Chapter 428: The Trialer of Tower of Conflagration
Anzeta Great Wasteland, Barras Volcano.
Located in the eastern reaches of the Empire, this desolate expanse is the most volatile region of Anzeta’s Fire Element—home to a Living Volcano that erupts with terrifying regularity. Every few years, Barras Volcano unleashes torrents of rock, volcanic ash, and pumice, spilling rivers of molten magma down its slopes. To the surrounding inhabitants, this spectacle is known as the "Wrath of the Fire God."
No one dares to dwell here. Not a soul has ever lived in this scorched wasteland—though the ancient Red Dragon once considered making it his lair. Yet, recognizing the lack of potential for followers, he abandoned the idea.
The primary residents of this infernal realm are creatures of fire: Steam Demon Bats, Fire Lizards, Magma Stone Golems, and even beings from the Inner Planes—pure Fire Elementals.
But now, atop the volcano’s summit, a tower forged in lava rises from the flames—its obsidian spire crowned with fire. This is the sanctuary of Misha, the so-called "Dragonfire Maiden," known in legend as the Tower of Conflagration.
Hellfire That Burns Sinners.
And it is a testament—clear as flame—to her unwavering resolve to take vengeance upon Leo Bosk.
At the tower’s peak, the air shimmers with distortion, thick with white smoke that curls like serpents. Flame Wisps—ghostly, flickering tendrils of fire—drift through the space like living shadows. In the center, a girl sits cross-legged, serene yet radiant.
She appears no older than fifteen or sixteen, her face already strikingly beautiful. Her cheeks bear sharp, pointed ears. From her brow rise twin red-brown horns. Her hair—like living flame—drifts in the heat, as if dancing in an unseen wind.
This is Misha, now.
A descendant of the Ifrit—fire-born beings whose appearance reflects the raw power within. Since receiving the Fire Strength from Kai Xiusu, her growth has accelerated beyond measure. Now, she bears the bearing of someone far older than her years.
Suddenly, flames coalesce in the air, forming a hazy humanoid shape.
“Misha… Master.”
“Outside… Human.”
It is a Fire Elemental Elder—a being Misha encountered during her trial in the Elemental Plane of Fire. Originally, it sought to devour her. But after a brutal battle, it cried out in terror, begging for mercy. In the end, it signed a Pact—becoming Misha’s bound servant.
Misha slowly opens her eyes. Within their golden irises, flames flicker like embers in a dying fire.
“I told you…”
“Not to disturb me during this time!”
Her voice grows louder, fiercer—until it erupts into a roar that echoes like a dragon’s fury. The Fire Elemental Elder trembles, its form flaring uncontrollably as flames burst from its body in wild bursts.
Boom!
The Elder dissolves into streams of molten fire, still crying out in terror, fleeing in panic from Misha’s wrathful gaze.
“Forgive my insolence…
King Kai Xiusu.”
Misha clasps her hands together, whispering in reverence.
Within the tower, statues of Kai Xiusu stand in solemn glory—his full dragon form, his human-like bust, both adorned with priceless golden jewels.
In the past year, Misha has hunted down remnants of the Northern Nobles, then ventured alone into the Elemental Plane of Fire to complete her trial. She is no longer the girl of mere resilience.
Now, she is truly an Ifrit.
Fire Elementals are known for their stark personalities—passionate, fiercely independent, proud, and demanding. But when they truly worship a deity—especially one tied to fire—they become fanatical, zealous, devout followers.
In her past life, Misha was broken by tragedy—driven mad by suffering, vowing to burn every human to ash. But in this life, she is different. She is no longer consumed by blind rage. She is sharp, focused. She shows no mercy to the remnants of the Northern Regions, eradicating them without hesitation. Yet to the Emperor who gave her a new life, she is utterly devoted—her loyalty burning brighter than any flame.
And so, her fury toward the Fire Elemental Elder was not born of anger alone—but of its disruption of her communion with the strength Kai Xiusu bestowed upon her.
Had a capable player been present, they would have seen this information:
> [Dragonfire Maiden – Misha]
> Challenge Rating: 14 (11,500 experience points)
Yes—through the dual catalysts of her personal talent awakening and Kai Xiusu’s divine bestowal, Misha’s power has grown exponentially. In just one year, she has risen to the upper echelon of the Empire’s elite.
At only eleven years old, this sorceress now stands among the Empire’s strongest.
Misha raises a slender hand. Flame Wisps swirl around her fingertips, coalescing into a glowing magical image—hundreds of players materialize before her, blinking in confusion.
“Stellarfallen…”
“King Kai Xiusu himself told me to select the strongest from among them—to become honored Dragon Oath Mages.”
She frowns slightly, watching the players nervously glance around, fidgeting with their gear.
“Can these mere mortals truly be worthy of becoming kin to King Kai Xiusu? Of receiving such a divine gift?”
The Dragon Oath Mage is not like the Crimson Scale Conqueror. It requires not just bloodline transformation—but a direct infusion of power by Kai Xiusu himself.
Even Misha, as Master of the Tower of Conflagration, has only thirteen such Pacts. Because the power is sacred, she guards them like treasures—refusing to grant even one, waiting to find the absolute best.
After all, Ifrits are, in their own way, perfectionists.
“Stellarfallen has no true death, after all… Perhaps… they need a real trial.”
Snap!
Misha snaps her fingers.
The flames around her stir once more, swirling into a form—this time, the trembling Fire Elemental Elder, now fully reconstituted.
“Afar. Come with me.”
“Yes, Master.”
Outside the Barras Volcano’s crater, chaos unfolds.
“Party up for the Dragon Oath Mage Quest!”
“No wild wizards!”
“Get a heat-resistant elixir!”
“Damn, this place is real—just like a real volcano!”
Hundreds of players gather in excitement, their voices rising in a cacophony. The ground is a mosaic of blackened lava, scattered with ash. The air reeks of sulfur, sharp and biting. White vapor hisses from cracks in the rock. Farther off, molten rivers flow slowly, glowing faintly, bubbling with restless gas.
“Wow…”
“Damn, it’s hot!”
The players—many of them seeing such a sight for the first time—gasp in wonder. Some even dare to plunge their hands into the magma, only to yelp in pain, snatching their hands back.
They are all here because of the Imperial Proclamation—drawn by the promise of a legendary hidden profession: Dragon Oath Mage.
And among them, the professional player Xia Ye Qiu Yu—Dragonblood Sorcerer and member of the Five Fireball Cult—is not to be missed.
She yearns for the freedom to unleash high-tier fire spells without restraint. Who wouldn’t dream of hurling a dozen fireballs in a single barrage?
Xia Ye Qiu Yu lifts her head, gazing toward the distant lava-forged tower.
“This is the Tower of Conflagration…”
“Regardless of what it takes—I will become a Dragon Oath Mage.”
A faint smile plays on her lips. In her golden eyes, a fierce, unyielding light burns—unshakable, determined.
—Requesting Moon Tickets—
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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