Chapter 588: The Lord of Dragon’s Roar
’Those two are sharp.’ Marcus thought for a moment. There was no point in hiding it anymore, so he decided to come clean. "Yes. I happened to obtain a treasure map, and with its help, I managed to pass through the Storm Seal and reach Twin Wing Island."
"You reached Twin Wing Island!" The moment Marcus said those words, he became the center of attention.
Not only the officials, but also the Dragon Emperor seated upon the Dragon Throne, Princess Celeste beside him, and even the proud Princess Phoenix standing nearby all turned their eyes toward Marcus. No wonder he had been so insistent on choosing Dragon’s Roar Town.
Yet their astonishment was accompanied by a trace of doubt. The Storm Seal had been impossible to cross even for Divine Beasts, and the Dragon Dynasty had spent countless years trying and failing to overcome it. If Marcus had truly managed to pass through it, then the implications were enormous.
"Oh, right. I brought back some local specialties." With that, Marcus reached into the Jade Purification Vase and took out a jar of Millennium Fire-Apricot Wine.
The moment the wine appeared, the remaining doubts in the hall vanished, especially for Lord Leon Drake and the black-armored Minister of Military Affairs. The instant they recognized the legendary wine produced on Twin Wing Island and aged for a thousand years, their eyes lit up with unmistakable interest.
If they hadn’t been standing in the Imperial Palace, Marcus suspected the two old foxes would already have started hinting at what kind of "gift" might persuade him to part with a jar.
Marcus gave them no chance to ask. He briefly explained the quest he had undertaken to save Dragon’s Roar Town, then deliberately revealed the Divine Artifact Blackflame Ice Flower Sword he carried.
Finally, he said in a slightly casual tone, "Before I left Dragon’s Roar Town, the mayor gave me another quest. If I’m willing to risk my life and obtain two particular materials, I can activate the town’s teleportation array and reconnect Dragon’s Roar Town to the mainland."
He stopped there. He didn’t need to explain anything else. The implication was obvious. The quest was extremely dangerous, and whether he was willing to undertake it was entirely his own decision. As for whether he would actually risk his life to complete it, that depended on how the Dragon Emperor treated him. Yes, Marcus was extorting them.
If the Dragon Emperor insisted on going back on his word and refused to grant him Dragon’s Roar Town, Marcus was prepared to fight this matter to the bitter end.
Even if it cost him twenty levels, he would never reveal how to pass through the Storm Seal. And if things really came to that point, he would take back the Blood-Fiend Fruit as well.
The mayor of Dragon’s Roar Town had previously told him that six hundred years ago, a strange formation called the Lightning Ring Array had suddenly appeared in the town. No one knew where it had come from, and the people of Dragon’s Roar Town had spent generations wondering about its purpose.
Yet judging from its function, the formation was clearly connected to activating the town’s teleportation array.
Six hundred years ago, Marcus immediately understood. That was precisely when Silas the Wanderer had entered Twin Wing Island. Silas must have left behind that faint glimmer of hope for Dragon’s Roar Town before departing, perhaps simply because he had taken pity on the isolated town.
Unfortunately, no one had ever been able to figure out how to use the formation. That meant the Dragon Dynasty couldn’t possibly know about the Lightning Ring Array, the method of passing through the Storm Seal, or the means of activating Dragon’s Roar Town’s teleportation array.
’Heh heh...’ That was his leverage. If he couldn’t have Dragon’s Roar Town, then neither could they.
Marcus already had more than enough bargaining power, but extortion was only one part of his plan. He had an even more devious trick prepared.
"Your Majesty, I truly love Dragon’s Roar Town. It’s the only territory I want. I want it very badly, and I don’t want anything else."
Marcus looked up toward the Dragon Emperor with an almost ingratiating expression, making his position clear once again. He then continued, "Especially since Your Majesty personally said that I could choose any territory at the town level or below as my fief. That’s precisely what convinced me to turn in the Blood-Fiend Fruit."
He suddenly shifted his gaze toward the surrounding officials, his tone becoming a little more hesitant. "Honorable ministers, surely you would agree? Besides, the Emperor’s word is law. To go back on it now would be..." His voice trailed off as he deliberately put on a wounded expression, his words becoming softer and more hesitant.
Although he appeared to be addressing every minister in the hall, Marcus’s eyes were fixed firmly on one person: the righteous, stern, and somewhat pompous Lord Chancellor. To go back on his word... Just as Marcus expected, the upright and principled Lord Chancellor immediately picked up the unfinished thought.
"Your Majesty, the Emperor’s word is law, and imperial decrees cannot be altered lightly. If Your Majesty’s decrees could be revoked whenever convenient, then the authority of the imperial will would be weakened, orders would become difficult to enforce, and before long, chaos would spread throughout the realm..."
’Damn! This old bastard is incredible!’ Marcus had originally intended to use the man’s stubborn integrity to secure a few words in his favor. He never expected the Lord Chancellor to take the argument this far, going all the way from "the Emperor’s word is law" to "chaos will spread across the realm."
’This guy can really run with a point’. Listening to him was almost intoxicating. At this moment, the old fossil actually looked a little endearing.
’Heh heh... I’m absolutely shameless.’ Only moments ago, this same man had been doing everything he could to tear Marcus down. Now, thanks to nothing more than his own rigid sense of principle, he was willingly fighting Marcus’s battle for him.
It took someone as shameless and cunning as Marcus to make full use of a man like this.
