Ashen Dragon

Chapter 60 Awakening (Part 1)

With a low roar, Cassius slowly opened his eyes. He felt a bit dazed, as a flood of information had surged into his mind during his slumber, and he hadn't had the time to thoroughly digest it.

"I must have slept for a long time this time."

His scales were covered by a thick layer of dust.

Cassius shook his enormous head and gently flapped his wings. The bones, which hadn't moved for ages, made a crisp sound, and ashes flew around his body.

"This time, I seem to have grown more dignified. Not bad."

Cassius glanced at the massive glass mirror that had long been prepared in the underground palace, nodding in satisfaction.

Perhaps it was due to deeply excavating his bloodline power, but now Cassius was far more mature than an ordinary Red Dragon. His enormous body was a full fifteen meters long, and his proportions were nearly identical to those of an adult Red Dragon; no longer did he possess the juvenile naivety of a youngling.

The two sturdy, backward-sweeping horns atop Cassius's head had lengthened, their surface a yellowish, bone-white. Several rows of small horns extended from the top of his head, and the small horns on his cheeks and jaws became more prominent, making his massive head appear even more ferocious.

The golden pupils of the Red Dragon had slightly faded— a sign of aging, and it was said that the eyes of the oldest Red Dragons would resemble lava spheres.

His body was covered in bright, crimson scales that had turned a deeper red. The glossy patterns had been replaced by smooth, matte textures, although the edges of the scales still held a touch of gold due to the metallic scales.

The wings of the Red Dragon had become broader, with the trailing edges of the wing membrane connecting his hind legs and tail to the body. Along the trailing edges of the wings appeared pale blue fringes, resembling the blue color of metal burning in fire.

"A dragon's intelligence also grows stronger with age."

After observing his appearance, Cassius began to process the vast and complex legacy in his mind. He was pleasantly surprised to find that his ability to accept and understand information had also improved.

"Is this the Dragon's Might?"

According to the information in the legacy, Cassius controlled his body to release an invisible field, known as the "Terrifying Presence" ability, or commonly referred to as "Dragon's Might."

Just the presence of a dragon could cause herds of animals to flee in terror and shake the resolve of the most steadfast warriors.

Unfortunately, in this underground palace, there were no other creatures besides him (even if there were, they would have been burned by the effects of his slumber). Cassius really wished he could test the effects of this so-called Dragon's Might on living beings.

Having experimented with Dragon's Might, Cassius continued to process the information in his mind.

This time, it was spells.

Due to their intrinsic magical nature, all dragons developed innate magical abilities as they matured.

Among them, this was the ability to cast Arcane Spells. A dragon reaching the juvenile stage could exhibit the earliest magic talents.

"Is this the innate magical ability of dragons...?"

"Truly terrifying."

With this realization, Cassius could not help but click his tongue in amazement.

As he processed this legacy information, his panel began to frantically refresh with updates.

[Dragons are powerful magical beings, innately versed in various supernatural phenomena. As a Red Dragon, upon reaching a certain age, you gain spellcasting abilities deep within your bloodline.]

[You gain an additional casting level: 3]

[Your racial casting level and sorcerer casting level are combined. Your current casting level is: 9]

Cassius's heart surged with excitement.

"It's finally here, the stacking of casting levels."

"Let me show you the Dragon Sorcerer's— a leap to the top."

Instantly, the Red Dragon felt his understanding of the world rise sharply, directly touching the fifth layer of the Magic Web.

His connection to the Magic Web deepened further, with every move able to stir the powers of magic, and he could even reach into the depths of the Magic Web with pure mental will.

However, the panel data still did not stop refreshing.

More broad and complex information poured into his mind.

"Is this...?"

[Some wise men insist that humans originally learned the arcane arts from dragons. If these claims are true— and elves also argue for their own honor on this matter— then dragons certainly retain some unknown secrets. These hidden legacies are known only to True Dragons who delve into their own bloodline.]

[These dragons refer to themselves as "True Dragon Sorcerers", a proud title to differentiate themselves from the lesser bloodline sorcerers.]

Discussing spells with mortals is as meaningless as discussing seasons with locusts. — Sarimoske, Gold Dragon Scholar

[Requirements for the "True Dragon Sorcerer" class: Sorcerer class level above 5, Pureblood Giant Dragon]

[You meet the class requirements and possess the necessary legacy. Do you wish to advance?]

"A hidden advancement class!"

Cassius's heart was overjoyed. Indeed, just what he needed at the right time— when the dragon vein sorcerer class felt too insignificant, an advancement class exclusive to dragons appeared. It was bound to be powerful.

"Confirm."

Without hesitation, Cassius chose to confirm.

Instantly, vast and exquisite spell knowledge gushed out, overflowing in his mind.

As it turned out, if these exceptionally gifted and long-lived dragons could devote themselves to study, their results would far surpass those of mere mortals.

[You have gained the sorcerer advancement sub-occupation: True Dragon Sorcerer]

[Trait: Dragonkin Spells: You will gain unique spells known only to dragons. Sorcerers or wizards may also learn these spells if taught by a dragon, but most are useless to mortals.]

[You have gained Dragon's Spells: Scratch Technique, Egg of Sanctuary, Scales of Energy, Braving the Fiery Pits]

Scratch Technique

Shaping Energy Cantrip

A magical force field flickering in the shape of claws solidifies before the dragon. By waving its claws towards the enemy, the dragon channels the spell's energy towards the target.

Egg of Sanctuary

2nd-level Transformation Spell

Upon casting this spell, a flickering dragon egg composed of purple energy envelops the dragon, then disappears, transporting it to an extradimensional pocket space where it remains immune to any form of attack. The dragon cannot see the material world nor cast spells or attack the place it left, but it can use spells or magical items that affect only itself.

Scales of Energy

3rd-level Transformation Spell

The caster transforms their natural defenses into a magical aura. The scales will shimmer with energy, generating clusters of energy shards that float around the dragon's body like thousands of tiny satellites.

Braving the Fiery Pits

4th-level Shaping Energy and Spellcasting Spell

The dragon fills its lungs with swirling, burning energy. Then, with a powerful exhalation, it sweeps the space before it with intense, cone-shaped flames. As the last wisp of energy leaves its lips, its body becomes part of this breath weapon, allowing it to traverse space and reconstitute its body anywhere within the breath weapon's range.