Thinking of this, Cecilia suddenly felt full of anticipation for the future.
Aren't those the two skills from pokémon that increase money after battles? They're purely supportive skills, with combat power practically zero.
But... Caesar looked at this enthusiastic little chubby dragon before him and suddenly had a premonition.
In Cecilia's claws, this thing might be used in some wild way.
Sure enough.
——System Notification: Cecilia used [Happy Hour]!
As the text popped up on the System panel, Cecilia began a peculiar rhythm right where she stood.
She first lifted her left short leg, clumsily shook it, then switched to her right leg, her body wiggling along, her chubby tail drawing circles behind her, and finally did a spin in place.
This dance... let's call it "Dragon Dance" for now.
Caesar's sense of guilt grew stronger—Oh no, the kid's intelligence has been affected!
It's a bit like a Baby Dragon doing aerobics.
However, Caesar could also see that Cecilia's [Happy Hour] seemed to be activated through a flashy dance. And this dance seemed to have an inexplicable infectious quality, bringing a sense of relaxation and joy to onlookers.
Just as Caesar was pondering what this skill was actually for, Cecilia on the other side stopped her dance steps, struck a pose she thought was cool, and then activated her second skill.
"[Payday]!"
With her chubby claw pointing to the sky, instantly, a "treasure rain" began to fall out of thin air inside the cave.
"Whoosh—"
Suddenly, a dense sound of collisions came from above.
Caesar looked up, and his eyes instantly widened.
Countless golden, glittering things were falling from the sky like rain!
Gold coins, gemstones, magic crystals... the dazzling sight fiercely stimulated Caesar's dragon DNA as a Garchomp.
We're rich!
Could it be that [Payday] in this world has the same effect as in the game, creating money out of thin air?
This isn't a supportive skill; this is a divine skill!
"Cecilia! You're a Genius!"
Caesar didn't spare his praise, his eyes gleaming as he charged toward that mountain of gold coins.
"Of course!"
Cecilia proudly raised her chin, also spreading her four short legs and diving headfirst into the treasure pile.
The two dragons rolled happily in the mountain of gold coins, letting out joyful roars.
Caesar excitedly dug through the gold coins when he suddenly felt something fall on his head, covering his vision—
He reached out a claw and grabbed it. It was a piece of cloth of unknown material, smooth to the touch, embroidered with intricate patterns in gold thread, with red gemstones embedded in key areas, emitting faint magical fluctuations.
Caesar's movements froze.
This thing... why does it look so familiar?
Isn't this the Victory Underwear I stripped off that Perverted Woman before?!
Back then, the System notification said this thing was an imitation of an "aura cloak," capable of locking in health at critical moments, which is why Caesar didn't throw away this unlucky item but had Ceciliastore it in her storage ring space.
"...?"
A sense of foreboding surged in his heart.
Caesar's gaze swept over the mountain of gold coins. He saw the eye-stinging "aura cloak," those huge energy storage crystals, and the various demon cores and Materials he had painstakingly saved up...
Caesar's eye twitched violently.
So, after all this, [Payday] isn't creating something out of nothing, but sucking all nearby treasures together and piling them up?!
He glanced at his storage ring—sure enough, it was mostly empty.
Well, all that excitement for nothing.
"Ahem, dear..." Caesar cleared his throat.
"What?" The Silver Dragon poked her head out of the gold coin pile, a shiny diamond dangling from her mouth, asking indistinctly.
"Let's put everything away first." Caesar sighed. Although this skill might be quite useful in specific situations, like looting enemy bases or cleaning up battlefields, at this moment, he only felt deeply Exasperated.
"Oh..."
Cecilia looked at Caesar's instantly fallen face and belatedly realized that she might have... messed up again?
The secret technique she had painstakingly comprehended only ended up moving her ally's things out of his storage device.
The Silver Dragon immediately felt a bit wronged.
No! This Young Lady must prove herself!
She puffed out her cheeks, determined to try again, and this time, an ultimate powered-up version!
[Happy Hour]! Starting move!
The mesmerizing dance began again.
Immediately after, a festive red light shimmered around her body.
[Celebrate]!
This move was originally just for setting off fireworks to Celebrate victory.
But now, Cecilia poured all the magic power within her into it.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Colorful elemental fireworks exploded in the air, lighting up the dim cave like a Disco.
The atmosphere was set.
Cecilia suddenly leaped upward.
[Bounce]!
This move, commonly known as "Splash," is widely recognized as a trash skill.
But with the Z-Move System's enhancement, this move can become a terrifying divine skill that strengthens attacks.
Although she didn't have a z-crystal, Cecilia, relying on her True Dragon's robust physique, managed to leap with a soaring momentum.
She spun, jumped, and closed her eyes in mid-air.
Finally, at the moment of landing, she gathered all her strength in her palm and made a fierce grabbing motion toward the outside of the cave!
[Payday] · Full Power Version!
"Come... to me!!!"
Boom——!
A terrifying suction force erupted with Cecilia at its center.
This wasn't wind.
It was a rule-based gravitational pull targeting "high-value items"!
Caesar felt a tightness on his claw, and the storage ring on his fingertip almost flew off.
He was so scared that he quickly used both claws to tightly cover the ring, lying flat on the ground, clinging to it like a gecko.
"Are you crazy?! Stop it!"
