In the far east of Gadmani is the continent of Serika, also known as the Eastern Continent. Of the nations fighting to control it, few can rival the Jade Empire.
This vast and fertile land is known for its culture, military might, wealth, and wise dragon philosophers who advise the royal family. Sometimes it even provides an audience for outsiders looking for answers and wisdom.
Waiting before the golden gate of the Dragon Temple, the wizard pondered the irony. He will seek advice from one dragon on how to escape the shadow of another dragon.
After waiting for several hours, a bald monk wearing a golden robe came to inform him. "Jade Dragon, the great master, mentor of our beloved emperor, will receive you," the man said. "You have to respect etiquette. Don't question the master's logic, don't question the master, don't insult the master."
Most of his face was hidden beneath the hood and illusion, and the undead nodded in agreement, hoping the creature wouldn't recognize him. The Jade Empire may be half a world away from Ishfania, but Vankel has spread his tale of shame to anyone who will listen.
The door opened dramatically, and the undead warlock floated behind the monk as they walked through it.
The Jade Dragon welcomed the Lich in a hall supported by golden pillars, and twenty other monks bowed to him. This giant beast is very different from its Western cousin, which is a majestic, jade-scaled snake with the mane of a lion, the antlers of a deer, and the legs of a lizard. The creature lay comfortably on a large cushion, and the wizard could tell that the dragon was filled with gold coins instead of feathers.
"Come here, disciple," said the reptile.
The undead nodded and bowed before the monster. "Oh, great Jade Dragon. Your wisdom reached my ears. I traveled thousands of miles to find you."
"You are a skeleton, you have no ears." The dragon missed the point. The Lich shuddered at the thought of Winkle's folly. "What's your name, undead?"
"F——" Freebon stopped before being killed by the dragon again. "Flubby." The name was said on impulse, and he immediately hated it.
He spent too much time with V&V.
Jade Dragon said: "Skinny fluff, you have to be extra careful in front of my people." "I heard that the cursed golden killer Freebon, the most evil lich in history, has been released. The seal was broken by the fairies. of."
"it's a pity."
"Most of my cousins react badly to an undead seeking an audience, but I'm smart and wealthy. Welcome to my free, I say, free, introduction to cultivation."
The monks sang hymns, giving the dragon the feeling of a divine teacher.
"A hundred times your power, a hundred times your magic power, a hundred times your life!" Jade Dragon shouted excitedly. "I, the Jade Master, will teach me the secret of cultivation!" In this way, you can get more than you imagined. More wisdom!”
Fu
ibo
Listened politely without saying a word, just as he was asked to do.
"I've been in your shoes, working hard and not getting what I deserve," the dragon growled, clearly more interested in hearing himself speak than the Lich's demands. “But I invested in myself, in my knowledge, until I achieved powers you mortals could only dream of! Who here wants to cultivate immortality?”
It smelled like some kind of scam, and Fuliben no longer had a nose. However, the monk who introduced him knelt down before the dragon, in awe of his introduction.
"If your thoughts are holding you back, then have faith." Long extended his little arm to Jin Zhu. "Because I'm rich!" Do you want to be rich and immortal too?"
"I am immortal." The Lich pointed out.
"Immortality is not true immortality! Can you taste the cow now? The golden warmth on your skin?"
"The Lich Nation does have...weaknesses..." Fulibon admitted, having hesitated to lose certain chunks of flesh before undergoing surgery. "But I made peace with them."
"That's just because you have the mentality of a pitiful person!" the evil dragon scolded him. "You must invest in yourself!" I usually charge fifty thousand gold coins to teach my cultivation secrets. "
If Fuliben hadn't died, he would have suffered a stroke. "This is theft!" he complained.
"But today, I will make an exception and guide you on the road to enlightenment. The reward is twenty-five, yes, twenty-five thousand gold coins!" This is still theft. "Do you expect me, the inventor of the practice, to teach any unimportant secrets of ultimate power? Would you?"
Fu
ibo
Suddenly I realized that the difference between Eastern and Western dragons was purely superficial. This...this snake oil can suggests royalty? How could this country not collapse?
