Crimson Servant

When Carl was packing his bags, he waved goodbye to the magic-horned deer hiding behind the grass and watching. As a result, those shy animals twitched their ears and fled into the darkness. The paladin couldn't help but laugh, thinking what a shy little guy.

This rest was the most comfortable Carl Demiras had ever had in this adventure. After untying the knot of self-doubt that almost led to his fall, and regaining peace of mind through prayer, the young paladin felt refreshed.

However, this excitement was ridiculed by Warlock John as the energy of a silly dog. Carl knew it was just jealousy.

John was in a completely different state when he woke up from his sleep. John's eyes were dark, his body was shaking, his brows were always wrinkled inadvertently, and he would put his hand on his forehead within a few minutes. His condition was very bad, and his words had an unpleasant smell. John must not have had a good rest, and maybe he had a nightmare.

This performance improved a lot after Jurgen took over. Maybe the potion handed out by the old dwarf worked, or maybe the warlock regained his self-control.

The Sun Team continued to move along the underground corridor, heading towards the depths of their knowledge, the location of the [Philosopher's Gate].

Deeper into the unreachable depths of the underground city of Optitdam.

In the darkness, the scales swayed with its tail, scratching sparks on the stone wall. The long breathing was like a big bellows working, and every sound was accompanied by flames. The instantaneous firelight illuminated the habitat and the body of this giant beast.

With its swept-back horns, scarlet crown of thorns, barbed fins on its cheeks, and bright red scales shining all over its body, the red dragon Azames sleeps on his treasure mountain, drawing magic power from gold. Its wings were locked in a huge iron cage with broken runes. The original bloody wounds on the broken parts had healed over centuries of cultivation, but they just didn't look good.

Azameth was born in shackles from the dragon's egg, which was undoubtedly much miserable than his brothers who lived in the mountains. It is the pet of Master Asht, and has witnessed the decline of this group of arrogant humans from glory to destruction. Ironically, the cage where those mongrel mages imprisoned its power instead became a barrier to protect the red dragon when the outside world invaded. Azames was one of the only remaining lives after the fall of Optitan.

Those ants died, and this former prison would naturally belong to Azames. This is its dungeon, this is its treasure house.

The only hateful thing is that the restrictions placed on him by those lingering mages are still in effect, leaving Azames, who was born to be a king, to sleep alone in the darkness. It is a monarch, a born king, how can it not have servants to serve it. Azames had already made plans during the recovery process. When it got out of trouble, the surrounding area of ​​the dungeon would be reduced to scorched earth. It would select its slaves from the group of fragile idiots and eat as many as it felt upset.

Oh, yes, and those automatons, they should also serve me, the dungeon master, just like they once served the mage. Yes, this city will return to its glory under my great rule, and Optitdam will return to the sky and become the throne of Azames overlooking the world.

In the early days when he couldn't move, the red dragon had such fantasy. It feels the mage's shackles weakening, its strength is accumulating, and it will soon be able to free its wings.

Recently, the red dragon Azames has been plagued by nightmares.

A voice kept appearing in its brain, a voice that was as playful and seductive as a temptress.

"Red Mage... Blood Hunter... Vortex of Disaster... John Camp..."

"Dragon...kill him...go quickly..."

"Otherwise...his next prey...will be you..."

The fragmented images were repeated in Azames's brain like a broken mirror, and in each fragment he died in a pool of blood. It saw the human face, its destined enemy. Angry flames erupted from his mouth, and the red dragon Azames unleashed a murderous intent on the enemy he had never met before. It didn't notice that its eyes were obscured by the ominous red mist, and it was only thinking about its enemy.

"He's coming, he's coming, I'm going to kill him, I have to kill him!"

The furious red dragon raised its body, its solid body frantically absorbing magic power from the treasure. This power coursed along his flesh and blood, concentrating on the recently healed wing bones.

The red dragon spread its wings.

The magic runes on the cage burst into light one by one, and then shattered one by one in the next moment. The squeaking sound of the twisted metal was like a dense swarm. With the sound of cracking silk that broke the limit, in a rain of blood, Azames obtained free.

"Ah!!!!" The pain of tearing the dragon's wings made the red dragon even more crazy. Its eyes were covered with flames, and it looked up at the shallow layer that could not be reached.

Azames fell into madness.

The damaged bone wings could not support flight. It breathed flames to sinter the wounds, and its whole body was surrounded by flames. It crawled upwards by grabbing the pillar with its four claws, and used its high-heat breath to melt the floor as it moved forward.

"John Kemp! I smell you! I'm coming for you!"

"ah!!!!"

The fourth floor.

John looked at the transcribed scroll of [Philosopher's Gate] and simulated its operation steps in his mind, but somehow he always ended up failing. His thoughts always drifted away, and the knowledge he originally had that he was familiar with was replaced by some unexplainable anxiety.

It seems that now is not the time to read a book, something is touching my feelings.

Is it the Druid who escaped, or the Wiltis cultist behind him, the Beloved... Or is this kid Karl speaking ill of me in his heart again?

John raised his head and looked at the tall paladin advancing in front.

Karl noticed the gaze and turned his head suddenly, as if he was feeling something.

John was amused by his speculation. The Paladin was not someone who slandered others. If he wanted to say so, he would have scolded them in person. Saying that or not is another matter, but Carl does not lack courage.

Jurgen at the front stopped. He stood at the corner of a corridor and stuck his head out to look in the other direction.

It was a large room, and the scattered mechanical instruments had been piled into the corner of the room. There are traces of crimson corrosion everywhere in the room. The most important thing is that two bright red-robed Wiltis followers stood carelessly in the center of the room, chatting boringly.

"It seems that these cultists have taken control of the center and sent people to guard the surrounding area." Karl speculated based on Jurgen's description. He quietly drew out his sword, changed positions with Jurgen, and waited for instructions.

"Lightning, you aim at the one on the right and leave the one on the left to me. I promise to knock him down before you hit him."

In the current situation, breaking in forcefully was the best option. John moved his fingers, knowing that his aura was like a light in the darkness in the eyes of those fanatical believers.

This time, they must pry out the whereabouts of Nora in their minds.

"Go!" Karl roared, stamped hard on the ground, and charged towards the red-robed figure like a bison. At the same time, Lightning bent his bow and nocked an arrow, and the first one flew out before the paladin could speak.

The ambushed fanatics didn't even make a sound and fell down with arrows.

Karl, who was still charging, cursed secretly, raised his shield to protect his body, and slammed it into another fanatic believer who was unexpected.

Carl stabbed him through!

This power even startled him, but at the next moment, he was suddenly alert to the feeling that there was no hit in his hand. Under the red robe were vines, and the moving vine trap caught him.

"It's a trap!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Karl, who was alert, hurriedly raised his shield. A spear of thorns hit the shield with unparalleled force. The force instantly made a dent in the shield, causing Karl to fall back uncontrollably. into the trap of bondage.

The crimson druid Saiman appeared from another exit. His body was dark red, like a branch wrapped around the devil's right arm. Karl had already felt the power of that terrifying arm.

"..." Facing the ferocious Saiman, he was about to say something, but suddenly he turned aside and looked at his feet.

The floor cracked, and boiling lava erupted from the crack. The giant beast crawling out flicked its tail and lifted Saiman away. The completely collapsed building fragments fell deeper, leaving only a cave with no light.

Standing on the edge, Saiman looked into the depths of darkness, where the Sun Team had all fallen. All his arrangements and plans to demonstrate his value were destroyed by a crazy red dragon.

Punching hard at the wall, Saiman turned and walked into the corridor.