Ashen Dragon

The negotiation thus concluded.

The Empire of the Fire Giants and the Ashen Empire signed an "Empire Amity Treaty."

Represented by their respective monarchs—Sultan of the Fire Giants and the Ashen Empire's Emperor Cassius—the two nations swore an oath to the essence of the Fire Elemental Plane to establish the contract.

1. The Kingdom of the Fire Giants would provide twenty-five wishes to the Ashen Empire annually, for at least ten years.

2. The Kingdom of the Fire Giants would pay five million Ginnar in elemental ore to the Ashen Empire to purchase a large amount of munitions.

3. The Kingdom of the Fire Giants would cede control of Ironforge City and Black Iron City and cease harassment of the Brass Fortress.

The Great Sultan, in his anger, caused his projection to explode, creating a crater with a diameter of a hundred meters at the scene, while his true form continued to convalesce in his Charcoal Palace.

Meanwhile, the Fire Giant Pasha Ishmael, dejected, led his soldiers back to the City of Brass.

As was customary for defeated Pashas, what awaited him would be the Sultan's punishment and the challenges of ambitious Fire Giant warriors.

Despite the Fire Giant officials' strict control over the news, information about the battle still spread like wildfire, causing immense panic within the Fire Giant realm.

In just a few days, the "Battle of the Scorching Wasteland" had spread throughout the Kingdom of the Fire Giants, even reaching the Holy Flame insurgents.

In these rumors, the Emperor of the Crimson Dragon from the Material Plane had bitten off Pasha Ishmael's head. It was only when the Sultan himself arrived that Ishmael was resurrected and escaped.

And after unknown negotiations and countless sacrifices, the two sides finally ceased hostilities—even rumors spread that the Great Sultan had paid the price of a hundred wishes per year to send away this plague god.

And Cassius' name also spread thoroughly across the Inner Plane.

The residents of the planes of fire, wind, water, earth, positive energy, and negative energy all came to know the name of this great dragon, particularly remembering the dreadful moniker, "Soul Devouring Dragon."

...

Outside Black Iron City, in the Scorching Wasteland.

Once a battleground, the land was now riddled with deep scars and pits filled with flowing magma, occasionally erupting in clusters of flames.

"Roar——"

The Red Dragon raised his head and let out a long howl, suddenly extending his wings and stretching out his left talon.

The flames, symbolizing the essence of the plane, surged from all around, forming a complex array in his palm.

[Summon Elemental Giant]

A whirlpool of flame appeared in mid-air, from which emerged a colossal monster over ten meters tall. It let out a low growl and obediently knelt before Cassius.

Its body was composed of flames and magma, each inch of its form brimming with fierce elemental energy capable of reducing a mortal city to ashes.

[Fire Elemental Giant]

Challenge Level: 16

"Not bad."

Cassius gazed at the distant giant and nodded in satisfaction. With a casual wave of his claw, the giant vanished.

He lowered his head and looked at the cluster of red flames in his talon.

This represented an extremely small portion of the authority from the Fire Elemental Plane.

After several days of experimentation, he could now skillfully control this power from Pasha Ishmael—or more precisely, from the Great Sultan of the Fire Giants.

He could even sense the essence of this power—it was, in fact, the pseudogod power influencing the Elemental Plane.

The Elemental Archons did not rule their respective planes and all the elements within them; the authority they gained was merely superficial and not true divine power, but only a hair's breadth away.

And the Great Sultan's plan was likely to bring the entire Fire Elemental Plane under the rule of the Kingdom of the Fire Giants, elevating his "authority" to encompass the entire plane.

It bore a striking resemblance to Cassius' domain.

And the six Pashas were undoubtedly just vessels for the Great Sultan's power, meticulously cultivated sacrifices for his apotheosis. He had not even managed to use them himself before Cassius devoured one.

But even if Cassius had not "devoured" this Pasha, the mighty Lord of Flames would not have allowed anyone to covet his authority.

For the sake of maintaining balance, the Burning War would continue for a long time.

This game would have no true winner; if there were to be one, it could only be an outsider like Cassius, fishing in troubled waters and reaping benefits.

Cassius grinned, feeling the power near the essence of fire filling his body.

"What a delightful surprise... absorbing this power, I might even count as elemental nobility."

"How interesting."

The flames in his talon constantly changed shape, sometimes forming birds, sometimes fish, and sometimes giant dragons flapping their wings.

After absorbing this power, Cassius' control over the flames had reached an extremely frightening level.

Red Dragons, having an elemental core of fire within them, were often considered semi-elemental creatures by scholars. After obtaining the power of the Fire Giant Pasha, Cassius could, to some extent, be called an "indigenous of the Fire Elemental Plane."

[Elemental Command]

As an elemental controller, you could attempt to control elemental creatures of the same type as yourself. Unless the target passed a will save, it would be completely under your control.

Cassius focused his mind, and the light in his pale-golden eyes flickered.

Instantly, the firebirds in the orange sky came under his control, forming various formations.

The Fire Imps in the magma leapt out one by one, standing in neat rows as if the Red Dragon were their born monarch.

"Tsk tsk, this is a great place. If I had a safe domain, I would even think of slumbering here."

"It's just a pity that I signed a contract with the Sultan to leave the Fire Elemental Plane within ten days."

"Since that's the case, let me meet the Prince of the Holy Flame before I leave."

So thought Cassius.

And so, the Red Dragon flapped his wings, stirring up a hurricane filled with ashes and sparks over the Scorching Wasteland, and his massive dragon form soared into the air.

"Roar——"

With another long roar, Cassius flapped his wings again, his dragon form becoming a scarlet shadow, slicing through the orange sky going towards the distance.

On the city walls, the Imperial Soldiers and freemen gazed at the meteor-like figure, exclaiming in awe.

"Look there!"

"It's His Majesty Cassius!"

"So it's true, His Majesty, he's leaving the Fire Elemental Plane!"

"Great Red Dragon..."

A sense of loss and reluctance filled the city walls.

Many soldiers and freemen kneeled in the direction of the departing Red Dragon, murmuring what seemed to be prayers.

Inside Black Iron City, still directing the repair of the city's defenses, Selcan raised his head, looking into the distance, and struck his chest with his fist in a standard "loyalty" salute.

His eyes were full of determination and emotion.

"Your Majesty Cassius..."

"I will not let your high hopes go unfulfilled. I will become a qualified Governor, establishing a solid foothold for the Empire in the Fire Elemental Plane, awaiting your next arrival."

"By that time, you will be the master of the Fire Elemental Plane."

——Request Monthly Ticket——