Red Dragon Monster Hunter Template.

Chapter 334 Spreading

The pain of losing my lover plunged me into a deep depression from which I could not extricate myself, like a dark fog that kept haunting my life.

As I drove her hearse winding through the country lanes, I even doubted that I had lost all reason to enjoy happiness.

Lost in the depths of trauma, I paid no heed to the ambush lurking in the twilight. In my last moments of lucidity, I saw only her coffin being dragged off the carriage.

I awoke under the pale moonlight, overwhelmed by a nagging hunger and a deep-seated sorrow that had driven me to the brink of madness.

Following the subtle, sweet scent of flesh and blood in the air, I got up and ran into the jungle. In a dark clearing, I saw the empty coffin of my beloved, and a group of ghouls sitting together, feasting on their meal.

I grabbed her blood and flesh and stuffed them into my restless throat and stomach. So warm and delicious, I couldn't help but wonder if we had ever had such an intimate experience together before she was alive.

— Baron Skwin Mooreberland's confession at his grave.

…………

Ghouls are intelligent beings and often retain memories of their humanoid past. However, their insatiable hunger has driven them to become monsters.

Ordinary humanoid creatures that are scratched or bitten by ghouls will be infected with a disease curse called ghoul fever.

Initially, they may appear no different from normal people, but over time, they will gradually develop a strong desire for the flesh and blood of humanoid beings.

As this desire gradually swells and grows, they will rob graves, attack villages, and slowly transform themselves into real monsters.

Some particularly clever ghouls even rely on a spell called "living flesh" and certain disguise skills to blend into human society.

In some empires dominated by the undead, many mid-level commanders are often ghouls.

Therefore, these creatures should never be viewed as simple monsters. They know what they need and will do everything in their power to pursue it.

After the corpses in Santir Castle were completely devoured by these monsters, who were constantly tormented by their gluttonous desires, these beings, which were already deeply tainted by radioactive material, began to expand outwards.

Subsequently, these ghouls discovered that they, who could have satisfied their hunger with just flesh and blood, now had an additional need: the powerful cursed force—radiation.

Following some unseen guidance, they traversed vast distances, all in search of the source of that power.

Along the way, numerous villages and lone travelers were attacked, and even low-level adventurers were completely helpless against them.

The ghoul fever, mixed with radiation, is as difficult to get rid of as a leech; even a small scratch is enough to infect someone.

Even minor healing spells, holy water, and low-level divine spells, which were originally effective, are now unable to cure it.

Its onset is far more rapid than that of ordinary ghoul fever.

After the tall warrior and his companions repelled the eerie ghoul, they immediately retreated from the dangerous area. After quickly treating their wounds, they planned to seek treatment at a temple.

However, that very night, an intense hunger tormented him, and before the sun rose the next day, he had already transformed from a human into a monster.

And similar incidents are occurring in many places throughout the North, as a terrifying plague begins to spread quietly.

…………

News of the destruction of Locke Town quickly reached Manson's ears through the Black Network.

However, he did not rush to retaliate and remained in his hidden underground laboratory.

The once dark dungeon was now brightly lit, and a huge ancient red dragon lay quietly on the ground, its body wreathed in bright flames.

In the past month, with the addition of a large amount of food, Baragas's wounds have completely healed. Apart from the newly grown scales looking a little immature, there are almost no traces of injury.

But those once unruly eyes, like molten lava fireballs, are now somewhat dull and numb, and his whole body is motionless, like a statue.

Looking at the "masterpiece" before him, Manson couldn't help but smile with pride.

With a powerful ancient red dragon body, combined with his spellcasting abilities, who in the world could be his match!

Let that damned red dragon run rampant for a while. After some time, once I have fully adjusted Balagas's body, I will capture that red dragon in one fell swoop and contribute to my great cause of ruling the world.

However, as he was lost in his reverie, he failed to notice the fleeting glint of malice in Baragas's numb pupils.

A powerful black-red dragon-attribute energy surged beneath the red dragon's crimson scales, relentlessly washing away the "obstacles" in its path like a raging tide.

The various magical restrictions imposed on him had become increasingly precarious under the constant erosion of this power, and it seemed that he could break free completely with just a little effort.

But Baragas did not do that. Instead, he suppressed the new power within him, keeping the magical restrictions on him intact on the surface.

He was looking for an opportunity, a perfect opportunity for revenge.

Whether it's the so-called Red Emperor or this damned spellcaster in front of him, he will tear them to pieces. If he were to escape now, it would undoubtedly alert the enemy, so he must lie low for the time being.

Just then, two heartbeats, "thump thump," resounded like drums, so loud that it was impossible to tell where they came from.

Only by piercing through the scales and flesh of Baragas and delving into its internal organs can one discover that the basal blood vessel, the core of the true dragon's magic and energy, has quietly swelled up and is beating in sync with its heart.

A powerful new life is residing within it, greedily absorbing the energy and nutrients from Baragas's body, while simultaneously releasing even more domineering dragon-attribute energy outwards.

