MMORPG: Birth of the World's Luckiest Player-Chapter 113: The Crest That Changes Destiny
Pegasus Knight Mare, Commander of the Pegasus Knight Legion, was a Diamond-tier Pegasus Knight and one of the ten greatest experts within Pegasus Citadel. His presence alone carried weight. His personal mount was a red Flame Steed with a gold-backed mane, a rare and elite Pegasus breed that possessed overwhelming Fire-element offensive power alongside formidable Metal-element defensive traits, making it one of the most prized mounts in the entire city.
Knights were ranked by tier, beginning with Common Knight, followed by Bronze Knight, Gold Knight, Silver Knight, Diamond Knight, and finally Adamant Knight. Any Knight below Level 50 was classified as a Common Knight. Upon reaching Level 50 and completing their first class advancement, gaining either a Light or Dark attribute, they would officially enter the ranks of Bronze Knights.
In the earliest days, only Light Knights existed. However, during the prolonged and devastating war against the demons, a faction of Knights chose to study the enemy’s magic and combat techniques. Over time, this led to the birth of the Dark Knight class. After a thousand years of warfare, the Dark attribute’s terrifying destructive power had drawn the serious attention of the Dragon Dynasty, forcing them to acknowledge its place within the Knight system.
From Bronze-tier onward, advancement was no longer simple. Each promotion required passing increasingly rigorous trials established by the Knight Legion. With every tier gained, a Knight’s strength, authority, and status rose sharply.
A Knight’s tier was not merely a measure of power, but a symbol of honor and achievement, something every Knight strove toward for their entire life. To stand at the peak as an Adamant Knight was the ultimate ambition shared by all warriors of the order.
Marcus quickly located Pegasus Knight Mare. The man was tall, broad-shouldered, and powerfully built, his imposing frame making it difficult to believe he belonged to a class famed for agility and speed. Standing before him felt like facing a fortress given human form.
"Greetings," Marcus said calmly. "I am Knight Stonehaven. I’m here to accept the Dragon’s Crest quest."
Pegasus Knight Mare carefully verified Marcus’s identity. Once confirmed, the severity in his eyes softened, and a rare smile appeared, transforming his otherwise stern expression.
"Stonehaven, welcome," he said warmly. "I have just received a message from the Imperial Palace. They informed me that you currently hold first place on all four major leaderboards this season, displaying extraordinary strength and potential. That is precisely why they have entrusted you with the task of recovering the long-lost Dragon’s Crest, as well as the Dragon-Horse Lyre that vanished alongside it."
Marcus froze for a split second.
"Wait," he said, frowning. "How do you know I’m ranked number one on all four leaderboards? I explicitly hid my name."
A wave of dizziness washed over him.
’I hid my name. So how do they still know? Is there really no privacy at all?’
"All leaderboards across the Dreamland Continent are established and managed directly by the Dragon Dynasty," Pegasus Knight Mare replied evenly. "Naturally, they have access to your information. Rest assured, aside from key personnel within the Dragon Dynasty, no one else knows your identity. The report sent to me is classified at the highest level. There will be no leaks."
’That’s better,’ Marcus thought. ’Otherwise this would be completely unfair.’
"Stonehaven," Pegasus Knight Mare continued, his tone growing more serious, "the Dragon Dynasty was not eager to reveal your information. However, the situation left them no choice. You currently occupy the top position on all four major leaderboards, and you have yet to reach Level 30. Such a feat has not occurred in thousands of years. Your emergence has given us hope, a sign of truly remarkable strength."
Marcus felt his scalp tighten.
’Hold on,’ he thought. ’What ’remarkable strength’? What ’hope’? They’re making me sound like some kind of savior. That’s not what I want. I’m not here to carry that kind of ridiculous reputation.’
Marcus was not foolish. He immediately understood the implication behind these words. If even someone of Pegasus Knight Mare’s caliber had failed to recover the Dragon’s Crest, then the difficulty of this quest was far beyond ordinary standards. The Dragon Dynasty was desperate enough to place their hopes on a rising star.
This was not going to be easy.
He steadied his thoughts, forcing himself to remain calm and rational. He could not allow flattery to cloud his judgment and push him into reckless danger.
"What exactly are the Dragon’s Crest and the Dragon-Horse Lyre?" Marcus asked.
Pegasus Knight Mare had just mentioned that both artifacts had been lost for a long time. If a Diamond-tier Knight like him had been unable to locate them, Marcus knew his own chances were slim at best.
"Stonehaven," Pegasus Knight Mare said slowly, meeting his gaze, "this task can only be completed by you."
He fell silent, his expression turning distant as he sank into deep thought, memories from long ago surfacing as he prepared to explain the truth behind the Four Great Crests.
