Free Web NovelChapter 309: Chapter 297: [Dragon’s Breath]
"Argh!"
Roland let out a muffled groan and fell to one knee. His fingers dug into the edge of the table, his knuckles turning white from the force.
He felt as if lava was flowing beneath every inch of his skin, forcibly reshaping him with a savage Power.
This wasn’t a superficial change to his skin. It was the agonizing process of his deeper structures being torn apart and rewoven by some incomparably tough substance.
Sweat instantly soaked his bangs, dripping down his tense jawline.
He clenched his jaw, enduring the waves of pain that washed over him like a tide. He could clearly feel a dense, elastic network spreading, forming, and solidifying along his dermis, resonating with the Dragon Blood coursing through him.
The process seemed to last an eternity, or perhaps only a few heartbeats.
Finally, the terrifying, sharp pain slowly receded like an ebbing tide, leaving only a warm, ember-like numbness and a sense of...
...unprecedented solidity.
Roland panted heavily as he slowly stood up. Only then did he see the new text that had abruptly appeared in his vision.
[You have gained the Trait: Dragon Scale Armor]
[Dragon Scale Armor: Your skin has become dark and tough, with faint, mysterious, scale-like patterns on its surface—proof of the Ancient Dragon Power flowing in your blood. It is not only exceptionally hard, capable of resisting sword slashes and arrow strikes, but it also demonstrates extraordinary resistance to Elemental Powers like Flame, Ice, and lightning. Heat is tempered, cold cannot penetrate to the bone, and the might of lightning is redirected, as if an invisible and eternal suit of Dragon Scale Armor constantly protects you. When attacked, the scale patterns will shimmer, becoming more distinct as if awakening the dormant Dragon Blood within. This protection is not static; its effectiveness can be further awakened with increased bloodline purity or Constitution.]
"Dragon Scale... Armor?"
Roland gently shook his aching head, and his golden, slitted pupils slowly moved down to his arm.
His once fair skin now had a dark, weather-beaten texture, like burnished, dark leather.
He reached out a slightly trembling finger and touched the skin on his arm.
It still felt soft, yet it conveyed an unusual density and resilience, as if an invisible, paper-thin layer of armor lay just beneath the surface.
Noticing this strangeness, Roland took a few stumbling steps toward a candlestick to get a closer look.
In the flickering firelight, he finally caught sight of the almost imperceptible phenomenon.
Beneath his skin, extremely faint Dark Gold Patterns, thinner than a strand of hair, were barely visible.
They intertwined into ancient, mysterious, scale-like networks that hugged the contours of his muscles, like ancient totems surfacing from the depths of his bloodline. One could only catch a glimpse of them by concentrating intently under specific lighting.
On a whim, Roland drew the Secret Silver Longsword from his waist and tentatively slashed at his forearm.
The tearing sensation he expected never came.
The tip of the blade slid across, leaving only a faint white mark, as if it had been drawn across tough, tanned rhinoceros hide.
The skin displayed astonishing resistance, firmly blocking the sharp metal.
This was different from the simple toughness he’d gained from practicing the Secret Silver Body Tempering Technique.
In that instant, he clearly felt the Dark Gold Patterns under his skin activate slightly. A faint, warm current gathered at the point of impact, dispersing and neutralizing the force.
There was only a slight, dull pain, and the white mark faded within a few breaths, leaving his skin as it was before.
Roland lowered the longsword and slowly clenched his fist, feeling this quiet yet solid Guardian Power.
It was subtle yet powerful, completely different from the overt, domineering pressure of Dragon Mighty. It was a fundamental, ever-present form of protection.
’A reshaping from the inside out... No need to summon it. It’s perpetual.’
After carefully contemplating the changes brought by the Dragon Scale Armor, a cold, golden light flickered in Roland’s eyes.
This meant that from now on, he had considerable resistance to ordinary sword slashes, stray arrows, and flying stones.
And the described resistance to Elemental Power gave him more confidence when facing the threat of Casters.
’And... it can be further awakened and evolved based on bloodline purity and Constitution...?’
Just as Roland was pondering this, several short lines of golden text flashed rapidly in his vision once more.
"More new Traits?"
Seeing this, Roland couldn’t help but be astonished.
When taking on an ordinary Profession, one would usually only awaken a single Trait. Even his previous hidden Profession, Pirate, had only granted him two.
But Dragon Descendant...
[Detecting host’s life source...]
[Special Energy source detected: Ancient Dragon Blood]
[Analyzing bloodline lineage...]
[Trace complete. Confirmed: Bronze Dragon Bloodline]
[Bloodline Purity: Medium (Improvable)]
[Associated Elements: Ocean, Storm, Lightning, Justice (Inclination)]
[Optimizing Profession template based on bloodline origin...]
[Optimization complete]
[Current Profession: Dragon Descendant (Bronze Dragon Bloodline)]
Just as Roland was marveling at the successive gifts from the Dragon Descendant Profession, the Power lurking deep within his bloodline stirred once more.
This time, however, it didn’t bring pain. Instead, it transformed into a surging torrent of Energy that rushed up from the depths of his chest.
The moment he sensed this strange feeling, the Shadow Veil had already spread silently. The next moment...
"Hah!"
Roland opened his mouth involuntarily. What burst from his throat was not a human voice, but a string of faint, crackling, and ceaselessly leaping electric sparks.
The air instantly filled with the scent of ozone, like just before a thunderstorm. His molten-gold slitted pupils constricted slightly from the wild Energy surging through his body.
[You have gained the Trait: Dragon’s Breath]
[Dragon’s Breath (Lightning): You have inherited the bloodline gift of the ancient Bronze Dragons, allowing you to call upon and command the power of Storm and lightning. Your breath is the very manifestation of the Thunderbolt.]
[You can channel your bloodline Energy to spew a cone or line of raging lightning breath from your mouth. Its power can be conducted by water and metal. This breath ignores conventional physical defenses, tearing flesh, corroding metal, and breaking the will.]
[Warning: Dragon’s Breath is immensely powerful, but its cost is equally staggering. It will rapidly drain your physical stamina and Spirit. Use with caution. The number of daily uses depends on your Constitution and bloodline purity.]
’Dragon’s Breath... and it’s lightning.’
Suppressing the tingling sensation still lingering in his throat and sensing that the aura of lightning had been contained by the Shadow Veil, Roland found the golden light in his eyes growing even brighter.
This was undoubtedly a destructive power that belonged to the Dragon Race, far surpassing Dragon Mighty and Dragon Scale Armor!
’So... that dragon I encountered back in Wuxi Town... was it a Bronze Dragon?’
He slowly raised his hand and, with a mere thought, tried to guide a sliver of the newborn Thunder Power.
In an instant, a few pale-white, thread-like arcs of electricity appeared at his fingertips. They leaped and coiled, emitting a faint but dangerous crackling sound that cast a flickering light on his stern profile.
