Chapter 488 Bounty
POV The dump player IHateToilets:
The desert air grew thick with the scent of blood as cries of anguish multiplied. One player after another collapsed to their knees, their screams piercing the sky. From his vantage point, IHateToilets's heart pounded with a surge of hope.
'This is our chance to regain our freedom.'
However, a rageful shout broke him out of his daydream: "You are traitors! You have betrayed us!"
'This is our chance to regain our freedom.'
But his optimism shattered at a furious accusation: "You are traitors! You have betrayed us!"
"Such words are heretical."
"You ungrateful wretches. His Majesty bestowed upon you eternal youth, and you dare scorn it, labeling it a curse?"
One by one, players clad in imposing black armor and capes brandished their weapons, anger glinting in their eyes beneath silver-gilded, horned helmets.
'Damn! The officers consumed the pure, undiluted blood, but... we still have the advantage in numbers.'
As runic lights flashed, more players unsheathed their swords, aligning with the caped officers in a confrontational display.
'No! Why are they siding with them?! They didn't consume the pure blood!'
"What are you doing?! Don't you realize what we're contributing to?!" IHateToilets bellowed from above, as a massive mace, a meter in width, materialized in his grasp, poised to descend upon skulls.
Anger surged through him, viewing those below as monsters eager to ransack innocent worlds for selfish gains.
The dissenting lesser dragon-kin swiftly armed themselves, and the crowd instantly divided into two factions, each eyeing the other with suspicion mirrored in their reptilian eyes.
"Run!" The cry split the tension, and a heartbeat later, the sky erupted in flames, a hellish rain sizzling down. IHateToilets lifted his gaze, his eyes devoid of fear despite the inferno above—he was immortal, after all, certain to respawn even in death.
"What are you doing?!" boomed a voice as the flames intensified, painting the sky a brighter shade of terror.
A small dragon, only as large as a house, ablaze with fire, its wings a tapestry of swirling infernos, descended, each beat of its wings radiating heat that painted the desert in shades of red.
IHateToilets's eyes widened in recognition; this was no ordinary wyrm but the most notorious player in the world, transformed into the apex race, his draconified human corpse once discovered back on Earth.
"Traitors! You have rejected the blessing and desecrated the noblest of flames!" The voice reverberated through the desert, urging the players into a frenzied dash.
'I once envied you, but now you only have my pity.'
With a flash of light, the dragon opened his mouth, flames gathering inside. Even though the dragon was still young and small, the heat of the flames made even the toilet hater sweat.
POV Vesuvius:
The star dragon flapped his wings and shot into the sky with such speed that the desert shook below him in sandstorms and earthquakes. In the span of a second, he pierced through the layer of clouds, and his sight covered the vast stretch of sandy dunes.
As he ascended, slicing through the cloud layer with divine speed, his gaze swept over the endless expanse of the desert. The invisible bonds that tethered him to his minions frayed and snapped, each break sending a jolt of pain that mingled fury with anguish. Betrayal and abandonment—a sting sharper than any blade.
Vesuvius's attention was immediately captured by the sight of the smaller dragon in the distance, its form glowing with an intensity that rivaled that of a phoenix. The air around it shimmered with heat, mana flowing and gathering around its head.
A towering inferno erupted from the dragon's maw, cascading towards the horizon with devastating force. The flames engulfed everything in their path.
'No, that hot-headed—!' The enormous star dragon could only curse internally as he almost roared in frustration, already knowing what had happened. 'That maniac just burned them down without even thinking or hesitating for even a single second.'
He still didn't know what exactly had happened, but it was already over; the information had all burned to ash. What was even worse was that it allowed the potential traitors to escape.
'Now they will just respawn back in Lorenia and potentially blabber out my secrets!'
"Grahh", With a roar that shook the very foundation of the desert, Vesuvius unleashed his fury. The sound was monumental, echoing a cataclysmic explosion, as clouds of dust and sand billowed into the air.
With the roar venting out a portion of his fury, his mind raced with the possibilities of his foes capitalizing on the betrayal. He could already predict the stir the escaped player's knowledge would bring to his enemies.
He wasn't sure if his enemies could track him down with the information from the traitors, but he would make sure they would regret it if they dared to speak against him.
The gravity of their desertion weighed heavily on him. 'To abandon their master is a grievous offense, yet one that can be rectified and potentially forgiven. But to conspire with my adversaries? That is treachery beyond forgiveness, meriting the most excruciating of punishments.'
In his heart, Vesuvius knew the betrayal was absolute, yet the specifics eluded him. Despite this, he was resolute in his decision that peace would be a stranger to those who had turned their backs on him.
Understanding that a direct assault by his mortal armies or sending draconic races back to Lorenia would only lead to unnecessary losses, Vesuvius opted for a more strategic approach. With a sense of cold determination, he accessed the system interface, his disappointment palpable yet his resolve unwavering.
Ding!
//
You have created a new faction bounty mission: Hunt!
Objectives: Hunt down all the traitors!
Rewards: Based upon the levels, equipment, and abilities of the individual traitors.
Quest titles:
All players who decide to participate in the hunt will gain a special title:
[Inquisitor Hunter]:
+10% damage against wanted criminals of the faction (works only on those that were once part of the faction)
+10% defense against damage from the wanted criminals of the faction (works only on those that were once part of the faction)
//
'Let the players solve the mess they have caused.'
As Vesuvius's gaze returned to the horizon, he noticed the fiery dragon turning towards him. The younger dragon's eyes sparkled with a mixture of triumph and satisfaction, reflecting the flames that danced around its form.
Vesuvius exhaled a deep sigh, a mix of resignation and understanding tempering his initial frustration. He recognized the impulsiveness of youth in the actions of the fiery dragon, a mirror of his own past recklessness
At that moment, Vesuvius acknowledged the futility of harboring anger toward the younger dragon.
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