I activate all my skills, heavily straining my soul with their weight, then I take a slow step forward, the effort of it masked by all of the girls helping me move smoothly through [Bind]. My sole hits the floor, and my elven sandals resound through the hall as everyone holds their breaths for a moment.

"You mock me, Lord Wolf," Ira flatly says, his face back to a stony mask.

I look into his beady, dark eyes and let the anger flow through me. We haven't identified any of his fellow conspirators, so I can easily focus all of my energy on breaking him.

"It's no mockery. I can kill you without using a sword, or even a single spell," I sternly warn him.

I take another step. My breath quickens with the excitement, and my dragonator hardens in my tight pants, giving me a visible bulge.

Ira suddenly draws his longsword and assumes a combat stance, then all the other Lords immediately retreat to the walls, and the Root Lords finally speak, murmuring among themselves about a variety of things, but what Alissa and the hidden Hollys manage to hear the most of is that they're afraid of me, very afraid.

Ira's mask cracks once again, and he scowls angrily. "What is this madness?! What are you planning?!" He warily shouts.

I take another step and a deep, cathartic breath as I anticipate what's about to happen, then I chuckle softly because my prey's legs seem to be frozen stiff, and I have to hold myself back from ruining the mood with a silly joke.

"Madness? This is what you wanted, Heart Lord Ira," I gently remind him as I tilt my head cutely to the side, though I know that my crazed expression is anything but cute right now, then I take another slow step.

He grips his longsword harder to hide the trembling of his hand. Level ten [Intimidate], [Charm], [Taunt], and [Godly Language] must be making a mess of his mind.

"You can't possibly beat me like this, human!" He shouts angrily to mask the fear in his voice.

"But I'm not a human anymore…" I whisper as I take another step, my voice carrying a sweet tone with a dagger hidden right beneath it.

Lina feeds a gem in her seat, and the illusion is finally cut off, revealing my weredragon form for all to see.

My feet grow, and I gain a few centimeters of height as my sandals burst open and my claws turn the remains into ribbons. The sleeves of my shirt and the hem of my pants are shredded by my scales, revealing their beautiful, mirror-like sheen.

My black, spiky horns and long, thick tail grow back into place in just a few seconds, and I release a sigh of relief as the dragon inside of me is let back into the spotlight once again.

"Shapeshifter!" A Root Lord screams in fear.

"Quiet, fool!" I shout with a noticeable amount of [Godly Language] in my voice, then I puff up my chest with pride and take another step as I announce, "I'm a weredragon! I've become a new race inside the Legado dungeon!"

Ira lets his mouth hang open in surprise as the other Lords start to chatter loudly among themselves.

"SILENCE!" I angrily bellow, using a strong dose of [Godly Language] again. "WE HAVE A DUEL TO FINISH!" And I point a sharp, polished claw at Ira.

He grits his teeth, and his fair skin flushes red with fury, then he takes an unsteady step forward.

I take another step and grin at his tenacity. His "Willpower" is commendably high.

I spread my arms wide and strike a pose as I joke, "Oh? You're approaching me? Instead of running away, you're approaching me?!"

"I can't stab you without getting closer," Ira defiantly grumbles through his gritted teeth.

I laugh like a maniac and start walking forward. I can already smell the blood in the air that's about to be spilled, and that excites me. Now I've finally realized why Hana gets so horny after sparring.

"I'll make it easier for you: point your sword directly towards my heart," I [Taunt] and use [Godly Language] again.

Ira's hands start visibly shaking, and he groans, trying to resist my mental attacks, but he obeys like the good boy he is.

I turn my stare towards his hot wife and lick my lips as I imagine her being a hotwife. My dragonator gets even harder, and it strains against my thin underwear.

Evera Saponaria? No, Evera Ryder. I want to make her mine.

Ira follows my gaze and glances back, then he notices my bulge and starts twitching, foaming at the mouth with pure, unbridled rage.

