I Became the Progenitor Vampire Chapter 272

Chapter 272: Chapter 274: The Most Reckless Way to Change Profession, Trial of Will (10,000-Word Mega Chapter) Chapter 272: Chapter 274: The Most Reckless Way to Change Profession, Trial of Will (10,000-Word Mega Chapter) “Clan Leader, all Bloodlines above level 5 have now arrived.”

March 2nd, as the sun set and the radiant moon rose, Lide looked with great satisfaction at the hundreds of handsome Bloodline members gathered in the backyard of City Hall.

“After the Frost Month, the current number of Bloodline excluding top-tier fighters above level 15 totals 740, with exactly 600 reaching level 5.

The remaining 140 Bloodlines also predominantly reached level 4; most of them are Fourth Generation Bloodline initiated during the first batch of the hero selection competition the year before last, with only twenty being Bloodline initiated this Frost Month.”

Harrison reported earnestly to Lide.

“Among the 600 Bloodlines that have reached level 5, there a total of 17 Bloodline members who have exceeded level 10, with 7 being of the Second Generation and 10 of the Third Generation.”

Lide nodded slightly. Setting aside the combat power above level 15, the bloodline could be regarded as strong and robust.

The Bloodline's level began to rise rapidly after he abolished the Bloodline Shackles the year before last, devoid of suppression. It was foreseeable that the Bloodline, which had been accumulating slowly over time, would see at least dozens or even hundreds of fighters above level 10 within these two or three years.

This was the result of decades of accumulation by the Blood Clan Ancestor.

Especially with the successful implementation of Dawn City's sustainable development strategy, now that the Bloodline had access to an unlimited supply of blood to indulge in, their strength grew at an even more exaggerated pace.

The Bloodline could absorb energy and strengthen themselves from blood, albeit very weakly, but with a sufficient quantity, they could achieve a growth rate far beyond what is naturally possible.

Previously, the Bloodline had always been in a state of extreme resource scarcity, with the blood each obtained from hunting humans barely enough to sustain survival.

Therefore, they had never enjoyed such treatment.

Now, with Dawn City's population having exceeded fifty thousand and aside from three to five thousand of the infirm, the rest of the people donated blood at least once a month.

Even most residents, due to the credit system, actively and willingly donated blood twice, each time 200 milliliters. The blood provided by these tens of thousands of people to sustain a few hundred Bloodline was effortless.

The success of the sustainable development strategy was unprecedented.

The two newly excavated blood pools in the sanctuary provided the Bloodline with unlimited consumption, while storing a large amount of blood daily.

It can be said that under Lide's control, the Bloodline truly laid a solid foundation.

“Currently, we have three professions available for level 5 advancement: Blood Mage, Bloodsucking Sword Guard, and Blood-colored Blade, plus one hidden profession, Crimson Hunter, which can only be advanced to after reaching level 10…”

After listening to the entire report, Lide handed over a detailed explanation of Bloodline professions that he had prepared earlier to Harrison. Then, he went into detail about all the skills and attributes of each profession.

“Let the clan members choose the profession that suits them. After they have chosen, I'll help them change professions.”

The Bloodline are an upper race of intelligent life and did not need much intervention in their choices.

Each Bloodline's talent and even habits were different, and although he could forcibly assign professions according to his wishes, the resulting professions might not suit every Bloodline.

For example, a Bloodline who enjoys magic and has an exceptional talent for it, if forced into the Blood-colored Blade profession, would only become mundane.

After all, a mage and an assassin belong to different dimensions of beings. Their thought processes and combat styles are entirely incomparable.

Therefore, Lide allowed the Bloodline to choose their professions, and only if the ratios among the three professions became significantly unbalanced, he would consider making additional adjustments.

Soon Harrison conveyed the information about the professions to all the Bloodline.

These powerful Bloodline-exclusive professions instantly ignited frenzied discussions among the Bloodline members.

They were indeed incredibly strong.

Compared with these professions, their mage or the standard warrior template seemed negligible.

Moreover, each profession had its characteristics and strength.

Blood Mage, wielding control over blood, could attack and heal, and further unleash ultimate moves like the Bloody Storm that summon slaughter bats to attack–truly a harvester on the battlefield.

The Bloodsucking Sword Guard possessed a terrifying physique, where every attack dealt would recover a substantial amount of life force, and they also had the Blood Boiling, a precision point-to-point kill skill–truly a king of standing combat.

