This was Keno's first time seeing a dragon, which surprised her a little.
So this was what a dragon looked like.
Its presence, however, was overwhelmingly powerful.
"Player, coming here doesn't seem like it's for a friendly chat," said the Platinum Dragon Lord, his expression serious.
If the hero captain had limitless potential, then this player was simply strong who had grown to his potential.
"Yeah, I'm here to defeat you," Ren said bluntly.
There was no need to leave an enemy alive who hated him.
The Platinum Dragon Lord asked, "Player, may I ask why?"
"You killed that player, didn't you? Everything he did was to save this world," Ren offered an excuse for himself.
"I don't remember you two being close," the Dragon Lord said as he rose, ready to attack.
"Not Close? Maybe. But you fear us. Do you think I need someone alive who might want to kill me at any moment?" Ren countered.
"Die," said the Platinum Dragon Lord.
The armor he controlled moved toward Keno.
He planned to eliminate the weaker opponent first, and attacking her would distract Ren.
He already understood the bonds and companions from observing the armor.
Ren was not worried.
Keno cast a defensive spell, but it was instantly shattered.
The attack struck her and sent her flying.
"First…" the Dragon Lord began, but his words were cut off.
"Ren, are you just going to watch me get knocked away?" Keno hurried over, her tone full of grievance.
She really couldn't believe it.
"The item you're wearing is the World Item, Forest Witch. I've accounted for this kind of attack, it won't hurt you," Ren replied while dodging the dragon's real attack.
At the same time, he drew the Ama no Murakumo and struck the armor with his ultimate skill, the Heaven and Earth Slash.
As the saying goes, use your skills early before the cooldown.
One strike melted the Platinum Dragon Lord's armor clone instantly.
"This… is a World Item…" the Dragon Lord stared fixedly at the sword in Ren's hand.
"I'm a heavy-spending player in the game. I only have one of the top twenty world items, but I've collected plenty of others," Ren said, slowly approaching.
He had noticed that the dragon was using its strongest magic.
Suddenly, a barrier trapped Ren and Keno, disabling their teleportation magic.
Breaking the barrier would take time.
"Huh?" Ren was a little surprised.
This dragon seemed different from the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord.
It had experience dealing with players and is using deception.
It made Ren think he was using his ultimate magic, but it was really a trap to confine them.
Looks like he would need his PVP experience for this.
"See through the flaw, Fortification, Self-Time Acceleration." Ren used several skills in quick succession. After spotting the flaw in the barrier, he struck hard and destroyed it.
At the same time, the Platinum Dragon Lord unleashed his magic. It was Wild Magic, extremely powerful. But having fought the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord before, Ren could clearly tell that the Platinum Dragon Lord's magic was slightly weaker.
Ren then summoned the Thorn Shield. The Platinum Dragon Lord's attacks struck it, but all were absorbed. The shield's usage count also decreased by one.
"What? Another World Item." The Platinum Dragon Lord's face darkened, but in the next moment, he lost his chance.
The Thorn Shield's counterattack activated. Thirty percent of the damage reflected onto the Platinum Dragon Lord.
It wasn't fatal, but it gave Ren a perfect opportunity. He seized it and moved in front of the dragon's head, raising his blade and striking.
The Platinum Dragon Lord was cunning. His head instinctively dipped, and Ren's blade only hit halfway.
"Wait, I can give you a World Item!" The Platinum Dragon Lord shouted, ignoring the pain as blood flowed from his neck.
Ren didn't respond. His blade kept pressing down, and he even used a few magic scrolls to enhance himself.
"I can be your mount." The Platinum Dragon Lord yelled again. He clearly knew what players wanted. To survive, he ignored his pride.
"You're far weaker than the Elder Coffin Dragon Lord. At least he preserved his dignity. And you… I don't want a mount." Ren finally spoke. His blade met no resistance, and the dragon's head fell. The Platinum Dragon Lord's eyes widened, full of unwillingness.
Ren had initially been interested, after all, it could be a PVP match. But the outcome was the same.
The dragon only knew about players superficially. It didn't understand their past battles. Without knowing Ren's info, opening the fight with full force was destined to fail.
Players rarely reveal their trump cards. Like Super-Tier Magic, it was immensely powerful, but the casting time was long. Often in PVP, magic casters didn't even use their strongest spells.
Melee fighters were similar. Compared to mages, many of their attacks weren't precise. If their trump card missed, trying it again rarely succeeded.
"Is it already dead?" Keno approached the dragon's head, curious. It was surprising that it was taken down so easily.
"I don't know. Better finish the job," Ren thought, feeling he needed to be careful. He began dismembering the corpse until it was no longer recognizable as a dragon.
"Let's go." To prevent any chance of resurrection, Ren used a World Item. Resurrection magic below the tenth level could no longer bring it back.
Leaving the Argland Council State behind, the two returned to their base. By now, there were a dozen maids here. Paid items really made a difference—so many things could be realized.
"Lord Ren, Lady Keno, welcome back." The maids stood on either side, bowing slightly, their voices polite.
"Noya, what did you prepare for us today?" Keno asked, looking at the lead maid.
"Today, we have cola, hamburgers, fries, and other delicacies," Noya replied confidently as the head maid.
"That sounds wonderful," Keno said, visibly excited.
In the game, there were various races, and food was universal, suitable for any species. Besides, these were professional chef maids.
Noya was an artificial human, level 10 in cooking, level 10 in housekeeping, level 10 in synthesis—a total of level 30. The other maids were level 20, adding life and energy to the massive castle.
"Keno, how long have we been adventuring together?" Ren asked.
"About seventy years," Keno replied clearly. She remembered well. If asked for days, she could recall those too.
"Seventy years already?"
"Mm." Keno nodded. She had completely let go of her old burdens, but a new one had quietly appeared.
Afterward, the two had lunch together, then lay down as usual. Nothing seemed different, yet Keno was angry.
Seeing the little one sulking, Ren rested his head on hers. "What's wrong?"
"Don't touch my head! I won't grow taller because of you." Keno wriggled his hand away.
"Here." Ren gave her one of the guild rings.
"Can I?" Keno asked, stunned. She had always felt a barrier—she couldn't truly step into Ren's world. No matter how much he told her, most of the time, she just felt like a listener of stories.
"Momonga would forgive my whims, and you meet the guild's recruitment requirements," Ren said casually.
"Mm." This time, Keno's tone was genuinely happy, and it shone clearly on her face.
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