Chapter 36 – Master of Persuasion
Kai Xiusu’s Character Sheet unfurled before him.
[You have shattered another’s mind with words, earning the Armor Class Achievement: Master of Persuasion]
Armor Class Achievement: Master of Persuasion
"My tongue can be a thorned rose—or a sword dipped in poison. It’s entirely up to you, my dear… from some devil who shall remain nameless."
Passive Ability Acquired: Charmer
Persuasion +6, Deception +4
Gain an additional spell: Suggestion
You are a rare breed of Charmer—your words are your greatest weapon. Your eloquence can inspire anyone to die for you. Your lies can cloak even the darkest crimes. Your voice can twist truth into fiction, plunging the entire world into chaos.
Suggestion
2nd-level Enchantment Spell
You cast this spell on a single creature within range whom you can see, planting a subtle suggestion in their mind. The suggestion must sound reasonable, plausible—something the target would naturally consider doing, given their personality and circumstances.
"Quite the useful passive ability," Kai Xiusu mused. "It won’t do much in direct combat, but you never know when a little influence might turn the tide. And now I’ve got a rare 2nd-level spell on top of it. Not bad at all."
This sudden assault by the Eagle Guard had dealt a heavy blow to Ashen Hollow, still in its infancy.
According to Lanpu’s tally:
- 2 Two-Headed Dragons dead
- 7 Ogres slain
- 86 Goblins killed
- 95 Goblinoids lost
- Wounded innumerable
- The Chimera severely injured, unable to fight for now
The losses stirred alarm in Kai Xiusu.
Goblins and Goblinoids? No great loss. With enough effort, they could be replenished within a year—maybe even bred faster than they could be killed. In fact, Ashen Hollow might need to burn through some excess population soon.
But Two-Headed Dragons—war-ready, slow-breeding, high-value followers—were a different story. Losing them stung. And if Kai Xiusu hadn’t returned in time? The damage could’ve been far worse.
This wasn’t a good sign.
Compared to the rapid pace of Kai Xiusu’s personal growth, the quality of Ashen Hollow’s followers was falling behind. The danger?
In the future, when the Red Dragon returned from battle, barely able to rest, his nest would already be razed by enemies.
The thought chilled him.
He turned to the special ability on his Character Sheet: Bloodline Gift.
Bloodline Gift
[You are a born Chieftain. Your innate aura influences all creatures within your territory. You may perform a ritual using your own blood to create Bloodline Kin.]
[Upon completion, the ancient oppression of your bloodline will compel total submission in your new kin—so complete that even their descendants will become your Eternal Familiars.]
"A little blood for a loyal, obedient Familiar? Seems like a fair trade," Kai Xiusu mused.
With that, he let out a long, echoing Roar that reverberated through the valley, summoning all his Familiars to gather in the open clearing.
"ROOOOAAARRR!"
This was Ashen Hollow’s first major gathering.
The Red Dragon himself had summoned them—something of great consequence. The Chieftains of every clan took it seriously.
Lanpu barked orders to the Ogres, enforcing discipline. Dolo donned his battle-worn leather armor. Jinya polished his scales to a gleam. Even the Two-Headed Dragons hissed lowly to one another, exchanging quiet, urgent words.
The entire valley came alive.
Only essential guards remained behind. All others poured out—thousands of monsters, diverse in form and size, filling the valley to the brim. They jostled, shouted, bickered, and clashed—especially the Goblins and Goblinoids.
Two races of low-tier, numerous, and weak, yet fiercely resentful of each other.
The Goblins, believing themselves the original founders of Ashen Hollow, saw themselves as veterans. The Goblinoids, on the other hand, claimed closer blood ties to the Red Dragon—Goblins were mere cannon fodder.
"Goblin, get out of the way!"
"This is our spot!"
"You came too late—stand at the back!"
A few taller Goblinoids blocked the front, chattering aggressively.
The Goblins fumed. Some tried to shove their way through—but the Goblinoids surged back, pushing hard.
"Move!"
A deep voice cut through the chaos.
Dolo, the Great Goblin and commander of the military, stepped forward. Behind him, two massive Bear Goliaths—brawny, armored, and terrifying—advanced. With a single kick, they sent the Goblinoids sprawling meters away.
Though ordinary Goblins were low in status, Great Goblins and Bear Goliaths held real power. They were the backbone of Ashen Hollow’s military and infrastructure. Even Jinya, the Goblinoid Chieftain, respected them.
The defeated Goblinoids slunk off, mouths shut, eyes down.
Then came the Lizardfolk.
Fifty strong, they arrived in a steady line. Taller than Goblins and Goblinoids, their bodies resembling upright crocodiles fused with lizards—human-sized, muscular, and grim-faced. Most carried crude wooden spears and shell shields, evidence of their raw strength.
But they were new to Ashen Hollow—no permanent settlement, no established place. They dared not provoke conflict.
They were the Blackfang Lizardfolk, a tribe that had fled the ruins of an ancient cave system after the disaster caused by the Azure-Footed Serpent. With the Red Dragon absent, Lanpu had temporarily taken them in. They still lacked official recognition from Kai Xiusu.
Their Chieftain had never even had an audience with the Red Dragon—only witnessed his might in battle. That sight had sealed their loyalty.
The Lizardfolk Chieftain was Ake Changya, named for his massive, dagger-like fang.
Unlike most of his kind, he stood over two meters tall. His skull bore a tall, vividly colored fin—like a crown—signifying strength and dominance, and a tool for attracting mates.
In his hand, he gripped a trident forged from a crocodile’s bone—the symbol of leadership.
Yet now, he stood uneasy. He wasn’t sure if this mighty Red Dragon would accept him.
His eyes drifted to the elder Shaman beside him—Koda Heilin, an old, hunched Lizardfolk with cloudy eyes and a black scale on his chest.
"Koda… can we stay here?" Ake asked quietly.
The Shaman didn’t answer. He simply smiled, then pointed behind him.
A group of strong Lizardfolk were carrying heavy wooden crates, guarded closely by warriors. From the gaps in the wood, golden light gleamed—treasures from raids on human caravans, and artifacts dug from the ancient caves.
The Blackfang tribe’s entire fortune.
The old Shaman whispered, voice like wind through stone:
"You can always trust a Red Dragon’s greed."
(Ancient proverb.)
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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