Blood-colored Blade, the assassin in the shadows and synonymous with death, possessing both stealth and explosive power, every attack brought negative curses–absolute violence, hardly needing any further elaboration to understand its power.

The last was the Crimson Hunter. However, this profession could only be seen by the 17 Bloodline members who had reached level 10. As the Bloodline's ace profession, this hidden profession's strength nearly breached the Bloodline's combat power ceiling.

Naturally, its profession change requirements were also much higher than standard professions.

Half a Sunshine Hour later, most Bloodline had made their choices.

As expected by Lide, the Blood Mage was the overwhelming favorite among the Bloodline, followed by the Bloodsucking Sword Guard, and lastly the incredibly powerful Blood-colored Blade.

After all, the Bloodline were fundamentally still a race with spellcasters at their core, and even though the Bloodsucking Sword Guard and Blood-colored Blade were powerful enough, they still varied slightly from Bloodline tradition.

Of course, Lide had no objection to this. The strength of the Blood Mage went without saying, and he was also looking forward to seeing hundreds of Bloodline simultaneously unleashing the Bloody Storm.

Tens of thousands of slaughter bats swarming towards enemy ranks was an image so frightening that it could chill anyone who dared to think about it.

“Let's begin the profession change.”

“Yes,”
After everyone made their undoubtful choices, Lide began to change professions for the Bloodline members.

The first to step forward was a seductively looking female Bloodline, dressed in a black coat with an excellent demeanor, who respectfully curtsied to Lide with a touch of worship in her eyes.

“Good night, Your Majesty.”

Lide nodded slightly, having grown accustomed to the handsome men and beautiful women of the Bloodline, he was now somewhat immune to the so-called standards of beauty.

“What profession do you want to change to?”

“Blood-colored Blade.”

Looking at the serious expression of the other party, Lide was momentarily stunned, then nodded in acknowledgment.

Out of 600 Bloodline members, a mere 50 chose the Blood-colored Blade, not even one-tenth.

“Step forward, get ready, and next I will activate the bloodline in your body…”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The high-valued female Bloodline member, clad in a black cloak, stepped forward two paces to stand before Lide, her eyes brimming with trust as she looked at him.

The loyalty of Bloodline members towards the Ancestor was constant and unchangeable.

Without any hesitation, Lide extended his hand and lightly pressed it against the other's… chest.

Yes, that direct.

Under the watchful eyes of hundreds of Bloodline members, Lide's eyes narrowed slightly, his aura suddenly shifted, and an indescribable pressure filled the area.

It was as if an Abyssal Great Demon capable of devouring the Main Plane had torn through space, crossing countless dimensions with domineering presence.

Moments later, a crimson energy arose from Lide's body, fluttering around him like demonic flames. Those deep, pitch-black eyes also turned into a chilling blood red.

The crimson energy slowly thickened and eventually flowed from Lide's palms straight into the heart of the female Bloodline member before him.

Thump thump~ Thump thump~
Like a pump, the female Bloodline member's heart began to beat violently.

And at this moment, the dormant Bloodline Power within her body was gradually activated.

The crimson energy in Lide's hand slowly diffused into the Bloodline's heart, mingling with her Bloodline Power, the two undergoing some subtle, incomprehensible changes.

At that instant, countless pieces of information emerged in the female Bloodline member's mind… how to hide her body, enter spaces, strike from the shadows, use deadly curses, and how to spread the Blood Clan Plague…

It was all information about the Blood-colored Blade profession.

After a short while, Lide withdrew his hand, while the female Bloodline in front of him continued to close her eyes, absorbing the flood of information.

“Ding, your Bloodline has successfully changed professions to Blood-colored Blade, the power of the Bloodline has increased, and you have gained 100 points of experience.”

A successful profession change??

Lide was slightly taken aback, but then his expression grew odd, “mmph, only 100 points of experience for a successful change, isn't that a bit stingy??”

I need 100,000 points of experience to level up from 15 to 16…

But turning his head to look at the hundreds of Bloodline members beside him, his mood immediately improved somewhat.

600 Bloodline members, each with 100 points of experience, is 60,000, plus the 5,000 experience from transforming Kapp earlier, so right after he upgraded to level 15, he had gained 65,000 experience points, which seems not so far from leveling up.

With this thought, Lide's expression immediately became much more pleased.

Hmm?

Lide suddenly turned his head towards the newly changed profession Bloodline. Just a second before, the aura of the Bloodline member with closed eyes had undergone a huge change, becoming dangerous and deadly.

