They had just been discussing the near impossibility of obtaining a bloodline power, and now, suddenly, someone among them casually admitted to already having one. How was that even possible?
"Dohoho. What is going on?" Bodo asked, his laughter faltering as he noticed their stunned silence.
After their collective exclamation, a brief, heavy silence fell over the group as they processed this revelation. Bodo simply stood there, his usual foolish grin returning as he failed to grasp why this was so surprising.
Leyvi blinked, his mind racing. So this means Bodo probably was not even serious during our spars. I did not sense any bloodline power leaking from him at all. Even though I restricted some of my own moves for training, I went all out with what I could use against him. The realization was both humbling and astounding.
"Brother Bodo, what bloodline power do you have?" Leyvi asked, his curiosity overpowering his shock.
"I can become a big ape," Bodo replied excitedly, using his massive hands to gesture just how big.
"Huh? An ape?" Leyvi said, his head swiveling toward Dastan, who looked even more shocked than anyone else. "Is there a bloodline power like that?"
"Of course there is," Dastan replied, his voice a mixture of awe and disbelief. "Bloodline powers have their own tiers. The ability to transform is a transformation bloodline power, and it is considered the strongest type. It temporarily transforms the inheritor to be much closer to the bloodline's original form. This guy is just ridiculous. Not only did he inherit a bloodline power, he got the best and rarest kind! This is already beyond mere luck."
"Well, he did say that it was given to him by his masters," Anda chimed in, her tone thoughtful. "Perhaps this was not the same chance inheritance people get from consuming awakened demonic beasts. Am I right, Bodo?"
"Madam is right," Bodo nodded, happy to explain. "My masters gave me a weird, thick drink many times. After I drank it, I could transform."
"So, that big ape you mentioned, is that supposed to be the bloodline's true form?" Leyvi wondered aloud.
Bodo just scratched his head, offering an awkward smile. He did not possess the knowledge to give Leyvi a proper answer.
"Yes, that is the prevailing theory among experts," Dastan confirmed, stepping in to explain.
"Once demonic beasts awaken their bloodline power, they gradually begin to gain physical features of that bloodline's true form. However, no one knows for certain if they can ever achieve a complete transformation. When you compare the appearance of awakened demonic beasts with transformation powers before and after their change, the difference is drastic. Even with the features they have already gained, it leads to speculation that they might need to evolve many more times before ever reaching their ultimate bloodline form."
Inwardly, Dastan was already contemplating a new plan. He probably should try to recruit Bodo. Letting such a talent follow Leyvi to a backward continent seemed like a tremendous waste. If Bodo joined his kingdom, he would be gaining a terrifyingly powerful body cultivator. The Howling Kingdom possessed all the necessary resources to raise him into the mightiest Royal Guard in its entire history.
Given Bodo's simple and loyal personality, treating him with genuine kindness would almost certainly secure his unwavering loyalty. Yet, it was deeply regrettable that Bodo had already formed such a strong bond with Leyvi. He feared he might have missed his chance, and no longer held the upper hand in any recruitment effort.
"Brother Bodo, did you not tell anyone else about this?" Leyvi asked. "What about Princess Waniwani, whom you served before?"
Bodo shook his head earnestly. "Nobody talked about this kind of thing, so I didn't say anything."
Anda could not help but chuckle softly. That Princess Waniwani had truly missed a golden opportunity. Another profoundly unlucky individual was that cockroach villain, Ori. He had made Bodo his slave, but for some inexplicable reason, he had left him behind and paid the price for it.
If Bodo had been with him, Anda doubted it would have been so easy for Lilian to annihilate them, even with her army of demonic plants. In the end, it was her husband who had reaped the benefit.
"Hahaha! Good," Leyvi said with an approving laugh. "Next time, you shouldn't tell others about this so freely. This is your trump card. You don't want your future opponents to know what you are truly capable of."
"Is that so? Dohoho! Thank you for teaching me, Brother Leyvi!" Bodo replied, his excitement bubbling up as it always did whenever Leyvi offered him guidance.
"Alright, who else wants to join the hunt? Raise your hand," Leyvi said, his gaze sweeping over the group.
