Aegon still chose to let Tiamat explore the Dragonpit on her own.
This time, Tiamat flew to a canyon in a barren wasteland.
Maybe luck was on her side—she actually found an untamed, earth-yellow Dragon there.
Without hesitation, Tiamat dove straight into its lair. There was no suspense—the yellow Dragon didn't last even a single round. After effortlessly defeating it, she began to feast heartily.
But from that point on, their dragon-hunting plans no longer went as smoothly.
They searched three canyons in a row but didn't find another Dragon. Most likely, the remaining ones had already been tamed by other dragonriders—after all, the Dragon Taming Tournament was just one day from ending.
On the tournament's final day, the number of patrolling dragonriders in the canyons noticeably increased. Every time they came across Aegon and Daenys, they immediately urged them to leave the area around the Fourteen Flames.
Aegon noticed that the dragons ridden by these supervisory riders all carried wooden structures the size of shipping containers underneath them. Through the ventilation holes, he could see the wooden rooms were packed with Dragonkeepers.
These Dragonkeepers had been relocated from the Dragonpit canyon during the tournament, but now the supervisors from the Dragonlord Council were bringing them back.
After a discussion, Aegon and Daenys finally decided to abandon their dragon-hunting plans.
With the number of Dragonkeepers and patrol dragonriders steadily increasing, their chances of being exposed were growing too high.
So, the two of them mounted their dragons and flew toward the Gate of Freedom in Valyria City.
On the return flight, a sudden memory struck Aegon—he had successfully tamed the Dragonlord Tiamat and unlocked a rare epic achievement. The game system had rewarded him with a free lottery draw, but he had yet to use it.
Remembering this, he quickly opened the game interface.
[You have one purple lottery draw. A purple item is guaranteed. Do you want to draw?]
"Yes," Aegon confirmed mentally.
The system chimed: "Congratulations, you've obtained a golden-quality item: [Hundred-Year Legacy]."
"A golden quality?!" Aegon's heart leapt with joy. He immediately clicked to view the item's full description.
[Item: Hundred-Year Legacy]
[Type: Consumable]
[Quality: Gold]
[Rating: 398]
[Effect: Your house will safely endure for a hundred years. Usable only while in Guardian Spirit mode.]
[Note: With deep ancestral roots, endure a century of storms!]
After reading the description, Aegon couldn't help but marvel—this golden item was truly powerful.
The [Hundred-Year Legacy] could shorten the time needed for the main quest by a tenth. The only downside was that it could only be activated in Guardian Spirit mode.
He closed the item panel and began thinking about when would be the best time to use it.
Along the way, they occasionally encountered dragonriders who had successfully tamed dragons during the tournament. Whenever those riders saw the King-tier Dragon beneath Aegon, their eyes filled with envy. Many came over to greet him, eager to build a connection.
After all, anyone capable of taming a King-tier Dragon couldn't be just an ordinary member of a Dragonlord family. Even a common Dragonseed who succeeded in taming a Dragonlord would see their status and influence elevated significantly.
Tiamat, eyeing some nearby dragons, began drooling. She looked like she might pounce on them at any moment to tear them apart and devour them. Sensing danger, Aegon quickly used his mental power to suppress her urge.
As Aegon approached the Shield of Freedom on dragonback, a wave of cheers and excitement surged toward them like a tide.
Compared to the opening ceremony, the closing ceremony of the Dragon Taming Tournament was even more boisterous and grand.
The entire upper echelon of the Freehold, as well as the vast population of commoners, now had their eyes fixed on this event.
The newly emerged dragon tamers had the potential to shake up the internal power dynamics of the Dragonlord families.
For the commoners, beyond being curious about what kind of dragons these tamers had managed to subdue, many had also placed bets on them, taking part in the widespread gambling.
The Freehold was experiencing a booming economy. Whether first-class citizens or second-class commoners, nearly everyone had managed to save a bit of extra money, fueling the spread of gambling culture across society.
In the Freehold, which prided itself on being invincible in this era, prosperity had bred a collective arrogance, providing fertile ground for unchecked indulgence and hedonism.
This was the current state of the Valyria Peninsula. It was the age of the Freehold—but also an age of rampant desire.
