Translator: CinderTL
You once touched the Dragon Soul's mark on the brink of death, awakening an ancient bloodline that surged like molten lava.
Since then, a metallic roar has echoed through your veins, and the cold glint of golden vertical pupils occasionally flashes in your eyes.
This is not the complete authority of a dragon, but a seed of potential. If you nurture this strength with your will, one day you may gaze upon the true glory of the dragon race.
Such a savage blessing demands a price. To wield the dragon's wrath, you must first tame the primal savagery deep within your bloodline with your will. As for when it will turn against you and devour you?
The answer lies within the flames.
The moment the golden inscriptions appeared, an indescribable torrent of heat erupted from the depths of Roland's body, sweeping through every inch of his flesh and bone like an awakening ancient dragon.
This was no longer the fleeting burn of a potion; it was a more primal, profound power fully awakening, as if a volcano dormant for millennia had finally erupted.
His heart pounded violently, each contraction like a giant hammer striking an anvil, pumping scorching blood infused with this new strength throughout his body.
The thunderous roar of his surging blood echoed in his ears, like subterranean lava surging through underground channels.
The most striking change occurred in his eyes.
After a brief stinging and burning sensation, the colors in Roland's vision suddenly became vivid and sharp.
Even in the dimly lit room, he could clearly perceive subtle details that had previously escaped his notice.
He approached a silver mirror hanging on the wall and gazed at his reflection...
He saw a pair of inhuman eyes.
The original color of his pupils gradually deepened, eventually solidifying into molten gold, vertical slits—cold, majestic, and carrying the predatory gaze of a hunter.
Apart from this, his facial features and physique remained unchanged, retaining their human form. Yet these eyes imbued him with an aura of ancient mystery.
He slowly clenched his fist, acutely aware of the unprecedented power surging beneath his skin.
His muscles had become tougher, his bones felt as if they had been forged through countless trials, and his entire body pulsed with dormant potential ready to erupt.
"This must be... the gift of the Dragon Bloodline?"
The significant increase in three attributes on his Job Panel confirmed his perception.
Previously, when he had first become a knight, even accounting for all his traits and bonuses, he had only just stepped through the door to transcendence, far from matching the seasoned strength of veterans like Graham...
But now, feeling the power coursing through his bloodline, Roland slowly exhaled a scorching breath and clenched his fists again.
"My base strength should now rival that of an ordinary transcendent like Reggie. Considering all my traits and enhancements... while I still fall short of Graham, I should have an absolute advantage against Reggie."
After roughly assessing his condition, Roland gazed at the inhuman golden vertical pupils reflected in the mirror.
After a brief moment of acclimation, he no longer hesitated and silently recited:
"Assume the Dragonborn class."
A new line of text materialized in his vision:
Detected: Hidden Profession available: Dragonborn
Requirement: Dragon Bloodline
Assume class?
"Confirm assumption!"
Class assumption successful. Current class: Dragonborn
"No attribute bonuses?"
Just as Roland began to wonder, another line of golden text slowly appeared:
Gained trait: Dragon's Might
Dragon's Might: Without a word or gesture, your very presence exudes overwhelming pressure, like the awakening of an ancient dragon. A vast draconic aura naturally emanates, causing the surrounding air to stagnate, all sounds to cease, and the minds of the weak-willed to be seized by an invisible force, instinctively trembling and retreating as their fighting spirit crumbles. Even those with strong souls must overcome primal fear to meet your gaze. The spiritually frail will feel as if they stand on the brink of an abyss, their minds collapsing entirely. The range and intensity of this awe-inspiring effect scale with your mental attribute value.
"Another spirit-based trait!"
After carefully reading the description of Dragon's Might, Roland clenched his fist in excitement.
The trait Dazzling Charm, which he had awakened upon becoming a Juggler, was already incredibly potent, capable of bewitching even the Lich that had ravaged the Mistland.
However, Dazzling Charm required the target's direct gaze to activate.
