Everyone snapped their heads toward Cassandra as a beam of radiant light exploded outward, forming a cocoon of light around her body.
"What the hell? She's invincible now? No way! I don't care—she was supposed to be our prisoner and my future waifu! Orson, give her back!" Madman cursed furiously.
"You idiot! I swear, you really have no idea how vicious some women can be. You shouldn't touch them with a ten-foot pole!" Orson snapped back.
Drunken Dream nodded rapidly, visibly uneasy. "He's right. So right."
The others exchanged glances, eyes narrowing with suspicion. Bradley raised an eyebrow. "You got a story to tell? Let's hear it. Entertain us."
Drunken Dream gave a stiff, embarrassed laugh. Though he was notorious for his flings, even he knew his skills with women paled in comparison to Orson's… expertise.
System Notification: [Light Dragon Empire — Empress Cassandra] is merging with The divine item [Crown of Sin]!
Cassandra stretched her arms out wide, her aura shifting dramatically.
"I am… Tatum Biyonce, Ancestor of Blood Demons, Spirit of the Succubi!"
Her purple hair rose into the air unnaturally, and the Crown of Sin began to transform. A plain, ancient-looking hairpin slipped from her hair and instantly radiated a white light before shooting out of the tower's opening.
"It's returning to Ursula?" Orson narrowed his eyes.
Cassandra's face showed pure ecstasy as she floated midair inside the glowing cocoon, looking like something out of a horror film—possessed by an ancient evil.
Major Announcement: Dark clouds gather over Infinite Dimensions. Empress Cassandra of the Light Dragon Empire has touched a forbidden item. The Blood Demon Ancestor will descend upon the capital in 30 minutes!
Major Announcement: The Blood Demon Ancestor — Tatum — is confirmed to be a quasi-God-tier entity!
Major Announcement: This is a special global event. Player deaths during the event will incur no penalty. Please give your all in fighting the Blood Demon Ancestor!
Major Announcement: City barrier temporarily lifted! Building regeneration speed increased significantly!
Major Announcement: All player warships, battle wagons, and siege assets in the capital cannot be removed until the event concludes!
As multiple global announcements flooded the screen, Bradley and the others were left in shock.
Wasn't Cassandra just a prisoner? When the hell did she become a world boss?
"Something's happening near the capital! Holy crap, it's like a demon fortress from a horror movie! Is this Dragon's Kiss Guild's stronghold?"
"Get real. Losers who got driven out once will just get driven out again. Not even worth mentioning."
"Whoa!!! That world boss head is MINE! It'll prove Dragon's Kiss Guild is back in business!"
"Everyone keeps worshipping Orgod. Where is he anyway? Dead? Good riddance!"
As chaos broke loose in World Chat, dozens of major factions from both factions surged toward the Light Dragon Empire's capital.
"Usher's back again?"
ShatteredCrown scowled, stuffing another buffed chicken leg into his mouth as BlackStockings handed it over.
"We're going too! Anyone can make a splash, but not Dragon's Kiss Guild! Over my dead body!" he sneered.
Behind him, three enormous crimson warships floated in the air. Once the pride of the Mage Council, they were now part of The King Family, thanks to his wallet and a couple of high-stakes quests.
The King Family now rivaled the best of the best in the Light Dragon Empire—standing tall alongside Slaughter Guild and Supreme Guild, even slightly ahead of Moonlight Guild.
World bosses in Infinite Dimensions were affectionately known as "loot couriers." Normally, once their health bars appeared, they'd be nuked into oblivion by skill spam.
But this boss was different.
A quasi-God-tier boss? That had never happened before.
And to make it even juicier: a 1-hour time limit. Succeed, and every participant gets rewards. That alone was enough to set the entire game ablaze.
Meanwhile, the neutral guilds had a different headache.
"If players from both factions converge at the capital, there's no way it won't turn into a bloodbath. So… whose side are we on?" asked the vice guild leader of Glory Seekers nervously.
Magical Fiancée, the s-rank Gorgon-Headed Sorceress and guild master, furrowed her brow.
Their guild wasn't exactly top-tier, but they were good enough to brush shoulders with the elite… barely. Getting involved in this mess meant picking a side—and offending the other.
"What if we joined the Dark Dragon faction?" a message popped into her inbox. It was from Hellfire, leader of the Hellfire Guild.
She responded, "What's your angle?"
Hellfire Man: "Word is, Usher's already at the capital. With him there, Dragon's Kiss Guild can't lose."
Magical Fiancée remained skeptical. "But what if… he returns?"
She couldn't help but picture that man—Orgod.
His overwhelming presence still haunted her.
Hellfire Man: "Nobody's seen him in ages. Pretty sure he's dead. What's he gonna do, come back from the grave and bite you?"
She exhaled sharply. "Even if he is dead, Forever City's stance is unclear. We're not betting everything on Dragon's Kiss. Orgod or not, Godslayer is still top-tier."
System Notification: Quest Update! [War Supreme Conference] begins in 30 minutes. Proceed to the appointed location with your invitation to enter the Holy Dragon Sanctuary.
Orson frowned. He had a decision to make—attend the War Supreme Conference or fight a world boss.
He glanced at Cassandra's crimson-cocooned figure. Tatum's stats and skills were comparable to the Fallen Angel bosses.
Killing her in the next hour would yield a mountain of rewards, including a guaranteed bonus for all participants.
"I've posted Tatum's stat sheet in the party chat," Orson said calmly.
"Wait, wait… you're not bailing on us now, are you?" Madman blurted out.
Blank frowned and pointed at the still-bleeding Daloré. "And what about the Purple-Gold Dragon King? Still no way to tame him?"
"If a tool can't be used, why keep it?"
Orson turned away, voice chilling. "I've got more important matters to handle. Crimson Lizard King—eat him."
With a thunderous roar, Crimson Lizard King returned to her true form, her massive body cracking open the tower's structure.
"Are you insane?! How are we supposed to take a quasi-God-tier boss without you?" Madman groaned.
"You think I'd let us walk away empty-handed?" Orson chuckled, glancing at the others.
And just like that, everyone started grinning.
Running with Orson? You were never short on anything—except a lack of terrifying enemies.
World bosses. Dragon Kings. Quasi-Gods. Bring it on.
Orson had bigger plans. No matter how sweet the loot was, it couldn't compare to what he was about to do.
Representing the Light Elves, he would walk into the Supreme Council alone.
And if their decision wasn't what he wanted…
Then war—between players and the Empire—would begin with his hand.