System: Daily login!!, jackpot on the first day!!!-Chapter 379 - - Revenge?

"... So, you're sure it's a good idea to install the portal here? Right in the middle of your kingdom?"

Taufik's voice was calm but laced with skepticism as he glanced at Dagraha. The man, standing tall beside him, responded with a firm nod, no trace of doubt in his expression.

"Yes," Dagraha said simply. "Placing the portal here ensures it's accessible to everyone. And Fik, let me remind you again... I'm not the king anymore. Arman holds that title now"

Taufik fell silent, his gaze drifting toward the so-called king. Arman, a young man who once, no, even now, still calls him Big Brother, sat under the shade of a large tree, laughing as Taufik's children clambered over him in a game of pretend battle. The scene looked more like a village picnic than a royal business.

Taufik shook his head slowly, a wry smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"I don't know, man… I just can't see it. That kid as a king? It still doesn't feel real"

Dagraha let out a low chuckle, folding his arms.

"Face it, my friend. Maybe for you, only a short time has passed, but here? Decades have gone by. That child only acts like that in front of you. In front of others, he's quite a wise king"

He glanced toward the tree and added with a smile, "And Akh'sha... Even he has a kid now, right? I thought I was dreaming when he invited us to his wedding. Can you believe it? We had to bring an entire army just to reach his kingdom... The path's that dangerous now"

Dagraha's tone softened, his voice carrying both gratitude and admiration.

"But with this portal, you've saved us again, my friend. You've made what was nearly impossible… Simple"

"Don't exaggerate, Dagraha," He muttered. "I'm doing this for my own sake"

Dagraha smiled knowingly but said nothing. The wind carried the sounds of children's laughter, mingling with the distant hum of magic beginning to stir as the portal's foundation started to take shape, an echo of change and connection.

"*Sigh* You really can do anything, can't you? Now that I think about it... I honestly don't understand what my old self was thinking, attacking you the first time you came here"

He glanced at Taufik with a mix of guilt and humor. "I guess some lessons need a good beating to stick"

Taufik raised an eyebrow, then let out a dry laugh.

"Are you being delusional, Dagraha? I was the one who attacked you first, remember? I just didn't like the way you talked back then… You sounded so arrogant"

Dagraha blinked, then laughed louder this time, the kind that came from the belly and echoed with age.

"Oh? So we were both being idiots"

Taufik smirked, not missing a beat. "No, it's just you, idiot. At least one of us grew out of it"

Dagraha let out a mock-offended gasp, placing a hand over his chest.

"Unbelievable. I offer heartfelt wisdom, and this is what I get in return"

Taufik chuckled, eyes still on the portal as its energy pulsed gently.

"Consider it payback for sounding like a pompous warlord back then"

Dagraha could only shake his head, a helpless smile tugging at his lips. There was no winning a verbal spar with Taufik, not now, not ever.

Unable to argue further, he turned his gaze toward the portal forming at the heart of the plaza.

It shimmered like liquid glass suspended in the air, swirling with faint traces of light and shadow. The arcane structure pulsed with a quiet rhythm, steady and sure, born not of ancient runes or enchanted stones, but of pure Taufik's Imagination Magic in its most refined form. It was art and power fused into one.

Dagraha exhaled softly, admiration quietly settling in his chest.

"You really did it… Your power is both amazing and terrifying"

Taufik didn't have time to respond. Both he and Dagraha turned their heads at the sudden commotion coming from the far end of the plaza, where Arman had been playing with Taufik's children just moments ago.

Several Green Dragons, scout soldiers clad in their distinct emerald-scaled armor, had landed with urgency in their movements.

Their wings still half-spread, they surrounded Arman, speaking rapidly, their faces drawn tight with panic.

Arman stood tall, listening in silence, his once relaxed demeanor replaced by the cold focus of a ruler.

He didn't interrupt, didn't question, he simply absorbed the report with the kind of gravity that came from years of unexpected responsibility.

When the scouts finished, he gave a firm nod and dismissed them.

"Return to your posts. Stay alert"

The soldiers bowed swiftly before taking off again, their wings beating hard against the air as they vanished into the sky.

