The Iron Islands, this territory forged from icy water and hard rock, had seven major islands at its core: Pyke, ruled by House Greyjoy; Great Wyk, rich in minerals; Old Wyk, ancient and sacred; Harlaw, vast and powerful; Saltcliffe, lined with cliffs; Blacktyde, surging with dark currents; and Orkmont, dense with forests.
This time, Euron piloted the Drinker like a tireless sea eagle, sweeping over every land he had not yet trodden. He delved deep into the smoky mines of Great Wyk, stepped on the ancient reefs of Old Wyk where Kingsmoots were held, inspected the towering white cliffs of Saltcliffe, probed the treacherous whirlpools of Blacktyde, and walked through the gloomy forests of Orkmont. He didn't even spare the twenty-plus desolate micro-islets scattered around the main islands, meticulously engraving every corner of the Iron Islands into his mind.
This nearly paranoid comprehensive tour brought him a rich return—a full 1030 Points!
When the Drinker's prow broke the familiar waves of Pyke again, before the ship was even fully docked, Euron couldn't wait to immerse himself deep in his consciousness, activating the mystic drawing ritual. Ten brilliant lights flashed in succession, presenting destiny's gifts one by one:
1. [Food: Seafood Fried Rice] A steaming, heavily laden fried rice. The sweetness of the seafood seemed able to dispel the salty stench of the sea wind. The first dish made by "Black Leg" Sanji of the Straw Hat Pirates. Indeed delicious, but merely food.
Eat while hot. Mmm, smells good!!!
2. [Special Item: Lineage Factor] The blueprint of life discovered by Dr. Vegapunk and Vinsmoke Judge (Sanji's father) in One Piece. Defined as the core substance determining biological inheritance, carrying the danger of modifying genes. In anime, it's implanted in embryos to grant superhuman strength, poison abilities, exoskeletons, etc.
Since Euron can't return to the womb, the World Will adjusted it: Consuming it may activate dormant bloodlines within the body.
3. [Talent: Archaeologist] A sudden awakening of intuition, granting extraordinary insight into ancient stone carvings and historical fragments in shipwrecks. Also grants talent far beyond ordinary people in language learning.
4. [Skill: Basic Shipbuilding] A flood of knowledge about keel selection, hull design, and storm-resistant structures poured into his mind, far surpassing current Ironborn techniques.
5. [Skill: Cooking Arts Lv.1] Gained precise control over heat and seasoning, no longer limited to simple roasting.
6. [Skill: Basic Meteorology] Ability to interpret clouds, wind direction, and wave changes to predict short-term weather patterns.
7. [Talent: Fish-Man Breath] Lungs strangely enhanced, allowing breath-holding underwater for extended periods, like creatures of sea legends.
8. [Skill: Rokushiki - Kami-e (Paper Art) Lv.1] Mastered an eerie evasion technique, able to drift like paper in the wind during combat, sensing airflow to deflect force.
9. [Item: Dance Powder] A small pouch of strange powder, said to eerily interfere with rainfall in specific areas, harboring dangerous political potential. Maybe useful at certain times.
10. [Item: Sea Prism Stone (Kairoseki)] A dim, pigeon-egg-sized strange ore. Holding it caused a faint, uncomfortable energy drain. Might be effective against specific targets.
But it has diamond-like hardness. In Westeros, who can forge it?
Out of 10 draws, the most useless to Euron was naturally the eaten Seafood Fried Rice. Then Cooking Arts, not bad, but as a noble he rarely cooked. Shipbuilding and Meteorology were long-term investments. Dance Powder and Sea Prism Stone were stored for unknown future use. The most useful were Kami-e, Archaeologist, and Fish-Man Breath.
---
Months ago, a Braavosi Water Dancer stepped onto the hard soil of Pyke. His name was Raphael Ortega, elegant but carrying a hint of melancholy. He came not for adventure or wealth, but due to a passionate yet disastrous love affair—he was obsessed with a famous Braavosi courtesan and, in a duel for her, pierced the favorite son of a powerful merchant magnate with his rapier. Victory won the beauty's brief favor but also brought assassination attempts and hatred that made Braavos uninhabitable, forcing him to flee to the Iron Islands across the Narrow Sea.
Since Euron mastered [Skill: Rokushiki - Kami-e], his combat ability took a qualitative leap.
Raphael's rapier was fast as a viper's strike, but before Euron's increasingly sharp perception, it missed repeatedly. Euron's body became like a fallen leaf in the wind, precisely predicting and adhering to the airflow of every attack, letting the lethal tip graze his clothes by millimeters. They faced off daily on the seaside training ground, the clash of metal weaving with the sound of waves. One poured out the flowing sword skills of Braavos; the other tempered evasion art into instinct.
Meanwhile, [Talent: Archaeologist] granted Euron not only insight into antiquities but also extraordinary comprehension of linguistic symbols. When learning other languages from Lysa, his astonishing speed surprised her. Obscure grammar and ancient vocabulary quickly found their places and connections in his mind. Within months, he shed beginner stumbles, conversing deeply with Lysa in fluent, accurate High Valyrian. The language of ancient dragonlords spoken by him carried a chilling authority.
