Although his mood had cald sowhat, one question still lingered in Serlandul's heart.
According to records, those who began awakening the Half-Snake Royal Bloodline were usually individuals with particularly outstanding strength and talent. This was also a key reason why those royal Half-Snake people could cause the collapse of Half-Snake civilization in an extrely short ti.
Because they were originally among the few strong individuals among the Half-Snake people. After awakening the Royal Bloodline, their strength was further enhanced, ultimately giving them a huge advantage when facing other Half-Snake clansn.
If it weren't for the fact that bearers of the Royal Bloodline would have their lifespans drastically shortened due to the overly violent power within their bodies, the chaos they caused might have been even greater, possibly even spreading from the destruction of Half-Snake civilization to other civilizations.
But right now, even after a successful breakthrough to level 6, he was far from being considered strong. Especially compared to Guild Leader Gauss, he seed even more like an ordinary person.
Why would this Royal Bloodline awaken within his body? Serlandul felt this question would continue to haunt him.
However, it was precisely this difference that also gave rise to a bit of hope in his heart. Perhaps this variable would cause the Half-Snake Royal Bloodline to be sowhat different within him.
As for Gauss, although he comforted Serlandul by saying he would use his fists to wake him up again and again, that was just a way to make Serlandul feel reassured.
After Serlandul regained his composure, Gauss originally wanted Serlandul to end this exploration trip of the Timberbell Maze and go to the Forest Capital, Barry, ahead of ti to find powerful priests or churches to examine his body.
Although Serlandul said his condition wasn't an illness and there was no cure, tis were, after all, evolving.
Perhaps problems that couldn't be solved in the past now had new breakthroughs?
But facing Gauss's persuasion, Serlandul just silently shook his head, unwilling to leave the Red Dragon Guild to go "see a doctor." Unlike Gauss, whose concern clouded his judgnt, he himself was very clear about the nature of that power deep within his body.
Rather than calling it an illness or a curse, it was more like an evolution. It's just that the endpoint this evolutionary path led to was only destruction for the individual, yet it was also the sincere wish genuinely desired by the earliest Half-Snake ancestors who brewed this bitter fruit.
The reason he believed it was incurable was because that power was deeply rooted in his body, even being his very "self."
Gauss, decisively refused by Serlandul, sighed after so contemplation and didn't insist.
On one hand, this exploration operation involved the entire Red Dragon Guild's hundreds of people, even affecting many other adventuring guilds. He couldn't just take Serlandul and leave the maze, leaving the others here, or have them follow him out of the maze. On the other hand, he also considered Serlandul's resolute expression, realizing this might indeed be the optimal choice for him.
At least, with him watching over Serlandul, the situation probably wouldn't reach the worst point.
Sohow, he had a feeling.
Whether it was Aria's Elf Bloodline atavism, Albenia's awakening of the Giant Transformation racial talent ability, or Serlandul's Royal Curse, they were probably all inextricably linked to him, the person at the center of the vortex.
To be honest, even Shadow's talent ability had been continuously strengthening.
He seed to possess a special power, like a catalyst that could constantly amplify certain abilities of his companions around him.
It's just that when it ca to Serlandul, he was just unlucky. The "talent" in his body seed to be mixed with so poison.
But perhaps because it originated from him, he also seed able to exert enough influence on it. Otherwise, how could that close-range "Friendship-Shattering Punch" from not long ago have restored Serlandul's sanity?
So, Gauss suppressed the worry in his heart, let Serlandul rest well alone, and then pretended to be calm as he left the tent.
Apart from the unexpected incident with Serlandul, the overall strength of the Red Dragon Guild had taken another big leap forward this ti.
Especially his own strength as the Guild Leader had taken another major step forward.
Suddenly, he seed to rember sothing.
He took out a small iron piece from his Storage Bag. The number on it had gone from the previously checked 4.89% to the current 10.22%.
Inspired by a sudden insight, he wanted to go check the situation in that mysterious space accessible by the key.
The exploration percentage of this maze had broken through 10%. He might be able to receive so reward from that Insect-Person statue.
