"Another one eager to meet their end."
Upon seeing the approaching Mia, a cruel smile stretched across Luke's face.
Mia showed no fear, preparing to retaliate.
However, Sherry's warning halted her.
"Mia, be careful! He has a Gravity Field surrounding him. The force you'll need to resist is ten times greater than usual." Sherry informed Mia of Luke's secret.
Mia gave a brief nod in Sherry's direction, choosing not to act recklessly, instead holding her ground and facing off against Luke.
Elsewhere, Ethan's absorption process was nearing its completion.
The pile of red jade on the ground was almost depleted, yet Ethan's aura surged with increasing power, instilling a sense of dread in anyone who drew near.
"I hadn't expected such a bountiful harvest this time!"
Moments later, Ethan's eyes flew open, shimmering with surprise and elation.
His power had undergone a substantial enhancement.
Not only in terms of raw strength but the unique abilities granted by his Bloodline had also transformed significantly.
Before the absorption, his stats read:
[Name: Ethan]
[Strength: Rank S]
[Bloodline: Golden Divine Dragon]
[Skills: Golden Holy Scales (Advanced), Magic Immunity (Advanced), Dragon Flame of Inferno, Lightning Claws, Wings of Gale, Holy Light Judgement, Holy Shining Form, Torrent, Demon's Gate, Heartbane Spell, Scale Space, Shapeshifting, Divine Dragon's Might (Locked), Apocalypse Dragon Flame (Locked), True Dragon Realm (Locked), Meteor Strike, Tsunami, Breath of Decay, Healing Barrier, Dragon's Demonic Form, Spatial Shift.]
[Attributes: HP 20000, Mental Power 1500, Strength 410, Constitution 380, Agility 220]
However, after absorbing the red jade, a monumental shift occurred:
[Name: Ethan]
[Strength: Rank S]
[Bloodline: Golden Divine Dragon (Superior)]
[Language of Nature· Holy Light: Has an affinity for the power of Holy Light, mastering its strength. Can bestow blessings of Holy Light upon himself and others, receiving attribute boosts and acquiring the realm of Holy Light.]
[Language of Nature· Thunder: Commands the force of Thunder.]
[Language of Nature· Great Dragon: Controls the might of the ancient dragons, a formidable entity amongst dragonkind.]
[Attributes: HP 40000, Mental Power 6000, Strength 610, Constitution 800, Agility 350]
This surge in power was comprehensive, to the point that basic attributes could scarcely convey Ethan's newfound might.
It was this very enhancement that highlighted the sheer potency of the Language of Nature to him.
One could say that the Language of Nature is the essence of all things.
"My Bloodline is the Golden Divine Dragon," Ethan mused.
"The Golden Divine Dragon is adept in Holy Light magic and is also a formidable dragon. "
"But in this Bloodline ascension, perhaps due to the presence of the Thunder-Language of Nature, both my innate Holy Light talent and my Bloodline were transformed into their corresponding Language of Nature..."
"Does this imply that..."
"By mastering the respective Language of Nature, one could even forcibly alter their own Bloodline?"
This was a unique revelation Ethan had come to.
His perspective had changed. Although the Golden Divine Dragon Bloodline was mighty, it wasn't the mightiest in the world, not even amongst the grand dragons.
"I'll ponder the intricacies of the Bloodline later."
"My power has now doubled compared to before, but it's still at Rank S. To break through Rank S, I must find a way to enter the divine realm."
"And yet, it seems I haven't reached my peak..."
"If I could push myself to the utmost limit of Rank S and then step into the divine realm, the advantages would be immense."
This was an intuitive hint Ethan got from his recent upgrade, and he planned to act accordingly.
"Hmm? Where are Sherry, Mia, and the others?"
A moment later, he noticed something amiss.
While he was absorbing the red jade, Sherry, Mia, and Pale Wolf should have been guarding him.
Yet, all three were nowhere to be found.
"Could something have happened?"
Ethan's expression darkened instantly.
Using his heightened senses, he perceived Mia being struck by a powerful punch, causing her to crash to the ground, blood staining her lips, her youthful face drained of color.
As if that wasn't enough, the assailant leapt into the air, intending to deliver another blow.
"Damned pest!"
With a roar of rage from Ethan, sensing the urgency of the situation, he transformed into his true form of the Golden Divine Dragon, racing towards Mia's location.
Even in the dim evening light, the massive golden wings shone brilliantly.
Ethan tore through the forest, toppling gigantic trees in his path, creating a thunderous noise that naturally caught Luke's attention.
Just as Luke turned, he saw the imposing figure of the dragon bearing down on him.
