Epic of Ice Dragon: Reborn As An Ice Dragon With A System

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Drake understood that Nifl was a cornerstone of the Ice Dragon Realm. Her existence and soul, alongside Tiamat's, sustained the Realm's stability within the Draconic Records. Her death or severe injury, exposing her soul, could trigger catastrophic consequences for the Records, a risk he couldn't afford at this critical juncture.

Moreover, he recognized her as a Primordial Dragon from ancient times, a direct descendant of Tiamat and daughter of Yggdrasil herself. This made her an exceptionally valuable "material" that the monsters here would eagerly hunt to gain power and dominance over their rivals.

Drake hesitated to share this with her, knowing it might distress her or make her feel objectified, a perspective he, as a dragon, did not endorse. However, after learning from Umbral and Celene about the relentless hunting of dragons for their materials, he grew wary of these threats and was determined to protect his mother from harm.

"Are you truly certain about this?" Nifl asked, feeling uneasy. She had steeled herself for this moment, ready to aid her son in defending this world, only to be sent back home.

"Your existence is vital to the Draconic Records, Mother," Hrimvaldr, formerly Sangre, said with a grave expression. "We cannot risk your death or a wounded soul. We're facing monsters, all above Venerable level. Your power, though Primordial, relies heavily on the Draconic Records. Overusing it could exhaust the Realm and the souls within, correct?"

Hrimvaldr was aware of the Primordial Mothers' vulnerability: unleashing their full power required tapping into the essence of the Draconic Records, which could deplete the Realm and its souls if used recklessly. Preserving her strength for a more opportune moment was wiser.

"Ah, yes," Nifl sighed, nodding. "I'll assist when the time is right. I'll inform my sisters of the situation!"

Nifl vanished through a portal of ice that materialized from thin air, returning to the Ice Dragon Realm within the Draconic Records. Drake and his brother sighed in relief, grateful she wouldn't recklessly face such peril.

"Drake, before we engage in battle, please accept this," Hrimvaldr said, handing Drake a large black bottle filled with deep red blood, radiating a potent vampiric aura. "This is my blood."

"Huh?" Drake exclaimed, surprised as he grasped the bottle. "Thank you. I assumed you'd ceased being a Vampire Dragon, so I didn't ask…"

"No, I still am," Hrimvaldr said, closing his eyes as his aura surged, blending deep shadows and crimson blood energies from his past. "It's a history I cannot escape. But unlike before, when it defined me, it's now merely a power I wield. My identity as an Ice Dragon, my form, and my abilities coexist with it."

"I understand," Drake nodded. "But this blood feels unusual."

"It was extracted before my transformation, so it's purer," Hrimvaldr explained. "I kept this bottle in my Divine Realm, used to transform beings into Draconic Vampires. I'm not proud of those experiments."

"I'm currently preventing your beasts from ravaging Vanaheim," Drake sighed. "My Divine Dragon Spirits have subdued most of them, so focus on the present."

"Drake, even now, you're aiding me immensely. Thank you," Hrimvaldr said. "For all my past misdeeds, I must atone. I'll redeem myself to truly earn my Ice Dragon title."

"Well said," Drake affirmed. "Now, with the final blood I needed, here goes nothing!"

Drake opened his massive dragon maws, tossing the bottle inside and swallowing it along with the blood. The power of Gluttony consumed it instantly, assimilating its essence.

FLUOSH!

"Ungh?"

Drake felt a sharp pain in his heart as the cursed vampiric blood coursed through his veins, spreading to his soul. Hrimvaldr panicked.

"Drake! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, but it's incredibly potent, this curse…!"

Drake dropped to his knees momentarily, the power surging through his veins and soul. The final bloodline he possessed was now fueled by the cursed blood of the first Vampire Dragon.

RUMBLE!

His aura trembled, growing exponentially. Everyone watched in awe as it surged like a colossal dragon, splitting into multiple elemental forms before merging into a monstrous draconic entity.

"ROOOAAAARRRR!"

A mighty roar echoed from his aura, which then retracted into his soul, opening its jaws and enveloping his body in a radiant rainbow light.

Ding!

[You have successfully consumed the Blood of Sangre, the First Vampire Dragon!]

[Your Bloodline: [Blood Dragon (SS) (Awakened)] has evolved into [Vampire Dragon (SSS) (Awakened)]!]

[Congratulations! You have awakened all Dragon Bloodlines to SSS Rank!]

[Your Special Bloodline: [Dragon King of Creation (SS+) (Awakened)] has advanced to SSS Rank!]

[The True Power of the Dragon King of Creation is beginning to flow through your body.]

[Your Body and Soul are undergoing evolution. Your powers are now growing rapidly.]

[To accelerate your power awakening, engage in battle and absorb high-energy-density materials.]

[Upon reaching Max Level, Evolution will become available.]

Drake's eyes opened, revealing his transformed draconic form, glowing with rainbow, gold, and silver light. His scales were now predominantly gold, adorned with rainbow-colored crystals embedded across his body.

His long white hair had turned blonde and spiky, his eyes shimmering with multi-colored light. His horns had fused into a magnificent set of crystalline horns, forming a radiant crown.

Yet, beyond these changes, his appearance remained largely intact.

It seemed that to fully awaken this new power, he needed to evolve by reaching max level.

He had nearly finished eliminating the monsters plaguing Vanaheim, and his level had risen significantly.

Ding!

[You have successfully slain millions of beasts of various forms across Vanaheim using your Divine Dragon Spirits!]

[You have earned shared EXP from each of these kills.]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[...]

[Your Level has increased from 683 to 895/1000!]

[All your Stats have increased significantly!]

[You earned bonus Stat Points and Skill Points!]

[You have gained substantial Archetype EXP!]

[Your [Archetype]: {Dawnscale Oracle: Rank 3/5} has advanced to Rank 4/5!]

[You have developed a new Divine Ability: [Golden Dragon King of Creation Transformation (L)]!]

[A new Rank has been discovered: L Rank, surpassing SSS+++ Rank and ???+++ Rank.]

[L Rank and higher Divinities and Divine Abilities possess power exceeding Venerable Ranks, potentially reaching Primordial levels.]

"It appears the System itself has upgraded," Drake mused. "This new Divine Ability is extraordinarily powerful, surpassing all my other abilities…"

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