Chapter 295 292: Choices

Chapter 295 292: Choices

Previously, the petals only had the capability to assist a normal individual in acquiring the ability to register a bloodline, and could randomly enhance a bloodline skill of a bloodline user.

However, after the purification, their capabilities had dramatically improve.

Now, they promised to grant a special Constitution that would not only bestow the ability to register a bloodline on a normie but would also enable them to absorb high-level bloodline elixirs. As for the bloodline users, an upgrade in their existing bloodline was now guaranteed!

Val's eyes gleamed with excitement upon understanding the newly acquired properties of the Lunar Dewdrop. He took a deep breath, trying to contain the surge of emotions bubbling within him.

'This is phenomenal,' he thought, quivering with a mix of disbelief and elation. 'With this, my chances of achieving my goals have just skyrocketed!'

Oliver noticed the difference in the petals immediately and became curious.

His curiosity was evident in his voice as he asked,

"Why do the petals look shinier now?"

Val smirked, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "Take a guess. What could possibly improve the appearance of a magical ingredient?"

Lost in thought, Oliver racked his brain.

The answer dawned upon him after a few moments of contemplation.

While he wasn't an alchemist, he was well-aware of the common knowledge about alchemy ingredients because his nosy master had forced fed him not only basic sense but also all sorts of important information regarding the world and the society they lived him, all of which he was clueless about throughout his childhood thanks to his neglecting and abusive family.

He knew most of these ingredients had traces of the force of corruption, which hampered their true potential. However, if one managed to dispel this force of corruption, the ingredients would undergo an incredible transformation, becoming even more potent than their original state when affected by the force of corruption.

For such a profound change to manifest, the expertise of a high-ranked alchemist, like his master Lord Lucious, was essential. Yet, here was Val, having achieved this miraculous feat on his own.

This realization struck Oliver like a bolt of the blue with the weight of its implications.

"This means... your purification skill is on par with the top alchemists in the kingdom!" he gasped, his voice laden with shock.

"I learned from the best," Val nodded with a grin.

"I am curious about the upgraded petals. Tell me, what can they do now?" Oliver asked eagerly.

Val leaned in, his voice filled with a mysterious excitement. "For you, it guarantees a special constitution, elevating you to the level of a prodigy. As for me," he paused for a beat before continuing, "it could potentially upgrade both of my bloodlines."

He wasn't certain about it as the description he got from the system didn't explaim how the petal would react if taken by a persom with two bloodlines. Maybe it would upgrade only one. Maybe it would upgrade both. He would've to find that out by himself. But Val hoped it would be the latter.

'I would be hitting a jackpot in that case,' he thought.

Hearing about Val having two bloodlines didn't faze Oliver much, as he was already privy to that information. But he looked shocked as the potential benefits of the purified petals were mind-boggling. His hand reached toward a petal.

Without further ado, they both took their respective petals, biting into it. The taste was reminiscent of sawdust – dry and unpalatable. Yet, understanding the immense value of what they held, they didn't let even a bit of it go to waste, overcoming their natural revulsion to it as they put the rest of it in their mouths and swallowed it down.

Moments after consuming the mystical petal, Oliver felt an overwhelming sensation engulfing him. An intense, burning pain began to ripple throughout his body, starting from the depths of his stomach and radiating outwards, wrapping itself around every sinew, muscle, and bone. The agony was so intense that it felt as if he was caught in the very core of a raging inferno, akin to a crab being steamed alive in scalding water.

Refusing to let out a cry of distress, Oliver gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, enduring the tormenting pain in grim silence like a man of resolve. He clenched his fists so that his nails dug deep into his flesh, breaking the skin and causing warm blood to trickle out.

Each pulse of pain seemed to further test his resolve as every fiber of his being screamed in torment.

As he endured the pain of evolution, his breathing grew rapid and shallow, and droplets of sweat formed on his brow, merging and rolling down his face.