"The Dragon’s Crest and the Dragon-Horse Lyre are peerless treasures," Pegasus Knight Mare said slowly. "They were left behind by the Goddess of Dreams herself, and each possesses extraordinary power. The Dragon’s Crest was carved from the Dragon Crystal of a Chaos Saint Dragon by the Goddess of Dreams. Because it has the ability to elevate a class’s tier, it is regarded as one of the four most powerful crests on the Dreamland Continent."
He paused briefly, then continued.
"Afterward, the Goddess of Dreams bestowed the Dragon’s Crest upon Pegasus Knight Lyanna. With its power, she advanced into the Wyvern Saint Knight class, becoming one of the strongest Knights in the entire history of the Dreamland Continent."
"The Four Great Crests of the Dreamland Continent?" Marcus asked. "Are they really that powerful?"
The name alone carried an overwhelming weight.
Since Pegasus Knight Mare was the one seeking his help, Marcus saw no need for excessive politeness. He interrupted without hesitation, eager to uncover more secrets while the opportunity was there.
"The four most powerful crests on the Dreamland Continent are the Crest of Light, the Crest of Darkness, the Dragon’s Crest, and the Explorer’s Medallion," Pegasus Knight Mare replied. "Each of them is an item beyond ordinary measure."
As he spoke, his gaze drifted slightly, his thoughts clearly wandering. For a moment, he seemed lost in contemplation, imagining what it would be like to possess one of those legendary crests. If he could obtain even one, he might be able to pass the Adamant Knight assessment and finally stand among the very few Adamant Knights of the Dreamland Continent.
"The Crest of Light," he continued, his voice steady, "was forged a thousand years ago by the great Light Priest King. He used three sacred treasures, the Holy Water of Light, the pure Angelic Feather Robe, and the Phoenix Plume of the Divine Beast Phoenix. The crest grants immunity against Dark magic and Dark skills, doubles the power of the wearer’s Light magic and abilities, and most miraculously, it possesses the power of resurrection."
’The Crest of Light, that’s an absurdly good item,’ Marcus thought, his heart tightening.
It was the perfect counter to Dark-element classes. If he ever had the chance, he absolutely had to obtain it. Otherwise, if another player acquired it, his Darkfire Phoenix, Shadow-Stained Gryphon King, and Dark Violet Sky Dragon would be placed at a severe disadvantage.
"The Crest of Darkness," Pegasus Knight Mare went on, "was forged by the Demon High Priest. Thousands of millennia-old skulls from the Demon Cave were purified in the Nine Hells, then forged for a year and a day within the Dark Cauldron of Skulls using Hellfire. It protects the wearer from Light magic and Light skills, doubles the power of Dark magic and Dark abilities, and grants a series of Dark skills. Unfortunately, the Crest of Darkness has always remained in the hands of the Demon Clan, so its exact abilities are unknown."
’Incredible,’ Marcus thought. ’Truly magnificent.’
A sudden idea crossed his mind. Could pets wear crests? If he could place it on his Dark Violet Sky Dragon, the results would be terrifying. Then reality caught up to him. The Dark Violet Sky Dragon was still sealed within its egg.
He could only sigh inwardly.
"As for the Dragon’s Crest," Pegasus Knight Mare said, "you already know its origin. It was carved by the Goddess of Dreams from the Dragon Crystal of a Chaos Saint Dragon. Every thousand years, the energy accumulated within the crest reaches its peak, allowing it to elevate the wearer’s class directly to the highest tier. For example, a Knight or Light Knight can advance into a Saint Knight, while a Knight or Dark Knight can become a Death Knight."
He raised his hand slightly, emphasizing his next words.
"In addition, the Dragon’s Crest grants the Dragon Soul Aegis skill, increasing all of the wearer’s attributes by thirty percent."
Marcus fell silent.
’This crest is absurdly powerful.’
Pegasus Knight Mare was asking him to retrieve the Dragon’s Crest. With such an item involved, the stakes were far higher than he had initially expected. If the reward matched the danger, there was no way he could simply walk away.
"Stonehaven," Pegasus Knight Mare said, looking directly at him, "you are currently a Hidden Class Royal Knight, correct?"
Marcus nodded.
"If you can retrieve the Dragon’s Crest," Mare continued, "it can be used to advance your class into a Temple Knight."
"It can advance my class?" Marcus blurted out.
The Dragon’s Crest was supposed to elevate a class’s tier only once every thousand years. Now he was being told it could also serve as a class advancement catalyst. For a moment, Marcus wondered if he had misheard, or if Pegasus Knight Mare had misspoken.
