Within the lair, several figures flickered in and out of view beneath the glow of magical lamps.
[Create Greater Item]
A pitch-black chair slowly emerged from a magic circle. Its armrests and back were carved with fierce dragon heads that gave it an imposing presence.
Leaning back in the chair, Naohara gently swirled the wine in his glass. Crimson Dragon Blood sloshed softly inside.
"So… this was all part of the plan?"
Naohara glanced at the bag tossed in the corner, which was giving off a strong aroma of food, along with the bottles of alcohol nearby. For a moment, he was at a loss for words.
If he remembered correctly, that stuff was extremely high-grade pet food.
In the game, it granted pets a massive amount of experience and even slightly increased their Constitution and Strength. It was incredibly rare.
Even in Nazarick, which could produce many resources on its own, the supply of this item never met the demand.
And earlier, these guys had mentioned wanting to "have some fun."
"Of course it was!"
"King, you know me. This was undoubtedly all part of the plan. We have always been working hard in accordance with your will."
The dragons below exchanged glances before the Brightness Dragon Lord finally stepped forward.
His dragon face was filled with sincerity.
As a True Dragon Lord who had lived for hundreds of years, he certainly wouldn't reveal any flaws just because he felt guilty.
"Fine. If that's what you say, then we'll treat it as part of the plan."
"So, what was the outcome?"
Naohara took a sip of wine and didn't pursue the matter any further.
After all, everyone had their own private life. That went double for a True Dragon Lord.
As long as things didn't get too outrageous, he had no intention of interfering.
"Rest assured, my king. Under our guidance, that vampire has already deeply realized his mistakes and chosen to abandon darkness for the light."
The Brightness Dragon Lord's eyes shifted slightly as he answered without hesitation.
There was some exaggeration in his words, but after all these days, their efforts hadn't been fruitless.
The dragons all turned their gaze toward the back, where the Vampiric Dragon Lord had curled up his body and was quietly eavesdropping.
Sensing their stares, especially the meaningful look from the Brightness Dragon Lord, the Vampiric Dragon Lord couldn't help but twitch at the corner of his mouth.
Well… what was coming would come eventually.
Thinking back on his life during this period, the Vampiric Dragon Lord hesitated.
Aside from losing his freedom, these past days had actually been quite comfortable.
At the beginning, he had been filled with resentment.
After all, the Brightness Dragon Lord and the Heavenly Dragon Lord had sided with the Players, betraying the honor of the True Dragon Lords and leading to his current situation.
But when he saw the Platinum Dragon Lord turned into a Dragon Staff, the Vampiric Dragon Lord felt a chill run down his spine. Compared to that, this place suddenly didn't seem so bad.
Especially after learning that the Brightness Dragon Lord had once gone through the same experience as him, the Vampiric Dragon Lord felt much more balanced.
Yes. The two of them had already seen through life and death.
After hesitating for a moment, the Vampiric Dragon Lord finally let out a sigh and looked toward Naohara in the distance.
"…My King."
The Vampiric Dragon Lord slowly lowered his head, taking on a posture of submission.
After all, he had long since lost any room to choose. There was no way the other party would simply let him go. Submission was his only option.
Among dragons, strength ruled above all. At the very least, the opponent had defeated him through pure strength.
With the Brightness Dragon Lord and the Heavenly Dragon Lord already submitting beforehand, the Vampiric Dragon Lord didn't feel as resistant anymore.
Besides, looking at it positively, at least he could live peacefully from now on without worries.
Thinking this, the Vampiric Dragon Lord actually felt relieved.
Seeing this, the other Dragon Lords also relaxed.
Nearby, the Heavenly Dragon Lord, who had been slacking off the whole time, shook his head and glanced at the Brightness Dragon Lord beside him.
This strangely familiar sense of déjà vu.
"Very well. Then Brightness, I'll leave this fellow to you. I hope to hear good news soon."
Naohara nodded in satisfaction and looked toward the Brightness Dragon Lord as he gave the order.
With the Vampiric Dragon Lord, another undead, assisting them, teaching Momonga Wild Magic should become much easier.
"We will devote everything to fulfilling your will," the dragons replied respectfully.
"Good. Then I won't disturb you any longer."
Naohara raised a finger. A drop of dark crimson blood fell from it and slowly drifted toward the Vampiric Dragon Lord.
It was a reward for him. After all, that guy seemed quite fond of blood.
Dragon Blood from a World Boss. He should like it.
Ignoring the Vampiric Dragon Lord, who was practically beside himself with excitement, Naohara turned around. Before leaving, he cast a glance at the nearly invisible presence of the Platinum Dragon Lord.
Heavy iron chains bound the Platinum Dragon Lord's body. Aura and Mare stood nearby, repeatedly cutting away materials from him with swift, practiced motions.
Dragon bone. Dragon Blood. Dragon marrow. Even dragon brain.
Piece by piece, everything was being harvested.
At the same time, a liquid rich with life energy continuously dripped over his body, healing the Platinum Dragon Lord's wounds.
It kept him from dying, ensuring a sustainable supply of "ingredients."
It was said the Platinum Dragon Lord had once tried to kill himself.
But he failed.
The other dragons watching the scene felt complicated emotions.
The Diamond Dragon Lord felt it most strongly. After all, he had once served under the Platinum Dragon Lord and worked alongside him for hundreds of years.
As for the Wyrm Dragon Lord, the White Dragon Lord, and the Ancient Fire Dragon, they showed almost no reaction. At most, they silently mourned him for a few seconds.
Soon after, they cheerfully began discussing going to find Aura and asking for a few pieces of dragon meat to try.
What use is a True Dragon Lord?
So what if he can use Wild Magic?
If you dare defy our King, this is the fate that awaits you.
"Platinum Dragon Lord: Tsaindorcus Vaision. I must congratulate you."
Walking up to the Platinum Dragon Lord, Naohara reached out and dipped a finger into some dragon brain matter.
"Hm?"
Sensing a familiar presence, the Platinum Dragon Lord stirred from his numb, withdrawn state. He lifted his head, revealing the hollow socket where Aura had just removed his eye.
Looking at the unyielding Platinum Dragon Lord, Naohara smiled.
"Did you know? Your child is about to be born."
The moment the words left his mouth, Naohara vanished in an instant, leaving the area immediately.
The Platinum Dragon Lord froze for a moment.
Then he suddenly began struggling violently.
A faint light flashed across the chains as they continuously suppressed him. Even as pain wracked his body, the Platinum Dragon Lord refused to stop.
"…My… child…"
He opened his toothless dragon mouth and spoke in a hoarse voice.
His hollow gaze turned toward the Brightness Dragon Lord and the Heavenly Dragon Lord nearby. A faint trace of pleading appeared on his face.
"Platinum…"
Seeing the once majestic son of the Dragon Emperor reduced to such a state, the Brightness Dragon Lord and the Heavenly Dragon Lord could not help but sigh.
Why go this far?
All he had to do was yield. All he had to do was surrender.
Though they could not understand the Platinum Dragon Lord's stubborn resolve, they were still fellow True Dragon Lords. The two of them gave a slight nod.
They would do their best to look after the Platinum Dragon Lord's offspring.
It was the only thing they could do.