The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

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After hunting for two consecutive days, with the Eye of Magic Power almost constantly active for 24 hours, Liszt still hadn't found the Bloodline Fruit, which left him feeling deeply frustrated.

"The reward has already been two days past, and the Bloodline Fruit must have already been bred. It can only exist for five minutes... If it was bred within my territory, it might have been eaten by some animal, transforming into a Magical Beast... If it was bred around here, I'm afraid it would have already disappeared."

The Bloodline Fruit has a time limit.

Once ripe, it falls to the ground, and after just five minutes, its magic power will completely dissipate, turning it into a normal piece of fruit.

Feeling disheartened, he continued to hunt.

Even though hope was growing dim, he persisted without giving up. After all, the life of a salted fish didn't require busyness, just counting the days until the Grand Duke announced the end of the Pioneer Mandate - the Duchy of Sapphire had already made a mess of the Sardine Bay Area, tying down a large number of Knight Orders.

Once the winter snows set in, the war wouldn't mean much, as charging through ice and snow was not a good choice.

It was while he was somewhat distracted.

In the field of vision granted by the Eye of Magic Power, a flash of magic radiance suddenly passed by. It wasn't until long after his gaze had left that area that he abruptly awoke, immediately turned Loki's head, and began searching for that pinpoint of magic radiance. Quickly, after crossing a bush, he arrived at the source of the magic radiance.

"Woof, woof!"

"Woof, woof!"

Eight Tiny Ones immediately started barking furiously.

Loki, too, began to "click-clack," "click-clack," as they all discovered the source of the magic power, something of immense value - it was a green fruit, hanging on the branch of a small bush, emitting a strong greyish-green magic radiance.

Clearly, this was the Bloodline Fruit that Liszt had been looking for all along.

Only it wasn't ripe yet.

"Be on guard!" Liszt quickly reacted. "Charles, have the Knight Squad spread out and guard this bush! Protect this bounty I've discovered!"

Charles Trap shouted, "Yes, my Lord!" and then led the Knight Squad to strictly guard the surrounding shrubbery against the possibility of Magical Beasts appearing.

He had seen that strange green fruit.

A tree that shouldn't have borne fruit was sporting such a large one, undoubtedly the Bloodline Fruit, a Bloodline Fruit worth a thousand Gold Coins. A fruit that could alter the bloodline of wild beasts and Magical Beasts, Lord Liszt's Douson was a Magical Beast that had consumed a Bloodline Fruit.

Unfortunately, the success rate of the Bloodline Fruit wasn't high; otherwise, its value would be measured in Dragon coins.

Anyone who discovers an immature Bloodline Fruit and informs their Lord could receive a large reward. But now that the Lord himself had found one, there was no reward for them; they could only fulfill their duties loyally and protect the Bloodline Fruit from Magical Beast attacks.

"Woof, woof!"

"Click-clack!"

Eight Tiny Ones and Loki kept barking.

Liszt immediately ordered, "Blizzard Beast, silence! Loki, quiet down!"n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

The authority he wielded in everyday life was fully demonstrated in this moment, as Eight Tiny Ones and Loki all quieted down, but their eyes remained parchedly fixed on the Bloodline Fruit.

Taking advantage of the interval before the Bloodline Fruit ripened.

Liszt quickly pondered whom to give it to: "The last time I found a Bloodline Fruit, it was a golden one, seemingly leaning towards the Earth Attribute; this time, it's a green fruit, with greyish-green magic power, seemingly leaning towards the Wind Attribute."

The Bloodline Fruit doesn't have a strict attribute distinction, it is of a chaotic attribute, but judging from the color presentation, there is still some tendency.

Eight Tiny Ones all have the Earth Attribute, only Loki has the Wind Attribute.

Exhaling a breath of turbid air, he had made his decision on who would receive the Bloodline Fruit: "Give it to Loki, then. The Eight Tiny Ones are a united front, favoring one means slighting another, better not to give to any... If Loki consumes the Bloodline Fruit and by chance turns into an Intermediate Dragon Beast, wouldn't that be an enormous windfall?"

So.

He directly issued an order: "Blizzard Beast, forbear from eating!"

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"Woof woof!" the Eight Tiny Ones expressed their dissatisfaction.

