Ashen Dragon

Cassius walked forward and pressed the emblem on the carriage wall. Using a spell, he infused it with a bit of fire element. Instantly, words appeared in the burning flame.

"Anzeta Branch cordially invites you to join."

"Gathering Date: December 1, 1723."

"Location: Stratholme Fortress."

"Teleport Coordinates: *******"

"An emblem of the Arcane Priory; interesting. This gathering should be in a few years," Cassius remarked with satisfaction as he put away the emblem.

"What about those books?" the Red Dragon then asked.

"They're here, all hidden. I was afraid those fools might use them for cooking fuel." Ramp awkwardly laughed, pushing aside a heap of bones to reveal a box of Golden Silk Nanmu filled with exquisitely packaged books inside.

"Noble Military Training Code—How to Build an Attractive Army"

"Fool's Guide to Fireball Spell"

"Spell Apprentice Encyclopedia—How to Explain the Magic Web to Your Son"

"Sean's Adventure Log"

"Bard's Court Poetry Collection"

"How to Become a True Noble"

"How to Survive in the Wilderness—A Complete Guide to Wild Herbs"

"Power and Strife—A Chronicle of Court Intrigue in the Arcanas Kingdom"

"Appreciation of Giant Women"

Seeing this array of absurd books, Cassius was left speechless. He finally understood why the ogre before him spoke in such a bizarre poetic tone and realized that the young noble mage apprentice died unjustly.

Even if he hadn't died in an ogre's stomach, he would have succumbed to his own peculiar hobbies...

"Uh...not bad. Keep collecting." Cassius still found himself at a loss for words and could only offer a perfunctory compliment.

Ramp awkwardly scratched his head. The Red Dragon saw, for the first time, how "bashful" could appear on the face of a three-meter-tall, one-ton ogre.

"Ramp, I need you to build camps and fortresses in Giant Valley."

"And here, this will become the base for my retainers. In the future, it will no longer be called Giant Valley; it will be known as..."

The Red Dragon thought for a moment and finally chose the name that Cassius from his past life had given it.

"It will be called Ashen Nest."

"Yes, master."

Ramp's face was full of excitement, imagining once more the blueprint for world conquest in his mind. Unfortunately, the noisy ogres beside him, oblivious to the wisdom that set him apart, shattered his daydreams unceremoniously.

"Boss, when are we eating?"

"Yeah, my stomach is so empty I can see my toes now," the ogre named Long Fang grumbled discontentedly, its yellowing tusks trembling up and down.

"Eat, eat, eat. You only know how to eat. Get to work!" Ramp waved his wooden club menacingly.

...

But aside from the outrageous ones, Ramp—or rather, the young noble's collection of books—did hold valuable knowledge.

For instance, the "Fool's Guide to Fireball Spell" and the "Spell Apprentice Encyclopedia," with their detailed and easy-to-understand explanations of magic applications, greatly benefited Cassius, deepening his understanding of the Magic Web.

And this so-called "New Era" ogre tribe, with over thirty ogres, plus an Ogre Mage proficient in the Fireball Technique, was a formidable force in the surrounding hundreds of miles.

After consecutively subduing the Chimera of the Giant's Mouth Cave and the ogre tribe of Gluttonous Valley, the Red Dragon finally had underlings, officially making a name for himself.

Ashen Nest.

In just two days, over four hundred goblins led by a Great Goblin came to Giant Valley to defect.

These goblins were noisy and loud, but the moment they saw the Red Dragon's seemingly enormous figure, they all fell silent. A few even fainted in fear, losing control of their bladders.

The leader was not a goblin but a tall, imposing Goblin Warlord.

They were closely related to goblins but were a different race altogether, far more powerful and intelligent than goblins.

Behind the Great Goblin followed several large, muscular humanoid creatures—the bugbears, the commander's trusted aides.

The Goblin Warlord in front had reddish-brown skin and dark grey hair, yellow eyes nestled under a prominent brow, and a large mouth filled with long, sharp yellow teeth.

He was unmistakably male, with a large red nose symbolizing goblin masculinity and strength.

At this moment, he knelt on one knee before the Red Dragon, his expression humble.

Cassius looked down at him imperiously.

[Based on your strength, you acquire the following information]

[Goblin Commander]

Medium humanoid (goblin-kind), lawful evil

Race: Great Goblin

AC: 17 (half-plate armor)

Strength—14

Agility—13

Constitution—14

Intelligence—12

Perception—10

Charisma—11

Senses: Dark Vision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10 ft.

Skill Proficiency: Ruling +6, Hunting +4, Military +4, Building +4

Language: Common, Goblin

Trait: Army Advantage, Military Regiment

Actions: Multi-Attack, Great Sword, Leadership

Challenge Level: 4 (1,100 XP)

Assessment: "When the war horn sounds and the catapults launch giant stones, the Great Goblins march onto the battlefield, their boots thundering across the land. Settlements and residents on the fringes of civilization often find themselves battling these humanoid invaders to stave off their insatiable hunger for conquest."

The Red Dragon stared at the leading Great Goblin, speaking slowly: "Why do you want to become my retainer?"

The Great Goblin kept his head lowered, his expression unchanged: "Goblins always submit to the strong."

He paused, then added: "Especially since you are a powerful Red Dragon, your desire for conquest is unending."

"And I can demonstrate my talents under your command."

The Red Dragon narrowed his eyes: "Why should I trust you, a mere goblin?"

The Great Goblin did not cling to the racial slur, speaking each word firmly:

"I will prove my loyalty with blood and fire."

Cassius pondered briefly and decided to accept these goblins too. After all, his territory was still in its nascent stage; some goblins as cheap labor were essential. Moreover, among them was a quite capable Great Goblin.

The conquest desire of Great Goblins was extreme; their strong lust for war often meant they did not survive to die of natural causes.

Having him command the troops was far better than the half-baked skills the ogres learned from the "Noble Military Training Code."

"Well said, but we'll see how things go."

"I will allow you to enter my territory. Go find my retainers; they will tell you what to do."

"I obey your command."

Upon hearing that they were accepted by the powerful Red Dragon, the goblins erupted in joyous cheers.

These goblins were weak, generally standing just over a meter tall. A single goblin could not even contend with an ordinary human farmer alone.

They survived in the wilderness only by clustering and attaching themselves to stronger beings. And now, they had latched onto the sturdiest pillar—a Red Dragon.

No wonder these goblins were so ecstatic.

...