Chapter 91: Transformation

[Achievement Unlocked: Liberate Arcadia +500]

[Honor Points 574/1000]

[Arcadia’s Secret Part 1: The Mystery of the Countess’s Origin / Completed]

[Arcadia’s Secret Part 2 / Unlock Conditions Not Met]

The matter was far from over.

Blaze was mentally prepared for this. Belcimann had deceived the Creation Giant Bell, tying the Foreigners to the Arcadians’ faction, but he hadn’t directly lifted the Curse.

With the Foreigners on their side, even if the method to break the Curse involved a Godslayer, it would no longer be an impossible task.

However, if it was truly as simple and crude as eradicating Deities, Belcimann wouldn’t have gone through such convoluted lengths.

Belcimann only needed to tell the Foreigners where the Moon God was—no, he simply had to tell them that a deity like the Moon God existed, and they would impatiently rush to Chop it down.

In fact, the Titan Evil God was so conspicuous that it faced relentless attacks from all sorts of Foreigners all day long. Then, one day, the great Hero—Pink Rabbit—ripped its Head off.

Ever since then, the Great Dragon never dared to approach the Earth again, lingering at an altitude completely out of the Foreigners’ reach.

But this was definitely not the Foreigners’ fault, as they were constantly tormented by a mental Curse known as the [Growth Period].

Digressions aside, the truth behind the Curse was evidently hidden within [Arcadia’s Secret Part 2]. It was just a matter of the unlock conditions.

Even without any concrete proof, Blaze understood that this condition was likely the use of the [Silver Blood].

“Just how cautious can this man get?”

“Blaze, are you going to use this?” Audrey asked. Seeing Blaze silently staring at the mass of Silver liquid in his hands, she knew exactly what he was thinking.

“Actually, I was wondering if I should give some of this to Herbie…”

Herbie, who had her arms crossed and looked like her mind was wandering in the clouds, froze. She had no idea how the topic had suddenly shifted to her.

Blaze explained while holding the [Silver Blood]. This mass of [Silver Blood] was extraordinarily large. Compared to the one Greenland had, the difference was roughly like that between a baby and a muscular adult man, so it should be possible to share a portion of it with Herbie.

“Haven’t you always been frustrated with your Ordinary People’s body? If you use this, you should gain the ability to transform into a Silver Werewolf. The only condition to use this is [Participate in Arcadia’s Revolution]. You should meet that requirement, Herbie.”

“Really?!” Herbie was incredibly moved. Although it hadn’t gone through Identification yet, this liquid was undoubtedly of immensely high quality. It was the blood of a legendary race—the Silver Race. From what Blaze said, it seemed it could even grant the user the ability to transform. Items with such an Effect were so rare that, across the entire continent, you could count them on one hand.

“In all my life, aside from Audrey’s friendship, I’ve never received such… such a precious gift. In the past, I always had to use deception and extortion.”

If not for that second half of her sentence, Blaze would definitely have said a few words to relieve Herbie of her psychological pressure.

“Do you want it or not?”

“I…” Herbie cupped her hands together. Just as she was about to agree, someone—or rather, a chicken—interrupted.

“Herbie Hermes does not meet the usage conditions.” The chicken flapped its wings and landed on Blaze’s shoulder, looking down at Herbie, who was baring her fangs and brandishing her claws like a puppy robbed of its food. “This is an item meant for the Blessed, so I shouldn’t need to explain what the basic requirement is.”

“W-well, I should at least give it a try!”

“Are you willing to bear the risks involved?”

“Risks? The rougher the waves, the more fish you catch!” Herbie shouted with great momentum before cautiously asking, “Could I find out what the specific risks are first?”

“The worst-case scenario is that your soul won’t be able to withstand the great blood within your body, turning you into a Monster that is neither Human nor Ghost. The best-case scenario is that the blood won’t have any transforming Effect on you at all, merely acting as simple nutrients for you to absorb, making you a bit healthier.”

“Ah, I just took a look. Because this item grants a Transformation Skill, there’s a very high chance it will just be wasted on you,” Blaze said, squinting as he carefully read the item’s description. He didn’t need to say anything more. The only ones who could possess a Skill were Monsters and the Blessed.

But Herbie’s focus didn’t seem to be on that detail.

“Wasted!? You might as well just kill me! I don’t deserve such an expensive supplement!” Herbie gritted her teeth, practically weeping tears of blood. “Blaze, you’d better just give me something else…”

“Just ignore this clown.” Audrey reached out and pushed the thick-skinned Herbie aside. “Blaze, use it. This is what you deserve. Perhaps, he also hoped that you would be the one to use this blood.”

“How did you—!?”

Before Blaze could finish his sentence, Audrey silenced him with a smile.

“I am a Singer, after all. I can use my voice to bring Power to everyone, and I can also hear a person’s heart through their voice. It’s my first time hearing such a clumsy musical.”

“That’s true,” Blaze smiled helplessly.

Only Herbie stood to the side, looking completely bewildered. She felt like she was being targeted again.

Blaze used the [Silver Blood]. The massive glob of blood extended countless tiny, thread-like tendrils that pierced through his Armor and entered his body. It wasn’t a massive Transformation that brought about pain, because the mystic nature of the blood acted directly upon the soul.

What Blaze felt was tranquility, yet his body burned with scorching heat. Explosive cracks of shifting bones echoed from within him, but it wasn’t painful. If he had to describe it…

That’s right, it felt like the stretching sensation of a deep, satisfying yawn after waking up from a long sleep.

The Soul Steel Armor began to resonate with Blaze’s body. It also began to expand, shattering and then reconstructing itself. Only the helmet, seemingly unsure of how to execute its Transformation, simply exploded and transformed into a protective Guard for his lower jaw.

From a distance, the Guard looked like a muzzle, but when paired with the youthful, majestic wolf Head boasting Silver fur and golden eyes, it exuded a bizarre sense of danger.

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[Blaze / Black Beast]

Level: 34+1 (13)

Profession: Soul Suppressing Knight (Incomplete) Level 5 / Great Sword Master Level 15 / Fighting Master Level 11 / Night Watcher Level 2 / Demon Hunter Level 1 / Silver King Level 1

Power: 666+ / Agility: 637+ / Intelligence: 284+ / Faith: 470+

Skill

*Lethal Execution? / *Danger Perception C / *Poison Resistance A / *Fire Resistance A / Butterfly Dance C / Bee Sting Fist C / Strangulation E / Forest Blessing D / Leo F / Low-level Contract F / Translation E / Soul Capture F / Soul Seed E / Adrenaline F / Deception Skill F / Dark Assault F / Guardian of the Dead F / Soul Sanctuary E / Black Shadow Stealth F / *Night Pupil E / Shared Vision E / Trap Making F / Throwing F / Counterpunch D / Bow Skill F / Moon God’s Curse S / Silver Bloodline F / Shadow of Filth F

Prayer: [If God Does Not Forgive, Then I Shall Suffer in Their Stead]

Equipment

Weapon: Twisted Evil God’s Name (Great Sword) / Head: None / Upper Body: None / Waist: None / Lower Body: None / Accessory: ???

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In a corner that no one noticed, the Shadow of the Silver blood spread beneath Blaze’s feet, crawling all over his own Shadow.

The massive Shadow opened a pair of Silver eyes, but they quickly closed again, and the Werewolf’s Shadow reverted to a normal Human Shadow.