Greem did not conceal anything about Meryl’s situation and told her truthfully everything about his examinations and predictions. Meryl remained lying on the platform and listened to everything, her face pale and void of color, her body trembling and shivering.
In truth, it was a complex feeling to hear an outsider solemnly announce the limits of your potential. Even though Meryl already knew her talent was terrible, it was still a bitter and miserable sensation to be told her own ‘point of death’.
However, being able to improve the limit of her talent from advanced First Grade to beginner Third Grade was already a tremendous blessing!
Meryl solemnly nodded to her teacher with tears in her eyes.
Then the matter was settled!
Greem also made up his mind now.
Greem didn’t mind the slight bit of wasted potential in the bloodline rune.
So what if he could find an adept with extreme compatibility with this bloodline rune? The hope of advancing to Fourth Grade was still just as minute and insignificant! Even the original owner of the bloodline, Philippa, had such a difficult time advancing to Fourth Grade. Could her successor possibly outdo her?
As such, losing a bit of the bloodline rune’s potential in exchange for Meryl’s loyalty and explosive improvement in power was more than worth it. Why would he not do it?
Now that he had made up his mind, Greem no longer spent his time thinking about all irrelevant matters. Instead, he concentrated his efforts into thinking about how he could successfully transplant this bloodline rune into Meryl’s body.
Direct transplantation was definitely out of the question!
The fire dragon bloodline in the rune would most assuredly clash with the earth elementium affinity currently within Meryl. If they forced the issue and caused a rejection, then the collapse of the bloodline rune would not be a small matter. Meryl’s elementium talent would be polluted, resulting in her death. It would be a terrible loss.
Before the transplant, Greem would first have to do some degree of modification to Meryl’s body. The current priority was to reduce the intensity of the conflict between her earth affinity and fire elementium.
After scanning its data library, the Chip provided three possible solutions to this crisis.
Chapter 916 - Bloodline Modification
Chapter 916 Bloodline Modification
“First proposal: synthesizing the bloodline with Bloodline Reconciling Agent!”
At this stage in the World of Adept’s development, research on bloodline talent had already reached a peak. However, most research was kept, monopolized, and sealed away from the outside world by large adept organizations.
However, such monopolization was only concerning low and mid-grade adepts. Third Grade adepts like Greem already had far too many means by which to come in contact with such taboo content.
Not counting the three major adept organizations, there were still plenty of adept forces in Zhentarim that were known for their synthesized bloodlines. For example, the Holopole Clan of the Thousand Needlepine Region, the Gulet Clan of Whitevalley Riverlands, and the Kaedwen Clan of Flotsam.
These clans had raised many famous adepts through their massive knowledge reserves on bloodline synthesis and were powerful forces in their respective regions. That said, synthesizing bloodlines were not a proper path of advancement. The more bloodlines of powerful creatures one assimilated, the more power the adept would gain, but the lower their development potential would be.
Almost all synthesized bloodline adepts faced a complicated issue– the loss of the ability to improve themselves and continue advancing!
Did you wish to advance even further? Sure, the only way to do that was to assimilate more powerful and more excellent bloodlines. If one couldn’t find or gather such bloodlines, then their power would not improve at all.
If one were to step on the path of synthesized bloodlines, they would have to continue walking on this narrow path without having the chance to turn back. They would turn themselves into monsters without humanity, and all the weird bloodlines they had assimilated caused them to lose the capacity to create descendants.
It was said that the descendants of synthesized bloodline adepts were all monsters, without exception!
The fact that there were so many strange creatures, corruptors, and mutants in the Worlds of Adepts was in no small part due to the work of these bloodline assimilators.
To reduce the side-effects caused by assimilating bloodlines, these adepts had to regularly consume bloodline synthesis potions to ease the conflict between all of their complicated bloodlines.
That was why the Chip’s first suggestion was to purchase bloodline reconciling agents to reduce the conflict between the fire dragon bloodline and Meryl’s elementium talent. However, if she were to do so, there was a possibility Meryl would mutate into a strange dragon-human hybrid.
The dragonborn were likely created in this manner!
Greem was obviously not too taken by this proposal.
What was so compelling about the fire dragon’s bloodline? Its sturdy body, excellent magical resistance, and natural affinity for fire elementium.
What was powerful about a human adept’s talent? Their wisdom, vast knowledge reserves, and their superior intelligence.
If this assimilation would damage Meryl’s intelligence, then the value of the operation would fall exponentially and become worthless. Rather than turn Meryl into a half-human, half-dragon monster, Greem would have been better off turning the female fire dragon into his pet.
After some consideration, Greem quickly gave up on this idea.
“Second proposal: bloodline devouring.”
“Have the fire dragon bloodline completely replace Meryl’s original bloodline by having it devour the other, forming a new and stable bloodline legacy.”
“Pros: Meryl can perfectly inherit the entire legacy of the Third Grade fire dragon. Cons: Meryl will deviate from a human adept existence and become a dragon.”
This proposal also fell short of Greem’s ideal requirements.
He didn’t want to create another female fire dragon known as Meryl after just killing one known as Philippa.
