Across the boundless plain, a gentle breeze swept through the waist-high weeds, making them rustle softly.
A wolf-like beast lay hidden among the grass. It was considerably larger than an ordinary wolf, and its eyes gleamed with cunning.
It was a magic wolf, a magical beast born when an ordinary wolf absorbed magical power and evolved.
Ordinary wolves could only reach around Level 4, while magic wolves surpassed that limit. Their attacks primarily consisted of crude, magic-enhanced claw strikes and bites.
It lay cautiously in the grass, vigilantly scanning its surroundings as its fur trembled faintly with each breath.
Its ears stood upright, keenly listening for any sign of danger.
At the slightest disturbance, it would immediately conceal itself and vanish into the dense grass.
Barring any unexpected developments, it would most likely die of old age several decades from now. However, there was also a slim chance that it might evolve again.
It could become an advanced magical beast known as a [Barghest], gaining a certain degree of intelligence and the ability to command a wolf pack.
High above, the Platinum Dragon Lord circled through the sky, his gleaming scales sparkling in the sunlight.
He surveyed the vast plain until his gaze settled on the magic wolf hidden in the grass below.
The strong preyed upon the weak. That was an eternal law.
The Platinum Dragon Lord had always understood this, but his understanding had gone no further than that.
His overwhelming strength had allowed him to remain proud.
His recent experiences, however, had forced him to learn how to lower his head.
The strong reshaped their surroundings, while the weak adapted to them.
The magical beast below was struggling to adapt to its cruel environment in its own way, just as he was now.
[Once one of the strong, now one of the weak...]
The Platinum Dragon Lord gave a self-mocking laugh inwardly. He had never imagined that he would one day become the weaker party.
Not even the Eight Greed Kings had made him feel this way.
After all, their strength had ultimately depended on items and equipment. Those were merely external tools, and they had never truly convinced him of their superiority.
That man was different.
He was a Player, but he was also a dragon, and he had defeated the Platinum Dragon Lord decisively in a head-on confrontation.
"If everything he said is true, then supporting him wholeheartedly may not be a bad choice."
The Platinum Dragon Lord considered the possibility in silence.
Though he had been imprisoned, had his flesh harvested, and had been manipulated at will, his concern for the greater picture meant he would neither bear a grudge nor seek revenge. Instead, he would cooperate willingly.
Besides, he now had another vulnerability that could be used against him.
After a long while, the magic wolf below departed.
In the distant sky, a massive dragon wreathed in Holy Light rapidly approached.
The Platinum Dragon Lord watched the holy dragon draw closer.
Once it arrived, it transformed into a man dressed in white robes.
"Long time no see, Boss! I knew you'd be all right."
The man, the Radiant Dragon Lord, spoke excitedly.
"There were some unexpected complications. What happened with the items I mentioned over Message? And while I was gone, were those strongholds safe?"
The Platinum Dragon Lord nodded and began asking questions.
The Radiant Dragon Lord was one of the Dragon Lords he trusted most.
He had trained in advanced Paladin classes, possessed the special class [Platinum Paladin], and had mastered high-tier Tier Magic.
His Ancient Dragon racial levels qualified him to bear the title of Dragon Lord. Though he could not use Wild Magic, he was still an exceptionally powerful being.
"I brought all the items with me."
"When I sensed that you had disappeared, Boss, it scared the life out of me. I immediately took the items and went into hiding. I didn't dare show myself again until you contacted me recently."
"The strongholds are still there, but they're in quite a mess. I left behind a huge pile of problems when I fled in such a hurry, and once word of your disappearance spread, the situation only got worse."
As he spoke, the Radiant Dragon Lord handed a bag to the Platinum Dragon Lord and rapidly reported everything he knew.
Despite being a dragon, his personality was more like that of a cheerful and outgoing young man, perhaps because he was a Paladin.
"As long as they're still there, that's enough. I'll handle the rest personally."
The Platinum Dragon Lord's main sphere of influence lay in the distant East, where he had established several strongholds.