"A dragon? Why is there a dragon here!"
Before Luke could react, Ethan's massive claw sent him flying.
On the ground, Mia, upon seeing the approaching dragon, sighed with relief. A smile graced her lips as she jubilantly exclaimed, "Lord Ethan!"
"Ethan!"
Both Sherry and Pale Wolf looked on in astonishment.
Could this majestic dragon truly be Ethan?
"No wonder he's so powerful... It's the legendary dragon! But this means Ethan can't possibly be the Hero. So, he is..."
Sherry connected the dots regarding Ethan's identity but simply smiled, unbothered.
Pale Wolf felt much the same, holding no particular reverence for Heroes.
Luke, having crashed through several trees, came to a halt and glared malevolently at Ethan, growling, "Cursed dragon, no matter where you hail from, you've angered me!"
"I'll strip your bones and craft them into weapons!"
Luke was consumed with rage. Since becoming a Rank S Hero, he had never been sent flying like this.
"If you dare lay a finger on those close to me, death is inevitable for you," Ethan retorted.
From the Golden Divine Dragon's maw, a beam of Holy Light shot forth, aimed directly at Luke.
In a frantic dodge, Luke managed to avoid direct contact.
However, the ground touched by the Holy Light was immediately scorched into solid rock.
This manifestation of Holy Light's power was new to Ethan, yet now, he wielded it effortlessly.
This was the role of the Holy Light-Language of Nature.
Skills he had previously mastered were now categorized under the Holy Light and Dragon Language of Natures.
This meant he had a profound understanding of both, enabling him to effortlessly harness skills related to them, or even further create his own unique abilities.
This was the path of a dragon's ascension, and Ethan had firmly embarked upon it.
"Damn it!" Luke cursed. "How can this dragon be so formidable?"
Retreat was now top of mind for Luke.
However, if Luke intended to flee, Ethan wasn't about to grant him that luxury.
With a mighty flap of his wings, a fierce gust of wind bore down on Luke, who, struggling to maintain balance, sought refuge behind a massive boulder.
The Golden Divine Dragon that Ethan had become, lunged forward, striking the boulder with a powerful swipe.
Unable to dodge in time, Luke bore the brunt of the attack, finding himself embedded in the soft mud below.
Seeing the dragon readying another beam of Holy Light, terror gripped Luke.
"Great Dragon Lord, please, I beg you to stop!" Luke pleaded. "If you spare me, I'll offer all the red jade I've collected and share the secrets deep within the Red Jade Valley."
"Oh? What secrets?"
Ethan had some inkling about the secrets of the Red Jade Valley.
According to Scholar Victor, remnants of the distant Observant Kingdom lay within the valley.
There was also mention of a unique device capable of producing the Blood Source; a claim Pale Wolf had corroborated.
However, none of this was confirmed.
Especially after such a vast expanse of time, who knew what changes might have transpired deep within the valley?
Hearing the dragon's interest in the secret, Luke quickly chimed in, "There's a barrier within the valley. But with the absorption of red jade, one can breach this barrier."
"I'm well aware of this so-called secret. Perhaps it's time you met your end," Ethan responded, a hint of disappointment in his voice.
There was a flaw in Luke's claim: accessing the barrier wasn't a result of absorbing the red jade.
Instead, the red jade enhanced the user's Bloodline, allowing them to pass the barrier's selection.
Ethan had known this all along; Luke's information held no value to him.
With his patience waning and no valuable information gleaned, Ethan unleashed a torrent of dragon flame.
The scorching heat seared the air, causing Luke to panic and shout, "Great Dragon Lord, there's a divine relic in the Red Jade Valley!"
The dragon flame ceased abruptly, "A divine relic?"
"Yes! It's an artifact of the gods, possessing unimaginable power!"
"And how can you prove this?"
"Great Dragon Lord, behold!" Luke's hands emerged from the mud, producing an ancient animal skin scroll.
He unfurled it for Ethan to see.
Although much of its writing had faded over time, key locations remained legible.
It did indeed make mention of a deity.
Ethan reverted to his human form and approached Luke, taking the scroll into his hands for closer examination.
Unbeknownst to him, Luke was muttering an incantation under his breath.
With the spell's completion, a luminous magical circle appeared on the ground, and in a flash, Luke vanished.
Rushing to the scene, Mia and her group exclaimed, "He's escaped!"
Ethan shook his head, a wry smile on his lips, "He won't get far. I've placed a mark on him, and he's headed deep into the Red Jade Valley... And after all this commotion, it's high time we ventured in ourselves."
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