CHAPTER 74: AFTER ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND YEARS

After a very long time, the North had finally managed to see a dragon. A real dragon. Not the fake, small, young dragons they saw every year.

After all, not every dragon was a friend. It would be accurate to say that they were fierce beasts.

When Luke sent the dragons and phoenixes from One Mountain to the capital, Kassadin and his army were already prepared to take down each dragon. If they hadn’t seen the phoenixes, the army would have already shot down the dragons Luke had sent from the sky.

It would be accurate to say that, aside from the Ancient Dragons and Ancient Phoenixes, there were no other sacred beasts that were nearly invulnerable.

Luke directly stroked the scales of his dragon Shenhal and then said in a normal voice, "Shenhal, show the North, who protects our empire, the might they deserve to see."

As soon as these words reached the Ancient Dragon Shenhal’s massive ears, it returned to its normal form, with a forty-metre wingspan, fifteen-metre width, and a length of one hundred metres.

Luke gripped the black ropes made of fire that were wrapped around Shenhal’s horns as if he were riding a surfboard on the sea, and began to stand on the Ancient Dragon’s neck, performing what seemed like ’dragon surfing.’

"SKKRYYAAAAHHHHHKKK!!!"

The Ancient Dragon Shenhal roared proudly and then slowly began to descend towards Wirgo’s city of Esphia.

Upon finding an open area, Shenhal landed, and Luke was immediately surrounded.

Hundreds of Wirgo soldiers, the second strongest military force in the world, had gathered around him.

After the Cestis family, they were the only military force in the world that could not be defeated. They were like rough gems carved by the cold and danger of the north.

Though not all of them had thick beards or moustaches, most had thick hair, and many had hair as white as Zoey’s.

This was the northernmost point of the empire, the very place where the first and last line of defence against the empire’s greatest threat lay, the city of Esphia itself.

Within a minute, Luke had seen the gates of the Duchy Mansion, not far away, open, and several people emerge from within.

At the same time, Luke stroked Shenhal’s scales once more and slid down from the dragon’s back as it lowered its wing to the ground.

Shortly thereafter, Kassadin Wirgo and his wife, Hannah Wirgo, emerged from among the soldiers. Of course, their daughter was with them as well.

"Luke!" Kassadin said suddenly, opening his arms wide and trying to hug Luke, but then he paused.

"GRRRR!!!"

The ancient dragon Shenhal clearly showed his displeasure; after all, the dragon worshipped no one other than Luke and his wife Zoey.

When Luke heard this growl, he took a deep breath and then turned around and scolded the Ancient Dragon Shenhal:

"Come on! How many times do I have to tell you, Shenhal? Some people are NOT bad people. Bad dragon! You bad dragon!"

When Shenhal heard these words, he turned his head away and let out a deep breath through his nostrils.

It was quite fortunate that only soldiers who could withstand this breath were present.

"Wait, seriously? Are you really growling? You big baby, I’m not the one who has to remind you how old you are, am I?!" Luke shouted, then pointed at Kassadin and shouted, "They’re family!" He then turned to Kassadin and said, "I’m sorry, Dad... Shenhal is a big baby, I swear. Quite annoying, really. Still love him to death, but damn, you have no idea."

When Kassadin heard all these words, he opened his arms wide again and gave Luke a big hug.

"It’s been a very, very long time since the North saw a real dragon... The records say that the last real dragon to come to the North was nearly more than a hundred thousand years ago, Luke... What an honour it is to see a real dragon, an Ancient Dragon, in the presence of a Hiera." Kassadin had said.

Luke smiled after hearing these words, then turned to the Ancient Dragon Shenhal and shouted, "Do you see? They love you!" He then turned to Kassadin and said, "I’ve come to improve the walls."

As soon as Luke uttered these words, Kassadin and his family’s eyes widened.

"Now? Have you prepared everything?" Kassadin asked, and without waiting for an answer, he cut himself off, adding, "When you should be focusing on your own city..."

"Come on, Dad, we’re a family, aren’t we? Besides, I made a promise to my own father, I didn’t get my princely title for free," Luke replied, and then said, "I hope I can get close to the walls."

Kassadin nodded once, his mouth open, in agreement.

With that, Luke, along with Kassadin at his side, his family behind him, and dozens of soldiers following behind, arrived at the empire’s first and last defence system, the Wall of the North.

He suddenly turned around and asked, "Why did the soldiers come?"

"You’ll need help, won’t you? Demolishing and rebuilding a wall is no easy task," Kassadin said.

Luke smiled and replied, "I asked Zoey not to mention my gift fully, but to be honest, I didn’t expect her to say nothing at all."

While Kassadin and the others tried to figure out what those words meant, Luke approached the wall stretching for kilometres in front of him and touched it.

At that moment, the voice he had heard in his mind reappeared:

[Do you want to use the "100% Mythril Walls" plan?]

"Yes," Luke replied instantly, and another voice echoed in his mind:

[This plan will cost you exactly "378,221" gold. A wall section spanning six thousand seven hundred ninety-eight kilometres will be replaced with 100% Mythril, and the replaced materials will be added to your inventory. Do you accept?]

"Yes," Luke repeated. He wanted everything to go perfectly; therefore, he asked Zoey if all the walls were connected.

They were. Which meant...In just one go, everything could be upgraded.

With that, the magic began to take effect. Luke’s gift had activated.