"He returned with three odd, tall figures who looked like envoys, each from a different race. Master, these individuals have zero manners. They couldn't care less that I'm the ruler of this city."
The devil felt disrespected. His genuine goal was to be a good leader and transform the City of Freedom into the utopia he'd imagined. He had already designed the layout of the city, from the locations for taverns and casinos to even brothels.
Full of optimism and good intentions, he welcomed the first group of visitors that Kambi had brought in. However, he was deeply disappointed.
"Master, these people are downright rude. They demanded we hand over the City of Freedom and exit the tundra, or else they'll kill us. They have zero regard for your authority!" The devil was deeply offended and insulted. "Had I not been worried about messing up your plans, I would've already taken their lives!"
"Do they have any individuals of transcendent power among them?"
Adam was only somewhat convinced by the devil's claims. While the lack of respect was likely accurate, the devil certainly didn't possess the strength to kill them.
The devil was unphased by his claim being questioned. He quickly said, "There are no transcendent beings, but the ones who arrived are quite powerful. They are significantly stronger than that ineffective Kambi. Almost equal to this dragonkin you've upgraded."
Adam considered this. Anyone who could endure the harsh conditions of the tundra should not be underestimated. Rice, the dragonkin, was no lesser than Kambi initially. If not for environmental challenges like blizzards and Snow Worms weakening him, capturing Rice would not have been a straightforward task. Now empowered with pure dragon blood, Rice had reached the pinnacle of power among the mundane races of this Plane. The ice-dwelling races that could match Dragonkin Rice must be remarkable.
"Where are they? Never mind, let's go check it out ourselves."
...
Kambi was devastated.
Being just a forest elf, he found it difficult to survive in the ice plain, much less carry out solo missions amid the snowstorms. However, to avoid being forsaken by Adam and to acquire more influence and power, he had no choice but to tough it out and follow commands.
He was adamant that he had approached the tundra tribes with good intentions. Though he may have initially been a bit overconfident, he quickly humbled himself after recognizing their individual abilities.
But these cursed barbarians, these vile blood-drinkers, not only locked him up but even intended to make a meal of him. If not for his mention of the City of Freedom and Chris Frost, he'd already be lying beneath the snow, decomposing.
"When's that young dragon getting back? If you dare to trick me, a Frost Giant, I'll rip you to pieces and have you for dinner!" A being from the giant race was sitting on the ground. It salivated icy drool as it eyed the Snow Worm caught in the magical array, and simultaneously made threats toward Kambi.
"You've got it right; both you and that hybrid dragon-man, these magical creatures, and the Snow Worm, you're all destined for doom," chimed in a four-legged creature with white fur, scratching the earth with its razor-sharp claws.
"He'll return shortly, and you'll regret this!" Kambi retorted, filled with pent-up anger.
Abruptly, a resounding thud sounded next to him as a gigantic mace crashed into the ground near him. "Whether or not he returns, your fates are sealed. We let you live solely so as not to frighten away that measly dragon. I've never sampled dragon meat before. And you dare to enslave our dimwitted yet related yetis? Your death is a guarantee," stated a Snowman, who looked even larger and more intelligent than the untamed Snow Beasts that Adam had previously captured.
Kambi trembled violently.
"Are you spokespeople for the races of the ice plain?"
Just as Kambi was paralyzed by dread, a divine-sounding voice reverberated in his ears. With tears in his eyes, he exclaimed, "Master, you've finally come back!"
The Frost Giant, werewolf, and yetis all stood up, snatched Kambi, and casually tossed him aside. They scrutinized Adam from head to toe, then burst out laughing. "A dragon less than five meters long, hahaha."
"Skin so soft and tender, it looks delectable."
"Excellent. After feasting on you, we'll adorn our walls with your bones. What's the name of this city again? Too hard to remember. From now on, it'll be Tundra City."
Internally, Adam sighed at the sight of the rowdy trio before him. Peaceful negotiations appeared unattainable. Even if he bested them and let them go, their blatant greed would persist, and the City of Freedom would remain under threat. Given this, it was time to initiate Plan B: trafficking humans.
With this thought, Adam queried Kambi, "Did you document the locations and populations of their tribes?"
Kambi hesitated, uncertain of the reason behind Adam's question, but responded, "I only know the whereabouts of the werewolves's tribe; the other two showed up uninvited."
Adam nodded, acknowledging, "That's enough."
Gently stepping on a floor tile, he allowed the city's magical array to channel its energy into him. His dragon power unfolded, surrounding the three unusual beings in front of him. Adam had no further tolerance for additional dialogue and took prompt action.
In an instant, the trio of bizarre creatures went from shocked to enraged. They hadn't anticipated such boldness from a young dragon. The Frost Giant's body underwent a transformation, hardening as elemental power wrapped around him like a suit of unbreakable armor. The werewolf unleashed a drawn-out howl and shifted shape, now standing upright on two legs; his claws generated icy, razor-sharp blades as he swung them through the air. The Snowman let out a roar, his bulging muscles expanding to even cover his head, as he lifted his enormous mace and charged straight at Adam to counter his assault.
However, before they could fully express their fury, they found themselves ensnared by rising ice elements emerging from the ground they stood on. Adam then let out a burst of dragon breath, causing these ice elements to fuse into a five-meter-tall elemental dragon, which promptly detonated.
***Boom! Boom! Boom!***
Seconds later, with a series of deafening explosions, the three creatures were catapulted into the sky. A torrent of weapons followed them, raining down without mercy. Within the sphere of Adam's dragon power, a fierce blizzard commenced, containing hidden electrical elements. A simplified variant of the Silencing Storm engulfed the three beings.
The devil spoke, tinged with a note of caution, "Careful, Master, please be careful. Don't damage the city; I have plans to construct an arena right there!"
The three monstrous beings were mighty but naive. Numerous magical arrays had already been laid out within the City of Freedom, enabling Adam to magnify his natural strength several times over. These three, none of whom had reached a transcendent level of power, were defenseless and left critically debilitated following the onslaught of magical attacks.
As Kambi looked on, disbelieving what he was witnessing, the devil eagerly sprinted over to the incapacitated creatures. He drove his fingers into each of their skulls, one after another. But with every creature he touched, his facial expression grew graver. After rising from beside the Snowman, he faced Adam with a downcast look and declared, "Master, they are all dead."
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