The lich turned to the monks, who whispered that this was a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." It was clear he wasn't going to get any help from them. "Oh, Dalong——"
"Super Master Jade, or SSGJ," Long replied. Every letter is capitalized. I can tell. If you want to progress on the spiritual path, you must first learn proper etiquette. "
"Super Master Jade." Fu
ibo
Hate every word said. "I suffer from a disease called Stockholm Syndrome, which affects even the undead. A few weeks ago, I began searching for a cure for it, visiting villages and buying things for wizards, until a series of transactions led me to At your doorstep.”
"There is no disease that cannot be cured by cultivation. All it takes is hard work, gold, and money."
"Great SSGJ, I have no interest in farming." He would gain nothing by being an undead, if this meditative drivel was true. "I came to you to find an antidote."
Just because his own magical research did not yield results.
"What do you do when you have this treatment?"
Well, Fury would have cured himself of his irrational love for Victor Dalton, and then...
Then……
…
Then what?
Ishfania fell, and he would never, ever cooperate with Fankel in any form again. Fuliben is determined to avoid the dragon until he dies of old age or greed. Managing dungeons and creating monsters is already Mu
mu
i
The castle is a century old. He also has no hobbies.
What will the Lich do after he heals himself? He doesn't know!
"That's right, you haven't found your passion yet," Yulong said, sensing his suspicion. “If you pay to join at the higher levels, you’ll find out.”
"First things first." "My passion can wait until my health starts to improve."
"If you want to be cured of your illness, you must commit to your spiritual growth," Yulong said. "Buy my membership package first, or get out"
Frippon sighed, but he accepted it because he longed to be free from his past. "I brought gifts from outside your palace."
Long lowered his head and the monk who introduced Fulibeng whispered to him. "Okay, okay." The beast nodded to himself, then turned to the lich. "Congratulations on reaching the first level of practice!" As a reward for your investment, I am happy to provide you with the shortest path to miraculous healing. "
It better be worth it. Powerful spellcaster or not, Fu
ibo
There is no unlimited funds.
"On the northern plains of what you mortals call the New World, in the land of the orcs, there is a huge, flying casino dungeon managed by the powerful warchief Manito." Yulong said. One of the prizes he offers in the tournament is the legendary artifact Panacea, which can cure all diseases. Even imagined. "
Fuliben raised his head in surprise. Now he thinks his wealth has been flushed down the toilet!
God? Panacea? These names are enough to guess the location of the dungeon.
"But you don't need it," the dragon replied. "Now, if you want the real super secret of immortality and health, you need to advance to a higher level of cultivation."
"That's the one I'll choose," Fuliben replied. "Thank you for your wisdom."
Yulong shouted at him: "This is why you will always be mortal and poor." "If you can't invest in yourself, if you don't work hard to become a true practitioner, then there is nothing I can do for you. You have already It’s hopeless.”
Fu
ibo
He shrugged, made an excuse, and teleported away.
Finding the dungeon proved even harder than entering it. A rarity among these places is that the owners open their doors to challengers.
Of course there are a few people who can fly.
This dungeon was by far the most luxurious place Fulibon had ever seen, dwarfing even Winkle's new Golden City. All walls and columns are made of hewn marble and are covered with tapestries, carpets and mosaics; jeweled candelabras cast light on slot machines, roulette wheels, and card tables.
Most of the creatures in the dungeon are orcs, but Fu
ibo
Giants, elves, fairies, demons, and even a phoenix were recognized. Most orcs and demons served as scepters, while others played games; the demons present seemed familiar to the lich.
Upon closer inspection, the immortal warlock discovered that most slot machines were actually stylized steel golems with arms and legs; jackpot golems. Here, he thought these adventure bags were extinct, hunted by adventurers.
The lich also noticed a familiar face, barking at the banshee attendant; a noble, insect-like woman whose terrifying beauty was matched by her ruthlessness.
"Mrs. Mau
e?" Fuliben recognized the delicate creature as Isabel Moore, the archdemon mother of his late master. "Are you still alive?"
"Foriben, long time no see," the devil replied, pleased with his appearance. "It was so nice to see you come out of that scythe. Why did I die?"