"Yes, yes, let the rage flow through you! Let it consume your mind and fuel your heart!" I shout and laugh once again.

His steps become faster, and we quickly approach each other, then I pass Patrono without even glancing at it.

I keep my arms stretched wide apart, and my hands hanging low, leaving my body completely undefended.

"Come at me!" I use [Taunt] and [Godly Language] at the same time.

Ira seems like he's about to have a stroke, with his face exemplifying anger, but his body is still stiff with fear.

His sword approaches my chest, but I make no moves to avoid it.

We both slow down at the same time as the tip gets closer to my skin, aiming directly at my heart.

Ira stops, the rage clearing from his mind just enough for him to think for a second, leaving him full of doubt, but the fear makes it impossible for him to react.

The blade sinks into my chest, piercing through my skin and drawing blood, then I subtly shift to the side as it enters my rib cage, missing my heart by just a centimetri.

I take another step forward, and the tip emerges through my back, but now I'm in perfect range.

I breathe in deeply and smell my own blood, then I let out a sigh of satisfaction and my face softens into a kind smile, [Pain Resistance] removing any discomfort I might've otherwise felt in this situation.

"You've lost, Ira," I whisper softly, then I swing my arm, and five razor-sharp claws hack across his neck, shredding it into ribbons.

His wife shrieks in horror as she sees him gurgling and choking on his own blood while I'm standing here feeling so good that I almost reach the apex.

He releases his longsword and grabs his neck, then falls to his knees as he tries to stanch the bleeding in futility.

Evera dashes forward, but I glare at her and command her to stop with [Godly Language], "The duel isn't over yet!"

She freezes on the spot, her face warped in horror and her hand extended forward, trying in vain to reach for him.

Hana summons her wings and flies out of her seat, crossing the hall like a blur, then she lands heavily right in front of Evera and grips her shoulders to keep her away from Ira.

I look down at him as he bleeds out, his red face quickly turning pale, his mouth and jaw coated in red as he coughs out blood, his hands squeezing around his throat in desperation.

He looks up at me, tears rolling down his cheeks, and his eyes pleading for mercy, but I have none for him.

His body starts to go limp, and his eyes lose their focus as he begins to pass out, then he collapses in a growing puddle of his own blood that stains the white grass carpet red.

The foreign itching from before reappears inside my mind, beckoning me to [Heal] him, but I ignore it, then the itching quickly flares up and swells into a heartburn, making it incredibly painful to not heed it. It completely bypasses [Pain Resistance].

Yes, yes, I'll do it in just a sec.

For some reason, the Gods really don't want him to die.

I turn my eyes to the subordinate Lords and give them a dark look as I whisper, "This is your last chance. Use it wisely."

Then I pad my claws and grab Ira by the throat. I raise him up and use [Telekinesis] to float above the floor because he's a bit taller than me, then I cast multiple [Heal]s and [Purify Body]s until he suddenly awakens.

I drop him onto the floor, and he wavers, but he keeps himself from falling.

I float a bit higher so that I can look down on him and triumphantly shout, "You've lost, Lord Ira!"

Ira coughs a bit more and looks around in confusion, but he starts to understand what happened as his eyes regain their focus.

I pull his longsword out of my chest and let it fall onto the carpet with a muffled clang, then I [Heal] myself as I slowly descend back down to the ground.

Once my claws touch the white grass carpet, I cough softly and get a taste of my own blood on my tongue. I agree with Oritiki, lung wounds are the worst. Then I shift into my dragon form, and I hear multiple gasps of surprise.

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The bastard could've actually put up a good fight. I've trained so hard to get my dragon transformation up to this level, but he had the audacity to lose his mind just from witnessing my humanoid form. I have to admit, though, that learning how to control the draconic rage has proven to be rather useful today.

I raise my draconic head and glare at the frightened Ira, my height just a bit shorter than my humanoid form, but I'm an actual damn dragon now, and I look one hundred times more menacing than a humanoid of the same size.

