The Red Dragon Lord is OP, but Insists on a Pop Culture Invasion!

"The cost isn’t that high. The Church is using a rather rare curse, which I can dispel with potions. The rest is just waiting for the body to recover. The cost of the ingredients for each potion is about two to three Silver Coins. Depending on the severity of the illness, a full course of treatment requires anywhere from five to fifteen potions," the doctor explained.

’Zog did a quick calculation. Just based on the cost of ingredients, curing one patient would average over twenty Silver Coins. Then you have to factor in production, transportation, and sales costs, and still try to make a profit...’

’No way the patients in the slums can afford that!’

Zog rubbed his face helplessly.

"It’s not going to be easy to promote. But if you want to continue the treatment on a personal basis, I can help produce a batch of potions, free of charge, as payment for your time."

"That’s alright. I can’t do much on my own anyway."

"Well, I can’t be the only dragon footing the bill for charity," Zog said, thinking the doctor was about to lay a guilt trip on him. "We should at least find some other organizations to share the cost, like the Church."

"That’s not what I mean," the doctor said with a smile. "I’m not asking you to do charity. I’m already very grateful that you’ve provided me with a safe place for my research. I want the Church to bear the entire cost."

"Haha."

Zog burst out laughing.

’This doctor is still too naive. He clearly doesn’t understand what a piece of work the Church is.’

"You want the Church to take responsibility? How are they supposed to do that?"

’If the Church was really the charitable type, the Bishop of the Twin Towers City wouldn’t have been able to casually fork over a Million Gold Coins for a game back then.’

’That was pure liquid cash.’

’Cash and assets aren’t the same thing.’

’It’s hard to even estimate how wealthy the entire Church must be.’

"I can prove that the curse was released by the Church."

"How can you prove that?"

"This curse is a defilement of a Divine Art. The traitors secretly modified a Divine Art, turning beautiful magic into such a depraved thing, all to satisfy their own selfish desires." The doctor’s voice grew heavier as he spoke.

"Wait."

Zog cut him off.

’Something felt off as he listened. It seemed this doctor’s grudge against the Church was even greater than his own.’

’And he knew an unusual amount about the Church.’

"How do you know the Church modified a Divine Art? Can you use Divine Arts?"

Zog asked aloud, already preparing a heat-cutting attack with his claw.

’He seriously suspected this doctor was a Church member, here to entrap him.’

’But who would spend several years on a sting operation?’

"No need to prepare to silence me. I’m not a member of the Church anymore. On the contrary, the Church of today has forsaken its oaths. They are my enemy."

As he spoke, the doctor took off his bird-beak mask.

An old face was revealed, etched with deep wrinkles and a gray-white beard. His eyes were full of weariness.

"Let’s reintroduce ourselves. I am Sam Fisher, a former Church Warrior."

He said as he extended his hand.

Zog let the heat in his claw dissipate and extended his right claw in return.

’He felt like he’d seen this old face somewhere before, but it didn’t quite match the face in his memory; it was just vaguely similar.’

’He could only scan his data banks, starting the search decades ago.’

Sam gripped the Dragon Claw and said slowly, "Long time no see."

"It’s only been two years. That’s not that long."

"I thought you would kill me right then and there."

"Why would I kill you? I’m a law-abiding, good Longlong, hahaha..."

Zog was forcing a smile, but his expression suddenly froze.

A match.

Zog shot to his feet and asked in disbelief, "You’re that Warrior from back then?"

"I am."

"The Warrior who had the Eleven Ring Scroll!"

’Zog was starting to regret his decision. Why did he deactivate the heat-cutting claw? He should’ve just slashed him.’

Stunned by this sudden revelation from an "old acquaintance," Zog was silent for a long time, not knowing how to react.

Finally, logic won out.

’Based on what Sam just said, he must have defected from the Church, and he’s in conflict with the current Church on matters of principle.’

’That puts him on my side.’

"You’re not going to suddenly whip out another Eleventh Ring Scroll and smack me in the face with it, are you?" Zog quipped.

