Seeing that the Black Dragon had stopped roaring, Han Wu knew it was time to discuss cooperation.
"I have a dream: to kill a hero of Duolong City. But my own strength is not enough to fight a hero, so I need your help," Han Wu said bluntly.
The Black Dragon snorted coldly, a trace of sorrow in its voice.
"The great Rebel Black Dragon Elphis has been sealed here for over a hundred years and still cannot leave. How could I help you?"
Han Wu's gaze fell upon the thirteen pitch-black chains.
He swung the Divine Power Weapon dagger and hacked down hard upon them.
As a result, the Divine Power Weapon dagger shattered, while the chains remained completely unscathed.
Han Wu refused to believe it and took out another Divine Power Weapon, pouring ten thousand points of divine power into it before striking down.
The heavy blow, powerful enough to break through Black Dragon Elphis's dragon-scale defense, landed on the pitch-black chain without leaving even the slightest mark.
The pitch-black chains seemed to possess some kind of indestructible blessing.
The Black Dragon sighed. "It's useless. The Adventurer's Guild specially forged these chains as divine artifacts to seal me. Even my Darkness Power cannot corrode them in the slightest, much less your weapons."
Hearing the Black Dragon's words, Han Wu's eyes lit up. "You said these chains are divine artifacts?"
"That's right. The great Rebel Black Dragon Elphis disdains to lie," the Black Dragon said.
"Then I have a way." Han Wu smiled happily.
As he spoke, he took out a golden sphere.
It was his divine artifact: Greedy Wolf.
He placed the sphere on one of the pitch-black chains. The sphere turned into golden fluid and wrapped around the chain.
Continuous crunching sounds came from within the golden fluid.
Fifty minutes later, the pitch-black chain snapped.
Black Dragon Elphis widened its dragon eyes in disbelief as it stared at the chain that had fallen to the ground, its dragon mouth hanging wide open in shock.
One of the divine artifact chains binding it had actually broken!
Unable to contain the excitement and joy in its heart, it ordered Han Wu, "Quick, break the other chains for me! The great Rebel Black Dragon Elphis commands you!"
But Han Wu recalled Greedy Wolf at that moment.
He stared at the Black Dragon.
The Black Dragon became somewhat anxious. More than a century of imprisonment had left it desperately yearning for freedom.
Now, the opportunity was right before its eyes.
"Untie my chains now! The great Rebel Black Dragon Elphis commands you!" the Black Dragon roared once more.
Han Wu replied unhurriedly, "Great Rebel Black Dragon Elphis, I helped you break one divine artifact chain, proving my sincerity. Yet you have given me no promise at all and instead command me. Does that look like someone asking for help?"
Eager to escape, the Black Dragon hurriedly asked, "What do you want the great Black Dragon Elphis to do for you? Kill a hero? I agree. Now hurry and remove my chains!"
Seeing the Black Dragon's anxious state, Han Wu raised the stakes. "I've changed my mind. I want you to serve me for one hundred years, as payment for saving you."
"You despicable trash, you're dreaming! I am the great Rebel Black Dragon Elphis!" the Black Dragon roared furiously, making the entire cave tremble.
With one divine artifact chain no longer binding it, its strength recovered much faster.
Han Wu remained neither servile nor overbearing. "Since I can save you, I can naturally kill you too. If you refuse my demand, then you can only become a stepping stone for my growth. I hear dragons are treasures from head to toe. I just wonder how many decent weapons your corpse could provide me with."
The Black Dragon was cowed by Han Wu once again.
Even if it recovered some strength while trapped here, it still could not change its status as a living target.
Moreover, Han Wu had already proven that he possessed the power to kill it.
Faced with the choice between death and enslavement, the Black Dragon thought for more than ten seconds before ultimately choosing compromise.
"The great Rebel Black Dragon Elphis is willing to serve you for one hundred years. Please help me remove the chains on my body as soon as possible. I do not want to remain bound by these chains for even one more second!" the Black Dragon replied.
"Don't be in such a hurry." Han Wu naturally would not fully trust the Black Dragon's verbal promise.
No matter the civilization or life-form, there was always the possibility of breaking one's word.
Thus, contracts came into being.
This time, Han Wu spared no expense, consuming one hundred thousand divine power to draw up a contract requiring the Black Dragon to serve him for one hundred years.
Aside from stipulating the Black Dragon's responsibilities and obligations, this contract also carried extremely powerful restrictions.
Whichever party violated the contract would suffer an exceptionally severe backlash, something even a mighty dragon could not withstand.
"As long as you sign this contract, I'll help free you." Han Wu sent the contract before the Black Dragon's eyes.
