Taking the Life Fruit, Breaking Through to Apprentice Knight

Thoughts churned.

One idea after another intertwined.

In the end, Thor chuckled softly. Without the slightest hesitation, he stuffed the Life Fruit directly into his mouth.

With a single bite.

The flesh instantly transformed into a warm current that spread throughout his entire body.

The next moment, Thor felt an intense heat surge through his body, while the faint Life Source Power within him began to stir violently.

The Life Source Power contained within the Life Fruit was undoubtedly immense. As the main ingredient of a High-Grade Life Potion, the Life Source Power it contained could give an Earth Knight a chance to advance into a Sky Knight. Such an enormous amount of Life Source Power was practically an ocean to someone who was not yet even an Apprentice Knight.

Fortunately, the Life Source Power contained within the Life Fruit was exceptionally gentle.

It would not cause his body to explode.

Even the Life Source Power he could not absorb rapidly merged into Thor's flesh and blood, laying the foundation for him.

Even so, the waves of scorching heat remained unbearable.

Large beads of sweat dripped down.

Thor's body seemed to have been filled with gas at that moment, an extreme discomfort spreading relentlessly through him.

Gritting his teeth, Thor swallowed the entire fruit in a few bites, then sat down cross-legged.

He struggled to calm his mind and began circulating the Knight's Breathing Technique.

The Dreyrosa Family's knightly method was called the Eagle Breathing Technique. It was among the highest-tier breathing techniques and was also the most effective at mobilizing Life Source Power.

The instant he used the breathing technique, Thor felt his vision go blank. Particles of Life Source Power within his body rapidly gathered toward his chest.

Time passed second by second.

He did not know how much time had gone by.

Nor did he know how long it had continued.

Thor's clothes were soaked through with sweat, then gradually dried from the heat.

As the blood-red moonlight slowly adorned the sky.

Night fell.

Only then did Thor abruptly open his eyes in the room.

And the instant he opened them, he sensed that the entire world had become different.

He could clearly see the tiny specks of dust in the air, and he could hear the chirping of insects outside the window that he had never been able to hear before.

He could even hear servants walking in the corridor.

At that moment, the entire world had changed.

No, it was not the entire world. It was his perception of the entire world that had undergone an earth-shattering transformation.

His five senses had been enhanced to an unprecedented degree.

Even his body was changing along with them.

If one could see inside his body at that moment, one would discover a grain-sized green speck of light quietly floating at the very center of his heart. A faint radiance spread outward, continuously dyeing the blood in his heart before flowing through his limbs and bones.

And that blood, stained by the green radiance, was also subtly transforming his entire body.

Knights.

This was the extraordinary power of this world.

Only those who had condensed a Life Seed could be called Apprentice Knights.

The power granted by a Life Seed was unparalleled. It could subtly alter every aspect of the human body—strength, agility, reaction speed, perception, everything.

Every Apprentice Knight possessed strength ordinary people could not match.

Even if they pledged themselves to a noble, they would receive considerable treatment.

In his memories, every Apprentice Knight in his father's Knight Order earned ten silver coins a month. An ordinary family of three only spent roughly ten silver coins in an entire year. The difference was like heaven and earth.

That was why he had ultimately chosen to swallow the Life Fruit.

Perhaps if he gave the Life Fruit to his father, he could remain behind and live as a freeloader.

But leaving aside the fact that it was merely a possibility, not a certainty.

The Dreyrosa Family's rules were extremely strict. No one could be sure that his father would truly allow that.

And even if he could, having transmigrated into this world, was becoming a freeloader really what he wanted?

Extraordinary power.

A magnificent world—what transmigrator did not yearn for such things?

Thor was no exception.

Under such circumstances, the choice was self-evident.

As for his father, with the Daily Intelligence System, if he truly wanted to do so, Thor believed there would still be opportunities.

A smile appeared on his face.

Thor could not help clenching his fist.

"Next, it's time to see Father!"

Muttering to himself, he rose and summoned the servants to help him wash and change his clothes.

When he stepped out of his room once more, he was already impeccably dressed, and his bearing had clearly changed as well.

As he walked through the castle, the maids kept glancing at him.

Only after he had passed did the maids begin whispering among themselves.

"Young Master Thor seems a little different today!"

"Yes, Young Master Thor seems even more radiant!"

"Young Master Thor looks much better today!"

The keen hearing of an Apprentice Knight allowed him to hear the maids' discussion even after he had walked away.

He was not particularly surprised by it.

After condensing a Life Seed, he would naturally undergo significant changes from the inside out, changes that even ordinary people could notice.

It would become even more obvious if he became a Knight. Only upon reaching a higher level could one conceal such changes. As a mere Apprentice Knight, he naturally could not do so.

But neither did he need to hide it.

In fact, there were only a little over two days left until he came of age. What he needed more was to show his strength to his father, Engel Dreyrosa, Count Dressrosa and master of Dreyrosa Castle.

He took another step.

His figure arrived on the third floor of the castle.

This was the highest level of Dreyrosa Castle, and also the place where Count Engel Dreyrosa spent most of his days.

At this hour, Count Engel Dreyrosa would usually be reading in this study.

This day was no exception.

Count Engel Dreyrosa stood before the bookcase, casually leafing through the History of the Continent in his hands.

Yet no one noticed that this count's thoughts were not on the History of the Continent at all, but had drifted somewhere unknown.

"It has already been ninety years!"

His voice rang out softly, carrying a trace of sorrow and deep concern.

After the sigh.

The entire room fell silent once more.

Until—

"Knock, knock, knock!"

A light sound came from the door.

Then Butler Charlie's voice rang out.

"My Lord Count, Young Master Thor requests an audience!"

The voice was not loud, but it pulled Count Engel Dreyrosa's wandering thoughts back to reality.

"Thor?"

"Let him in!"

Count Engel Dreyrosa's brow furrowed slightly. He had not paid much attention to his ninth son, since Thor's talent was truly too poor, nearly the worst among all his sons. Still, after giving it some thought, he answered.