[- Oy, gimme some of those pommice, would ya?]

- The price is 50 mana per kilo. Payment up first.

[- Wha…]

It wasn’t a surprise for Jacks’ island to have become a kind of paradise after the whole Another World incident.

People valued their own lives, and those who enjoyed the thrill of murder or adventure were soon dealed with by either Another Worlds’ monsters or high-level people.

One must remember that a persons’ max main level was limited by a psychological evaluation made by Squeam. Psychopaths or people with serious mental illness wouldn’t be able to play the game in the first place and, if they by chance came to find someones’ neuroset and forcefully enter the world as it was now, well… there were plenty of high-level individuals which would deal with them with ease.

That said, there were still dungeons, monsters and mobs in this world. Indeed, some high-level special-event like mobs would appear from time to time, so only under the wings of someone strong could the low and middle-level players find some safety.

[- Hey, do you know who you are talking to?! You live on my land without paying rent, come on and gimme some!]

So, of course Jack would get some people asking to live on his island. Indeed, as a Dungeon Master it was quite easy to relocate some stuff and settle the monster spawn rate to a low one.

Of course, as a dragon, his lair was still not to be trifled with. His rules were clear for all to see.

Do. Not. Enter. My. Dungeon.

His instincts were the ones of someone who would protect its own treasury above anything, after all.

Still, the little village at the foot of his mountain seemed to be thriving just nicely.

Of course, this didn’t mean Jack could do whatever he wanted.

- The hell you talking about?! Didn’t you put up a mandatory ’200 mana per player main level a day’ tax for us to pay?! I have been pouring mana in the ground every single day all this time! Do you know how big is my mana bar? I just have so much to give!

The half-dwarf at the street stall selling pommice said to Jack, his face unhindered.

Who was to fear him?

Ol’ Jack the Dragon King?

Pfff. He may be 600 meters high and 1000 meters long, with a wingspan of almost 2 kilometers, but no one cared. What if his huge head was so wide it covered a chunk of the pier?

As long as you don’t have any gold in you, he is as harmless as a kitten!

- That’s right! Pay up! - A certain Half-Orc joined the chorus, demanding that Jack gave up some of his mana.

[- Why you….] - As for our dear Jack, how could he endure this kind of thing? He was the owner of the village! The lord of the dungeon! Most of this mana would end up becoming his dungeons’ food in the end, in exchange for some daily necessities, so what’s with the fuss?

Of course, he could just create some pommice on his dungeon, but that would mean creating less gold!

He already had taken all of the gold on peoples’ pockets the moment they entered the village, so obviously they wouldn’t have any!

- No mana, no deal. - The half-dwarf was unshakeable on his decision.

[- Fine…] - still, an evil smile appeared on Jacks’ eyes.

[- Then… I think I will be going…. TELEKINESYS!]

As Jack activated the first branch of the Psion skill tree, a big chunk of pommice flew from the street stall and into his hands.

- JACK!

[- Hahaha. Keep todays’ mana! I will take this on as your taxes for this day!]

The pommice piece was at least a couple meters wide, but all the poor dwarf could do was to fist the ground in indignation.

- DAMN BASTARD !

[- Humpf].

As he left, Jack blew the sea a little with his tail. A wave over the size of four men came and washed over the pier.

- My sea urchins!

- My sea cape!

- My monster coral stones!

- My mermaid underpants!

- My shrimp!

Cries of indignation came from the whole pier, but the loudest and pitifullest of all would be from a certain guy who cried copiously on the ground.

- MY 'BROTHERS’ CROWN OF COMPASSION'!