasn't just military protocol or respect for a visiting envoy. It was reverence. Awe. As if they saw in him not just a guest, but something greater. A force that even fire dared not burn.
Taufik said nothing, but his pace slowed slightly.
His eyes swept across them all, one by one as if measuring the sincerity in each bow.
His own presence, infused with subtle shadow and divine gravity, seemed to pull the very heat into stillness.
"...I see Rakshasa II really went all out," Taufik murmured to himself. "Next time, tell him not to go overboard with things like this"
The soldiers exchanged glances, offering only awkward chuckles in response, but said nothing. They simply continued walking.
Ahead, the massive obsidian gates groaned open with a deep, thunderous rumble. Beyond them lay the heart of the Red Dragons' domain [Igneus Regia] a breathtaking fusion of natural fury and architectural mastery.
Rivers of molten lava wove through the city like glowing veins, casting a constant orange glow across towering citadels and jagged stone bridges. Fortress towers rose like volcanic spires, crowned with crimson banners that fluttered despite the heavy, sulfurous air.
It was a realm both beautiful and brutal, an eternal forge where even time seemed to burn.
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