Chapter 368: The Return of William
William Prince William was conspicuously absent from the player's lives for what felt like an eternity, akin to the passage of three long autumn days. News of his return to Dawn City spread like wildfire, and players flocked to see him with the same enthusiasm as if they were witnessing the rarest of giant pandas. They hoped to receive a "bamboo" in the form of valuable experience and equipment from the prince.
However, as the City Lord returned, he had not yet devised a scheme to exploit players for profit. Thus, he arrogantly pushed his way through the eager crowd.
"Look at William now. He's no longer the mischievous Elf who used to trick us into running his errands all day!" one player lamented.
"Yes, he's transformed from a carefree young wild Elf into a serious Elf prince. I'm glad I didn't abandon Dawn City during the second version," another player chimed in.
"Indeed, some players did leave, but they must be regretting it now. Have you seen the new rule from the Dawn Mercenary Regiment? Those who quit will never be rehired."
Despite William not immediately assigning any tasks, many idle players decided to follow him, hoping that he might eventually give out a quest. After all, if he decided to distribute two pieces of equipment and a few dozen Gold Coins, it would be well worth their while.
William, in the meantime, found himself in an unusually good mood after slaying the Frost Dragon. The creature's immense size and ample blood supply had yielded a total of 611 vials of dragon blood, in addition to a unique dragon-slaying mission.
There was yet another dragon-slaying mission available. While he might not be strong enough to claim the title of "Dragon Butcher," his high damage output made him a prime candidate for the mission.
Experience, Gold Coins, and dragon-slaying mission crystals had all surged forth in a spectacular display. Among these, the dragon-slaying mission crystals were considered a player's worst nightmare, practically turning them into living ice sculptures.
Players who had hoped to collect dragon blood and scales, as they had with the Fire Dragon, found their dreams dashed. However, the sheer number of dragon blood vials, 611 in total, had William feeling rather disgruntled.
In the end, he decided to sell 11 of these vials to players. Scanning the eager faces of the crowd, he quickly selected an Ice Magician player.
This particular player's equipment was quite ordinary, consisting of silver magic robes, a silver magic hat, shoes, and the only standout, a golden Ice Magic Wand. In Dawn City, this player was essentially a penniless individual.
However, this player had contributed significantly to the Dawn Mercenary Regiment and held an elite position within the group. Clearly, this was an honest player who had chosen not to exchange equipment for contributions, but instead focused on gaining positions.
"It's you. I appreciate honesty," William declared.
[Ding]
The player, known as the 'Cold Ice Mage,' suddenly received a prompt.
[Ding: Little mage loyal to the Dawn Mercenary Regiment, today you have received a special adventure quest.]
[Ding: In front of the Dawn Mercenary Regiment's leader, showcase your skills, and you will receive unexpected rewards.]
"Huh?"
"Am I seeing things or hearing voices?"
"An adventure quest? This kind of thing?" 'Master Han Bing' was bewildered, but when he met William Prince William's gaze, he realized that he had indeed received an adventure quest.
Excitement surged through him, and he shouted, "Make way, make way! William has given me a quest, and I'm going to impress him with my skills!"
"Why didn't we get one?"
"Damn, we must have missed it!"
"Lucky me! Let's see what rewards this adventure quest holds. Maybe William just thought I was hot stuff today and wanted me to cast a couple of ice spikes to cool down. He might even reward me with a few Gold Coins!" Many players smirked at 'Master Han Bing,' believing that William the prince wouldn't offer any valuable treasures in an adventure quest.
Nevertheless, the crowd instinctively moved away, giving the 'Cold Ice Mage' ample space to cast his Spells. After all, Spellcasters, like all legal Professionals, deserved their rights.
As a Intermediate Level Ice Mage, 'Master Han Bing' wasn't particularly exceptional. He hadn't reached the high-level echelons of legal Professionals, nor had he become a "brother" in their ranks. Only when he reached epic level and gained access to Forbidden Spells would he be considered a true Master.
Of course, there were exceptions to this hierarchy, particularly among the wealthy players who wielded their "Krypton King" status like a badge of honor.
'Master Han Bing' approached William and saluted him with great respect. He asked, "Your Highness, shall I begin the demonstration now?"
"Yes," William replied.
"Do you need me to find an opponent for you?"
William's expression remained unchanged. Why should he showcase his equipment, profession, and skills to someone else?
Observing the change in the prince's demeanor, 'Master Han Bing' abandoned all pretense and began showcasing his skills.
Ice Thorns.
Ice Walls.
Ice Arrows.
Ice Shields.
Ice Hockey.
These were Spells that, when cast, didn't inflict much damage if they hit the enemy. Instead, they seemed to offer solace to the caster when they missed. Their practicality was questionable, as they often failed to hit their target.
William watched 'Master Han Bing' go through his routine, sensing a faint, refreshing chill in the air. To his surprise, the gap between himself and these northern ice Professionals wasn't as substantial as he had expected.
He patted 'Master Han Bing' on the shoulder and spoke seriously, "Your skills are a bit lacking. When did you become an elite member of the Mercenary Regiment?"
"Two months ago," 'Master Han Bing' replied, clearly worried about the direction the conversation was taking.
William's face grew more solemn. "How does your current strength justify your elite status?"
'Master Han Bing' was on the verge of tears. He hadn't anticipated that his efforts to change positions would result in so few benefits. Would he lose his elite status today?
