Picking Up Attributes From Today c1-406
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“In fact, quite a few of them are ranked higher than me in the Dragon God Genius Ranking. Up against that many monstrous opponents, I’m feeling intense pressure!”
“Intense pressure? What nonsense! No matter how big of a mutant they are, can they be more of one than you? Stop showing off in front of me!”
Ol’ Amos broke into a rant. “Inexplicably comprehending laws of nature, inexplicably becoming a Saint Domain Great Magician, inexplicably awakening powerful bloodlines, inexplicably doing instant release of first-class spells...
“No matter how other people break through and advance, and no matter how much precious herbs and medicines they consume, they won’t be able to match up to how terrifying your inexplicable power boosts are!
“You bastard, being so smug and showing off in front of me! Alright, that’s enough! Stop being cheeky with me and get down to hunting the Magical Beasts! The Krocs are taking the title of the champion this year! Don’t anyone dare fight with me for it!
“I’ve even thought of the dukedom’s name for you. We can call it the Kroc Dukedom! This Lost Continent shall be known as the Kroc Continent in the future! As for your title, you can be known as King Kroc!
“Oh, right! And you! You have to reinstate your last name to Kroc, too. From today onward, you must change your name to Kroc Lei. I’ll also appoint you as the current clan leader of the Krocs...”
“Are you dreaming, Ol’ President?”
“Dreaming?”
Chapter 159: All-Round Surveillance, Seeded Monsters
At the Dragon God Cathedral...
Emperor Frederick the 32nd asked softly, “My brother, have all the contestants entered the Lost Continent?”
“Yes, they have, Your Majesty!” Duke Eustace replied respectfully, “With no exceptions, all 7,848 contestants have arrived at the Lost Continent. The first batch of contestants that arrived has already gone dozens of kilometers deep into the continent.”
“Great!” A satisfied Frederick the 32nd nodded and said, “Let us take a look at the empire’s young talents, then!”
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Several dazzling beams of light suddenly rose from all directions, converging in the sky simultaneously to form a magic screen so enormous that it could easily blot out the sun.
The magic screen was simply too big. It hung suspended in the sky, blocking out everything, including even sunlight.
“That’s...”
As a crisp and clear image of a world was displayed on the magic screen, everyone’s eyes widened at once.
There were mountains and hills, and flat plains and raised plateaus...
There were lakes and rivers and forests and basins...
There were deserts and arid lands, and fields and wastelands...
It featured a complex and great variety of terrains, and there was just about everything that one could imagine.
“Your Majesty, is that the Lost Continent?” asked an agitated official.
“That’s right! That’s the newly-discovered Lost Continent, indeed!”
Frederick the 32nd smiled and went on. “During the last three months, I’ve sent men to scout and survey the Lost Continent, as well as installed a magic crystal device there beforehand. Thus, everything happening on the Lost Continent is within my supervision.
“Not only am I able to have a bird’s eye view and overlook the entire continent from high up in the sky, but I can also zoom in on certain areas to monitor specific regions!
“I can check out any corner of the continent, as well as observe any of the contestants!”
“I see!”
“How brilliant, Your Majesty!”
Everyone was full of praises.
The empire had long since possessed the magic techniques and related equipment for live broadcasts, but to install magic crystal balls to monitor the entire Lost Continent... This was truly a huge deal for sure.
Just how many magic crystal balls would he have to install?
Moreover, the task even had to be completed within a short three months.
How much manpower, money, and resources would that have taken?
Emperor Frederick the 32nd continued and said, “When the champion is born at the end of the exchange competition, I shall gift the full set of equipment to the champion so that it’ll be more convenient for them to supervise and manage the Lost Continent!”
“Gift?”
Everyone found themselves a little dumbstruck and rendered speechless by the comment. After going through so much to set up that surveillance equipment capable of monitoring the entire continent, he was going to just gift it to the champion free-of-charge?
His Majesty sure was generous!
