Haiying Artificial Island sank beneath the sea after the brutal battle against the tide of Alchemical Corpse Guardians. The entire coastal combat platform was swallowed by the waves.
The explosion of the alchemical sulfur bomb released a thick, pungent sulfuric odor into the air. The tides swelled, crashing against the island's broken edges and sending sprays of seawater into the air.
No one could imagine that beneath this seemingly calm black ocean lay countless Alchemical Corpse Guardians and ferocious Ghost-toothed Dragon Vipers.
Yet now, both the savage Ghost-toothed Dragon Vipers and the brutal Alchemical Corpse Guardians had sunk into the vast, boundless sea.
Even the once-glorious draconic hybrids were reduced to nothing more than food for small fish and shrimp.
The chunks of flesh, jagged bones, and pale blue blood washing ashore with the waves silently told the tale of the fierce battle that had raged here.
Tonight, no one except Yamata no Orochi and hybrids from Cassel College would know of the old man who used his mortal body to build an impenetrable wall. He held off the vicious Death Servitors and the resurrected Corpse Guardians at this blood-stained coastline.
"Erii…"
As he sank into the deep sea, Uesugi Koeru slowly closed his eyes.
His body was severely injured; most of his flesh had been devoured by the Ghost-toothed Dragon Vipers. He had also endured the blast of the alchemical sulfur bomb to stall the tide of Corpse Guardians.
For dragons, alchemical sulfur was a deadly poison.
But in the end, he had used his life to fulfill his promise to that man.
Now, as he reflected on his life, all he saw were scenes of failure.
Once, he had been the ruler of Japan's underworld, but he changed nothing. Deceived and manipulated for a decade, he retreated to the mountains in despair, thinking he would die alone.
Yet, to his surprise, he had left behind three bloodlines in the world. What a cruel and ironic ending.
Erii, Chisei, and Chimei ….has your fate been changed?
Unfortunately, even though he wanted to know the result, he could no longer see it.
Uesugi Koeru felt his consciousness gradually fading, surrounded by the cold seawater, sinking into the dark depths of the ocean.
Is this... death?
His consciousness was dragged into the pitch-black abyss, all his senses stripped away, his soul seemingly returning to a vast, mysterious ocean.
However, the body of Uesugi Koeru, sinking to the ocean floor, was undergoing an astonishing transformation.
Though his body had been mostly devoured by the Ghost-toothed Dragon Vipers and corroded by alchemical sulfur toxins, nearly in a mummified state, his chest still rose and fell.
Thump!
Thump-thump!
Thump-thump-thump!
The dying heart erupted with a dull, thunderous sound, a noise that echoed through the deep sea, creating ripples in the water.
If one could look beyond the shriveled skin and peer into the organs covered by muscles, they would see a drop of golden blood occupying Uesugi Koeru's heart.
It was this drop of 'light golden blood' that infused his heart with new life.
As the blood merged, the heart was revived, its four valves contracting and expanding like a precision hydraulic machine, pumping the new, golden-tinged blood directly into the aorta, rapidly circulating it throughout his body!
Whoosh!
The sound of blood flowing inside his body was like a raging river, heavy and clear.
It was unimaginable that from a body almost dried up like a mummy, life would burst forth again, and the fresh, surging blood attracted numerous bloodthirsty fish.
Just as the bloodthirsty fish, drawn by the scent of blood, greedily watched the withered body, attempting to feast on it...
Uesugi Koeru, whose eyes had been tightly shut, suddenly opened them wide.
Buzz!
His vertical pupils, glowing with a molten gold-like heat, carried the authority of a supreme ruler.
The bloodthirsty fish surrounding him were instantly ensnared by his gaze, causing them to bizarrely swell up from within before exploding in the water, turning into large clouds of blood mist.
What terrifying eyes! Just by gazing, the creatures of the sea underwent unimaginable mutations!
But the transformation of Uesugi Koeru was far from over.
Though his eyes were open, they seemed devoid of spirit. His gaze lacked focus, hollow and vacant, like a shell of a body that had lost its soul.
The tightly arranged gray-white scales covered the surface of the skin, engraved with countless three-dimensional symbols.
The faint glow was dim and unclear, with mysterious and eerie runes intertwining with each other, drilling into the skin and flesh, forming something that did not belong to the real world!
The supreme bloodline of the White King fused with an unknown light golden blood, merging with each other.
However, during the fusion process, neither was willing to be the 'one to be fused.' Using Uesugi Koeru's body as the battleground, an intense battle broke out!
The dragon blood, nearly occupying the entire body, was like a bloodthirsty and brutal king, devouring newly born cells, constantly destroying the body that had been eroded and reshaped by the 'light golden blood,' then turning it into a dragon-shaped death knight while attempting to completely eliminate the light golden blood.
It was angry!
Although it had lost its master, the information passed down through its genes was that of the ancient White Emperor!
It once ruled over thousands of dragons and humans, its status above the Four Dragon Kings, possessing great divinity, controlling the most noble spiritual elements, and being the ruler of the world!
However, when the White King's blood entered the heart, a sudden and unimaginable burst of fiery, dazzling light erupted from the depths of that drop of light golden blood!
It was beyond the imagination of the dragon race and even the Black Emperor could not compare. It symbolized the cosmic order, even the very foundation of the universe!
Its will surpassed all things!
The vast waves, capable of drowning all beings, in just a fraction of a second, completely shattered the White King's blood and drowned it entirely!
It was over.
The White King's blood fought hard, only to be crushed in the end, bringing its efforts to a close.
The light golden blood not only devoured the White King's bloodline, but it also began to further transform Uesugi Koeru, shifting between human and dragon forms until it finally stabilized.
Consciousness drowned in that deep, profound ocean, Uesugi Koeru's soul finally returned to his body. His hollow eyes regained focus. The feeling of being reborn threw his mind into chaos, while his body instinctively began to move upward.
Splash!
Uesugi Koeru emerged from the water and swam to the shore.
He lay on the rocky shore, staring blankly at the night sky. His chest heaved as he breathed in deep breaths, the air tinged with the scent of sulfur.
Though his mind was still a bit chaotic, he clearly remembered that he should have died from exhaustion, falling into the abyss.
But now... why was he alive again?
Uesugi Koeru sat up from the ground, looking at himself in shock, feeling like something was different.
This body seemed to contain an extremely terrifying power, not only had his bloodline been enhanced several times over, but it also seemed to have granted him some special abilities.
As he was lost in confusion, he suddenly felt a stir in his heart and noticed someone approaching.
Uesugi Koeru turned his head and saw the image of a black-haired youth reflected in his eyes. He was stunned and exclaimed, "It's... you!"
"How does it feel, Uesugi Koeru?"
Uchiha Sogetsu's gaze was calm, a warm smile playing at the corner of his lips. "Do you like the gift I gave you?"
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