And sure enough, once his inner sense of righteousness had been stirred, the Lord Chancellor continued without hesitation. "Therefore, since Your Majesty has already issued the decree, and Knight Stonehaven has demonstrated both the merit and capability necessary to become a lord, this humble minister believes the matter should proceed according to the established regulations."
"What do you two think?" The Dragon Emperor turned toward Lord Leon Drake and the Minister of Military Affairs.
The two men exchanged a glance. They were both old foxes who understood exactly what was happening, and neither had any intention of getting caught in the middle.
They answered in unison, "Long live the Emperor. We defer to the imperial decree."
’Useless!’ Marcus inwardly cursed.
The Dragon Emperor had no choice but to turn toward the High Priest. Unfortunately, the other officials appeared to possess much the same stubborn and pedantic temperament as the Lord Chancellor. Marcus suddenly understood why so many emperors throughout history had preferred flatterers. Truly upright officials might be loyal, but they could also drive a ruler absolutely mad.
Fortunately, the High Priest didn’t make things difficult. "Your Majesty, Knight Stonehaven is a Temple Knight. There is no reason he should be incapable of governing Dragon’s Roar Town."
"Very well..." The Dragon Emperor hesitated again and again, but by now he had no reasonable way to refuse. Finally, he let out a resigned sigh.
"Knight Stonehaven, I hereby grant you the title of Lord of Dragon’s Roar. You shall govern Dragon’s Roar Town and all territories subordinate to it. You shall pay ten percent of your daily income to the Dynasty."
The Emperor quickly drafted the necessary documents and instructed Eunuch Xaniel to deliver them to Marcus.
Along with the imperial decree came a golden token engraved with four imposing words: Lord of Dragon’s Roar.
The instant Marcus accepted both items, the familiar system notification rang in his ears.
Ding!
[Congratulations, player Stonehaven. You have become the Lord of Dragon’s Roar Town.]
He had actually become the Lord of Dragon’s Roar Town. For a moment, Marcus could hardly believe it. When he thought about the mysterious and miraculous Twin Wing Island, excitement surged through him so strongly that he almost trembled. ’I’m about to be rich!’
Marcus was just about to open the Mercenary Group chat system and share the incredible news with his ladies when Princess Celeste, perched comfortably beside the Dragon Emperor, suddenly began chattering again.
"Stonehaven, when are you going to activate the teleportation array? Can you hurry? I really want to visit that legendary Dragon’s Roar Town! And once the array is activated, if Sister Phoenix can obtain the True Flame Cloud unique to Dragon’s Roar Town, perhaps it can accelerate the growth of the Phoenixwood Tree..."
Something was up. That was Marcus’s immediate reaction. Yet at the same time, the princess suddenly seemed even more adorable to him. ’Time to extort them.’
Marcus secretly chuckled as he stole a glance at the proud Princess Phoenix. Then he deliberately put on an innocent expression.
"I really wish I could activate the teleportation array immediately. Unfortunately, the materials required are one hundred Millennium Thunder Beast Horns and a pair of Heavenly Thunder Leopard Horns. The Millennium Thunder Beast Horns aren’t a problem, but the Heavenly Thunder Leopard Horns belong exclusively to the Mythic Beast, the Heavenly Thunder Leopard."
He paused, deliberately letting a troubled expression cross his face. "With my current strength, I’m definitely no match for a Mythic Beast. I’m afraid it will take another two or three years before I’m strong enough to deal with one."
’Heh heh...’ The Dragon Dynasty had no way of knowing that Marcus actually had only one year to fulfill his agreement with the mayor of Dragon’s Roar Town. This was the perfect opportunity to squeeze them.
Sure enough, Princess Celeste immediately cried out, "Two or three years? That’s forever!"
Marcus could only shrug helplessly, maintaining his innocent expression. There was no way anyone could reasonably expect a level-fifty-three player to defeat a Mythic Beast. He glanced secretly toward the proud Princess Phoenix. ’Let’s see how much you care about the Phoenixwood Tree’s growth.’
Before Princess Phoenix could say anything, however, Celeste, her Divine Artifact Five-Element Staff shimmering with elemental light in her hands, turned toward the Dragon Emperor and began pleading.
"Father, we can’t wait two or three years! I really want to visit the beaches of Dragon’s Roar Island. And Sister Phoenix said there’s a special True Flame Cloud on one of the islands in Twin Wing Island that can accelerate the growth of the Phoenixwood Tree. What are we supposed to do?"
’Excellent!’ Marcus was practically overjoyed. Watching Princess Celeste’s innocent, pleading expression was genuinely endearing, and he couldn’t help feeling that this little princess was becoming more and more likable by the second.
A sly grin slowly spread across his face. Then, just as quickly, Princess Phoenix turned her eyes toward him and caught that expression. Marcus immediately straightened his face and put on the most upright, innocent expression he could manage.
’What a cunning smile.’ That was Princess Phoenix’s first thought. A faint displeasure flickered through her eyes.
Yet when she thought about the Phoenixwood Tree that had already been growing for twenty years, she fell silent for a moment. The tree’s growth was extremely important to her, and the possibility of accelerating it was simply too tempting to ignore.
After weighing the matter carefully, Princess Phoenix finally turned toward the Dragon Emperor. "Your Majesty, I am willing to slay the Mythic Beast Heavenly Thunder Leopard and obtain the Heavenly Thunder Leopard Horns for Knight Stonehaven."