Like a hunter lurking in the shadows, ready to deliver a fatal blow at any moment.

Then, an even larger change occurred.

The aura of the female Bloodline member began to fade swiftly, and in just a few minutes it had vanished completely. If one were not to see with eyes but to sense, this Bloodline seemed like it didn't exist or as if it was stone or air.

Watching the drastic transformation of the Bloodline before him, Lide couldn't help but fall into thought.

“Directly using the power of the Bloodline to activate the other's bloodline and transmit occupation-related information, this method is indeed sophisticated.

Compared to other races that need to undergo prolonged training to change professions, the Bloodline undoubtedly has a huge advantage in this aspect.

The time saved cannot be simply described in words.

Even if the Bloodline needs some time to train to fully use the power obtained after the profession change, that is already enough.”

A broad smile hung on Lide's face.

The stronger the Bloodline, the greater the advantage for him, after all, he is the king of this Upper Race.

Instead of hurrying to change the professions of other Bloodline members, he continued to silently observe the Bloodline undergoing metamorphosis, his spiritual power sensing changes in the other's aura in all aspects.

Half a Sunshine Hour later, when the aura of the female Bloodline member had completely disappeared, she opened her eyes.

Swipe~ The sharpness that shone from those black eyes was like the edge of a dagger, piercing the soul.

Moments later, the sharpness in her eyes receded, returning to an ordinary calm.

With that, the first member to change profession to the Blood-colored Blade was successful.

“How does it feel?”

Lide withdrew his spiritual power, asking with a hint of curiosity.

This was, after all, the first Blood-colored Blade to emerge from the Bloodline, the most lethal weapons of the race, destined to roam Dimension Planes and shadows as Hunters.

“Your Highness, I've become stronger…” the female Bloodline said with a slight squint, “Very, very strong.”

With those words, the female Bloodline disappeared on the spot, under the watchful gaze of all other Bloodlines present.

There was no trace of her existence left, as if everything that had just happened was an illusion.

Lide tried to sense her presence by simply using his spiritual power as before, but he could no longer detect any trace of her.

Lide's eyes narrowed slightly.

Such stealth was terrifyingly powerful.

But he was not the same as before either.

With a thought, the power lurking within his body began to surge forth, and his newly sharpened senses after transformation locked onto her once again.

“The stealth is so exaggerated that if my strength hadn't undergone a qualitative upgrade, I'm afraid I would not have been able to detect it.

And this Bloodline is only Level 9.”

A flash of amazement crossed his eyes.

The Blood-colored Blade, the exclusive assassin of the Bloodline, was too strong of a profession.

Excitement flickered in his eyes as he could already imagine the demeanor the Blood-colored Blade would exhibit on the battlefield.

The title 'King of Slaughter' would be their most dazzling crown.

“Alright, go and familiarize yourself with your profession's characteristics; Dawn City will need your strength in the future.”

The female Bloodline, upon hearing Lide's command, revealed herself again and made a respectful gesture, touching her chest and bowing to Lide.

Her tone was firm, spirited.

“Your Highness, as you wish, for the sake of Dawn.”

Lide took a long look at the female Bloodline, said no more, and waved his hand for her to leave.

Turning his head to the other Bloodlines who were already showing impatience, a radiant smile played at the corners of his mouth.

The Bloodline would rise, eventually.

No matter how the world changed, Dawn City would surely carve out a place for itself.

This was the confidence of him, the sovereign of Dawn, the Ancestor of the Bloodline.

—-
—-
—-
—-
By the dawn of the next day, March 3rd, all the Bloodline had completed their class changes.

Helping the Bloodline undergo class changes consumed a certain amount of Bloodline Power, but now Lide's strength had grown to an exaggerated degree.

After converting 600 Bloodline, he felt only slightly fatigued and it had not had a major impact on him.

In the end, excluding 17 Level 10 Bloodline who hadn't undergone class changes, the other 583 all succeeded.

Among them were 400 Blood Mages, 133 Bloodsucking Sword Guards, and 50 Blood-colored Blades.

The temperament of the Bloodline was clearly differentiated after the class change.

Blood Mages were very aloof, engulfed in a faint crimson aura, and it was instantly apparent how extraordinary they were.

Bloodsucking Sword Guards, on the other hand, were all massive in stature and fiercely imposing, their warrior-like posture could not be more obvious at an average height of 1.9 blades.

