【 DO YOU YIELD? 】
After more than a month, Florence welcomed a new guest, throwing the Elven Forest into an uproar once again.
A fully grown red dragon!
News of its arrival quickly spread among both the natives and players. Many newbies were unsure of its significance, but veteran players immediately realized what was about to transpire…
“Haha! A new batch of dragon hatchlings have probably arrived!”
“Finally! It’s been almost two months, hasn’t it?”
“This time, we must secure a pact with any of the dragonlings!”
The older players were thrilled.
“A dragon hatchling? What pact?”
A newbie asked before a helpful veteran player eagerly explained:“It’s a new type of familiars that appeared some time ago which is actually Dragons! Any player who completes a special quest or is chosen by a dragon can form a pact with one. Apparently, the Goddess has made an agreement with the Dragon God, stipulating that the dragons will deliver five dragon eggs to us every month!”
“So that means… only five players get a contract per month?”
The new player asked, eyes wide with curiosity.
“Exactly! The competition’s really tough, but if you get picked, it’ll be a total game-changer since Dragons aren’t just your regular NPCs. Their AI schematics is crazy advanced, plus their strength is off the charts. They can fight way beyond their rank! Take Optimist’s dragon, for example. While its technically still a high-Iron rank familiar, but in a real fight, it’s as strong as a Silver-rank beast!”
A veteran player explained.
“Wow, that’s basically a cheat code! I’m so jealous…”
The newcomer could only sigh enviously.
News of the red dragon’s arrival spread like wildfire, quickly reaching every corner of the entire server.
Upon hearing the news, many players dropped whatever they were doing and eagerly rushed toward the Elven Forest.
The appearance of dragon companions has already sparked a dragon frenzy amongst the playerbase. Although many people didn’t had the opportunity to form a pact with the first batch of dragon hatchlings, they have also heard a lot of information regarding dragons through various channels.
Moreover, this time around, the appearance of an adult red dragon, whose widely recognized as the strongest among the chromatic dragons, sparked a wave of speculation.
Its status was comparable to that of the golden dragons among the metallic dragons, and some veteran players speculated that this new batch of dragon hatchlings would involve a chromatic dragon this time!
As time passed, more and more players gathered within the vicinity of Florence city.
However, at this moment, the red dragon named Tiberia, which is the center of all this attention was currently perched atop the highest structure in Florence, exuding an air of absolute dominance. Her massive wings fluttered slightly as she showed disregard for the creaking of the temple beneath her immense weight.
Instead, she turned her gaze downward, her piercing eyes sweeping over the ever-growing crowd gathered in the plaza, her eyes flashing with disdain.
“So these are the elves that stinky old man spoke so highly of? Such feeble creatures, yet they dare dream of becoming partners to us dragons?”
Her voice was deep and powerful, carrying no effort to conceal her contempt.
Red dragons like her were widely recognized as the strongest amongst chromatic dragons. At the same time, they were also the most arrogant and domineering of all dragon species.
They saw themselves as kings, believing that other dragons should submit to their rule and that all living beings existed to serve them.
Such a creature would never lower their head unless confronted by someone truly worthy.
“And there’s even a bronze dragonling here… Hah! To think a so-called ‘noble dragon’ would actually lower itself to mingle with these dull and pedantic elves. Hmph, looks like these metallic dragons aren’t all that impressive after all.”
Her gaze swept across the young bronze dragon and her elven partner, Meng Zhihan, who stood beside her with a haughty and scornful expression.
The bronze dragon hatchling, Katyusha, peeked out from behind Meng Zhihan, letting out a low, fierce growl at the red dragon.
The dragonling wasn’t intimidating in the least—if anything, she looked rather adorable.
Of course, her large frame meant that even hiding behind Meng Zhihan, she was still clearly visible.
Seeing the bronze dragon act this way only made Tiberia’s disdain deepened further.
Her sharp eyes scanned the crowd before she spoke in a voice filled with arrogance:
“Where is your leader? Bring them here at once to pay respects to me, this great Tiberia!”
Nonetheless, despite her overwhelming arrogance, the surrounding players weren’t particularly offended. In fact, they were rather impressed instead.
To them, it was rare for an NPC to truly evoke the genuine feeling of anger and if anything, a character with such a cool, domineering presence only sparked a sense of admiration and awe.
And at this moment, Tiberia perfectly fit that mold.
However, the native elves were far less amused by the brazen behavior of the red dragon.
For them, the sight of this red dragon perched upon the sacred temple of Florence was deeply unsettling since this temple stood as one of the most revered and sacred places in their territory, which is the symbol of their connection to their Patron Deity.
