Thousand-Faced Dragon

Chapter 60 My turn, draw cards!
"call!"

In the somewhat unfamiliar courtyard, Rean once again put down his sword and wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Sure enough, a morning workout really makes me feel better."

As a critically injured patient who had been unconscious for two days and nights, what Rean said would probably drive the attending physician crazy.

Why do you, a mummy, have to exercise in the morning to feel comfortable? Aren't you afraid that while you're exercising, your wounds will bleed profusely and you'll die on the spot?
But he thought it was okay, so he started practicing.

After only ten minutes of morning exercise, before he had even reached his usual warm-up level, Rean stopped.

My previous statement that "I'm in such great shape" was actually a bit of an illusion.

The weakness from blood loss persisted; after moving slightly, I felt dizzy, and it even seemed like I was starting to have a low-grade fever.

However, the warm feeling after exercise made him feel alive, and even a little euphoric.

“You’re really going to ascend to heaven? Your face has turned pale again. Stop practicing, or you’ll really die.” Sallyman couldn’t stand it anymore and stopped him.

Rean was quite obedient to advice. After realizing that he really couldn't continue training, he obediently went upstairs to eat and recuperate.

Even so, his overly energetic appearance still frightened many people.

But considering this was a former Oath Knight... well, a superhuman Iron Paladin who trained to the point of near death, it's alright.

Rean did not complete the settlement of the heroic souls, even though there was only one and a half days left on the record.

Without the pressure, he cherished the time he spent with Brother Suer even more.

Of course, it's also to make the most of the Heroic Soul Card's value and utilize that amazing potential divine sword technique.

Armor erosion, boundary collapse, law breaking, city shattering, beast slaughter, god slaying—this is truly a treasure trove.

Looking back now, the beast that slays the beast inevitably makes one wonder, otherwise why would a wild animal exist after the "shattered city"?

Passing by the treasure vault without taking anything is really not Rean's style. Brother Sull's Holy Sword Demon-Slaying System is so well-practiced that he can truly travel the world alone with his sword.

Having already mastered the Collapse Realm, his next move would be the "Spellbreaker Sword" that the little girl Dragon Hunt had always longed for.

This is also the mark he left in history, and its value goes without saying.

Having experienced the monkey version of the Spellbreaker, Rean was even more envious.

Even if you don't have enough time or physical resources to master it, just understanding the basics should be very helpful for your future career.

"Indeed, there are some differences."

The evolution of species and the awakening of the original stone of the dragon bloodline are not simply about growing some scales.

【Species Name: Juvenile Red Dragon Clan (Raw Stone)】

[Dragonization: 8.9%, Racial talents awakened: Dragon Eye (seeing the truth), Dragon Claw (tearing apart reality), Dragon Flame (scorching the world)]

It seems like there's not much change, except for the addition of a new species name.

This means that Rean has reached the starting point for most species in this world and has the complete dragon bloodline.

Below "Young Red Dragon Clan," there is a series of other features, which can be considered the starting benefits for this species.

[Dragon Scale Skin (Original): The dragon scales beneath your skin form your armor; your skin is far more resilient than that of most living beings.]

Rean tried it out. The dragon scales seemed to only be on the body, but the increase in skin hardness was at the whole level, which meant that there was another layer of dragon scales under the skin.

This skin isn't as tough as the previous "human-beast" skin, which could withstand swords and blades, but it's not difficult to deflect flying rocks.

Rean tried it; the fruit knife didn't draw blood when it was used to cut, but if he stabbed it in hard, it would still cause a wound.

Considering the power of the warrior's swings, it's currently quite useless.

This is clearly a talent that grows stronger with bloodline and may become a useful life-saving ability in the future. For example, the volcanic dragon's skin can withstand ordinary slashes. However, we cannot rely on it too much for now.

At the same time, Rean felt that his bones and flesh had become more resilient, which should be a systematic reinforcement of his physical body.

[Fire Dragon Bloodline (Original Stone): As a child of a red dragon, you possess an innate affinity and resistance to fire. You can resist fire damage to a certain extent and gain a bloodline bonus when casting fire spells. However, at the cost of suffering greater damage from low-temperature and icy attacks, and mastering low-temperature spells will be significantly more difficult.]

