Chapter 69: A Legend in the Making

Dusk chased the withered yellow pine needles and fell on the smoke-filled town. Birds with shiny black feathers lined up on the orange roofs, watching the adventurers returning from the maze and walking towards the market.

As usual, the "Silver Pine Trail" was still packed, and the sound of wind chimes at the door had never stopped since the sun went down.

And what’s different from yesterday is that there was a rare bard in the tavern today.

That was the tavern owner's idea.

He found that when people had stories to listen to while drinking, sales of beer and sausages would increase significantly compared to usual times.

Since the story told by an illiterate old farmer could stir up the atmosphere so much, wouldn't it be possible to sell out all the sobering horse urine if a professional came? For this purpose, he specially invited the Tulip Band, which had celebrated the birthday of Grand Duke Campbell.

Those professionals held harps, set up drums, and played brisk bagpipes, and sang the legendary story of the seventh Grand Duke of the Campbell family with passionate voices, even infusing the melodious melody with magical power.

But I don't know why.

Although people were clapping and whistling, the sales of beer just didn't increase.

As the number of guests in the tavern increased, the bards were soon left aside. Only the poor people in the town who could not afford to drink seemed to be interested, but their so-called interest was mostly focused on the pretty female bagpiper.

However, these local poor guys don't spend any money at all. They even bring their own pine nuts. It's really infuriating.

Looking at those hard-working bards, the tavern owner felt sorry for them and his own wallet at the same time.

After the song was over, he pulled the leader of the band aside and spoke in a tactful manner.

"Do you have any other stories?"

The bard gave the tavern owner a disapproving look.

"Are you questioning my professional ability?"

He could see that the guests were bored, but he didn't think it was his fault, but because these country bumpkins couldn't appreciate it!

To be honest, if the boss hadn't offered him a price he couldn't refuse, he wouldn't have come to this remote place to perform, and stayed for three days! "No, no, Mr. Andy, I don't mean that! Of course you are the most professional..."

The boss who had already paid the money didn't dare to offend this guy and could only coax him with a helpless smile.

"…It's just that, I mean, the people here grew up hearing stories about Grand Duke Campbell, and they already know how great and amazing that man was, so maybe you could try a story they haven't heard of."

"Well, then I'll try the story of 'Emperor William defeating the Isaac cult'. You haven't heard this story since childhood, have you?" The bard named Andy said viciously, venting his anger on the tavern owner.

"no problem……"

Although it’s still the same three things, this time it seems a little different from usual.

The tavern owner finally breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time he hated the guy who suggested to him to invite the Tulip Band.

What a waste of money!

Abel, who was sitting at the bar, was still waiting for someone to buy him a drink, but unfortunately he was not the protagonist today, and he did not wait for those good people from the militia.

At this time, a man with a big sword on his back walked in from outside, went straight to the bar and ordered a large beer.

Someone noticed the familiar face, whistled and smiled.

"Hey, Barnett, you left, didn't you? Why are you back?"

Another adventurer continued with a smile.

"I remember you said yesterday that you were tired of dealing with the Lizardmen and wanted to go to the eastern desert to find a maze that is truly worth exploring!"

He first took a sip of fragrant beer to calm himself, then wiped the beer foam from his mouth before speaking.

"I'm not going to leave!"

The adventurer smiled again.

"I'm afraid you're seasick."

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Everyone burst into laughter.

You can see they are bored to death.

Ignoring these guys, Barnett took another big gulp of beer, slammed his arm on the table, and spoke excitedly under the influence of alcohol.

"You guys don't understand anything!"

Another adventurer whistled.

"Then why don't you tell me what made you change your mind?"

"Dragon!" Barnett said boldly, "This morning! I saw a dragon in the southwest of Silverpine Forest!"

The pub was quiet for a while.

Even Andy, who was singing the model poem, couldn't help but stop his drawn-out tone and looked at the man carrying a greatsword.

However, this quiet atmosphere did not last long. A light laugh broke the silence, and soon a wave of laughter drowned him.

Someone even laughed so hard that he pounded the table, knocked over his beer, and accidentally slapped the middle-aged waitress on the butt.