After sharing his guess with the others, he held the iron piece, then let his mana seep into it.
After absorbing his mana, the iron piece began to warm slightly.
A similar attractive force to the one that teleported him out last ti erupted from the iron piece.
He didn't resist this teleportation force. The next mont, under the watchful eyes of Aria and the others, ripples appeared on his body.
The next mont, his body seed to be absorbed by a vortex and disappeared from the spot.
"Thud!"
Gauss stood steadily on the ground.
Compared to the first ti he entered, this place was still pitch black, but it seed so indescribable changes had occurred.
Gauss sniffed the air.
The air didn't seem as stuffy as the last ti he ca, and there was an added sense of vitality.
Of course, this didn't an there was no life here the first ti. In fact, this broken ruin was still covered in lush greenery back then. It's just that it always gave people a desolate feeling.
Like the appearance of a city millions of years after civilization faded away.
Now, that sense of desolation seed to be slowly receding because of his visit as a visitor.
Or perhaps it was related to him increasing the maze exploration percentage?
He walked up to the nearly ten-ter-tall ancient Insect-Person stone statue. He hadn't looked carefully last ti. This ti, he looked up to observe it.
The Insect-Person's form was tall and full of majesty. Even from his human aesthetic perspective, it definitely couldn't be called ugly. It even had a unique, peculiar beauty.
The overall form was full of streamlined curves. Its entire body was wrapped in a shell like armor. That pair of insect claws hanging down and separated on both sides were like scythes. Even now, after who knows how many years, one could vaguely feel the terrifying power emanating from them.
Presumably, the original owner of this statue was also a powerful individual possessing imnse strength within the Insect-Person race during their lifeti?
Thinking of this, Gauss suddenly felt a bit dazed.
No matter how powerful an individual was, they seed incredibly insignificant before ti. So much so that a powerhouse who might have once been influential and stood at the pinnacle of the pyramid might now have not a single story passed down.
Even the story of the Brave Hero who killed the Demon King, that Legendary Sword Saint now known to every household across the human continent—would anyone still rember it ten thousand years later, twenty thousand years later?
Probably, they would also stand silently in a corner like this statue, then encounter the next visitor looking up at the statue with confusion, curiously wondering about the original owner's identity and deeds.
And what about him, Gauss? If he had the chance to stand at the pinnacle of humanity, how long could his story be passed down?
Gauss shook his head with a bitter smile.
Perhaps because he recalled that soone had also erected a statue of him, he even felt a sense of familiarity looking at the Insect-Person statue. He pressed his palm against the cold surface of the stone statue.
Sohow, a voice sounded in his ear.
Just as he guessed, after the exploration percentage broke through 10%, this statue in the mysterious floor of the maze indeed had a special reward.
"Racial Talent [Proto-Hive Mind] has advanced."
"Currently Blue Quality Racial Talent [Weaver's Mark]."
A talent that Gauss had long overlooked was now being upgraded.
Gauss felt a myriad of forces gathering within his body, then converging on his right arm, forming a white pattern like spreading wings.
Why had he overlooked the racial talent [Hive Mind Form]? It wasn't that he was careless.
It's just that although this talent was marked as upgradable when he first obtained it, he found he couldn't use the elite points or Commander Points rewarded by the Adventurer's Manual to make it break through.
Actually, this was understandable. Because obtaining this talent was sowhat different from other racial talents. Back then, it was a reward provided by the maze structure itself after Gauss passed through the trial ground on the maze's second floor, killed a monster, and passed the assessnt called [Warrior's Trial].
To be precise, it was even unrelated to the Adventurer's Manual.
After all, those who received rewards at the ti weren't just him, but also his teammates Aria and Serlandul who fought together.
It's just that their rewards weren't as good as his, probably because they didn't contribute as much in the fight.
What Aria received was a spirit-bonded companion, the Scale Powder Butterfly. It unfortunately died protecting its master during the subsequent battle with the Dragon Worshipers cultists.
