Loyalty Is Never Absolute
The players followed the Fire Elemental Elder across the narrow rock bridge over the lava pool to reach the summit of Baras Volcano.
The reddish-brown tower stood right in front of me, perched atop the volcano.
The tower is over 30 meters tall and its body is made of igneous rock formed by solidified lava flows, giving its surface a flowing appearance.
Flames shone through the windows and cracks of the tower, along with swirling white steam and gray smoke.
Outside the tower, red-hot iron chains are wrapped around it, as if binding some enormous monster, exuding a powerful beauty.
The fact that such a magnificent structure could be built in an environment of flowing lava and Nullification of life demonstrates the terrifying power of the tower's owner.
"In a place like this?"
"Wow, it's so high!"
"Was this built with magic?"
The players who passed the trial were buzzing with discussion.
Xia Ye Qiuyu looked up at the tall tower, feeling somewhat excited.
"This is it, the legendary Karma Fire Tower, the training ground for the hidden class— Dragon Pact Sorcerer."
"I must succeed in advancing! Ugh, may His Your Majesty Keosius bless me."
She prayed silently in her heart.
As a female player, she disliked the rugged appearance of the Red Scale Conqueror, which was completely transformed into a dragon, but was deeply fascinated by the elegance and nobility of the Dragon Vein Sorcerer.
The delicate little horns on both sides of the head, the golden vertical pupils, and the few scales that are decorated like makeup around the corners of the eyes all seem to be just right.
And the human form of the "Embers of the Burned Emperor" Keosius just happened to fit her aesthetic preferences.
Dragons are born with extraordinary charm.
The same applies to humans, Elf, and any creature that shares a bloodline with dragons.
Upon reaching the tower's entrance, the Fire Elemental Elder pressed his burning fist against the stone door, turned his head, and whispered, "Trial participant... Master... command to enter."
"Boom--"
With a hissing sound, the tall stone gate slowly opened, and bursts of steam and smoke billowed out, making everyone unable to open their eyes.
"Everyone, let's go inside quickly."
"Advancing!"
"Hehe, this time our Royal Authority has three Sorcerer who have passed the trial, so it's bound to be foolproof."
"The Red Scale Conqueror and Dragonkin Paladin are already quite powerful, but this Dragon Pact Sorcerer Trial is so insane, its strength must be off the charts!"
"Yes, the first advanced magic-based class to achieve this status!"
"Haha, I wonder what kind of reward the guild leader will give me after I complete the advancement. I'm sure I'll get a lot of money."
The players were incredibly excited, already envisioning a bright future.
The [Royal Authority] guild is slightly different from other guilds. Their guild leader is not only a powerful figure in "Erezege", but also possesses extremely rich wealth in reality.
This is why the players of [Royal Authority] are far more dedicated than those of other guilds, able to unite and obey commands, and the level differences within the guild are also more pronounced.
They're not just playing games, they're making money off others!
Xia Ye Qiuyu remained silent, cautiously observing her surroundings, with the cautionary tale of that reckless player right before her eyes.
She had a vague feeling that things weren't so simple.
To successfully advance to the hidden class, you must gain the favor of that special female NPC! "Perhaps this is not the final trial; there will be other elimination rounds."
Karma Fire Tower was a spacious hall, all reddish-brown in color, with grotesque monster heads hanging on the walls.
"The Trialer."
"Here."
The Fire Elemental Elder led the way, guiding the players up the spiral staircase.
Because it was built not long ago, the interior of this tower doesn't have much additional decoration, and it looks rather empty, with the second and third floors almost completely bare.
However, there were flashing flames and Mars everywhere, and even Fire Elemental creatures serving as attendants on some floors.
"This place is really interesting."
"Yes."
"Is that Lava Stone Monster? It can actually be tamed? I want one too!"
It walked tirelessly, climbing several floors in succession, and finally led the players to the top floor of the Karma Fire Tower.
It was a heavy stone door, with a lifelike image of Wyvern carved at the entrance—along with the emblem of flames and vertical pupils.
In the Embers of the Burned Empire, only official imperial institutions such as the Imperial Palace and the Imperial Parliament Hall are qualified to have the Embers of the Burned Emblem engraved on their main gates.
"Arrive."
"Go in."
The Fire Elemental Elder stood guard at the entrance like a majestic gatekeeper, coldly watching the players.
Even through the heavy doors, one could feel the sweltering heat of the top floor.
Xia Ye Qiuyu thought to himself, "This should be the top floor of the Karma Fire Tower, the residence of that mysterious NPC."
"It is also the final trial for Dragon Pact Sorcerer."
As they approached their destination, the players grew increasingly excited, and their discussions became more and more heated.
"It's coming! It's coming!"
"My awesome and domineering hidden class is coming soon!"
"Hehehe, I'll show off on the forum later, and all those newbies will have to admire me!"
"Boom--"
The Fire Elemental Elder pushed the door open again.
The final door has opened.
Smoke and heat rushed towards them, and the pungent smell of sulfur filled the players' nostrils.
As the smoke cleared, the mysterious tower top revealed its true form, and the players' eyes lit up.
"Whoa—"
"This, this too."
"That's incredibly extravagant!"
Inside the spacious room, exquisite statues were placed at both ends, Embers of the Burned Emperor Keosius in both human and dragon forms.
The human-shaped statue on the left is dressed in a magnificent robe and has a smiling face. Its appearance is almost perfect, with slight features of Red Dragon, and it exudes a noble and mysterious aura.
The dragon statue on the right spreads its broad wings and sits on a tall throne. Its image is majestic and solemn, and its dragon eyes look down with a domineering gaze, giving people a strong sense of oppression.
Every scale and every tooth of the dragon sculpture is meticulously carved, making it lifelike.
The two statues face each other, two sides of the same body, with extremely detailed carvings and extremely luxurious materials—even the golden eyes are inlaid with pure gold balls.
The walls are adorned with a dozen or so exquisite large-scale oil paintings, most of which depict stories familiar to everyone within the empire.
From left to right: "The Beginning of the Ember Nest", "The Calamity that Destroyed the Legion", "The Glacier Destruction Battle", "The Dual Dragon Battle", and "The Coronation of the Embers of the Burned Emperor". In front of the two statues, there are piles of various gold and silver treasures, pearl jewelry, and equipment that shimmers with magical light.
"Wow, so much money! There must be tens of thousands of Gold Coin here!"
"Wow, I've never seen so many Gold Coin in my life."
"Holy crap? Blue gear!"
"That's nothing! Look at that ring! The Fire Giant Noble's Ring! Exotic Grade piece of jewelry!"
"Huh? This, this is... Purple Equipment!"
"And that too! The Fire Elemental Elder's Whip! It's also Exotic Grade weapon!"
Players exclaimed in amazement, almost blinded by the Gold Coin and equipment, feeling like country bumpkins visiting the Grand View Garden.
By the end, some players' voices were filled with greed. That was a rare piece of equipment, something that couldn't be bought for several thousand Gold Coin! Taking one back to the guild would definitely have a huge impact! But Xia Ye Qiuyu Qiu Yu felt something was wrong. The room was filled with that familiar aura of "loyalty"—it was just like the work of a devout follower of Keosius.
Her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly.
Could this room be the final trial?
——Requesting monthly votes——