In contrast, the Blood-colored Blade was the profession among the three with the least sense of presence; they looked quite ordinary, with no distinguishable features, and even a gathering of 50 of them did not command any attention.

If one did not deliberately observe them, one would tend to subconsciously overlook these individuals. However, once they launched an attack, it would surely be a heaven-shattering lethal blow.

The attributes of the assassin were pushed to the extreme.

The characteristics of the three professions were clear.

“Harrison, send the Bloodline back, and call over the Bloodline above Level 10,” said Lide, who was in pain yet thrilled.

It was troublesome to convert hundreds of Bloodline, but gaining 100 experience points for each one converted felt very satisfying.

His experience bar was soaring rapidly.

“Yes, Clan Leader.”

Soon, the converted Bloodline left the City Hall's back garden with excitement and eagerness, looking for places to test the power of their new skills.

Only Lide and seventeen other Bloodline members of level 10 or above remained.

Lide looked at the Bloodline members in front of him and felt somewhat moved.

There was Frey, the guardian of the sacred land; Audis, who had always been responsible for personally leading teams to pillage populations; Dylan, who raised the Magic Language Bats; as well as two female Bloodline members, Ivy and Lucy.

Together with Augustine, the only archer among the Bloodline, and Harrison, the chairman of City Hall.

These seven second-generation Bloodline had followed him for hundreds of years.

With level 15 high-end combat power currently abundant in Dawn City, these original main forces of the Bloodline had already become secondary.

But there was no help for it, reality was always so cruel.

The battles Lide involved himself in were becoming more and more advanced, and the growth rate of the second-generation Bloodline couldn't keep up with his pace, inevitably relegating them to secondary roles.

Otherwise, forcibly dragging these second-generation Bloodline into battle would not yield any good results, such as in the battle at Dwarf Valley against the Beastmen.

He certainly couldn't send these level 10 second-generation Bloodline to stop Kapp, the level 18 Beastman King, could he? The result would only be them getting slaughtered by Kapp one by one with each slash of his blade.

Not to mention Kapp, even the level 16 Werewolf Craig could easily kill them.

So, they could only retreat and opt for the second best, placing them in the spellcasting team to perform large-scale Composite Magic.

However, these second-generation Bloodline couldn't be blamed.

It was his rate of growth that was simply too fast.

In just a short year and a half, he had acquired several top-level combat forces above level 15, and even an 18-level Bone Dragon had become one of his subordinates.

This progress was simply not something the second-generation Bloodline could keep up with.

Even the Golden Race couldn't advance from level 10 to level 18 in just over a year.

All Professions slow down significantly in leveling speed after reaching level 10, with the Golden Race managing a two to three-level increase in a year at level 10 considered hitting the ceiling.

Lide's gaze continued to move, and apart from these seven second-generation Bloodline, the other ten members were all third-generation Bloodline, the first embraces of Harrison, Frey, and the others.

“You all know about the Crimson Hunter profession, right?”

Lide was straightforward, looking at the dawn light already appearing in the sky, and directly asked them to make a choice.

After having been busy the entire night, he too was somewhat tired.

“The job change requirement for Crimson Hunter is to reach level 10 and have unwavering determination.

There is no doubt about the power of this profession, but as for this 'unwavering determination,' neither I nor the warriors know exactly what that entails; you'll have to discover it for yourselves.

I respect your decision, for the power of a profession is one thing; whether it suits you or not is another matter entirely.

Even a mage with exceptional talent, if given a powerful assassin profession, might not perform as strongly as he would in his original, ordinary mage profession.

So, make your choice.”

Lide's words plunged all the Bloodline members into deep thought. Although the Crimson Hunter was powerful, several Bloodline members indeed felt it did not suit them.

After pondering for a while, a total of five third-generation Bloodline members decided to change their profession to Blood Mage, while the remaining twelve Bloodline members all chose to become Crimson Hunters.

Lide nodded in satisfaction to this outcome. What suits one is truly powerful; what does not, even if it is a Divine Favored Profession, might not stand out.

He was very clear about this, Glory was a real world, not some game. In a game, the more prized the profession is, the stronger it becomes, but in Glory, if it doesn't suit you, then no matter how powerful the profession is, it can be superfluous.

Moreover, the other three Bloodline-exclusive professions were definitely not weak; they only seemed slightly dim compared to the Crimson Hunter, but that was only when compared to who.

The Crimson Hunter profession was so strong that even Lide was a bit envious.

