Giant Dragon Lord: Starting from Daily Intelligence-Chapter 235 - 229: The Story of the Golden Dragon "Sun
"Hmph! That wretched black eel!"
At the mention of this, two jets of scorching air blasted from the Golden Dragon’s nostrils, distorting the very air around them.
The Golden Dragon’s voice was filled with contempt and fury.
"It doesn’t dare face me in a fair and honorable duel! It only ever drives its horde of bloodthirsty beasts forward!"
The Golden Dragon’s roar was like a clap of Thunderbolt.
"Tens of thousands of Magical Beasts, surging forward like a tide to drain my stamina and Magic Power. It just hides at the back, launching sneak attacks with the most insidious methods! It’s a disgrace to the honor of the Dragon Race!"
The more the Golden Dragon spoke, the angrier it became. Its massive tail swept impatiently across the ground, sending shattered rock flying and carving a deep furrow into the hillside.
It added indignantly, "If I also had a well-trained legion, I could absolutely crush that black eel and its horde of beasts beneath the Dragon Blood Ancient Tree!"
Its words revealed a longing to form its own army, but it immediately sank into a state of melancholy and helplessness.
"Unfortunately, Human Knights would never obey the command of a Giant Dragon. And as for those Demons... Hmph. I would never associate with such beasts."
Raylo listened quietly as a vague idea in his mind gradually became clearer.
He had caught the contradiction and the key point in the Golden Dragon’s words.
It longed for an army, yet it despised Magical Beasts and believed it couldn’t command humans.
’An idea, still unformed, began to take shape in his mind.’ But for now, he didn’t pursue that line of thought. Instead, he changed the subject and asked.
"Lord Golden Dragon, you’ve consistently referred to yourself as a ’Knight’ and are so devoted to a Knight’s honor. Might I ask your name?"
The fury in the Golden Dragon’s eyes gradually subsided, replaced by a complex, inscrutable emotion—a mix of nostalgia, respect, and a deeply hidden sorrow.
"My name is ’Sun’."
Its voice was no longer so imposing, carrying instead a hint of softness.
"That name was given to me by an old Human Knight. He said my scales were as dazzling as the sun and that I could bring warmth and hope to the world."
Raylo listened quietly, not interrupting.
"I have no memory of my parents from my youth; I was an abandoned Dragon Egg. When I hatched, I wandered the wilds alone until I met him."
The distant past was reflected in the Golden Dragon Sun’s golden eyes.
"He was an old Human Knight living in seclusion in the mountains. He was very, very old, with hair and a beard as white as snow. He found me, but he wasn’t afraid because I was a Giant Dragon, nor was he greedy because of my value. He just... carried me back to his little wooden cabin and fed me warm goat’s milk, as if I were a normal baby."
"He treated me as his own child, teaching me to understand the world and master my own Power. He told me that being a Knight isn’t a title, but a spirit. Every day, he would recite in my ear the eight virtues he had lived by his entire life."
"Humility, Honor, Sacrifice, Valor, Compassion, Honesty, Spirit, and Justice."
"He named me Sun, hoping I would become a true Knight, using my Power to defend order and protect the weak."
Raylo was profoundly shaken.
He finally understood why this Golden Dragon was so different.
Deep in its soul was branded the legacy of a Human Knight.
"The old Knight was with me for only two years. Just as I passed through my most vulnerable fledgling stage, he passed away peacefully. Following his last wish, I buried him on the cliff that had the most beautiful view of the sunrise."
Sun’s enormous head lowered slightly as it looked at Raylo.
"Since then, I began my journey of wandering once more. I’ve met many dragons, and I’ve met many people. But I have never again met a Knight like him."
On the hillside, the evening breeze rustled, stirring the campfire and stretching the shadows of the man and the dragon long across the ground.
Raylo looked at the Golden Dragon named Sun before him, at its clear and determined golden eyes.
He no longer saw a powerful Magical Beast, but the inheritor of an ancient soul—a true Knight, spending its entire life fulfilling a promise.
The atmosphere on the hillside grew somewhat heavy with the Golden Dragon Sun’s candor, but Raylo was also moved by this warmth that transcended species.
This was the first time since the old Knight’s death that Sun had opened its long-sealed heart to another living being.
Once the floodgates of conversation were open, it was hard to stop.
It spoke of its clumsy attempts after leaving the old Knight’s protection, trying to act the part of a righteous hero, only to often end up as a laughingstock.
It once tried to "save" a herd of elk from a pack of hungry wolves, but its majestic draconic roar not only scared off the wolves, it also startled the entire elk herd, causing them to lose their footing and tumble down into a valley.
Another time, it tried to emulate a duel between Knights. It politely announced its name when challenging a giant crocodile, but its opponent completely ignored such pleasantries and took a bite out of its tail while it was still speaking.
"That was the first time I learned that not all creatures understand the meaning of ’honor’."
Sun’s voice carried a low, self-mocking hum. In the firelight, its scales shimmered with a warm luster.
"It took me a long time to understand that the virtues the old Knight taught me are likely seen as nothing more than stupidity and weakness in the eyes of most Magical Beasts."
Raylo listened quietly, occasionally picking up a stick to poke the campfire, making the sparks CRACKLE AND POP.
He could picture it: a young Golden Dragon, clumsily mimicking the behavior of a Human Knight, stumbling through the wilderness, stubbornly clinging to the teachings of an old man long dead.
The image was somewhat comical, yet also heartbreaking.
"You’re right."
Raylo finally spoke.
"The barrier between races is like a colossal mountain range stretching between heaven and earth. To cross it is as difficult as ascending to the heavens."
"More than just difficult."
A puff of white air escaped Sun’s massive nostrils, carrying a deep sense of agreement.
"It’s a fool’s dream. I’ve tried to communicate with some of the more intelligent Magical Beasts, hoping they could understand order and honor, but they only believe in the most primitive law of the jungle. I’ve also tried to approach human kingdoms, but what always greets me are terrified screams and Bed Crossbows aimed my way."
In its golden eyes, the nostalgia and softness that had just kindled were gradually replaced by a helpless resignation to reality.
It yearned for a legion that could understand its will, one to help it vanquish the Black Dragon that had sullied the honor of the Dragon Race and to walk the Path of the Knight it held in its heart.
But this seemed to be a dream that could never be realized.
Raylo gazed at it, watching the light in its eyes slowly dim.
He suddenly smiled.
Sun looked at him, a little confused.
"Lord Sun."
Raylo stood up, dusted himself off, and met Sun’s gaze with a burning intensity in his eyes.
"I have been deeply moved by the story of you and the old Knight."
"A Giant Dragon with the spirit of a Knight etched into its very soul, and a Human Knight who regarded a Giant Dragon as his own son... Such a legacy should not be buried in the wilderness, much less be shackled by the prejudice between races."
His voice was powerful and resonant, echoing across the silent hillside.
"Since the world believes that humans and Giant Dragons cannot work together, since no human noble has ever given a Giant Dragon true respect and recognition."
Raylo’s chest swelled slightly.
"Then, let me be the first."
"I, Raylo, Count of Black Stone Territory, hereby formally invite you, Golden Dragon Sun, to become a Knight of my Black Stone Territory!"
