I bought a map of the region to reaffirm what I know of the towns, then unfolded the scroll neatly across the table. For all of my party members to see. Among those, Lion seemed to be the most interested.

“So this is the land of man? How can the Human Lord manage such a vast piece of land?”

“Yes, but is not what you think, Lion. We humans have no lord. Most of these cities are independently owned by a noble, the church or a set of merchants.”

“Then our enemy is?”

“Eh, well - that would be this city, the free city of Venarius. I am guessing none of you two have heard from it before?”

My question was met with a blank stare.

“Is that where we buy all our fish from?” Vampy asked.

I sighed, “Yes.”

The thought of Vampy’s poorly cooked fish popped into my mind. Nevertheless, my assumption about Venarius was right. Just like in the MMO, the city was located a few miles away from my castle.

“Now my question is, Lion, can you control dragons?”

“No, why?”

“Well, I was hoping that you could tell them to help us attack the city.”

“They hate you.”

“But don’t they hate humans even more than me?”

“Your point?”

“If they attack the city, they would at least finally get their payback after hundreds of years of being targets of hunts.”

“Let me see what I can do.”

Vampy and I waited for three hours, doing nothing but playing cards. “RUNO,” she said. She won again. I only had green cards and I am sure he had the 7.

“Let’s play again! fufufufu.”

I was going to lose my nerves, but then Lion entered the room. “You got a deal,” she said. “The dragons will attack, with one and one condition only.”

“And that is?”

“That you cease to exist. They say you only ever make things worse.”

The room was not enough to contain my anger. “THEN I SHALL MAKE IT WORSE!”

I spent the next three hours hunting dragons. “Tell them, that if they don’t agree to attack the city with me, I shall hunt them all day, every day, until I get bored hunting them.”

A few hours later, my party and two hundreds green dragons were a mile away from the city of Venarius.

“Do you see any guards?” I asked. Vampy’s vampire eyes should be able to spot any humans at night.

“Negative, chief, over,” she said. She was standing right next to me. I smacked her on the head.

“Clown.”

“Shouldn’t we announce our invasion?” Lion asked.

I just stared at her, and she got the hint.

“I do not approve of your dishonorable tactics,” she replied.

“We shall quietly enter the city. If you disagree, you are more than welcome to stay right here and watch the attack happen from outside. Maybe you’ll make a fine companion for a peddle or ant.”

We quietly entered the city. Once the dragons were inside, they went amok. Neither Lion nor I had any control over what they were doing. The wicked things glassed anything that moved.

The few adventurers in the town, both NPC and Player alike, stormed out, not knowing what caused the commotion. But it was already too late, and no one was able to do much, for the dragons acted like a coordinated mob. Combined they did enough DPS to down anyone below level 100.

A lone caster tried to be the hero. But I hit him hard with two sudden death runes, and he fell.

“Master, did we win yet?” Vampy asked.

“No, not yet. We must reach the depot and torch it.”

“Why is that?”

Because if we don’t torch it, the heroes will re-spawn and the first thing they will do is they will reach the depot and arm themselves with potions and better equipment.

“Master, you are so smart!”

I nodded. Taking advantage of the confusion, we made our way to the depot. But then another player stood in our way.

“Move! you are courting death!” I yelled.

“I will not move,” He said.

“THIS INSOLENCE WILL NOT STAND,” I replied.

I pulled my hell wand off and blasted the clueless knight. ‘Fool.’

With the player out of the way, I torched the depot. Now victory was ours. But we weren’t here to take the city. Instead, this was just a distraction for the bigger picture.

While the adventurers were trying to slay the dragon invasion, the merchants were packing their ships with their merchandise. I save them the trouble by setting their entire merchant fleet ablaze.

When I walked out of the city, the merchants lost an estimate of two thousand silver pounds worth of assets. Not withstanding how much money it will take to restore the city.

“Server them right, master.” Vampy said.

“Indeed.”

They had come to my peaceful domain and tried to dislodge me of what was rightfully mine.

Once outside, I could spot Lion. ‘Tough spirit.’

I waved at her. But her glowing red eyes stared at me with contempt. “And the dragons?”

I just raised my shoulders. “Really? that is the first thing you ask? How about ‘are you alright?’ or maybe ask Vampy if she is hurt.”

“Answer my question….”

“Beats me,” I said. “they are likely going out with a blaze of glory.”

“I hate you.”

That night when I returned to my manor, I was exhausted. Vampy joined me in my chambers, but Lion kept to herself, as always. It didn’t matter. The merchants lost so much money that I was happy. I slept like a king.

The following day I woke up to a system notification.

Under such conditions, I couldn’t defend the castle. This was nothing but my fault for being weak. I need to become stronger.

I remember back from the old days that there was a sect a few days from here, but the mystery only existed in rumors. Yet, ever since the MMO became real, it is likely that the rumor also became real.

If only I could join, I could learn their secret arts.