If it weren't for the fact that he didn't need to change his profession, and that he had even better Talent Specializations, he would have really liked to try this hidden profession.

“Let's begin.”

Once Lide confirmed their choices, he didn't dwell on it any longer, instructing them to come forward one by one.

Frey was the first to start, the strongest among the previous generation of second-generation Bloodline, who had participated in the war with Green City a hundred years ago. His heart, that longed for strength, couldn't wait any longer.

He wanted to keep up with Lide's pace, to contribute enough strength to Dawn City, for the Bloodline.

He was not content to forever be a weakling sinking into oblivion at the rear.

He yearned to be strong, to fight, to be bathed in blood.

“Your Majesty, please grant me greater strength, even if it requires me to give up everything.”

Looking at Frey's resolute eyes, Lide felt somewhat moved. He turned his head and saw that determinate look in the eyes of all the Bloodline members, feeling a complex emotion rising within him.

For the Bloodline.

For the Bloodline members, the Bloodline was everything.

“For the Bloodline…” Lide murmured softly and, after taking a deep breath, his eyes regained their spirited look.

I will not disappoint you, my offspring.

He stretched out his hand and pressed it against Frey's chest.

His aura surged fiercely, once again filling the air with scarlet energy that entered Frey's body like ignited blood.

It wasn't that Lide didn't want to put his hand elsewhere, but rather that the heart was located in the chest.

He had to channel the Bloodline Power within his body to Frey's heart and then activate the Bloodline Power there.

This was the most critical step, absolutely no mistakes could be tolerated.

Once someone became a member of the Bloodline, the heart was no longer a fatal weakness.

Even if the heart shattered, it could still heal automatically, but although it was no longer the weak point, the heart was still important because it had become the energy core for the Bloodline.

Every beat of the heart would infuse powerful strength into every cell of the body.

Feeling the immense power surge into his body, Frey's eyes narrowed slightly.

A certain dormant power within his body was now slowly awakening, and he felt his strength rising at an extremely fast pace.

Then, Frey's expression froze, as he felt an irresistible force in his mind, instantly sending him into a deep slumber, and his body crashed onto the grass.

“For the Bloodline!!”

“Damn humans, kill them!! Quick, kill them!!”

“The army from Green City is encircling us!! Your Highness…”

“Cast spells!! Quick, launch an attack with the Magic Language Bats, don't let their Pegasuses get close!!”

“There are too many of them, our ancient castle has been breached, Your Highness, we can't hold them off, the army from Green City is too numerous…”

“What level of mage is that?? Such a terrifying aura…”

“Run, a Five Circle Magic??!! Transcendent!!”

Boom, boom, boom~
Heaven and earth crumbled.

Frey was awoken by the massive noises, sitting up abruptly with a hint of confusion in his eyes.

But as soon as his gaze focused, infinite rage surfaced on his face.

On a street covered with fresh blood, the buildings on both sides had collapsed. Even fierce flames were still burning in a few of them.

In front of him, about a dozen humans were fiercely attacking three members of the Bloodline. The three Bloodline members were riddled with dense scars, and even their bat wings had been severed.

Frey stood up sharply, extending his hands, and two Small Fireball Skills with a wild aura smashed into the human soldiers.

Bang~ The flames erupted, and two soldiers were burned to death by fireballs, with their screams echoing through the street.

The remaining ten or so soldiers charged at him brandishing long swords upon seeing him, overflowing with murderous intent.

Frey's mouth twisted into a cold sneer as he continuously released Small Fireballs from his hands, turning the dozen human soldiers into char in the short distance.

Once the imminent danger in front of him had been dealt with, Frey finally had the leisure to observe his surroundings.

A strange sense of familiarity emerged in his head.

“Was this the castle that once belonged to the Bloodline, breached by Green City over a hundred years ago?”

But just then, Frey's mind went blank, as if he had lost some key memories, no matter how hard he tried to recall, he couldn't think of anything.

“Why would I say 'over a hundred years ago'??”

Frey looked around with a blank face.

“Quick, Frey, get to the wall, stop dawdling!! The enemy's grande army is breaking through the front!!”

A Bloodline member with a broken wing rushed to Frey's side, his face filled with urgency as he roared at him.

Frey blinked slightly, as a familiar name emerged.

“Kali?”

That Bloodline member looked infuriated, “What are you dazing for, His Majesty needs us!! Frey, quick, follow me!! Those damned humans will never destroy our ancient castle!”