Caesar roared.
This suction force was too absurd!
The rubble in the cave remained unmoved, but the Ore crystals hidden in the rock crevices flew toward Cecilia's hand like bullets.
Even the sharp claw Caesar had hidden in the gaps of his scales was sucked away!
"I won't stop! I want to prove myself!"
Cecilia gritted her teeth, her face flushed red.
She could feel that this time, it wasn't just the treasures nearby.
The Silver Dragon's perception extended far, far away with this suction force.
It seems... she caught something big?
...
...
At the same time, at the border of the Lordaeron Empire.
A solemn procession was advancing along a wilderness road.
The procession consisted of twenty Temple Knights in fine armor, holding spears and tower shields, escorting a luxurious carriage in the center, with the emblem of the Church of Light engraved on the carriage.
This was a Sacred Patrol Team from the Church of Light. The name sounded lofty, but in reality, it was a bodyguard team escorting a Saintess Candidate on her tour of various cities for training.
As the once-in-a-decade Saintess selection was about to begin, candidates from various dioceses had begun ceremonial tours, inspecting the mortal world on behalf of the gods and making their vows to win the support of believers and higher-ups.
This team had been traveling westward and was about to reach its final destination—Osterburg.
Right on this wilderness road, they encountered another four-person team head-on.
The blue-haired hero Siniel, leading the group, initially intended to give way upon seeing the local diocese emblem on the carriage, but then, as if remembering something, suddenly perked up.
He quickly stepped forward, bowed to the leading paladin captain, and asked loudly, "Might I ask if the one in the carriage is Your Excellency Anastasia?"
The paladin captain was taken aback, then showed a wary expression.
The Saintess Candidate they were escorting was indeed named "Colette Anastasia."
Seeing this, Siniel immediately explained, "I am Siniel. I once had a brief encounter with Your ExcellencyColette at a celebration in the capital."
As he spoke, he glanced at the Elf Mage Furong beside him.
Furong remained expressionless, seemingly uninterested in this holy-Aura-filled team before them.
Only then did Siniel feel relieved and continued chatting with the knight captain.
A moment later, the carriage curtain was gently lifted by a slender hand wearing white lace gloves, revealing a cold and stunningly beautiful face.
Silver hair flowed like moonlight, purple eyes like the purest gemstones, though her gaze held a hint of aloofness and indifference.
She didn't speak, only silently showed Siniel a teardrop-shaped gemstone worn on her chest.
The gemstone was crystal clear, with light seemingly flowing inside—it was the "tear of light," symbolizing the eye of the gods and also Colette's identity as a Saintess Candidate.
Siniel understood her subtle hint.
During the Saintess selection period, candidates needed to maintain purity and should not engage in excessive conversation with outsiders.
"We were abrupt."
Reminded by his companion, Siniel quickly apologized, leading his team to the roadside, watching as the Sacred Patrol Team slowly departed.
"Tch, a bunch of Religious Fanatics, acting all mysterious." The Dwarf Warrior Dwarf disdainfully spat.
"Dwarf, watch your words." The priest Hyte, though sloppy himself, still maintained basic respect for the church.
"That Saintess feels a bit strange."
After walking a few hundred meters, Furong suddenly spoke up.
"Strange how?" Siniel asked.
"I don't know, just a feeling... the elemental fluctuations around her are too quiet, quiet like she's not alive."
Furong frowned. As an elf, she was most sensitive to magical perceptions.
"Maybe she's Cultivated some special divine art."
Siniel didn't pay much attention.
Just then.
A sudden change occurred!
A commotion suddenly came from behind.
Followed by a heart-wrenching scream:
"Saintess—!!!"
"Quick! Quick, protect her!"
The voice was extremely shrill. Siniel and the other three abruptly stopped and looked back.
They saw that originally orderly pilgrimage team in the distance had now turned into complete chaos.
Knights drew their swords, looking around, horses neighed in fright.
"Enemy attack?!"
That was Siniel's first thought. The broken sword at his waist buzzed, and the metal necklace around his neck began to heat up.
[Ding! Detected an emergency event!]
[Temporary mission issued: Sacred Bond.]
[Mission Objective: Rescue the Saintess Candidate Colette Anastasia, who is in crisis.]
[Mission Reward: Points +100, Church of Light favorability +20]
System 9527's notification sounded in his mind, but as a "hero," Siniel didn't need such missions. The young man turned without hesitation and rushed at full speed toward the direction of the commotion—
"Hey! Siniel!" The dwarf Dwarf, carrying his axe, quickly chased after him.
The priest Hyte and elf Furong followed closely behind.
While rushing toward the Sacred Patrol Team, several possibilities flashed through Siniel's mind.
Was it a Dangerous Species Demonic Beast lurking nearby launching an attack? "
Or had a dragon beast from the Dragon Spine Mountain Range gotten lost?
It wasn't impossible for assassins from the Devil King's Army from the Devil Race territory, given that the Church of Light was their mortal enemy.
...Could it be Political Infighting among other Saintess Candidates, sending people for an Assassination Attempt?
He thought of many possibilities, each capable of stirring a Bloody Storm in this wilderness.
But when Siniel, using his full Qi, arrived at the scene and asked the panicked paladin captain, he was completely stunned:
"—What do you mean the Saintess is flying in the sky?!"