"A dragon?"

"Ha ha ha ha!"

“Are you serious?!”

"I've lived here for more than ten years, and this is the first time I've heard of a giant dragon in Thunder County south of Rockshatter Peak."

"Very good, very good. First a lich appeared in the small town of Silverpine, and then a giant dragon was discovered. I guess someone will have to fight the devil next time."

"At least he didn't lose his great sword like the guy who lost his shoe."

Old Abel looked confused.

What does this have to do with him... How can someone get shot while cracking pine nuts?! Barnett was furious, slammed the table, stood up, and stepped on the bar stool.

"What are you laughing at! Do I look like I'm kidding?"

The adventurer with the slap mark on his face raised his head and said with a playful smile.

"Then tell me what happened at that time."

"That's right. Tell me about it. I'm quite curious about what a dragon looks like."

The people around also started to make a fuss.

There was an intention of showing off in the first place, and Barnett could not resist the urging of the crowd, and reluctantly told the story of his legendary experience.

"My friends and I had just come out of the maze when we heard a loud noise from the north. We found a hill with a wide view and climbed up... Then guess what I saw? A giant dragon! A real giant dragon!"

"That creature must be 20 to 30 meters tall... maybe 30 to 40 meters, anyway, its head was above the tops of the pine trees! Its wings were like windmill blades! I don't know which unlucky guy angered it, it was breathing fire from its mouth, and its tail was lashing everywhere, blowing several pine trees away!"

Everyone listened attentively.

What this guy said seemed to have some meaning, and it didn't seem like it was made up on the spot.

After Barnett finished speaking, an adventurer asked a question.

"So you're pretty far away?"

"It's not that far... about 500 to 600 meters. A spark almost burned my hair." After taking a sip of beer, Barnett blushed and lied, and quickly revealed it, "That's not the point! Oh, by the way! I also saw a person on its back! That guy is what I want to talk about!"

Everyone exclaimed in surprise.

"people?!"

"On the back of a dragon?!"

"Could it be the Dragon Rider?!"

Andy, who was eavesdropping, also opened his mouth wide and didn't even notice that his drummer, pianist and bagpiper had stopped playing.

Barnett closed his eyes tightly, frowned, and seemed to be seriously recalling the situation at that time. Finally, he spoke in a certain tone.

"No... no, that guy was riding a big spider, and he seemed to be fighting a dragon! Rather than a dragon rider... it's better to say he was a legendary dragon hunter! He grabbed the dragon's neck and fought with it for a long time. In short, the fight was so intense that the sky and the earth turned dark... and then the dragon seemed to be subdued by him."

There seemed to be another person at the scene, but he was not seen clearly, he just flashed by, and even his companions had no impression of him.

But that's not the point.

The key point is that he actually saw the guy riding the spider, and it seemed to be the legendary man.

reason?

No reason.

There are no wild strong people in this world. They are either nobles chosen by the Emperor, or chosen by Saint Sith.

Anyway, he didn't believe that there was a dragon hunter among the drunkards present, and Grand Duke Campbell's mount was not a spider from the mountains.

Considering his youthful appearance and divinely-blessed skills, the only person who could match this figure in the legends of this area seemed to be the guy called the "Flame King".

Born in a place where magma is erupting, it is reasonable that it is immune to the damage of dragon's breath.

Moreover, the priests of Silver Pine Town all said that it was true. Even if this legend did not belong to the Flame King, it could only be attributed to him.

After listening to the man's story, everyone was shocked by this legendary experience.

"Subdued the dragon..."

"How powerful is this?!"

"Diamond? No... maybe it's the same as Grand Duke Campbell's!"

Barnett shook his head with a complicated expression, took a sip of the beer ordered by everyone, moistened his throat and continued.

"I don't know. Anyway, that guy was so strong that he seemed to have knocked the dragon unconscious with just one slap or something... Honestly, my legs went weak when I saw a dragon, let alone charging at it. I don't know how he mustered up the courage."

The adventurer sitting next to him whispered.