Hence to see such a brazen and disrespectful creature desecrating it was more than just an affront—it was an outright insult to both their deity and the elves themselves.
“Red dragon! Get down from our temple this instant! Are you trying to blaspheme our esteemed God?!”
The High Priest of Florence, Samuel Galewind, called out with a livid expression.
Hearing his voice, the red dragon’s gaze shifted her towards him.
But upon seeing that the one who had spoken was merely an intermediate Silver-ranked elf, her amber-colored pupils flickered with an even greater scorn.
Still, before the red dragon could utter a mocking remark, her eyes caught sight of the priest’s ceremonial robes.
For a brief moment, a flicker of doubt and surprise crossed Tiberia’s face.
That hesitation deepened as she lowered her gaze and spotted an emblem on the temple beneath her, one that seemed to be imbued with divine power.
Her initial surprise quickly gave way to unease and hesitation…
The players, noticing the red dragon’s change in expression, exchanged amused glances.
This red dragon…
Had it seriously not realized where it had landed before descending?
While the players looked on with wry expressions, the red dragon, Tiberia, looked visibly hesitant.
No matter how arrogant she was, even she had to think twice before provoking a force backed by a true god.
However, the tense atmosphere was suddenly shattered by an excited, booming roar:
“RUA—!!!”
“I heard there’s a red dragon here! Where? Where is it?!”
With a powerful gust of wind, a massive black dragon descended upon the scene.
It was Meryer, his enormous bat-like wings spanning dozens of meters and as always, a certain mage named Little Salty Cat was riding upon his back.
“Meryer! Slow down! I’m about to fall off!”
The mage yelped.
“U-Uh… Sorry…”
Meryer immediately deflated, his earlier imposing presence fading as he carefully descended, landing smoothly in the plaza.
“…A black dragon?”
Tiberia’s amber eyes flickered with surprise.
“So this is the red dragon?”
Meryer’s gaze mirrored her curiosity.
However, when Tiberia’s eyes landed on Little Salty Cat, who had just hopped off Meryer’s back, her surprise twisted into sheer contempt.
“So even black dragons have fallen this low? Hmph, to think that one of them would actually allow such a weak, insignificant insect to ride on their backs…”
“…What did you just say?! You overcooked lizard!”
Meryer’s expression instantly darkened.
Chromatic dragons were, on average, stronger than metallic dragons, but unlike the tightly knitted metallic dragon species, chromatics on the other hand had no such sense of camaraderie.
And among chromatics, two species were known for their particularly violent tempers:
The red dragons, the most aggressive and battle-hardened.
And the black dragons, the most ruthless, resilient, and second only to red dragons in strength.
Usually when these two dragon species meet, it is almost certain for them to start fighting if they cannot reach an agreement over a few words.
Even though Meryer had somewhat matured as a “black-skinned, silver-hearted” new-generation of chromatic dragon, certain instincts of his were still impossible to suppress.
Hearing Tiberia’s blatant insult and the utter disdain in her voice for Little Salty Cat, Meryer’s anger erupted instantly.
Likewise, Tiberia’s already short temper exploded after hearing the provocative words “overcooked lizard.”
Her crimson scales were her pride, a symbol of her power and lineage. So, being called a lizard, which was a common human insult for dragons was like throwing oil on a raging fire.
“What did you dare say? Are you looking for a fight, you scrawny black mongrel?!”
Tiberia roared.
“B…Black… mongrel?”
Meryer’s face contorted with rage.
“RUA—!!! THATS IT! I WILL KILL YOU!!!”
With that, the black dragon lunged at Tiberia.
“RUA—!!!”
Tiberia roared back, charging straight at Meryer.
Before the stunned eyes of the surrounding players and natives, the two massive dragons—each towering dozens of meters—collided mid-air in a deafening clash, their claws slashing, teeth snapping, and bodies twisting in a furious, chaotic melee.
The destruction was immediate and devastating. Each movement sent shockwaves through the air, causing the very city plaza beneath them to tremble as if the earth itself were recoiling in fear.
In mere moments, the entire city erupted into chaos.
Dust and debris filled the air as the nearby buildings crumbled under the sheer force of their battle. Both the players and natives alike scrambled to avoid the carnage, with the latter shouting in panic, while the former in exhilaration.
“What the hell is going on?!”
“Weren’t that red dragon supposed to be delivering the new batches of eggs? Why are they fighting Meryer instead?!”
“STOP! Meryer, STOP! DON’T FIGHT!”