The small group of officials in the emperor’s inner ministerial circle that had managed to guess his intentions didn’t find the gesture out of the norm, though. If all went well, the exchange competition champion this year would undoubtedly be the 13th Princess. His Majesty was just giving the set of equipment to his favorite daughter; what’s there to be reluctant to part with?
Then, Frederick the 32nd said, “My dear subjects, who are the seeded candidates in the exchange competition this year? Feel free to tell us so that we may have a look at them together!”
Someone took the initiative to reply. He said, “Your Majesty, a total of 389 people from Dragon God Academy are taking part in the exchange competition this year, of which 71 are ranked in the Dragon God Genius Ranking.
“And among them, the most outstanding one is none other than Prince Barbarossa, who is ranked 148th in the Genius Ranking. Everyone would love to catch a glimpse of his stunning abilities!”
“Indeed, Marquis Horace!”
“As one of the best among the youths, Prince Barbarossa is amazingly talented and exceptionally strong. At just 26 years old, he’s already ranked 148th in the Dragon God Genius Ranking. I’m sure he’ll definitely display his awe-inspiring abilities and impress all of us in the exchange competition this year. We’d love to witness his magnificence!”
“...”
“Alright! Since everyone wants to take a look at Barbarossa, then let’s do that!”
With a chuckle, Frederick the 32nd nodded lightly at the palace attendant.
Whoosh!
The scene pictured on the gigantic magic screen abruptly changed. A split second later, a dense and lush forest appeared.
A handsome young man with a pair of golden horns and wearing golden armor appeared in the field of view—it was Barbarossa Frederick, the 888th Prince. He was Emperor Frederick the 32nd’s 888th child, as well as the one and only pure-blooded Golden Colossal Dragon among the many princes.
Dragon God Empire was a country exceptionally particular about bloodlines—only Golden Colossal Dragons with the purest bloodline were eligible to inherit the throne.
Be it princes or princesses, as long as they were Golden Colossal Dragons of pure bloodline, they would be eligible to become an heir to the throne.
Apart from that, no matter how excellent one’s talent was, how strong they were, or how amazing they performed, if they weren’t pure-blooded Golden Colossal Dragons, then it was impossible for them to inherit the throne.
Among more than 1,000 of Frederick the 32nd’s children, Barbarossa the 888th Prince was the only pure-blooded Golden Colossal Dragon. Therefore, his future had already been set in stone.
And that was—to ascend the throne and become the empire’s ruler!
Therefore, toward Barbarossa the 888th Prince, many of the civil and martial officials naturally tried to be on his good side. After all, nobody wanted to offend the future emperor.
“It’s Barbarossa!”
“Look! It’s Brother...”
At the sight of Barbarossa, the many princes and princesses there let out exclamations one after another. The influential nobles and officials also looked at Barbarossa on the magic screen with looks of marvel in their eyes.
On the screen, Barbarossa gave off a peerless
and domineering aura. With his feet braced against a huge golden sword, he rode on the sword and traveled about in the air, much like the gleaming edge of a blade.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Everywhere he passed by, he shot out several golden rays of light, which pierced through all the Magical Beasts that he encountered along the way.
Their magic cores subsequently left their bodies and automatically converged toward him. Then, all of them entered Barbarossa’s arm and disappeared from sight.
Roar!
A Ninth-Grade Magical Beast suddenly charged out from somewhere—it was a 50-meters-tall Diamond Giant-Backed Lizard. The giant lizard let out a furious roar, producing roiling sound waves that caused the trees and surrounding vegetation to fly everywhere.
Barbarossa, however, merely cast a glance at it. Then, a ray of golden light shot out of him and impaled the Diamond Giant-Backed Lizard’s head, killing it immediately.
Every move and action of his was like a leisurely walk in the park.
All his gestures and mannerisms were calm and carried absolute ease.
Killing Ninth-Grade Magical Beasts was no different from slaughtering livestock for him.
That was exactly what Prince Barbarossa’s elegant and graceful bearing was like!
“Bravo, Prince Barbarossa!”
“As expected of Prince Barbarossa! How impressive! Even a Ninth-Grade Magical Beast is no match for the prince!”
