Five minutes and twenty-one seconds—that was how long Lucia managed to hold out against Samuel this ti.
With the enhancent of the Dragon King's Body, his physical defense and strength in his semi-dragonized state had finally surpassed the Godskin Noble's. He could keep pace, and he could take a hit. Yet, there remained an insurmountable chasm in finesse. Samuel's Godskin Stitcher found gaps in his guard with predatory ease, and the lethal Black Fla remained a constant, soul-searing threat.
In his most recent bouts, Lucia had tried to smother Samuel's casting by staying in his face, but the Apostle's combat mastery was a wall. One flicker of an opening was all it took for the black, god-slaying fire to erupt and claim its price.
However, there was victory in the defeat. With his refined blood-energy and divine power, Lucia could finally shatter Samuel's guard. The Tier 1 Claw of Ruin didn't just strike; it carved through the Black Fla Protection like a hot knife through wax. In their final exchange, Lucia had half his body incinerated, but before he died, he tore Samuel's arm from its socket. If they t in reality now, Lucia knew he wouldn't have to trade his life for a wound—he could win.
As the points of light coalesced and Lucia regained consciousness in the void, he summoned the data panel. The effort had paid off. Samuel's analysis had leaped past the 20% threshold, settling at 25.6%.
A new notification shimred above the "Enter Battle" prompt:
[Please choose one of the following analysis rewards:]
Black Fla Blade: An incantation to coat weapons in god-slaying fire. It destroys divine enchantnts—the signature of those who harvested the souls of the old gods.Tibian Swordsmanship: An ancient, unpredictable sword style. Vicious and erratic, requiring extre dexterity and endurance.Cradle Blessing: A permanent enhancent to physical recovery and ntal fatigue. The Queen of Death once embraced newborn Apostles in the Godskin Swaddling Cloth, allowing them to grow into the death of gods.
Lucia stared, his heart hamring. He had expected stat points or tactical data—not an unconditional extraction of core skills.
In this age, the barriers between faiths were absolute. A knight of the Erdtree could no more use the Black Fla than a dragon could use the magic of the Full Moon. These weren't just "spells"; they were tied to bloodline and fundantal belief. This phenonon would persist until the Shattering, when the Tarnished would walk the lands and use any power they could grasp.
Lansseax's dream for him was to be a king who absorbed the "best parts" of other cultures. But even she didn't realize that with the mory Battlefield, Lucia wouldn't just "draw on strengths"—he would steal them. He would beco a "Kaleidoscope of Skills," a precursor to the All-Knowing.
He analyzed the choices.
Black Fla Blade was tempting, but as a guest in Leyndell, using the signature move of the Dynasty's mortal enemy would be political suicide. Tibian Swordsmanship was a solid martial upgrade, but he was already juggling the Storm and Dragon styles.
The Cradle Blessing was the only logical choice. A permanent, invisible healing factor was a "Speedrunner's" dream.
Lucia selected the blessing. A beam of starlight from Samuel's star plunged into his chest, filling him with a warmth that felt like a miraculous surge of vitality.
He exited the battlefield and returned to the physical world. Eager to test it, he pulled a dagger and suppressed his natural dragon scales—a feat that required conscious effort, like holding his breath. He drew the blade across his palm.
Blood welled in an inch-long cut. A second later, the blood flowed backward into the wound. The skin knit together as if a zipper were being pulled from both ends. In the blink of an eye, the scar vanished.
"Perfect," Lucia whispered. He had been tornted by Samuel's regeneration for weeks; now, he was the one with the "boss chanic."
After a dicinal bath, he returned to his bedroom near midnight. He glanced at the small nest he'd prepared for Shirley by the door. It was empty. Again.
He sighed and pulled back the quilt. There was a familiar, bulging lump in the center of the bed, accompanied by soft, rhythmic breathing. Ever since the little fox learned to unbolt the door with her tail, she had decided that the "Shadow Beast" contract entitled her to premium bedding.
Lucia climbed in, and within minutes, the sleeping Shirley felt the shift in weight. She didn't wake, but she instinctively curled into his side, purring softly and licking his chin in her sleep. Lucia closed his eyes, the cool night air of Leyndell drifting through the window, and for the first ti in a month, he fell into a dreamless, peaceful sleep.
Author's Note:
God-Slaying Black Fla: The primary weapon of the Apostles before Maliketh sealed Destined Death.Gideon Ofnir: ntioned as a future benchmark for Lucia's potential "All-Knowing" status.Cradle Blessing: This is based on the Godskin Swaddling Cloth item from the ga, which restores HP on successive attacks, adapted here as a permanent passive healing factor.
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