Just as despair threatened to swallow her whole, an intense, absolute chill swept violently through the humid air.
Sui watched in wide-eyed amazement as the torrential flood of caustic green venom froze dead in its tracks mid-air, instantly crystallizing into frozen glass shards.
"Ice magic?" she gasped, her breath frosting as she frantically scanned her surroundings.
"Wait... the Poison Dragon... it's completely frozen?!"
She stared in sheer, unadulterated disbelief.
The terrifying, legendary beast that had pushed her to the brink of death had been turned into a massive, immobile block of sparkling blue ice in the blink of an eye.
And right at the base of the frozen leviathan stood a familiar, reassuring figure.
Haruto casually tapped his index finger against the frosty surface of the dragon's snout.
A sharp crack echoed through the clearing as a web of fractures spiderwebbed across the monster's entire body.
"Its defenses were already heavily worn down from your attacks," Haruto noted calmly.
"Give it one more solid hit from you, and it'll shatter into dust."
Turning toward the shell-shocked elf princess with a relaxed grin, he chuckled, "Looks like I made it just in time. Talk about a quick, efficient trade."
[Ding! Trade complete!]
[Ding! You have successfully acquired the "Elf Bloodline" and "Elf Magic" abilities!]
[Ding! Due to your existing high-tier racial bloodline, the "Elf Bloodline" has automatically evolved into "Elven Force"!]
[Ding! "Elven Force" and "Elf Magic" have successfully merged into a brand-new ability: "King Of Elfs"!l]
Haruto chuckled quietly at the system's dramatic, high-fantasy prompt phrasing.
My noble bloodline doesn't allow contamination... seriously, chat system, you sure know how to dramatize things.
The newly unlocked "Elf King" ability felt remarkably similar in structure to his "Crimson Dragon God" power—another deeply potent, transformation-based asset that completely elevated his baseline capabilities.
King Of Elfs: You are the absolute ruler of the entire Elven race, the one and only sovereign Elf King.
Without hesitation, Haruto willed the transformation to activate.
Right before Sui's astonished eyes, his clothes shifted, weaving into a majestic, intricately detailed robe of pristine white and deep azure blue.
His dark hair rapidly lengthened, turning into a shimmering, ethereal silver that cascaded past his shoulders, while his ears gracefully elongated into the signature, elegant points of high elves.
Sui watched in breathless awe as Haruto fully transformed into the living embodiment of an Elf King.
The most striking, awe-inspiring feature was the pure, glowing white crown floating effortlessly just above his silver hair, radiating an aura of absolute majesty.
Yet, deep inside, Sui was gripped by an overwhelming wave of confusion.
Why did she feel such an instinctual, profound sense of subservience washing over her?
After all, she was a royal princess of the elf race! What kind of entity could possibly possess a bloodline infinitely nobler than her own ancient royal lineage?
The answer, of course, was sitting right in front of her: the supreme ruler of all elves.
Now fully settled into his new form, Haruto began testing the boundless scope of the Elf King abilities.
He could effortlessly perceive, manipulate, and command all elemental forces in his vicinity with a mere thought.
Noticing the ragged, injured state Sui was still in, he raised a single hand.
A soft, radiant golden light shimmered into existence—the pure manifestation of the light element.
A gentle, warm glow immediately enveloped Sui's bruised and battered body.
"!!!"
Sui gasped, her eyes flying wide in utter shock as her deep wounds, fatigue, and torn clothes instantly mended themselves, her vitality surging back to peak condition in seconds.
Incredible... Haruto mused internally, observing the flow of energy. It seems the light element packs immense healing properties.
Aside from light, he could sense that wood and water elements also carried potent restorative traits.
Combined with his offensive arsenal, he now commanded a terrifyingly comprehensive array of elements: light, dark, wind, fire, water, earth, wood, ice, and lightning.
After taking a quiet moment to fully test and internalize the staggering magnitude of the Elf King's power, Haruto willed his energy to recede, reverting back to his regular, human form.
Sui stepped forward, her heart pounding with profound gratitude.
Trembling slightly, she dropped into a deep, respectful bow. "Thank you so much for saving my life!"
However, in the heat of the moment, she completely forgot the brutal toll the Poison Dragon's corrosive venom had taken on her attire.
The acidic mist had already eaten away at the fabric, leaving her clothes hanging by mere threads.
As she leaned forward in her bow, those final, fragile fibers instantly gave way, and her tattered garments completely fell apart, pooling uselessly around her ankles.
Sui's mind went utterly blank, frozen in sheer, unadulterated shock as the cool air hit her bare skin.
Before panic could fully seize her, Haruto stepped forward without missing a beat.
He smoothly shrugged off his jacket and draped it securely over her trembling shoulders, pulling the fabric tight around her chest.
While he wasn't entirely sure if that overbearing beastman uncle of hers was lurking nearby, he knew one thing for certain.
He had zero intention of letting anyone else lay eyes on her like this—especially now that she had firmly caught his attention.
True to form, Haruto's insatiable appreciation for striking women immediately flared to life.
Taking in the breathtaking expanse of her flawless, porcelain skin, the lush, generous curves of her figure, and the vibrant tumble of her striking orange hair, he was completely hooked.
"Th-thank you..." Sui stammered, her voice a breathless whisper as she frantically clutched the warm, masculine jacket around her body.
Her face flushed a deep, violent crimson, heat radiating from her cheeks down to her neck.
As Haruto shifted back to his regular appearance, Sui experienced a strange, unsettling pang in her chest.
Even though the overwhelming, divine majesty of the Elf King had vanished, he remained undeniably, breathtakingly handsome in her eyes.
Standing there in his normal clothes, he suddenly felt almost surreal compared to the godlike sovereign she had witnessed just moments before.
Her mind involuntarily flashed back to when she had watched his terrifying, awe-inspiring battle against Esdeath from the safety of her room, hiding beneath the bedcovers the entire time.
Now, as she stared up at him, her gaze felt heavy, almost daring to pierce through the fabric of his clothes as she vividly imagined the hard, sculpted muscle beneath.
Completely oblivious to the dangerously stray, heated thoughts running through the elf princess's mind.
Haruto casually turned his attention away, tapping into the chatroom interface where several members were already buzzing with active discussion about recent events.
•
[King of Elves Form]
•
*****
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