The path of an adept was one that should not be abandoned!
“Third proposal: bloodline enhancement.
“Modify Meryl’s body gradually using the fire dragon bloodline, allowing subject to gradually get used to and accept the bloodline, thereby forming a balance between the human body and the fire dragon bloodline. In the end, the foreign bloodline will assimilate with the host in the form of magic enchancement.
“Related information on such bloodline enhancement can be obtained by referring to draconic sorcerers.”
Greem narrowed his eyes and couldn’t help but seriously consider the idea of bloodline enhancement.
It was the method he was most familiar with.
His current lifeform state belonged to the realm of bloodline enhancement.
He had talents and specializations related to the human body, but for the most part, both his flesh body and Spirit had been elementiumized. Greem could quickly turn into a fire elementium creature if he were willing to abandon the last shred of the burden that was his human body.
However, if he did that, he would be rejected by the World of Adepts and would end up wandering in foreign realms like the Fire Elementium Plane.
As such, Greem still possessed a human body and an adept’s bloodline. The fire elementium modification was only a magical ability of his. Though this would reduce some of the power of his fire spells, it allowed him to retain the most valuable parts of being an adept.
Judging by this, there was nothing wrong with Meryl stepping on the same path as him; a similar path of bloodline enhancement!
Having made his decision, Greem quickly drew up a bloodline modification plan for Meryl.
For the first week, Meryl was forced to become a glutton, eating every four hours, and eating fifteen kilograms of fire dragon
meat for every meal. In this manner, Greem would force Meryl to swallow fire dragon meat several times her body weight in a single day.
The meat had all undergone processing by Greem. It had been soaked in magical potions and liquids. Apart from improving Meryl’s absorption of the fire elementium essence, it would also enhance Meryl’s affinity for fire elementium. Greem mixed the last remaining Fire Essences he had into these potions for Meryl’s consumption.
All Meryl had to do daily was to meditate repeatedly to hasten the digestion of the Fire Essence within the meat. She would often have to start eating before her last meal had been completely digested.
Every time, Meryl would stare at the large chunks of fire dragon meat with a sickly green face before opening her mouth wide and stuffing it all down her throat with the spirit of a desperado. She would straighten her neck and swallow the meat even if she was choking and on the verge of collapse.
The dense essence of fire within the fire dragon steaks constantly radiated out, turning her skin bright-red as the vicious fire elementium particles ravaged her insides and disrupted her earth elementium circulation.
In this manner, she was tortured by Greem’s insane meal plans for seven days before successfully entering the second phase.
One had to admit that Greem’s plan, though somewhat insane and cruel, had produced a pronounced effect on Meryl’s Physique.
Before the whole ordeal, Meryl’s elementium affinity chart showed absolutely no affinity with fire elementium. However, after the experience, her fire elementium affinity had jumped all the way to become her second-best affinity, almost at the same level as her earth elementium affinity.
For the second phase, Greem started bloodline modification on Meryl. He opened up her chest and cut a small opening in her heart, where he transplanted the fire dragon bloodline rune.
An operation like this was child’s play for adepts like them. It couldn’t be simpler.
After the transplantation was complete, Greem took out a diluted bottle of moonwater and slowly poured it into Meryl’s abdominal cavity. As the jade-green liquid washed over her organs, the small cut on her beating heart quickly healed. Her chest also required no stitching. Greem simply pressed her skin together and washed it with moonwater. When the blood was all washed off, only smooth skin could be seen.
No anesthetics had been used throughout the operation. Meryl calmly observed the entire procedure performed by her teacher with the help of a mirror.
Once the operation was completed, Greem placed his hand on Meryl’s chest and silently sensed the bloodline rune sealed within her heart. He asked softly, “Are you ready?”
Meryl gritted her teeth and nodded, “Don’t worry, teacher, I am ready!”
“Very well!” Greem replied. His fingers waved through the air, creating a rune formed of red fire which slowly lowered into Meryl’s body.
The effect of the fire rune caused the seal on the bloodline rune within Meryl’s heart to loosen. A trace of fire dragon bloodline seeped through and was quickly absorbed by Meryl’s beating heart.
“Ah!”
Meryl was calm and composed, but her skin had now turned blood-red, covered with red splotches. Her slender naked body arched upward as she let out a small breath of yellow flames from her mouth.
In that one instant, the fire essence from the fire dragon bloodline boiled her blood and nearly cooked most of her organs.
Greem grabbed with his right hand, and the fire rune floated out of Meryl’s body. The uproar from the bloodline rune also faded away.
Meryl moaned in agony as she turned and drank a bottle of healing potion, before shutting her eyes and waiting for her organs to heal. The tens of thousands of wounds gradually recovered due to the effect of the potion, but the terrifying pain from being burned by that fire had been etched into Meryl’s mind and soul.
After seven minutes, Meryl felt her body and mind calm down once again. She then opened her eyes and nodded firmly at Greem.
Thus, the fire rune entered her body once more, inciting the bloodline rune again.
“Ah!”