The reward Serlandul received was the skill [Swift Insect Wings], which greatly enhanced his mobility. He had been using this skill until now. Relying on it, Serlandul, this healer, could often avoid many attacks in advance on the battlefield, leading Gauss to privately complain that he had "slippery footwork" abilities.
He never expected this White Quality talent to upgrade now.
[Weaver's Mark]
Gauss felt the scorching power on the back of his hand.
After so feeling around, he understood the effects of this talent.
It was mainly divided into two major abilities.
The first was the ability of the Proto-Hive Mind itself. His perception for sensing insects around him beca stronger. He could even command them to spontaneously execute his instructions, which was sothing he couldn't do before. Previously, he could only hear those trivial insect languages.
And the ntal link ability extended from this was also strengthened.
In the past, this ntal link ability was almost always used in conjunction with [Clay Magic].
Otherwise, why could a simple 2nd-circle magic exert such powerful effects? It was because of this inconspicuous talent assisting.
Controlling miniature spiders to scout information, sharing vision, nimbly controlling over several dozen of them.
And even when creating powerful Goblin Clay Giants, they remained firmly under his control like puppets on strings, unable to break free.
Now, after upgrading from White Quality to Blue Quality [Weaver's Mark], this ntal link beca even more solid.
Moreover, he could feel that after establishing a ntal link to control clay constructs, he would gain a richer sensory experience, such as hearing, sll, taste, etc. And while the ntal link was strengthened, it would also beco more concealed.
This would greatly enhance his ability to use Clay Magic for reconnaissance.
The second ability was brand new, mainly focused on weaving.
He discovered that he seed to have gained a special mastery over magical energy.
Like a skilled weaver's control over the threads in her hands, mana could be arbitrarily shaped into round or flat forms in his hands.
He extended his palm, playing with the condensed mana in his hand.
That mana was like a soft gel, entangled by countless fine forces, ultimately changing freely at his fingertips.
He began to envision practical applications for the Weaver's Mark's second ability.
First, having more sensitive control over energy was always a good thing.
At the very least, the effects of spells like [Control Water] and [Bigby's Hand] would be further enhanced.
Moreover, after sufficient proficiency, he could even use the effect of [Weaver's Mark] to personally modify so Evocation school spells, turning them into specialized magic belonging to him alone.
For example, the current Bigby's Hand only had the phantom of a forearm from the palm down. Could he use the ability of [Weaver's Mark] to create more parts, truly condensing the forearm, then the upper arm?
More complete limbs would obviously be more conducive to his human usage habits.
Furthermore, thinking even further, was it possible for him not to be limited by Bigby's Hand's original effect, to break away from the spell itself and create more complete magic?
Condensing a torso, head, thighs, ultimately creating a hundred-ter-tall energy giant standing on the earth.
Theoretically, there seed to be a chance. If he realized this vision, he would obtain a unique magic pioneered by him alone, belonging only to him, and it would probably be very powerful.
Maybe it could even reach 6th-circle, or even 7th-circle strength.
The more he thought about it, Gauss couldn't help but swallow his saliva, his mood even getting a bit excited.
He realized that perhaps the potential of the [Weaver's Mark] talent was huge.
Even if the current Blue Quality level wasn't sufficient for overly complex operations, what if it was upgraded to higher qualities?
There were still Purple Quality, Gold Quality behind...
If he wasn't mistaken, subsequent upgrades for this talent should also be obtainable from within the maze, improving it along the sa lineage.
Right now, it was only 10% exploration percentage. Improving it wasn't that difficult for him.
Gauss glanced around.
He didn't know if it was his imagination, but he felt those ruined buildings seed to have beco a bit newer again.
Even the surface of the Insect-Person statue was faintly covered with a layer of dim silvery light.
He couldn't help but look up and et the gaze of the Insect-Person's head.
He always felt the statue was watching him as if it had life, but then he shook his head again. How could any life survive that long?
Such an existence would probably be a deity, right?
After the brief strange feeling faded, that sense of vitality quickly disappeared.
Gauss, whose instincts didn't sense any threat, just shook his head. He then took another look around, held the iron piece, injected mana, and left this place.
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