Because the two are connected and share a common circulation system, it's as if a deeper pool has been dug next to a larger one and connected with a circulation pump.

Although the water in the shallow pool is constantly flowing into the deep pool, it will soon be recycled back. And because the two are almost like one, and rainwater is constantly replenishing them, no one feels that their water has decreased, nor does anyone notice that the water has been stained with other colors.

This caused Baragas to not only fail to notice the loss of energy within his body, but also to develop a false sense of power, as if he were constantly growing stronger.

But one day, that connection will be broken, and it may even become a situation where only outflows occur and no inflows occur.

By then, the newborn embryo will have already matured.

Chapter 335 Raven Fortress

The crimson tide of war advanced relentlessly, sweeping forward with unstoppable force. After destroying Locke Town, the nearby town of Westcomb was also annihilated.

Faced with this almost invincible force, the members of the Zantalin Society naturally would not choose to confront it head-on.

Various strongholds, large and small, began to disperse one after another, and some activities that were in the open quickly fell silent.

They clearly wanted to move from the open to the shadows, minimizing losses and avoiding being wiped out by the main force by breaking up their forces into smaller units.

This was an extremely simple matter for these rats who were already active in the shadows, not to mention that some members of the Zantalin Society were already middle and high-ranking members of various forces, and controlled a number of businesses.

With just a little manipulation, all traces of their activities could be silently concealed, as if the entire Santalin Order had completely evaporated from the North.

So, after finding the next few strongholds deserted, Thor immediately decided to divide his army into smaller groups.

One by one, the Darkin led their legions, spreading across the entire Northland like tributaries of a great river.

They will search for members of the Zantalin Society while indiscriminately attacking any underground forces they encounter along the way, preferring to kill the innocent rather than let one go.

This time, the smugglers, slave traders, underground mercenary organizations, and sorcerers were really in for a world of trouble.

Often, just as the activity begins, a terrifying being, standing up to 9 meters tall, clad in thick, dark red scales, and wielding a massive weapon, descends from the sky and begins to attack everything in sight.

With a mere flick of its wrist, the spear and greatsword, weighing several thousand kilograms, turned all earthen fortresses and even steel structures into fragile bubbles.

Even more ferocious and terrifying monsters followed closely behind, some like wild beasts with bloodthirsty red eyes, leaping like the wind and easily tearing the enemy's throat in a single pounce; others were equally tall, clad in heavy armor, charging around like wild bulls.

Interspersed among them were kobolds with crimson heads and purplish-green goblins. The former raised their hands and pointed, a flash of fire appeared, followed by a towering inferno; the latter held various strange cylindrical and spherical objects, constantly creating deafening noises.

However, the goblins' craftsmanship was clearly not very good, and their crudely made muskets and bombs were extremely prone to malfunction.

About one-third of firearms will explode when the trigger is pulled, and some bombs will detonate before they are even thrown.

This immediately caused their mortality rate to skyrocket, far exceeding those who died from enemy attacks.

But these creatures remained undeterred, relentlessly pursuing even more violent explosions. Thor suspected that perhaps their brains had suffered a minor problem while they were infected with radiation and the Fury Curse.

But it's also possible that this is the most suitable way for the entire group to survive, found by fate.

After all, the biggest advantage of the goblin race is its high reproductive rate, almost on par with that of rabbits.

Therefore, an individual's life has little value to the entire race; if one can perish with the enemy in this way, it is definitely a great gain.

For Thor, they were perfect cannon fodder, and he wouldn't feel bad no matter how many died.

Under the blow of this powerful force, most of the small and medium-sized underground forces in the North could not possibly survive.

It's worth noting that an adult white dragon with a challenge level of around 13 is only about twelve or thirteen meters long. The Ice Death that Drizzt once defeated was only slightly stronger than that.

However, for the vast majority of forces in the North, it was already an irresistible natural disaster.

Of course, this is due to a variety of factors, including the bloodline of a true dragon, the size of a giant creature, and the ability to breathe and fly, so one cannot simply look at its challenge level.

However, the Darkin under Thor's command are also giant creatures. Standing at 9 meters tall, they don't have the long tails and necks of true dragons. In terms of weight, they are probably even heavier than adult white dragons.

In addition to inheriting Thor's magic resistance, tough scales, various energy attacks, and the same ability to fly, its configuration is in no way inferior to the White Dragon, and may even surpass it.

They were like colossal warriors walking on the earth, leaving trails of burning destruction in their wake.

The Red Emperor's wrath nearly ignited the entire North, and for a time, almost everyone lived in fear. Many forces began to shrink their reach, cowering in fortifications, praying not to be affected.

Various underground activities have almost completely disappeared, and even thieves and pickpockets dare not take any action out of fear.

But where there is fear, there is also fervor. The pursuit of power and strength is an instinct ingrained in the very bones of almost all living beings.

An organization that worshipped the Red Emperor began to sprout quietly from every corner of the North, like wild grass in spring.

