Water Toad (F) + Sky Dragonfly (F), Nightmare Moth (F) + Bluefang Hyena (F) + Crystal Horned Deer (F) + Hollowfang Hare (F) = Lunar Prism Howler (E)
Bloodline: Lunar Prism Howler (E)
Classification: Advanced Hybrid Beast Bloodline
Grade: High-E
Form and Nature:
A six-limbed beast with iridescent, crystal-laced fur and translucent wing-appendages that pulse with bioluminescent glow. It walks silently, thrives in water, sky, and darkness, and hunts by inducing terror or confusion in its prey. Its horn is not just a weapon, but a refractive psychic focus.
"Nice. This should give me some upgrade to my bloodline."
With that thought in mind, he disappeared into the Fusion Lab.
But just as he did, a faint rustle came from the nearby bushes.
Yuki, naturally, didn't notice it.
He was too focused on fusion to care about the happenings outside.
Without delay, he combined the skill and bloodline.
[ Congratulations! You have acquired a new skill: Tunnel Gore Strike (E) ]
[ Your bloodline has been strengthened significantly. ]
[ Strength +2, Agility +1, Vitality +1 ]
"Still no bloodline upgrade, huh?" Yuki sighed. "Seems like I need a D-Rank bloodline to push mine further. I can't miss out on those extra stats. If I want to stay ahead of others, I need to upgrade my bloodline as soon as possible.
But where should I even find powerful bloodlines? And even if they exist, defeating them would be extremely tough..."
Whoosh!
While pondering, he stepped out of the Fusion Lab. His small dragon form, about half a meter tall, instantly caught the golden hue of the western sunlight. His icy-blue scales shimmered like gemstones.
But the peaceful light was quickly forgotten.
Because...
The moment he returned to the same spot—
His eyes widened.
Thud!
A figure knelt before him with a loud drop, forehead pressed tightly to the grassy earth.
"Noble One, I have finally found you. I am glad. Please take this lowly one as your servent. Grant me your wisdom and save me from this nightmare."
It was not the voice of a human.
Yuki's surprised gaze dropped to the source of the voice, eyes narrowing with disbelief.
Before him knelt a crocodile.
A talking green crocodile.
It was large, at least twice his current dragon size, yet it was groveling like a devoted servant. Its snout touched the dirt, its yellow eyes wide with reverence.
[ Basic Appraisal Activated ]
[ Greenscale Crocodile - Level 11 ]
[ Extractions Available ]
Yuki blinked in astonishment.
"A Greenscale Crocodile? Level 11 ?" he muttered, stunned.
Despite being stronger than him, the creature trembled and bowed deeply. "Please, O Scaled One. Your presence alone burns away the fear in my veins. In this chaos and darkness, You're my only hope."
Yuki instinctively took a cautious step back.
He did not detect hostility, but that only made it stranger.
"What do you mean? Why do you want to submit to me" he asked, puzzled but alert.
It lifted its head slightly and spoke, "I can sense pure Dragon blood within you, Noble One. As such me as lesser draconic species, its only right to submit to you."
"Besides, there is something spreading across these wilds. A plague that devours minds. Many of my kin have turned into rabid beasts, attacking anything they see. I was on the verge of succumbing, but your aura saved me. That is why I beg you, allow me to stay by your side."
"My aura has saved you?" Yuki stared at the crocodilian beast, confused and wary. What astonished him even more was the silence of the System. No warnings. No alerts. As if it, too, trusted the creature.
He frowned, then whispered within his thoughts.
'Dracina, can I trust this guy?'
[ Affirmative. Host may proceed. I detect no falsehood in his submission. Moreover, it is a natural instinct for a lesser being of draconic lineage to yield before a superior one. ]
"Hm. I never imagined crocodiles would carry Dragon bloodline," Yuki murmured, inspecting the beast again with thoughtful eyes.
[ They possess a diluted heritage, tainted through generations of crossbreeding. Not only them, but many species across this world carry fragments of ancient draconic essence. It lies dormant in most, forgotten and overlooked. ]
"So I should trust him. But the last time I did something like that, I paid the price. He seemed friendly, yet held buried motives." Yuki's expression hardened slightly at the memory.
[ All sentient beings carry desires. Some simply hide them better. However, this one is honest in his fear and admiration. As for your concern about Hollowfication, your aura may indeed play a repelling role. It is plausible that its presence suppresses corruption. ]
"Oh, then why did chester was affected?"
[ Possible Reason: You Were Weak ]
"Yes. That does make sense. I might not be the only one either. The other Awakened probably carry immunity as well, or else they wouldn't dare to venture out here to hunt. That would explain why Chester succumbed, but I did not."
[ Host's theory remains consistent with observed patterns. ]
A small smirk tugged at the corner of Yuki's lips.
"Hehe... See, I am smart."
[ Indeed. Shall I issue a World Domination Quest to match your genius? ]
Yuki clicked his tongue, pretending to be annoyed. "Forget it. You're no fun. Why don't you give normal quests like other Systems? You're so stingy."
[ Apologies, Host. Currently, no quests are available. Due to a System Error, the Quest function is broken. Recovery is ongoing. Once it is restored, quests will be issued accordingly. ]
Dracina replied sweetly.
Yuki sighed and turned his focus to the present.
The crocodile was still kneeling like an obedient knight.
Yuki almost laughed at the sight but forced himself to remain composed.
Although a part of him wanted to reject the creature outright, Yuki understood the value of having a capable companion in future battles.
After some deliberation, he decided to accept him.
He straightened his posture and attempted to sound authoritative as he spoke,
"Stand up!"
The crocodile rose at once like an obedient student. Yuki then asked,
"What's your name?"
The crocodile exhaled softly and replied,
"We monsters don't usually use names, My Lord. But if you wish to give me one, I will wear it with pride."
Yuki nodded in understanding.
"I see. Then, now that I've made up my mind, I should give you one."
After a brief moment of thought, he said,
"Very well. From today, your name will be—"