Just as the crowd was ready to revel in his embarrassment, William produced a jar of Frost Dragon Blood and handed it to 'Master Han Bing' with a smile. "While your strength may not match that of our elite members, I appreciate your dedication to the Mercenary Regiment. Dawn Mercenaries need loyal members like you. Combat effectiveness isn't everything; I believe you understand this, as do I. This is Frost Dragon Blood I obtained in the far north. Take it, use it, and become even stronger from now on."
"Is this… for me?" 'Master Han Bing' stammered, utterly bewildered.
Other players couldn't believe their eyes. Was William simply giving away a vial of dragon blood? What was happening?
Was this the fabled adventure quest?
Could the rewards be this incredible?
Even S-level quests didn't provide such lavish rewards.
'Master Han Bing' might have been an honest player, but he was far from foolish. He accepted the vial of dragon blood with gratitude, his
expression filled with reverence as he gazed at the prince. "Your Highness, did you really defeat another dragon?"
William nodded, his face impassive. "Indeed, I did. When you return home, defeat one of your own."
In that moment, everything changed.
The players were practically salivating with anticipation as they surged forward, clamoring to know if William would be willing to sell the coveted dragon blood.
"Will Your Highness sell it?" they asked, their voices filled with eager anticipation.
But William remained stoic, his expression unwavering. "I won't sell it," he declared firmly.
"We'll sell dragon scales, dragon blood, and dragon meat," he continued, leaving the players hanging. "But I won't sell myself. Please, let me finish."
Nonetheless, the buzz around William Prince William's return had already ignited a frenzy on the forums with news of his latest dragon-slaying adventure.
In an attempt to maintain control, he raised his hand and spoke with authority, "I still have 11 copies of the Frost Dragon's blood for sale. The highest bidder will claim them. You can check the listings on the Dawn Mercenary Regiment's exchange."
Upon hearing this announcement, a multitude of ice warriors and mages immediately flooded the exchange listings. The prospect of obtaining 11 vials of dragon blood was too tantalizing to resist.
Eleven vials of dragon blood, all up for grabs, and the starting price was a staggering 100000 Gold Coins. Bidding was open, and in 48 hours, the highest bidder would emerge victorious.
[Ding: These items cannot be resold. Violators will be expelled and permanently pursued by the Dawn Mercenary Regiment.]
Upon seeing this prompt, tears welled up in the eyes of many players, especially the ice Professionals who now wanted to embrace His Royal Highness with open arms. This was a clear benefit exclusively for ice Professionals, ensuring that no wealthy players could monopolize the items.
Moreover, the starting bid of just 100000 Gold Coins drove players into a frenzy. It was a significant loss for William Prince William, as 100000 Gold Coins was a mere pittance compared to the permanent transformation skill he could have acquired. For many affluent players, it was a golden opportunity.
But the generosity didn't end with dragon blood. There was also dragon meat on offer, and players were ravenously curious.
However, they soon discovered an obstacle: to gain attributes from eating dragon meat, they needed to consume at least 5 liang (250 grams) of it. In fact, they wouldn't experience any attribute gains unless they consumed a minimum of 5 kilograms of dragon meat.
The price of dragon meat was relatively low, but it remained out of reach for most ordinary players. Still, the opportunity to gain attributes was too rare to pass up. Any player with the means would seize this chance to grow stronger.
William had a total of 5000 kilograms of dragon meat on sale, all in pairs. He wanted to give ordinary players a chance to experience the taste of dragon meat, even if they couldn't consume enough to gain attributes.
One pair of dragon meat was priced at just 200 Gold Coins, an irresistible offer.
Players couldn't help but wonder, "Am I William's favorite now?"
But William was of no concern to them at the moment. He had already made a generous gesture by offering 11 vials of dragon blood and 5000 kilograms of dragon meat, both incredible benefits for the players.
As for dragon scales, dragon tendons, dragon bones, dragon skin, and dragon roots, they all served strategic purposes. Dragon tendons and dragon bones, in particular, were highly valuable materials.
However, Longgen, the root of the dragon, didn't hold any real value for players as it couldn't be consumed.
Now, as for Dragon Crystal!
The Legendary Rank Master's Rank Dragon Crystal!
Specifically tailored for the Ice element, Dragon Crystal was the most sought-after treasure of the dragons. It outshone even the blood essence of a dragon's heart in terms of value.
Legendary Rank Equipment had levels, though these distinctions weren't always evident. Some Legendary items were simply of inferior quality within the Legendary category. Others, like Thunder Robbery, Thunder God's Ring, Thunder Suit, and Thunder Rune, bore markers of their exceptional status.
It was safe to assume that any equipment forged with Dragon Crystal would be Legendary, carrying the prestigious Dragon Crystal emblem and boasting extraordinary effects and attributes.
However, William had made up his mind to give the Ice Dragon Crystal to Moses.
Not only did Dragon Crystal have the unique ability to transform individuals bathed in dragon blood into Dragon Whisperers and grant access to Dragon Veins, but Moses had also displayed a particular fondness for shiny objects.
Despite not utilizing the Fire Dragon Crystal, he seemed to cherish it as an ornament.
"No problem, send it over. Prince Ben has money to burn!" William declared with narrowed eyes as he marched towards the divination shop.