Challengers of the Tower of Karmic Fire

The Great Anzetta Waste, Mount Baras. Located in the eastern part of the empire, this was the place where fire elements were most active in all of Anzeta—for here stood an active volcano that erupted frequently. Every few years, Mount Baras spewed vast amounts of rock, volcanic ash, and pumice, sending rivers of magma cascading down in what the surrounding inhabitants called the "Wrath of the Fire God." No one dared, nor could anyone survive here. The red dragon had once considered taking it as his lair, but given the necessity of developing vassals, he had abandoned the idea. Its primary inhabitants were fire-attuned monsters: steam mephits, salamanders, magma golems, and even fire elemental creatures hailing from the Inner Planes. Yet now, atop Mount Baras stood a tower forged of molten rock—the dwelling of the sorcerer Misha, known as the "Daughter of Dragonfire." The Tower of Karmic Fire. The hellfire that incinerates sinners. It declared Misha's resolve to take vengeance upon Leo Bosque. On the tower's top floor, the surrounding air warped with heat, thick with white smoke. Serpent-like wisps of flame darted freely about, while a girl sat cross-legged at the center. She appeared only fifteen or sixteen years old, yet her face was already striking and alluring. Pointed ears framed her cheeks, a pair of reddish-brown horns sprouted from her forehead, and her hair drifted like living flame. This was the current Misha. As an "ifrit"—a fire genasi—her appearance was tied to the energy contained within her body. After receiving the flame power bestowed by Cassius, Misha's growth had accelerated dramatically, making her look far more mature than others her age. Suddenly, clusters of fire converged, forming a hazy humanoid silhouette. "Misha... Master..." "Outside... humans..." This was an elder fire elemental whom Misha had encountered during her trials in the Elemental Plane of Fire. Originally, this elder fire elemental had sought to devour Misha, but after a fierce battle, it had wailed and begged for mercy, ultimately forging a contract to become Misha's servant. Only then did Misha slowly open her eyes, flames dancing within her golden pupils. "Didn't I tell you..." "...not to disturb me during this time?!" Her voice grew increasingly fierce until it erupted into a draconic roar, terrifying the elder fire elemental into violent trembling as sparks scattered wildly from its form. *Boom!* Collapsing into clusters of flowing fire, the elder fire elemental begged repeatedly for forgiveness before fleeing in disgrace beneath Misha's wrathful gaze. "Please forgive my disrespect..." "...Your Majesty Cassius." Misha clasped her hands together, murmuring softly. Inside the tower stood a full-body statue of Cassius's draconic form alongside a bust of his human guise, both enshrined with precious gold and jewels. During this time, Misha had first hunted down and eradicated the remnants of the Northlands nobility across the land, then traveled alone to the Elemental Plane of Fire to hone herself; she was no longer merely the resilient girl she once had been. Now, she resembled a true ifrit. Fire genasi were often creatures of stark character—fierce and independent on the one hand, arrogant and difficult to please on the other. Yet when fire genasi truly worshiped a deity (typically one tied to fire), they would also reveal the zeal of fanatical cultists and pious devotees. In her past life, Misha had been driven mad and bloodthirsty by her horrific ordeals, vowing to burn every human in the world to ash. In this life, however, Misha had clear and uncompromising loyalties: she showed no mercy in exterminating the Northlands remnants, yet harbored a fervent, pious devotion toward the Emperor who had granted her new life, making her a truly faithful disciple. And the reason Misha had lashed out at the elder fire elemental was precisely because it had interrupted her meditation on the power Cassius had bestowed upon her. Had there been players of sufficient strength present, they would have seen information like this: Daughter of Dragonfire - Misha Challenge Rating: 14 (11,500 XP) Indeed, under the dual influence of her awakened innate talent and Cassius's boon of power, after only a single year, Misha's strength had grown exponentially. In terms of raw personal strength, this eleven-year-old sorcerer was already capable of ranking among the empire's top tier. Misha extended a slender hand, and wisps of flame gathered at once, gradually forming a magical projection in which hundreds of players appeared. "The Starfallen, is it...?" "His Majesty Cassius personally instructed me to select strong individuals from among them to become glorious Dragon-Pact Sorcerers." Watching the players look around and peer inquisitively in every direction, Misha knitted her delicate brows. "Can creatures like this... truly be worthy of becoming His Majesty Cassius's vassals and receiving that supreme boon?" One had to understand that a Dragon-Pact Sorcerer differed from a Redscale Conqueror: it required not only a bloodline transformation, but also Cassius personally infusing them with power. Even Misha, as master of the Tower of Karmic Fire, had received only thirteen contracts. Because Cassius's power was involved, she treasured these contracts immensely, wanting only to find the most exceptional vassals for the Emperor; to this day, she had not issued a single one. Well, ifrits were perfectionists to a certain degree as well. "Regardless, the Starfallen do not experience true death. Perhaps... they need a real trial." *Snap!* Misha snapped her fingers sharply. The surrounding flames flowed once more, congregating into a hazy humanoid form—the very elder fire elemental that had fled in panic moments earlier. "Afar, follow me." "Yes... Master..." ... The outer perimeter of Mount Baras. "LFG for Dragon-Pact Sorcerer quest!" "No Wild Magic Sorcerers!" "WTB Heat Resistance Elixir!" "Holy crap, this place is awesome! Looks just like a real volcano in reality." Hundreds of players had gathered here in high spirits, surrounded by an uproar of clamor and chatter. Dark gray lava rock and volcanic ash lay everywhere, while the air reeked with the pungent stench of sulfur. White plumes of gas vented from fissures in the stone. In the distance, sluggish streams of magma flowed with a faint glow, bubbling and churning. "So cool." "Hiss—damn, that's hot!" Players who had never seen such a spectacle found it endlessly fascinating; some reckless ones even stuck their hands into the magma and were scalded into howling yelps. All of them were sorcerer players who had come after seeing the imperial announcement, seeking to acquire that legendary advanced hidden class: Dragon-Pact Sorcerer. For such a grand event, the pro player Xiaye Qiuyu, a draconic bloodline sorcerer, naturally wouldn't miss it. As a member of the "Cult of the Five Fireballs," she longed intensely for a class capable of freely unleashing high-damage fire spells. After all, who wouldn't want to toss out a dozen fireballs in a row? Xiaye Qiuyu raised her head, gazing quietly toward the distant tower of molten rock. "Is that the Tower of Karmic Fire?" "No matter what, I will become a Dragon-Pact Sorcerer." She smiled faintly, a fervent determination shining within her beautiful golden eyes.