Devouring the Hoard

Dragon of Apotheosis (DRAGON ASCENDANT) [Class Overview: Dragons are indisputably among the most powerful creatures native to the Material Plane, occupying a unique position in the ecology of the multiverse as the apex predators of the physical realm. Those who become Dragons of Apotheosis seek to transcend the limitations of material existence and rise above all other dragons. Their progression in levels within this class represents their steady advance toward their ultimate goal. Dragons of Apotheosis are proud and aloof, viewing the journey along the path of divine ascension as a ruthless contest. As they advance, they become more and more like true deities.] To qualify as an ascendant dragon, a dragon must meet all of the following requirements: Race: Any true dragon. Base Challenge Rating: 27+ Special Ritual: Consume Hoard. To begin the process of divine ascension, a prospective Dragon of Apotheosis must devour its hoard, transforming all its wealth into personal power in pursuit of a pure ascension powerful enough to suppress the draconic nature of greed. [Notice: Once you confirm the commencement of divine ascension, your alignment and convictions cannot be changed! Your soul will evolve toward godhood!] [Begin Divine Ascension? Yes/No] "Dragon of Apotheosis..." The Red Dragon Emperor lightly licked his lips as he carefully browsed through the vast array of information refreshed on the system panel. Having traveled to numerous Outer Planes and witnessed the mighty power of gods firsthand, Cassius understood all too well the chasm separating deities from mortal beings. If the next era arrived and the gods walked the mortal realm in their true forms, the Cinder Empire's uncompromising methods would inevitably invite a total reckoning if Cassius had not yet achieved godhood by then. Therefore, so long as he preserved the freedom of his soul, Cassius would never pass up any opportunity that could bring him closer to—or even allow him to attain—godhood. Clearly, this Dragon of Apotheosis was a near-perfect opportunity, serving as the start of his journey from mortal to deity, evolving into a pinnacle existence of the multiverse. With that thought, Cassius pressed "Confirm" without hesitation. [You have chosen to begin divine ascension and become a Dragon of Apotheosis!] In an instant, a resonant draconic roar echoed through the heavens, as if tens of thousands of dragons were lifting their heads, howling and chanting ancient songs in Draconic. A beam of blinding light descended from the sky, engulfing Cassius's colossal body. An invisible force surged toward the depths of his soul, but within that soul lingered many mottled impurities—the innate draconic nature, an inherent greed for gold coins and jewels. *Swallow your treasure!* *Eradicate your greed!* *Purge the ingrained flaws of dragonkind and transform into a true deity!* An inexplicable voice surfaced within Cassius's mind, calling out incessantly, urging him in desperate haste. Cassius inwardly counted his blessings: *Good thing I transferred most of my personal assets to the Cinder Empire's national treasury long ago. The hoard on Dragonblood Mountain should only have a little over a million gold dinars.* Tearing through space, the Red Dragon Emperor traveled directly into the interior of Dragonblood Mountain and stepped into his private vault. Gold coins were piled into mountains within, pearls and gemstones formed a vast sea, and countless pieces of equipment gleamed with magical radiance—enough to drive adventurers mad and make them throw their lives away. Yet for the Cinder Emperor, who controlled the entirety of northern Feanso and possessed wealth rivaling nations, this was merely an insignificant fraction. "Well then... let's begin." Cassius drew a deep breath. A scorching, colossal torrent of air rushed toward his gaping maw, creating a massive vortex inside his mouth and kicking up a violent storm around his body. Under this tremendous suction, the gold coins and jewels formed surging torrents, relentlessly sweeping into the Red Dragon Emperor's mouth and whipping up a glittering golden tempest in his wake. In mere moments, a fortune capable of buying an entire small kingdom entered Cassius's belly, broken down by that unknown force. Soon, liquid gold seeped from the crevices between Cassius's scales. Like slithering serpents, the molten gold gradually coated his armor-like scales, forming a thick golden layer across the red dragon's surface, studded with pearls and gems and radiating a faint magical glow. As more and more treasure was absorbed, the plating steadily thickened, growing heavier and heavier until it formed a massive golden cocoon covered in intricate runes, completely enveloping the Red Dragon Emperor. *That should be the end of it...* Cassius thought, feeling the precious metals encase his body and his soul grow increasingly pure. To his surprise, another prompt materialized on the panel. [Notice: A Dragon of Apotheosis's hoard must be worth at least 100,000 gold pieces. However, a dragon cannot choose to eat precisely 100,000 gold pieces and leave the rest behind—it must consume its entire hoard.] "To think there's such a condition. Such harsh requirements—a native dragon would probably give up at this step," Cassius remarked with feeling as he looked at the panel. "In that case, I'll follow the rules and devour all my treasure!" The Red Dragon Emperor opened his claws, and magical equipment of various colors flew out from his body, hovering above his palms. The Eye of the Storm Sovereign, the Horn of Everfrost, the time pocket watch, the vorpal scimitar, the noble efreeti ring, the Gold Dragon's Protection, the amulet of spell immunity... These pieces of equipment, which had once played vital roles for Cassius and even saved his life, were laid out before him. Their magical auras shone and interwove in a dazzling display. Cassius first picked up the magnificent blue gemstone and swallowed it whole. Instantly, thunder crashed and lightning flashed around him, dark clouds rolled, and brilliant arcs of electricity crackled across the red dragon's body. Next, the red dragon picked up the horn carved with ancient runes, popped it into his mouth, and crunched it directly to pieces. In an instant, freezing winds howled and snow filled the air. His massive draconic form was shrouded in frost, exuding waves of bone-chilling cold. Then Cassius took out the pocket watch gifted by the time dragon and swallowed it down. In a flash, winds surged and clouds gathered, space distorted, and the flow of time shifted erratically, thrown into utter chaos as though trapped in a temporal vortex. The vorpal scimitar, the efreeti ring, the Gold Dragon's Protection... Amid violent magical reactions, one precious piece of equipment after another was devoured by the red dragon. Yet miraculously, the abilities and effects of these items did not vanish. Instead, transformed by that invisible power, they surged into Cassius's body and became abilities that belonged exclusively to the Red Dragon Emperor himself! Cassius narrowed his eyes, fire swirling within his pale gold pupils, and looked at his status panel with pleasant surprise. "This is... So this wasn't mere consumption; it's the Dragon of Apotheosis's pursuit of pure, ultimate individual power!" The equipment slots had disappeared, replaced by new feats and traits: *Hoard of the Dragon of Apotheosis: When you consume your own treasure during the divine ascension ritual, you gain the effects of all devoured magical equipment and receive additional benefits.* *Golden Body: You have devoured over one million gold coins. You can briefly transform your body into pure gold, gaining a +2 bonus to armor and immunity to all crowd control effects.* *Storm Giant's Strength: Ability gained from the Eye of the Storm Sovereign. You can freely manipulate lightning and command storms.* *Power of the Everfrost Rune: Ability gained from the Everfrost rune horn. You can unleash blizzards and conjure a world of ice and snow.* *Power of Time Mastery: Ability gained from the time pocket watch. You can manipulate the flow of time within a certain area, accelerating, slowing, or even pausing time, and can unleash a cage of frozen time.* *Vorpal Claws: Ability gained from the vorpal scimitar. You coat your claws in the power of slaughter. Your claw attacks carry an execution effect, dealing instant-death damage to enemies...*