Chapter 33: Art Fusion

【Second-Ring Technique·Water Cannon (Rank 0)】

This Second-Ring Technique is a new spell Lai Ang learned in his spare time while practicing the Black Dragon Contemplation.

One reason is that Lai Ang's mental power broke through to Second Rank earlier, meeting the prerequisite for learning Second-Ring Techniques.

Another reason is to replace the Zero-Ring Trick Small Water Ball Technique. As Lai Ang's mental power grew and his magic accumulated, even a fully upgraded Small Water Ball Technique could not fully utilize his mental power and magic.

Techniques are like output ports, while mental power and magic are like stored energy.

Now the output port is too 'narrow', limiting the output of the ever-growing 'stored energy'.

However, after beginning to study this Second-Ring Technique, Lai Ang received a message from the Idle Slot.

The Idle Slot informed Lai Ang that the Zero-Ring Trick 'Small Water Ball Technique' and the Second-Ring Technique 'Water Cannon' have over 90% compatibility and can be fused.

Because the Idle Slot still held Black Water Battle Aura, which was about to break through, Lai Ang restrained his curiosity.

Until today.

Black Water Battle Aura broke through to Third Rank.

"This is a necessary attempt," Lai Ang thought to himself.

Even if the attempt fails, the greatest loss would be a basic trick relegated to the elimination fringe, plus the time spent learning the Second-Ring Technique. —Lai Ang was unsure whether such a fusion failure would involve knowledge and memory effects, causing loss of the learned technique's related knowledge.

The cost is bearable.

Thinking this, Lai Ang steadied himself and did not hesitate.

He took out the black rune formed from Third-Rank Black Water Battle Aura, then inserted the light-blue rune representing the Second-Ring Technique 'Water Cannon'.

He did not stop.

Lai Ang grasped the blue rune representing the Small Water Ball Technique, which had been floating in his mental space and was already maxed out, and placed it into the Idle Slot.

The two technique runes touched and faintly adhered to each other.

"Fuse." Lai Ang thought.

The two runes in the Idle Slot instantly burst forth with blue light.

In the light, the two runes gradually merged into one like water and milk mixing.

However, it seemed the fusion would not succeed immediately; it needed some time.

Holding anticipation in his heart, Lai Ang exited his mental space.

In reality, the Dragon Nest.

The black dragon, seemingly asleep on the monster's fur, slowly awoke and opened its icy dragon eyes.

The flexible dragon tail twisted, wrapping around a rope and pulling downward.

There was no movement or sound in the Dragon Nest chamber.

But at the other end of Black Dragon Castle, the rooms of all the maids and attendants simultaneously rang with the clear, bright sound of bells.

Inside the room of Head Maid Pestoya lay an Alchemical Construct Magic Bell; a female kobold resembling a dragon-person suddenly opened her eyes, revealing beautiful azure pupils.

The female kobold's originally blue-tinged scales had shifted to a bluish-gray hue—this was the change from integrating Black Dragon bloodline.

Besides the scale color change, the female kobold also emanated a hint of greater dignity.

It was not dragon might, far weaker than it, yet somewhat similar.

"The master is hungry." Pestoya stopped cultivating her battle aura, flung open the door, and quickly gathered the maids of Black Dragon Castle.

"Kali, you prepare the ingredients."

"Es, you prepare the utensils."

"."

After a skilled arrangement, Pestoya returned to the room and tidied her appearance.

This was originally a set for human nobles, but the creatures of the Jade Dream learned it.

The purpose, naturally, is to make the dragon masters who control the Jade Dream happier.

Of course, besides that, this head maid also has her own little thoughts.

Show her most beautiful side. Dragon nature is lustful. The master Lai Ang's favor has made this head maid harbor other thoughts, but since the master is still young and unable to act, Pestoya can only first build goodwill.

This is understandable.

Kobolds are merely lowly monsters; Pestoya, thanks to her outstanding talent and beautiful appearance (beautiful by dragon standards), was selected to become a maid in the Dragon Castle and promoted from ordinary maid to head maid.

But that's as far as it goes.

Next, what awaits Pestoya is the same as her predecessors: after aging, being driven out of the Dragon Castle.

Perhaps she will return to her former tribe, proudly and triumphantly telling the kobold children stories of the many dragon lords she once served.

Then she will grow old and die in the tribe.

Or she could become an instructor training the next generation of maids.

Pestoya does not want this ending.

What about kobolds? If a kobold encounters enough opportunity, it could even revert to ancestral dragon form! Theoretically, any creature containing dragon blood could trace its bloodline back to its source and become a dragon again.

Even without innate dragon blood, by transplanting dragon meridians later, one can gradually cultivate and revert to becoming a dragon. —Human bloodline practitioners can achieve this.

Thump thump.

"Come in."

The Dragon Nest chamber door opened, with Kobold Head Maid Pestoya leading, as several maids and attendants pushed in a heavy moving table.

They brought it before the black hatchling dragon.

The black hatchling dragon's size has grown a notch compared to a few months ago, now approaching four meters in length from head to tail.

Even though the black dragon's tail takes up a considerable portion of its length, this size, plus its smooth, cast-black-iron-like dragon body, already gives it the bearing of a large monster visually.

The maids and attendants became more reverent, lowering their heads slightly and daring not to speak.

Lai Ang heartily ate the monster delicacies cooked by the maids.

Besides being somewhat bland in flavor, in terms of the tenderness and mouthfeel of the flesh, it surpasses the delicacies of my past life by quite a lot.

"This is an excellent individual among rock sheep that has reached the third rank."

Head Maid Peisituoya explained from the side.

"No wonder it tastes a bit better." Lai Ang narrowed his dragon eyes, gulped down with a big mouth, chewed, and two jin of monster grilled meat went into his stomach.

The Dragon Fortress Leader's food quota generally consists of second-rank monsters.

Occasionally, one can enjoy the flesh of third-rank monsters.

Perhaps even higher, that hybrid young dragon that is a big level ahead of all the little dragons, 'Kremer,' could enjoy such treatment.

At least, Lai Ang cannot enjoy that now.

The strong stay strong. Originally powerful hybrid young dragons, after eating monster flesh containing more energy, if the gap did not keep getting bigger, that would be strange.

"However, that hybrid young dragon should also be about to 'graduate,'" Lai Ang thought to himself.

The other party seems to have already reached ten years old.

After Meimei finished eating, the maids and attendants cleaned up the leftovers and quietly left the dragon nest room.

"Just right, the fusion is also complete." Lai Ang sank into his mental space and saw that the magic runes in the idle slot had completely fused into one.

【Unnamed Spell】: Second Ring 【Level】: 0

【Fusion Traits】: Casting Speed Increase (1), Magic Damage Increase (1) "Two more traits." Lai Ang's eyes lit up.

Moreover, just by looking at the traits' descriptions, one knows these two traits are quite practical! It's just unknown how much improvement these two level‑one traits can bring.

However, before that, first give this brand‑new spell a name.

"Water Cannon, Small Water Ball Technique shall be called the 'Water Magic Cannon,'" Lai Ang thought briefly, not paying too much attention to the spell's name.

Upon successfully naming it, the spell's information also began to change.

【Water Magic Cannon】: Second Ring 【Level】: 0 【Fusion Traits】: Casting Speed Increase (1), Magic Damage Increase (1) (End of Chapter)

【Fusion Trait】: Casting speed increase (Level 1), Magic damage increase (Level 1) (End of chapter)