Suddenly, a child's scream echoed from the camp's entrance.
The Tieflings quickly turned their heads to look.
"Hey ho, hey ho, hey ho..."
They saw several strong and mighty ogres shouting as they carried thick logs, casually walking into the camp. The Tiefling guards at the entrance did not dare to stop them.
"Everyone, line up—"
Another troop of more than thirty half-dragonized hobgoblins appeared at the entrance of the "House of Ruin," marching in orderly formation, ready to station themselves in the camp.
Hundreds of Dragon Vein Kobolds followed closely behind, natural diggers and builders, destined to be the main force in constructing this town.
"Roar—"
Ancestral wyverns roared freely in the sky; any yeti daring to intrude would be reduced to ashes by their flames.
"Oh my god, ogres are actually our allies."
"Will these kobolds steal our stuff..."
"Is that a wyvern?"
"We'll be working with these monsters from now on."
The Tiefling refugees had mixed feelings about the oddly shaped "reinforcements," some joyous, some fearful, some anxious, some astonished.
But one thing was certain
—they couldn't stop these monsters from entering.
Faced with such a grand spectacle, the always composed Mezulash couldn't help but be stunned, and he couldn't resist speaking:
"Master, this was surely not a spur-of-the-moment idea."
"This... was part of your plan, wasn't it?"
Cassius, overlooking the arriving retainers, exhaled a breath of sulfur-tinged heat:
"I told you all before, you have no bargaining power."
Mezulash shook his head with a bitter smile:
"Master, you really aren't like a pure Red Dragon. If it weren't for your immense strength, I would suspect... you were a Green Dragon fond of manipulating situations."
Cassius simply replied: "That's why you can stand here alive, instead of being turned to ashes the moment you said that."
"Thank you for your extraordinary mercy."
Mezulash realized he had overstepped, ignoring his own position, and quickly nodded in apology.
Cassius paid no mind, simply saying: "Take me to your cavern. I'm interested in some things there."
"Yes, Master."
This time Mezulash didn't speak further, silently leading the way.
Reaching the depth of the camp's cavern, Cassius finally saw what he wanted to see.
—The Ancient Teleportation Circle.
Purple runes appeared on the rock walls; their patterns were inscrutable yet emanated a profound sense of order from the depths of the soul.
This was what players in their past lives commonly called a "respawn point." Countless mages studied it, yet still couldn't understand how these arrays, devoid of mana fluctuations, created these "Starfallen."
And the Ancient Teleportation Circle in the "House of Ruin" was the players' initial spawn point.
Mezulash said: "Master, please forgive our ignorance; even the most learned in the camp can't discern the purpose of these ancient runes."
Cassius replied: "You'll know in due course.
"Protect this place well. Absolutely no one must discover or destroy it."
Mezulash solemnly declared: "I will follow your command."
Cassius seemed to recall something and then asked: "That contract, it's still in your possession?"
The so-called contract referred to the one Duke Rackman signed with an entity in the darkness, exchanging a thousand lives to transform into vampires.
Mezulash once pursued a disappearance case to the Ducal Mansion and got it at the cost of near-death, bringing deadly retribution upon his family.
Hearing this question, Mezulash nodded gravely, recalling those tragedies.
It wasn't just a contract; it was evidence of a crime.
A blood-soaked piece of evidence.
Cassius's tone was indisputable: "Three days from now, bring the contract to Ashen Nest and find me."
Then, this Tiefling Paladin turned and left to coordinate the town's construction.
Cassius squinted slightly, examining Mezulash's information.
This Holy Warrior's Divine Sense felt the Red Dragon's scrutiny, but he treated it as usual, making no reaction.
[Target category is [Retainer]; you can perceive the following information.]
[Oathbreaker Sword, Mezulash]
Category: Medium Humanoid (Tiefling), Lawful Neutral
AC: 17 (City Guard Armor)
Speed: 40 feet on land
Strength—19
Agility—16
Constitution—15
Intelligence—12
Perception—14
Charisma—17
Occupational Level: Paladin - Oathbreaker Level 11
Military Weapons: Longsword, Great Sword, Heavy Crossbow
Simple Weapons: Dagger, Light Crossbow
Skill Proficiency: Military +7, Hunting +6, Insight +6, Athletics +6, Knowledge (Religion) +4, Ruling +4, Leadership +4, Survival +4, Stealth +2
Senses: Passive Perception 17
Languages: Common, Infernal
Abilities: Supreme Holy Slash, Divine Sense, Guardian Aura, Aura of Courage, Oathbreaker Guiding Divine Power: Terror Manifestation, Oathbreaker Guiding Divine Power: Control Undead
Feats: Alert, Downward Slash, Defensive Duelist, Great Weapon Master, Heavy Armor Use
Battle Gear: Bloodstained Great Sword, Standard Issue City Defense Armor, Paladin Cloak, Tiefling Ring
Oathbreaker Spells
3rd level: Inferno Scold, Inflict Wounds
5th level: Crown of Madness, Darkness Spell
9th level: Animate Dead, Curse Spell
Challenge Level: 10 (5900 XP)
Assessment: When the crimson curtain falls, the Paladin breaks all vows, making their final stand.
"Aside from Ramp, none of Ashen Nest's retainers could compare to him."
This was Cassius's assessment.
In his view, Mezulash's stalemate with the giant yeti was purely because he had recently become an oathbreaker and was not yet familiar with his abilities.
If he could master his spells and abilities, defeating the giant yeti alone would be no problem.
Paladins were a favored occupation in past lives too, with their combination of melee and spells, nicknamed "Holy Daddy" by people.
Although the strength of the Oathbreaker wasn't as high as the Oath of Vengeance or Oath of Conquest, it was still formidable.
"Players are still needed..."
Cassius was somewhat looking forward to it. If these beings, known as "The Fourth Calamity," could be properly harnessed, they would be a formidable force.
And the first batch of beta testers would appear within the Ancient Teleportation Circle of the "House of Ruin," many of whom would become illustrious figures in the future.
Cassius flew into the sky, overlooking the still-primitive "House of Ruin."
The ogres planted the logs in the ground as pillars, framing the buildings. The kobolds scurried around, hammering and tinkering, while some Tieflings stood awkwardly by, unsure of how to help.
In the distance, goblins had begun laying roads to connect this place to the Giant Human Valley, though progress was slow due to the snow.
The future Barto City would be built here, with buildings rising one after another. This place would become the gathering ground for Starfallen and the first "Main City" for players.