Meryl’s suppressed cry of pain lingered and echoed in the lab. Her naked body was now as red as a rose, and her skin was covered in large beads of sweat.
Even with the buffer from earlier and the experience of the first time, the burning pain from all over her body still tortured Meryl endlessly. Her slender body curled into a ball and her muscles spasmed from the pain. Her body trembled intensely as her cries filled the room over and over.
This time, it took Meryl fifteen minutes to regain control.
When she secretly glanced at the fire rune hovering above her, fear and hesitation could be seen in her eyes.
However, the thought of becoming stronger was far stronger than the pain itself.
After collecting herself, Meryl gritted her teeth and once again nodded at her teacher.
The next second, howls of agony and suffering filled the room.
Chapter 917 - Meryl's Return
The path of an adept was not built in a single day!
Those who attempted to take a shortcut would always pay a heavy price. It would often be one that an ordinary person would not be able to endure.
Right now, Meryl was enduring inhuman torture and agony for her past sloth and indulgence.
Tremendous power required an equally tremendous Physique as the host. The reason the dragons were all so massive was to be able to contain their powerful bloodline talent.
However, the dragons required year after year of long sleep to digest and absorb their bloodline powers. Meryl, on the other hand, was attempting to assimilate the bloodline rune in a short period of time; it was only natural that she would suffer some pain. This cruel modification process was unavoidable unless she could seal herself somewhere and meditate over a long period, much like a dragon.
Over the entire month, Meryl was always between heaven and hell. One leg in life and one in death, she struggled and endured painfully between the two.
The bloodline rune started by slightly radiating a trace of fire dragon aura, cooking her flesh and boiling her blood. By the end, all the fire essence that had accumulated within her body was slowly released and started to change and modulate her life circulation system passively.
First was the heart. This core organ of life gradually grew bigger and stronger from the changes produced by the fire dragon heart. A human heart had trouble enduring the shockwaves from a fire dragon’s aura. As such, two small auxiliary hearts had unknowingly grown to the side and back of Meryl’s heart.
Through their joint absorption and filtering, the fire dragon aura no longer ravaged her body as it had in the past. Instead, the aura became the source from where colossal bloodline powers slowly emerged.
The organs and blood vessels in Meryl’s body also became tougher, more flexible, and significantly more fire-resistant. In fact, many of her muscles and tissues had even undergone incomprehensible changes, becoming more suited for the circulation and storage of fire energy.
During this time, Meryl’s body also showed some signs of draconification.
Every time she consciously gathered fire energy, a thin layer of dark red scales would appear on her skin. They rang with a metallic sound when tapped. Moreover, whenever Meryl gathered fire energy in one of her hands, her slender and white hand would turn into a scale-covered dragon claw. Her claws could easily pierce alloy shields with less than one hundred points of defensive power as well as easily crush stone into a fine dust.
That proved the draconified Meryl had experienced an immense improvement in Strength and Physique.
Once Meryl had wholly adapted to the bloodline rune and was capable of elementary fire energy manipulation, Greem gave her a comprehensive analysis once again.
Meryl. Advanced First Grade.
Profession: Bloodline Adept (Fire Dragon Transformation).
Bodily Attributes: Strength 16 | Physique 17 | Agility 9 | Spirit 17
O
ne had to admit that the changes from the bloodline modification on her power were truly immense.
Her Strength had gone from 4 to 16 points, her Physique from 8 to 17, her Agility from 5 to 9, and her Spirit from 14 to 17. The increase in her attributes was truly breathtaking!
If one were to say that Meryl only used to be an ordinary First Grade adept that did not even deserve the title of a veteran, then her power was now very close to the level of elite adepts. She was no weaker than an elite adept when it came to her attributes. The only difference was probably in her fighting techniques and spellcasting abilities.
However, this was only her ability after the first stage of assimilation with the bloodline rune. From now on, as her assimilation degree with the bloodline rune increased, her basic abilities would also improve exponentially.
When that happened, she would only need to put in a little bit of effort, and she would be able to crush those elite adepts of the same grade easily.
Unfortunately, Meryl’s compatibility with the fire dragon bloodline was still a bit insufficient. She could only manage a partial draconic transformation at First Grade. Either dragon scale protection, dragon’s breath, or bloodline aura intimidation; these were all decent defensive and offensive skills.
She would probably have to wait until Second Grade to have a chance at complete draconic transformation.
With the firm foundations established by the Third Grade fire dragon, Meryl’s path to Second Grade had already been laid out for her. She only needed to assimilate and absorb the rune now, slowly waiting for her power to cross the threshold of Second Grade.
From this aspect alone, Meryl’s advancement to Second Grade was much, much simpler than most people’s!
It was also a demonstration of how having a powerful adept standing behind you would make the path of advancement a smooth and effortless one. It was the main reason why most low and intermediate-grade adepts were willing to be commanded by a high-grade adept.
In just five months, Meryl had successfully completed her fire dragon bloodline modification and assimilated the bloodline rune. All sorts of hidden and unseen benefits would slowly reveal themselves over the next decade, pushing her back to the second tier fighting force of the clan once more.
Age of Adepts c1-1513 Page 565