Shut Up, Malevolent Dragon! I Don’t Want to Have Any More Children With You

Vol. 3 Ch. 15

In the imperial capital, deep underground, the sound within a hidden facility was swallowed by the thick stone walls, creating an atmosphere of mystery and cold calm.

Standing amidst this concealed space, at the center of it all, was Arland, the supreme commander of the Imperial Dragon-Slaying Army and head of the Royal Sorcery Division. His arms were folded behind him, his gaze sharp and focused.

He stood on a cold metal platform, beneath which intricate lines pulsed like currents running throughout the entire facility. Before him loomed a massive incubation chamber. Though the design appeared crude, it was equipped with various complex alchemical devices, with countless liquid pipes extending from its sides, all connected tightly to the chamber.

Inside the chamber, a light green nutrient liquid rippled gently, emitting a faint glow. The scene was both tranquil and unsettling.

The most shocking feature, however, was the decayed head of a dragon floating within the liquid—a grand, once-majestic dragon's head.

The dragon’s head glowed faintly with a dark red light, like an ember buried deep underground. Even though its flesh was rotting and one of its horns had broken off, there was no mistaking the overwhelming aura of dignity it had once held.

"Even after being dead for so long, I can still feel its majesty," Arland’s voice echoed softly in the chamber, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of admiration and fervor.

The very air seemed heavy with the pressure emanating from the dragon's head, as if it could break through the nutrient liquid’s boundary and touch the physical world.

Arland’s gaze pierced through the liquid, locking onto the dragon’s barely-open eyes. A silent confrontation seemed to unfold between them.

Despite the ravages of time, the dragon’s head still harbored an indomitable will, as though its owner was still lingering in this world, never having truly fallen into eternal sleep.

Arland’s expression became more and more animated as he gently stroked the transparent surface of the incubation chamber, as if engaged in a spiritual communion with the remnants of this Dragon King.

"Dragons... truly the most nearly perfect creatures in this world," Arland muttered to himself, his tone filled with both admiration and insatiable greed.

Ancient bloodlines, immense power, long life, and an undying will.

Any one of these traits would be enough to place them far beyond the reach of other races.

But fortunately for Arland, he was on the verge of turning this perfect creature into his own tool.

Moments later, his subordinate Scott approached, bowing slightly in respect, and reported,

"Sir, the selection for the ‘Razor Squad’ has completed its first stage. About a hundred candidates passed the initial tests. We will choose three from among them to inherit the power of the Primordial Dragon King, Noah, making them the Empire’s sharpest weapons."

Good news.

Since the implementation of the Razor Plan, the Empire had invested considerable manpower and resources.

Now that the first stage had been successfully completed, all that remained was to gradually eliminate the unqualified candidates.

But Arland showed little excitement and merely asked calmly,

"Are the three people you originally had your eye on among them?"

"Yes, sir. The three brothers performed exceptionally well."

"Good. You’re fully in charge of this project, and I expect satisfactory results. Don’t be like that useless Nacho—he couldn’t get anything right, understood?"

"Yes, sir." Scott respectfully responded.

In Arland’s brief words, Scott felt a heavy pressure.

He knew that this superior had high hopes for the Razor Squad, and any mistakes would be utterly unforgivable.

Arland was notorious for his ruthlessness. If a plan failed, his subordinates would be discarded like pawns, facing merciless elimination.

Just like Nacho Salaman.

But if Scott succeeded under Arland’s command, he would be rewarded with untold wealth and glory.

The world was never short of gamblers, and Scott was one of them.

His gaze became even more determined as he committed himself to turning the Razor Squad into the Empire’s deadliest unit.

After a moment, Scott added, "By the way, sir, regarding the investigation you requested into Tiger Lawrence and Rebecca Clement, I’ve made some progress."

"Speak."

"Although I couldn’t figure out their exact patterns of movement within the Empire, I discovered that they disappear for about twenty days every three months before resuming their activities in the Empire."

Scott continued, "I’m not sure what they’re doing during those twenty days, but if we follow the trail, we might be able to uncover something. And it’s very likely related to Leon Cosmod."

