Chapter 522: Crystal Wall Of Emeralds - Bloodline Absorption
’As expected.’
Despite already expecting this situation, I couldn’t help feeling slightly disappointed about losing the prospect of an overpowered ally.
’I knew it couldn’t be that easy.’
Actually succeeding in a cross-domain delivery quest was an impossible feat on its own, but no matter the number of crazy conditions that I had to meet, receiving a True Dragon Companion as a quest reward was still too much to ask for.
However...
{Allow me to exercise the rest of my means to bolster up your resistance!}
Even if my impossible wish couldn’t be granted, it looked like the quest giver wasn’t going to cheap out on the compensation!
{First of all, you should receive the reward that we already agreed upon.}
As the projection moved slightly to the right and pointed in a certain direction, a wave of glimmering light spread before my eyes.
’Right!’
I almost completely forgot the ’meal’ I was promised by looking too far ahead!
{You can take as many Source Crystals as you want.}
Although the way the Green Dragon referred to it was slightly different, I could tell that the sea of glimmering gemstones was completely made of Bloodline Crystals.
’How far can I go with this much?’
My eyes shone green as I scanned the wealth presented to me, but thankfully, I was still rational enough to understand the situation.
There were definitely over a hundred crystals, perhaps even over two hundred. However, the notion of taking them all for myself was nothing but absurd.
’That would be too wasteful.’
The effect of the dozen or so crystals might have been very obvious, but the gradual decrease in benefits was even more apparent.
If the increase in Stats went down to 0.001 or 0.0001, absorbing any more crystals wouldn’t even qualify as mindless greed, otherwise, the Demonic Thought would have already suggested it.
The Green Dragon was likely aware of this fact, hence why he offered everything without hesitation, or so I believed.
That being said...
’Let’s hope the initial effect would be good enough.’
Looking at the larger size of the crystals, I had high expectations for the collective effect until the increase flatlined beyond minimal efficiency.
"Right now...?"
I usually had the habit of absorbing benefits behind closed doors. However, this probably counted as the safest location in the Fire Domain as of this moment.
Moreover, unlike most other beneficiary material, Bloodline Crystals were a rarity that didn’t incapacitate me with pain during consumption!
Since I was already restraining myself quite a bit to void the Demonic Thought’s whispers, it was only right that I cut myself some slack when it came to unnecessary patience.
{Go ahead.}
Although the Green Dragon’s words implied that there was more to the reward than just this, he didn’t seem to be in a particular hurry to hand everything out. As such...
’I can take my time savoring this.’
Taking a few steps forward, my hands landed on the double-sized crystal attached to the wall. Unlike the ones that I received at the start, these weren’t cut out and processed, but that didn’t make much of a difference.
Click.
As soon as I put in the smallest amount of strength into my hand, the connected part simply gently snapped like I was picking out a ripe fruit, and a ’ripe fruit’ it was.
[ A compatible bloodline source has been detected! Do you wish to absorb and fuse? ]
Immediately nodding in my heart, I was ready to watch green liquid seep into my skin once again. However, my eyes were distracted by something moving in the corner.
’This... Was it a joint dinner?’
For some reason, I only just realized that the Pseudo Sky Dragon didn’t go back to sleep as usual. Even after delivering the essence, it stayed outside to receive the delivery fee.
’Should have said something.’
Did it really have to be so silent to the point of invisibility? Seeing the Pseudo Sky Dragon swallow a bloodline crystal in a single mouthful, I could tell that the Green Dragon had been talking to us both from the beginning.
[ Compatible bloodline essence has been absorbed! Fusion is in process... ]
Crunch!
Completely crushing the crystal in its mouth, the ever-neutral expression on the little Dragon’s face almost turned into a smile.
’Well, as long as you are happy.’
[ Fusion progress 30%... 88%... ]
Although it felt a bit awkward to consider the Pseudo Sky Dragon as my Blood Companion with how little we actually interacted, this was completely out of my hand.
If it did follow along like Light, we would have definitely formed some kind of relationship by now!
[ Fusion complete! One branch of your bloodline has been enhanced! ]
[ Strength +0.17! ]
[ Consitution +0.19! ]
[ Agility +0.13! ]
[ Dexterity 0.09! ]
[ ’Dragonization’ Advancement +1%! ]
’Nice!’
I was delighted to see that the number of enhanced Stats didn’t fall off too much, even if I didn’t consume the entire wall, my gains wouldn’t be too unnoticeable.
’Let’s keep going.’
[ Fusion is in process... ]
[ Strength +0.15! ]
[ Constitution +0.15! ]
[ Agility +0.12! ]
[ Dexterity... ]
[ ’Dragonization’ Advancement +1%! ]
The amount of increase that each Stat obtained from a single crystal might appear negligible at first. However...
[ Strength +0.13! ]
[ Constitution +0.14! ]
[ Agility... ]
[ ’Dragonization’ Advancement +1%! ]
Once you disregarded the fact that these Stats were distributed, then two or three levels were basically no different from an entire Level Up!
Furthermore, as someone who refrained from investing heavily in a specific Stat, the dilution that accompanied such distribution hardly affected me.
[ Strength +0.116! ]
[ Constitution... ]
[ ’Dragonization’ Advancement +1%! ]
Of course, compared to the basic Stat acquisition that could be supplemented through other options, what I truly looked forward to was leveling up two of my most important abilities.
Such a dream was too out of reach when all I had at hand was a dozen crystals, but now...
[ ’Dragonization’ Advancement +0.5% ]
’Eh?’
[ ’Dragonization’ (Intermediate) 12.5% ]
After seeing a constant rate of increase of 1%, I almost believed that I could reach the next Tier of Dragonization at the end of my crystal binge. However...
[ ’Dragonization’ Advancement +0.5% ]
Once it climbed up to 12%, the increase suddenly dropped by half. The number remained the same no matter how big the crystals were.
’Let’s hope the other Ability fares better, but regardless...’
Having high expectations was a good quality. However, the trick was learning to accept whichever result you ended up with. Being entitled to your expectations was the worst kind of entitlement.
’Thank God.’
Even with a Demonic Thought in the back of my head, I couldn’t really be thankless after receiving so much!
