Chapter 36 36: Mist
Lucia's slumber lasted for three full days and nights.
During his seclusion, the dragon elders Muriel and Atok arrived at the capital. The news that the Prince had already begun unlocking his Bloodline Inheritance sent a ripple of anxiety through the delegation. The dragons knew the cost of a premature breakthrough; forced soul-seals were not toys. Had he been too headstrong, the recoil could have shattered his mind before his journey even truly began.
Lansseax waited in the hall, her pacing a rhythmic tap against the marble. Only the divine mark she had placed on Lucia—allowing her to feel the steady, thrumming pulse of his life-force—kept her from storming the meditation chamber.
Across the garden wall, Malenia and Miquella visited daily, ostensibly to play with the white fox, though Miquella's eyes often drifted toward the inner hall. He sensed the shifting tides of divine power. Even for a child-sage, the sheer audacity of this "neonatal" dragon was staggering.
The world saw Lucia's status as a lucky accident of birth—an Empyrean title handed to a silver-spoon prince. But once the inheritance was unlocked, the narrative would shift. In the Golden Age, strength was the only true currency of legitimacy. If Lucia possessed power, he wouldn't just be a hostage; he would be a magnet for the continent's elite. From the Redmane Knights to the scattered Banished Knights of the old Storm Dynasty, warriors were already looking for a master worth dying for.
On the morning of the fourth day, Lucia's eyes snapped open.
The morning light filtering through the window lattices felt... different. Every carving on the furniture was sharp enough to cut; the dance of dust motes in the air was slow and rhythmic. He could feel every beat of his heart, every twitch of his muscles. But more than that, he felt a river of golden energy coursing through his veins.
He scrambled up, slapping his cheeks to clear the cobwebs of sleep, and summoned his status panel.
Name: Luciassax
Race: Ancient Dragon (Royal)
Level: 148
Attributes: Vigor 40, Mind 30, Endurance 15, Strength 31, Dexterity 21, Intelligence 30, Faith 30, Arcane 30
Skills: Ancient Dragon Combat Techniques, Storm Swordsmanship, Dragon King's Body, Claw of Ruin, Dragon Lightning Incantation
Legendary Abilities: Dragon Bloodline Inheritance (Unlocked), Memory Battlefield (Unlocked), ??? (Locked)
"Are you kidding me?!" Lucia hissed, staring at the mental display. "Who auto-leveled me into a Cup Build?!"
In his past life as a gamer, he knew the taboo. You either go for a specialized "nuke" build or a high-level "Bucket Build" where everything is 80+. But having four stats sitting at a mediocre 30 was a disaster. He was a jack-of-all-trades and a master of nothing.
He had gained 71 levels of raw soul-power from his parents' inheritance, but it had dumped those points into Intelligence and Arcane.
"My ancestors were all Strength-build warriors for eight generations!" he groaned, clutching his head. "None of them could cast a Glintstone Pebble to save their lives. Where did this magical affinity even come from?"
His gaze drifted to the "???" in his legendary abilities. He thought back to the icy runes in his mother's eyes—the nebula of Halaris.
The inheritance hadn't just given him power; it had handed him a riddle. He had stepped through the Bronze Gate only to find himself in a much deeper, more ancient mist.
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