Once he finished adjusting to his body and felt the surging power within, Cassius turned his attention back to his interface, which was already flooded with countless notifications of gained experience.
[You killed White Lion Knight Taric, gaining 2,100 XP]
[You killed Northern Wind Eagle Guard Commander Narilan, gaining 1,800 XP]
[You killed Northern Wind Eagle Guard Commander Atra, gaining 1,800 XP]
[You killed Silver Hand Ter, gaining 1,200 XP]
[You killed Count Robert, gaining 1,200 XP]
...
[You killed a baggage soldier, gaining 0.5 XP]
[You killed a baggage soldier, gaining 0.5 XP]
[You killed a peasant auxiliary, gaining 0.25 XP]
...
Tens of thousands of entries had refreshed on the log.
At the very top were the high-ranking commanders of the coalition army—paladins and spellcasters—followed by the various military elites, and finally the countless common soldiers and laborers.
Because Cassius's tier of existence was so high, the experience granted by such frail creatures was negligible on an individual level. Even so, small drops converged into a vast river, and grains of sand piled into a towering pagoda.
"Whoa—this much?"
Even Cassius was taken aback.
The figures before him far exceeded his expectations.
In the final statistical summary on the interface, Cassius had accumulated over sixty-three thousand experience points. Even though his red dragon template made leveling up extraordinarily difficult, such an enormous quantity of experience was enough to raise his level by four in a single leap.
However, Cassius did not intend to do that.
Recklessly accepting power beyond one's control was fraught with peril.
He had only just finished digesting the spellcasting capabilities he acquired after his previous slumber, barely achieving a preliminary grasp over them.
[Select: Level up True Dragon Sorcerer]
[Your True Dragon Sorcerer level has increased to Level 8]
[You have gained a bonus dragon feat: Hard Landing]
Hard Landing
Prerequisites: Hover, Wingover
If subjected to enough damage or spell attacks to render it unable to fly, an experienced dragon can resort to desperate measures to preserve its dignity. A dragon with this feat can find the most optimal way to mitigate damage from any fall.
Cassius nodded slightly. At the very least, this feat would prove useful in combat.
[You have obtained a special attribute point. You may increase one of your attributes by 1 point (including attributes of 20 or higher)]
[Select: Increase Charisma to 25]
The familiar sensation enveloped his flesh, soul, and mind once more.
His influence over reality deepened further. At this moment, he felt like a master of the world, capable of plucking the threads of the Weave with the slightest gesture.
It was said that once a casting attribute such as Charisma or Intelligence reached thirty, one's will could touch the Source Sea, attaining an entirely new realm of spellcasting that far surpassed mere mortals. Yet in his previous life, no player had ever achieved this feat.
Cassius took a deep breath, feeling his connection with the world while secretly praying to receive useful spells.
Of course, he did not call upon any deity.
[Acquired 5th-level dragon spell: Dragon's Respite]
Dragon's Respite
5th-level Conjuration
Golden rays of light shoot upward from the ground beneath you, bathing you in a restorative pillar of light swarming with yellow motes. This spell transmutes arcane energy into pure draconic life force, directing it to mend the injuries sustained by your body.
Cassius let out an immediate sigh of relief.
He had acquired a remarkably potent restorative spell. In life-and-death struggles against powerful foes, such a tool could save his life.
Yet the spell that appeared next caused his expression to darken.
[Acquired 6th-level dragon spell: Terrifying Vision of Tiamat]
Terrifying Vision of Tiamat
6th-level Illusion
The target creature sees an illusion of the Dragon Queen, Tiamat. Unless their will is exceptionally formidable, they will believe the illusion is real and perceive themselves as the target of her multifaceted breath attacks.
A creature that falls prey to this illusion sees fire, frost, acid, lightning, and poisonous gas surging toward them in succession from Tiamat's jaws. They must possess immense mental fortitude, or they will be frightened to death on the spot. The phantom is so dreadful that even those with wills strong enough to survive still suffer a crushing psychic blow.
"An illusion of Tiamat..."
"Is it a coincidence? Or did the Queen of Chromatic Dragons do this deliberately?"
Cassius fell into deep thought, his expression gradually hardening.
Although the Great Anzetta Waste was merely a remote corner of Elezerg with negligible standing in the Prime Material Plane, Cassius was a red dragon, heralded as a favored child of the Dragon Queen. His performance might truly have drawn the gaze of the Evil Dragon Queen. After all, not long after he first arrived in Elezerg, that terrifying vision had already surfaced in his mind.
Now that he held dominion over the Storm Heights and was on the verge of taking over the entire Principality of Lakeman, he had just barely met the threshold required to be one of the Dragon Queen's lackeys.
*This spell is undeniably powerful.*
*Still, unless it is a dire emergency, it is best not to cast it recklessly.*
He did not believe for a second that summoning an illusion of a genuine deity would go unnoticed by that deity; that was pure wishful thinking.