Then, slowly, Arman turned his gaze toward Taufik and Dagraha.

Seeing the way Arman was looking at them, Taufik sighed lightly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"That smells like trouble"

Dagraha nodded grimly, already sensing the shift in the atmosphere.

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"He wouldn't look like that unless it was serious"

Arman began walking toward them, his pace calm but purposeful, each step echoing with quiet urgency. Whatever news the scouts had brought, it wasn't good, and it was clear he intended to bring them into it.

"Father. Big Brother. I have something to report," Arman said as he came to a halt before Taufik and Dagraha, his tone respectful but heavy.

Dagraha raised an eyebrow, folding his arms with a casual smirk.

"What is it, Arman? You're a king now... You can't always rely on me. What's wrong, are the Red Dragons up to something again?"

He meant it as a joke, but Arman didn't smile.

"Yes," He replied flatly. "The soldiers just now said they saw a group of Red Dragons heading this way"

The smirk vanished from Dagraha's face.

"You're serious?"

Arman nodded. "They weren't trying to hide. Formation flight. Fast. We don't know if it's a declaration or a provocation, but they'll be in our skies in less than an hour"

Taufik's expression darkened.

"So… It is trouble"

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A few moments later, Arman, Dagraha, and Taufik stood at the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea. The wind carried the scent of salt and storm, and the skies were beginning to darken on the horizon. Behind them, the Green Dragon soldiers stood in formation, alert, armored, and ready.

Dagraha's brow furrowed as he stared into the distance.

"What is the young king of the Red Dragons planning? They've been making steady progress these past few years. That's why we stopped our surveillance on the Inferno Continent. Was it all just an act, to lower our guard?"

His voice was filled with suspicion, and his eyes slowly drifted toward Taufik.

Taufik didn't need to hear it aloud. He caught the look and narrowed his eyes.

"…What? You think this has something to do with me?"

Dagraha shrugged, only half-joking.

"Well, you did kill their previous king... Revenge, maybe?"

Taufik let out a long, tired sigh.

"You're still an idiot, huh? That young king isn't the reckless type. He's sharp. He wouldn't pull something this risky, not unless he had a damn good reason... Something that makes breaking our agreement worth it"

Taufik spoke calmly, his gaze now fixed on the distant horizon where dark shapes slowly began to form in the sky.

"So let's just wait. Arman, inform your troops, no one moves until we know exactly what's going on. We'll talk first when they arrive"

Arman gave a firm nod. "Understood, Brother"

The wind picked up slightly, carrying with it a low, distant rumble of wings beating against the air in synchronized power. The Red Dragons were coming.

And whatever their reason was, it would soon reveal itself.

After a while, the shapes on the horizon grew sharper, crimson scales glinting under the fading sunlight, wings spread wide like storm banners in flight.

The Red Dragon troops hovered in formation, their numbers vast but disciplined. Then, without a word or signal, they halted midair, suspended above the sea like a wall of fire and fury.

From their ranks, two figures broke away, two Red Dragons, larger and more ornate than the others, their armor bearing the insignias of high command. Their approach was steady and unthreatening, yet every beat of their wings radiated power.

The two Red Dragons continued their descent, silent and imposing. Taufik, Dagraha, and Arman stood their ground, watching without a word as the figures grew larger and closer, until finally, with a gust of wind and the crack of wings folding, the two red dragons landed before them.

The earth trembled slightly beneath their weight.

Still, no one spoke. The air was thick with unspoken tension.

Then, Arman took a step forward, his voice steady but edged with authority.

"…What is the meaning of this, Red Dragon King? You know this action could shatter the agreement between our four Dragonkin. You'd better have a good reason"

The two Red Dragons exchanged a glance, brief but meaningful, before one stepped forward. His scales shimmered with a deeper crimson, marked by ceremonial etchings. His expression was solemn, his voice firm but respectful.

"…I greet the Green Dragon King… the Former King… And the Savior"

His words hung in the air like a formal declaration, heavy with intent.

Taufik's brow arched slightly, but he remained silent. Dagraha folded his arms, eyes narrowing, while Arman stood tall, waiting.

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