Ashen Dragon

And their identities were revealed—among the Gold Dragons were magic addicts and spell hoarders.

To make up for the "inaction" of the Golden Dragon Council during the last war, the Gold-plated Sage Crassus strongly supported the dwarves' relocation, dispatching several spell-hoarding Gold Dragons.

Relocating tens of thousands of dwarves in one fell swoop was beyond the capability of ordinary mages, but the Gold Dragons sent by the council possessed Grandmaster-level spellcasting abilities, as well as the innate magic powers of Gold Dragons.

"So many Gold Dragons?"

"By Moradin... I've never seen this many Gold Dragons gathered together before!"

"As expected of Lord Titus! As expected of Dawn Wings!"

The dwarves raised their heads in awe, gazing at the descending Gold Dragons, their exclamations heartfelt, even Zeen's face was full of shock.

Titus slightly nodded and instructed softly: "Very well, thank you all for your assistance. Begin constructing the portal."

"Understood."

The spell-hoarding Gold Dragons responded in unison, then gathered together, their rune-carved scales gleaming brightly, emitting an aurora of spatial magic.

Accompanied by the low chanting in Draconic, the Magic Web resonated, causing space to twist and fold. Before the spell-hoarding Gold Dragons, a translucent portal several dozen meters high appeared.

[Otherworld Gate (Draconic)]

And the destination of this portal was the dwelling meticulously prepared by Cassius for the dwarves—Half-plane No. 054, known to the empire's colonizers as the "Volcanic Sanctuary."

This half-plane was located at the junction of the Fire Elemental Plane and Earth Elemental Plane, created only a decade ago by a violent elemental explosion and discovered several months ago by the expedition team led by the empire's colonial governor, Selcan.

The half-plane teemed with precious minerals and magic gems—a valuable, untouched "virgin land."

Yet the empire had not rushed to develop it. Few knew its coordinates, as manpower in the Fire Elemental Plane was scarce, and leaking news might attract competitors.

Now, the dwarves' evacuation presented an excellent opportunity. These dwarves from the High Mountain Kingdom had no interactions with the outside world; they were focused solely on finding sanctuary.

Moreover, they excelled at mining ores and forging weapons, and under Titus's orders, they would become free laborers for the empire—an ideal candidate for relocation.

"Swish—"

The spell-hoarding Gold Dragons' chanting finally ended, and a gigantic golden portal appeared before the dwarves, leading to an unknown, mysterious realm.

The dwarves stood before the immense portal, hesitating to step through. Generations of their ancestors had lived in the Blackstone Mountain Range, mining, smelting, forging... They had never considered leaving their homeland.

What kind of future awaited them after leaving the familiar land? The dwarves couldn't imagine.

The Dwarf Prince, or rather, the future Master of High Mountains Zeen, also stood nervously before the portal. He turned to look at his tribesmen whose expressions varied from apprehensive to resolute.

Could he truly lead them to carry on the legacy of the High Mountain Kingdom?

Could he truly become a great king like his father Ed?

Zeen did not know.

"Woooo—"

A distant horn sounded from Aivendel Dan, and Zeen recognized it as the call for assembly.

This horn was only blown in times of total war, signaling the need to gather all dwarf warriors in the kingdom, its sound reaching across the entire Blackstone Mountain Range.

Hearing the mournful call and the chaotic hoofbeats of the Pan Yang Cavalry, Zeen's mind conjured an image of his father Ed and the words of caution given before his departure.

Gripping the Rock Hammer in his hand, Zeen whispered to himself, "Father, rest assured... I will carry on the High Mountain Kingdom."

The Dwarf Prince turned towards the portal, his gaze resolute. With countless dwarves watching him, he strode forward through the portal.

"Everyone, let's go."

Under Zeen's leadership, the dwarves behind him, though anxious and uneasy, followed one by one into the portal.

Crossing the spatial tunnel, Zeen was greeted by vast, rolling volcanic terrain resembling giant beasts of lava, with exposed minerals everywhere. The sky was blanketed in orange hues.

—It was a brand-new half-plane.

"By Moradin, a place like this truly exists..."

Unable to hold back his awe, Zeen exclaimed. Having lived his entire life in the Blackstone Mountain Range, he had never seen such magnificent sights.

The Ancient Gold Dragon also stepped through the portal into the half-plane and said, "Zeen, this will be your home from now on.

This is a half-plane I discovered years ago, filled with valuable minerals, perfect for dwarves to reside. I call it... the Volcanic Sanctuary."

Zeen replied, "Lord Titus, your kindness is beyond repayment. What would you like our Shield Dwarves to do for you?"

Feeling the warm air, Titus said, "Follow your father's wishes—live here peacefully, grow strong, and one day reclaim Aivendel Dan."

Zeen shook his head and firmly said, "Lord Titus, you have done far too much for us. You've helped us repel the orcs, relocated our people, and found us a home—we cannot repay you enough.

You know, dwarves are not an ungrateful race. When it comes to our benefactors, we must repay the favor."

Titus thought for a moment, then said, "Alright then... I won't shy away. I plan to organize a military alliance to resist the evil dragons, but right now we're short on weapons, equipment, and enough funds.

If you provide 60% of the precious metals and gems you mine here to strengthen yourself, and dedicate 40% to the future Anti-Dragon Alliance, how does that sound?"

Zeen nodded and replied solemnly, "Lord Titus, resisting the tyranny of evil dragons—this is our dwarven duty.

Let's do this: once the new High Mountain Kingdom stabilizes, we will only keep 30% for ourselves and contribute the remaining 70% to you and your military alliance. Moreover, we will forge the finest weapons for you..."

"This agreement is too harsh for you." Titus still appeared reluctant, furrowing his brows and shaking his head, as if unwilling to take advantage.

But Zeen replied firmly, "Lord Titus, this is not just to repay you, but for my father and the High Mountain Dwarven Kingdom.

Resisting the tyranny of the evil dragons and reclaiming Aivendel Dan will become the duty of every Shield Dwarf. Even if it costs us everything, it's worth it. We'll scour these volcanoes, find the most valuable materials, the rarest metals..."

Hearing this, Titus sighed but ultimately nodded: "Then let it be as you said, Zeen. I'm certain your father would be proud of you..."

But inside, he felt a wave of delight—these days, people were actually eager to become unpaid labor?

He wondered how the dwarves would feel once they learned that their countless hours of toil for the Anti-Dragon cause ultimately fed the mouths of the evil dragons.

"Father..."

Thinking of his father, thinking of the imminent war for Aivendel Dan, Zeen felt a pang of sorrow.

Surveying the surrounding landscape, the Dwarf Prince made a solemn vow. He would restore the glory of the High Mountain Kingdom here, lead his people in building new cities, and transform these sprawling volcanoes into the dwarves' home.

One day, he would return to the Prime Material Plane with the most elite dwarf army, clad in the finest equipment, to reclaim their homeland.

Awaiting the dwarves was a new future, a dawn of hope—just as their Gold Dragon allies were called Dawn Wings.

And within Titus's heart, too, was anticipation.

The free miners had finally arrived.