Hearing this, Arland nodded slightly, though it was barely noticeable. "Good. Follow up as you suggested. If you need more personnel, I can assign additional resources."

"Thank you, sir," Scott nodded in acknowledgment.

Arland stared at the dragon’s head inside the incubation chamber. "After Nacho’s repeated failures, I’ve finally come to understand what kind of monster the Empire has created. Defeating Leon Cosmod head-on is nearly impossible, but fortunately, I have no qualms about using dirty tactics in war."

Scott, quick to flatter, said, "Forgive my boldness, sir, but I believe your wording may not be entirely appropriate."

Arland raised an eyebrow, "Oh? What do you mean?"

"Whether or not something is 'dirty' is determined by the victor. And clearly, in this struggle, Leon Cosmod is the one destined to lose. A hundred years from now, who will remember any of this? People will only pass down tales of your glorious deeds, sir."

Scott smirked slyly, "As for Leon... who is he? When future generations look through the Empire’s history, they’ll find he was nothing more than a foolish obstacle on the Empire’s rise to world dominance."

Despite knowing that Scott was simply buttering him up, Arland, like many powerful figures, still appreciated the praise.

Shaking his head with a smile, Arland said, "I’ve noticed you’re not only more reliable than Nacho but better at flattery too."

"You flatter me, sir. I’m just speaking the truth."

Scott continued, "But if you truly intend to use Tiger and Rebecca to threaten Leon, it may take some time. After all, those two are incredibly elusive, and it’s difficult for our people to capture them."

"I know. After all, Tiger was one of the top Dragon Slayers of the previous generation. He withdrew from the Dragon-Slaying Army for certain reasons and now lives a quiet, low-key life. He knows the Empire’s methods well, so it’s not surprising you can’t catch him."

Arland paused for a moment and then continued, "However... even though Tiger and Rebecca are hard to track, perhaps we should start with someone else."

Scott quickly caught on to his boss’s line of thinking, asking, "Do you mean Leon’s other teammate, Martin? But Martin is clean, and as the son of a royal minister, it would be difficult to investigate him."

"No, I’m not talking about Martin," Arland said. "I’m talking about someone who isn’t even human."

Scott was startled, "Not... human?"

Arland nodded, tapping the incubation chamber in front of him with his finger. "The owner of this head once told me that even among dragons, there exist 'family ties.' And the Dragon King of the Silver Dragons, where Leon currently resides, has a sister who is the Dragon King of another clan. I’m thinking we could target that Dragon King first."

"The Silver Dragon King has a sister... That’s true. If she falls into trouble, Leon is likely to get involved, which would give us the opportunity to strike," Scott mused.

He hesitated, then added, "But after so many failed attempts, I think if we really want to use this Dragon King to threaten Leon, we need to prepare more thoroughly."

"Of course."

Arland nodded toward the dragon’s head in the incubation chamber, "That’s where this one comes in—it will be our test subject."

Scott’s eyes burned with excitement, barely able to contain his inner thrill. The completion of this technology would be a huge leap in the Empire’s power and mark the beginning of a new era.

"Sir, has the ‘Fusion Technique’ been completed?" Scott asked cautiously, his heart pounding in his chest.

Arland’s eyes grew deep and dark as the sea. "Yes, we’re just one step away."

"All we need to do is place the dragon’s head—the symbol of ‘Flame’—inside, use the Heart-Scales to awaken its dormant will, and merge it with the bodies of countless S-rank dangerous creatures."

"Then, we will have created a killing machine."

Arland pressed his palm against the transparent surface of the incubation chamber, his gaze fixed on the dragon’s head within. His voice grew more resolute, and the rising excitement in his tone made the very air in the chamber seem to tremble.

"A killing machine that knows no defeat, knows no fatigue, and will drag Leon Cosmod down into the depths of hell!" Arland’s voice was filled with ambition and a burning thirst for power.

Raising his other hand to meet his palm, he pressed both hands against the incubation chamber as if declaring his dominance over the slumbering Dragon King. His expression shifted from solemnity to determined resolve.

"Crimson Dragon King Constantine, your fire of vengeance will be reignited by the Empire!"

His voice echoed through the enclosed space.

But little did he know, the soul returning from hell had already seen through his every move.