Chapter 378- Pure-Hearted Prince vs. Giant Dragon Boss (17)
Even the immense magic released from the destroyed insignia was compressed by Mu Jin within his palm, allowing the destructive energy to dissipate slowly and harmlessly into the air.
The goblins, feeling the bond deeply etched in their souls suddenly vanish with the insignia’s destruction, erupted into cheers, embracing one another with tears of joy.
Once their excitement subsided, they collectively knelt before Mu Jin, bowing deeply as they exclaimed, “Thank you, my lord! You have freed our goblin race from the fear of enslavement forever.”
The lead goblin declared, “My lord, even without the goblin insignia, we are still willing to serve you as our master. Whatever orders you have, we will carry them out with all our might. Please allow us to express our gratitude to you.”
Mu Jin, knowing their words were spoken in the heat of the moment, did not take them entirely to heart. After all, no one truly enjoys being enslaved. Furthermore, he had no interest in keeping a group of goblins as his servants.
However, since he had gone to great lengths to destroy the insignia, he indeed had a task for them. Gesturing for the lead goblin to come closer, he leaned down and whispered his instructions.
Hearing Mu Jin’s request, the goblin eagerly nodded, then pounded his chest in assurance, saying, “Rest assured, my lord! Leave this matter to us!”
Satisfied with their promise, Mu Jin and Norris left the goblins behind and exited the courtyard of the weapon shop.
Despite their departure, the continent remained tranquil, as though nothing had changed.
To Gardner, Mu Jin and Norris appeared to have simply returned from their travels without leaving any significant impact on the kingdom. The elven queen still seemed favorably disposed toward him, and the goblins continued working diligently under his command.
Not long after, good news arrived from the goblins: the god-tier weapon Gardner had commissioned was nearing completion. This news greatly excited him.
The only thing not going as planned was his repeated failure to win over Mu Jin. Every attempt to curry favor was met with rejection, which only fueled Gardner’s growing obsession and desire to conquer Mu Jin.
Then there was Norris—constantly cold and disdainful toward him, publicly humiliating him on several occasions. This only deepened Gardner’s resentment and determination to turn the tables.
Now that the weapon was almost ready, Gardner decided it was time to act. Killing a dragon was no small matter, and he wanted to ensure it was done in a way that would bring him both fame and fortune.
The problem, however, was that the human kingdom’s fondness for the dragon had grown significantly. Thanks to the dragon’s gifts, the people had enjoyed reduced taxes and tangible benefits. On top of that, the dragon had pledged to protect the kingdom, making it unlikely that killing the dragon would earn him any public praise. This was a scenario Gardner was unwilling to accept.
He realized he would first need to tarnish the dragon’s reputation before he could position himself as a hero. With the help of the system, Gardner quickly devised a plan.
He began spreading rumors that the abyss was tainted with demonic energy and that the dragon’s prolonged residence there was proof of its true nature as an inherently evil demon dragon.
The dragon had supposedly been using the demonic energy to modify its body, intending to one day absorb all the dark energy and grow even more powerful. On that day, the demon dragon would plunge the entire continent into purgatory.
The rumors also claimed that the dragon had avoided coming to the capital to meet Prince Norris in person because it was waiting for its strength to peak. Once the demon dragon reached its full power, the day of its bonding ceremony with Norris would mark the kingdom’s destruction.
Of course, rumors alone weren’t enough. Gardner actively backed his claims with evidence. Using the dark magic he carried, he created signs of decay and ruin in various places, making it appear as though an apocalyptic prophecy was coming true. This spread panic among the people.
Many who witnessed these ominous scenes began to believe the rumors that the dragon was, in fact, a demon dragon destined to bring death and disaster to the kingdom.
Norris grew increasingly angry as he noticed more and more people speculating about the dragon’s nature. Though these rumors and whispers were subdued due to the dragon’s formidable reputation, their persistence still grated on him. He felt immense sorrow for Mu Jin, his mate, who had done so much for the continent. Instead of gratitude, the people were spinning lies behind his back.
Even Owen, who usually trusted Norris’s instincts, started to worry. The bond between the dragon and Norris was now too tightly intertwined. If the dragon’s reputation suffered, Owen feared that the prince’s standing with the people might also falter. As for the dragon itself, Owen didn’t believe it would be a victim of anything, given its overwhelming strength.
