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Translator: CinderTL
"Damn it..."
Danny cursed under his breath as he watched Uriel's retreating figure. His gaze fell back to the lone bottle of dark red liquid on the counter, and he muttered to himself in confusion, "I tasted it myself earlier—there was absolutely nothing wrong with it... How could it cause a bloodline mutation?"
"Forget it. I need to figure out how to scrape together the membership fee first. Five silver coins... they're practically vampires!"
Just as he was frowning in deep thought, a shadow suddenly fell over the counter.
Tap, tap, tap...
After a few light taps on the wooden counter, Roland spoke slowly, "Excuse me..."
"Ah! Good day to you!"
Startled awake, Danny jerked his head up, his wrinkled face instantly breaking into an ingratiating smile. "What can I do for you?"
"I couldn't help but overhear earlier..." Roland gestured in the direction Uriel had left, a gentle smile on his face. "You seem to be quite knowledgeable about bloodlines?"
"Of course! Let me tell you, bloodlines are..."
The word "bloodline" seemed to flip a switch. Danny's hunched posture straightened instantly, his hands gesturing animatedly.
This sudden burst of energy contrasted sharply with his aged appearance.
Realizing he was getting carried away, the old alchemist coughed awkwardly, a hint of embarrassment creeping onto his face.
Roland paid no mind to his discomfort, simply asking softly, "Then... may I see the potential potion you've crafted?"
"Of course, of course."
Danny immediately grabbed the dark red potion from the counter, but before handing it over, he leaned in conspiratorially and whispered, "Sir... are you looking to buy? I must warn you, the ingredients for the potential potion are extremely rare. Each bottle costs eight silver coins, and..."
He glanced around nervously, like a guilty thief.
"If you decide to take it, please don't mention you got it from me."
Seeing his furtive behavior, Roland's expression turned somewhat complicated.
He was indeed intrigued by this bloodline-related potion and wanted to investigate its effects, but...
He hadn't promised to buy it.
After a slight shake of his head, Roland said calmly, "Very well, Mr. Danny. But before that, may I examine the potion first?"
"Of course."
Seeing Roland hadn't refused, Danny readily placed the potion into his hand.
"Since we're about the same age, you can just call me Danny."
About the same age?
Roland glanced at Danny's aged face, then subconsciously touched his own smooth chin, unsure how to respond. He ultimately settled on a polite nod.
As he uncorked the bottle, a thick, metallic scent of blood instantly filled the air.
"Kobold..."
Recognizing the familiar scent, Roland's eyebrows twitched slightly. He dipped a finger into the potion and, with Danny's tacit approval, brought the fingertip to his lips.
The moment the liquid touched his tongue, his taste synesthesia ability activated. A torrent of information, far more intense than any previous potion he had tasted, surged into his senses.
The analysis of the potion's composition was completed almost instantaneously.
The base was Moonlight Grass sap, stabilized with a small amount of Iron Rock powder, and supplemented with various rare and precious medicinal herbs.
The most striking and discordant ingredient was a strand of crudely refined kobold blood essence.
Even in such a minute dose, its primal, restless strength could easily overwhelm an ordinary human's body.
Of course, for Roland, who had already become a transcendent professional, this minor stimulus posed no threat.
However, what truly shook his mind wasn't the crude ingredients themselves, but the faint yet crystal-clear effect they triggered.
The medicinal liquid, like a cold spark, fell into the depths of his dormant bloodline.
In that instant,
the dragon bloodline normally hidden deep within him seemed to stir. Whether startled by the foreign, lowly kobold essence or stirred by some clumsy imitation of an "awakening" intent, it produced an infinitesimal resonance.
It was like a giant beast slumbering for millennia, its eyelashes twitching slightly within its boundless dream.
There was no surge of power, no transformation of form, only a fleeting, noble sensation of "awakening" originating from the very essence of life.
The feeling vanished in an instant, so faint it was almost like a hallucination.
Roland slowly opened his eyes, a fleeting, elusive golden glimmer flashing deep within his azure irises.
With practiced composure, he returned the potion bottle to Danny, who was watching him anxiously.
Yet inwardly, a storm was brewing.
This crude, potentially dangerous potion, at its core, could actually touch the domain of "bloodlines," and...
It could react with the Dragon Blood within his veins?
Though the effect was negligible and the method crude, the specificity...
Was alarmingly precise.
"H-how was it?"
Danny swallowed nervously, his voice dry as he carefully observed Roland's every move.
"If you're not satisfied, I have other potential potions made from different materials. I guarantee they will..."
"Very good," Roland said, nodding slightly before Danny could finish speaking. His gaze returned to the dark red potion.
"This potion... how much do you have in stock?"
Although he had already analyzed the potion's ingredients and preparation method using his taste synesthesia, most of the required materials—aside from kobold blood—were either priceless or unavailable on the market.
Having just arrived in Golden Grain City, he currently lacked the connections to acquire these rare ingredients.
Purchasing the finished potion directly from Danny, while expensive, was...
With Colin's financial support, money was the least of Roland's concerns.
"This is the last bottle..."
Danny's face lit up with excitement at the recognition of his craftsmanship.
"If you need more, you'll have to give me some time..."
Thump!
Before he could finish, Roland had already unfastened his coin pouch from his waist and placed it firmly on the counter.
"Use these coins as you see fit," he said, his tone calm yet unwavering.
"I need you to brew more potions as quickly as possible. Any problems?"
Danny's eyes lit up instantly as he glimpsed the golden glow inside the loosened pouch, his hands unconsciously rubbing together.
"Of course! Absolutely no problem!"
After briefly explaining his needs, Roland took the potential potion and left the Alchemists' Guild.
Cautiously surveying his surroundings to ensure no one was watching, he swiftly slipped into a secluded alley and drained the dark red liquid in one gulp.
In the next moment, a clearer and more intense sensation of "revival" surged through him, far stronger than when he had first tasted it.
It felt as if some ancient fragment within his bloodline had finally been struck true, resonating with a clear chime that only he could perceive, echoing through the ages within his body.
After a few breaths, as the potion's effects fully absorbed, Roland exhaled deeply and eagerly summoned his Job Panel.
Current Bloodline Fusion Progress: 78%
"It increased by two points!"
Seeing the long-stagnant number finally change, Roland clenched his fist in barely restrained excitement.
"If I keep taking this potion, it won't be long before I complete the dragonborn class advancement!"
Recalling the immense power Graham had displayed when activating his bloodline, Roland's lips curled into a slight smile as he turned toward his lodgings.
"Even if this Hidden Profession doesn't grant me any special abilities, just mastering the bloodline secret art Graham taught me will be enough to drastically enhance my strength!"
As he pondered this, a sudden commotion erupted ahead.
Following the noise, Roland saw two groups facing off tensely on the wide street.
One side was clearly composed of soldiers from the Golden Valley Kingdom.
But judging by their travel-worn appearance, battle scars, and slightly worn armor, they weren't the garrison stationed in Golden Grain City.
As for the other side...
When Roland recognized the distinctive blue and white striped emblem on their uniforms, his brow furrowed deeply.
Remembering Graham's solemn warning before his departure, he sighed softly and stepped toward the escalating conflict in the street's center.
(End of the Chapter)
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