This is a very useful talent, and you can benefit from it right now.

Both the Dragonfire racial ability and the Holy Flame Aura paladin class ability can receive a significant boost.

If Rean learns to use fireballs or something later, it will be a huge advantage starting from the 100-meter mark. The advantage of always being a step ahead of his peers will become even more valuable when it really comes down to talent.

It can be said that Rean is now truly complete.

But he has already reached a higher level than most life forms, and even the weaker brass bloodlines cannot compare to him.

Considering the cost and materials he paid (silver materials, hero's blood), it seems to be a case of getting what you pay for.

"Take a nap during lunch break. If I feel better this afternoon, I'll go to the dock area and practice with Dimon. I'll try to pass on as much of the Corrosive Armor and Shattered Sword skills as possible while my Soul Ability is still intact." Rean really can't sit still; he's already starting to plan his afternoon's work.

The knights were busy, and after confirming that Rean was in surprisingly good condition, they all went to work overtime.

"The dock area is a bit chaotic right now, and we're busy patrolling overtime. Lord Damon of the Radiant Guard has taken over the management of the Guard Bureau, and it seems like he's going to be making some changes for a while. Although we don't expect long-term peace and stability, we do hope for some stability."

Talia was busy going back to work overtime, and judging from her cheerful expression, she probably really hoped for a long-term peaceful and stable situation.

The reason why the big boss personally went to oversee the security of the dock area was because of another matter. Rean had done something ruthless, and he had made a fortune!
"The slave market is in complete chaos. The remaining second-in-command is completely unable to control the situation. Many accounts are out of order, and transactions are in disarray. Furthermore, some people have taken the opportunity to attack the slave cages and warehouses, resulting in the loss of another batch of goods and the escape of a group of slaves. The whole situation is chaotic and has already affected the security of the dock area."

As she said this, Talia looked at Dimon with obvious suspicion.

"It really wasn't me. My injuries hadn't healed yet yesterday. There were probably a lot of people who disliked them for a long time, and when they heard that the volcanic dragon was dead, they just took action." Dimon's tone was undisguisedly cheerful.

This argument makes sense. Without strong intervention to suppress shady dealings, there's a once-in-a-lifetime vacuum, so it's no wonder others would try to take advantage of you.

"Slaves have escaped, trade orders are in disarray, even the bounties have been broken—the slave market's prestige has been severely damaged. We should be able to develop smoothly during this period. I'm currently selecting some young men to see if we can form a squire (knight) regiment as a security militia."

There's no need to hide this; it was something that was agreed upon long ago.

Given the current level of governance in Radiant City, no one would care if an additional militia organization were to appear in the civilian district.

But for the people living there, this is very important, because it means that the new order has the power to protect them.

"Miss Suliman is willing to fund the construction of the new orphanage and place it together with the school." This was undoubtedly good news, and Rean wanted to thank her.

Larry has been keeping an eye on the area these past few days; those children need her comfort.

At this time, she brought an invitation that made Rean hesitate. "Not only my church, the Shield Church, but also two churches of the Good Gods have extended invitations to you. They are willing to sponsor you to become a priest or to follow the path of the Holy Knights to become a guardian warrior or priest. That is also possible."

The flexibility of this invitation demonstrates the utmost sincerity.

Just as Rean had planned, even if a former classical knight lost his power, it wouldn't be difficult for him to find a relatively stable clerical (priest) job.

It was somewhat surprising that the other party even offered resources to help him retrace the path of the extraordinary.

"They were all surprised that you were able to kill that monster."

The matter of beasts is a secret and taboo that ordinary nobles cannot access, but for the high-ranking members of the Church of True God, who are responsible for this work, it is a formidable enemy that they must know about.

Rean's ability to kill an opponent of this caliber with his mutilated body despite the lack of intelligence and resources is enough to prove his capabilities, making him worthy of being courted and invested in.

"Actually, not only you, but I also received awards and promotions within the church. Dimon, if you wish, you can also become a member of the church. You should be able to become a full knight in a year." This is equivalent to a leap in rank.

The matter of the Heroic Spirits was a secret, but the matter of the Oath Knights was still leaked.

Rean's ability to carry on this profession enhances his value and indirectly guarantees Dimon's character and potential.