“Hahahaha! What are you scared of? GO, Meryer! KICK ITS ASS!”
“This is insane! What utter lunacy! Our sacred temple is literally about to collapse—”
“This is Florence! If they keep this up, won’t the Goddess intervene?!”
“Stop fighting! PEOPLE ARE GETTING HURT!”
A cacophony of shouts intermingled into a chaotic mess.
Meanwhile, High Priest Samuel stood frozen, his gaze locked onto the sacred temple, now swaying precariously under the impact of the two fighting dragons.
His expression was a mix of shock and sheer horror.
“Meryer! Red dragon! HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MINDS?! STOP THIS AT ONCE!”
He bellowed furiously.
The two enraged dragons had long since lost themselves in the fight. Locked in a furious struggle, neither of them paid heed to anything else.
However, in the end, Tiberia eventually gained the upper advantage.
Unlike Meryer, who had only recently advanced to mid-gold rank, Tiberia had long since reached the peak of upper-gold.
Even with Meryer’s unique constitution, he still couldn’t hold out for more than five minutes before she overpowered him.
Now pinned beneath her claws, the young black dragon thrashed in humiliation and fury, his expression seething with defiance.
Tiberia, on the other hand, looked down at him with smug satisfaction.
“You, pathetic black dragon… is that all you have?”
She sneered.
“If you kneel and call me the great Lady Tiberia, then perhaps might consider letting you go.”
She lifted her head proudly.
But Meryer only continued to struggle, his roars filled with indignation.
“Scew you! You overcooked lizard!”
Tiberia: “…”
Tiberia’s expression instantly darkened.
Her eyes narrowed into slits, and the mocking smirk on her face faltered. The air around her seemed to grow heavier as she bared her fangs, her once-imposing stance now charged with something far more dangerous.
Her face twisted into a menacing snarl, whilst tendrils of dangerous magical energy began to coil around her body
The spectators, who had been caught up in the chaos, suddenly shivered involuntarily as they sensed the surge of dangerous power.
High Priest Samuel’s face changed dramatically.
“Red dragon! STOP!”
—Alas it was too late.
Tiberia’s jaws parted, scarlet light gathering at the back of her throat. The glow intensified until it coalesced into a searing breath of dragonfire, thick with an overwhelming, destructive force.
“Meryer!”
“Little Black Dragon, watch out!”
“Shit! Is that dragon going nuclear?! RUN!”
The surrounding players erupted in a panic.
However, just as the flames were about to engulf Meryer, something extraordinary happened.
The fiery breath, brimming with raw destructive power, suddenly dissipated in mid-air. The flames, which had been surging forward with unstoppable force, vanished as though they had encountered an invisible wall. The crimson fire evaporated into thin air, leaving behind nothing but a faint trace of smoke that vanished just as quickly as it had appeared.
For a moment, there was only stunned silence, before a chilling, authoritative voice echoed from above them.
“Haven’t you caused enough trouble as it is?”
Tiberia immediately froze.
Slowly, she lifted her head—
And saw a female elf floating in midair, clad in a sleek black armor.
The female elf’s gaze was fixed on Tiberia with an eerie calmness.
There was no sign of fear, nor hesitation with only an unsettling stillness that seemed to freeze the very air around them. Yet beneath that calm, Tiberia could sense an unmistakable undercurrent of fury simmering just beneath the surface, sharp and focused like the blade of a sword.
“…Who are you?”
Tiberia demanded warily.
Though her tone remained arrogant, her eyes flickered with caution.
She could sense it…
—this particular elf was strong.
Strong enough to be a threat.
From below them, a wave of cheers erupted:
“Big Sis is here! Big Sis Zero is finally here!”
“Big Sis finally arrived! That means the Goddess is watching, right?!”
“Thank the Goddess… If that breath attack had landed, this whole area would’ve been entirely wiped out…”
Big Sis?
The Goddess?
Tiberia’s eyes flashed with doubt.
The hovering female elf, who was in reality, Evé under the disguise of Zero, spoke coolly:
“I am the Godwarden of the Goddess of Life.”
The red dragon’s pupils shrank slightly.
A…Godwarden…?
Tiberia’s gaze then flickered to the surrounding plaza.
Finally she noticed that the once-pristine city plaza was now in ruins.
The surrounding buildings were deduced to rubble, whereas the sacred temple teetered on the brink of collapse, as several injured elves and players were scattered everywhere.
Tiberia swallowed instinctively.
Nonetheless, her pride refused to let her back down.
With an indignant huff, she raised her head high once more.