At the top, the true dragons—the elite and powerful—lived in extravagance, promiscuity, and decadent indulgence. Meanwhile, at the bottom, the countless slaves could do nothing but toil endlessly, barely surviving on food no better than pig slop.
At that moment, dozens of massive dragons perched atop the walls of Castle Freehold. Some had been tamed prior to the tournament, while others had been brought back from the Fourteen Flames by the new tamers during the competition.
The highest tower platform of the Shield of Freedom stood empty.
The platform towered over a hundred meters high, its four corners ablaze with fire. It was an exclusive throne prepared for King-tier Dragons—but its true master had yet to arrive.
Inside the viewing hall below the Shield of Freedom, fourteen heads of the Dragonlord Council families sat before a black obsidian table.
The other twenty-some Dragonlord family heads were seated along the outer edge of the hall.
At this gathering, only members of the Dragonlord Council families were qualified to sit at the ancient, prestigious table and taste the meat that symbolized their elevated status.
On the obsidian table lay peerless beauties from every race and nation across the world. Graceful and stunning, these women had now been reduced to mere "decorations" for the banquet.
Sliced meats, meticulously carved and arranged, were laid out atop their fair, delicate bodies.
Among the true dragon nobility, a new trend had taken hold—eating raw meat, especially raw monster flesh. These true dragons firmly believed that the rare and fresh meat of magical beasts could awaken the dormant Dragonlord blood within them. And if that meat was served on the supple, fragrant body of a beautiful woman acting as the platter? That indulgent pairing brought them unmatched ecstasy.
"The closing ceremony is only a few hours away. If you ask me, chances are slim that anyone will manage to tame a Dragonlord this time," said the Head of House Valerys.
This sentiment was echoed by many of the other Dragonlord family heads.
"In the entire Ten Realms Dragon Taming Tournament, you're already lucky if a King-tier Dragon even appears, let alone taming a Dragonlord," added the Head of House Aurélion offhandedly, casually picking up a fork and stabbing a piece of raw meat.
But the fork jabbed into the woman lying beneath the meat. She cried out in pain, a soft moan escaping her lips.
The Head of House Aurélion simply cast a sideways glance at her suffering and curled his lips into a wicked smile.
"I remember the last time a King-tier Dragon showed up—it was Aenar of House Targaryen, wasn't it? That caused quite the uproar," said the Head of House Edderion as he slowly rose and strolled to the upper balcony. Leaning on the railing with both hands, he looked out into the distance, eyes fixed on the Fourteen Flames.
"I heard House Targaryen hasn't exactly been having smooth sailing lately. Their fleet was hijacked, and now they're not even showing up to the tournament's closing ceremony. Tsk, tsk…" sneered the Head of House Aurélion with open disdain.
The Head of House Valentine nodded in agreement, then turned his gaze toward the Dragonlord family heads seated below. His expression turned stern as he scolded them:
"Hmph, the Targaryens are far too greedy!
They think just because they've got a Dragonlord-class dragon, they're something special? That they can bargain with us?
What a joke!
Do they even remember how we truly rose to power? The highborn Valyrians mastered the most profound Blood Sorcery in the world—that is the very foundation of the Freehold's strength!
It's us, the fourteen council families, who've spent vast sums maintaining Bloodsource Peak. And what have they done? What have you done? You think that's enough to earn a seat at this table?!"
Valentine's outburst stirred unrest among the lower-seated Dragonlord family heads. Though they weren't part of the Freehold's core ruling circle, they still belonged to the upper class. Being spoken to with such contempt and condescension lit a fire of indignation across their faces.
Someone muttered, "We'd love to be part of Bloodsource Peak—but when have we ever been given the chance?"
"It's the ordinary Dragonlords supporting you, and you turn around and support Bloodsource Peak. So who's really putting in the work?"
"Exactly."
Seeing the tension rise, the Head of House Edderion quickly turned back from the balcony. He raised his hands and motioned for calm, gesturing for the room to quiet down.
With a gentle tone, he said, "The Head of House Valentine meant well. House Targaryen really has gone too far this time. They've been spreading fear-mongering rumors left and right, shaking the very foundation of our Freehold.