"No, of course not. That was the only time I received the Goddess’s grace. After that, I never heard Her holy voice again."

’No, wait. Hearing Sam say that, Zog realized that he had only had a falling out with the Church; he hadn’t abandoned his faith in the Goddess.’

’So they weren’t completely on the same side.’

"Why do you call the current Church traitors?" Zog calmed down, sat back on the sofa, and asked. He wanted to see just how much information this former Church Warrior would reveal.

"After I, uh, hit you with the Scroll, you abandoned your Dragon Nest."

Zog nodded, confirming that was indeed what happened.

’Thinking back on it now still made him sick to his stomach. Not all of his property was in the Treasure Chest Monster; a significant portion of it was just decorations in his nest.’

’There was also a swimming pool.’

’A swimming pool of Gold Coins!’

’He learned that from Uncle Scrooge McDuck.’

"That mission, which the Church called the Calamity Crusade, was preceded by a promise from the Archbishop. He swore that all the ill-gotten wealth in the Dragon Nest would be returned to the persecuted commoners."

"Hold on, I have to point something out here. While that wealth was a bit ill-gotten, it definitely didn’t come from persecuting commoners. The people I stole from... you could hardly call them commoners," Zog retorted.

"But those nobles gained their wealth by persecuting commoners," Sam said matter-of-factly.

Zog was suddenly speechless.

’This kid’s surprisingly principled.’

Sam continued his story. "However, the Archbishop went back on his promise. He took all that wealth for himself, and not a single Gold Coin was returned to the commoners."

"Is that Archbishop still alive? If he’s dead, does he have any descendants?"

’Zog’s little grudge notebook was now activated.’

’That Archbishop and his family were now ranked number two on his list, right below the Magic Goddess.’

"I don’t know."

"Fair enough."

’No matter. He could find them himself.’

With anger on his face, Sam told the rest of the story. "I reported this matter to the Judgment Court, but I received no response. Then I traveled to the Holy City and sought help from every high-ranking and respected Bishop, trying to get justice for the commoners."

"But nobody took you seriously," Zog guessed, easily predicting the outcome.

"Yes. One Archbishop, while drunk, even told me, ’You mentioning promises just makes me want to laugh.’"

Sam’s eyes were bloodshot.

"The Church, the entire Church, has forsaken the oaths they once swore. They’ve forsaken their faith in the Goddess."

"Is there any chance..." Zog began, wanting to suggest that maybe the Goddess herself wanted the money.

"Impossible!"

Sam immediately denied it. "Her Holiness would never need such filthy mortal things."

Zog shrugged. ’There was nothing to be said to such a devout believer. Let him believe what he wants.’

"From that day on, I never heard the Goddess’s voice again. It wasn’t just me. The entire Church, including the Holy Son and Holy Daughter who were supposed to communicate with Her, never heard the holy voice again. The Goddess... She’s disappointed in us."

Tears streamed from Sam’s eyes as he spoke.

’The entire Church hasn’t heard the holy voice?’

Zog latched onto that point.

’He didn’t buy that the Goddess was just "disappointed." Back during the god wars, She had all sorts of unsavory characters under Her command.’

’So have they heard it now?’

’If not, does that mean the Goddess is really losing her power?’

"So, for the sake of my faith, I, Sam, a devout servant of the Magic Goddess, have a duty to destroy this corrupt Church and rebuild a holy one."

Sam’s voice trembled as he spoke.

"So you want to expose the Church for cursing the Steam Engines."

"Yes."

"You’ll die a horrible death."

"I will return to the Goddess’s embrace."

’Geez, people of faith really have no fear of death.’

’Zog didn’t want this Warrior to die just like that, though. He could still be useful for future matters involving the Church.’

"The matter of a single curse isn’t enough to destroy the Church."

"That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t expose it!" Sam said loudly.

"I have a better idea. We’ll still expose it, but you won’t have to be the one to do it publicly."

’Zog now knew exactly what to put in the video that would pin the blame on the Mammon Sect.’