"By the way, what was that dragon girl's name?" Carole suddenly slapped her forehead.
Himeko: "Shyvana, The Half-Dragon."
"Himeko, can you transform into a dragon now?" Ryuga suddenly spoke.
Himeko should now have three forms: Human, Half-Dragon, and Giant Dragon.
"Hmm, a dragon?" Himeko was stunned for a moment, then closed her eyes, seemingly feeling the resonance deep in her bloodline.
Inside her chest, a scorching torrent began to stir.
Suddenly, ripples of crimson heat radiated from her body, flames rising and falling like breathing, expanding and contracting like a living thing.
Three seconds later, she opened her eyes.
"I feel like I can, but I might lose my sanity. I can't fully control it yet; I'll need more practice to transform freely."
"After all, mine isn't true dragon blood," Himeko explained, while a faint, raspy echo of a dragon's roar could still be heard.
During the Ascension Trial, it seemed like she drank Shyvana's dragon blood, but in reality, she absorbed the giant dragon's will, and her body evolved into a half-dragon physique.
She didn't undergo a traditional transformation after drinking and merging with dragon blood.
The Ascension Trial poured the dragon's will into her soul, forging her from a mortal body and bones into a dragon's constitution. However, her consciousness still needed tempering and integration.
Even Dan Feng would fall into Dragon Madness.
"Mm." Ryuga nodded.
Once Himeko could freely control her dragon transformation, he would take her to the Xianzhou to play the role of a High Elder.
"I'll take you to grind mobs in a while." Ryuga already had a plan in mind.
The situation of Shyvana, The Half-Dragon, and the "Dog Head" (Nasus) was actually quite similar.
Both were stack-based damage dealers.
The "Dog Head" stacks the layers of Siphoning Strike, plus life steal; after 1000 stacks, he's an undying god of war.
Shyvana stacks physical and magic resistance as well as fury by killing mobs, and she can also stack layers after being healed.
She's essentially a tank.
Crucially, her fury can also feed back into skill damage.
Theoretically, the Half-Dragon is more comprehensive and even more terrifying than the "Dog Head."
A true perpetual-motion tank, combining tankiness with damage output.
"I'm so envious; I want an inheritance too." Vill-V suddenly spoke gloomily, crossing her arms,
her resentful gaze fixed straight on Ryuga, as if she had been wronged.
Anyone who didn't know better would think he had committed some heartless act.
"You'll have one in the future, don't worry." Ryuga ignored Vill-V.
Mainly, he hadn't decided what kind of inheritance to give her.
Vill-V was already a top-tier mechanical master; her wisdom and skill were definitely not inferior to great inventors like Heimerdinger.
Giving her an engineering-type hero inheritance would be meaningless, with no added benefit.
Therefore, he had to carefully select her second ability.
A system that could run parallel to or even merge with being a "Mechanic."
Element control?
Soul type?
Or space-time rhythm?
Ryuga's brow furrowed slightly as his thoughts raced.
For a moment, several options revolved in his mind.
He had to be cautious because it concerned Vill-V's future path.
...
"I wonder which hero Hua inherited?" Carole stood on her tiptoes, watching with great interest.
At this moment, Hua also opened her eyes.
With an introverted and straightforward personality, Hua, like Elysia, never craved attention or wished to show off in front of others.
Her power was always meant only to protect her mission and responsibility.
After the solar radiance around her faded, she moved her fingers.
Then, she clenched her fist tightly, feeling the Radiant Dawn torrent surging like a river within her body.
Lowering her head, her right hand slowly covered her heart.
There, she could feel a scorching solar core.
(Trailblazer: You too?)
The blazing Radiant Dawn slowly soaked into her limbs and bones, tempering her flesh.
The solar fire in her eyes gradually receded, and she turned to walk firmly off the stage.
Leaving the final stage to Furina.
"Hua."
Seeing Hua about to leave, The MOTHs high-level officials couldn't sit still.
Those old fogies who were usually high and mighty all frowned.
Hua was the only new recruit "Ascended" in The MOTHs.
Himeko had resigned, Carole was following the Demon God, and they couldn't command Elysia and the others.
Only Hua, this "newbie," was left.
Shouldn't she show off the power of an "Ascended"?
They were still counting on Hua.
One old fogy suddenly stood up.
"Colonel Hua, we are all very curious about your 'inheritance.' It's also a good time to give Colonel Hua a comprehensive rating."
Vida cursed "idiot" in his heart and moved a few meters away.
Elysia's gaze turned cold, her eyes sweeping over the old fogy's seemingly kind face like a frost blade.
Although this old man spoke politely and gave Hua the title of "Colonel," he was actually using a commanding tone.
It seems Ryuga still killed too few of them.
"Should I..."
Shh.
Ryuga made a shushing gesture, then smiled at Fu Hua: "Just give them a glimpse, the brilliance of the Radiant Dawn."
The Radiant Dawn is not something just anyone can gaze upon.
Vill-V couldn't help but roll her eyes: "This old man is probably going to die."
"..."
Fu Hua's brow furrowed slightly, her steps pausing.
She was quiet, not stupid.
