"Trust him? Or should I trust that I'm the son of God!"
"I'll never believe he's going to be honest. Seriously, can anyone even count one good deed he's done?"
"Exactly! It's obvious he's setting us up. Who cares about that broken lordship? Let the NPC have it!"
Orson had expected gratitude from the players, but instead, a few Dragon Knights immediately started cursing him. Some even mounted their dragons and flew off without looking back.
Bradley: "Uh… this is a bit awkward. Orson, maybe we should stop doing shady stuff."
Slaughter Spree: "Orgod, you've really overdone it. We sincerely appreciate it, but it seems no one is buying your words."
Blank: "A top-tier player who profits off others, impressive."
Orson's words sounded like empty promises to everyone.
That sly fox was famous for taking advantage of situations, taking everything while leaving others with nothing.
Trusting him was considered worse than letting the Golden Dragon Knight die by his own hand.
"Ugh, I just wanted to be a good guy, can't you guys at least trust me a little?"
Orson sighed, shaking his head. "This is unbelievable! I'm giving you all a chance, and yet you think I'm digging a pit for you?"
"Doesn't anyone understand me?"
Orson looked at the players with a heart full of sorrow, but everyone shook their heads in unison, showing no mercy.
"Ah, it's back to 15% health. If we don't act soon, we might miss our chance. Orson, should we step in ourselves?" Bradley furrowed his brow.
Orson shook his head and said firmly, "No, I, Orgod, always keep my word! I'll leave the opportunity to the young ones!"
Demon Emperor and Blank exchanged looks. Though they kept calm on the outside, they were both anxious.
The higher Golden Dragon Knight's health restored, the less chance Demon Emperor had of winning the duel.
But they also feared that Orson might be setting them up again, leaving them in a bind.
"Once you become the city lord, you get a year of challenge immunity. Maybe it's worth a shot!" James whispered.
Slaughter Spree snapped, "Hmph, you clearly don't understand that bastard. Who can guarantee he won't sneak attack during the match?"
"Reports say his pet egg can cross barriers, so he might have the ability to interfere with the challenge."
Blank frowned, analyzing the situation. The arena's barrier was nearly invincible, but it was only "almost" invincible.
Perhaps Orgod had some rare holy artifact that could bypass the barrier.
Everyone nodded in agreement with this idea.
"No! You're all wrong."
James suddenly interrupted their speculation. Blank looked at her brother, confused. "What do you mean?"
James looked up with pride and sneered coldly, "There are too many players watching Pondenorlin City's ownership. He won't do that. To be more precise, he can't."
"His reputation as the number one player in Infinite Dimensions won't allow him to use dirty tactics in front of everyone."
Slaughter Guild members were taken aback and couldn't help but view James in a new light.
A level 30-something "little swordsman" becoming the vice president had initially upset some high-level players who thought he wasn't qualified.
But his perspective on the matter was unique. Most players focused only on the game, often overlooking the essence of the situation.
With over a million players watching the match live in the city, and billions tuning in on streaming platforms, any underhanded move would turn Godslayer into a laughingstock and damage the US Triple Crown winner's reputation.
It wasn't about the strength of the combatants but about how they handled the situation.
"Having a good education does have its perks. Orgod doesn't play by the rules, but he's not someone who goes back on his word." Blank chuckled.
"A dual-degree in sociology and psychology wasn't earned for nothing!"
James proudly smirked, as if the Bruce family was naturally blessed with arrogance.
"19%! Hurry up, brothers!" Bradley shouted, urging them on.
"A friend of mine will guard me! If that bastard tries to sneak attack, I'll roast him on the forum for a year!"
A dual-wielding warrior shouted, riding a white-winged black wolf, a beast as strong as a low-tier dragon.
"Don't worry! We've got this. When you become the city lord, don't forget us!"
"Block the airspace! Whoever dares to approach will get a face full of dragon breath!"
The battle cries and dragon roars echoed through the sky, blocking out the sun like a storm cloud, making the scene grand and impressive.
"They've come together! I'm glad to see this in such a prosperous time," Orson thought, feeling a sense of satisfaction.
Normally, these rival guild experts, who would fight for resources in the wild, had come together—more than ten dragons between levels 30-50 had formed a protective ring around the players challenging for the city lord position.
Their main concern? Orson himself…
"Friend! If you can't win, I'll take over!"
"Charge! Let's break the gloom of the Triple Crown winner and defy the heavens! We shall claim the throne and become gods!"
More than ten guilds united against him, as if the boss they faced was Orgod himself.
The battle was fierce and thrilling, with players fighting as if their lives depended on it.
"Fight until the sky darkens and the earth crumbles! It's a shame! The Golden Dragon Knight is just too OP!"
"It's stuck at 15%! It's over, can't we do anything?"
The players sighed, watching as the lower-tier dragons were crushed by the Golden Dragon Knight's might. With the players' stats being so far behind, a simple touch was enough to kill them instantly.
Although Golden Dragon Knight Bibienne was an NPC and her skill casting was slow and not particularly agile, her massive AOE dragon knight attack was far too overwhelming.
More than ten top-tier guild players had already been defeated, and the arena was littered with dragon blood and severed limbs, resembling an Asura hell.
With only three hours left in the match, it seemed like the dust was about to settle. But then, a calm voice cut through the tension.
"You've kept your word. You're nothing like Annly said," Alexander said with a smile, looking at Orson.
This was the respect from Lambert's prodigy to a strong player.
However, Alexander's expression darkened immediately.
"Scissors! Paper! Rock..."
Slaughter Spree: "Damn it! I'm the one drinking again!"
Bradley: "You okay? I see you're a surgeon in real life, always smooth with the scalpel, but when it comes to rock-paper-scissors, you've got Parkinson's?"
Orson and Bradley pulled Slaughter Spree along, and the three of them grabbed some stools to play a drinking game.
"Drink, drink, drink!" Slaughter Spree blushed, chugging down his drink.
"I have to win this one! Alexander!" DonutWizard gritted his teeth.
"Believe in yourself," Wedge said with a smile, nodding at Alexander.
"When I return victorious, I'll make sure the world knows what's right," Alexander said with a light smile.
The two exchanged affectionate glances, their connection palpable.
Meanwhile, a Silver Dragon Knight observing from afar ground his teeth in frustration: "I knew it! She changes boyfriends faster than I change clothes. My friends were right, she's not—worth—shit!"
Alexander, handsome and composed, gently patted his Ghost-Faced Dragon Lion.
The dragon-lion transformed into a black mist, walking across the air.
In his white robe, without armor, and with his legendary sword resting on his back, he looked like a legendary sword immortal. His majestic aura made the female players below scream.
The arena scene shifted into a vast, lush grassland.
When the Ghost-Faced Dragon Lion landed, the ghostly mist quickly spread, causing the plants to wither in an instant, covering the entire grassland.
"Withering Halo! Ghost-Faced Dragon Lion's special ability!"
"This beast was supposedly born in the tomb of a necromancer saint and can evolve into a Saint Lord-class undead creature."
"Within the halo, life regeneration is nullified, and healing spells are drastically weakened! This is a natural counter to the Golden Dragon Knight's healing buff!"
Everyone was stunned. In the Infinite Dimensions world, dragons were revered, but there were still powerful life forms that could challenge them.
"Not worried he'll take it down?" Bradley looked up with some concern.
"Let him take it if he can. If not… then that's not my fault," Orson smiled indifferently, continuing to drink and enjoy the fun.