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Chapter 158: Oath of the Dragon Holy Knight
Northwind Keep, Council Chamber.
Kai Xiusu lay sprawled across the massive Iron Throne, his gaze descending upon Fried, who knelt before him, head bowed. His voice carried a lazy drawl, edged with quiet menace.
"Fried. You were one of the seven Knight-Commanders of the Lionheart Knights. Why did you choose to betray the Bosk Duchy? Why submit to me?"
"Look at me, Fried."
"For survival. To gain greater strength."
"And to claim my own fate."
After a brief hesitation, Fried answered truthfully. Summoning courage, he lifted his head, locking eyes with the Red Dragon’s golden vertical pupils.
A silence stretched. His heart pounded in his chest, sweat already soaking through his back.
Then, the Red Dragon spoke again.
"Good. You didn’t lie. Had you, I would’ve turned you to ash."
"The Kingdom of Ashen needs ambition. As for loyalty? Hmph. That’s no concern of mine."
Kai Xiusu rose slowly, leaning forward, his crimson gaze piercing, studying Fried with unnerving precision.
[Based on your current strength, you may now perceive the following information.]
【Black Lion Knight – Fried】
Basic Abilities: Level 10 Lionheart Knight
Challenge Rating: 10 (5,900 experience points)
Assessment: Last among the seven Knight-Commanders of the Bosk Duchy’s Lionheart Knights. Exceptional skill in sword and shield combat—earned his rank through outstanding battlefield performance.
Not unworthy of his title. Though loyalty is lacking, his raw power is undeniable.
A Level 10 Lionheart Knight is a high-tier warrior even by the standards of the Kingdom of Ashen—only slightly below the likes of Lanpu and Dolo, the elite of the elite.
But Fried’s condition is temporary.
The Lionheart Knight class is a faction subclass derived from the Crown’s Oath Paladin. The moment he surrendered to the Red Dragon and renounced his allegiance to the Duke, he broke his sacred oath—“To speak with truth and act with honor.”
Without loyalty, the oath is meaningless.
Within days, the sacred vow will shatter. His divine powers will fade. His holy spells will vanish. He will become, like Meizhuolashi, an Oathbreaker.
The transformation of Fried must happen now.
And for a high-tier follower like him, a Bloodline Gift is almost guaranteed to succeed—rarely does it fail.
Moreover, Kai Xiusu’s experiments had shown that merging his own Bloodline with a follower’s original class could birth a unique faction subclass—exclusively for the Kingdom of Ashen. Even more powerful: such a class could be bestowed upon Players, binding them forever to the realm as loyal servants.
The Lionheart Knights were versatile—equally effective in set-piece battles or surprise engagements. Dolo had long advocated for such a force to protect line infantry. Even the Red Dragon himself had coveted their potential.
Kai Xiusu exhaled a breath heavy with sulfur, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes.
"Fried. This was your choice. You will become a true follower of the Dragon. Remember—your past is severed. Completely."
"Are you ready?"
"Yes, Master."
Fried answered without hesitation.
After that overwhelming display of power, he had learned one simple truth: those who resisted the Red Dragon met only ruin.
To survive, he had no other choice.
"Then begin."
Kai Xiusu narrowed his eyes. A surge of overwhelming, almost solid Dragon威 emanated from him, momentarily blinding Fried’s senses.
A single drop of searing blood hovered in midair.
【Bloodline Gift】
In Kai Xiusu’s design, this new class wouldn’t require direct fusion with a Dragon-blooded creature. He’d also considered Player preferences—so the Dragonization Level wouldn’t be as extreme as that of the Crimson Scale Conqueror.
But even so, the strength of Dragon Blood was far beyond what most creatures could endure.
One Player, after purchasing a Dragon Blood Elixir, failed a Constitution check and exploded—literally.
The blood surged into Fried’s mouth.
A frenzied surge of elemental energy burned down his throat, spreading through his veins, consuming his body.
"Aaah—!"
Fried cried out in agony, his form twisting violently. His muscles swelled, his skin rippling as scales erupted across his cheeks, neck, and arms. His eyes transformed into piercing golden vertical pupils.
White smoke, thick with the scent of sulfur, poured from his pores. Sparks flickered from his mouth and nostrils.
"Ugh—!"
The smoke swallowed him whole. Only his agonized screams and the blurred silhouette of a writhing figure remained.
Then—silence.
From the swirling haze emerged a man, unmistakably changed—Fried, now marked by Dragon blood.
Ignoring the scales that now adorned his flesh, his face still bore a resemblance to his former self. But his essence—his very soul—had been utterly transformed.
This was the power of Dragon blood: the ability to rewrite life itself, to imbue mortal flesh with magic.
Fried collapsed to his knees, gasping, struggling to open his eyes. He felt the Red Dragon’s overwhelming aura of intimidation, the crushing weight of the Bloodline’s absolute dominance.
All he could think was: Submission.
He finally understood why the Red Dragon cared nothing for loyalty.
Because the Bloodline’s raw, instinctive force—brutal, primal, absolute—outweighed any knightly virtue.
For a fleeting moment, he regretted not binding himself to a stronger power.
But the thought vanished instantly—like smoke in the wind.
It was too late.
He had once been one of the seven Knight-Commanders of the Lionheart Knights—holding the title Black Lion Knight.
Now, Fried was nothing but one thing:
A Follower of the Red Dragon.
A traitor to the Kingdom of Ashen.
He knew there was no turning back.
No escape.
He had burned his bridges. Now, he could only cling to the Kingdom of Ashen—his only lifeline.
If his status were ever revealed, Duke Leo would hunt him down without mercy, at all costs, and end his life.
Fried flexed his limbs, still adjusting, and spoke weakly:
"Master... thank you for your grace. I can feel it—the strength within me. It’s immense."
"Good."
Kai Xiusu watched Fried with a faint smile, scanning his character sheet. A spark of satisfaction flickered in his eyes.
He sensed Fried’s lingering regret, the brief flicker of doubt—but it didn’t matter.
The Bloodline Gift had forged an unbreakable bond.
Fried was now irrevocably tied to the Kingdom of Ashen’s war machine.
[Faction Subclass Progression Complete.]
Class Advancement Requirements:
- Join the Kingdom of Ashen faction.
- Become a Follower of the faction’s leader, King of the Burnt – Kai Xiusu.
- Possess at least Level 3 Paladin class.
- Proficient in shields, swords, and other military weapons.
- Possess a measurable degree of Dragon Bloodline.
[Please name your Faction Subclass—]
Kai Xiusu glanced at Fried, still kneeling, lost in thought.
He spoke, voice low and final.
[Name: Oath of the Dragon Holy Knight]
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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