And now, Aenar has even begun withdrawing his house's wealth from the Valyria Peninsula by ship. That's nothing short of betrayal—the most shameful betrayal of our Valyrian ancestors!
That's why we turned a blind eye when House Aurélion intercepted their fleet.
Here's what we'll do: the treasure seized from their ships—none of it will go to the Dragonlord Council. Every last bit will be distributed among all of you.
Please understand, all our decisions come from a place of loyalty—to the unity of the Freehold, and for the future of us, the highborn Valyrians!"
His words, both firm and conciliatory, landed like a sweet fruit in the ears of the outraged Dragonlord heads. Their anger softened like fur being smoothed down, and soon, their expressions relaxed. A few sycophants even stepped in to loudly echo their support for the Head of House Edderion.
In the viewing tower, the fourteen council family heads were delivering a political lesson to the other Dragonlord houses.
...
Meanwhile, the plaza outside the Shield of Freedom suddenly erupted into chaos—shouts, gasps, and waves of noise swept through the crowd.
A massive dark red Dragon, more than a hundred meters long, burst forth from the Fourteen Flames with tremendous force. Its gigantic body streaked across the sky like a dark red comet, as if some ancient primordial beast had returned, exuding a terrifying and oppressive presence.
Every dragon in the area sensed its overwhelming aura. In unison, they raised their heads, staring toward the direction of the Fourteen Flames.
"The Dragonlord! It's the Dragonlord!" someone in the crowd shouted at the top of their lungs.
"A King-tier Dragon has appeared again—by the ancestors, bless the highborn Valyrians!" an elderly white-haired man cried out as the dark red dragon soared closer. His eyes were red with emotion, tears of joy streaming down his cheeks.
Wooo!
Awoo! Howl! Roooar!!
…
The dragons perched atop the walls of the Shield of Freedom seemed to respond to some invisible summons, letting out deep, resonant cries in unison. The sound rolled through the air like a grand symphony, as though they were celebrating the return of their king.
In that instant, a magnificent scene unfolded—hundreds of dragons roaring together, their cries rising and falling like waves, echoing endlessly over the Shield of Freedom and rattling the very eardrums of those below.
Inside the viewing tower, the Dragonlord family heads could no longer be bothered with the councilors' political lectures. They threw aside their usual composure and dignity, forcefully pushing past the council members in front of them as they surged toward the railing in a chaotic scramble. Reaching the edge, they leaned over eagerly, craning their necks to gaze toward the distant Fourteen Flames.
Could it be that one of their own Dragonseeds had tamed a Dragonlord?
High in the sky above the Fourteen Flames—the birthplace of Valyrian ancestors—a massive dark red Dragonlord, more than a hundred meters long, was rhythmically beating its leathery wings as it flew in their direction.
At that moment, Aegon never imagined that his return would stir up such a massive uproar. He had truly underestimated the nearly fanatical reverence the Valyrians held for King-tier Dragons.
With that thought, he instinctively turned to glance at Daenys beside him.
Daenys caught his gaze and gave him a small smile. Then she pointed toward the tower-like pinnacle of the Shield of Freedom and called out, "Do you see that platform at the top? Have Tiamat land there. It's the throne reserved for tamed King-tier Dragons—a symbol of the Valyrians' welcome to the Dragonlord."
Aegon gave a slight nod, then guided Tiamat to fly toward the summit of the tower.
Dreamshade, flying alongside Tiamat, gently descended onto the city wall of the Shield of Freedom, blending in with the rest of the dragons and taking its place among them.
The tower's top resembled an Eiffel Tower with its spire removed. Tiamat touched down upon it and, as if proclaiming her sovereignty, spread her enormous wings wide, overlooking the ancient city of Valyria. She let out a deep and powerful roar that echoed through the heavens.
Rooooar—Roooooar...
As the echo of her mighty roar resounded, the dragons circling above began to descend one after another, landing with heavy thuds. On the castle walls, while the crowds below erupted into thunderous, jubilant cheers, all the dragons bowed their heads ever so slightly, adopting a posture of solemn reverence—paying homage to the Dragonlord.