The resplendent sunlight cascaded down upon the earth. On the wings of the gentle breeze, a colossal shadow soared skyward. Amidst the astonished gazes of the onlookers, that pink silhouette cleaved through the firmament and subsequently alighted before them.

  This was a dragon, a pink one, yet a fearsomely majestic and powerful behemoth. It raised its haughty head and unleashed a thunderous roar that seemed to rend the heavens asunder.

  "Is this a new adversary?" Guinevere extended her hand to shield herself from the buffeting wind, her eyes brimming with wariness.

  "Protect Her Highness!" Fess thundered in a rage.

  However, Tia was the first to dash forward."It's the master!"

  Had it not been for Tia's prompt action, everyone would have assumed that a fresh enemy had arrived.

  "Tia!" Kenley enfolded Tia in a tight embrace. The brief separation had rendered them particularly anxious about each other.

  "Master, are you unharmed? Have you sustained any injuries?" Tia scrutinized Kenley from head to toe with a look of deep concern.

  "I'm fine. I'm in perfect health," Kenley murmured, gently stroking Tia's lustrous tresses.

  Just then, Daina dismounted from the dragon's back.

  "Sister!" Guinevere's countenance lit up with elation.

  "Are you all right?" Daina removed her helmet.

  "Sister, we're safe. And you?"

  Upon their reunion, a wave of joy inevitably washed over them.

  But at that moment, the dragon beside Kenley metamorphosed back into a blinding expanse of white light and gradually assumed human form.

  "What is this?" Everyone regarded Normani with astonishment. Confronted with this enigmatic Dragon Lady, a palpable sense of curiosity pervaded the air.

  Normani paid no heed to the stares of the others. With a sudden lunge, she threw herself at Kenley, and together with Tia, they embraced him in quick succession. Kenley found himself enveloped in their feminine allure.

  Instantly, Kenley felt the icy dagger of Tia's gaze. Had he not been present, she would likely have flown into a rage.

  "Master, who is she?" Tia betrayed no hint of fear, even in the face of Normani's formidable sixth-rank power.

  "She's my newly acquired dragon mount. You may call her Normani," Kenley explained, steeling himself.

  "Hello, I'm Normani!" Normani introduced herself to Tia with an air of familiarity, even deliberately pressing her ample bosom against Kenley.

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  Observing Normani's audacious behavior, Kenley could distinctly see a vein throbbing on Tia's forehead.

  "Hello, I'm Tia." Tia narrowed her eyes, her smile a weird grimace.

  "It appears that Mr. Kenley has not only emerged unscathed but also reaped rich rewards," came the voice of another woman from the side. It was Guinevere.

  Despite Guinevere's calm demeanor, Kenley couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.

  Fess, meanwhile, wore a teasing grin."Mr. Kenley, it seems you've had a plethora of adventures unknown to us. Care to share them?"

  Fess seemed intent on coming to Kenley's rescue.

  Kenley's eyes lit up."Ah, let me introduce her. This is Normani, my new dragon mount. She is..."

  Thus, Kenley managed to extricate himself from the clutches of the two fair maidens by seizing the opportunity to introduce Normani.

  Through Kenley's account, they came to comprehend the magnitude of the peril he and Daina had just faced. Moreover, they were taken aback to learn that beneath the Abbey of Rest lay a hidden Crystal Nest, a clandestine experimental base established by the Church of the Desecrated Dragon.

  "It seems this is a harbinger of an alliance between the Black Sheep Society and the Church of the Desecrated Dragon," Guinevere mused after a moment of reflection.

  "We must report this matter to the church without delay, sister. The Abbey of Rest is merely a minor stronghold of the Black Sheep Society and the Church of the Desecrated Dragon. They likely have far more insidious designs," Daina declared.

  "Let's return at once. This matter is of utmost urgency and importance," Guinevere nodded.

  "Wait a moment," Kenley interjected.

  "What is it, Mr. Kenley?" Guinevere turned her gaze upon him.

  "There should be a dungeon here. Have you checked it?" Kenley was referring to the secret dungeon of the Abbey of Rest, where the final boss, a Black Sheep Priest, was supposed to be.

  "A dungeon?" Everyone exchanged a meaningful glance.

  "The dungeon is empty, Mr. Kenley," Fess informed him.

  "Empty?" Kenley was visibly shocked.

  "Could it be that you know something, Mr. Kenley?" Guinevere's intuition was sharp.

  Kenley fell silent. He recalled that in the game, the Abbey of Rest was home to three bosses, with the final one, the Black Sheep High Priest, being the most formidable.

  This foe could summon five elite assassins like Lenznos to aid him and was also proficient in a variety of potent dark magics, making him a formidable opponent.

  Back then, this boss had stymied the first wave of players for an extended period. With two instant-death magic mechanisms, he was notoriously difficult to defeat. The most crucial aspect was that he offered a legendary piece of equipment as a reward. If they missed out on this boss, the legendary reward would elude them.

  Kenley ultimately shook his head."Since there are no enemies, it's evident that the Black Sheep Society has abandoned this base. They may have already evacuated with their subordinates."

  "Yes, we share the same suspicion as Mr. Kenley. After you and sister were whisked away by the portal, we explored deeper along the abbey's path, only to find an empty abbey with no enemies in sight," Guinevere recounted.

  Fess added,"Mr. Kenley, now that the Black Sheep Society has deserted this place, they will undoubtedly continue to cause trouble elsewhere. You didn't see the dungeon. It was strewn with corpses, a scene of utter darkness and brutality. These fanatical heretics harbor schemes beyond our imagination, and the stench in the dungeon was overpowering."

  As he spoke, Fess seemed on the verge of retching, a testament to the horrors he had witnessed.

  Kenley could well imagine that the game had censored the scenes, with players only seeing a series of black mosaics. It was said that the original scenes were deemed too gruesome, hence the forced censorship during the review process.

  Unfortunately, Kenley was among the earliest players to experience the game, so he was well-acquainted with the dungeon's true nature.

  "Master, in the dungeon, Tia could sense countless vengeful spirits..." Tia's tone was graver than ever.

  Kenley closed his eyes and nodded in understanding.

  "Then let's leave this place. There's no point in lingering here any longer."

  Everyone nodded in unison.

  Just as Kenley stepped through the abbey gates, he felt an inexplicable gaze upon him. Turning around, he saw nothing... Was it just his imagination?