Chapter 123: One for the Team (1/2)
“[Terraform: Landmass, Plains]!”
As Vainqueur shouted these magical words in the middle of the desert, a screen appeared right before him.
How much SP will you use? 50 SP per fifty meters radius.
“All of them!”
1800 SP consumed.
In the blink of an eye, the dragon’s beautiful magic expanded all across the land, spreading across an area almost two kilometers-wide in radius.
Instantly, the dry, lifeless desert transformed into grasslands before Vainqueur and his trainers. Tasty Malfy, Corpseling Jules, Untasty Allison, and her tinfoil golem ally could only whistle as plants grew beneath their feet, the sand turning into flat dirt. The effect expanded under the sun until it reached its limit, turning the area into a green enclave amidst a barren landscape.
You have transformed the [Desert] field into a [Plains] field. [Plant], [Wind], and [Earth] attacks will be strengthened; grounded creatures will gain a bonus to Agility checks.
The sight had floored all minions present. Untasty Allison, in particular, loudly rejoiced, her portable bonsai at her feet. “Amazing!”
“Rolo very happy,” the golem agreed. “Rolo says we should need more marshes and forests west, more grass east…”
Murmurin’s emperor listened to the praise, congratulating himself for his brilliant idea. Since they needed more arable land for the Conclave, and Vainqueur had to level up fast, the dragon had decided to use his [Geomancer] Perks to repair the entire desert.
He would eat two cows with one bite.
Unfortunately, while he could keep transforming the desert all day, his SP reserve was almost emptied after this show of force.
“I need meat juice!” the dragon ordered, so he could get back to work. Corpseling Jules presented a barrel for his master to consume, but Vainqueur couldn’t recognize the substance. It smelled of mint, berries, and chemicals. “What is this, minion?”
“[SPeroids],” the ghoul replied. “Your Majesty asked us to help him with his leveling, and Malfy and I devised a training regiment.”
“Indeed,” Tasty Malfy said while pointing at one of a crate full of strange food and trinkets. Another right next to it contained unshiny powerstones. “These are stat boosters. Extremely rare and valuable items that can increase any stat, except HP or SP, with a +2 enhancement. They cost a fortune and come in very limited supply, but we have managed to gather quite a few.”
“[Strength Spinach], [Skill Candies], [Agility Lettuce], [Vitality Milk], [Intelligence Powder], [Charisma Bars], [Luck Amulet],” Corpseling Jules added.
“They are also forbidden in official competitions,” Untasty Allison said. “And Your Majesty can only gain a total bonus of +10 after consumption. Every stat booster consumed after this threshold is wasted.”
“Which is still the equivalent of ten levels in pure stat growth,” Rolo said.
Vainqueur immediately noticed something very, very wrong in that scenario.
“Minion,” he looked at Tasty Malfy with a judgmental glance. “If they are this expensive, how could you afford them for me?”
If he had dared skim money from Vainqueur’s nine-nine-tenth…
“Easy, through Your Majesty’s brilliant decision to pump the Whiskey Sea!” the fiend explained, sounding very happy with himself. “By selling it through the Nightblades, we cornered all illegal bootlegging activities!”
“And then making undead out of the enraged competition, before putting them to work in the gold mines,” Corpseling Jules said. “Murmurin is basically printing Vainqueur Dollars at this point, even after Your Majesty takes their share.”
Ah, yes! Vainqueur had almost forgotten that plan. “Has the rate of dwarf death by dragon fallen?”
“Uhm, I suppose, although I do not see how that tracks?” Tasty Malfy replied.
Vainqueur did and congratulated himself again. For his plan was proof that one could make money without exhausting the most important natural resources.
Minions.
“All of these stat boosters are for Manling Victor and me?” Vainqueur asked, greatly interested. While it wouldn’t increase his monthly stipend, more luck, in particular, meant more items from monsters.
“Well,” Untasty Allison scratched the back of her neck, “I suggested that we keep some [Intelligence Powder] for Gorynych though, due to his… handicap…”
“My idea is to combine a steady diet of stat boosters with [SPeroids] for Your Majesty,” Jules explained. “Since [SPeroids] temporarily boost SP recovery, Your Majesty should periodically consume them whenever you exhaust their points practicing your [Terraform] Perk.”