What surprised Owen, however, was Mu Jin’s reaction—or lack thereof. The dragon, who he thought would retaliate, seemed entirely indifferent to the growing rumors. Mu Jin appeared calm and unbothered, almost as though he found the entire situation amusing.
Mu Jin understood that rumors, once seeded, were nearly impossible to quell. As the saying goes, “Three men repeating a lie can make it seem like the truth.” Instead of futilely trying to suppress the gossip, he seemed content to let the situation develop further.
When the crowd grows, sometimes herd mentality makes people seem foolish. However, Mu Jin remained calm because everything was unfolding exactly as he had anticipated.
As for Norris, though still annoyed, he managed to suppress his irritation after being reassured by Mu Jin. He could only wait patiently for the day when Mu Jin would deliver a decisive blow that would utterly ruin Gardner’s reputation.
Meanwhile, Mu Jin enjoyed his comfortable lifestyle, idly watching Gardner scurry around like a clown. Despite his amusement, he couldn’t help but be impressed by Gardner’s abilities—particularly how he had managed to persuade even the Church.
Shockingly, the Church of Light had begun propagating the idea that the dragon was, in fact, a demon dragon. They claimed that only by slaying the dragon could true light be restored to the world. If the dragon were allowed to absorb all the demonic energy from the Abyss, the demon army would revive, plunging the continent into chaos and despair.
When Mu Jin heard Owen’s report on the Church’s statements, he raised an eyebrow in surprise. He hadn’t expected them to bring up the demon army, and it made him realize that Gardner seemed to know far more than anticipated.
It became clear that Gardner must have been aware of the existence of the demon army in the Abyss for some time. As a practitioner of dark magic, and with the system aiding his growth, Gardner had likely gained the power to control the demon army. Feeling confident with the divine weapon in hand, he boldly incited the Church to spread such claims, hoping to sway public opinion before heading to the Abyss to kill the dragon and claim both fame and fortune.
Mu Jin almost felt like applauding Gardner’s cunning. The protagonist’s scheming was truly remarkable, and events were indeed spiraling as Gardner had planned.
However, Gardner clearly didn’t expect everyone to wholeheartedly believe his claims. When he felt the rumors had gained sufficient traction, he began mobilizing his allies. He rallied his followers, declaring they would accompany him to the Abyss to slay the dragon and save the continent.
By this point, Gardner had already obtained the divine weapon from the goblins. The Elf Queen and the Beastkin King had both pledged to stand by his side. Even the Pope of the Church of Light had dispatched their strongest knight order and most skilled light mages, all placed under Gardner’s command.
Perhaps others found it astonishing that someone as young as Gardner could lead so many powerful figures. This sentiment was reinforced by the Church of Light’s propaganda, where the Pope proclaimed Gardner as a paragon of virtue, favored by the God of Light, and the most promising youth of his generation within the Church.
However, Mu Jin, knowing the truth, scoffed at the Church’s praises. After all, he was well aware that Gardner was steeped in dark magic—hardly a fitting match for the Church of Light. In reality, while magic existed in this world, gods did not. This wasn’t a multi-dimensional universe with divine beings. As for Gardner, his ability to command so many strong allies was shrouded in unspeakable secrets.
Setting aside his calculated act of saving the Beastkin King and the forced allegiance of the Elf Queen, the Church of Light’s support was riddled with corruption. Gardner had, with the system’s help, uncovered the Pope’s dark secrets, forcing him to concede substantial benefits to Gardena.
The Church’s endorsement of Gardena’s dragon-slaying mission stemmed from his promises of generous rewards. When Gardner mentioned the dragon’s palace was overflowing with treasures, the Church’s higher-ups immediately took the bait.
Before setting out, Gardner deliberately avoided informing the royal family of his plans. In his mind, Norris was clearly siding with the dragon. The dragon had even made generous promises to the royal family, and Gardena suspected Norris might alert the dragon to his plans.
To safeguard his mission, Gardner stationed several Church members to monitor Prince Norris closely. As for Mu Jin, Gardner went a step further, sending him back to the Church of Light under strict watch. Over the following days, Gardner visited Mu Jin several times, attempting to persuade him to “abandon the darkness and embrace the light.”
The royal family made no effort to oppose Gardner’s plan to slay the dragon. With so many influential factions involved and the Church’s approval, the endeavor was difficult to challenge. After all, the Church of Light wielded considerable power across the continent.