“Hmph! It’s this guys fault! I, the great Tiberia was merely defending myself!”
“…Oh?”
Eve’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Her gaze swept over the wounded natives and players, her expression turning unreadable.
A faint sense of unease crept into Tiberia’s heart.
But she still forced herself to maintain her haughty demeanor.
“Hmph! You’re just a mere Godwarden, hiding behind the blessings of your god. I, on the other hand, am an envoy of the Great Red Dragon King, here to fulfill our sworn duty with the elves! Is this how the Elvenkind treats its honored guests?!”
“Honored guests?”
Evé let out a soft chuckle.
Then, in an instant, her expression turned ice-cold before snapping her fingers.
A golden rope materialized out of thin air, instantly binding the red dragon, Tiberia, in place.
“A guest,” she said coolly, “should act like one.”
Tiberia’s expression changed dramatically.
She struggled, but to her horror, the bindings held her firmly in place, completely unyielding.
Then, from below, a voice rang out, brimming with smug satisfaction and schadenfreude.
“Hahaha! RUA~! That’s a divine spell—Chains of the Gods! You stupid red lizard, there’s no way you’re breaking free from it!”
Meryer was practically gloating.
As someone who had been ensnared by this same spell multiple times beforehand, he took great pleasure in seeing the red dragon suffer the same fate.
“A divine spell?!” Tiberia snarled, thrashing against the restraints. “You’re just borrowing power from a god! This isn’t fair! If you have the guts, fight me properly, you frail, long-eared twig!”
Evé arched a brow.
“Properly?”
She gave a small nod.
“Alright.”
With a swift and decisive snap of her fingers, the divine chains that had bound Tiberia’s massive form vanished into thin air, but the red dragon barely had time to breathe a sigh of relief before the next action unfolded before her.
In the blink of an eye, Eve moved too fast for Tiberia to react and within an instant, she appeared right in front of the red dragon—
Then, with an almost casual motion, she raised a hand and smacked the dragon across the face.
A boom rang out.
Tiberia barely had time to register the impact before she was sent crashing into the ground.
For a moment, her head spun.
But she quickly shook it off and let out a furious roar—
Only for another smack to cut her off mid-bellow.
PAH!
She slammed into the ground again.
“Do you yield?” Eve asked.
Tiberia snarled.
PAH!
“Do you yield?”
Tiberia roared.
PAH!
“Do you yield?”
“—!”
Before the stunned crowd, the supposed mighty red dragon was repeatedly slapped into the ground over and over again like a misbehaving hatchling.
The red dragon fought and struggled but no matter how hard Tiberia tried to rise—
Another PAH! sent her straight back down.
Until, at last—
She no longer had the strength to get up.
Eve remained impassive.
“Do you yield?”
Her mood was less than pleasant.
Tiberia had rampaged through Florence, and her actions had genuinely angered Eve.
Still, as an envoy of the dragons, outright killing her wasn’t ideal.
Besides—
While this brazen red dragon had caused destruction in Florence, she hadn’t deliberately taken any lives of the citizens.
The natives she had injured were only lightly wounded.
It was clear that, despite her temper, this red dragon still had some semblance of restraint.
Of course, that restraint had only lasted up until her nearly-unleashed breath attack…
Eve had finally intervened precisely because she saw their fight further escalating beyond that point.
Finally, Tiberia stilled.
Whilst gasping for breath, she stared up at Evé with an expression of exhaustion and complicated emotions.
“P-please… stop… I… I yield…”
A pause.
Then, after a moment of hesitation—
Her eyes flickered strangely, as if something had just occurred to her.
She looked up at Evé once again—
And this time, there was a peculiar expression within her gaze.
“Elf…” she murmured. “What… What is your name?”
Before Eve could answer, Samuel stepped forward, his tone grave.
“Red dragon, this is Lady Zero, the Godwarden of the Goddess—the one closest to Her Divine Grace.”
“Zero…?”
Tiberia echoed softly.
Then, suddenly, her eyes lit up.
She lifted her head, looking at Eve with a gaze that was…
—Enamored?
The red dragon’s massive frame shifted and to everyone’s bewilderment, her posture turned slightly—bashful?
“Miss Zero,” she began, her voice strangely docile.
“You… You’re really strong! And also… um… really… beautiful!”
She hesitated—
Then blurted out, with all the dignity of a schoolgirl confessing a crush:
“C-can I be your dragon partner?”
Eve: “…?”
Samuel: “…?”
Meryer: “…?”
The players: “…?”
What the hell kind of plot twist was this?!
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