Reincarnation Of The Depraved Vampire Protoss

Awakening [part 3]

Hydras are dragon-like creatures with two or more heads. They're usually powerful, though not as much as a dragon itself. Most mature Hydras have three heads, which they control simultaneously, and they possess a smaller body compared to a dragon.

In my previous life, I took down a couple of arrogant hydras. They weren't merely mindless beasts, as they displayed intelligence. Unfortunately, their crystals were often useless, as they liquefied upon their demise. Nevertheless, their body parts were highly coveted, just like those of dragons. For example, a Hydra's heart, when forged with a weapon, would imbue it with blue fire affinity capable of burning almost anything. Similarly, scales from a hydra could be used to craft armor or shields with unparalleled durability. The hydra's bone marrow, on the other hand, could enable short-distance teleportation, proving invaluable in dangerous situations.

Every single part of a hydra was considered a treasure. Moreover, in my past life, there were individuals known as dragon kins—half humanoid, half dragon. They came into existence when people fused themselves with dragons and their imitations, creating a new race called dragon kins.

To summarize, whenever I encountered a foe from this race, I made sure to have a fat wallet because I skillfully harvested their dragon parts after confirming their transformation before eliminating them. Kekeke.

As I gaze upon the jar in Zilch's hands, greed sparkles in my eyes, tempting me to snatch it away. However, someone interrupts my thoughts.

"Alex, do you know what's in that jar? Your eyes betray your greed," a voice suddenly chimes in.

"Gustav..."

That bastard...

"What do you mean? I have no idea what's in there," I say, quickly regaining my composure.

"Fufu, that's hydra's bone marrow—a rare treasure. Extracting bone marrow from a single hydra can yield about eight to ten jars. I suppose you must be aware of its value, given your expression. However, I wouldn't recommend showing such a look on the face of a ten-year-old," Gustav whispers in my ear before patting my shoulder.

This guy... he's no ordinary elf. He's a fellow reincarnation like me, but since he hasn't confronted me, I won't do the same. Despite his annoying personality, he's a good guy.

I glance up and see Zilch using the hydra's bone marrow to draw a circle around the roughly seven hundred participants. In addition to this circle, he's also sketching a complex design that eludes my understanding, but I'm attempting to commit it to memory.

After completing the flawless rune design, Zilch stands up and gazes at everyone, tucking the jar back into his pocket after using only a small amount.

"Everyone, stay inside the circle!" Zilch announces loudly.

Following his command, he produces a large green crystal, an energy crystal, and places it on a small dot connected to the drawings. This can only mean one thing... he isn't a mage, which explains his reliance on energy crystals for teleportation activation.

The way he retrieves the crystal suggests he possesses a space ring... Once again, greed glimmers in my eyes at the thought of snatching his ring.

Tch...

Suddenly, a bright, blinding light envelops us, causing all the drawings to illuminate in green. No matter how hard I try, my eyes refuse to open. It's as if a flash bomb has been detonated.

KUH. KUH. KUH. KUH. KUH.

The sound of shoes striking the tiles startles me, forcing my eyes open. I find myself startled, inside a large room alongside other bewildered children.

The place could be described as a grand hall, with rows of extravagant chairs arranged asymmetrically. Painted entirely in white, devoid of any artistic embellishments, the hall's sole focal point is the platform at the front, where a woman stands behind a small lectern.

It's her shoes that were creating the noise.

She's an elven woman with a petite physique, a rarity among her kind. Although considered normal for other races, standing at about 5'7, she exudes an aura of allure. Clad in a form-fitting black leather dress that accentuates her curves, she completes the ensemble with red heels emanating a peculiar glow. Her facial features are average, framed by long white hair tied back in a ponytail. Yet, her most captivating aspect is the considerably ample bosom she possesses.

"Y'all better take a seat!" Zilch's resonant voice suddenly reverberates, snapping us out of our daze. Without hesitation, we occupy the numerous rows of chairs, easily accommodating two thousand people.

Gustav sits to my right, while a scrawny-looking boy occupies the seat to my left. Just then, the woman retrieves a peculiar device from the lectern and begins to speak.

"Hello, everyone! I'm Zilyana Zylira, and I'll be your announcer for this year's awakening ceremony. Some of you might have heard rumors about the new awakening method, right? Well, you're partially correct. The awakening process will remain the same, but with a little upgrade.

There's an exciting enhancement that both new and existing awakeneds will experience. We call it a system. It has been integrated into the magic tower, allowing each participant to receive a specially tailored system from the tower." Zilyana pauses, awaiting our reactions.

A wave of excitement sweeps through the children, despite their lack of knowledge regarding the system's capabilities. Glancing at Gustav, he appears dazed, as if trying to comprehend the announcer's words. The meek boy to my left clings tightly to the armrests, his nails digging into the material.

A system... It doesn't sound promising. I hope it's not the type of system I'm thinking of. In my past life, I had a system that facilitated rapid growth, which I greatly appreciated. However, it also burdened me with impossible missions, accompanied by conditions and penalties. I managed to overcome those challenges as my powers eventually surpassed the limitations of the system. Nevertheless, the system turned me into a monster by granting me the ability to wield divine energy.

"Silence!" Zilyana's voice erupts, instantly quelling the chatter.

"I am the first person to be infused with a system. It's not a bad thing; in fact, it will make many aspects of your lives easier. I would love to provide you with an in-depth explanation of how the system works, but as I mentioned earlier, each participant will receive a unique system tailored to them. Furthermore, discussing your system with others is taboo.

The greatest advantage of this upgrade is that even seasoned individuals like me can visit the magic tower to be infused with a system. All of you, along with me, will be the first batch of individuals to receive this infusion. This remarkable feat is thanks to the diligent efforts of our research mages and technomancers, including the queen herself. It's an endeavor to establish a balance between awakeneds and mages, given that awakeneds from other continents have also been infused with this technology. Now, let the ceremony commence." Zilyana declares, opening a book on the lectern.

"Alex Walker~!" Zilyana calls out my name, giving me a small bow, while the other children behind me give me curious looks as I use the royal name "Walker." However, due to their young age, they can't fully comprehend the situation, as my true identity hasn't been revealed to the world yet.

Observing Zilyana's demeanor, it seems she is aware of my true identity. However, that is the least of my concerns. How did I end up being the first person called? Is it the doing of my mother or Duke Lars?

"Stand in that circle," Zilyana instructs as I rise from my seat and make my way toward her. She points to a circular symbol on the ground, emanating a cyan glow.

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