Evil Red Dragon

After Natsu left, full of excitement, Alex lost all interest in continuing his training.

He spread his dragon wings, flew out of the nest, and glided towards the medicinal field.

The land near Chifeng has been completely transformed under the continuous influence of the Dragon Domain.

The once lush vegetation has long since disappeared, replaced by vast swathes of parched, cracked earth.

The air was filled with dry, scorching heat. Ordinary plants could not survive in this environment and all withered and died, turning into ashes and merging into the scorched earth.

Only those magical plants that have adapted to high-temperature environments can survive.

The Dragon Flame Grass spreads from the mountainside all the way to the foot of the mountain, its roots deeply embedded in the scorching soil, drawing upon the fire element gathered from the Dragon Realm.

Occasionally, clusters of Fireheart Flowers can be seen blooming among the Dragonfire Grass, their orange-yellow petals radiating a warm light.

Further away, some newly transplanted fire-attribute magical plants are struggling to adapt to their environment.

The entire land is like a giant furnace, where all life struggles, evolves, and adapts.

This is the power of the Dragon Realm.

Domineering, unquestionable, and capable of completely changing the environment to suit itself.

As a red dragon, Alekto instinctively liked the hot and dry climate, but he had to admit that such an environment would be hell for most creatures.

Odette couldn't stand the heat.

The half-elf's body is better adapted to the mild forest climate; the high temperatures near Chifeng are torture for her.

So she simply moved to the outskirts of the territory and built a new wooden house next to the herb field to live in.

From the air, the medicinal herb fields are well-managed.

A plot of land of about 20 acres was neatly divided into more than a dozen blocks, each planted with different magical plants.

The edges are enclosed by a low wooden fence, which both protects against the wind and facilitates management.

An irrigation canal extends from a nearby stream, with water flowing slowly through it to provide the necessary moisture to the medicinal herb fields.

The wooden house was built next to the herb field, in a typical elven style, with an ingenious structure that blends harmoniously with the surrounding environment.

The roof was covered with thick thatch, and the walls were made of treated logs pieced together, with simple magical runes engraved on the surface, serving to insulate and reinforce the structure.

Next to the wooden house are two slightly larger buildings.

One of them was a classroom, with various herbal specimens and alchemical formulas and diagrams hanging on the walls.

The other one is an alchemy workshop, with wisps of smoke occasionally rising from the chimney, and various utensils and tools can be seen inside through the windows.

Alecto retracted his dragon wings, transformed into human form, and landed on the open ground at the edge of the herb field.

He straightened his simple clothes, which were made of magic, and walked towards the wooden house.

Just as he approached the alchemy workshop...

boom!

A sudden explosion came from inside the workshop, and a plume of smoke billowed out of the workshop windows.

Alecto paused, his brow furrowing slightly.

He quickened his pace and pushed open the slightly ajar wooden door of the workshop.

The workshop was in complete disarray.

On the central lab bench, a flask had shattered into pieces, green liquid splattered everywhere, and the air was so choking that it made people want to cough.

Several open books and notebooks were soaked with liquid, and the ink smudged.

Oliveira was frantically trying to clean up the scene.

The little female dragon was still in human form, with a few drops of medicine on her face, and her expression was both annoyed and guilty.

She was holding a rag and wiping the lab bench haphazardly, but the more she wiped, the messier it became, and the stains spread to a wider area.

"Olivera".

Alector's voice made the girl freeze.

She turned around abruptly and saw her brother standing in the doorway; a fawning smile immediately spread across her face.

"Brother, brother! What brings you here? I... I was just doing an experiment, and something went wrong..."

"A minor problem?"

Alecto surveyed the chaotic workshop:

"Is this what you mean by stable production?"

Oliveira awkwardly put down the rag:

"This...this was an accident! Really! I've succeeded once before! Odette can testify!"

"So what happened this time?"

"I...I want to try and see if I can speed up my reaction time..."

Oliveira's voice grew softer and softer:

"The temperature suddenly rose too high..."

Alecto sighed.

This is Oliveira: talented, but lacking patience. Always looking for shortcuts, which often backfires.

"Where is Odette?"

"She went to the creek."

Oliveira quickly said:

"The herb garden needs watering. She said it's especially hot today, so we need to water it more..."

Just then, footsteps came from outside the door.

Odette entered and, upon seeing the scene in the workshop and Alecto, was initially taken aback, then quickly bowed.

"Owner."

Today, Odette wore a light green long dress with the sleeves rolled up to her forearms, revealing her slender wrists.

Her long hair was tied into a simple ponytail at the back of her head, with a few stray strands stuck to her forehead by sweat, clearly indicating that the work she had just done was not easy.

Odette quickly scanned the scene and roughly understood what had happened.

"Master, I'm so sorry to have you witness this scene."