"I heard the news of your death when the dragon attacked Happy Paradise"
"Hell! Hell! I don't agree with this shameful brand-washing behavior!" The big devil calmed down. “My company went bankrupt after my son died, but I escaped. Vai
queue
K
ightsba
The e incident was a fiasco from start to finish. "
She didn't say.
"Thankfully, I've jumped into other side adventures, like this dungeon. While my influence has diminished significantly, I'm recovering."
"What about King Maur?" Fulibang asked curiously.
"His limp spirit returned to my basement, which forced him to spend time with me. Unfortunately, he was always complaining and I wonder if this was a curse in disguise."
Fu
ibo
shrug. Although he was somewhat loyal to his old master, even he would rather stay on the lower level of the castle than endure his grandiose existence.
Fulibon was a cave troll who was born smaller and more fragile than most of his kind; but also smarter. While his ancestors feared magic and viewed it as a tool of their masters, the would-be spellcaster was obsessed with the power it could bring him. His early success eventually attracted the attention of Brandon Moore (B
a
do
Mau
e), who offered to sponsor his research into the Lich Kingdom regardless of his loyalty.
Fu
ibo
Accepting the deal, and becoming his master's second-in-command; eventually, the former troll rose to the respectable 58th level in the lich class.
As a good lich, he did everything he could to preserve his legacy. First, instead of choosing something fancy or a legendary artifact, he bound his soul to a simple gold coin; knowing that adventurers who destroyed him would take his treasure with them. Then, he hid it in the New World, far away from the Mistral Continent.
All in all, he had a good life...until this fiasco.
"I tell you, Lich, one day we will take back my son's market!" The big devil waved his fist. "I will exact my vengeance on the multinational corporations and their representative, Victor Dalton, by trick or by force! You will have a place at my side, in the vast army I will raise against—"
"No, thank you." Fu
ibo
interrupted her.
The big devil looked at him in surprise. "Don't you seek revenge?"
"I learned my lesson." Even without [Stockholm Syndrome], fighting a dragon and his companions is foolish. So far, Fu
ibo
Escape retribution by avoiding the hero, and he will do the same to Vai
queue
. "Revenge is a stupid game and I won't be stuck with a weapon anymore."
"Coward! My son has done so much for you..."
“If you want to face them — and I sympathize with you if you want to do that — don’t cry about the devastation that will result.”
Isabelle snorted haughtily. "If you're not here to pledge allegiance, what do you want?"
"Go challenge the boss of the dungeon."
"God? You can find him at the card table." Isabel More glanced in one direction. "If you change your mind about Ishfania, my door is still open. I could tap into your magical expertise."
"Thank you," the Lich replied, although his decision was already solid. "In return, allow me to give you some advice on your situation."
"To reduce losses, hide?"
"Make a deal with Dalton," suggested Fullibon, who had grown fond of the unfortunate human being, against his better judgment. "You'll benefit more from working with him than against him. He's... as long as I have beautiful women around me, I'm going to relent."
"Yeah...I'll remember that."
Fuliben then walked up to the card table and recognized Manito almost immediately: a fat, terrifyingly tall, fanged orc with vaguely orcish features. The green-skinned monster dwarfed his rivals in size and shamelessly flaunted his wealth, wearing dozens of necklaces, rings, crowns and other gaudy accessories.
"Oh, you are the new challenger." The huge orc saw Fu
ibo
said a demon as he approached, fawning over him with a huge feather. "You're facing Manito, the King of Games!"
Fu
ibo
[Advanced Magic Scan] was immediately cast on him, trying to collect any information he could.
gods
HP:4600/4600
SP: Unlimited (artifact?)
Type: Half-goblin, half-orc champion (beast/humanoid)
Weaker than: Killer Demon, Beast Killer Demon, Lightning, Game Addiction.
Approximate level: unknown.
Defined occupation: Gambler, professional player, Ca
toma
ce
, Beastmaster, Chieftain, Unknown? Perx's identity cannot be determined; hidden in [Card Trick].
