Infinity, The Arcade Age

"Die, you bastard!"

With a roar, Rofio suddenly accelerated and dashed forward. Mid-charge, a spectral Energy Sailboat manifested beside him. Leaping onto the tiny sailboat, he surged forward with it, his face twisted with ferocity.

He had activated his B-Rank Ultimate Skill: Dream Sailboat!

Watching the small boat hurtling towards him, Qin Ming tensed his muscles but didn't even attempt to dodge. He braced himself and took the impact with his shoulder.

With a loud boom, the sailboat shattered into countless fragments, and Qin Ming was pushed back more than two meters, sliding across the ground.

Though he had taken the hit head-on, his crimson eyes glowed brightly as he lifted his head to glare at the stunned Rofio. Without hesitation, Qin Ming reached out and grabbed Lofio's head with one massive hand.

Lofio frantically hacked at Qin Ming's arm with his twin blades, but his strikes barely left a mark. Grinning ferociously, Qin Ming opened his mouth and bit down viciously on Rofio's neck.

A-Rank Skill: Essence Drain! Activated!

Rofio's strength and blood were drained away almost instantly. His already thin frame seemed to shrink even further, while Qin Ming's body, which had already been reinforced through strength and physique enhancements, swelled even more, growing into a towering two-meter giant.

Holding Lofio by the neck, Qin Ming looked at the struggling boy and sneered. "Time to grow up, Rofio!"

With a heavy push, Qin Ming slammed Rofio's head into a nearby tree, leaves falling like rain from the impact. Before Rofio could even fall to the ground, Qin Ming's flaming fists rained down in a relentless barrage on his face.

Each strike shook the tree violently, and after seven or eight blows, the trunk split and the tree came crashing down.

Rofio's battered body rolled to the ground, covered in blood. He struggled to stand, only for an iron grip to wrap around his throat again. His head was yanked back, and he found himself face-to-face with Qin Ming's cold, emotionless eyes.

"Game over, Rofio."

With a sickening crack, Qin Ming twisted Rofio's head sharply to the side. His body went limp, limbs dangling lifelessly.

Casually tossing the corpse aside, Qin Ming exhaled deeply and slowly turned his gaze toward the pool.

The three mermaids, who had been loudly cheering for Rofiomoments ago, fell silent. Their eyes widened in horror as they realized Rofiohad been killed in under ten moves.

One mermaid continued shouting before being smacked on the back of the head by the eldest sister, finally silencing her.

Watching the towering Qin Ming approach the pool with a menacing aura, the three mermaids yelped and dove into the water, huddling together in fear.

Ignoring them entirely, Qin Ming walked to the edge of the Golden Dreamwater Pool, a smirk forming on his face.

This treasure is mine now.

However, the faint golden glow didn't satisfy him—it wasn't enough.

Reaching into the water, Qin Ming's eyes flashed.

Talent Skill: King of Junk! Activated!

The pool trembled violently. A massive whirlpool formed at its center, pulling the water in from all directions.

The mermaids clung desperately to nearby rocks, screaming in panic. Hovering in the air, Tinker Bell stared at the spectacle, her face filled with shock.

For a full minute, the pool's waters swirled and condensed under Qin Ming's power.

When the whirlpool finally subsided, the massive pool had shrunk to a mere fraction of its original size—less than one-tenth. The water's glow had changed, too. It was no longer golden but a brilliant, milky white light.

The mermaids, now sitting awkwardly on the dry ground where water once was, shivered in silence.

Qin Ming gazed at the transformed pool.

Name: Pure Dreamwater (Captain Hook World)

Category: Special Consumable (Dim Legendary Quality)

Effect: Grants those who bathe in it a transformation, stopping their physical aging and granting the Blessing of Dreamwater.

Description: The final essence of countless dreams, the pinnacle of fantasy power.

(Note: Exclusive to this world; cannot be brought back to the Nightmare Space.)

Qin Ming frowned slightly. He had expected the water to compress down into a single drop, but reality proved otherwise.

So it doesn't work by volume—it has its own unique rules.

After intense compression, the pool had reached its absolute limit. It had ascended beyond Gold Quality, but could no longer be compressed any further.

Scooping up the milky-white liquid in his hand, Qin Ming couldn't help but find the color a little… odd. Still, without hesitation, he stripped off his coat and stepped into the pool.

As the water enveloped him, a sense of unparalleled relaxation washed over him. The liquid seeped into every pore of his body, merging with him completely.

A chime echoed in his mind.

(Ding! Detected integration with a special item. Transformation in progress… Transformation complete! Congratulations, Adventurer! Your B-Rank Skill (Shiranui Bloodline) has mutated!)

Qin Ming's eyes widened in shock. That random skill actually mutated?

Quickly opening his status screen, Qin Ming examined the altered ability. His eyes grew wider and wider as he read the details.

The mutation had far exceeded his expectations. The skill was no longer in his Skill Slot—it had become something else entirely.

It had fused into his very being, transforming into something far more profound:

A Bloodline!