Red Dragon Monster Hunter Template.

Under normal circumstances, this strong reproductive capacity is used to cope with the harsh environment and high mortality rate in the wild, just like wild rabbits on Earth.

But when the entire northern lands came under Sol's control, the Red Emperor's will was thoroughly implemented in all directions, and the danger of surviving in the wild decreased significantly.

The breeding rate and mortality rate became unbalanced, much like how wild rabbits landed in Australia and the population gradually spiraled out of control.

The lawful evil nature of the kobolds is relatively controllable. Even if their numbers surge, they can be sent to the Earth Elemental Plane in batches for mining, making unified management easier.

However, goblins, being naturally chaotic creatures, might suddenly rebel if they lack continuous control from above.

However, for Thor, the entire population is a source of spiritual essence.

Although the essence produced by ordinary goblins and kobolds is limited and equivalent to cheap copper coins, he cannot simply abandon these resources because copper coins are numerous and heavy.

Therefore, a super-large realistic illusion was built, a virtual northern land was constructed, and a large number of cultivation pods were set up to house the surplus population, allowing them to live a normal life in the illusion.

In this way, we can save a lot of living space and material consumption, and at the same time, Thor can harvest spiritual essence.

This can also be used as a selection criterion to allow those who excel in the illusion to return to the real world.

Going a step further, if we expand the functionality of this system, could it be used for education within a dream world, achieving true universal access?

If it were further improved and enhanced, could it permanently imprint knowledge in the minds of living beings, so that it would never be forgotten, making learning as simple and convenient as downloading a file?

…………

Thor gently tapped his sharp claws, his molten gold pupils flickering slightly. He couldn't help but marvel at how these Mind Flayers, rumored to be from the distant future, truly possessed something special.

He decided to go to the seventeenth floor himself to find out what was going on. His massive body soared into the air, overlooking the crowded and bustling city of Deepwater Harbor below, and a sense of irritation arose in his heart.

The city, which is the most prestigious city in the North, is built as crowded as an anthill. There is not a single open space that can accommodate his true form. Every time he comes, he has to transform into human form.

Once the affairs of the underground city are completely resolved, the city must be replanned and completely demolished and rebuilt!

A streak of red light fell from the sky, and before hitting the ground, it condensed into a human-shaped figure.

At this moment, all the entrances to the underground labyrinth from Deepwater Harbor were under the control of Thor's army. Two burly Darkin stood guard on either side of the shaft like colossi, and upon seeing the Dragon Lord descending from the sky, they immediately knelt down to offer the most devout respect.

Thor casually raised his hand in a gesture of acknowledgment, then, without pausing for a moment, sped downwards, flying along the familiar passages deeper into the earth. Along the way, he could see troops moving about, continuously searching for any remaining enemy forces that stubbornly resisted.

The Gith Yankees on the sixteenth floor have been completely wiped out. In the end, they were nothing more than space pirates who had mastered psionic abilities, and could only bully mind flayers and ordinary adventurers who were countered by their own abilities. For real head-on battles, they still needed to rely on the red dragons summoned by the Covenant.

But which red dragon in the world would dare to attack the Red Emperor's forces? Not turning against him on the spot is already considered to have adhered to the bottom line.

The Mind Flayers on the seventeenth floor also fell entirely under the control of Thor's army.

Once the brain pool is formed, the main brain cannot be moved at will. This characteristic is a fatal weakness for these squid heads, making escape impossible.

When Thor arrived, he saw Mind Flayers bound by chains, kneeling on the ground. Beside the massive mainframe, nearly ten meters in diameter, four Darkin armed with weapons stood guard at all times.

This is a fully developed ancient master brain. Thick, purplish-black tendrils resembling nerve bundles twist and turn, stirring the pool water and creating ripples. A powerful spiritual energy field then spreads outward.

It can resonate with all the mind flayers on the seventeenth floor, as well as the psionic nodes scattered throughout the strata, to jointly construct a vast illusion that covers the entire space.

As long as the mastermind survives, this illusion will operate continuously, 24 hours a day. Even if any creature manages to briefly break free, it will continue to be disturbed by psionic energy and lose itself again.

Unfortunately, faced with Thor's extremely strong mental resistance, the psionic fluctuations in the air were like harmless ripples on water, unable to stir even the slightest emotion in him.

The wider the coverage, the more diluted and weakened the power becomes. Even his Darkin and Dragonblood Kobolds are not easily fooled by the illusion.

Of course, the white-scaled dragon-blooded kobolds who inherited the inferior mind of the white dragon might be an exception?

This is a huge net with a wide coverage area, but it lacks resilience and is only suitable for catching small fish and shrimp.

However, to determine the true effect of the illusion, one still needs to experience it firsthand.

The youth, clad in a crimson-gold robe, strode through the void, traversing distances in a few strides to arrive before the massive mainframe. The four Darkborn guards standing watch immediately knelt on one knee, bowing their heads respectfully.

With his unique psychic perception, Extreme "saw" the tiny figure ahead, easily penetrating the outer humanoid disguise and glimpsing the true form of the terrifying, sky-covering dragon.