Frey watched the Bloodline member run towards the other end of the street with a stiff posture. It seemed he had forgotten something, but after briefly pondering, he could remember nothing.

Seeing the human soldiers approaching, Frey no longer hesitated. His magic condensed in his hands, and he cast directly at the enemy.

Bang~
More heaps of scorched bones appeared on the street.

The city wall was at the end of the street. Frey, smelling the thick scent of burning wood and charred hair, stepped over the blood and corpses covering the stone steps, and arrived atop the towering walls of the ancient castle.

His view suddenly widened.

On the open ground outside the castle, countless Bloodline members and human soldiers were engaged in a vicious fight, with blood coating the ground, and the scattered remnants of bodies made the place seem like a bottomless abyss.

The battle in the sky was even more severe.

Flapping their wings, the Magic Language Bats that obscured the sky violently collided with the humans' Pegasus.

Each time they passed by each other, the knights riding the Pegasus would fiercely pierce the bodies of the Magic Language Bats with their long lances.

While relying solely on their sharp claws and tusks, the bats, outnumbered manyfold by the Pegasus, melted away like snowflakes against a red-hot blade.

Seeing this, Frey did not hesitate any longer and began a frenzied attack.

His hands cast spells without any pause, casting several Small Fireballs in a second, the terrifying killing force creating a vacuum around him.

It even caused the morale of the surrounding Bloodline soldiers to surge, and a significant reversal occurred on the battlefield.

Several times, he forcefully suppressed the human soldiers who were about to climb the city walls and pushed them back.

But as Frey was engulfed in furious slaughter, his entire body suddenly turned ice-cold.

He noticed an indescribable, terrifying gaze upon him, like an ancient demon from the abyss, poised to destroy the world.

It seemed as though it could devour his soul at any moment.

That was… Transcendent!

Struggling, Frey turned his head and felt the owner of that gaze thousands of blades away.

His body felt as if it were pressured by a thousand catties, and no matter how he moved, he could not summon all his strength; it seemed as if even the magic power around him was dissipating under that gaze.

Flee.

This uncontrollable thought surfaced.

Run, for that is a Transcendent.

No one here can resist the power of a Transcendent.

That irresistible devil's whisper rose in Frey's ears.

And at that moment, the gaze watching Frey became even more terrifying, an extremely domineering aura coalescing.

Magic.

Powerful magic beyond imagination.

Every cell in his body was frantically warning Frey to flee.

To leave this place.

To stay would mean destruction alongside this ancient castle.

Only by living does the future exist.

Eternal life was about to be destroyed… His steadfast will began to slowly collapse under the threat of absolute power.

Frey turned sharply, but just as he was about to take that step, a void opened in his heart.

It was as if he had lost something; it seemed that once he took that step, he would never be able to turn back.

He halted in his tracks.

Frey turned again, facing that terrifying magic that darkened even the sky, clenching his teeth and glaring ahead.

“For the Bloodline!”

The magic power within his body gathered frantically.

He would stand or fall with this ancient castle!

A moment later, that distant Transcendent Mage released a Five Circle Magic–Thunderstorm Dance.

And at the same instant, Frey unleashed the Three Circle Magic he had amassed.

The two were incomparable.

As soon as the Transcendent Mage's magic was loosed, the world was engulfed in annihilation; Frey's spell disintegrated before even meeting the opposing spell.

Feeling the unavoidable magic bearing down on him, although his body still frantically sounded alarms urging him to escape, not a trace of wavering showed on Frey's face.

Boom~
The Thunderstorm's powerful force roared by, shredding Frey's body into fragments.

But moments later, Frey found that he had not died after all, as all the suppressed memories in his mind were now unleashed.

“Is this the Willpower Test His Highness spoke of?”

“Facing a Transcendent…” Frey showed a bitter smile. Had he not turned back at the last moment, he surely would have failed this test.

“The difficulty is indeed exaggerated…”

Death and the fear of higher-level life are imprinted in the soul of every living being.

And he had to face the two most difficult challenges at once.

A moment's hesitation would not have been able to withstand it.

That's a Transcendent!

Just at this moment, Frey's mind was flooded with countless pieces of information, and his Bloodline Power also began to revive bit by bit…

—
—
—
—
As the scorching sun hung high in the sky, Lide looked at the several Bloodline members in the city hall office who had not yet awakened, his expression somewhat subtle.

The time it took to convert to a Crimson Hunter far exceeded his imagination.