Bodo, Ava, Valenia, and Cempaka immediately raised their hands. Except for the typically emotionless Cempaka, the others looked eager and ready for a fight, their energy palpable.
Livana hesitated. A part of her wanted to join, but she was held back by concern for her pregnancy. In the end, she kept her hand down, deciding it was better to avoid unnecessary risk.
As for Tamina, although she was capable in a fight, she knew she was not yet strong enough to face a commander-level demonic beast directly. During the previous battle with the Commander Level Demonic Elephant on the island, her role had been to use the Core Replication Pill provided by Anda, combining her strength with the other ladies to bombard the elephant with a series of powerful explosions just to breach its defenses, leaving the final blow to Cempaka.
"I will lend you Little Fiery to clear the surrounding snow," Anda offered with a warm smile.
"Alright. The strategy is simple," Leyvi began, laying out the plan. "Brother Bodo and I will face the moose first. We will try to tank its attacks and wear it down. Valenia and Cempaka, you two prepare your strongest attacks and wait for my signal. Ava, your job is to distract it as much as possible while it is focused on us. Just sneak in, attack, and retreat immediately. Don't let it target you. Does everyone understand?" Leyvi looked at each of them for confirmation.
They all nodded. It was a straightforward plan that leveraged their individual strengths effectively.
Only the hulking Bodo was overly excited, his entire body trembling with anticipation, his muscles twitching involuntarily. He was accustomed to fighting alone; a coordinated group hunt like this was a thrilling first for him.
Ten minutes later, the hunting party descended through the frigid air. They rode a separate celestial cloud, with Little Fiery floating protectively above Leyvi, its flames a small beacon against the pervasive cold.
As they drew near the demonic moose, the beast sensed their presence. It surged to its feet immediately, its immense form rising halfway out of the deep snow. Its massive, branching antlers instantly changed color, shifting to a blinding white that perfectly matched the surrounding landscape.
ROO..ROAARRR!
The roar that erupted shook the very atmosphere. Only Leyvi could understand the meaning behind the thunderous sound.
Intruders! Die!
The snow around the moose exploded outward, transforming into a terrifying blizzard filled with large, razor-sharp icicles that shot upward toward the group. The wind howled, becoming a turbulent, freezing gale.
In that moment, everyone realized the moose possessed a bloodline power, granting it control over snow and ice.
Simultaneously, Little Fiery shot down to meet the incoming blizzard. It expanded rapidly, swelling into a miniature sun ten meters in diameter, unleashing an intense, scorching heat. The frigid atmosphere vanished, replaced in an instant by a wave of sweltering warmth.
The Qi protections everyone had been using to guard against the cold now shifted, reforming into barriers against the sudden, overwhelming heat.
All the snow and ice in the immediate vicinity evaporated instantly. Snow dozens of kilometers away began to melt at a visible rate. The terrifying blizzard dissolved into nothing but a blanket of warm rain and a thick, rising mist.
The observers watching from the main celestial cloud, except for those already familiar with Little Fiery's true power, were utterly shocked. What level had this Special Fire reached? How could a flame used for alchemy possess such devastating combat potential? They knew alchemists could use their Special Fires in battle, but this display was on an entirely different level.
Witnessing the scene unfold, Seraphina shuddered involuntarily. With a Special Fire of that magnitude, the panda woman could easily reduce anyone to ashes if she so desired. A chilling realization dawned on her. Aside from the Nascent Soul Realm crown prince, Anda might very well be the most powerful person among them.
Fuck! This prince knew from the beginning that this woman was scary! Dastan thought, a cold sweat forming. It was a good thing this prince never seriously opposed her. That fire could even burn me, a Nascent Soul Realm powerhouse, to death. Where did Leyvi even find a wife like this? He stole a glance at the smiling, panda-like woman, his mind reeling. That Special Fire must have been constantly nurtured with Fire Concept for it to grow to such an insane level.
In mere moments, the entire landscape had been transformed. Where there was once a frozen expanse, water now flowed, filling the vast crater and spreading across the surrounding area. The snow was gone, replaced by a newly formed lake.
The Commander Level Demonic Moose now stood deep in water instead of snow. It stared up at the miniature sun with fierce, wary eyes, recognizing instinctively that the floating ball of fire posed the greatest threat to its life.