The mental assault only took effect when the target observed him performing a trick.
But this new trait, Dragon's Might...
Roland focused his senses on this nascent power.
It was neither dormant nor fully awakened, but rather like a colossal dragon slumbering deep within his soul, its breathing slow and profound.
An immense aura of pressure radiated from him, an invisible force field that naturally enveloped him, yet remained so tightly contained it was almost imperceptible.
After a moment, Roland realized this pressure wasn't uncontrollable.
He could clearly perceive its "contours" and "intensity," much like controlling his own breathing or heartbeat. Though still clumsy, he could already exert some influence over it.
He could suppress it completely, as if imprisoning the dragon in the abyss.
Or allow it to spread slowly, like an undercurrent.
To prevent others from detecting his Dragon's Might, Roland refrained from immediately unleashing it. Instead, he focused his will, attempting to restrain and condense the immense pressure, allowing only an imperceptible ripple to spread forward, covering an area no larger than the tabletop before him.
His targets were the flickering candlelight and a small insect quietly crawling across the table.
There was no sound, no visible light.
Yet, the instant the invisible ripple expanded—
Pfft!
The steadily burning flame seemed to be abruptly extinguished by an unseen hand, vanishing without even a wisp of smoke.
The insect froze mid-motion, its delicate legs stiffening as if frozen in time.
It wasn't dead, but an incomprehensible, primal terror rooted in its life essence had completely overwhelmed its tiny consciousness, plunging it into utter paralysis.
As Roland manipulated the Dragon's Might, he experienced a peculiar sensation himself.
Activating Dragon's Might didn't drain his physical stamina. Instead, it felt like a mental roar, a declaration of self-existence originating from his bloodline's instinct.
The icy, majestic power surged and receded within him like a tide, its release and containment precise and controllable.
He stared at the extinguished candle flame and the frozen insect, a flicker of awe and burning intensity crossing his molten gold, vertical pupils.
This power...
"No need for eye contact, no movement required, not even a hint of hostility... Just a thought, silent and instantaneous," Roland murmured to himself, his fingertips tracing noiselessly across the cold, hard tabletop.
"This is simply... a power that defies all reason."
Its strength lay in its absolute secrecy and its overwhelming, utterly unexpected dominance.
Enemies could defend against blades and block spells, but how could they resist this soul-piercing pressure, born from a crushing superiority at the very level of life itself?
Especially at close range, many would likely have their wills completely shattered before they even realized what was happening, leaving them no chance to retaliate.
Even more astonishing was how "tame" it was.
He could control its range and intensity at will.
This meant he could apply precise pressure in chaotic battles, avoid collateral damage, and even use it as an invisible deterrent or reconnaissance tool.
Unavoidable, yet manipulable at will.
"Even against transcendent beings of my own level, my mental attributes still fall slightly short. Even if I unleashed Dragon's Might, I doubt I could completely suppress them and instantly paralyze them."
"However, the true value of Dragon's Might lies in its ability to be unleashed silently during the heat of battle. Even a momentary delay in the opponent's movements can break the stalemate and tip the scales of victory in my favor."
With this thought, Roland slowly retracted Dragon's Might back into his body.
Feeling a faint stinging sensation deep within his spirit and a slight throbbing at his temples, he exhaled deeply.
"The mental power consumption isn't too severe... at least enough to sustain three to five uses during a single battle."
"Though the number of uses is limited, it's sufficient to sway the outcome. Moreover, as my mental attribute grows, the number of times I can unleash Dragon's Might should increase further..."
Just as he was deep in thought, a completely different sensation suddenly erupted from the depths of his body.
It wasn't burning heat, but a profound, bone-marrow-deep itching and feverishness.
It felt as if countless tiny, scalding grains of sand were flowing through his bloodstream, attempting to pierce the vessel walls and embed themselves in his flesh, his skin.
The sensation rapidly intensified, transforming into a pure, tearing agony.
(End of the Chapter)
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