Chapter 55 Greed.
He also had a plan to give the city a spectacular firework display that they would never forget, Archer made his way to the balcony.
But as soon as he stepped out, he saw loads of soldiers running towards the downed commander and some racing towards the stairs leading up to him.
He was going to ask one of the soldiers what was going on, betting on him not paying attention.
"What's going on!"
Archer shouted down at one of the panicked soldiers who was rushing into the building.
"Enemy attack on the city!"
Shaking his head and he decided to get out of there before they arrived.
Without hesitation, Archer crouched down and leaped into the air, flapping his wings to hover over the fortress.
From his vantage point, he saw even more soldiers approaching the fort.
Archer's eyes shined as he took a deep breath and let out a deafening dragon's roar that shook the foundations of buildings and burst the eardrums of every living being close by.
Closing his eyes, he focused all his energy on his chest as a stream of flames erupted from his mouth.
The flames were hot and powerful, with a fierce energy that could be felt even from a distance.
Despite their intensity, the flames were also incredibly graceful, moving with a fluidity and elegance that was almost hypnotic to watch.
The barrack's walls crumbled under the intense heat, and even the soldiers were no match for the inferno.
Some soldiers got caught up in the fire but it didn't bother Archer, they enslaved the Dragon-kin after all.
He would later realize how much he underestimated them and would come to regret not burning even more.
Archer watched in awe, as the Kagian fort was burning with a bright violet flame, illuminating the whole city.
Alerting every guard in the city to his attack.
Despite the destruction, Archer couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder at the beauty.
As the people of the city emerged from their hiding places, their faces filled with shock and worry.
The sight of the fort engulfed in a beautiful purple blaze seared itself into their memories, an unforgettable scene that would stay with them for years to come.
As Archer surveyed the eastern part of the city, he saw even more troops heading toward his position.
Without hesitation, he flew in their direction, unleashing a torrent of flames onto the road, blocking their advance.
The intense heat of the flames caused the buildings on either side to blacken and the windows to shatter, while the pavement melted into molten slag.
Archer's Breath was like a river of death, consuming everything and everyone in its path with ruthless efficiency.
The air was thick with smoke as Archer continued to rain destruction down upon desperate soldiers who were trying to escape the evil demon.
Some got swept away in the flames as they retreated, ash piles could be seen here and there.
He stopped his breath as he started to fly towards the Eastern fort.
Archer soon arrived at the fort and smashed straight into the office while using his wings to protect himself from damage.
Crashing into the office, he came to a stop and looked around, this time he wasn't trying to be careful.
After all, he was a loot goblin and loved to collect things.
Searching through the ruined office, his heart pounding with excitement.
He knew whoever the man was that owned this office has hidden treasure tucked away and he was determined to find it.
Scanning the room, taking in every detail, his eyes soon fell upon a bookshelf in the corner that looked odd.
Without hesitation, He walked towards the bookshelf, his claws at the ready.
He tore into the shelves, ripping books and papers apart with reckless abandon.
As he tore into the back of the bookshelf, he saw it.
A large wooden chest was hidden behind the bookshelf.
He pulled it out and opened it, and when he did his violet eyes shined as he saw gleaming gold coins and precious gems.
Scooping up the coins and gems, marveling at their weight and beauty.
He knew that this treasure would be enough to buy anything he ever wanted, but greed took over and he wanted even more.
With a sense of triumph, Archer threw the chest into his Item Box and walked onto the balcony as he leaped into the air and flew south.
On his way to the last fort, he couldn't resist the temptation to relieve the merchants of their heavy coins and other golden possessions as they were fleeing the city.
By the time he got to the fort, it was the early hours of morning, chaos had already erupted as the soldiers were running around the city, screaming about a Zenian invasion.
Archer couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.
Upon reaching a familiar-looking balcony, he broke into the office, only to be met with an unexpected scene.
A man, a woman, and two little boys were all seated around a table, looking frightened and bewildered.
The man quickly stood up, demanding an explanation.
"What are you doing in here, boy?"
Archer stared at the man with a blank expression before making his demand.
"Give me your gold, or what's happening out there will happen in here."
Archer was lying, he could see that the man was a family man and would hand over the gold.
The man was taken aback, wondering if Archer was a bandit.
He and his family had been having dinner in his office to celebrate his promotion, and now they were faced with a dangerous intruder.
Despite his confusion and fear, the man resigned himself to his fate and headed for the secret compartment to show the little bandit.
He revealed a hidden trapdoor, and Archer peered down to see a chest filled with gold.
He eagerly stashed it away and turned to the man, questioning why they had so much wealth.
"Why did you three have so much gold, you're only commanders. I'm sure you don't get paid this much."
Archer inquired.
The man looked guilty and muttered something under his breath.
"Taxes. It's some of the city's taxes we stole."
He admitted in a low voice so his family wouldn't hear.
Archer was pleased with his newfound fortune he ended up with six chests of gold and gems in his Item Box.
He left the fort and flew East to take care of the castle guarding the river.
Soaring over the vast expanse of grass and sand, his wings beating steadily as he scanned the horizon.
As the stars are shining in the night sky, he could feel his energy waning, and he knew he needed to find a place to rest for the night.
Spotting a massive tree in the distance, he made a beeline for it, his wings growing heavy with fatigue.
As he landed on one of the sturdy branches, he let out a sigh of relief and dismissed his draconic features, reverting back to his normal form apart from leaving his wings out.
The tree was a marvel to behold, with a trunk so wide it would take several people holding hands to encircle it.
The branches were thick and sturdy, providing ample space for Archer to rest comfortably.
As he settled in for the night, he gazed up at the stars twinkling in the sky above and felt a sense of peace wash over him.
Despite the harshness of the landscape, he knew he was safe and protected on the branch of the great tree.
So he got comfortable and pulled out some meat wraps to eat, after he was done he used the 95 stat points he had saved up.
Archer put 20 on charisma and 15 on every other stat.
As the stars shine over the beautiful landscape, Archer quickly drifted off to sleep.
But soon, his peaceful slumber was interrupted by a terrifying nightmare.
In his dream, he found himself lost in the endless expanse of the desert, with no hope of finding his way back to civilization.
The scorching sun beat down on him relentlessly, and he could feel his body growing weaker by the minute.
As he stumbled through the dunes, he suddenly heard a low, rumbling growl.
Turning around, he saw a massive, shadowy figure looming over him, its eyes glowing with an otherworldly light.
The creature let out a blood-curdling roar, and Archer knew he was in mortal danger.
With no weapons to defend himself, he tried to run, but his legs felt like lead.
The creature closed in on him, its hot breath on his neck, and he knew he was doomed.
Suddenly, he jolted awake, his heart racing and his body covered in sweat.
He looked around, relieved to see that he was safe on the branch.
But the memory of the nightmare lingered, making him shake his head at the stupid nightmare.
Lying back down and resting his head on his arm as he looked at the stunning views as he fell back to sleep.
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