Cassius had no desire to come into contact with the Dragon Queen prematurely while he was still weak. That would only turn him into an outright pawn.
*Tiamat...*
*Rather than a pawn, I'd much rather become the rebellious scion who supplants you.*
Cassius mused inwardly.
Naturally, keeping such blasphemous thoughts to himself was fine, but he would never utter them aloud.
The casting method for Terrifying Vision of Tiamat etched itself into Cassius's mind. The depictions of the Chromatic Dragon Queen were hideous and terrifying, as though she were constantly watching everything, leaving him feeling distinctly unsettled. Cassius therefore attempted to construct mental fortifications within his memory, sealing the spell away so he would not use it for now.
If he had any choice in the matter, he would have preferred not to receive this sixth-level spell at all.
Even after locking it away, Cassius still felt uneasy, unable to rest peacefully.
"Trump."
The red dragon called toward the magic mirror within the cavern.
At his summons, Trump's grotesque face appeared upon the glass, wearing a humble and deferential expression.
Ever since that horrifying cataclysm, the dragon-blooded ogre mage had gained a far more intuitive understanding of the power wielded by the red dragon, and his reverence had deepened accordingly.
"Great Master, what are your orders?"
Cassius commanded, "Find an empty cavern within the territory of the Storm Heights. Enshrine an altar to Her Majesty Tiamat inside, and dispatch someone periodically to offer a few gold coins to show our respect."
He paused in thought for a moment before deliberately adding:
"Furthermore, this place must be kept far away from Dragon Valley."
Trump accepted the order readily, saying with deep respect, "Understood, Master."
Severing the magical projection, the dragon-blooded ogre mage could not help but sigh with admiration. *The master is truly generous and devout, offering precious gold coins to Her Majesty the Dragon Queen. No wonder he possesses such tremendous power.*
Later, however, considering the universal greed inherent to dragons, Cassius swapped the gold coins for far less conspicuous copper coins—though that is a story for another time, and certainly not born of stinginess.
***
Character Sheet — End of Volume 2, Chapter 52
Infernal Calamity — Cassius
Name: Cassius Claudew Norixius
Template: NPC (4 years, 190 days until open beta)
Category: Huge Dragon, Lawful Evil
Race: Young Red Dragon
AC: 24 (Natural Armor, Gilded Scales)
Base Attributes:
Strength: 27
Dexterity: 12
Constitution: 25
Intelligence: 14
Wisdom: 13
Charisma: 25
Skill Proficiencies: Persuasion +12, Deception +8, Governance +8, Stealth +6, Perception +8, Hunting +4, Arcana +4, Escape +4, Knowledge (Future) +4
Damage Immunities: Fire, Lightning
Senses: Blindsight 10 ft., Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 16
Languages: Common, Draconic
Abilities: Body of Storm's Echo, Maximized Flame Breath, Targeted Flame Breath, Gilded Carapace, Bloodline Boon
Feats and Traits: Gilded Scales, Army Breaker, Maximize Breath Weapon, Target Breath Weapon, Combat Casting, Leader's Aura, Fugitive, Silver Tongue, Dragon Spells, Hard Landing
Combat Equipment: Ring of the Eye of the Storm Sovereign, Amulet of Spell Immunity, Necklace of Dimension Door, Pearl of Mana Regeneration, Cloak of Breathlessness, Behir Horn, Ring of Nimble Wizard Movement, Staff of the Scorcher, Amulet of Speak with Dead, Magma Spitter, Ring of Blade Warding, Amulet of Silent Steps...
Equipped Spells:
Charged Release: Storm of Vengeance
Once per week: Control Weather
Once per day: Globe of Invulnerability, Dimension Door, Speak with Dead, Burning Hands, Scorching Ray, Blade Ward, Expeditious Retreat
Class Level: True Dragon Sorcerer 8
Caster Level: 11
Spells:
6th Level: Terrifying Vision of Tiamat
5th Level: Dragon's Respite
4th Level: Firestride Exhalation, Polymorph, Wall of Fire
3rd Level: Energy Scales, Blink, Protection from Energy, Fireball
2nd Level: Sheltering Egg, Enhance Ability, Misty Step, Phantasmal Force, Invisibility
1st Level: Fog Cloud, Charm Person, Magic Missile, Shield, Thunderwave, Witch Bolt
Cantrips: Fearful Shiver, Mage Hand, Minor Illusion, True Strike, Prestidigitation, Message, Scratch
Spell-Like Abilities:
Once per day: Suggestion
Challenge Rating: 17 (18,000 XP)
Assessment: This red dragon is hailed as the incarnation of flame and the master of cataclysms. He once unleashed a fire tornado that swept the earth, annihilating an army of tens of thousands. In the Great Anzetta Waste, his name has gradually become an unadulterated symbol of ruin and power. Do not attempt to challenge him, lest the wrath of the calamity teach you the consequences of such folly.
Chapter 120