Although every stronghold submitted to the Platinum Dragon Lord as their absolute ruler, competition and conflict still existed between them.
His brief absence would not have caused too much trouble, but if he remained away for long, the Radiant Dragon Lord alone could never keep everything under control.
The Platinum Dragon Lord had anticipated that the strongholds would descend into disorder, so he was not surprised.
He accepted the bag and began removing its seals to inspect the contents.
Though the bag appeared small, the space within it was vast. It was a special storage item known as a Dragon's Treasure, created with Wild Magic.
Its interior consisted of two layers, essentially forming a bag within a bag.
The Platinum Dragon Lord had sealed his unique Wild Magic, [Ultimate Explosion], within the outer bag, while the inner bag contained the Wild Magic [World Teleportation].
If anyone other than him opened the bag, both spells would activate instantly.
[Ultimate Explosion] would severely injure the person who opened it, leaving them unable to respond, while [World Teleportation] would take advantage of the opening to transport the inner bag to another of his hidden treasuries.
The Radiant Dragon Lord effectively served as a measure of an enemy's strength.
After all, anyone capable of taking the item from him would almost certainly be either another True Dragon Lord or a Player.
"You've worked hard this entire time."
After confirming that everything was in order, the Platinum Dragon Lord patted the Radiant Dragon Lord with one claw, approval showing on his face.
The Radiant Dragon Lord might not have been the strongest Dragon Lord beneath him, but he was certainly the most loyal. His class, [Platinum Paladin], was proof enough of that.
Otherwise, the Platinum Dragon Lord would never have entrusted him with all his items and the management of his primary forces.
"It was nothing. I just treated it as sleeping somewhere else."
The Radiant Dragon Lord first shook his head casually, but his expression soon grew serious.
"Speaking of which, Boss, is Blue Sky Dragon Lord still alive?"
"I stopped by the former Argland Council State on my way here. It's the Sorcerer Kingdom now, and it has changed far more than I expected."
"Boss, are we really going to side with those filthy... Players?"
The Radiant Dragon Lord did not care much about concepts such as Filth or Players.
His hostility toward them existed entirely because of the Platinum Dragon Lord.
So when he learned through the message that his boss intended to side with the Players they had always considered potential enemies, he had been utterly baffled.
It was like someone suddenly deciding to befriend a person they had always treated as an enemy. The decision made no sense to him.
"Blue Sky Dragon Lord... I'll find a way. For now, he's still alive."
"As for siding with the Players, nothing has been finalized yet. It remains open for discussion."
Unsure how to explain the situation, the Platinum Dragon Lord ultimately gave an ambiguous answer.
Still, Blue Sky Dragon Lord was one of his trusted subordinates, so he would undoubtedly find some way to help him.
As for the Obsidian Dragon Lord, he could only hope for the best.
"You've changed a lot, Boss."
The Radiant Dragon Lord suddenly spoke.
He could sense the change in the Platinum Dragon Lord's personality. Compared to his former severity and authority, he now seemed much gentler.
It reminded him somewhat of the temperament magical beasts displayed while raising their young.
"...I've simply thought some things through."
Was the change really that obvious?
He truly had become sentimental.
"Your next destination is the Sorcerer Kingdom. I've arranged a position for you there. Try to integrate into the country. I'll come find you after some time, and when I do, tell me what you think of it."
The Platinum Dragon Lord shook his head and issued his instructions.
That was assuming the Player had no intention of going back on his word.
According to their previous agreement, the Platinum Dragon Lord would be granted his freedom, allowing him to observe and witness how the world was changing.
He had no intention of judging those changes from a single perspective. Instead, he planned to view them from several different angles.
Sending the Radiant Dragon Lord into the Sorcerer Kingdom was part of that plan.
During the recent celebration, he had heard that the human named Renner had reported that two instructors at the Magic Academy were taking extended leave to spend time alone together. The Radiant Dragon Lord could conveniently fill the vacancy.
Meanwhile, the Platinum Dragon Lord intended to head east first, resolve the problems with his strongholds, and then return to this continent.
