Ashen Dragon

"Dolores."

Cassius called out the next name.

As the military chief of the Ashen Nest, as well as the designer of the trenches, fences, gates, watchtowers, and pitfalls at the Rock Fortress, Dolores did indeed need to enhance some strength as a guarantee.

The Goblin chieftain let out a sigh of relief.

This at least proved that his status in the Ashen Nest had not decreased too much—after all, such creatures love power even more than their zeal for war.

Dolores climbed onto the giant rock, kneeling on one knee in anticipation.

The blood flowed into his mouth.

Scorching.

This was the only sensation the Goblin felt.

The blood went down his throat like boiling magma, churning inside him, burning every inch of his body. He finally understood Ramp's pain.

But he still maintained his kneeling posture, trembling all over, his jaws clenched so tight that his teeth were nearly breaking.

"I will not die here."

"I will climb higher—at least higher than that foolish Ogre."

This was the only thought in the Goblin's mind at that moment.

The Goblin's originally crimson skin became translucent from the scorching elemental energy, faintly glowing with a red hue.

His body moved rhythmically.

Every heartbeat, every breath pumped Dragon Blood to every corner of his body, and through his slightly transparent flesh, his pulsating veins could be seen.

"Perhaps the effect is more apparent on non-Dragon Vein creatures."

Cassius watched the Goblin's transformation calmly, making a mental note.

"Ah——"

Finally, the Goblin could no longer bear the scorching heat and cried out in pain.

His body began to swell dramatically, with scale-like protrusions appearing under his skin.

As his roar grew more heart-wrenching, the Goblin's body rapidly expanded at a visible speed.

His height shot from around 1.8 meters directly to 2.5 meters. Scarlet scales forcibly burst through his fragile skin, emitting white smoke as they were exposed to the air.

"Huff, huff..."

He opened his mouth slightly, exhaling bursts of white smoke.

The originally sharp yellow teeth became as sharp as dragon teeth.

The scales even extended to his face, with fringes appearing on his ears, blending into the scales on his cheeks. Two small protruding horns also grew on his forehead.

A Dragon Vein Goblin was born.

His body underwent a tremendous transformation, his strength surged dramatically, and his size rivaled that of a regular Ogre.

However, as a creature more inclined towards legion warfare, he did not awaken Flame Breath but gained the ability to cast the spell "Fire Arrow," along with a heavy set of protective scales, making him more resistant to heat.

Originally having a lifespan comparable to humans and often dying in battle due to their love for war, the Goblin now became a "Long-Lived Race" with a lifespan of around three hundred years—although this was still short in the eyes of a giant dragon.

[Dragon Vein Goblin Chieftain]

Challenge Level: 7 (2900xp)

"Grateful for your generous gift."

"I can't wait—to taste the blood of my enemies on the battlefield."

Dolores panted.

His already red face flushed with excitement.

The Goblin chieftain felt an unprecedented surge of strength within him. As a creature naturally fond of war, he had a strong urge to unleash this power on the battlefield.

"Not bad."

Cassius remarked.

Dolores lacked spell support, so having this level of enhancement was quite commendable.

"Stieg."

Cassius called out the next name.

The largest of the Bipedal Wyverns in the group immediately became excited upon hearing the call.

Drooling thick saliva, it jumped onto the giant rock, using the wing bones of its forelimbs to support itself against the rock, even rhythmically swaying its thick, barbed tail.

This name certainly did not originate from this world, instead it was a little joke by Cassius.

After making an example by "killing a chicken to scare the monkeys," he casually appointed the largest of the remaining wyverns as the new leader of the wyvern group.

Wyverns, being creatures of low intelligence, often had no names.

When Cassius saw the Bipedal Wyvern with its forelimbs on the ground, he thought of the famous dragon Stieg from movies in his previous life and whimsically gave it that name.

The wyvern called "Stieg" screeched excitedly, drooling as its saliva dripped onto the rock surface.

These beasts, with bloodlines of both dragons and griffins, longed for the blood of a True Dragon.

The blood flowed into its mouth.

The Bipedal Wyvern leaned on its forewings and emitted deep growls.

Although it had dragon blood within its body, that bloodline had been diluted over countless generations, becoming extremely sparse and nowhere near comparable to the Blood of Grace from the Red Dragon.

Thus, when the blood filled with frenzied elements surged into its body, the beast was still in immense pain.

With the blood churning within, the Bipedal Wyvern began to roll around on the giant rock.

It let out ear-piercing screams.

The noise was so sharp and grating, like metal scraps rubbing and grinding against each other, that the monsters watching felt unbearable agony.

The wyvern's body also visibly swelled.

It grew from over five meters long to more than six meters, and then to over seven meters before the expansion finally ceased.

Originally covered in mucus and wrinkled skin, it grew hard, scarlet scales. The fleshly protrusions turned into keratinized spikes, and its mouth, which could previously only emit foul-smelling mucus, could now spew scorching flames.

The wyvern had become more like a True Dragon.

However, it was still a thin, ground-crawling creature.

[Ancestral Bipedal Wyvern]

Challenge Level: 8 (3900xp)

"Not bad, at least the Northwind Eagle Guards won't beat you so easily now."

Cassius commented expressionlessly.

The Bipedal Wyvern spewed a jet of flame into the sky, then jumped off the giant rock, raising its head proudly towards its companions, proving it truly was a beast.

At this moment, there was not much Dragon Blood left in the shallow pit.

Only a thin layer remained.

The blood flowed slowly.

Exuding a tempting metallic scent.

By previous standards, there should be enough for one more gift.

Presently, thousands of eyes in the valley were fixed intently on the remaining blood. They panted heavily, their gazes feverish, almost setting their eyes aflame.

Having witnessed several transformations, the blood had become a definitive symbol of power in their eyes.

Although the transformation was painful, such pain was insignificant compared to immense power.

Now, the indisputably highest-ranked beings in the Ashen Nest had finished their share.

Could someone else have a chance to partake?

The valley remained silent, but the breathing grew heavier, and the pounding heartbeats became more evident, like heavy drumbeats.

Bugbears, with beads of sweat rolling down their fur-covered foreheads, did not even blink, their gazes fixated on the pool of blood.

The Lizardfolk stood motionless in the dark corners, observing secretly, watching the blood with dead-eyed intensity.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

The wyverns stretched their necks, mouths slightly open, saliva dripping from both sides, with a look of longing in their fierce eyes.

Who would be the lucky one?

They all waited in anticipation.