Ashen Dragon

Silver flames blazed across the heavens, eliciting heart-wrenching wails from the Ancient Evil once more, its mere voice distorting the space around it.

In an instant, the colossal Ancient Evil that had blotted out the sky vanished, condensing back into its original form—a fragment of an eyeball, suspended in the air, exuding an overpowering aura of sin-laden black mist.

From the eyeball came defiant roars and curses: "Damned reptile! You dare to desecrate a Deity like this? Do you think the mighty Beastman God will let you go unpunished?

Red Dragon, perhaps you think yourself invincible, but that is merely because you dwell in the Prime Material Plane! Soon enough, you will understand—the commands of Gush reverberate through the vast Multiverse, enough to make all creation tremble!"

"The Chaotic Evil Eye, Evnis, is it? How pompous a name! Yet it appears you've misunderstood something..."

Cassius unfurled his massive dragon wings, steadily rising to the skies. With a snap of his dragon claw, a cruel grin spread across his dragon face.

"This is my domain. What claim do you have to threaten me?"

In a flash, the silver flames engulfed the fragment of the Evil Eye, burning fiercely as if intent on purging it entirely.

"Red Dragon, do you think flames can kill me? How laughable! I am the immortal existence born from the flesh of a god. Millennia, eons may pass, but you will never be capable of slaying me!"

Encircled by the flames, the Chaotic Evil Eye laughed maniacally. But soon, it realized something was terribly amiss—its laughter abruptly froze.

—Evnis suddenly felt a surge of dread. Those flames were not ordinary Dragonflame. They bore the qualities of Holy Fire, the Flame of Order, devouring even its immortal essence!

It was well known that the immortal traits of an Ancient Evil were birthed from twisted divinity!

"Th-this is Zafkiel's flames?"

How could a Chaotic Evil Red Dragon possess such power!? In Evnis's memory, such a force should only reside within the Lord of Heaven!

"H-how is this possible?"

"No! No—I've made a mistake! You are an extraordinary Red Dragon! No, stop! Your Majesty Cassius, Your Majesty Cassius!"

Amidst the blazing flames, the Chaotic Evil Eye shuddered violently, crying out in agony. Its black tendrils flailed desperately in mid-air, utterly bereft of its prior arrogance.

Yet, the silver flames continued to burn. The Red Dragon shook his head lightly, muttering, "No, this isn't enough. Moments ago, you were trying to kill me. I need a reason—not to kill you."

"Red Dragon—no, Your Majesty Cassius! Even if you annihilate my will, you cannot withstand the divinity of Gush. Killing me serves you no purpose!" The Chaotic Evil Eye wailed in torment, hastily defending itself.

Cassius shook his head once more: "Eliminating a potential threat—how could that be meaningless?"

Under his control, the flames only intensified, roaring with even greater ferocity, as though intent on utterly consuming the will of the fragmented eye.

The Chaotic Evil Eye could feel its immortal essence being eroded, slowly but inescapably. Its strength was waning, and complete annihilation loomed.

For the first time, the Ancient Evil tasted the mortal fear of facing death.

Its voice trembled as it screamed amidst the flames: "No—Your Majesty Cassius! I know the secret to ascension! Do you wish to become a true Deity?"

Cassius's interest piqued as he fixed his gaze on the Chaotic Evil Eye. A faint glimmer surfaced in his pale golden eyes, his breath quickened.

"Evnis, are you claiming...you know the secrets of godhood?"

The secret to godhood—something even Cassius in his past life could not uncover. In the eyes of players, divine beings were ethereal entities with "no health bars," enigmas standing atop the Multiverse hierarchy, separated by an insurmountable chasm from mortal life.

Even those elite players who had surpassed Level Twenty failed to discover the path to becoming a god.

To ascend, Sun Emperor Aragon the First sacrificed his empire, fracturing the glorious Holy Fadlan Federation into ruins.

To ascend, the ambitious arcanist Karlsas crafted the sole Level Twelve spell in history, bringing the Irena Floating City crashing to the ground, and the once-brilliant Netheril civilization crumbled alongside it.

These world-changing, history-defining acts crystallized mortal longing for godhood. And as an ambitious emperor, Cassius held that same fervent yearning, just as his predecessors had.

In Cassius's eyes, this Chaotic Evil Eye, though extraordinarily dangerous, possessed value that far surpassed ordinary mythical artifacts—a veritable "living encyclopedia."

Catching wind of the Red Dragon's inquiry, Evnis quickly lowered its remaining iris, enduring the searing agony of the flames, and spoke obsequiously: "Of course, Your Majesty Cassius! I am the eye of the Beastman God.

The Beastman God ruled over vast hordes of orcs since primordial times, fighting for dominion over the mountains. I hold all His knowledge and wisdom, and know countless secrets of the Gods..."

"Excellent."

Cassius finally withdrew the silver flames, slowly flapping his wings as he approached the Chaotic Evil Eye, staring intently at it, his golden pupils glowing and flickering: "Tell me everything you know—truth, the whole of it, or else..."

He extended his enormous claw, flames of chaos, order, and even sunlight interwoven within his grasp: "I will make you taste the essence of destruction."