Caesar realized something — the more intelligent a creature was, the more expressive their faces would be.
He had never seen such expressions on the faces of beastmen, gnolls, or even the Battle Lizardmen. After seeing the Black Dragon, the humanoid manticores widened their eyes and mouths, drooling unknowingly. They were so shocked that it took them a while to react.
Thinking about it, this expression was quite cute. But when it came from these manticores, it wasn't cute at all. It was just ugly.
Even the careless and slovenly looking beastmen were jealous of their appearances. It was easy to imagine how terrifying the faces of these Dark Mantle Manticores were.
"You are the greatest true dragon I have ever seen in my life."
After a long pause, the leader of the manticores took two steps forward and lowered its head in front of the Black Dragon. It said softly, "You are the center of the world, the ruler of the world. Your majestic aura and majestic figure make me want to destroy my own eyes."
"Because I know that everything I see from today onward will be extremely ugly and dim in comparison to you …."
"Stop."
The leader of the beastmen shouted. Gall took two steps forward and stood in front of the Black Dragon. "Manticore, explain your intentions to the lord first."
"Don't."
Caesar stopped the rude beastman. "Let it continue."
He liked to hear it.
"Incomparable, inviolable …"
However, after the beastman's interruption, the leader of the manticores couldn't continue. It smacked its lips and spat out a few words, but didn't know how to continue.
"Your wisdom is beyond my imagination, Your Majesty."
At this time, the leader of the gnolls, Hogg, came to Caesar's side and stared at the manticores. "But please forgive me for reminding you that there is a saying among the gnolls: manticores, bones, and lies."
Hogg showed hostility. It was obvious that the gnolls didn't have a good impression of the manticores.
"Please don't mix us with those shameful races on the surface. We are the Dark Manticores, Your Majesty."
The leader of the manticores turned its head and smiled, revealing dense rows of teeth that were as thin as steel needles. It stared at Hogg as it spoke.
They had multiple overlapping layers of pupils, which made people shudder uncontrollably at a glance.
Hogg didn't say anything. He just waved the short heavy axe in his hand. Without waiting for him to make a sound, the Jackalans quickly gathered around him and kept growling.
The manticores also raised their tails.
"Enough."
The Black Dragon, who had been watching coldly from the sidelines, finally spoke. Caesar exuded an oppressive aura that was almost tangible, causing the originally tense atmosphere to dissipate in an instant. The wolf cubs all let out aggrieved whimpers, unable to stand steadily. The manticores also hurriedly retracted their hostility and adjusted their attitudes.
"State your intentions."
Caesar raised his chin. His cuticle, which was shining with a metallic luster, was dazzling under the refraction of light.
The leader of the manticores moved forward again, ignoring the covetous orcs and gnolls. It approached Caesar, knelt down, and kissed the Black Dragon's claw with its deep purple lips. It swore, "Praise be to you, great dragon. From this moment onwards, the Dark Manticores are willing to be your most loyal servants, until death do us part."
Looks really do matter …
Caesar thought to himself, but his expression didn't change. He casually glanced at the assessment results of the Dark Manticores on the auxiliary device.
Overall Combat Ability Assessment: 80 ~ 100
It was slightly biased. Caesar felt that this number was a little high. The auxiliary device determined the assessment based on the target's ability to kill. However, the Dark Manticores focused too much on the attack of their stingers. They were very weak in close combat and defense.
For example, if they were surrounded and couldn't fly, a group of gnolls would be able to tear them apart.
After all, they were machines. They didn't have the ability to think, so they couldn't be perfect. Caesar didn't ask for anything. It was enough that he knew about it.
Caesar nodded, indicating that he understood. He naturally took the Dark Manticores into his inventory, making up for the lack of long-range units and adding them to the Black Dragon Army.
Very soon, the Shadow Manticore received its first mission — Return to Earth.
Caesar ordered them to return to the underground stream and send their children to the orc's residence. On the way back, Caesar also ordered the Dark Manticores to spread the word about the existence of the Black Dragon Lord.
It didn't take long for him to feel the benefits of the transformation. The Shadow Manticore's first mission was completed perfectly. With this wave of advertising, the Dark Dragon didn't even need to leave its habitat to attract countless clans from the north of the Underdark.
Ankhegs, boars, hounds, shapeshifters … Groups of evil races came to the residence. After seeing Caesar, they chose to join the Black Dragon Army without hesitation.
… …
Two months later.
Inside the hall, which was built with piles of white bones, the light flickered between bright and dark. Faint phosphorescent flames surrounded the hall, and the dim light left deep marks on the texture of the bones.
The hall was quiet, and the air was filled with an eerie aura.
Negendro looked at the unintelligent skeletons wandering outside the palace. His bony fingers tapped lightly on the throne. After a while, he lowered his head and said to the lich kneeling on the ground, "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure, my lord."
The lich lowered his head and replied in a hoarse voice, "It has many family members. The skeletons I sent couldn't get close, but I saw its figure from afar. It shouldn't be wrong."
"So, it really is a dragon."
The Black Knight, Negendro, let out a hoarse and unpleasant laugh. He then turned his head to the corner of the shadows and said, "I didn't expect it to be your kin."
"Is that so?"
A disdainful sneer came from the shadows.
The lich and wraiths under the throne lowered their heads even more. Accompanied by the flickering phosphorescent flames, a living creature walked out of the darkness.
Dragon.
This dragon looked somewhat similar to the Airadia Black Dragon. They were both black and ferocious, but there were many differences.
It had a slender and clearly segmented body. The horns on the top of its head were like winding fish hooks. It had a pair of emerald green eyes, small and pitch-black teeth, and long, dancing tentacles on its tail.
"But I've already killed all my kin."
Its voice was like honey dipped in poison. It was loud, pleasant, and sweet.
A Calamity Dragon.
As a rare True Dragon, the ecology of a Calamity Dragon was completely different from that of a Metal Dragon. It was even very different from the evil Pentashade Dragons.
The mothers who gave birth to them didn't care about their own children at all, and as soon as the Calamity Dragons were born, they would fall into endless internal strife, fighting against their own siblings to the death until all the other fledglings were killed.
The Deity this kind of dragon worshipped was also different. It wasn't the Mother of Evil Dragons, Tiamat, but rather the Night Dragon Farazur. It was the master of all corruption, withering, and undead creatures. From this, one could see the evil nature of a Calamity Dragon.
People often put the name of Black Dragons as the ones who conspired with the undead, but this statement was wrong. In fact, the Calamity Dragons were the True Dragons that were the most enthusiastic about working with the undead. It was just that they were very few in number in Aladia, so they weren't very famous and didn't cause any waves.
But there was one in this place.