The owner of Sky Casino, a nerd/week hybrid and one of the richest monsters in the world; possesses a vast collection of magic items and powerful artifacts. Ma
Itou is obsessed with alien games from the earth world, and he uses powerful magic to turn them into reality.
"I'm looking for a magic bullet," Fuliben said. "give it to me."
"I won't give or trade, but I can bet." The orc lord replied with a smile. "My elixir is priceless..."
"I have many magic items to make it up to you."
"But for lichs, nothing is more priceless than their crests." The orcs immediately targeted the undead's weaknesses.
Fuliben was in no rush to become a slave again, but he decided to hear the monster out before blowing it to death. "In what game am I going to beat you?"
"This is the only game worth fighting for."
The orc snapped his fingers, and a demon servant immediately teleported to him with a box. This creature is in Fu
ibo
It was opened earlier, revealing its contents: a deck of cards representing monsters, humans, and other creatures.
"A card game for human children!"
Fu
ibo
He resisted the urge to put his hands on his head. Typical orc.
"But not any game," the boss said firmly. "Earth Game, Three!" To get the Panacea, you must defeat me in Evolving Monsters; Magical Connection; and Duel Egypt! If you lose even once..."
It was almost worth it to get rid of his last connection to the dragon.
"I will also activate the powerful artifact 'Heart of Cards' at the beginning of any game," the boss said. "This allows me to draw whatever cards I want from my deck rather than drawing them sequentially."
"What?!" Fu
ibo
asphyxia. "That's cheating!"
"I'm the boss," the monster replied. "Don't you want the game to be fair?"
Fu
ibo
Suddenly wondered why he was playing this game when he could simply take the gift by force. With his magical powers and immortality, he should be able to defeat that orc in no time!
…
No.
Too many times, Liches rush into battle or act foolishly on impulse. Turning the dragon's treasure into lead is one, fighting Victor when he gets nothing is another.
He has to think tactically. No matter how powerful it is, a card is a card! A sound strategy will always beat cheating!
"I will consider it." Fu
ibo
answer. "But I need time to learn the rules, and the resources to build a strong deck."
"I'll give you three days." The half-orc grinned. "You can use all my cards except my hearts. This battle may not be fair, but you will have a chance to win. Do you have a monster theme in mind?"
"Dragons and the Undead."
and traps.
There are many pitfalls.
Three days later, and four hours after a desperate struggle began...
That's it, the final battle; it doesn't go well for him.
Fu
ibo
Card points: 600.
Manito's card points: 2200.
On either side of the table, each warrior glared like a miniature monster appearing in their half. Manito is fused with a powerful, nearly invincible slime composed of liquid mercury, while a small dragon made of bones defends Freebon. The slime had destroyed it twice, slowly draining the lich's health bar as the audience around the table watched.
"You fought well, Lich, but your soul is mine," Manito gloated, drawing the last card from his deck and launching his final attack. "[Metal Slime], destroy his [Dragon Zombie] and use up his last points!"
The mercury goo swirled around the zombie, ready to finish it off, but left itself exposed to counterattacks.
"You activated my trap!" Fu
ibo
Revealing his hidden trump card. "(Lead poisoning)! All metal monsters on the field will be destroyed!"
The mercury slime began to turn into lead before it swallowed his dragon.
"No way," Manito panicked. "My [Metal Slider] prevented you from setting any traps!"
But by destroying my Scythe Lo 3 turns ago
d, you activate his special ability. I can use any trap in any of our traps!"
"That's... stop!" Manito looked at the pile of discarded cards and found a monster among them. "I'll check the effect first!"
It took Orc 5 minutes to read through a ton of text about the card's abilities, during which time the game sank to a crawl of boredom. Fulibon muttered to himself as he awaited the inevitable victory.
The boss said: "Are you kidding me, I missed the line between the twentieth and the twenty-first!"
"I knew you would. Now, your time is up."
"I can still change this problem!" the orc replied, looking at his hands angrily, "I can find a solution..."
"You fool, you have implemented some gorgeous strategies in this duel, but none of these strategies will work unless you draw the card you need," Freebon said happily, "But since You set a trap on your turn and you have no chance of drawing any magic cards.”