Because of the Gith Yankees, the Red Dragon and the Mind Flayer are considered arch-enemies, and they have long been aware of each other's differences.

But in its long life, it had never seen a red dragon of such enormous size; it was simply unheard of.

The opponent's hidden, overwhelming aura was like a slowly approaching, continuously burning blazing sun, causing its instincts to issue a frantic warning. Countless tentacles on its body trembled incessantly as if being electrocuted.

"Unleash your full power and show me what the so-called illusory Waterdeep City—Atdeep—is like. If you cannot satisfy me, then you have no value in continuing to exist."

The indifferent voice rang out, causing Extermeton to tremble and immediately shake the pool water in a respectful response.

"Yes, Your Majesty! We will obey your command!"

Chapter 462 Unexpected Changes

The Mind Flayer race has its own unique characteristics. Although they are often chased by the Githyanki and flee like stray dogs, it is only because their racial abilities form a kind of restraint.

In terms of psychic abilities alone, there are very few ordinary races that can surpass them.

Thor felt a blur of light and shadow before his eyes, and he found himself back in the Yawn Gate Tavern.

Adventurers around them put their arms around each other's shoulders and cheered loudly. On the round table in front of them was a perfectly cooked roasted lamb chop and a glass of beer with rising, thick foam.

He could even hear the subtle popping of beer foam, and his nasal cavity was filled with the rich aroma of oil and the mellow taste of fermented wheat.

Everything was incredibly real. The only flaw was that he was clearly aware that he was in an illusion. As soon as he slightly lifted his eyelids, all the scenes before him vanished like bubbles bursting.

Thor savored everything he had just experienced; this illusion was more than enough to deceive the ordinary creatures under his command.

However, he was still unclear about how many living beings this illusion could accommodate at the same time, how long it could continue to operate, and what limitations it had.

However, these problems are ultimately just a matter of the strength of the psionic energy supply. If one Mind Flayer's main brain is not enough, then two, three... or even ten will be used to make up for the shortcomings of a single brain.

At worst, we can scour the entire prime material plane and find a solution.

…………

"Not bad! Barely enough. From now on, you will serve me, stay here obediently, and await my further instructions."

As the Mind Flayer's mastermind waited anxiously, Thor finally spoke, giving a positive answer. The command that followed was extremely calm, yet it carried an undeniable pressure, as if it were perfectly justified.

These words ignited a surge of anger within Extermeton. In all the thousands of years of history, had anyone ever spoken to him in such a manner?

Even the mad mage of yesteryear still showed it some respect, allowing it to occupy the entire seventeenth floor alone.

However, the situation was beyond its control. Despite its inner turmoil, it could only feign submission and watch the terrifying monster depart in order to save its life.

Next, Thor needs to take some time to meet with the various factions, clan leaders, and apprentices of Hyrast who have chosen to submit.

Among them, the mage named Trobriand was the most valued by Thor. He had fully inherited the legacy of Hylast's mechanics and was exceptionally talented in constructs and magical devices.

It was precisely because of their differing ideologies that he did not approve of Hyrast's flesh-and-blood modification experiments, and the conflict between the two deepened day by day, until he was forcibly imprisoned in the underground labyrinth.

This monk's madness was the least severe among all the apprentices, perhaps because his years of studying mechanics had kept his rational thinking running.

Such a rare talent might be able to help Thor replicate all sorts of powerful weapons from the Monster Hunter world.

For example, there are light crossbows that fire in rapid succession like machine guns, heavy crossbows with power comparable to tank main guns, airships, and many ancient artifact-making technologies that have long been lost.

In addition, there is Arcturia, a female lich specializing in polymorphism, flesh manipulation, and necromancy.

She is almost a weaker version of a mad mage, but her ambition is even greater, and her actions are becoming increasingly insane.

At least the mad mages researched flesh-and-blood mutation magic, and their subjects were mostly experimental samples; Arcturias, however, were keen on conducting experiments on themselves, their bodies being repeatedly modified beyond recognition, their forms appearing strange and indescribable.

On the twenty-second level of the underground labyrinth, the apprentice Jessie La Kesterharp is also imprisoned.

He was the most talented among Hyrast's apprentices. In order to escape the underground city, he even transformed himself into a living wish-granting spell, completely converting into an energy life form, but in the end, he still could not escape the pursuit and was captured and imprisoned.

These three were the only surviving apprentices under Hyrast's command. The rest were either missing or, like the half-human, half-scorpion mutant, were casually killed by Thor as if they were obstacles in his path.

Faced with overwhelming power and the promise of limited freedom, even though they had been eroded by the distorted energy of the underground city for a long time and driven to madness, they still rationally chose to submit and pledge allegiance.

Arcturia and Jesila remained in the underground city, while Trobriand was taken back to Mount Doom by Thor.

Craftsmen and scholars need to keep their minds clear and not continue to be eroded by the twisted magic of the underground labyrinth.

This also provides an opportunity for him to exchange and learn from the dwarf artisans in his territory, so that both sides can improve their skills.

With that, all matters related to Hyrast were finally settled, and Thor returned to his Crimson Palace.

