The baby dragon hatched in the factory, a lifetime of implant modifications and booster addiction, everything under the control of giant artificial intelligence, the distinct upper and lower worlds, temples, lower cities, factories, neighborhoods, priests, Councilors, elders, commoners, autonomous cities, customized employees of enterprises.
Tallond.
The "dragon" kingdom.
Everything here left a deep impression on Gawain, and the impact was even greater than what he saw and heard after stepping out of the tomb for the first time. In just one day of sightseeing and visiting , all his impressions of the dragon kingdom have been completely overturned.
All impressions about the mystery, power, elegance and majesty of the dragons were shattered by reality. The world built in the imagination of bards and playwrights fell apart, leaving only a grotesque residue. A twisted and absurd impression, as well as countless thoughts and speculations.
In front of such Tallond, those stories about knights slaying evil dragons with swords, dragons and heroes making contracts, castles and kingdoms fighting dragons suddenly become cute, even Glowing with a warm glow.
Gawain seemed to suddenly understand why so many "wanderers" from the Dragon Kingdom came to the human world and became bards, composing so many bizarre giant stories that were completely different from the facts. Dragon Legend, I understand why an "upper-class dragon" like Melita would be so bored that she would write a bunch of made-up "Dragon Quest" and even use her friends as prototypes.
He once thought these were boring and puzzling quirks, but now... he couldn't help but wonder that they might be some kind of nostalgia for the dragons that once had it, without relying on boosters and Implants, an idyllic life that doesn’t rely on artificial intelligence and autonomous cities—or maybe it’s just some kind of beautiful imagination.
In the Extreme Arena, one of several large arenas in Argondor, a "competitive game" that is simply incomprehensible to Amber and Veronica is going on fiercely.
It was an ellipsoid-shaped three-dimensional venue - a large number of solid alloy materials and high-strength polymer shells formed a shape like a "dome". Twelve giant dragons were in this transparent dome. They are vying for a symbol of honor called the "Champion's Circle", and the participating dragons have even completely surpassed Gawain and others' impression of "dragons".
They boldly used a large number of external implants, covering the bones with bones, and the skin with skin. The alloy armor and turbine injection device made the original flesh and blood They looked like flying machines with weird shapes. They were fighting, fighting, and even fighting in the dome - except that they were not allowed to use powerful dragon breath and magic attacks, this so-called "competitive game" almost allowed Any form and degree of physical combat, and the dragon's physical combat... is completely devastating in the eyes of humans.
A participating black dragon was eliminated. He was surrounded by opponents in mid-air. After a savage and cruel fight, he was almost torn to pieces.The pieces were thrown down, and the wings, limbs and torso were torn apart. The heavy wreckage fell to the alloy floor at the bottom of the "Athletic Dome". The fractures were filled with dazzling arcane sparks and out-of-control ice, flames, and lightning. His chest cavity It burst open, and a still-functioning heart fell out. The sealing device failed to work in time, and hot and shimmering liquid spurted out of the black dragon's body - more oil and synergists than blood.
A rescue team rushed into the field and quickly recovered the black dragon's torso with its head, while the remaining remains were thrown directly on the field.
There were huge boos in the audience, as if ten thousand thunders exploded inside and outside the arena. Numbers jumped on the scoreboard above the Arena Dome, and the losers left the game with scores. Contest.
Gawain, Amber, and Veronica sat in the frontmost "premium seats" outside the Arena, looking at the competition in front of them in amazement. Melita and Noretta were right there. Next to them, they seemed to be completely immersed in the game. It was not until the only remaining team members on the field successfully rushed to the stasis field where the championship ring was placed, successfully took out the ring and activated it that they were greatly surprised. He breathed a sigh of relief and suddenly returned to the "real world".
"The black dragon who was eliminated just now will suffer a huge loss!" Melita said loudly, "Almost all his parts will have to be replaced - I hope he has all the insurance."
p>"He shouldn't try to fight three opponents at the same time - he would be over immediately if he was surrounded. The black dragon is not good at dealing with attacks from behind, especially since his spine has an extra layer of Joint armor... I don’t know what to think.”
“It’s just that I took too many boosters,” Melita shrugged, “I have the illusion that I am the best in the world.”
"...that makes sense."
The two dragon friends were discussing the game that had just ended, but even Amber, who was usually the most chatty, didn't seem to have any intention of interrupting at this time. .
It wasn’t until more than ten seconds later that Melita seemed to suddenly realize something. She hurriedly turned her eyes around and glanced at Gawain and the other three apologetically: “Ah—sorry, we were not careful. Too devoted..."
Gawain didn't know what expression to make, and for some reason, at this moment, he actually remembered the scene when he first met Melita Pernia—— The image of the elegant and mysterious woman wearing a purple gauze skirt and lavender veil who visited at night was quickly shattered by the almost deafening roar in the arena.
There was only one Miss Blue Dragon in front of him who was excited about watching the gladiatorial competition.
“It doesn’t matter,” Gawain shook his head, “I can see that you like this very much.”
“Actually, I don’t like it that much either—extreme sports are not that interesting to me. The words are still a bit too noisy," Melita smiled awkwardly, "But once you enter this atmosphere, you will inevitably be infected by the surrounding emotions... Actually, I usually don't watch this.of. "
Noretta on the side noticed that Gawain and others seemed to have no interest in this arena: "Isn't the competition here a bit boring for you guys? "
"It's just a little...well, a little too exciting," Amber finally said. She scratched her hair with an awkward and impolite smile on her face, "As a competitive game, this Is this thing a little too gory? "
"Well, this may seem a little in line with human aesthetics...This is our mistake," Melita lowered her head sincerely, "Extreme competition is Tallond's latest Entertainment that has just become popular, we are too eager to show you something 'relatively new' in this land. "
"Let's leave this place first," Gawain said casually, and finally looked up in the direction of the Arena - a finishing team had already entered the venue and began to clean up the arena. There were discarded parts and broken limbs all over the place, and they began to use some kind of large cleaning machinery to clean up the oil and blood all over the floor, while some teams that looked like small teams were guarding the exits below the dome. Gawain saw one of the teams step forward to hand over to the staff and load the scrapped parts and active biological tissues recovered from the arena into the car, "...This place is indeed a bit too noisy. "
Under the night, the blue and white dragon took off again, hovering above the extreme arena.