"Perhaps he has seen many more terrifying monsters in the Wanren Mountains."

"Maybe. So I think he must be the Fire King," Barnett paused and continued with regret, "It's a pity that the fire was too big. There was thick smoke and burnt trees everywhere... Then it started to rain, and the mountains and forests were full of fog. That's all I could see."

"When we crossed the river and got close to see what was going on, a group of militiamen from the town had already taken over the place. To avoid trouble, we didn't go any further... By the way, if you don't believe me, just ask someone from the Sheriff's Office."

The firm tone left no room for doubt.

Everyone was whispering to each other, but they were still surprised by some details.

"Why would anyone use a spider as a mount?"

"There are many insect monsters in the Wanren Mountains and the maze... Maybe they live in the mountains?"

"There is nothing in this world that cannot be touched by the Holy Light, whether it is human or monster."

The latest novel is published first on Liu9shuba!

“…”

Listening to the discussions of the crowd, Barnett couldn't help but feel a little proud.

Although it is true that his story was diluted, it is true that he gave up the idea of ​​leaving here.

Why did a dragon suddenly descend upon Silverpine Forest?

Why did the Adventurer's Guild suddenly raise the weight level of Silver Pine Town's commissions?

Some people also say...the devil is back.

Grand Duke Campbell is ill, and a new Chosen One of Gods has appeared on the border of Thunder County... His name is King Flame.

He had a feeling that something big was going to happen here soon!

As the saying goes, the bigger the storm, the more expensive the fish. If he doesn't join in the fun, he will probably regret it for the rest of his life!

At this time, the bard in the tavern suddenly walked up to him, stared into his eyes and said.

"Friend, can you tell me the story of that dragon... and the Fire King?"

Praise Saint Sis! He never expected that this unremarkable town could bring him such a surprise! He was now full of creative inspiration, and he wanted to immediately dig out all the stories told by the adventurer in front of him and write them into his own poem.

He believed it! That must be more interesting than the story of Grand Duke Campbell! "Wait! That's mine!"

Before Barnett could speak, old Abel, who was sitting at the bar, quickly threw away the pine nuts in his hand and jumped off the bar stool yelling.

"Hey! If you want to know the story of the Flame King, why not come to me? I'm the one who knows that guy best besides Father Matt!"

The bard Andy looked at him blankly.

"...Father Matt?"

Old Abel smiled triumphantly and touched the stone cross on his chest.

"It's the priest of the church in town... Old Abel happens to be free now. If you are interested, buy me a drink and I can tell you more about it!"

…

Deep in the first floor of the maze, in the lair of the earth dragon clan, dozens of corridors converge into a wide corridor with dense metal pipes crisscrossing here.

This is the place of prayer for the earth dragons, and also the incubation pool for the birth of lizardman cubs.

From here you can go directly to Sanu's palace, the nesting area where the tribe lives, the warehouses for storing equipment and supplies, and the cells where prisoners are held.

Deep in the cell, Missy unexpectedly found an acquaintance.

"Yusi?! How did you become like this?"

Looking at Yusi huddled in the corner, Missy widened her eyes in surprise, quickly cast a spell to break the bars of the cell, flew in and picked up the dying Yusi.

That unruly face was covered in bruises and swellings, one eye was larger than the other, and it looked tattered, as if it had been beaten up.

Seeing the familiar face in front of him, Yousi was stunned at first, then he sobbed softly, and finally burst into tears.

“M…M…Waaaaa…”

Instead of laughing at her this time, Missy patted her shoulder comfortingly and untied the magic-suppressing collar locked around her neck.

"Don't cry, don't cry, baby, it's okay now..."

A few minutes ago, Luo Yan took over this place with his younger brothers including Alaquedo, and more than fifty Black Iron-level players who came to join in the fun.

Looking at the broken Dragon Fang Spear in the Demon King's hand, the Lizardmen gave up resistance, prostrated themselves on the ground, and begged for forgiveness.

It is impossible to forgive.

Although Luo Yan is a kind-hearted person, the Demon King's majesty does not allow him to give in.

