Chapter 453: The Soul-Devouring Dragon
"T-that..."
"Mighty dragon, can you let me go now?"
The fire elemental noble asked humbly, his crimson face showing a smile more pitiful than tears.
After witnessing that terrifying scene, he only wanted to leave this place as quickly as possible, to escape this extremely fearsome dragon and avoid any further involvement.
"Of course."
Cassius replied calmly.
The red dragon loosened his giant claw, releasing the trapped fire elemental noble.
"Thank you for your mercy."
"G-goodbye, mighty dragon."
Hamid sighed with relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
The fire elemental noble frantically flew through the air, sparks trailing from his lower body.
"By the Great Flame Lord."
"I'll never return to this cursed City of Iron again. A dragon this terrifying actually exists here..."
Hamid muttered to himself, his face filled with gratitude for narrowly escaping death.
"Whoosh—"
A scorching wind roared past.
An ominous feeling suddenly arose within Hamid, and he stiffly turned his head.
"N-no way..."
He saw the massive red dragon flapping his wings, closing the distance within a few breaths. He could even feel the sulfur-laden breath.
"I've forgiven your first crime—hunting my followers."
"But a crime is a crime, and now it's time to address your second offense: insulting me to my face."
The red dragon swung his claw mid-air, and a shimmering force field once again imprisoned the despairing fire elemental.
This was just an experiment by Cassius.
In his past life, players had discussed on forums the possibility of trapping and releasing a fire elemental repeatedly—could it result in unlimited wishes?
"But... can you give me a second wish as compensation?"
Damn it!
Greedy reptile!
Hamid roared internally, his fury surging, but there was nothing he could do.
He couldn't even struggle, let alone resist.
The fire elemental noble, who usually burned, pillaged, and killed at will, destroying entire villages on a whim, was now tasting the bitterness of being a victim.
Even though he had mentally cursed the red dragon a thousand times over, Hamid still forced himself to lift his head and plead, "Mighty dragon, please spare me!"
"I have no intention of deceiving you. The Wish Spell is extremely precious to us genies—I can only cast it once every few years."
So, no chance to exploit a bug.
I should've tried, "Give me three more wishes." Even if it failed, it would've been a fun experiment.
Cassius shook his head and sighed.
"Sigh, you refuse to compensate me and still want to live. You're putting me in a difficult position."
"Mighty dragon, I can give you all my wealth, everything in the city—"
The fire elemental shouted anxiously.
But Cassius ignored him and continued speaking.
"Fine, I'll lower my standards and grant you a wish you can fulfill right now."
"What wish?"
"I want a fire elemental noble's elemental core."
"That's not—"
Hamid's face contorted with anger and fear. He managed to shout one last line before being consumed by dragonfire.
The raging tongues of flame engulfed his body, disintegrating his outer shell and leaving behind only a flickering elemental core resembling a dancing flame.
It contained not only pure fire elemental energy but also the essential power of the inner plane.
The Emir of the City of Iron, the noble fire elemental Malik—Hamid Abdul—was no more.
His soul might have returned to the embrace of the Flame Lord, but his body had undoubtedly become part of the red dragon's feast.
"Roar—"
Cassius raised his head high and let out a long, resounding roar.
He felt the immense energy coursing through him and unleashed scorching flames, declaring his arrival to the entire Fire Elemental Plane.
"By the Great Flame Lord—"
"He really did it..."
"He—he devoured an Emir!"
"By the Great Flame Lord, Lord Hamid was like a lamb to the slaughter!"
"That's no ordinary dragon. He devoured a fire elemental noble—he's the Soul-Devouring Dragon!"
From the magma streams, fire dwarves in caves, and the remnants of the City of Iron, fire elementals gazed up at the colossal red dragon and cried out in shock.
The death of an Emir was a significant event but not enough to cause a sensation.
But a fearsome dragon from the Material Plane that easily crushed and devoured a fire elemental noble? That was a rarity.
News of this event spread rapidly across the Burning Wasteland.
Within a few days, the locals were telling the tale:
A red dragon, larger than an ancient dragon, had descended upon the City of Iron.
He destroyed more than half the city, killed over a hundred fire elementals, and devoured a noble Emir.
The title of "Soul-Devouring Dragon" quickly spread, becoming a nightmare for the local fire elementals.
However, few residents knew the origin of this red dragon, leading to rampant speculation.
Some said he was an emperor from the Material Plane, others claimed he was a descendant of Tiamat, and some believed he was an ally summoned by the fire dwarves.
Scorched Plains, Brass Fortress.
"Has he arrived yet?"
"Don't be afraid."
"Everyone, be patient. He has accepted the invitation."
Inside the elegantly crafted brass palace, fire dwarves gathered nervously, their expressions solemn.
The table was laden with fine wines, delicacies, and piles of glittering gold and jewels, clearly prepared for a grand feast.
But despite the tempting fare, no one dared touch it. The invited imperial officers and soldiers stood silently.
"Apologies."
A magnetic voice echoed.
The fire dwarves, officers, and soldiers immediately turned toward the entrance.
Cassius, in human form, appeared at the palace doors, a polite smile on his handsome face.
"I had some matters to attend to. Thank you all for waiting."
"Long live His Majesty Cassius!"
"Invincible in battle!"
"The great red dragon who devours genies!"
The gathered officers and soldiers cheered fanatically, creating waves of enthusiasm.
Shalin, flanked by fire dwarves, stepped forward respectfully and said:
"Your Majesty Cassius, congratulations on another great victory. The entire Burning Wasteland witnessed your power."
Cassius nodded in acknowledgment and said calmly, "Thank you for your kind invitation, Lord Shalin."
"Your Majesty, please, come inside. We've prepared the finest wines and delicacies for you."
Shalin bowed slightly and escorted the human-shaped dragon into the palace.
Deep within his eyes lay unprecedented tension and gravity—this feast might determine the fate of the Brass Fortress and the thousands of fire dwarves under his command.