"U-Um..."
"Lord Dragon, could you let me go now?"
The noble efreeti asked in a fawning, subservient whisper, a smile twisted across his crimson face looking uglier than tears.
Having just witnessed that horrifying scene, all he wanted now was to leave this place as quickly as possible, away from this monstrous dragon, and never have anything to do with him again.
"Of course," Cassius replied calmly.
The red dragon unclenched his massive talons, releasing the noble efreeti held captive within them.
"Thank you for your mercy..."
"G-Goodbye, Lord Dragon."
Hamid let out a profound sigh of relief.
The noble efreeti flew desperately through the air, sparks practically sputtering from his lower body.
"Lord of Flames protect me..."
"I'm never, never coming back to this damned City of Pig Iron again. To think there was such a terrifying dragon..."
Hamid muttered under his breath, his face awash with the relief of a survivor who had cheated death.
SWOOSH—
A scorching gale came howling toward him.
A dreadful premonition struck Hamid's heart, and he stiffly turned his head.
"N-No way..."
He saw the colossal red dragon beating his wings, catching up in just a few breaths. Hamid could already smell the sulfurous breath venting from his nostrils.
"I have already forgiven your first transgression—hunting down my subjects."
"However, that is one matter, and this is another. Next comes your second offense: insulting me to my face."
The red dragon swept a claw through the air, and shimmering force fields once again imprisoned the despairing efreeti.
This was merely an experiment on Cassius's part.
In his past life, players on the forums had proposed this very idea: trap an efreeti, release it, trap it again, release it again—could one endlessly farm wishes this way?
"Now then... could you give me a second wish as compensation?"
*Damn it!*
*Greedy reptile!*
Hamid roared and raged inwardly, yet the truth remained that he was utterly powerless.
Forget fighting back—he didn't even have a chance to struggle.
In his daily life, the noble efreeti burned, killed, and pillaged at whim; at the slightest displeasure, he would annihilate an entire village, tearing apart the lives of unfortunate mortals.
Yet now, he personally tasted what it was like to be the victim.
Though in his mind he had already sliced the red dragon into a thousand pieces, Hamid forced himself to look up and plead for mercy: "Lord Dragon, please spare me!"
"I swear I'm not trying to deceive you! A Wish is exceedingly precious even to genies—I can only cast it once every few years..."
*So there really is no way to exploit this bug.*
*If I'd known, I would have tried asking for 'three more wishes.' Though that probably would have failed too, it still would've been an interesting experiment.*
Cassius shook his head and sighed helplessly.
"Sigh, you refuse to compensate me, yet you want to live. You're putting me in quite a difficult spot."
"Lord Dragon, I can give you everything I own! Everything in the city..." the efreeti pleaded in desperation.
Cassius ignored him, speaking as if to himself:
"Fine, then I'll lower my standards and make a wish you can fulfill right now."
"What wish?"
"I want the elemental core of an efreeti noble."
"Th-This... NO—"
Shock and fury warred across Hamid's face. He let out a shuddering cry before dragonfire engulfed him.
Rampaging tongues of flame wrapped around his body, gradually dissolving the outer husk until only an elemental core, flickering like a dancing flame, remained at his chest.
Within it was not only an abundance of fire elemental energy, but also the primal essence of the Inner Planes.
Sent by the Efreeti Sultan to govern the City of Pig Iron, the noble-blooded efreeti malik—Hamid Abdul—perished right there.
Perhaps his soul returned to the embrace of the Lord of Flames, but his body undoubtedly entered the belly of the red dragon.
"ROAR—"
Cassius threw his head back and unleashed a long, reverberating roar.
Feeling the boundless energy surging within him, he exhaled a torrent of blazing fire, declaring his arrival to the entire Elemental Plane of Fire.
"Lord of Flames..."
"He actually dared to..."
"H-He ate an Emir!"
"Lord of Flames above... Lord Hamid was... he was slaughtered like a lamb!"
"That is no ordinary dragon! He ate an efreeti noble—he's a Genie-Devouring Dragon!"
Magmin in the magma, fire dwarves in their burrows, and the surviving efreet of the City of Pig Iron gazed up at the red dragon's colossal frame from afar, cries of shock rippling through them.
The death of an Emir was a significant event, but not enough on its own to spark a widespread sensation.
However, a terrifying dragon from the Material Plane casually brutalizing and outright devouring a noble efreeti alive—
That was practically unheard of.
The news spread across the Burning Wilds with astonishing speed.
In just a few days, nearby dwellers all heard the tale:
A red dragon even more massive than a great wyrm had descended upon the City of Pig Iron.
Single-handedly, he had laid waste to more than half the city, slaughtered over a hundred efreet, and devoured a noble efreeti Emir.
The title "Genie-Devouring Dragon" gradually spread, turning into a living nightmare for the efreet of the region.
Yet few knew of the red dragon's true origins, and wild speculations abounded.
Some said he was an emperor from the Material Plane, others claimed he was the spawn of Tiamat, and still others thought he was an ally summoned by the fire dwarves...
...
Scorched Plains, the Brass Fortress.
"Has he not arrived yet?"
"Don't be afraid."
"Everyone, wait patiently. His Excellency has already accepted our invitation..."
Inside the exquisite brass palace, fire dwarves huddled together nervously, solemn expressions etched across their faces.
The tables were laden with fine wine and sumptuous delicacies, piled alongside glittering gold and gems; clearly, a grand banquet had been prepared.
Yet before such tantalizing fare, no one dared take a bite. Even the invited imperial officers and soldiers stood motionless in their places.
"My apologies..."
A deep, magnetic voice resonated.
The fire dwarves, imperial officers, and soldiers present whipped their heads around, focusing their gaze on the doorway.
Cassius, having taken humanoid form, appeared at the palace entrance, a polite smile resting on his handsome face.
"I had some minor matters to take care of. I have truly kept you all waiting."
"All hail His Majesty Cassius!"
"Invincible and victorious!"
"All hail the great Genie-Devouring Red Dragon!"
The imperial officers and soldiers cheered fanatically, sending wave upon wave of thunderous shouts rolling through the hall.
Flanked by his fellow fire dwarves, Shalin stepped forward to greet him, speaking with the utmost reverence:
"Your Majesty Cassius, congratulations on another glorious victory. The entire Burning Wilds has borne witness to your might."
Cassius gave a nod of acknowledgment and said calmly, "Thank you for the warm invitation, Lord Shalin."
"Your Majesty, please come inside. We have prepared the finest wine and delicacies for you."
Shalin bowed slightly and ushered the dragon in human guise into the palace.
Deep within his eyes lurked unprecedented tension and gravity—this banquet might very well decide the survival of the Brass Fortress and determine the fates of the thousands of fire dwarves under his command.
Chapter 449