Chapter 40: Bloodline Gift (3)
A thick, suffocating white fog blanketed the surroundings. The Monsters below couldn’t see what lay above—only a massive, indistinct shadow slowly taking shape.
"ROOOOAR—!" Lanpu let out a roar like that of a dragon.
As the mist dissipated, he tore open the discarded hide, pushing himself upright with arms braced against the ground.
The first Dragon-blooded Ogre of Ailezegai had been born—though, if dragons had any taste in aesthetics, they might have found him utterly grotesque.
The creature before them could no longer be called an Ogre.
Standing over five meters tall, with a girth nearly as wide, even his former kin would have looked like dwarves beside him. His once bulky, fleshy frame was now draped in brilliant, blood-red scales that gleamed like polished steel. His previously short, stubby fingers had elongated into sharp, clawed digits—transformed from human-like hands into the talons of a true beast of the dragon line.
Lanpu slowly opened his eyes.
Golden pupils.
A row of crimson, jagged spines jutted from his brow, further twisting his already monstrous visage into something beyond nightmare.
Peel back his flesh, and you’d find his blood was scalding hot—seething with frenzied elemental energy. Veins of draconic essence pulsed beneath his skin, slowly weaving through his body like living fire.
Compared to his former self, Lanpu was no longer merely a giant. He was now a Dragon-Beast.
Not just a hybrid, but a true Dragonblood Creature, infused with the ancient, sacred blood of dragons. His lifespan—once measured in decades—had stretched to centuries.
And now, he could breathe fire.
In Kai Xiusu’s Familiar Interface, Lanpu’s data had undergone a complete transformation.
[Dragonblood Ogre Mage – Lanpu]
Name: Lanpu
Type: Massive Fire-Element Dragon-Blooded Giant, Neutral Evil
Race: Dragon-Blooded Ogre
Armor Class: 16 (Natural Armor)
Attributes:
- Strength: 20
- Dexterity: 10
- Constitution: 18
- Intelligence: 17
- Wisdom: 8
- Charisma: 13
Proficiencies: Reading +6, Arcane +4, Hunting +4, Leadership +4, Herbalism +2, Persuasion +2, Military +2
Senses: Passive Perception 14
Languages: Common Tongue, Dragon Tongue, Giant Tongue
Actions: Power Strike, Bite, Pound, Claw Attack
Special Abilities: Breath Weapon (Fire)
Combat Gear: Ring of Intellectual Research, Ring of Arcane Secrets, Albert’s Silver Bracelet
Class Level: 6 Mage
Spellcaster Level: 6
Spells:
- Cantrips: Fire Bolt
- 1st Level: Burning Hands
- 2nd Level: Scorching Beam
- 3rd Level: Fireball
Challenge Rating: 10 (7,000 XP)
Assessment: "This Dragon-blooded Ogre will turn you into roast meat and swallow you whole."
His Challenge Rating skyrocketed to 10. Strength, Constitution, Dexterity—all had been utterly transformed. The new Breath Attack ability had been unlocked.
And Kai Xiusu could feel it—deep within his soul.
The bond between master and follower had tightened, forged in the crucible of Bloodline Suppression. There was no longer any possibility of disobedience. Even the thought of betrayal was instantly crushed by his Perception.
"Very effective," Kai Xiusu murmured, grinning.
But he knew this power wasn’t universal. This was a gift born of Lanpu’s own life-threatening gamble, a sacrifice made in exchange for deep, forbidden knowledge of the Weave of Magic.
"Master," Lanpu’s voice trembled with exhilaration—joy, pride, the satisfaction of a mage whose experiment had succeeded.
The monstrous form that had once been a humble Ogre now knelt before the Red Dragon on the Monolith, then leapt down in one fluid motion, crashing into the ground with a thunderous boom.
"Boss, you’re fucking huge!"
"Think how much more we can eat now!"
The Ogre Tribesmen, ruled by their crude, primal logic—bigger is better—cheered wildly at their leader’s new form. To them, the only thing that mattered was size, and thus, the ability to consume more.
But nearby, Dolo’s face was clouded with gloom.
"Chimera," Kai Xiusu called out.
Chimera—the first follower of the Red Dragon, and the apex warrior of Ashen Nest.
More importantly, it was a distant kin of dragons. Kai Xiusu wanted to test the Bloodline Gift on a true Dragonblood Creature.
Even if it failed, the Red Dragon wouldn’t care. After all, this Chaotic Evil Beast had no loyalty to speak of.
The tri-headed beast landed on the Monolith, folding its wings, bowing its three heads in reverence.
The blood poured into the Dragon Head.
A low, guttural growl rumbled through its chest. The blood surged through its veins, boiling like magma.
But unlike Lanpu, it didn’t suffer. To a creature already of dragon blood, the infusion was natural—like drinking water.
The surrounding Monsters watched in silence. The transformation was far more subtle than with the Ogre.
As the blood spread through its body, all three heads lifted in unison.
The Dragon Head alone let out a burst of fire, uncontrolled, instinctive.
Though it bore three distinct heads—lion, dragon, and sheep—its mind remained singular. Each head represented a facet of its personality: the dragon head drove it to raid, to hoard treasure; the lion head stirred its instinct to hunt and destroy threats; the sheep head made it cruel, stubborn, and relentless in battle.
Previously, the lion head had been dominant.
But now, as the Blessed Blood surged through it, the Dragon Head grew rapidly—its skull swelling, its spine crowned with jagged, ceratous spines that ran down its back like a living crest. The once-magnificent mane of the lion was replaced by sleek, iridescent scales.
"ROOOOOOAR!"
A long, echoing roar split the air.
The body of the Chimera expanded at a visible pace—growing with terrifying speed. It stopped at just over eight meters, lacking the Ogre’s insatiable hunger for energy.
But the Dragon Head had grown faster than the others. The dragon nature had fully taken control.
Where once it had been a patchwork abomination—a four-footed, head-splitting monstrosity—now it resembled a twisted, malformed Red Dragon. The lion and sheep heads were now mere appendages—useless, outdated, relics of a past self.
After a moment, the Chimera exhaled, digesting the transformation. Then, with quiet obedience, it lowered all three heads in unison, letting out a soft, respectful "Hrrrrr."
Kai Xiusu felt it—deep in his soul.
Whether from raw power or the Bloodline Suppression, the Chimera had no desire to rebel. It wanted only one thing: to cling to the leg of its master.
What would happen in the future? Who could say?
Dragons didn’t believe in loyalty. They believed in power. And power was now absolute.
The Familiar Interface updated again.
[Dragon-Like Chimera]
Challenge Rating: 9 (5,000 XP)
Its Challenge Rating now stood at 9—second only to Lanpu.
Its Fire Breath had become even more devastating. Its scales had hardened into a living armor, raising its Natural Armor to unprecedented levels. The blades of a Giant Eagle Knight could no longer pierce its hide.
"How can this beast receive the blessing before me?"
Dolo’s face darkened further.
He could feel the heat of the Red Dragon above, the weight of his master’s gaze. He clenched his fists, his breath coming faster, sharper.
But he stood still.
For now.
(End of Chapter)
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