If you want to blame someone, just blame yourself for being born in hell and not being reincarnated into the devil.

"You betrayed the labyrinth and the oath you made to the Demon God. In order to fight against me, you even poured disaster into the labyrinth..."

Looking at the shivering lizardmen, Luo Yan, who was sitting on Arakdo's back, continued in a majestic voice.

"According to the laws of hell, I should have chopped you off right here, but considering that the culprit has already been killed by me, and you surrendered in time, I can spare your life."

"But as punishment you will be reduced to slavery, paying for your sins with hard labor until the death of one generation."

"...From now on, the Earth Dragon Clan will no longer exist. The Palace Guard Clan is your new name. I hope you will cherish it."

The older lizard man crawled on the ground and spoke tremblingly.

"Thank you for your forgiveness, Lord Demon. We will reform and atone for our sins..."

No one resisted.

The victor takes all, and not being transformed into undead is the most merciful outcome for them.

At least the 4,000 or so people who were still alive were able to escape death, and at least the Demon King had spared their children's children...

The surrender ceremony is over.

Luo Yan personally burned the totems carved with images of the Dragon God, and then ordered the group of lizardmen to carve a new one in his own image as a statue of the conqueror, and at the same time to consolidate the faith of the defeated people.

The loot provided by the Gecko Clan is not much, mainly some equipment for adventurers.

Luo Yan originally wanted to ask where the adventurers' money had gone, but unexpectedly, several lizardman elders said that they had not taken any money at all.

"We usually only take weapons and armor, and leave everything else to the deceased... After all, we have no use for human coins."

"We need to change this wasteful habit. What if we need it someday?" Luo Yan criticized several lizardman elders and continued, "Next time you catch adventurers, don't eat them. Strip them of their equipment, leaving only their clothes, and then throw them into the dungeon."

The lizardman elder was stunned.

"Then what?"

Luo Yan thought for a moment and said.

"Then gather a certain number and send them to me. I will give you rewards based on the number of people."

There is really no point in letting the Lizardmen keep the captives, but it would be a pity to eat them directly. It would be better to brand them with the mark of the Demon Lord, which would at least contribute some faith points.

After giving these instructions, Luo Yan used necromancy and magic potions to repair Octo's body, and transformed him and Zerrick from zombie puppets into wights.

Due to the severance of their connection with themselves, their strength will be greatly weakened, just like Father Matt who was also transformed into a ghoul.

However, the soul levels of these two brothers are not low, one is gold and the other is bronze. It is only a matter of time before they can train back the lost levels.

In contrast, they will inherit the "memories after becoming zombies" while gaining further mental and self-awareness, as well as higher growth potential.

After all, zombies that lack self-awareness can never defeat corpse ghosts of the same level.

Looking at the two children crawling in front of him, Luo Yan spoke slowly in a majestic tone.

"Zerik, from today on you are the high priest of the Gecko Clan, responsible for preaching and selecting and training Gecko monks who are loyal to me from newborns. The monks who serve in the Great Necropolis do not have to be slaves, but will have the same equal status as other people in the Great Necropolis. You must carefully select those who are truly loyal to the Great Necropolis."

"In addition, you will be responsible for supervising the daily activities of the chief of the Gecko Clan and these former traitors, including urging them to continue breeding slimes and other monsters and crops, and ensuring that they can pay tribute of 500 lizard eggs and 500 tails to the cemetery every month."

"If they have second thoughts, tell me immediately."

Unlike Imps, Lizardmen's eggs and tails are edible, and they are very common in Hell as a substitute for eggs and chicken.

It's not just the demons in hell that eat it, the lizardmen themselves occasionally satisfy their craving for it.

However, Luo Yan wanted these guys' eggs not only for eating, but more for preparing new bodies for the players.

These are the materials needed for the ceremony.

Zerik nodded in acceptance.

"Yes, sir!"

Luo Yan continued to look at Octo.

"Octo, from today on you are the governor of the first level of the maze, responsible for managing the Shadow Weaver Nest and the Gecko Clan."

Octo nodded respectfully.

"Yes! Lord Demon."

(End of this chapter)