[Player: Lince]
[Role: Rock Dragon Giant Lizard] (Clan Totem, Clan Sacred Beast)
[Tier: Tier Three]
[Body Type: Approx. 8.4 meters]
[Bloodline:
1. Gale Cheetah Bloodline (Low Tier);
2. Earth Giant Lizard Bloodline (High Tier);
3. Thin Rock Steel Giant Dragon Bloodline (Saint Tier)]
[Growth Level: 18%]
(Growth Level increased by less than one percentage point after the hundred-day simulation and has been omitted.)
[Potential: ★★★★ (Four Stars)]
[Elemental Affinity: Wind, Earth]
[Skills: 1. Frenzy, 2. Earth Spike Technique, 3. Extreme Speed, 4. Stone Armor, 5. Dragon Might.]
——————
"So this is a Deity?!"
At the edge of the swamp, Lucia stood completely stunned as she watched the glowing, sunset-colored light plunge into the marsh.
She stared blankly at the marsh as a massive lizard suddenly rose, churning the water, her mind thrown into utter chaos.
In stark contrast, York's expression was one of pure fanaticism as he gazed upon the behemoth that had just appeared—the Rock Dragon Giant Lizard.
"Praise to you, great Your Majesty, my Lord!"
At that moment, the Rock Dragon Giant Lizard emerged from the marsh and loomed before York and Lucia.
It held its head high, looking down upon the two of them with an expression of profound wisdom.
York performed a Knight's salute, his face a mask of devout fanaticism.
In response, Lince was not about to be stingy with his approval for York at a time like this.
"York, you have done very well."
"In these hundred days, the entire Swamp Territory has shown considerable improvement. It seems I did not choose the wrong person."
Hearing the Rock Dragon Giant Lizard speak again, York's expression grew even more fervent and excited. In contrast, Lucia, standing to the side, was trembling slightly, her head bowed, not daring to look directly at the Rock Dragon Giant Lizard.
"Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty." York raised his head, meeting the downward gaze of the Rock Dragon Giant Lizard. He did his best to suppress his excitement and quickly said,
"However, I dare not take all the credit. This was all thanks to the help of the Lord of Gale Territory and my wife, Lucia."
"Otherwise, it would have been impossible to develop the Swamp Territory so quickly in a mere hundred days."
"Overall, I am fortunate not to have disappointed my Lord."
In response, Lince, controlling the Rock Dragon Giant Lizard, nodded with a gentle look in his eyes.
Operating on the principle that the more one says, the more one might slip up, Lince kept the conversation concise. "I am aware of all that has transpired these hundred days."
"Lucia Callum, raise your head."
As Lince's words fell, Lucia's body shuddered violently.
Though terrified, she slowly lifted her head to meet the majestic gaze looking down upon her.
"Your Majesty, Lu… Lucia greets Your Majesty."
Lucia was nervous, afraid that her earlier discourtesy might have angered this unknown Deity, so she spoke with a trembling voice.
At this, Lince couldn't help but smile to himself.
'Look how scared the poor girl is.'
'Then again, if a behemoth as tall as a three-story building suddenly appeared before me, I probably wouldn't be doing much better.'
'Not to mention, I just pulled off that whole 'Descent' special effect.'
'The impact on the natives of this 'Game World' is naturally quite significant.'
So, as he scrutinized the blonde young woman who looked to be around twenty years old, Lince said bluntly,
"As York's wife, as the lady of the Swamp Territory."
"You must be prudent in your words and actions."
"Chaos is coming. The Swamp Territory is only the beginning. You will one day understand my plans. Remember this: assist York well in managing the Swamp Territory."
Just as he finished speaking, while York and Lucia were both feeling nervous about Lince's talk of 'chaos is coming,' a ray of light suddenly appeared before them.
The light fell upon the ground, then manifested into mysterious objects.
"York, my servant, take this crest. From now on, it will serve as the family symbol for the Swamp Territory. It has other wondrous uses that you may discover for yourself."
As he spoke, Lince's gaze shifted to Lucia and he continued,
"Lucia, lady of the Swamp Territory, take these Magic Potions for healing injuries. This is my gift to you and your unborn child."