"But when did you—" Manito gasped. "Wait...that time...that time, on the first turn...that was the card you discarded?!" You planned all this?!"
Yes. Yes, he said it.
His magic had done its good work, destroying the hellish beauty and leaving Manito exposed. "Now that your [Metal Slime] is destroyed, I will attack you directly with my [Dragon Zombie]." Fuliben pointed at Manito and said with great joy. "This is the end!"
The illusory dragon opened its mouth and blasted the casino owner away with a ball of purple flames, ending the duel.
Manitou card points: 0.
Fuliben let out a happy cackle as the imaginary monster disappeared.
congratulations!
By wisely using destroyed creatures to defeat the Manitou, rise from the dead in a duel, and develop new undead targeting strategies, you've earned two [Lich] levels! You've earned the [Crown of the Undead] class perk!
120 hp, 40 sp, 4 vit, 1 agi, 1 i
t!
[Crown of the Undead]: Immediately [Decoy] other undead, and apply [Terror] to other types of undead, and the CHA check is successful.
It had been so long since Freeborn had gained a level that he had almost forgotten how magical it felt.
"Impressive," Manito said, sounding genuinely surprised. The audience began to applaud in tribute to their performance. "First your mid-game strategy, now this... You will now be known in the game world as Fu of Counterattack
ibo
. "
"You fought well," the Lich replied, and the final battle was a close one. "I admit it, I love playing these games."
"It's settled," the orc snapped his fingers, and a demon butler handed Freeborn a strange, ornate golden cup filled with a strange purple liquid... and a [Crown].
However, this one is not the same as the one Lich used to break through to level 30. This one didn't seem to be made of gold, but solid, colorful light, like a converging rainbow. "That's..." Fuliben followed and was surprised to see one.
Manitou confirmed: "The hero badge needs to break through the upper limit of level 60." "Put it on."
"I...I can't." These special badges are so rare and difficult to obtain that even Brandon Moore himself has never gotten one. Yet this monster handed one over so casually. "This is too much."
"It's been a long time since I've tasted failure," Manito said. "At a time when card games were all about tension, risk, and intelligence, I was overly confident in the power of Card Hearts! Your Undead Lockdown strategy was fantastic and rekindled my love for the game!"
To rekindle his love…
This battle also awakened something in the Lich's heart. For the first time in decades, he had real fun. Traveling the world in search of legendary artifacts, discovering new places, and putting his own life in danger... Fuli didn't want to admit it, but his experience in Victor's Scythe gave him an appreciation for the adventurer's lifestyle. new understanding.
…
That's it.
That's what he's been missing.
The lich grabbed the cup, throatless, and poured the liquid over his skull.
You have been cured of the following diseases: [Stockholm Syndrome], [Midu
life crisis] and [seasonal depression]!
To Fulimoto's great surprise, the cup seemed to magically fill itself. It is truly an artifact worthy of its name. Finally, he broke free from the last chain that bound him. The Lich now has a new non-life.
He knows what he has to do.
"Next!"
Fulimoto stood in front of a wooden table and raised his head. There was a receptionist at the Adventurers Association in Bahrain, a petite dark-skinned woman, who welcomed him with a smile. It was a nice change instead of the constant frightened looks he received from other staff members.
"I want to register as an adventurer," Fu
ibo
explain.
"I thought so," she chirped. "Although we've never found an intelligent skeleton before."
"A troll lich." To his surprise, she didn't even blink. "Aren't you surprised?"
"Oh, you know, we have dragons, vampires, orcs, slime molds... I must warn you, the newcomers have crowded out the market. It's harder than ever to find a job as an adventurer these days."
"I know, but I like a challenge. I want to sign up with an exploration fleet that I've heard about."
"good". Without hesitation she handed him a stack of papers and an adventurer's plate. "Please fill out your profile, grab your plate, and welcome to the family of adventurers."
The Lich glanced at the plate and saw the metal from which it was forged.
lead
Must be lead. "I am level 60." Fulibang pointed out. “Shouldn’t I jump to gold?”
"Six bucks, six bucks, the same," the receptionist replied with a cheeky smile. “Everyone here starts with lead!”
…
Call it karma.