“Rolo and I will supervise the process so we can preserve an ecological balance long-term,” Untasty Allison said. “But I believe that for the first time since centuries, making Ishfania green again is within sight.”
“Which means more pasture for cattle.” Vainqueur nodded. “How many [SPeroids] do you have?”
“Enough for Your Majesty to geomance for four hours,” Corpseling Jules replied.
“That is not enough, minion. Gather everything.” Since his lackeys apparently failed to grasp his design, the dragon pumped his chest gloriously. “I shall not stop until I have reshaped this entire desert in my image.”
“Your Majesty wants to transform all of Ishfania in one go?” Untasty Allison asked.
“Unlike a manling, no dragon retreats in the face of adversity!” the emperor boasted. “You said that worm Sablar is responsible for the lack of greenery? Then I shall not rest until I have proven that I alone decide my empire’s fate!”
“This is…” The dryad struggled to find her words, before turning towards Corpseling Jules and Tasty Malfy. “Can it be done? Mathematically?”
“Are you doubting me, minion?” Vainqueur asked, finding her lack of faith in him disturbing.
“If we gather all SP potions available under short notice,” Corpseling Jules meditated. “We’ll need to order emergency production too, but in theory, we have enough.”
“Your Majesty, if you can do this, I…” Allison joined her tiny hands together. “I won’t be able to contain my joy. It will be a dream come true.”
“Do not ask if I can do it,” Vainqueur replied mercifully, “but when I do it.”
“Rolo will not rest until the vile Akhenapep’s work is undone,” the golem replied. “But Rolo will be greatly thankful. So will the goddess.”
“Happyland will also benefit from this.” Malfy nodded. “No longer will it be accused of greenwashing. Instead, we will help make the desert green again, and then exploit its newfound natural resources.”
“Enough talk,” Vainqueur declared. “Now, add the unshiny stones to the mix before I show nature who runs the place.”
His minions all frowned.
“The powerstones,” Vainqueur clarified. “I need to increase the power of my breath further.”
“Your Majesty, while I have reviewed your recent improvement of your breath attack,” Corpseling Jules coughed, “I am not certain consuming powerstones at all is a good idea. You could explode, die, or maybe—”
“I am a dragon,” Vainqueur reminded them of this timeless wisdom. “Add the glowing stones to my SP juice.”
Corpseling Jules wisely opened the second crate, revealing an assortment of powerstones. “Which element, Your Majesty?”
“Why not all of them?” Vainqueur asked, eager to add more elements to his breath.
“Your Majesty, allow to speak in place of Victor for a moment.” Untasty Allison made a strange face, which the dragon thought to be an excellent imitation of his Vizier's pessimism. “This is unbelievably dangerous! You can’t mix powerstones of opposed elements!”
After pondering it, Vainqueur admitted that she had a point. One should not mix gold and silver. “Add the golden ones,” the dragon ordered Corpseling Jules. “Those with the perfect color.”
“The [Light] ones, Your Majesty?”
[Light]? Argh, that was the element the cursed fairy had mastered! Of course she would corrupt everything golden in the world!
Vainqueur considered which element to add to his breath until one candidate came to mind. “No,” he changed his mind. “Add [Frost].”
“Excellent choice,” Corpseling Jules complimented. “It will cover your reliance on [Fire].”
And allow Vainqueur’s rival some measure of vengeance from beyond the grave.
At long last, Corpseling Jules added the stones to the mixture. The dragon grabbed the barrel and drank all its content, before the worried eyes of his minions.
Full of energy, the dragon glanced at the endless desert, pumped his chest, and showed his muscle. He could feel the stones and the drugs mix in his belly, refined by his stomach into the ultimate weapon of mass—
Vitality check…
Failed!
“What?!” Vainqueur snapped at the System for this obvious mistake.
You suffer from [Unstable Magic] for twenty-four hours! Your magic and breath will behave erratically!
Erratically?
That did not sound so unmanageable...
As Camilla teleported them in Seng’s abode, Victor could barely restrain himself from vomiting. This place stank of both alcohol and saltwater!