She wasn't ignorant of the ways of the world.
She knew very well that Ryuga detested these people.
And she was unwilling to associate with this group of sycophantic, hypocritical people.
The meaning of power was never for showing off.
Power is only for protection, only to become the "guiding light."
Since the Demon God had spoken, there was no need to show any more mercy.
In the next second, the world in Fu Hua's eyes slowed down.
She could clearly see that inside every shell, hearts flickered like fireflies, and blood surged with a roar like thunder.
She slowly closed her eyes, her consciousness sinking into the deepest part of her soul.
There, a silent Radiant Dawn was quietly lurking, waiting for its master's call.
"Awaken."
In the next instant, the world changed color.
A terrifying sense of heat poured down from the sky.
Everyone looked up in horror, only to see another "sun" slowly rising behind the high-hanging Sun Disc.
With a pressure that could incinerate everything, the light was so piercing that people couldn't open their eyes.
They only saw Fu Hua reaching out toward the Radiant Dawn.
Then, she clenched her right fist and slammed it hard against the ground!
Whoosh—
An incredibly intense Solar Flare descended from the sky like a spear of divine punishment, crashing onto the high platform.
The intense light exploded, and heat waves rolled.
With the impact point as the center, golden light waves swept in all directions like a tide.
Everywhere they passed, stone slabs cracked and dust flew.
"Aaaaaah—!"
Suddenly, a shrill scream rang out.
The "old man's" eyes burst into flames, and incandescent tongues of fire gushed out from his eye sockets.
The Radiant Dawn devoured his brain, and his flesh quickly carbonized in the high temperature.
Amidst the wails, the old man had already turned into a charred wreck.
Thud.
The corpse fell heavily to the ground, residual heat still present, but there was no sign of life.
The surroundings were deathly silent.
"The brilliance of the Radiant Dawn is indeed not something just anyone can gaze upon."
Ryuga stood with his hands behind his back and snorted coldly: "Hua stayed voluntarily to fight for humanity, not for 'The MOTHs.'"
"If anyone else tries to lay a finger on her, I don't mind sending them on their way."
He respected Hua's decision to stay. But Hua was not a tool in these people's hands. Before he left, he would clear out all these hidden dangers for her.
The group of The MOTHs high-level officials immediately began to tremble.
Vida felt like cursing; was this old man's brain broken?
"From now on, any 'Ascended' will be led by Elysia; no one else is allowed to interfere." Ryuga snorted.
Fu Hua slowly stood up.
Although someone had died, her gaze was very calm, as if the strike just now was merely brushing away a speck of dust.
After witnessing the disaster in Nagazora.
After hearing about Dr. Einstein, Vill-V, and the inaction of The MOTHs, Fu Hua had firmed her heart.
"To protect this land, I am willing to give my life."
But this was not for everyone.
In this world, there are always some who do not know awe.
She knew very well that the Demon God was not just punishing an arrogant old man, but also establishing her authority in front of everyone.
She, Fu Hua, although a student, didn't mean she knew nothing.
The light in her hand could both illuminate the darkness and incinerate the wicked.
Ryuga nodded; he was very satisfied with Fu Hua's transformation.
While keeping her original heart unchanged, he also liked that Fu Hua could consider herself a bit.
In the game, Fu Hua lacked her own initiative, and the responsibility of protecting humanity always made her suppress her own emotions.
For the sake of the so-called "future," "hope," and "victory," she executed plans delivered by others without asking why or caring about the results.
Constant compromise brought her much pain until Senti was born, which resolved the loneliness in Fu Hua's heart and made up for the flaws in her character.
Ryuga hoped that while she protected the world, she could also protect herself.
"Furina."
"Furina is going~" Furina hopped and skipped onto the middle of the high platform.
Director Furina: "Group members, look forward to my transformation."
Customer Service Miss Pink Elf: "Mm-hmm, Elysia will always be looking forward to it."
Snowy Mountain Qingxin Melon: "Good luck."
13th Generation Sect Master of Mt. Yunkuo: "Furina's 500 years of suffering are finally coming to an end."
Jingliu: "Congratulations."
Istaroth: "Congratulations +1."
Director Furina: "Hehe, thanks..."
Before she could finish, Boom— the Sun Disc suddenly vibrated, and a golden beam of light fell, enveloping Furina.
Whispers seemed to echo in the light.
Ancient, profound, like a voice from the ancient ocean.
A moment later, the sunlight dissipated.
People's eyes widened. On the high platform, deep blue tides suddenly surged!
Amidst the rolling waves, water mist rose, and more and more tides surged, quickly filling the entire platform.
The crowd cried out and retreated.
But they soon discovered with surprise that the tide did not spread toward them but flowed obediently under Furina's feet.
As she walked, it meandered into rings, changing shapes, sometimes a dragon, sometimes a snake.
The water light reflected on the hem of her skirt, and in the shimmering waves, a scale-like glimmer... flashed and disappeared.
Furina: Tides, I have returned.
13th Generation Sect Master of Mt. Yunkuo: "Furina, who did you inherit?"
Director Furina: "River Spirit Nami. She's a very large mermaid, very majestic. I was startled when I first saw her, thinking she was going to eat me; it felt like deep-sea horror."