Liszt glared, "Shut up, or I'll let Douson teach you a lesson!"

Only then did the Eight Tiny Ones whine softly, not daring to voice their complaints again. They had grown up under Liszt's "carrot and stick" dog training policy and had long since learned not to challenge Liszt's authority—especially since their most feared father, Douson, always stood by Liszt's side.

Stepping off Loki's back, Liszt patted its head as it seemed anxious, "Once it's ripe, you can eat it."

Loki seemed to understand and crowed loudly, "Gada!"

Five minutes later.

A rich fragrance emanated from the Bloodline Fruit, signaling that it was close to maturation. Through the Eye of Magic, one could also see that the magic power inside it was becoming increasingly concentrated, almost to the point of dripping.

Just at that moment.

The knights on perimeter alert suddenly sent out a warning signal, "Magical Beasts! A large pack of Wind Blade Wolves, at least twenty!"

Liszt raised an eyebrow, "Eight Tiny Ones, get ready for battle. Hunt down all the Wind Blade Wolves!" He had been running short on Magical Beast Meat lately and was actually hoping for some beasts to deliver themselves as a feast. Indeed, a group of low-level Magical Beasts known as Wind Blade Wolves, common throughout the forests of the continent, started a benevolent act.

Instantly, the fur of the Eight Tiny Ones bristled in readiness to attack the Wind Blade Wolves—directing the fury of being unable to eat the Bloodline Fruit towards the wolves.

In the blink of an eye.

The battle commenced, with the Wind Blade Wolves attracted by the Bloodline Fruit and charging ferociously. Fueled by rage, the Eight Tiny Ones pounced to kill. The Intermediate Magical Beasts bullying the low-level beasts was almost like child's play. In just a brief encounter, seven Wind Blade Wolves had their throats locked in the jaws of the Blizzard Beasts, with only one agile enough to escape, but it couldn't evade the Rock Spikes bursting from the ground.

In such a scene.

With the Eight Tiny Ones leading the charge and the Earth Knights providing support, there was no need for Liszt to pay attention.

He was waiting for the Bloodline Fruit to mature.

Loki also circled around the bush anxiously, knowing that the Bloodline Fruit was about to ripen and understanding this was an opportunity to change its destiny.

Suddenly.

Fluttering sounds came from the sky.

Liszt looked up to see a group of bats shimmering with Magic Radiance approaching, "Damn, Black Bats! A group of Dark Attribute low-level Magical Beasts capable of casting the Dark magic 'Decay'!" This kind of Dark magic seemed to work by draining the moisture from objects, accelerating their decomposition.

The Magic Books had records of commoners encountering Black Bat attacks, quickly withering away into desiccated corpses.

He quickly drew the Swift Shadow Bow and aimed his arrows, launching fierce strikes at the Black Bats. However, the Black Bats were agile, seemingly equipped with ultrasonic positioning, enabling them to dodge arrows quickly. It often took Liszt three volleys of nine arrows to bring down a single Black Bat.

It was nowhere near enough to clean up the group of more than twenty or thirty Black Bats in a short time.

During the battle, the enticing scent of the Bloodline Fruit intensified to its peak, having ripened. The Black Bats dived madly at the Bloodline Fruit, vying for the precious treasure.

Liszt had reached his maximum firing speed, but still, he could not stop them.

"We're doomed!"

"The Bloodline Fruit is going to be snatched by these beasts!" As a Black Bat closed in on the Bloodline Fruit, Liszt couldn't help but grind his teeth in anger.

However.

Loki, guarding nearby, suddenly flapped its wings, charging at the Black Bat swarm like a brave warrior. Tendrils of blue magic power swirled around it, scattering the Black Bats. With the speed of lightning, it caught the Bloodline Fruit mid-air, after which a leap avoided the Black Bats' retaliatory Decay spell.

"Gada!"

Loki, victorious in the battle for destiny, raced towards Liszt. Liszt swiftly mounted Loki and drew the Sky-Cleaving Greatsword, executing an Inferno Slash.

A fiery rain of attacks descended upon the Black Bat swarm, dispersing them. In combination with Loki's perfect airborne leap, they began to clear out these Black Bats.

"They're all mine, none of you are getting away!"