Everyone was full of wonder, and praises for Barbarossa filled the place.
With a smile, the marveling Dragon God Academy president remarked, “Your Majesty, seeing how Prince Barbarossa is decimating Ninth-Grade Magical Beasts like slaughtering livestock, he must be nearing mid-level Saint Domain!”
“Thereabouts, I guess!”
Frederick the 32nd smiled lightly and said, “President Luke, I’ve heard that there are a great many talents from Dragon God Academy this year. Several geniuses and heroes have emerged, among which quite a few are even more impressive than Barbarossa. I wonder who they are?”
“Your Majesty, I must say that there really isn’t anyone among Prince Barbarossa’s peers who’s more impressive than him. However, there are indeed a few who are slightly older that are a bit stronger than him,” replied a smiling President Luke.
Frederick the 32nd raised an eyebrow and asked, “Oh? Who might they be? I’d like to take a look at them!”
“They are Sachhen the Golden Dragon-Lion, Adil the Thunder Giant, Miriam the Immortal Fairy, Meredith the Empire’s Dawn, and Mond Aston the White Tiger Knight!”
Chapter 160: The Golden Dragon-Lion, The Raging Giant
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
This was an emerald-green lake that looked just like a bright pearl embedded in the sea of forests that extended forever into the horizon.
The waters were clean and clear, with ripples going through the surface.
A light breeze caressed one’s face as waters rippled.
All around it were dense, lush reeds. They grew in bunches that circled around and blocked the lake from view.
Moo!
Moo!
All of a sudden, the howls of beasts traveled over.
A 20-meters-long ox-type Magical Beast covered head to toe in black bristles and with six hooves, a python-like tail, and a single horn on its head laid prostrate in the reeds as it produced sad and shrill cries—it was the Ninth-Grade Magical Beast, the Black-Eyed Ox-Python!
At the moment, it was in a rather bad spot. A Sky-Ripping Giant Armored Crocodile had actually clamped its jaws onto the Black-Eyed Ox-Python’s tail and was holding it in a death grip in an attempt to drag it into the lake.
The Black-Eyed Ox-Python struggled desperately. Despite its tail becoming drenched in blood from the bite and severe pain assailing its senses, it didn’t give up.
Moo!
One dragged while the other pulled away!
One wanted to live while the other wanted food!
Neither was willing to let go!
Just like that, both parties entered a tussle and started to pit their patience against the other’s. Whoever was able to persevere till the end would be able to live on.
Whoosh!
Unexpectedly, there was a sudden turn of events. A green leaf suddenly sliced through the air toward them, sinking accurately into the Black-Eyed Ox-Python’s temple and then bursting out from the other side.
Roar!
The Black-Eyed Ox-Python’s cries came to a sudden stop. Its eyes widened dramatically, and it instantly stopped struggling. The Sky-Ripping Giant Armored Crocodile was overjoyed. It started to haul the Black-Eyed Ox-Python into the water right away.
Whoosh!
At this point, another leaf came attacking and stabbed right into the Sky-Ripping Giant Armored Crocodile’s left eye. At once, it froze on the spot, and then it stopped breathing.
“Collect!”
As an aloof voice rang out, both the Black-Eyed Ox-Python and Sky-Ripping Giant Armored Crocodile’s magic cores burst out of their bodies and flew toward a large tree at the side.
On the tree stood a tall, sturdy, and strongly-built young man. He had a head of blond hair and was as strong and muscular as a lion. The young man made a casual grabbing motion, and then he caught the two ninth-grade magic cores in his hand easily,
Slurp~
The muscular young man licked off the freshly-spilled blood on the magic cores. Then, with a flash, he vanished without a trace from the tree fork.
Only the two Ninth-Grade Magical Beast carcasses laid quietly by the lake, silently recounting the desperate and bitter scene from earlier.
“As expected of Sachhen the Golden Dragon-Lion! To kill the Ninth-Grade Magical Beasts—the Black-Eyed Ox-Python and Sky-Ripping Giant Armored Crocodile—with just two leaves, he’s indeed extraordinary!”