"Work in the Sorcerer Kingdom... Uh, all right."
The Radiant Dragon Lord scratched his head. Everything had already been arranged for him, right down to his new job.
Still, work was work no matter where he did it.
His boss had given the order, so as a subordinate, he could only obey.
…
Watching the Radiant Dragon Lord disappear into the distance, the Platinum Dragon Lord withdrew his gaze and looked toward the empty space beside him.
"Brightness Dragon Lord, let's talk about you."
Before he had even finished speaking, an invisible barrier silently spread outward and enclosed the Platinum Dragon Lord.
The Brightness Dragon Lord appeared with a faint smile on his face, though it looked somewhat forced.
"As expected, I still couldn't hide it from you, Tsa."
Although he had prepared himself for this long ago, now that the moment had arrived, he still could not help feeling helpless.
"You have the Eight Greed Kings' Guild Weapon, don't you?"
It was phrased as a question, but his tone left no room for doubt.
The Platinum Dragon Lord studied the Brightness Dragon Lord before him. This fellow was certainly bold, daring to carry out a plan with so many obvious flaws.
"I thought I could keep it under wraps for at least six months. My King really is something else... Sigh. I suppose I tried to be clever and only ended up making things worse for myself."
The Brightness Dragon Lord looked thoroughly dejected.
He had accounted for every possibility except one. He had never expected his King, who apparently had too much free time, to personally handle the task of persuading the Platinum Dragon Lord to surrender.
Tsk. He had originally planned to hide it for half a year before handing it over.
"It's a dangerous thing to hold. If I report this, everything you've done during this period will become meaningless. You might even end up joining Deep Darkness and the other fellow."
That was a threat, right?
It was definitely a threat!
The corner of the Brightness Dragon Lord's mouth twitched as he complained inwardly.
He looked at the Platinum Dragon Lord before him and sighed helplessly, knowing that he had completely lost this time.
He had no choice but to yield. The other party had leverage over him, and if the matter were exposed, he would be in serious trouble.
The Platinum Dragon Lord had not immediately reported him. Although the Brightness Dragon Lord knew the other party must have ulterior motives, he still had to admit that he now owed him an enormous favor.
"Tell me. What do you want me to do?"
"And take this weapon. My King must already be getting impatient."
After saying that, the Brightness Dragon Lord opened his mouth and spat out an exceptionally sharp sword.
He had kept the Eight Greed Kings' Guild Weapon inside the dimensional space within his stomach, constantly surrounding it with Wild Magic to prevent anyone from detecting it.
The arrival of the Platinum Dragon Lord's subordinate with the items had provided the perfect opportunity to bring it out.
Even if someone later asked why he had activated the Wild Magic [World-Isolating Barrier], he could easily invent an excuse.
"You planned this quite thoroughly."
The Platinum Dragon Lord accepted the weapon. The Brightness Dragon Lord's little scheme could not escape his notice.
"My conditions are simple. First, do everything you can to get Blue Sky Dragon Lord out. Second, take good care of that child while I'm away. Third, I haven't decided yet, so I'll reserve it for later."
The Platinum Dragon Lord's tone was calm, yet it carried an invisible pressure.
The Brightness Dragon Lord's heart sank.
Reserve it for later? This bastard intended to hold this over him for the rest of his life!
Tsk. What a greedy fellow!
"Fine. I'll do everything I can."
The Brightness Dragon Lord spoke through clenched teeth.
The Platinum Dragon Lord nodded in satisfaction, then turned his attention to the weapon in his claws.
It was a dazzling sword with a crystalline blade. Its shape did not appear suited for slashing, yet the sharpness of its edge was unparalleled.
"Did you discover anything?"
The Platinum Dragon Lord examined the familiar weapon and lightly flicked the blade, producing a crisp metallic ring.
With a gentle swing, he unleashed a howling gale.
The surrounding air seemed to tear apart, forming ripples visible to the naked eye.
"No. The amount of data within it is overwhelming, and I had far too little time. I made no meaningful progress at all."
The Brightness Dragon Lord shook his head.