When he converted each Bloodline member to their specialized profession, it took more energy than the total required for converting 100 other Bloodline members before.

These 12 Bloodline descendants had even caused a deficit in his own Bloodline Power, and in the end, he had to drink no less than five bottles of Magic Blood to replenish his energy.

After he converted these Bloodline descendants, they entered into a deep sleep.

From before dawn until the current moment of blazing sunlight, more than 7 Sunshine Hours had passed.

“Stanley, did you ever have a similar experience when you converted professions?” Lide turned his head and asked the tall Stanley who stood beside him.

Once all the second-generation Bloodline descendants fell into an unawakening slumber, Lide summoned this former Evil God believer.

He certainly knew more secrets than Lide did.

Harrison also participated in this conversion. Although this Bloodline descendant didn't like combat, the skill of being Bathed in Blood and Reborn was highly valued by Lide, who forcibly had Harrison undergo the conversion.

That skill provided a chance of resurrection even if Harrison suffered an assassination attempt. As a vital pillar of city hall, not a single loss could be afforded.

As for Stanley, a Level 15 top combatant, Lide had not yet forcefully requested his conversion.

It was best to allow other Bloodline members to experiment first, and only after the effects were confirmed would he then have these high-level fighters convert.

“Your Excellency, professions differ, and so do the requirements and effects of conversion, so it's impossible to generalize,” Stanley did not give the answer Lide was looking for.

Hearing this, Lide pondered for a moment before slowly nodding his head.

Looking at the people lying uniformly on the carpet, he didn't give it any more thought.

The breath of these Bloodline descendants was very stable; nothing serious could happen.

However, judging by their state, it was likely that they wouldn't wake up any time soon. Lide thought it over and decided not to waste any more time here.

“Stanley, go fetch some Magic Blood from the blood pool, just in case. I need to make some preparations. I'll be going to the Centaur Tribe tonight.”

As soon as number 1 awoke, Lide had Harrison send a message to the Centaur Tribe that he would make a trip to the Dwarf Hills in three days.

This transformation had almost drained the wealth of Dawn City, and he needed to earn a substantial amount of money quickly.

Otherwise, the upcoming construction of the new city district couldn't be sustained.

Since there were no major issues with the few, and at most, they would wake up a bit later, there was no need for him to stay by their side at all times.

After all, they were his Bloodline descendants; they couldn't possibly fly away.

“Yes, Your Excellency, don't worry, no major problems will arise.

Conversion isn't a life-and-death adventure, the worst outcome is merely conversion failure.”

Stanley also nodded in agreement; many things were inseparable from Lide's involvement, such as trading with the Centaurs. Without Lide personally stepping in, those Centaurs might not give another glance to other Bloodline members; his presence here was enough.

After giving his instructions, Lide did not hesitate any further. He needed to make some preparations before this trip to the Centaur Tribe.

One Sunshine Hour later, at the weapon factory.

Lide looked at the Dwarf Forging Master Valen in front of him, excited beyond measure, and couldn't help but smile.

“How many sets of Centaur equipment have been forged?”

After awakening, he ordered Harrison to gather all the Dwarves back to restart the weapon factory.

Once he confirmed the news of meeting with the Centaurs again in three days, he issued the production order.

The warehouse had been stockpiling without any outflow of materials for months, and steel reserves reached an unprecedented quantity, ample for the weapon factory to forge weapons at full capacity.

“Your Excellency, we have already produced one thousand five hundred sets of Rare-level armor in two days…”

Ordinary, Rare, Exceptional, Perfect, Transcendent; Rare armor is typically standard for armies, while Exceptional is equipped by the elite.

Forging weapons from steel alone, without adding other precious metals, could only yield Rare-level armor.

For the past few months, due to his slumber, no metal purchasing had been conducted for Dawn City, leaving only the recently refined steel in the warehouse.

Left with no choice, Lide ordered the weapon factory to produce Rare-level armor.

“Although Rare Level armor isn't as durable as the Scarce Level, it's more than enough for trading with centaurs who are too poor to even afford pants.”

Lide nodded, noting that it was already one o'clock in the afternoon, and tomorrow would be the 4th–the scheduled day for trading with the centaurs. There was no time to waste.

“Can we rush another 500 sets of armor this year to make a total of 2000 sets?”

After pondering for a moment, Valen gritted his teeth and promised, “Before ten o'clock tonight, I guarantee to complete your command.”

Lide smiled in satisfaction, pleased with his reliable subordinate, this dwarven Forging Master.