Odette's voice was gentle:

"It is my fault for not teaching her properly and for failing to teach Lady Oliveira well."

"It's none of your business."

Alecto waved his hand:

I know her personality.

Oliveira pouted but didn't dare to argue.

Alecto turned to Odette:

"How's her progress lately?"

Odette composed herself and reported the facts:

"Lady Oliveira is very talented, with a good memory and a keen sense of magical energy flow. She has mastered the methods for making seven kinds of potions, with a success rate of about 7%."

"but……"

She changed the subject:

"She's too impatient; she always wants to skip the basic steps and go straight to more complicated recipes."

Oliveira glared at Odette, trying to shut her up.

But Odette remained unmoved and continued:

"I've repeatedly emphasized that alchemy is a delicate discipline, and every step must be meticulous, but she..."

Odette didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear.

Alecto nodded and looked at Oliveira:

"Did you hear me?"

Oliveira immediately lowered her head to avoid being seen by Alecto, her fingers twisting together.

"I heard you..."

"Alright then."

Alecto pointed to the messy experimental table:

"Clean these up and then make a standard Tier 3 healing potion."

"Now?"

"Now."

Oliveira made a face, but still obediently started tidying up.

Alecto turned to Odette:

"Come with me, I have something to ask you."

The two left the workshop and came to the shade of a tree next to the wooden house.

There is a simple wooden table and chairs here, which is where Odette usually rests.

Alecto sat down in the chair, while Odette stood respectfully to his side.

"sit."

Odette hesitated for a moment, then sat down opposite her, but her posture remained upright.

Alecto sized up the half-elf before him.

In just one month, Odette changed a lot.

When she first arrived, she was weak, frightened, and her eyes were full of wariness.

Now, that unease has vanished, replaced by tranquility.

She managed the herb garden meticulously and showed remarkable patience in teaching Oliveira.

It's important to understand that teaching a red dragon alchemy and magic is a formidable task in itself.

"How's the herb field?"

Alecto asked.

"Reporting to Master, overall condition is good."

Odette immediately replied:

"Some of the magical plants are growing vigorously, and I have already harvested the first batch. The quality of the produce is also very high."

She thought for a moment and continued:

"However, my attempts to transplant several cold-climate magical plants all failed. Even in the outer reaches of the Dragon Domain, the temperature and fire element concentration are still too high, and they cannot adapt."

"As expected."

Alecto nodded:

"Chifeng has a unique environment. Plants that can survive here are either naturally adapted to high temperatures or have undergone mutations."

"Yes."

Odette said:

"I've noticed some interesting phenomena. Several moonflowers have mutated, their leaves have turned from white to pale red, and they can absorb moonlight at night as well as a certain amount of fire element during the day. I'm observing their subsequent changes."

A flicker of interest crossed Alecto's eyes:

"Is the direction of mutation controllable?"

"It's difficult."

Odette shook her head:

"Plant mutations are mostly random. I can only retain advantageous traits through selection and breeding, but if I could control the patterns of mutation..."

She stopped, realizing she had said too much.

Alecto, however, seemed to be deep in thought.

Mutation, screening, and breeding—aren't these the breeding techniques from our past lives?

However, in this world, the existence of magic makes this process more complicated, but it may also be more efficient.

"Go on."

He encouraged them.

Odette breathed a sigh of relief and continued:

"I've read some books that contain information about cultivating magical plants."

"The ancient elves developed a complete system for cultivating magical plants. They could guide the growth of plants by adjusting the magic of the environment, using specific fertilizers, and combining them with magical rituals."

Her voice gradually became more excited:

"Unfortunately, most of those technologies are blocked, and there are only scattered records in books, but if we could restore even a part of them..."

Alecto listened quietly, but his mind was wandering to more distant matters.

Odette exhibits a researcher's mindset.

She can observe, record, and think about the underlying patterns; that's the kind of talent he needs.

What do you need?

Alecto asked directly.

Odette paused for a moment, then realized this was an opportunity.

After gathering her thoughts, she slowly said:

"Seeds of high-grade magical plants, rare soil conditioner..."

After she finished speaking, she looked at Alecto with some nervousness.

These demands sound numerous, even excessive.

After all, she was just a half-elf who had been captured. Being allowed to manage the herb fields and teach Oliveira was already a great trust.

But Alecto's reaction surprised her.

"Make a list, be detailed, including the purpose and priority, and I'll figure something out."

Odette was stunned.

"What's wrong?"

Alector asked.

"N-nothing."

Odette quickly shook her head:

"I just... didn't expect you to agree so readily."

Alecto looked into her eyes:

"Odette, do you know why I put you in charge of the herb garden and why I had you teach Oliveira?"

The half-elf shook his head.

Alecto bluntly stated:

"Because you are not a laborer, nor a servant, but a researcher, a transmitter of knowledge."