At the Dragon God Cathedral, everyone watched clearly the scene of the muscular young man attacking and killing the Black-Eyed Ox-Python and Sky-Ripping Giant Armored Crocodile. Full of marvel and wonder, they couldn’t help but enter a great furor.
“Killing Ninth-Grade Magical Beasts with just flowers and leaves!”
Emperor Frederick the 32nd nodded slightly as he remarked, “That little fellow named Sachhen is certainly pretty impressive! His comprehension of laws of nature is several notches higher than Barbarossa’s!”
“Your Majesty is too kind!” The Dragon God Academy president replied humbly, “When Prince Barbarossa reaches his age, he’ll definitely be stronger than Sachhen!”
“Perhaps!” Frederick the 32nd was noncommittal with regard to that. Then, he asked, “President Luke, Sachhen isn’t purely a human, right?”
“How insightful of Your Majesty!”
President Luke nodded. He explained with a smile, “Sachhen possesses Golden Dragon-Lion blood and is a descendant of the Golden Dragon-Lion clan!”
“The Golden Dragon-Lion clan?”
A huge jolt went through Frederick the 32nd as he exclaimed, “To think he’s actually a descendant of the Golden Dragon-Lion clan! No wonder he’s so outstanding!”
At the sight of the emperor’s expression, some of the officials were rather bemused.
What kind of clan is the Golden Dragon-Lion clan? To think that it can cause such a big reaction in His Majesty?
Most of the Saint Domain experts’ countenances also changed slightly as looks of astonishment, caution, and other complex emotions appeared in their eyes.
Those who were unaware wouldn’t know what the Dragon-Lion clan was, but those who did knew very well that it was a colossus among all clans.
The Golden Dragon-Lions! They were a clan from which great existences had emerged before! In terms of heritage, they were second only to the four great ancient empires!
“Let’s take a look at the others!” suggested Frederick the 32nd as he looked at the magic screen.
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
The scene on the gigantic magic s
creen then changed to a lofty, towering mountain. A 1,000-feet-tall waterfall flowed from the mountain and crashed down along the cliff.
At the bottom of the waterfall was a pool, and currently, a fierce battle was taking place beside it.
An enormous snake with six heads was roaring incessantly. Its six heads were either spraying ice blades, water arrows, huge rocks, or toxic matter...
It charged madly toward the human opposite it!
The human was no ordinary human, either. Standing at 15 to 16 meters tall, his upper body was unclothed, exposing his incredibly muscular, well-built muscles. He gave off explosive power!
Up against the gigantic six-headed snake’s consecutive attacks, the giant let out a long howl. Then, instead of retreating, he pressed forward and actually ignored all the magic attacks as he charged toward the snake in an overbearing manner.
Boom!
The wide spread of magic attacks submerged the giant. However, great flashes of lightning burst forth from around the giant the next second, reducing all the magic attacks to dust.
“Die!”
The giant charged at the six-headed snake. Its watermelon-sized fists, which were imbued with incredibly wild and violent strength, smashed heavily into the six-headed snake’s middlemost head.
Boom!
Violent, raging power erupted, and the middlemost head was smashed right into a pulp of flesh. As great pain came over the six-headed snake, its remaining five heads bit at the giant as though they had gone mad.
“Hahaha!”
The giant burst into laughter. He allowed four of the snakeheads to bite him while he grabbed hold of the last head and stuffed it directly into his mouth. Then, he crunched on the head loudly and began to chew! That sight of him was practically fierce and brutal to the extreme!
“Hiss, hiss!”
The gigantic six-headed snake let out sad and shrill cries. Its remaining four heads bit madly and desperately at the giant. Alas, he was simply built so thick and sturdy that their teeth couldn’t even pierce his skin!
“Hiss, hiss!”
Knowing that it was no match for the giant, the six-headed snake gave up on biting him. Its tail whipped about as it retreated, intending to flee into the pool.