Ira stares at me in terror, his will completely broken, his armor red with his own blood, and his body still struggling to stay upright. He's done, but I just need to push him one last time.

I breathe in deeply, then I bellow in my deep, draconic dual voice, "I DIDN'T EVEN NEED TO USE MY SWORD OR MY DRAGON FORM TO DEFEAT YOU! IS THAT PROOF ENOUGH OF MY POWER?!"

He cowers in fear, then immediately falls down onto one knee.

"My Lord! I've seen the light! I recognize your power!" He exclaims, his voice wavering and full of fright.

And just like that, he has finally said "my Lord."

I turn my yellow eyes to the subordinate Lords and make sure to give each one of them a murderous glare. I want them to remember this day for as long as they live so that they may always fear my draconic rage, or at least what we do to those who go against us. Evera definitely will.

I let the rage cool until I feel my scaly face softening, then I turn back to Ira with kind eyes. The stick has been thoroughly applied, so now we need a carrot.

I spread my wings halfway to give myself stability as I stand up on my feet to make myself look bigger, then I recite the words, "Heart Lord Ira Saponaria, will you give me your sword? Will you pledge subservience to me as is foreseen in the duties of the Lordship? Will you protect the honor of the Western High Forest?"

"Yes, my Lord, I will," the broken man readily accepts.

"Then I shall take you under the shade of my tree, the roof of my home."

Ira stands up but keeps his head held low.

"Do not clean your armor for the whole day; let them all see the result of your arrogance. Also, the stain of your blood shall remain in this hall for as long as you live as evidence of our mercy."

"Yes, my Lord," he obediently replies.

Then I turn around and walk back to my throne as I shift myself back into a humanoid. My part in this plan is done, and now I need to rest because this performance drained me of most of my energy.

Yunia shows a subtle, smug smile as she announces, "May the next one step forward."

And so, the rest of the Lords all fall into line without another word.

The famous Reniandisabis, the historic meeting of Lords, is finally over. Books have been written about the drama that unfolds in them, but not even fiction could compare to what happened in ours, though that's a once in many, many lifetimes occurrence.

Things have ended with results in our favor, but we still don't have a clue about who was really plotting against us. Ira exposed himself as the sacrificial goat, but nobody else did anything overt. Perhaps we were too aggressive, and now the dissenters have hidden themselves in fear of our wrath.

Cruelty works, until it doesn't. It broke Ira, but now we can't administer it freely without weakening their trust in us. Cruelty works, until an insurrection starts.

We'll have to make another plan to handle the matter going forward.

We ring the bell and the double doors of the hall open wide, marking the end of the Reniandisabis.

Our men receive us with smiles of pride and relief, while a lot of curious looks are sent towards Ira and his bloodied armor, but he's not a man that would get embarrassed by something like this so easily.

"It's time for the grand reveal!" I happily announce.

We take our ship back to the Prasa de Ananci while the Lords take the [Eternal Gate] back to the viewing stands up on the Shell.

We all [Equip] our lavish new clothes while the golems pilot for us. I enjoy open vests quite a lot because they make me look dapper while showing off my athletic body. I also chose to go for a silver cape and tight black shorts because the girls enjoy it when I have a visible bulge. Gify returns to her preferred position, firmly on my shoulder, and recomposes her dignified pose because the formalities haven't finished yet.

Alissa wears a red not-kimono, which is just a few pieces of rectangular cloth wrapped around her body in a complex way that doesn't actually cover that much of her skin; Roxanne sports a black and purple gown that sticks to her upper body like a sexy monokini; Hana flaunts a strapless emerald dress, but it has so many openings that it can almost be called elven; Ciel goes with a yellow body-conforming dress made of Snow Weave which stretches in all of the right spots; Lina wears a sexy lolita mini-dress, exposing her cute, thin pale legs, but she also has to be careful not to flash the micro underwear she has on underneath it; Aoi shifts into her human form and puts on a very loose and modern-looking sapphire velvet dress that sticks to her delicate (non-existent) curves, showcasing how good of a runaway model she could be; Yunia opts for the traditional not-belly-dancer elven look with gold and jewels hanging on strings from the straps, making her look both sexy and dignified.

