Chapter 2: The Treasure Vault of the Red Dragon
Cassius, relying on the familiar scent from his cheap mother's bloodline, twisted and turned through the deep cavern and finally came to a stone door.
The stone door was heavy and exuded a dangerous aura.
This was the red dragon's secret vault.
It was her forbidden place, her place of greed, a place craved by every creature in Anzeta yet unknown to them.
The red dragon cautiously extended her claw and pushed open the heavy stone door, then flapped her wings and soared up.
"Boom!"
In an instant, surging lava gushed out.
They roared, like a frenzied giant beast, emitting terrifying heat, threatening to devour all living beings.
This was the harshest punishment the greedy red dragon dealt to creatures that dared to covet her treasures—turned into something within the lava, melting their bodies until even their bones remained no more.
Even though he had reacted in advance, the lava filling the entrance still inevitably engulfed Cassius.
Fortunately, the same bloodline as his mother's flowed within him, granting him a natural affinity for fire and heat.
Although his scales were thin and his skin tender, unable to leisurely bathe in lava like an adult red dragon, the lava was only hot water to him, not life-threatening.
"Hey-yo!"
The young red dragon paddled desperately with his wings, pushing himself deeper into the vault, through a deep opening.
Suddenly, it opened up in front of him—
Gold, mountains of gold.
A slight touch on the coins would make them flow like a river, falling onto the rocky ground with a clattering sound.
Among the gold mountains lay items shining with a magical aura.
Cassius felt his breathing quicken, unable to resist exhaling a breath of hot air, his amber-colored pupils reflecting the glittering gold.
The deep-seated greed in his red dragon bloodline drove him to stay here, a voice in his mind telling him:
Claim this gold, claim these treasures—they are all his.
"Boom!"
A massive sound caused the mountains to shake.
It was the roar of the red dragon, the stern shout of the paladin.
This sound also snapped Cassius out of his deep greed.
Indeed, he didn't have much time left.
The red dragon was battling the paladin and was evidently losing.
Once his cheap mother was killed, the next target for this Oath of Vengeance paladin to eradicate would likely be himself, the "young evil one."
And wanting to take away all the gold in front of him was an impossible task.
No wonder this red dragon was targeted by this quasi-legendary paladin, such a vast amount of gold, likely in the millions of gold coins.
She must have plundered the treasure vault of a kingdom passed down through generations, otherwise, even an ancient dragon's collection wouldn't be so exaggerated.
He also understood why a red dragon fond of heat would appear in the cold Anzeta Great Wilderness—it was to escape with her stolen goods.
"Magical items, I only need magical items that can enhance my self-preservation."
Cassius quickly regained his composure, forcing down his greed, digging through the gold mountain in front of him, checking for magical items that shimmered with an aura.
"Blade Ring, reduces slashing damage."
"Soul Amulet, can use Speak with Dead once per day."
"Spell Nullifying Amulet, can exempt once from spells below the sixth tier, this is a divine artifact for pioneering, I'll take it."
The young dragon swallowed the mithril-made, intricately carved amulet in one go.
Red dragons were natural spellcasters, their bodies natural storage rooms and materials for magic, any magical item could be stored and function within them.
Rumor had it that some ancient dragons afflicted with "Spellthirst Syndrome" even carved magical runes on each scale, utilizing them as magic scrolls at any time.
"Heart of Magma, deals extra flame damage, a good thing."
"Staff of Scorching, three Fire Rays, I'll take it."
...
In just a few dozen seconds, the red dragon had swallowed more than ten magical items, but those with significant value were only these. The remaining many were flashy court magics, though expensive, they held little practical use.
Evidently, this adult red dragon had a preference for gold far surpassing magic.
The fighting outside grew more intense, but the dragon's roars were clearly weakening.
The red dragon was about to collapse.
"Time to go."
The young dragon headed towards the entrance, but he seemed to be under a charm spell, frequently glancing back at the pile of gold.
The deep-seated greed from his bloodline gave him a desire to gulp down all this gold, an addiction-like craving that was almost irresistible.
But unfortunately, the magical items in his stomach were nearly filling it to the brim.
"Just one mouthful, just one."
Cassius opened his huge mouth and wolfed down a large mouthful of gold, the remaining coins cascading like a waterfall from the corner of his mouth.
He had expected a metallic texture, but to his surprise, the gold in his mouth filled with the smell of sulfur and scorching air felt like greasy sweets, with an inexplicable soft and glutinous texture.
A semi-transparent panel reappeared in front of him.
Achievement: [Gold Devourer]
"As an evil dragon, you are not merely content with stashing gold in your cave, but also attempt to merge it with your insatiable body. Your greed is so great that even the gods sigh."
"It is believed that once you gain enough power, the world will be consumed by your endless desire."
Passive Trait Acquired:
[Metallic Scales] Level 4 (4250/5000)
AC +2, Constitution +1
When you devour a certain amount of precious metal, its elements will attach to your body surface and heart's depth. Your scales will display the corresponding metallic luster, significantly boosting your armor and constitution.
(Note: Yorn Capricorn, one of the greediest dragons in the multiverse, once even set his sights on the gods' vault, and he got his wish. Ultimately, he was transformed into a gigantic golden statue, eternally floating in the void of the star realm.)
"Clatter, clatter..."
The red dragon felt the rapid melting of gold within his body, trickling to his surface, his crimson scales vaguely revealing a noble golden luster under the firelight.
Meanwhile, the red dragon's heart pounded more vigorously under the nourishment of the elements, pumping more scorching blood throughout his body.
"Phew——"
Cassius exhaled comfortably.
It's known that attribute panel enhancements are not merely linear increments but approximately exponential increases. Each level is about 1.2 times higher than the previous one, greatly strengthening the constitution.
"Such a good thing, too bad I can't take all the gold."
Cassius hadn't expected a moment of greed to bring such an unexpected pleasure, but the battle outside was about to end. If he didn't escape now, he wouldn't have another chance.
In such a life-and-death moment, allowing his bloodline to affect his mind would truly make him fit the stereotype of a muscle-brained red dragon.
"Time to go."
The red dragon, incredibly arrogant and self-conceited, never even considered abandoning the treasure and escaping the lair.
But fortunately, his cheap mother wasn't entirely like that; at least she left a narrow back route for the young ones to escape.
The young red dragon, his belly bulging, squeezed out from the vault, flying and running through the nest towards another exit.
This passage led to the southern slope of Cloud Summit Peak, and below was the Bokara Forest. Once he reached there, it was "the sky's the limit, the ocean vast for the dragon to leap."
An adult red dragon's movements might be too noticeable to hide, but those tall spruces and birches could easily conceal a young dragon, allowing him to live and hunt within.
"Wind tight, let's fly."
Cassius looked towards the entrance he was about to reach and leapt forward.