Chapter 214: The Golden Wolf Badge

“There’s no other way,” Commander Mare said, shaking his head slowly. “If Stonehaven had accepted the class change, the process would have naturally revealed his elemental affinity. Since he chose to remain on his current path, I can’t see it. Without a proper ritual, I don’t have the ability to examine a person’s raw potential.”

He paused briefly before continuing. “In theory, anyone with sufficient elemental mastery can become an Elemental Knight. A Temple Guardian, however, is something entirely different. They are the elite among elites, knights who answer directly to the Goddess of Dreams herself. After the Goddess was sealed away, the Temple Guardians disappeared from the world. If we had not uncovered a single ancient promotion scroll within the Dreamland Temple here in the Citadel, the class would have vanished completely.”

Mare’s gaze settled on Marcus, and this time it carried a mix of respect and awe. “I could meet ten Elemental Knights and not bat an eye, but standing before a living Temple Guardian is another matter entirely. It is genuinely shocking.”

’A Unique Hidden Class,’ Marcus thought. ’Looks like I’m sticking with Temple Guardian for now.’ A question lingered in his mind, though. If he ever changed to another class, something like a Dragon Knight, would the Temple Guardian path simply disappear from the world again?

“Enough of that,” Mare said, breaking the moment. “Stonehaven, we’ve talked long enough. You still have rewards to claim.”

He raised both hands, and a tight whirlwind formed in front of them. Wind spiraled inward, growing denser and louder, until a massive shape emerged from the heart of the vortex. A Pegasus stepped forward and landed with a firm, controlled motion.

Its body and wings were a flawless snowy white, unmarked and pristine. Every movement carried a sense of discipline and power, and when it spread its wings, the air itself seemed to respond.

’Now that’s a horse,’ Marcus thought, clearly impressed. It did not quite rival the overwhelming presence of his Mythic mount, the Violet Thunderwing Steed, but the contrast of pure white feathers and its noble bearing made it impossible to ignore.

“It’s beautiful,” Anya and Chloe said almost at the same time.

Their reaction was very different from Marcus’s. Where he evaluated strength and rarity, they were drawn to its elegance. Anya even reached out slightly, as if resisting the urge to touch its coat.

“Is this mine?” Marcus asked.

“Yes,” Mare replied. “Reward Two was not limited to your promotion. To ensure you can fully act as a knight, the Dragon Dynasty has granted you a Grade 8 mount, the Cloud-Mist Gale Steed. It possesses both wind and light attributes.”

A system notification chimed.

Ding!

“Stonehaven, for completing the Dragon’s Crest quest, you have been awarded a Cloud-Mist Gale Steed. Do you accept?”

“Accept.”

The reward hit every mark. A Grade 8 Pegasus was an absurdly valuable asset, and if he ever chose to sell it, the price would easily rival that of a Guild Creation Token. It felt as if the system knew exactly what kind of reward would keep him invested.

Once the mount was registered, a second notification appeared.

“Reward Three: Stonehaven, in recognition of your outstanding service, the Dragon Dynasty hereby appoints you as a Golden Wolf Guardian. You are also awarded a Dragon Dynasty Command Flag. Do you accept this official rank?”

“Accept.”

An official government rank was not something Marcus had expected, but he welcomed it immediately. Influence mattered, and having legal authority would open doors that raw strength never could.

Ding!

“Congratulations, Stonehaven, on becoming a Golden Wolf Guardian of the Dragon Dynasty. You now hold Rank 8. Your Golden Wolf Badge serves as proof of your status. May you contribute to the prosperity of the Dynasty.

As the notification faded, a golden badge shaped like a wolf’s head materialized on Marcus’s chest. He wasted no time pulling up its details.

—

Golden Wolf Badge: Proof of status for a Golden Wolf Guardian of the Dragon Dynasty. Can only be worn by a Golden Wolf Guardian. Cannot be lost, traded, or dropped. Ownership remains with the Dragon Dynasty, which reserves the right to issue or revoke it.

The Golden Wolf Guardian was the lowest official rank among the Dynasty’s protectors, classified as Rank 8. During events such as demonic invasions, internal rebellions, or large-scale monster outbreaks, a Golden Wolf Guardian could report to any local government office and requisition a force of one hundred soldiers of equal rank. After the conflict, rewards would be issued based on performance and contribution.

—

’This is ridiculous’, Marcus thought, his eyes lighting up. ’I love it.’

The implications were enormous. In Dominion, once a player reached Level 50 and accumulated enough reputation, they could attempt to lead a rebellion. If their forces survived three waves of suppression from the Dragon Dynasty, their guild could break away and establish an independent nation.

From there, player-led nations could wage war, expand territory, and even challenge the Dynasty itself for control of the Dreamland Continent.

Marcus let out a quiet, amused chuckle. If any guild was reckless enough to try that, he would be right there, with a hundred soldiers ready to remind them who was in charge. Success was rare, but the system allowed it, and that alone made things interesting.

He continued reading.

Above the Golden Wolf rank were the Black Panther Guardian, the Purple Eagle Guardian, the White Tiger Guardian, the Blue Lion Guardian, and finally the Blue Dragon Guardian.

A Black Panther Guardian could command 500 soldiers. A Purple Eagle Guardian could lead 1,000. The real power, however, began with the White Tiger rank.

A White Tiger Guardian could form a custom unit of 1,000 members drawn from any source, as long as the members were not higher level than the Guardian. After battles, the entire unit would receive Dynasty-issued rewards. A Blue Lion Guardian could do the same with a force of 2,000, and their members could be up to ten levels higher. The Blue Dragon rank was reserved exclusively for the Dynasty’s royal family.

’Unbelievable’. Marcus felt his ambitions shift in real time. With a rank like White Tiger or Blue Lion, he could personally assemble an elite force from the player base.

’It really is good to be the law’, he thought.

He made a mental note to take on every government-related task he could find. He had never planned on creating a guild, but this gave him a clean way to participate in large-scale warfare while staying firmly on the right side of the rules.

If Anya and Chloe had not been standing next to him, he might have shouted in triumph. Instead, he handed them the Golden Wolf Badge so they could take a closer look, while he turned his attention to the final reward.

The Dragon Dynasty Command Flag.

If it carried the Dynasty’s name, it was almost certainly worth the wait.

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