I take a quick [Instant Picture] because we'll remove the [Equipment System] from these clothes after this, so it won't be as easy for us to wear such delicate outfits again.

We stop the ship a few meters above the plaza as the crowd cheers, but then they start to become confused with my new look and Aoi's presence. Not even the Lords recognize her, and they become wary of what's to come since they can clearly see the similarities between Aoi's two forms.

The confusion quickly becomes silence as the music stops and everyone eagerly waits for me to start the speech.

Yunia takes control of my voice while Alissa keeps my posture dignified. Skills are believed to use mental or "spirit" energy, and I've definitely overused my skills during Ira's Mind Break, so I'm feeling far too drained right now to do this on my own.

Alissa makes me press the special [Project Voice] gem against my throat, which is connected to amplifiers spread through the town, ensuring that everyone will hear my words.

Yunia tests her control of my voice, then Alissa activates the enchantment and Yunia starts the speech, "Citizens of Escanso, travelers and adventurers from faraway lands, and Lords of the elven territories. It's with great pride that we announce the reunification of the Western High Forest under our rule. We've accepted the pledge of loyalty from all of our subordinate Lords, and we've assumed the responsibilities foreseen by the Lordship. We shall work to protect every citizen subjected to us and guide our society towards progress, towards a better future that leads us closer to our dreams or even apotheosis."

Right now, an elven Lord would also add their pledge to upholding elven traditions, but we won't say that part. We'll cause so much change in the future that we can't give our honest word that their traditions will remain as they are.

The crowd responds with an acceptable level of cheering. Teresina and her priests did a good job in keeping the hype going during the prayers, so now we need to capitalize on it and deliver the lightning bolts.

Alissa steps forward and takes the gem, then introduces herself, "I'm Alissa of the Blinding Arrows, a werefox born in the Misty Low Forest, former Blood Slave of Wolf, and Blessed by the Goddess of Love."

Roxanne comes next, and the girls line up behind her.

"I'm Roxanne, a succubus-type demon race born in Mashoor, a fishing village in Maoka and within the succubi Holy Lands."

"I'm Hanafuria of the Thousand Strikes, a dragonkin born in Sommerland, former Blood Slave of Wolf."

"I'm Ciel, a human born in Rabanaria, and a former priestess."

"I'm Lina, a dwarf born in Bersidon, a surface village in Mountainhome, and former slave of Wolf."

"I'm Yulania, a golden-elf born in Escanso, daughter of the late Crown Lord Mavel Este, and former Blood Slave of Wolf."

Then the first strike comes.

Aoi's feminine and crystalline voice gives me shivers of pride, "I'm Aoi, an Azurite dragon born in the Sea of Trees, saved by Wolf, and also converted to your religion by him." Aoi suddenly changes into a dragon, shifting her gentle voice into the terrifying, deep, and sensual double voice characteristic of a mature dragon. "I now worship the Old and Humanoid Gods, who have blessed me by giving me a system! And I've risen to level thirty-eight!"

The crowd bursts into loud chatter, disbelieving of their own ears. They ask the priests questions, but they all, without exception, stare up at our ship with their mouths hanging open in surprise. Those who first recover from the stunning revelation don't know how to answer, so they beg for patience since all of their questions should be answered with time.

I look towards the stands and see Teresina's mouth also hanging open, clearly just as stunned as everybody else. It pleases me a lot to see the stern and composed gilf in such a state. I suddenly imagine her with an ahegao as I screw her to the limit.

We wait for a few moments, then we deliver the second strike.

"I'm Wolf 'Good Luck' Ryder, a human born in Rabanara, Golemancer, Scholar, and Blessed by the Goddess of Knowledge.