Gawain looked down from this height and saw the alloy and the The "dome" made of high-strength polymer is illuminated by countless lights inside and outside. The large number of steel support structures and intricate streets surrounding the arena are entangled and spreading like twigs intertwined into a nest.
The noisy roars and passionate music turned into a faint buzzing in the distance. The irritability in my heart gradually went away. In Gawain's eyes, the competitive dome actually had another meaning. It has some beauty.
It is like a crystal egg illuminated by light, lying quietly in a nest made of metal and cement, pregnant with blood, engine oil and steel.
It was Tallond who "laid" this egg... So what gave birth to Tallond like this? Those dragons reveling around the arena...they are Indulging in this carnival, or indulging in intoxication itself?
Gawain's thoughts spread uncontrollably for some reason, until Melita's voice suddenly sounded, like a low thunder, pulling him away. He woke up from his thoughts: "Still thinking about that arena just now? Sorry... Thinking about it now, Noretta and I only focused on letting you see the 'complete Tallond', but did not take into account the human aesthetics and world view of Loren. In fact, there are some things that are seriously not in line with human preferences. It shouldn't be shown to you. "
"No, I didn't care about this," Gawain shook his head, "I was just thinking about other things. "
"That's good," Melita seemed to be relieved, and then shook her head, "Actually, Noretta and I bothA little... too excited. Few dragons have the opportunity to openly visit Tallond with visitors like you... I hope that what we are eager to present to you does not make you feel any bad feelings. "
Gawain immediately laughed: "That's not true. In fact, I'm quite... happy." ”
He is really not being polite, but he really feels that this trip to Tallond is novel and interesting, aside from the occasional deep thoughts and worries about the situation behind Tallond. , this eye-opening trip was even a surprise for him - after all, in his previous life, he never waited for "Cyber X 2077" until his death...
This trip is just a dream come true.
Of course Noretta didn’t know the real thoughts in Gawain’s mind. She obviously felt that the other party’s words were mostly polite, so she could only respond with an awkward but polite laugh. < /p>
The brightly lit land of Tallond quickly retreated amidst Miss Blue Dragon’s awkward laughter, and gradually retreated into the deepest part of the night.
And what happened after that. In two days, Melita and Noretta became the "professional guides" of Gawain and others.
Under the leadership of the two dragon ladies, Gawain, Amber and Veronica. After visiting almost every corner of the metropolis of Agundor, they even visited two nearby cities and factory clusters on the coast. After the shock and surprise on the first day, Gao Wen and others People's minds also calmed down, and they began to really visit this strange world to them in an almost touristy mood.
Amber seemed very happy - even though she could not understand it at all. What happened to the Dragon Clan that was completely different from those in the legend, but she had obviously given up on this issue, and on the premise of relaxing her mood, she began to seriously enjoy the Dragon Clan's courtesy and pleasure.
Even Veronica fully showed her curiosity and began to treat the journey with the mentality of a tourist and "scholar". She actively chatted with the newly met dragons and asked Tal Lund’s customs, or borrowing some Omega-translated classics from Melita to try to understand the cultural changes and legends of the Dragon Clan—everyone can see that she is really enjoying all of this, Instead of wearing a mask of always peace and smile like usual
But Gawain knew that this "visit" trip was not the whole of his trip to Tallond. The really important part... was still the meeting with the dragon god Enya.
He didn't wait long on the fourth day of arriving in Tallond. , the high-level dragon priest with golden vertical pupils and a serious temperament appeared in front of him again - at this time, Gawain and his party were overlooking the scenery with Melita on a mountain peak outside the city of Agondor, Tallon under the night sky The lights and stars in Deyou complement each other, and a large-scale aurora curtain is formed in the sky. This is a scene that is difficult to see in the human world, and the dragon priest willIt emerged directly from the night sky, as if some kind of teleportation technology had been used.
"My lord wishes to have a private meeting with you." Heragor came to Gawain and conveyed the wishes of the dragon god Enya.
"Meet alone?" Amber, who was watching the scenery before, came over in surprise, "You won't take us with you this time?"
"Please forgive me," Heragor As if he could maintain the most perfect manner for everyone, he greeted Amber with a smile, "This is my Lord's wish."
Amber and Veronica, the narrator, immediately frowned slightly and said, "This is my Lord's wish." Wen was not surprised by this situation. In fact, he had been thinking about when this moment would come since yesterday. He showed a smile and said to Herago: "It seems that He finally wants to talk to me. A more in-depth topic. When should we set off?”
“If it’s convenient for you,” Herago said immediately, “I can take you directly to the upper temple.”
p>Gawain thought for a while, reached out and took out the mechanical watch he carried with him, opened the cover of the watch and glanced at the time on it, then put away the watch and nodded to Herago: "It's very convenient for me—— The time is right now."
Heragor's eyes paused on Gawain's mechanical watch for a moment, but he quickly looked away and took a step forward. He opened his hands slightly, Then a pale golden halo emerged out of thin air and completely enveloped the area where Gawain was: "Then, let me take you for a ride."
The next second, the pale golden halo suddenly expanded. , turned into a beam of light connecting heaven and earth. After the beam dispersed, Gawain and the high-level dragon priest had disappeared in front of others.