He stood up, walked to the edge of the medicinal herb field, and looked at the growing plants:

"Chifeng Territory needs development, but it's not as simple as just mining more, smelting more, and manufacturing more weapons. True strength lies in the strength of the system, in the accumulation and inheritance of knowledge."

"We need someone to research how to cultivate better magical plants and manufacture better potions. We need someone to research how to improve smelting processes and enhance the quality of steel. We need someone to study the nature of magic and develop new spells..."

As Odette listened, an indescribable feeling welled up inside her.

She had never heard these words before.

At Star Moon Academy, the teachers imparted knowledge, but always emphasized its preciousness.

In the hands of slave traders, she was merely a commodity, her value determined by her appearance and race.

Even in the eyes of mages, all they valued was her half-elf identity and the secrets she might possess.

But Alector said something different.

He was talking about systems, inheritance, and the future.

He acknowledged her status, rather than treating her as a tool.

"I see."

Odette said softly.

"Also... I need your help with something."

"What is it?"

Alecto took another small bag from his pocket, which contained sulfur powder.

He opened the bag and poured out a little pale yellow powder onto the table.

"sulfur?"

Odette recognized her at a glance:

"The quality is good."

Odette examined it carefully, then picked up a small amount with her fingers, brought it to her nose, and sniffed it.

"Sulfur of this quality is commonly used as a stabilizer and catalyst in alchemy, and can also be used to make certain special medicines."

She looked up, her eyes filled with confusion:

"However, sulfur has limited uses and is not very valuable. What do you need it for, Master?"

Instead of answering directly, Alecto asked:

Do you know what gunpowder is?

"gunpowder?"

Odette frowned in thought:

"You mean... that sparking powder invented by the dwarves? I've heard of it, but it's not very powerful and can only be used as fireworks; it has no practical value."

"What if I told you there was a type of gunpowder powerful enough to blast through rocks and destroy city walls?"

Odette was stunned.

A few seconds later, she slowly shook her head:

"Impossible. I've read the relevant records. The dwarves have been researching gunpowder for decades, and their best achievement is only being able to create sounds and flashes for celebrations. They've tried to increase its power, but they've all failed."

Why did we fail?

"have no idea."

Odette shook her head:

"They only know that sulfur and charcoal mixed together will burn and make a popping sound. Maybe the materials are wrong, but how long would it take to succeed by trying things one by one? Why not just use it as an alchemy material?"

Alecto listened quietly, understanding dawning on his mind.

This is exactly the explanation he needs, a plausible prelude to the changes he is about to bring.

He twirled the pinch of pale yellow sulfur powder between his fingers and slowly began to speak:

"What if... I knew the correct recipe?"

Odette was stunned.

"Master, you mean...?"

She hesitated and said:

"Do you possess more comprehensive... knowledge of gunpowder than the dwarves?"

"That's one way to understand it."

Alecto did not deny it:

"Among some ancient fragments of the Dragon Legacy, I found some interesting pieces about how to combine sulfur, saltpeter, and charcoal in a specific way to create an explosion powerful enough to shake mountains."

He cleverly used the Dragon Legacy as a convenient excuse.

In this world, the dragons' inherited memories are all-encompassing and unfathomable; any knowledge beyond the realm of common sense can be attributed to the mysterious and unpredictable ancient bloodline.

Odette's breathing quickened slightly.

As a scholar, she has a natural thirst for the unknown, especially skills that may overturn existing knowledge.

But her rationality kept her cautious:

"Master, the knowledge inherited from memories... may not be directly converted into a formula in reality."

"It's a success."

Alector looked at Odette, then pointed to the sulfur powder on the table:

"Natsu has already produced the first batch of finished products..."

Odette understood.

The master hopes that she can become one of the builders of this new power system.

"Owner."

She took a deep breath, her eyes hardening.

"I will do my best, but I need more details..."

Alecto immediately replied:

"Of course, you'll be responsible for researching how to safely store and transport gunpowder, and how to design devices to release its power in a directed manner. For example, stuffing it into a sturdy metal tube, igniting it to propel a projectile... or encapsulating it in an iron ball and detonating it with a fuse."

He described the prototypes of simple cannons and bombs, and Odette listened intently, her mind racing as she tried to understand the concepts.

A metal tube propelling a projectile... isn't that a projectile weapon that requires no magic and relies purely on explosive force? Encapsulation and detonation... that results in area-of-effect destruction.

If it can be realized, its significance will be extraordinary.

"I...I need time to process this, Master."

Odette felt there was a lot of information to be had:

"I will first organize the knowledge you have provided, and then design a preliminary experimental plan."

"No rush."

Alecto said:

"Proceed steadily. Your primary tasks are still managing the medicinal fields and teaching Oliveira. Gunpowder research can be a long-term project and carried out gradually."

"I will also have Gru and Natsu cooperate with you, providing manpower and material support."