"Ha, not here when they were fighting, now they're reaping the benefits, typical manly man. No, I'm fine here. Larry, help me find some good words to say to them, I can't afford to offend these men." Everyone knew that would be Dimon's answer.

Larry nodded, and without wasting any more words, he hesitated for a moment before continuing.

"Once your militia (knights) organization is fully formed, I will select some squires from within it."

Some things are better left unsaid. The legacy of the "Law Knights" is quite sensitive in the early stages, so it's best to avoid the Church of the True God.

The current dock area might be a very good place to start.

This was something we had already discussed before; we're just confirming it now.

“No problem. But you have to pay me and provide good treatment.” Dimon’s assets are limited; he won’t support someone else.

“Alright, they will be my knights’ attendants. As the future head of the family, I do need to support a group of people.”

Larry seems to have figured it out too, but from another perspective, the reputation she gained this time is indeed the most helpful to her development. It can be considered a direct gilding of her resume, turning her from a new recruit into a reserve cadre.

Everyone has a bright future, especially Rean, who seems to have a bright and glorious path to transcendence through the Church just a nod away.

"They value that you activated 'that'," Sallyman, who had been observing as an accomplice and Dragon Hunter's agent, suddenly added.

The ability to activate the accessories of the Hero's Set signifies the potential to become a hero.

Even if he can't become that ridiculously powerful inherited class, it proves that Rean definitely has the potential to make a comeback from a desperate situation.

When the true gods' churches learn of such people, they will naturally try to recruit them.

Suliman opened her mouth, but did not state her conditions. She did not need to recruit Rean, but the kingdom did.

At this moment, the princess's behavior was quite subtle, even somewhat hesitant.

Despite the fact that the kingdom's lineage of heroes has been broken, it has not yet launched another hero selection ceremony, and seems to have little interest in Rean, a hero candidate.

Perhaps it's because of Rean's degenerate status, or perhaps it's because there are already several better candidates who have been allowed to grow for a while. Once Rean has reached a certain level of maturity, they might recruit him again.

Sallyman was actually a little anxious. His Highness had helped so much, so why was he hesitating at this moment?

If Rean makes a comeback, and we recruit him again, the stance will be completely different. Reinvesting in someone who's already doing well won't buy loyalty, but providing timely help in a crisis might.

"Well, His Highness probably has his own reasons," Sallyman thought, seemingly having no other option.

Regardless, Rean and his group's slaying of evil did earn them a reputation and prestige, naturally attracting recruitment from major powers and organizations.

"Let me think about it."

What is Rean thinking about? Of course, it's when he'll draw the mage card and fulfill his dream of becoming a mage!
If he had a choice, he really wouldn't want to go to the True God Church to enjoy simple meals and ascetic practices.

Time flies, and Rean truly made the most of the last day and a half.

".finally."

After a final sprint of sword practice, "Sur's" time finally came to an end.

[Synchronization rate 70.1%, satisfaction 54.9%]

After defeating the evil in the underground cave, the stats increased dramatically.

Perhaps, his brother's approval is the most meaningful praise for Rean.

When time rewound to zero, Rean no longer hesitated and directly chose to settle the score.

[Settlement complete. The hero commends your efforts and dedication, rating you as "Extremely Excellent!"]

[Rewards are as follows: Two random Heroic Spirit cards, Paladin class level.]

Overjoyed, Rean was too preoccupied to look at the specific rewards; the initial treasure alone filled him with ecstasy.

"Two cards? That means we're definitely going to draw a mage!"

Without hesitation, he returned to his room, opened the book, and began drawing cards.

"My turn! Draw a card!"

But when the first card was revealed, he was completely dumbfounded.

[Heroic Spirit Unlocked. Random Completion. Heroic Spirit 'Continental Warrior' Lex Thorne Descends! Soul Module Activating]

Isn't this the Queen's husband, the Princess's father, the faceless man in the portrait? Is he also Lee Eun-suk?!

Rean was so shocked he was speechless, but even more outrageous things were yet to come.

[Heroic Spirit Lex Thorne has refused your activation.]

[This card is currently on cooldown. You can try to complete any one of the three conditions to forcibly activate this Heroic Spirit Card.]

Do not awaken me, forget me — Lex Thorne

Rean was completely dumbfounded.

(End of this chapter)