He hadn't forgotten the stubborn resistance these dwarves initially exhibited.

Now… it seemed these sturdy fellows had forgotten that they were once forcibly captured by the Bloodline, for they were living happily within Dawn City.

Over the past half year, the dwarves had fully integrated into the city.

Becoming true residents of Dawn City.

“Good, in addition to these standard pieces of equipment, start preparing the extraordinary armor for Grot, Betty, and Kapp as soon as possible.

Especially for Kapp's armor–Dwarf Valley's Secret Silver Vein needs the protection of an 18th-level warrior. We cannot afford any loss there.”

Just look at Castro to see how much extraordinary armor can exaggerate the enhancement of top fighters. Originally, though strong, Castro's fighting ability wasn't overwhelming.

After donning extraordinary armor, unless encountering weapons of the same level or combatants of a higher level, this supersonic flying behemoth was almost invincible among its peers.

Lide was keenly anticipating how much an 18th-level Beastman King's combat power could increase once armored in extraordinary gear.

Valen nodded solemnly upon hearing Lide's instructions, “As you wish. I will have the Advanced Weapon Forging Department forge these sets of extraordinary armor as quickly as possible.

However, we're currently lacking a large quantity of rare metals in the warehouse, which will need your supplementation…”

Forging an extraordinary piece of equipment was not as simple as combining steel and mithril–steel being the main ingredient was true, but it required over a dozen types of rare metals besides mithril.

Even some metals are as scarce as mithril, such as Fine Gold, Heart of Magma…

Therefore, forging such equipment wasn't simple–it needed the backing of a strong economic force.

Without Gold Puck, even the raw materials would be unaffordable.

Lide nodded without hesitation.

“List the materials you need as soon as possible, and I will have City Hall prepare them for you.”

After tasting the benefits of extraordinary equipment, he was very attentive to it.

Afterward, Lide discussed some additional issues about the weapon factory with Valen. Once he was sure that everything was in order, he returned to City Hall.

By then, the Bloodline members who had fallen into deep slumber had still not awakened.

“Stanley, I will depart for the dwarven hill country tonight. Valen will coordinate with you on the forging of the extraordinary equipment; whatever materials he needs, contact the Dark Contract to purchase them.

If funds are insufficient, take them from the Crimson Mage Tower.”

Upon Lide's statement, Stanley looked quite perplexed, “Your Highness, I'm afraid that neither the Crimson Mage Tower nor the Dark Contract will be able to divert much capital in the short term…

“We've spent over a million Gold Puck in three months, which is all both the Dark Contract and the Crimson Mage Tower have…

“Moreover, the last batch of magic crystals worth two hundred thousand Gold Puck were only delivered to Dawn City on March 1.”

Lide's face stiffened with momentary shock–damn, they were out of money.

Used to spending generously thanks to the magic factory, he had never experienced being broke.

And now, to think that they couldn't even afford the raw materials for forging two or three pieces of extraordinary equipment.

“I never thought that one day I would become a poor laboring man without three coppers in my pocket.”

Shaking his head, “Let's start preparations for procurement; the Gold Puck will soon be credited.”

Seeing Lide's confident expression, Stanley nodded and said no more.

Stanley had never doubted Lide's capability for even a split second. During the battle for Risier City, not only did they snatch back goblins from a besiegement of hundreds of thousands of beastmen, but they also intervened with the centaur tribes, conducting lopsided trades to make over four hundred thousand Gold Puck.

With such skill, how many could compare?

This 15th-level Dark Priest, formerly an Evil God believer, had a blind trust in Lide.

When night fell, Lide could no longer sit still; poverty drove him to restlessness.

Immediately, he ordered most of the Magic Language Bats to the weapon factory.

Valen, who had been waiting there, didn't hesitate to have the prepared armor loaded onto the Magic Language Bats.

It took a full two Sunshine Hours to transfer the 2000 sets of Rare Level armor, and it wasn't until 1 a.m. that everything was securely tied down.

Mounted on the enlarged Castro, Lide led a flock of Magic Language Bats laden with armor, eager and excited, as they took off towards the dwarven hill country.

The bats, nearly overloaded with armor, flew slowly, and it would take at least seven or eight Sunshine Hours to cover the one thousand five hundred kilometers to the dwarven hill country–departing at night would ensure arrival at dawn.

Lide was both anxious and expectant.

“My centaur friends, your most sincere friend has come bearing gifts. Are your pelts ready…”

Chapter end