Bloodline Gift (I)

Bloodline Gift (I)

Keosius looked down from above at his followers and spotted unfamiliar faces watching from the corner. Lang Pu had reported them to him earlier; they should be the so-called Blacktooth Lizardmen tribe.

Seeing that these Lizardmen were quite sturdy—at least more suited for military service than the current Goblins and Kobolds—the Red Dragon said:

"Why have you come?"

The followers consciously made way for them.

Ake Longfang, the Lizardmen chief, walked forward uneasily, with the Old Shaman calmly following behind him.

Ake knelt on the ground, took a deep breath, and said, "We left our homeland because of the monsters in the caves and fled here. Your mighty power has won our submission."

"The Blacktooth tribe is willing to submit beneath your vast Wings and become the Great Red Dragon's most loyal followers."

"And this is the greatest sincerity our tribe can offer."

"We present all of it to you."

The Lizardmen Old Shaman pointed behind him with his wooden staff. Several burly Lizardmen carried heavy treasure chests forward.

The chests were opened, revealing gleaming gold.

The surrounding followers could not help widening their eyes at the sight, but quickly pulled their gazes away.

—Because this would be treasure belonging solely to the Red Dragon. Anyone who dared covet it would have to bear the Red Dragon's wrath.

Even the ever-greedy Chimera turned aside its dragon head, the symbol of its greed. It deliberately avoided looking directly at the gold, only sneaking glances from the corner of its eye.

Keosius, standing high above, showed no change in expression, though the golden gleam reflected in his vertical pupils.

But what first caught his attention was not the gold, but the Old Shaman behind the Lizardmen chief.

[Based on your own strength and the target's status of "Submission," you may observe the following information]

Lizardmen Shaman

Medium Humanoid (Lizardmen), True Neutral
Name: Koda Blackscale
AC: 13 (Natural Armor)
Speed: 30 ft., swim 30 ft.

Strength—15
Dexterity—10
Constitution—13
Intelligence—12
Wisdom—15
Charisma—9

Skills: Perception +4, Stealth +4, Survival +6
Senses: Darkvision 30 ft., Passive Perception 14
Languages: Draconic

Actions: Multiattack, Bite, Claw

Special Abilities:

Hold Breath: The Lizardmen can hold its breath for 15 minutes.

Shapechange: Magically transforms into a crocodile and maintains that form for 1 hour.

Class Level: Druid 5
Spellcasting (Lizardmen form only):

The Lizardmen Shaman is a 5th-level spellcaster and has prepared the following Druid spells:

Cantrips: Druidcraft, Produce Flame, Thorn Whip

1st level: Entangle, Fog Cloud

2nd level: Heat Metal, Spike Growth

3rd level: Conjure Animals (reptiles only), Plant Growth

Challenge Rating: 5 (1800 XP)

Evaluation: "Lizardmen Shamans are the most exceptional members of their entire race. They are often wise and powerful, leading their whole tribes."

A Druid who came knocking on my door?

Interesting.

Keosius thought.

"That Shaman—are you a spellcaster?"

The Lizardmen Old Shaman stepped forward and gave a slight nod. Calmly, he replied, "Lord Red Dragon, your strength and wisdom leave me in awe."

"I have merely left a shallow footprint upon the Path of Nature and learned a few minor tricks."

With that, he raised his withered wooden staff and casually pointed toward an open patch of ground.

"Entangle."

Nature's power answered the Old Shaman's call. The Weave rippled almost imperceptibly, and tangled vines and weeds immediately sprouted across the clearing.

Unlike the arcane magic of Sorcerers and Mages, Druid spells were classified as Divine Magic. These spellcasters had to rely on nature's divine power to connect with the Weave and use nature to stir it.

Faced with a spellcaster who had come to him voluntarily, Keosius said directly, "Very fine magic. The gates of Ember Nest will be open to you."

"I hope you will prove your loyalty to me."

"Praise be to you, great master."

The Lizardmen silently withdrew, returning to their dark corner and refusing to involve themselves in disputes over territory with the other followers.

Keosius liked subordinates who knew their place.

Lizardmen were True Neutral cold-blooded creatures with few desires. They considered good and evil foreign concepts and acted only to survive. This suited Keosius's principles perfectly.

They would also be an excellent choice for managing human cities in the future, or even managing players. At the very least, they could maintain basic order and would not ruin things for the sake of their own selfish desires.

"Simple, useful tools."

That was Keosius's high praise for them.

Subduing the Lizardmen was only a minor interlude. The true centerpiece of the ritual came next.

Bloodline Gift.

Looking down at the expectant, confused, and anxious gazes of his followers, Keosius finally spoke slowly beneath their watchful eyes.

"I have told you before that my followers must never be content with weakness. I will grant you great power and long lives."

"And today, it is time to fulfill that promise."

"I will grant the outstanding among you—Dragon Bloodline!"

At once, the followers erupted into an uproar. Anyone with even a little intelligence found it unbelievable.

The Ogre Lang Pu's eyes brimmed with tears, moved by this gift. The Kobolds, who shared some kinship with dragons, were utterly shocked. Even the Lizardmen, once dragon worshippers, found it difficult to believe and could only marvel.

"H-How is that possible?!"

"That is Dragon Bloodline!"

"Our master's generosity leaves me in awe."

After all, dragon blood was exceptionally precious throughout Erezege.

Aside from breeding through mating, the normal bestowal of Dragon Bloodline required a dragon's true blood. Yet every drop of true blood in their Base Blood Vessels was a source of magic containing immense power. Even if a True Dragon granted it willingly, it would severely drain his vitality and leave him Weakened for days.

Thus, no one could have imagined that a stingy True Dragon would offer such a generous gift.

But they did not know that Keosius needed only ordinary blood as the ritual's catalyst. The rest of the "Bloodline Gift" came from a special skill obtained through achievements.

It was practically a costless deal.

"Bloodline Gift" was divided into active gifts with obvious effects and passive gifts that worked subtly over time. Keosius intended to grant the former only to outstanding followers, while the latter would extend throughout Ember Nest.

At the very center of the valley stood a boulder more than three meters tall, its top broad and flat.

There was a shallow hollow in the middle of the boulder.

Keosius had informed Lang Pu in advance and instructed him to issue orders in his stead, forbidding anyone from approaching the boulder.

The followers had assumed it was where Keosius landed, so no one dared defy the order and approach it. But now, their gazes toward the boulder grew fervent. What forbidden ground was this? It was clearly the "land of promised gifts."

Whether Goblins, Kobolds, or even Wyverns, their breathing could not help growing rapid.