However, resources and people within the territory continued to flow into the deep-water port, and the former slum on the outskirts of the city continued to expand outward, quickly developing into a brand-new urban area.

Craftsmen and merchants from the Sol Territory have infiltrated all walks of life, continuously purchasing various raw materials at prices slightly higher than the market price, and then selling the finished products at prices lower than the market price.

The wages paid to workers are several times higher than those for similar jobs at the deep-water port.

The consequence was that local shops in Deepwater Port struggled to purchase raw materials and sell their goods, resulting in a significant loss of employees.

Shops were forced to close one by one, and the once bustling market became visibly deserted. Meanwhile, the district under Sol's control grew increasingly prosperous and lively.

Like a tick clinging to a deep-water port, it continuously absorbs nutrients and grows stronger.

Even if local shops try to lower prices and raise raw material purchase prices and labor costs, how can their meager capital compete with the Red Emperor who controls more than 90% of the gold and land in the entire North?

The longer the stalemate lasts, the greater the losses will become.

Moreover, throughout the entire process, Thor used only legitimate methods. The major righteous churches and powerful figures in the North clearly understood that Deepwater Harbor would be gradually eroded if this continued, yet they could find no reason to intervene.

Time passed slowly, and one day Thor suddenly realized that his men, whom he had sent out to search for Mind Flayers and Benthic Fish, had not sent back any news for a long time.

Several years have passed, and the Soul Eater should have matured by now and should have set off to return. Why is there still no news of it?

Sensing something amiss, he immediately followed the unseen spiritual connection and projected his consciousness outward.

However, the once unobstructed channel of consciousness was suddenly blocked by an isolation barrier, preventing his consciousness from going any further.

As expected, an unknown entity dared to attack his subordinates.

Upon realizing this, the red dragon's face instantly turned fierce. It mobilized all its spiritual energy and charged forward recklessly.

Thor's spiritual power is now vast and boundless, like a surging river, unstoppable.

The barrier blocking their path shattered in an instant.

A near-tangible mental shock suddenly spread from the center of Viherzaku's body. His eyes, covered in mycelium, opened, revealing a magnificent, multicolored forest of giant mushrooms.

Chapter 463 The Fungal Lady

Mushrooms, towering like giant trees, rise from the ground, their caps, resembling lingzhi mushrooms, stacked up to form platforms of varying heights. Delicate mycelium, like downy hairs, dances in the air, while colorful fluorescent lights flicker and sway in all directions.

The scene before me was almost a replica of the mushroom homeland under Thor's command, but instead of that dreamy and peaceful atmosphere, a nauseating stench of decay permeated the air.

Black and dark green slime flowed everywhere, converging into viscous streams.

A group of hideous humanoid creatures, their bodies covered in festering sores and fungal growths, their facial features completely blocked, and their skin hardened and twisted, lurked stealthily in the surrounding shadows like rats.

Through their decaying and dilapidated bodies, one can still see some familiar features of underground creatures. Their current state is very similar to that of creatures infected by the Viherzaku fungus, but all of this is clearly not his doing.

Thor clearly sensed a hostility, a deep and greedy hostility, like a starving ghost seeing a gluttonous feast and eager to devour him whole.

It must be some being who also holds power over fungi, and has set its sights on me, a member of their family.

The fact that they could accomplish this so quietly and release such intense malice makes the answer obvious—Madame Fungus, Zugmoi.

It is a powerful demon lord dwelling in Sindharak, the 222nd level of the bottomless abyss, whose lifelong pursuit is to create a world ruled by fungi.

For this reason, it has never stopped, continuously expanding its influence into the prime material plane, and is always plotting to devour the equally ancient Father of Fungi and His people.

As one of the oldest fungal organisms in the world, Zul'Gurub naturally turned its attention to this place when it discovered that a strange ruler had emerged in the realm of fungal authority.

All the unclaimed fungi in the world, from the common mushrooms that can be found everywhere in the forest to the deadly aflatoxin, are all the eyes and ears of this decaying lady, whose perception range covers almost all of the dark regions.

Viherzaku's every move naturally could not escape its watchful eye.

The sight of a true dragon that simultaneously wielded the powers of fungi, decay, and psionic energy filled Zul'Gurub with immense joy.

This is practically a perfect companion tailor-made for it. If it could be completely controlled, it would greatly expand its power in the prime material plane.

So, with its superior fungal manipulation, it subtly lured Viherzaku to this vast underground mushroom forest.

By the time the true dragon, which was transforming into the Vaal Hazak form, realized something was wrong, it was already too late. Countless mycelia surged in from all directions, instantly enveloping him layer by layer, gradually corroding and assimilating him.

…………

When Thor's consciousness descended upon this place, the vast and mighty psionic energy surged out like a bomb, tearing apart large swathes of mycelium, which scattered like grayish-white snowflakes across the sky.

He looked down at the body that had descended through his consciousness and saw that strands of fungi, like tree roots, were deeply rooted in "himself." A layer of purplish-red fluorescence flowed slightly on the surface of the mycelium, constantly drawing energy from the body and infusing it with putrid poison.