Heretic Trainer: The Gym Is My Cultivation Method

The next day, several guards arrived outside Garion and Rachel’s room.

Their expressions were much more careful than yesterday.

Clearly, after seeing Garion almost turn the dragon elder’s palace into a disaster zone, none of them dared to treat the two guests casually anymore.

"Lord Garion, Lady Rachel," one guard said respectfully. "The meeting is about to begin. Please follow us."

Garion stretched his arms lazily. "Finally."

Rachel stood beside him in her God Gym outerwear, calm and composed. Her pink-gold eyes looked toward the corridor outside.

Atlas floated near Garion’s shoulder and muttered,

[Remember. Behave.]

Garion smiled. "Sure."

[That smile makes me trust you less.]

Rachel sighed softly. "Same."

The guards led them through several long corridors, then across a floating bridge that connected to the central palace of the broken-star fortress.

The closer they got, the heavier the atmosphere became, and Garion could feel several powerful existences inside the hall ahead.

Soon, the huge doors opened.

RUMBLE!

Inside was a vast circular hall.

Six dragonmen sat around a massive round table, each one carrying a completely different color, aura, and temperament.

One was crimson-black and volcanic, the same Volcanion Dragon Elder Garion had met yesterday.

Another had deep blue scales and a calm ocean-like aura.

One had white-silver horns and cold eyes, surrounded by frost.

Another was golden and dignified, radiating royal pressure.

One carried dark green scales and an ancient forest-like feeling.

The last one had black-purple markings, silent and heavy like the void between stars.

All of them were six dragon gods.

Garion stopped for a second. "The hell?"

Rachel glanced at him. "What?"

Garion looked around the hall, then scratched his cheek. "This meeting... is it a dragon meeting?"

Atlas immediately whispered,

[That is actually a fair question.]

Several dragonmen turned their eyes toward him. Their gazes were sharp, ancient, and extremely arrogant.

Garion ignored the pressure and looked directly at all of them one by one.

Rachel quietly stood beside him, her pink-gold aura hidden but ready.

The Volcanion Dragon Elder from yesterday opened his eyes and spoke first. "I have checked him."

The other five dragonmen looked toward him.

The Volcanion elder’s voice was calm but firm. "He has the strength."

A few of the dragonmen frowned.

The golden dragonman leaned forward slightly. "A non-God?"

The frost dragonman’s eyes became colder. "Interesting."

The black-purple dragonman said nothing, but his gaze stayed on Garion.

Garion clapped his hands once. "Okay."

The hall became silent.

Garion grinned. "Let’s start."

Several dragonmen immediately frowned.

One of them spoke coldly, "You brat..."

Garion raised a hand before he could continue. "Before starting, care to tell me who all of you are?"

He pointed at himself. "I’m the newbie here."

The atmosphere became strange.

Atlas covered his face again.

[At least he asked for introductions before offending everyone this time.]

Rachel gave Garion a sideways look but said nothing.

The Volcanion Dragon Elder stared at Garion for several seconds before sighing. "Fine, then. Since you are new here, we will begin with introductions."

---

The Volcanion Dragon Elder tapped the round table once.

A crimson-black flame rose behind him, forming the vague image of a volcanic dragon. "I am Varkhor Volcanion, elder of the Volcanion Dragon Clan."

Garion raised an eyebrow.

So this old dragon was named Varkhor.

Varkhor continued calmly, "Our clan represents volcanic flame, eruption, molten pressure, and dragon bloodline tempering."

His molten eyes looked at Garion. "I will not threaten you."

The other dragon gods glanced at him in surprise.

Varkhor ignored them. "I have already tested your strength. You are qualified to sit here."

Garion grinned. "Good. I like reasonable people."

Atlas muttered,

[You called him a receptionist yesterday.]

Garion coughed once.

The deep blue dragonman spoke next.

Water-like divine light spread behind him, but it did not feel soft. It felt like an endless ocean capable of drowning stars. "I am Abyron Thalassar, elder of the Thalassar Dragon Clan."

His eyes were calm, but his voice carried crushing depth. "We rule over abyssal oceans, deep currents, pressure seas, and ancient water laws."

Abyron looked at Garion. "If you are only here to be arrogant, the ocean will swallow you before you learn regret."

Garion smiled back. "Sounds refreshing."

Abyron’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Rachel sighed softly.

The white-silver dragonwoman opened her eyes.

The temperature of the entire hall immediately dropped. "I am Selkhara Frostveil, elder of the Frostveil Dragon Clan."

Her voice was cold and elegant. "We command frozen stars, ice laws, stillness, preservation, and deathly cold."

She looked at Garion without emotion. "Your mouth is lively. I wonder whether it will still move after being sealed in divine ice."

Garion rubbed his chin. "Probably."

Selkhara’s cold eyes sharpened.

Atlas whispered,

[Stop answering threats like invitations.]

The golden dragonman leaned forward.

His aura was dignified, heavy, and royal, like a throne built from dragon bones and sunlight. "I am Aurelion Auricrown, elder of the Auricrown Dragon Clan."

Golden divine light formed a crown-shaped dragon shadow behind him. "Our clan governs royal authority, command, dragon law, wealth, and bloodline hierarchy."

His gaze swept over Garion with obvious pride. "Before true dragon kings, all lesser beings should know humility."

Garion nodded. "Good advice."

Aurelion’s expression eased slightly.

Garion added, "You should try it."

The hall froze.

Rachel closed her eyes for a second.

Atlas’s face went blank.

[We lasted less than five minutes.]

Aurelion’s golden eyes became terrifyingly sharp.

The dark green dragonman laughed before the tension could explode.

His aura was ancient, like a forest that had devoured civilizations and grown stronger from their bones. "I am Verdroth Viridwyrm, elder of the Viridwyrm Dragon Clan."

Green-black roots and scales appeared faintly behind him. "We control ancient forests, poison vitality, growth, decay, and beast-blood evolution."

His smile was gentle, but his eyes were dangerous. "Little non-God, strange things that grow too fast are often cut open for study."

Mersha would have loved him.

Garion only grinned. "Careful. At God Gym, we usually do the studying."

Verdroth’s smile deepened. "Interesting."

The last dragonman finally opened his eyes.

He had black-purple markings across his face and horns, and his aura was silent, heavy, and almost empty. "I am Nyxvar Voidscale, elder of the Voidscale Dragon Clan."

The space behind him darkened. "Our clan touches void, silence, distance, and spatial collapse."

His gaze landed on Garion like a blade hidden in darkness. "You use black holes and white holes?"

Garion nodded. "A little."

Nyxvar’s eyes narrowed. "Then do not play with void before me."

Garion’s grin widened. "No promises."

The six Dragon Gods stared at him, their expressions ranging from cold indifference to amusement and irritation.

Varkhor Volcanion sighed quietly, already feeling yesterday’s headache returning.

Rachel stood beside Garion, calm and graceful, though her hand was ready to pinch his arm again at any moment.

Garion looked around the table and smiled. "Well, now that I know everyone..."

He pulled out a chair and sat down casually. "Let’s talk business."