Chapter 142: High-Rank Warrior Beelzebub
The crimson moon sank below the horizon.
Its red afterglow slowly dissipated.
Pale dawn light began to emerge on the far horizon.
The battle was finally nearing its end.
Occasional bowstrings twanged, echoing through the smoke-filled temporary camp.
The uninjured mutated clay golems were performing a final cleanup of the corpse piles and any surviving monsters.
Fierce flames surged up again.
Black smoke rolled into the thick mist.
Corpses piled up, waiting to be burned, exuding a nauseating stench.
The refugees, who had been on edge all night, began their work again.
Their task was heavy: to flatten the slopes on the hill and lay the groundwork for future buildings.
Hardly anyone had slept well, but they worked with determination.
Last night's battle and victory showed them they had found a safe place to settle.
A strong force that could provide safety was far more effective than promises they hadn't yet seen.
Adam Smith anxiously burned all the bodies while grimly tallying the losses.
Though they had won the battle, the Thorn Merchant Caravan had paid a heavy price.
All 20 clay golems were destroyed!
35 guards dead!
6 elite guards dead!
What pained Adam Smith even more than the losses in manpower was the accumulated cost—over 100,000 worth of supplies!
Although most of the resources belonged to Bay Territory and its lord...
Adam Smith, having tied himself closely to Bay Territory, felt that the inexplicable battle's losses would severely impact its development.
He mulled over how to report this bad news to the lord with the proper worried expression.
In the tent at the center of the camp, Matthew thoughtfully observed the unconscious Beelzebub.
"Unconscious..."
"Bloodline awakening in progress..."
Last night's battle had become a unique key, unlocking a special door within Beelzebub.
Bloodline power!
Having witnessed the power of true dragon bloodlines, Matthew was awed by Beelzebub's chance to gain such an ability.
However, it was clear that Beelzebub lacked the strength and preparation to fully activate his bloodline on his own.
Data analysis revealed to Matthew that Beelzebub was facing three possible outcomes.
"First possibility: Bloodline awakening failure—97% chance. Strength greatly reduced, and the difficulty of future awakenings doubles!"
"Second possibility: Bloodline awakening success—2.9% chance. Strength surges, but lingering side effects will take a year and a half to recover from."
"Third possibility: Bloodline awakening and evolution—0.1% chance. Strength and potential greatly increase (Note: Selecting this option costs 1,000 Fate Coins and 20,000 experience points to achieve perfection)."
Matthew rubbed his temples, finally understanding.
Even in this world, money, resources, and even one's origin were essential.
The poor, relying on mutations, were already limited in their potential!
Bloodline awakening and evolution—the same option that would likely cost Matthew or Yaya far fewer resources.
Because of Beelzebub's limited talent, the process from nothing to something was particularly difficult!
Staring at Beelzebub's unconscious face, Matthew helplessly sighed:
"Alright, I suppose it's like buying a prized horse at a high price!"
Despite his words, Matthew's smile betrayed his satisfaction.
Now, he no longer had to worry about a lack of talent among his subordinates!
A radiant blue light surrounded the slumbering Beelzebub.
The thin force within him rapidly grew denser.
Under Matthew's careful watch, it gradually transformed Beelzebub's body.
Bone density increased, and his already large frame grew even more.
Matthew predicted that, once fully transformed, Beelzebub would stand at 2.5 meters tall.
Along with his bones, his skin, muscles, nerves, and even internal organs were strengthened.
Their density and resilience increased astonishingly, giving Matthew a wealth of insights.
The mysterious force worked as though programmed, steadily fortifying Beelzebub's body.
This time, Matthew could observe more closely—the tiny blue lights of experience points and Fate Coins primarily concentrated in active areas.
It felt to Matthew as if...
Beelzebub's bloodline power was the program's code.
Experience points served as the universal material to realize and strengthen that code.
As for Fate Coins, they acted as the stabilizers, ensuring the plan proceeded smoothly, without uncertainty.
Combined, the three elements advanced Beelzebub's bloodline activation and evolution!
Matthew committed every detail of the process to memory, pondering with anticipation:
"Does this mean that if I can decipher the principles and specifics of bloodline enhancement..."
"I could use higher-quality nutrition fluids and repair potions instead of experience points for strengthening and energy?"
"Finally, using efficient Wish spells to replace Fate Coins' function..."
"Perhaps in the future, I could mass-produce elite professionals with bloodline abilities..."
"..."
Of course, this was just a burst of inspiration for Matthew.
To achieve it would likely take a long time.
It might even be impossible to accomplish.
But Matthew was confident and determined to walk that path, step by step.
After all, he could use his special abilities to solve one "correct answer" after another.
With both the result and the path ahead, Matthew was willing to invest in it.
In the face of a hopeless future, Matthew knew that personal strength was limited, and most ordinary people's strength was limited as well.
What Matthew aimed to do was turn many ordinary people into Beelzebubs!
If every human became extraordinary, every one a legendary figure...
Even the lofty gods would have no choice but to lower their arrogant heads and listen carefully to humanity's voice.
At that moment, Matthew felt his thoughts clear, finally finding a glimmer of hope in the eternal darkness.
Completely unaware of the immense significance he represented, Beelzebub groggily opened his eyes, instinctively shouting in pain:
"Come on, you disgusting monster!"
The large man sat up, locking eyes with Matthew's intense gaze. The anger surging within him quickly vanished, replaced by inexplicable "fear."
Beelzebub recognized that gaze from this mysterious and powerful Arcanist.
It was the same look he used to dissect prey and explain it in detail to the younglings of his tribe...