They firmly believed that this powerful, tyrannical, and invincible red dragon would eventually become the master of the world, and that they, its followers, would then be able to share in its glory and power in ruling the world.

As the incident unfolded, their numbers grew exponentially, spreading like wildfire.

Whether out of fear or fanatical faith, the name Saul Heliozog began to circulate widely throughout the North.

Intense emotions, guided by an unseen anchor, converged on Thor, were absorbed by the wheel in his mind, and transformed into a continuous stream of spiritual essence.

Almost every moment, the numbers following the balance are jumping up slightly.

With his savings from the previous ten years, Thor felt that it wouldn't be long before he could draw his first unlocked monster template.

At this moment, he was leading the remaining legions of his army, continuing their march into the depths of the north, until a range of mountains appeared ahead.

The desolate northern slopes of the Dragon Ridge Mountains are swept by howling winds year-round, with layers of dark gray bare rocks piercing the leaden sky. At the strategic juncture between the Serr Wasteland and the Wilderness, a massive fortress, like a black stone behemoth that has lain dormant for millennia, sits firmly atop the mountains.

This fortress is by no means a simple construction project; it is a massive fortress complex carved directly from the mountain. The ten-mile-long city wall follows the contours of the mountain, blending seamlessly with the rugged rocks, without any superfluous carvings, only the heavy and awe-inspiring presence forged by iron and blood.

If Santir Castle is the birthplace of the Santalin Order, then this is their largest fortress stronghold in the North.

Nearly half of the fighting force and key members, as well as the vast majority of the wealth, are gathered here. It is called Raven Fortress, also known as Black Raven Keep.

Chapter 336 Raven Fortress

Low-hanging dark clouds perpetually shroud the fortress like a heavy curtain, making it difficult for sunlight to penetrate the layers of clouds, thus immersing the entire mountain region in a dark gray shadow.

The red dragon, suspended in mid-air, looked down at the magnificent, sprawling city below.

The rough, dark rock face is covered with the marks of time and the scorching marks of war. Densely packed plank roads, suspended stone bridges, and deep, dark tunnels crisscross the area, connecting the watchtowers, sturdy fortifications, and towering towers into an impenetrable defensive network.

The westernmost black gate is the only main entrance to this fortress, its massive, dark iron gate tightly shut.

The cold metal surface was engraved with intricate shadow runes, and the mottled rust intertwined with the faint glow of magic, adding to the eeriness.

The towering arrow towers on both sides stood like silent giants, while the outlines of ballistae and catapults were hidden in the shadows, silently deterring any uninvited guests who coveted this place.

The crow gate on the east side is relatively low and narrow, serving as a side gate for internal messengers and secret caravans. The black crow patterns on the stone carvings above the gate remain sharp and new despite a century of wind and rain. When the cold wind passes through the gate, it seems to carry the faint and mournful cries of the crows.

The fortress's low courtyards spread out along the mountainside, with rows of rough stone houses. The sounds of armor clashing, iron hammering in the workshops, and the whispers of merchants and servants mingled together from the barracks, but there was not a trace of warmth or vitality in the air.

A large number of Black Net infantry and cavalry are stationed here. Everywhere you can see guards wearing black patterned armor with cold, icy eyes. They walk steadily and look indifferent, as if killing and conspiracy have been engraved into their daily actions.

Hidden within the taverns and low-rise houses along the streets are smuggling operations, intelligence trading, and all sorts of dark conspiracies. Beneath the hustle and bustle of the lower classes lies omnipresent surveillance and suffocating oppression. The refugee towns on the outskirts, which depend on the fortress for survival, huddle at the foot of the mountain, humble and lifeless, like dust that has become an appendage of this dark fortress.

In the heavily guarded Highgarden, the heart of the fortress's power, three towering stone towers pierce the clouds, towering above all other buildings, exuding majesty.

Ravencrest Tower soars into the clouds, the highest point of the entire mountain range. Its massive stone structure is covered with hidden magical runes. The secret chamber and magic array hall at the top of the tower are Manson's residence and arcane laboratory, where countless forbidden spells of shadow, necromancy, and teleportation were born.

The Shadow Tower, shrouded in a faint haze year-round, never sees a ray of sunlight. Inside, there are torture chambers, suffocating cells, and spy rooms. It is the heart of the Black Web's assassins and intelligence network, where countless secrets and souls are buried within its cold stone walls.

The adjacent War Tower exudes a chilling military atmosphere, with its strategic sand table, armory, and command hall neatly arranged, controlling all troop deployments and combat orders around the Moon Sea.

The innermost area is an absolute forbidden zone of the fortress. Layers upon layers of magical barriers and stone golems guarding it block all prying eyes. Shadowhounds patrol silently in the shadows of the corridor, and the cold air is filled with the silence of magic and the aura of danger.

Hidden teleportation arrays connect all parts of Faerûn, sealed treasure rooms are stockpiled with countless plundered treasures, and magic-free chambers contain forbidden secrets and unknown dark secrets.