"You seem to be in a lot of pain. Need some help?" Val inquired after observing Oliver's pained expression.

Turning to Val with sweat glistening on his forehead, Oliver rasped, "What about you? You also took the herb. Aren't you in pain?"

Val looked at him with a serene expression, revealing no hint of discomfort. "Well, pain is like a second guardian angel to me. It has never harmed me."

"That was quite poetic I must say," Oliver remarked, gritting through his pain.

"I wonder if it's because the petal is upgrading my entire body, while it's only enhancing your bloodlines," Oliver voiced.

Val listened intently, choosing not to interrupt Oliver's train of thought. He had indeed spoken the truth earlier, but as often happens, the straightforward truth was interpreted through a different lens by the listener. Val pondered how, when faced with simple truths, people tend to weave their own intricate narratives around them, often complicating and mistaking what was originally clear and uncomplicated for something else. It has always amused him.

The gentle pitter-patter of rain began to sound against the earth, creating a rhythmic lullaby that echoed through the night. The sky wept as droplets, clear and round, cascaded from the heavens. Each drop, like a tiny pearl, splashed upon the ground outside the cave, quickly saturating the thirsty earth beneath. Within moments, the landscape outside the cave transformed, now shimmering under the wet embrace of the rain. The moistened terrain sparkled, reflecting the sporadic light from the overcast sky above.

Amidst the soothing sounds of nature, a sharp notification echoed within Val's mind, breaking his train of thought. It stated:

**Bloodline Upgrade Notification:**

- **Bloodline:** Blood Devil

- **Class:** Advanced to Level 4

- **New Skill Unlocked:**

* **Name:** Blood Reincarnation

* **Description:** The host can store a portion of his blood in a body, whether dead or alive. If he falls in battle or dies due to natural causes, his stored blood will automatically form a new body for him, granting him a second life.

* **Side Effect:** Following the process, the host will lose all his strength and would need to start from scratch.

Val's thoughts raced. This skill was exceptional, for there was nothing more valuable than life itself.

Even if one lost everything, as long as they could keep their life, it mattered.

'Of course, I don't have to worry about all that.'n((o--V/.e./l.(b-/1/-n

Moreover, what made this skill all the more better for Val was its synergy with his innate technique, the Soul Archive.

These two skills complemented each other perfectly!

With the Soul Archive skill, he would be able to literally overcome the penalty of the Blood Reincarnation skill in no time right after reincarnation.

Basically, if the situation ever called for it, Val could now die and be reborn in a new body without losing any of his accrued strength.

Another notification rang in Val's mind, bringing with it a pleasant surprise. As he read through the content of the alert, an emerging grin crept across his face. With each passing word, his grin expanded until it stretched from one ear to the other.

[System Notification]

Congratulations, your Whitemore bloodline has upgraded! Your White Devil class has advanced to Level 4. You are given a choice to upgrade any one of your three White Devil bloodline skills.

[Option 1] Upgrade "Titan's Reinforcement" to:

"Titan's Dominion"

Description: Amplifies all of Host's stats by 100%, turning him into a formidable force in any combat situation.

[Option 2] Upgrade "Hellish Fist" to:

"Infernal Touch"

Description: Grants Host the power to manifest, control, and extinguish hellfire at will. Elevates the skill's raw power, allowing it to scorch lands and set the heavens ablaze!

[Option 3] Upgrade "Void Force" to:

"Monarch's Decree"

Description: Elevates the Host's status as the Devil God of Evil and his godly authority to unparalleled heights. This skill will not only allow the Host to subjugate level 1 to 9 undead and level 1 to 8 bloodline users but the host can also infuse his creations with a fragment of his own power and will, making them more formidable and loyal. Additionally, the skill allows the Host to merge multiple undead into one to create a more powerful entity, and this skill also grants the host the ability to control ancient and more potent undead beings that once resisted his command!

"Which one should I choose?" Val pondered the choices before him, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.