[Talent: Fish-Man Breath] completely changed Euron's relationship with the sea. He was no longer just a raider sailing a boat, but a part of the ocean. He could dive deep into the cold darkness like a seal, his powerful lungs allowing him to stay underwater for long periods. His speed shuttling between reefs surpassed startled fish, agile as if gravity lost effect underwater. This sea, which birthed and swallowed countless Ironborn, had become a vast courtyard for him to explore and conquer at will.
Finally, Euron stared at the [Special Item: Lineage Factor].
Euron stood alone on the highest sea stack of Pyke, dark giant waves crashing below. He gripped the black jade container, the liquid inside rippling as if imprisoning a miniature, storm-ravaged ocean. Without hesitation, he tipped his head and poured it into his mouth.
An unearthly chill exploded instantly, freezing his blood and breath, as if swallowing the core of the Heart of Winter. Then, scorching heat rolled back, rushing and burning in every vein like molten lava! He grunted, kneeling on one knee, nails digging deep into the hard rock. Bones made faint cracking sounds under the burden; muscle fibers tore and reassembled madly. His consciousness was thrown into an endless dark ocean, sinking under a vortex of pain.
On the edge of fading consciousness, a magnificent vision unfolded: A majestic throne made of massive coral, pale kraken bones, and countless ship keels stood at the bottom of the silent abyss. On the throne sat a blurred but incredibly imposing figure, wearing a crown of woven seaweed and dull metal, holding a massive pale bone spear that seemed capable of piercing the primordial chaos. Giant sea dragons and northern krakens prostrated tamely at his feet—it was the Grey King, the ancestor who ruled all seas in Ironborn myth!
The pain receded like the tide. An unprecedented sense of power surged from the depths of his bloodline, vast and ancient. He stood slowly, his body light as sea foam yet containing the heavy power of a reef. The world in his perception had changed completely: He could clearly "hear" the water disturbed by a school of mackerel fleeing miles away, "smell" the sulfur from deep-sea vents, and even "touch" the sleeping, slowly pulsing earth veins at the base of the island. Pyke was no longer just cold stone; it felt like an extension of his body.
A deeper change originated from the soul. A desolate, majestic, inhuman will awakened a wisp within him. When he looked again at the vast ocean that swallowed countless ancestors, his gaze was completely different—no longer a conqueror eyeing a beast to tame, but a returning king looking down at his inherent, unquestionable territory. This bloodline did not grant him god-like manipulation of seawater, but gave him unparalleled affinity and understanding of the ocean, a pressure that made all marine life instinctively awe-struck, and a primitive sense of submission deeply rooted in the source of all Ironborn bloodlines.
His eyes were no longer windows of a mortal. The left was the Abyss Black, devouring everything, purer than the deepest midnight, as if all light falling into it would be crushed and absorbed, leaving only absolute emptiness and silence. Opposite it, the right was the Azure Blue of the sea before a storm, seeming to imprison impending thunder and electric snakes tearing sea and sky, surging with near-berserk energy.
Grey King Bloodline:
1. Ocean Perception Extension: Consciousness can spread like a jellyfish into surrounding waters. Without sight, perceive subtle current changes, fish movements, and approaching large creatures (seals, sharks) miles away. Especially strong in storms, able to "read" the anger and rhythm of waves.
2. Beast Awe: Large marine creatures instinctively feel awe or curiosity toward you, rather than attacking. Potential to command legendary sea beasts.
3. Deep Sea Body: Strength and endurance significantly boosted in water; swimming speed rivals the fastest dolphins. Body resists pressure and cold better, diving far deeper than normal humans while maintaining core temperature and mobility.
4. Bloodline Majesty: Ironborn who believe in the Drowned God will feel a reverence and obedience originating from deep within their blood.
5. Unknown.
6. Unknown...
These Abyss Eyes and Azure Eyes were the manifestation of power deep in his blood.
Eye of the Abyss (Left - Black):
All illusions and magical disguises have nowhere to hide before this eye of absolute truth. Falsehoods twist and dissipate like gauze thrown into fire, revealing the ugly or mundane reality beneath. He can even actively view internal sickness or invading toxins as "impurities," using willpower to extract and devour them into nothingness. With just a stare, burning flames are strangled by invisible hands, quickly dimming and extinguishing into smoke.
Eye of Azure (Right - Blue):
This eye dominates external violent forces. Water currents within his sight are no longer free but obey his will to gather, spiral, and transform into giant fists impacting everything or incredibly tough water shields. He can sense and guide energy flowing in the atmosphere, calling storms, gathering dark clouds at unnatural speeds, with wind and lightning heeding his command.
This power was peerlessly tyrannical. Just a slight attempt made the world spin. Clearly, to continuously control these eyes that could make the ocean bow would require long years of tempering and adaptation.