"These are my wives, and we've all become True Nobles after conquering the Legado dungeon, but that's not all! During our journey, the Gods deemed it fit to change me. They made me into this," -I raise my claws high- "a new race! I'm now a weredragon!"

Then I shift into my dragon form to make my point. It also serves to improve the impact of what's coming next since my voice is much more powerful in this form.

I see Teresina leaning forward in her seat, her mouth still hanging open, and the crowd actually becomes a bit quieter as the confusion sets in.

And now, here comes the finisher.

"Not only that, but God-Ruler Arreira's spirit himself was found at the core, bound to it by [Trap Soul]! He chose us as his inheritors, his adopted descendants, and the heirs to his will! We've gained the right of royalty through him! The Ryder dynasty starts here and now!"

Then a miracle happens.

A beam of light coming directly from the high sun of midday shines down upon us, and everything within sight freezes in time.

The bead of sweat running down Hana's cleavage instantly stops in place; Yunia's hair defies gravity as it freezes mid-bounce; Ciel's butt jiggle doesn't finish; and Alissa's tail wag is suspended. We see a waitress floating mid stumble, a bird frozen in the sky, leaves that stand perfectly still, and a nature spirit caught in mid-disappearance as the left half of its body seems to be semi-transparent.

Our perception continues, somehow, but we can't move, or breathe, or talk.

I suddenly feel fear as something much greater than me makes itself known. I don't truly understand the Gods, or what they want, or how to even build a relationship with them, but now I know that they're watching me, closely.

In the blink of an eye that can't blink, the beam disappears, and time resumes flowing forward, leaving the entire town in stunned silence.

The girls and I sweat cold as the fear of the above fills all of our connected hearts, and for once, we fail at regulating each others' emotions through [Bind].

We all try to understand what the hell just happened, but it's Gify who gives us the answer.

"Gih…" She softly chirps.

The Gods solved a problem for us. They gave us legitimacy by making everyone understand that I've spoken nothing but the truth.

Instead of questioning in bewilderment about the veracity of my statements, everyone kneels in respect. The holy royals have arrived, and they bring change with them.

I breathe slowly and deeply to calm my heart. In truth, I don't really like the idea of the Gods. My heart is afraid of their power and how much they can control me, but my mind accepts that they're damn important for the stability of this world. In the end, it doesn't matter if I like them or not because the only important thing I have to worry about is the work relationship we have. If we help each other out, nothing else matters.

Ciel is, quite obviously, the first one of us to recover, and she glows in happiness (though also from sweating in fear) about what just happened.

"We've talked in the past about how your Fate is special, but now, it has been confirmed that you aren't just blessed, but watched with great interest by the Gods," she proudly announces, then she lays her hand on my shoulder and gives it a gentle squeeze. "Even they have expectations for you."

"No pressure," I jokingly whisper.

She chuckles angelically and pats my head once, making sure that she avoids the horns, then she takes the [Project Voice] gem and addresses the crowd, "A miracle has happened! The Gods have shown us all their presence and acknowledge your Lord! They still watch over and protect us, so let's celebrate this glorious event! Let's show our gratitude to the Gods! Let's honor the God of Festivity!"

A roar of cheering erupts from the crowd. Just the mention of Festivity would've been enough to get the hype going again, but Ciel's words start a wildfire of excitement among the commoners. Their hearts were already filled to the brim with emotion from the thrill of the divine event, and now they have an outlet to let it all out.

The time has come for the real party, and the alcohol flows freely throughout the town.

Intermission 20 – Armanpoosh

I see it. The light has allowed me to see it. I see his greatness, his majesty, his power. He's indeed a True Noble, a Holy Man. He's the one who has been chosen to guide us forward, and my duty is to support him as best as I can.

My Lord, my… King? Is someone who has a "great appetite," so I shall do my utmost to satisfy it. This is my true calling.