If Guild Weapons were so easy to understand, they would not be Guild Weapons.
"We still know far too little about Players, those visitors from another world."
Hearing this, the Platinum Dragon Lord put the weapon away. He had not expected much to begin with.
He had failed to uncover anything after studying it for over a hundred years. There was no chance the Brightness Dragon Lord could accomplish much in such a short time.
"We'll understand them eventually. I have other matters to attend to..."
As the Brightness Dragon Lord spoke, his figure gradually turned translucent before vanishing completely. At the same time, the barrier surrounding them dissolved.
The Platinum Dragon Lord watched him flee without saying anything. He waited a little longer, then took out an item and crushed it.
A pitch-black Gate appeared. After a moment, a transparent figure emerged from it.
"Are you ready to leave?"
Naohara's voice drifted over, dreamlike and ethereal.
[A clone? Magic?... No, pure magical power.]
The Platinum Dragon Lord was briefly taken aback, but quickly recognized the figure's true nature.
The figure before him was not a magical construct. It was an entity composed entirely of pure magical power.
"Are you ready to leave?"
The magical avatar smiled and repeated the question.
"That's right. Let's complete our transaction."
"Your control over magical power is exceptionally strong. Combined with this Wild Magic, I expect you'll be able to take it even further."
The Platinum Dragon Lord gave the figure a searching look as he spoke. He handed over the bag from earlier and the Eight Greed Kings' Guild Weapon, then extracted a portion of his memories and transformed them into a sphere of light.
Those memories contained information about the Primordial Mother, as well as the Wild Magic he had mastered.
[Ultimate Explosion], [Dragon's Wrath], [Split Mind], [Erosion Version 5.0], [Luminous Armor]...
Setting aside the Wild Magic Naohara already possessed, his attention settled on [Split Mind] among the newly acquired spells.
It was also the Wild Magic the Platinum Dragon Lord had mentioned earlier.
[Is this the Wild Magic he used to control the Platinum Armor?]
The magical avatar considered it briefly, then nodded.
"Then our transaction is complete. In return, my true form prepared this gift for you. It may save your life when the time comes."
As soon as he finished speaking, a scale wreathed in black mist shot forward with incredible speed and fused into the Platinum Dragon Lord's chest, leaving behind a strange pattern.
The Platinum Dragon Lord glanced down and frowned slightly, but his expression soon relaxed.
After all, it would have been far stranger if the other party had let him leave without doing anything.
"I may leave now, correct?"
The Platinum Dragon Lord spoke in a low voice.
"Of course. Until we meet again, my friend."
The magical avatar bowed gracefully. By the time he raised his head again, the Platinum Dragon Lord had already disappeared.
[What an impatient fellow.]
The avatar spread his hands helplessly, then transformed into a streak of light along with the items and vanished.
...
On the Fourth Floor of Nazarick, a uniquely designed ski resort stood among the snow-covered mountains.
A streak of light suddenly crossed the sky like a shooting star and merged into Naohara's body, causing him to stop in the middle of skiing.
His attention shifted to the collection of new items inside his inventory.
He took out the Eight Greed Kings' Guild Weapon, equipped it, and examined it closely.
The next moment, the Talent he had obtained from Zesshi Zetsumei activated.
Countless images and fragments of information flooded his mind in an instant. They were the memories carried by the weapon.
"This magic... Heh. So it was the Brightness Dragon Lord..."
Naohara murmured, a sharp gleam flashing through his eyes.
By reading the memories, he effortlessly acquired the magic possessed by the weapon's previous owner.
This made it clear that the weapon had once been closely connected to the Brightness Dragon Lord.
Only prolonged physical contact would allow Naohara to read memories like these.
Just then, someone called out to him.
"Naohara, why did you stop?"
Naohara turned and saw Samirth standing beside him, curiosity showing on his pale face.
Not far away, Momonga and Herohero were also looking in his direction.
"...It's nothing. Let's keep skiing."
After thinking for a moment, Naohara smiled faintly and put the weapon away without mentioning what he had discovered.