As the tip of her finger touched the surface of the magical paper, a burst of radiant light flared, surging into her body like a wave of energy. Simultaneously, the familiar mechanical voice echoed once more, resonating directly in her mind. A glowing blue interface appeared before her eyes.
DING!
[Welcome to the Starting City!]
[System activation in progress...]
Shiki glanced at the group of dragonewts surrounding her. Some looked terrified, trying to dodge the glowing flyers darting toward them. However, the flyers seemed to have a will of their own, homing in on their targets. Even without contact, the flyers merged into their bodies, triggering a bright luminescence. The dragonewts screamed in alarm, though there was no pain, just the unsettling sensation of their forms glowing from within.
[SYSTEM ACTIVATED!]
Name: Shiki Gankou
Title: -
Essence: 0
Cultivation: -
Bloodline Purity: Level 0 (0%)
Dragon Essence: Dragon Eyes
Skill: ???, Eyes That Unveil Secrets, -
Equipment: Ring of ???, -
STR: 8 (10 for an average adult dragonewt)
AGI: 9 (8 for an average adult dragonewt)
VIT: 7 (10 for an average adult dragonewt)
INT: 12 (5 for an average adult dragonewt)
Shiki scanned the information with a neutral expression, one that gradually soured into visible disgust. The status, stark and glaring, served as an acute reminder of how far she had fallen. Once an indomitable force—a "queen" who knew no equal—she now stood at her weakest. Shame crept into her core, scorching what little pride she had left.
But that shame did not linger. Like embers stoked by a sharp wind, it transformed into a burning resolve.
“This is only temporary,” she thought, clenching her fist tightly. “Soon, I’ll surpass the person I once was. No—I'll become something far greater than anything that has ever existed!”
Her gaze fixed on the “Title” field, its emptiness stark and infuriating. In her previous life, that space had been brimming with accolades that inspired awe or struck terror into all who heard them. Now, it was void, a piercing affront to her dignity. Still, she was determined to fill it again—this time, faster than ever before.
Titles were not mere symbols; they were tools that granted attribute boosts or unique effects critical in battle.
One such example was the “Title: Authority of King”, previously wielded by a select few dragonewts in her past life. That title endowed its bearer with the ability to enslave any dragonewt who submitted to them. Those under its influence bore the “King’s Servant” Mark, a binding seal that prevented them from lying or defying their master’s orders.
However, Shiki’s ambitions soared higher. “Authority of King” was merely a pale shadow of the title she coveted: “Authority of Emperor.” This title did not merely dominate minds and willpower—it allowed its bearer to read the thoughts and interfaces of every individual branded with the “Emperor’s Servant” Mark. Beyond that, the bearer gained the Skill: Emperor’s Blessing, a power capable of doubling the strength of their followers, up to three times per day.
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With that title, one was guaranteed a large and loyal faction, whether their followers submitted willingly or were forced into compliance. Yet in her past life, no one who held the Authority of Emperor had ever managed to wield its full potential. Every bearer of the title became a target of collective hatred, hunted relentlessly by all other dragonewts.
Reflecting on her previous life, Shiki began to suspect that the hunt for the Authority of Emperor titleholders might have been orchestrated by those who held the Authority of King.
One method to acquire the Authority of Emperor was by upgrading the Authority of King through a process of enhancement. This made the holders of the Authority of King significantly more likely to achieve the Authority of Emperor than dragonewts who lacked such a title. However, a glaring oddity stood out: not a single holder of the Authority of King in her past life had ever attempted to upgrade their title.
“Why?” Shiki pondered. “Were they afraid? Or was there another hidden reason?”
She shook her head, dispelling the thought. For now, this information was hers alone, and she intended to exploit it. Both the Authority of Emperor and other game-changing titles would become hers. Nothing would stand in the way of her ambition.
Shiki shifted her focus to the mechanics of this world. Essence, an essential resource for purifying the blood of a dragonewt, could only be obtained through dungeons or occasionally from their "neighbors," who visited once a month. By increasing her Bloodline Purity, Shiki’s base attributes would grow substantially.
Bloodline purity progressed through four critical milestones: Wyrmnia Peak (1% - 25%), Amphithernia/Lindwormnia Peak (26% - 50%), Wyvernious/Dreaknious Peak (51% - 75%), and Draconium Peak (76% - 100%).
During the Wyrmnia Realm stage (1% - 25%), dragonewts only required regular Essence to purify their blood. However, after reaching Wyrmnia Peak (25%), ordinary Essence was no longer sufficient. To progress to the next Realm, they needed Dragon Essence, a much rarer resource.
Fortunately, Shiki had a significant advantage: Dragon Eyes. Being born with Dragon Eyes meant she already possessed Dragon Essence within her body, eliminating the need to hunt for the resource to surpass the first milestone.
Upon reaching the Amphithernia Realm or Lindwormnia Realm (26% - 50%), dragonewts faced a pivotal evolutionary choice.
Those choosing the Amphithernia path gained the ability to fly, with a focus on AGI and INT attributes, though their physical strength (STR) and vitality (VIT) were notably weaker, earning them the reputation of "glass cannons" in Shiki's past life.
Alternatively, the Lindwormnia path enabled dragonewts to move through the earth as though swimming in water, providing significant boosts to STR and VIT but at the expense of AGI and INT, leading to their characterization as "dumb tanks."
Both evolutionary paths required three Dragon Essence when Bloodline Purity reach the peak of their respective Realms.
At the next stage, dragonewts underwent further evolution as the Amphithernia Realm advanced into the Wyvernious Realm and the Lindwormnia Realm advanced into the Dreaknious Realm.
In the Wyvernious/Dreaknious Realm (51% - 75%), dragonewts achieved full elemental mastery, enabling them to wield elements as extensions of their own bodies. Ideally, they could command all five elements—wind, water, earth, fire, and lightning—but due to the complexity of training and control, most focused on mastering two or three.
The chosen evolutionary path also influenced elemental affinity; Wyvernious dragonewts naturally excelled in wind and lightning, while Dreaknious dragonewts were better attuned to water and earth. Fire, though considered universal, posed challenges for both paths, often becoming the third element of choice after their primary affinities.
