Chapter 63: New Legacy
Leonard was flabbergasted for a moment.
"Pardon?" He asked, completely taken aback. Although the ghost might have known Ragnar, who resided within his weapon, the offer was so enticing and abrupt that it sounded far too good to be true.
’Could Apollo be scheming something? Maybe there is a hidden condition of him possessing my body if I accept. He is a ghost after all...’
Apollo noticed Leonard’s suspicion and couldn’t help but scoff.
"Don’t look at me so suspiciously. Truth be told, I have little choice. Just like your mentor, my powers are limited and have been slowly disintegrating with time. Even now, just talking is a huge mental burden on me. You are my best bet to leave my legacy behind. Otherwise, I might not live long enough to find anyone else worthy."
There was merit to the ghost’s claim. Still, that didn’t mean Leonard was just going to drop his guard.
"I sense that you don’t completely trust me, and that is fine. Then how about this? I will recall what brought our country to ruin and ended my life. After you hear me out, you can decide whether you wish to believe me or not."
Leonard remained silent for a few seconds, considering the proposal. Although the corrupting gas surrounding him limited his time, his accumulated corruption had been lowered enough for him to listen to the ghost.
He nodded, prompting him to begin.
"Long ago, our country was prosperous. We ruled a large expanse of land, and our influence spread throughout the world, bringing about the Age of Silver. We naively believed that our era would last forever... or so we thought. Until the Dragon God attacked us with his army."
A shudder passed down Leonard’s back at the mention of a God. He remained silent, careful not to disrupt the ghost.
"We fought wave after wave, yet there was no end in sight. In the end, we were pushed back into the Silver Palace, where the Dragon God faced us personally. His breath burned our buildings, turning them black. His eyes transformed our strongest warriors into statues of angels, with no will of their own. In the end, I too fell from the wounds inflicted during our battle and perished in this temple."
Apollo’s voice shook with anger.
"All this time, hatred had kept me going. Before my soul could leave for the afterlife, I bound myself to my blade and haunted it for countless years, searching for a soul to inherit my wrath. A warrior capable of making our adversaries answer for their crimes."
The ghost paused briefly.
"I do admit, I live solely because of my grudge. If you choose to become my successor, my power will have no influence over your will or cloud your mind. Instead, it will grow with you, granting you greater strength the closer you come to enacting my revenge ."
As it turned out, Apollo did indeed carry hidden motives. Still... one part of his description sounded strikingly similar to what Leonard had heard before.
"There is no way... It couldn’t be..." He murmured. "Come forth, Valor."
His summon knight fulfilled his command, appearing right beside him.
"Does my summon knight look familiar?" He asked.
"Unbelievable... You possess a member of the Shattered Order?" Apollo was at a loss for words, shaken to the core.
"In that case, our meeting must be fate." The ghost declared, nodding thoughtfully.
His figure blurred even more, almost turning transparent.
"I’m sorry, but I fear our discussion must end here. My powers are wavering. I can’t wait for your answer much longer."
Leonard’s eyes narrowed. He still had many questions, yet the pendant had guided him here. Not to mention, he was still in the Void, and any extra power could be the difference between life and death.
"I accept."
"Thank you... Truly..." Apollo exhaled, his form evaporating. "Finally, after so long, I can pass on peacefully."
He disappeared in a blink, leaving his skeleton behind, whose hold on the blade’s hill had loosened ever so slightly.
"I did accept to inherit his legacy, but I am no good at wielding swords, and honestly, I prefer to use axes." Leonard sighed.
But as it turned out, he never needed to worry about it in the first place. The sword shuddered violently, and its form melted into pure silver.
A ripple passed across its surface before it lunged toward Leonard as if it had a mind of its own.
"Huh?! What the hell! Apollo never mentioned—"
Before he was able to finish, the liquid collided with him. It seeped inward through the pores of his skin, burrowing itself deep into his blood.
"AHHH!"
Leonard yelled, staggering backward. He held his chest, trying to endure the excruciating pain that spread through every fiber of his being.
Valor extended a hand and kept his master on his feet, preventing him from falling.
Leonard gritted his teeth, feeling short of breath. The pain was excruciating, similar to when he awakened his Primordial Bloodline. Yet unlike then, he had full control over his body, which seemed to make the torment worse.
When he was on the verge of passing out, the suffering subsided just as quickly as it had appeared, bringing immense relief.
[Your Primordial Bloodline has successfully absorbed the silver lifeblood of the spirit warrior Apollo!]
[You have gained a new Trait, Silver Blood!]
[Silver Blood - Level 1]
[You bear silver fragments within your blood, a mark carried only by those who have sworn to hunt the dragon race. Your Magic stat is permanently doubled, greatly enhancing the power of all Magic-scaling skills and expanding your mana pool. In addition, whenever you slay a follower of the Dragon God, you have a chance to absorb a portion of their power and claim it as your own.]
[Upgrade Silver Blood to the next Level: 100,000 Evolution Points]
"Holy!" Leonard’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets.
"Without a doubt, this is my most overpowered trait! It effectively doubles every attribute point I invest into magic and my mana pool as a byproduct!"
The 100,000 Evolution Points needed to upgrade the Trait to the next level made it apparent how game-changing it was from the very start!
Yet to Leonard’s disbelief, the gains didn’t stop there!
[Silver Blood stirs in your veins.]
[You have gained a new Skill, Dragon Slayer!]