After reading the contract, the Black Dragon felt that its dignity as a dragon had been gravely insulted.
Because one clause in the contract stated that during the contract period, the Black Dragon had to obey any of Han Wu's commands unconditionally.
Wasn't that just being a slave?
The great Rebel Black Dragon Elphis would rather die here, rather be trapped by divine artifact chains until death, than become a slave!
It was just about to tear up the contract and fight Han Wu to the death.
But the next second, it saw Han Wu pull a Dark Crystal from his pocket.
The Dark Crystal was crystal-clear, containing pure Dark Energy that was obviously very easy to absorb.
The Black Dragon, which had not eaten food for over a hundred years, disgracefully drooled.
"I can sense that you're very weak right now. Once you sign the contract, this Dark Crystal will be your snack." Han Wu deliberately tempted it.
He understood very well the allure that such a high-purity Energy Crystal held for living beings.
Even the Skeleton Lord had once been tempted by an Energy Crystal into obediently working for him, much less a Black Dragon that had gone over a hundred years without food.
Sure enough, under the temptation of the Dark Crystal, the Black Dragon completely forgot its dignity as a dragon and swiftly signed the contract.
The contract took effect, turning into two streams of golden light that entered their brows.
Whoever violated the contract would suffer an exceptionally severe punishment.
Satisfied, Han Wu tossed the Dark Crystal in his hand into the Black Dragon's mouth.
The Black Dragon greatly enjoyed savoring the taste of the Dark Crystal.
It hummed in comfort.
Han Wu released his divine artifact, Greedy Wolf, again and ordered it to bite through all twelve remaining divine artifact chains.
Having finally gotten something divine to chew on, Greedy Wolf happily carried out Han Wu's command.
Ten hours later, every chain had been broken.
The Black Dragon's strength rapidly recovered as energy in the air gathered toward it.
It, the great Rebel Black Dragon Elphis, had returned!
The Black Dragon threw back its head and roared. A pillar of black light rose from its body and shattered the entire cave.
Its immense presence made Demonic Beasts within a hundred miles fall to their knees and tremble.
Even the adventurers of Duolong City felt the Black Dragon's pressure.
Inside the meeting hall of Duolong City's Adventurer's Guild, five heroes had gathered.
They had been stationed in Duolong City to watch over the Black Dragon and prevent it from breaking free of the seal.
They had thought it was a retirement post, never expecting that the Black Dragon would truly break free from the seal.
"The Black Dragon has only just escaped the seal. It must still be in a weakened state. The five of us should join forces and destroy it!" the hero Extreme Martial Saint proposed.
"After breaking free of the seal, the Black Dragon will certainly find a hidden place to recover its strength. The area outside the city is vast. To find it, we'll need the help of all the adventurers in Duolong City," the hero Rose Saintess said.
The hero Ice Fire Swordsman said, "The Darkness Power leaking from the Black Dragon will strengthen a large number of Demonic Beasts. Before the Demonic Beasts start a riot, we must act first and seize the initiative."
The young hero Wind Walker felt that the previous three heroes were being overly cautious. "It's just a Black Dragon that has escaped from a seal. Is it worth making you so nervous? Don't you agree, Dragon Slayer?"
Among the five heroes, the strongest, Dragon Slayer, said proudly, "It is merely a dragon. There is no need to make such a fuss. I once slew a wind-element Green Dragon alone. Though troublesome, it was not enough to throw all the adventurers of Duolong City into disarray."
"But this Black Dragon is different. According to the records, it is a Rebel of the Dragon Race!" Extreme Martial Saint tried to persuade Dragon Slayer to take the Black Dragon seriously.
Dragon Slayer only felt that Extreme Martial Saint was exaggerating the Black Dragon's strength and underestimating his own power.
"Everyone, believe me. My fourth-class profession is Dragon Slayer. I exist for the purpose of slaying dragons. Leave this Black Dragon that escaped the seal to me. You only need to ensure Duolong City's defenses are prepared."
"Dragon Slayer, you..."
"Dragon Slayer, I support you. Could you allow me to witness your dragon-slaying prowess? I can clear away other obstacles for you and keep those blind Demonic Beasts from disturbing your enjoyment of slaying the dragon," Wind Walker said.
"Granted," Dragon Slayer replied.
"Thank you, Dragon Slayer. I'll go issue missions right away and have the adventurers search for the Black Dragon's hiding place." After saying that, Wind Walker turned into a gust of wind and departed.
Dragon Slayer also left the meeting hall directly.
The remaining three heroes sighed in unison, but there was nothing else they could do. After all, Dragon Slayer was the strongest in all of Duolong City.
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