Although her tone was intentionally light, her fingertips were touching her heart.
Clearly, some of the chill of the Lord of the Deep Sea gazing into her soul still remained in her heart.
Those eyes, as deep as an abyss, saw through Furina's 500-year obsession and the loneliness
in the deepest part of her soul.
And now, that loneliness finally had an echo.
"Congratulations~" Ryuga lightly clapped his hands.
Elysia tilted her head, the corners of her mouth turning up: "Congratulations, Furina."
Although she didn't quite understand, this Furina must be very special.
Himeko, Vill-V, Fu Hua, and Carole also offered their congratulations.
"Thanks~" Furina responded softly, performing an elegant Fontaine lady's bow.
Ryuga had originally wanted to use the inheritance of Nautilus, The Titan of the Depths, from
the Genesis Demon God line.
It was in the same system as his Genesis Demon God Nasus, also possessing the power of destruction and creation.
Although it also belonged to the water element, it was completely incompatible with Furina's temperament.
Furina was not a ruler of the abyss, but the light dancing on the water's surface, the melody sung by the waves.
Moreover, Nautilus possessed the power of creation.
If he really passed this power to Furina, what if she solved the fate of the Fontaine people?
Then what would he be needed for?
Nami has a skill called Surging Tides.
And when Furina summons the Singer of Many Waters in her Pneuma state, she can use the water surface as a stage and run swiftly on the ripples.
So, Ryuga ultimately chose River Spirit Nami.
...
The "Ascended" ceremony ended, and Ryuga also put away the Sun Disc.
He directly ignored the invitation from The MOTHs.
Socializing? Power plays?
Those games played among the powerful were far less pleasant than drinking a cup of wine with a beautiful girl under a cherry blossom tree.
On the other side of the city.
Not only the high-level officials of The MOTHs, but also the leaders of various states had mobilized their respective forces, even not hesitating to use large sums of money for bribery.
All just to find out one answer: what are the conditions to become an "Ascended"?
Unfortunately, what they got was always a blank.
In a corner of the city, on a quiet park bench, Kevin tightly held his girlfriend's hand.
"Do you think I can become an Ascended?"
His girlfriend didn't answer immediately.
She looked at the night sky, as if measuring an immeasurable dream.
After a long time, the girl leaned her head on her boyfriend's shoulder.
"I don't know, Kevin. I've already joined The MOTHs research department."
"What are your plans for the future?"
...
The Third Honkai Eruption had subsided.
The "Ascended" ceremony was also successfully completed.
It was time for Ryuga to return to Amphoreus, and Himeko and Vill-V would naturally be taken along.
However, before going back, he had to go to the Luofu first to arrange things for Carole's family.
He was just worrying about how to get in touch with the Luofu.
That night, a farewell banquet began with Elysia and Furina's light singing and dancing.
After a while, Ryuga looked around: "Where are Furina and Hua?"
Elysia leaned on a soft couch, a lazy smile on her lips: "They drank too much and went to rest long ago."
"Carole, if you drink any more, you'll really be drunk." Ryuga was speechless; this girl was clearly trying to get herself drunk.
Was she imitating Himeko?
Elysia covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyes flickering with a bit of mischief: "Oh my, I'm tired. I'm going to sleep first. Ryu, take good care of Carole."
When she stood up, she didn't forget to give Ryuga a playful and meaningful wink.
"..."
After Elysia disappeared, Carole swayed over, her large eyes watery.
"Oh, Master, I'm not drunk... really, I'm very sober..."
For some reason, Carole insisted on taking him as her master.
In the dead of night, Himeko and Vill-V also left.
Carole leaned on the table, her breathing soft, as if she had fallen asleep.
Ryuga smiled bitterly and shook his head, leaning down to pick her up gently.
Just as he entered the bedroom, his lips suddenly felt hot.
A scorching kiss bit down unexpectedly.
Ryuga was stunned. Before he could react, he had been pushed onto the bed.
Carole sat astride him like a nimble cat, her eyes blurred, a cunning smile on her lips.
"Hiss, are you revealing your true nature?"
"Hehe, hic~ Master, today I'm going to be a rebellious disciple! Mom said... you men all like 'rebellious disciples.'"
"So, that's why you became my disciple?"
Ryuga wanted to cry but had no tears. You call this a "rebellious disciple"?
Is that how the term "rebellious disciple" is used?
Uh, the term doesn't seem to be used incorrectly.
No!
Men like "rebellious disciples" because they want to be the "rebellious" one doing the "defying," not the "Master" being "defied."
You misunderstood, didn't you?
Is that what your mom taught you?
Carole leaned down, her nose almost touching Ryuga's face.
"Master, please accept your disciple's love. Hehe, and my strength is very great, so be careful with your waist."
The girl's breath was like orchids, with a hint of wine fragrance and the unique scent of a young girl.
Before she finished speaking, she had already actively untied her belt.
That night, the moonlight was hazy and the candlelight flickered.
Ryuga only vaguely remembered that Carole's skin was very smooth, and the feel was excellent.
To be continued…
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