The two of them stared, momentarily stunned, at the mysterious crest and the ten vials of blood-red Magic Potions that had materialized on the ground. Then, hearing Lince's voice, their expressions turned to joyous surprise.
"My deepest thanks, my Lord!"
"Thank you for your generous gift, Your Majesty!"
Lince watched as one after the other, one with delight and the other with hesitation, they picked up the rewards. He paid it no mind.
Then, it was time for the main course.
"These are the rewards you have earned."
"However, my servant York, there is another gift for you."
York had been sensing the benefits of the crest when he heard Lince's words, and his expression froze for a moment.
"My… My Lord, the gifts you've given are already more than enough. I feel this sacred family crest is sufficient for me to…"
However, before York could finish his stuttered sentence,
Lince interrupted him and continued,
"As my servant, York, you are too weak."
"Therefore, I will improve your strength step by step. This is the first step."
"As long as you remain true to yourself, stay humble and patient, and continue to steadily strengthen the Swamp Territory and your bloodline, there will be no shortage of gifts in the future."
"I have said all I need to, my servant."
With that said, before York and Lucia could even react,
In the next moment, York felt his entire body begin to burn with heat.
And at this moment, Lucia, as a Magic Apprentice, felt it even more clearly.
A powerful storm of Magic Power had suddenly erupted from her husband's body.
The storm of Magic Power surged from within York. At the same time, the veins on his face bulged, and his expression twisted in agony.
"This… Is this a second Bloodline awakening?"
Lucia stared blankly at her husband, feeling the rapid surge of his blood-qi, completely in disbelief.
The so-called second Bloodline awakening was a subsequent ritual that Nobility with awakened Bloodlines had to undergo if their first awakening failed to unlock the Bloodline's full potential.
Without a second awakening, a Low Tier Bloodline User with a thin bloodline, like York, could at most reach Tier Two in strength.
Therefore, after reaching Tier Two, a Low Tier Bloodline User with a thin bloodline would often consider the second awakening ritual, or even a Middle Tier Bloodline infusion ritual.
After all, while the success rate for a second awakening of a Low Tier Bloodline was higher, their potential would cap out at Tier Three.
So, if they wanted to continue increasing their strength, nobles with thin, Low Tier Bloodlines would often choose to undergo a Middle Tier Bloodline infusion ritual at this stage.
After all, it was better to face destiny's bloodline judgment at Tier Two than to wait until Tier Three.
Of course, undergoing a bloodline infusion ritual at Tier Two was riskier.
But it saved money!
For those with thin bloodlines, depending on the tier of the bloodline, a Low Tier Bloodline User wanting to perform the second awakening ritual would need to pay a price of around two thousand Gold Coins.
And what if they underwent a Middle Tier Bloodline infusion?
The cost was about five thousand Gold Coins.
Don't underestimate the two thousand Gold Coins saved in the process.
Two thousand Gold Coins was no small sum. Keep in mind, although York's father had been able to lend him six thousand Gold Coins over three years,
That was more than half of the Gale Territory's savings from the past several decades.
For context, a family of three Commoners could live very well for a year on an income of just two hundred Copper Coins.
Thus, for minor nobility, the cost of a second Bloodline awakening, or even an infusion ritual, was extremely high. Unless they were very confident in themselves, almost no one would take such a risk.
Take York's father, Baron Eric, for example. He had already reached Tier Three Perfection sixteen years ago.
But to this day, he has still not undergone a Middle Tier Bloodline infusion ritual.
After all, such rituals were a high-risk gamble.
The lightest outcome was becoming a cripple, while the most severe was losing a fortune and one's life.
Therefore, seeing York suddenly undergoing what looked like a second Bloodline awakening, Lucia panicked.
However, before Lucia could even begin to frantically pray to the Deity, Lince, York's second Bloodline awakening was completed in less than ten breaths!
And at that very moment, the concentration of blood-qi erupting from York's body suddenly reached the level of a Tier One Perfection Official Knight!
At this point, York only needed a short period to adapt to the power within his body before he could prepare to break through to Tier Two.
"This?"
"My Bloodline? My power?"
Suddenly, after coming to his senses, York could feel the pure power of his Bloodline and that his strength had reached the peak of Tier One.
After a moment of confusion, he was quickly overcome with immense excitement and agitation.