Dense white smoke billowed all around. The monsters below could not see what was happening above, catching only the faint silhouette of a colossal shadow emerging within the haze.
*Roar—!*
Langpu unleashed a draconic bellow.
As the smoke cleared, he tore through the discarded husk of his old skin and slowly rose upright, bracing his body on both arms.
Elezerg's very first dragonblood ogre was born—provided dragons did not possess utterly absurd aesthetic tastes.
The creature before them could no longer be called an ogre.
He stood over five meters tall and nearly as broad. Even if members of his former tribe stood before him, they would look like stunted gnomes.
Bright crimson scales coated his still-corpulent, massive frame.
His formerly thick, stubby fingers had grown slender and sharp, transforming from humanoid hands into draconic talons.
Langpu slowly opened his eyes.
His pupils were golden.
Several rows of small red horns jutted from his brow, making his already hideous and terrifying skull look even more menacing.
If one were to cut open his flesh, one would find scalding blood coursing through the ogre mage's veins, churning with violent elemental energy, as vessel networks resembling those of true dragons gradually took shape throughout his body.
Compared to an ogre, Langpu was now far better described as a "dragon ogre."
After all, he was no longer a pure giantkin, but a creature of dragon bloodline flowing with true dragon blood. His original lifespan of a few brief decades would now extend into centuries.
Now, Langpu could even unleash a breath of fire.
On Cassius's retainer panel, Langpu's stats had also undergone an earth-shaking transformation:
[Dragonblood Ogre Mage - Langpu]
Name: Langpu
Huge dragonblood giant (fire), neutral evil
Race: Dragonblood Ogre
AC: 16 (Natural Armor)
Ability Scores:
Strength: 20
Dexterity: 10
Constitution: 18
Intelligence: 17
Wisdom: 8
Charisma: 13
Proficiencies: Reading +6, Arcana +4, Hunting +4, Ruling +4, Herbalism +2, Persuasion +2, Tactics +2
Senses: Passive Perception 14
Languages: Common, Draconic, Giant
Actions: Slam, Bite, Pummel, Claw
Special Traits: Breath Weapon (Fire)
Equipment: Circlet of Intellect Study, Ring of Arcana, Albert's Mithral Bracelet
Class Level: Level 6 Wizard
Caster Level: 6
Spells:
Cantrips: Fire Bolt
1st Level: Burning Hands
2nd Level: Scorching Ray
3rd Level: Fireball
Challenge: 10 (7,000 XP)
Assessment: "This dragonblood ogre will roast you into barbecue and swallow you whole."
His challenge rating had soared straight to 10. Key attributes like Strength, Constitution, and Dexterity had all undergone radical improvements, and he had gained the special trait of a breath weapon.
At the same time, Cassius could clearly feel that—owing to the suppression rooted deep within the bloodline—the bond between him and his retainer had grown far tighter. There was no longer any chance of disobedience.
Even a fleeting thought of betrayal would be instantly detected.
"Remarkable results," Cassius mused with satisfaction.
However, this was something Langpu had achieved at the risk of his own life, backed by his deep study of the Weave.
Cassius knew this was not a universal outcome.
"Master, I succeeded!"
Langpu's voice brimmed with irrepressible excitement and joy, mingled with the profound gratification of a wizard whose grand experiment had triumphed.
The monster atop the boulder—now far better described as a "dragon ogre"—knelt to offer his gratitude to the red dragon, then leaped down, sending a heavy thud shuddering through the earth.
"Boss, you're so damn huge!"
"Think of how much more food you can pack away!"
The ogres, adhering strictly to the principle that "bigger is better," cheered wild approval for their boss's new form. In their simple, brutish minds, the only thing that mattered was that growing bigger meant being able to eat much more.
Off to the side, Duoluo's face was clouded with dark resentment.
"Chimera."
Cassius called out the second name.
The chimera was the red dragon's very first retainer and the top combat force of Cinder Nest.
What was more, it was already a distant relative of dragons. Cassius wanted to conduct an experiment to see what effect this "Bloodline Boon" would have on a creature that already possessed draconic ancestry.
Even if it failed, the red dragon would feel no heartbreak. After all, a chaotic evil beast like this possessed little loyalty to speak of.
The three-headed monster landed on the boulder, folded its wings, and submissively lowered its heads.
The blood entered the dragon head's maw.
The chimera let out a muffled growl as the blood boiled within its veins.
Yet it did not experience the agonizing torment the ogre had endured. For a creature that was already of draconic descent, dragon blood was far less difficult to assimilate.
The monsters watched in silence. The chimera's reaction was nowhere near as violent as Langpu's.
As the blood spread through its entire body, all three heads reared back together.
The dragon head even spat a burst of flame involuntarily.
Though the chimera possessed three distinct heads, its will remained a single entity; the different heads merely represented three facets of its nature.
The dragon head drove it to raid, plunder, and hoard treasure; the lion's instincts stirred its desire to hunt down and eliminate powerful threats within its territory; and the goat head made it spiteful, stubborn, and inclined to fight to the death.
Originally, the chimera had been dominated by its lion head.
Yet as the Boon Blood suffused its body, the dragon head continually expanded. Keratinous spines at the back of the neck extended from the skull down its spine, replacing the thick mane, while scales gradually sprouted where lion fur had once grown.
*Roar—!*
The chimera's dragon head raised high and let out a long, piercing roar.
Its body rapidly swelled, growing at a pace visible to the naked eye.
Lacking the ogre's extraordinary means of siphoning magical energy, its growth tapered off after reaching a length of just over eight meters.
Yet its dragon head grew far faster than the lion or goat heads, allowing its draconic personality to take complete dominance.
Compared to the contradictory mishmash of beasts it had been before, the chimera now resembled a misshapen red dragon, with the goat and lion heads reduced to cumbersome appendages.
*Growl...*
Only after fully digesting the power did the chimera submissively lower its three heads once more, letting out a unified, low rumble.
Cassius could sense that, whether due to the gap in raw strength or the bloodline's suppression, the chimera had completely abandoned any thought of rebellion. It wanted nothing more than to latch onto its powerful master wholeheartedly.
As for what the future might hold, that was hard to say. Loyalty unto death was simply not part of a dragon's nature.
Cassius's retainer panel shifted as well:
[Draconic Chimera]
Challenge: 9 (5,000 XP)
The chimera's challenge rating had reached 9, second only to Langpu.
The power of its fiery breath had grown far more terrifying, and the scales covering its body granted a dramatic boost to its natural armor. The blades of the giant eagle riders would now find it exceedingly difficult to pierce its hide.
*How could a mere beast receive the boon before me...?*
Seeing the chimera receive the gift first, the hobgoblin Duoluo's expression turned even darker.
Only the red dragon's towering presence kept him from acting on his rage. He could only force down his anger and remain where he stood, though his breathing grew noticeably ragged.
Chapter 40