Finally, he read through the treasures. Everything was in place until his gaze rested on the Thunder Dragon Inheritance. His eyes widened in surprise. "I haven't received that gift from Echo until now? This Fire Dragon Bloodline wasn't one of the gifts."
His mind spun as he quickly made sense of the situation. The Thunder Dragon Inheritance had never integrated with his body. He had acquired the Fire Dragon Inheritance solely from his own fortune.
[Ding!]
[Would you like to use the Thunder Dragon Inheritance?]
"YES!" Without even thinking about the consequences, Zaroth voiced his agreement.
Suddenly, a violent tremor shook his small body as an immense surge of energy erupted from his inventory. Streams of crackling azure lightning surged out, spiraling wildly around him.
The Thunder Dragon Inheritance burst forth, its immense essence roaring like a primeval beast.
"AAARRGGHH!" Zaroth screamed, his young voice echoing in agony through the dense forest as the Thunder Dragon Soul, Bloodline, and Physique forcibly integrated with him.
The lightning clashed brutally against the fiery mana already entrenched within his body, producing devastating explosions of heat and electricity.
He dropped to the ground, writhing uncontrollably as pain overwhelmed his senses. The two opposing dragon inheritances, each immensely powerful on its own, collided within his tiny draconian body, destroying every fiber of his being.
"Dammit! My body—!" Zaroth groaned, his muscles convulsing violently under the immense strain as he realized his body was breaking apart.
His shimmering red scales began to crack, thin streams of blood seeping out as arcs of lightning lashed out unpredictably.
Desperation surged within his heart. Instinctively, his eyes landed on the cracked remnants of his eggshell. The inheritance memories surfaced at this crucial moment, reminding him of the dense nutrients and powerful life energy contained within it.
Summoning all his remaining strength, Zaroth crawled painfully toward the broken eggshell fragments scattered around him. Each inch he moved felt like torture, his vision blurring from the continuous agony tearing his body apart.
"I won't… die like this!" he gasped, gripping the largest shard with trembling claws. He forced it into his mouth, crushing the shell fragments and swallowing them frantically.
Despite the nearly indestructible material of the shell, he was able to chew it like cotton due to its special attribute. It was made for young dragons to consume upon birth.
Almost immediately, a surge of pure, potent energy flowed into him, mending some internal damage and briefly stabilizing the chaotic clash within.
For a moment, relief filled Zaroth's senses. His breathing steadied slightly as the internal chaos calmed, granting him a fleeting chance to catch his breath.
But that relief vanished as swiftly as it had come. A devastating surge of lightning and fire erupted once more from deep within his core, igniting a fresh wave of unbearable pain.
The Thunder and Fire Dragon inheritances resumed their ruthless war, tearing through his body and pushing Zaroth perilously close to oblivion.
"No! FUCK! I REFUSE TO FUCKING DIE AGAIN!!" Zaroth desperately shouted, his eyes glowing fiercely with stubborn determination.
He knew he had mere moments to find a solution, or his second life would end before it truly began.
[Ding!]
[Does the Host wish to use Physique Reconstruction Liquid?]
"YES! YES! USE IT NOW!" Zaroth roared with sheer desperation, his body on the verge of collapse.
Instantly, space rippled before him, and a beautiful glass bottle filled with vibrant scarlet liquid appeared. It radiated an alluring, mystical aura, brimming with potent life energy. Zaroth wasted no time—his claws trembled as he gripped the delicate bottle.
With a savage bite, the glass shattered between his sharp teeth, and he gulped down the mysterious liquid. A sweet, fiery warmth filled his mouth, cascading down his throat and surging into his frayed and nearly destroyed body.
At first, he felt nothing but soothing warmth, spreading gently through every fiber of his being. But soon, his heart sank as he realized his body was far too damaged and his energy reserves were nearly depleted.
The Physique Reconstruction Liquid surged violently within him, demanding massive amounts of raw energy to perform its miraculous rebirth, yet he had none to spare.
"Fuck! Energy! I need… energy!" His vision blurred, the edges darkening. His mind raced frantically—then suddenly he remembered. "The meat! The fucking beast meat!"
Without hesitation, Zaroth screamed with all his remaining strength, "SYSTEM! GIVE ME THE MEAT!"
In the blink of an eye, enormous chunks of raw meat—bloody and fresh—appeared around him, filling the air with a pungent scent.
Zaroth lunged forward, his mouth sinking into the meat without pause or reservation. He tore and swallowed huge mouthfuls, ignoring the raw taste and bloody juices running down his face.
Raw, primal energy surged into him, fueling the Physique Reconstruction Liquid, granting it the energy it desperately needed to complete its work.
Yet the vicious conflict inside was reaching its peak, already at a stage that could no longer be halted. A terrifying internal explosion shook Zaroth's body violently—his bones splintering, muscles rupturing, and blood vaporizing under the incomprehensible power of the clashing inheritances.
Agony beyond human comprehension filled his mind. He couldn't even scream—the pain was that absolute. His scales shattered and crumbled to dust. His claws and horns cracked, dissolved, and vanished. His limbs turned to ash, his very being reduced to nothingness.
Darkness overcame his consciousness, an endless, cold emptiness enveloping him entirely.
It seemed, for a brief eternity, that everything had truly ended.
But just as oblivion was about to claim him fully, something miraculous occurred.
A radiant golden-red glow ignited from the depths of the darkness, pulling his scattered consciousness back together once more.
The Physique Reconstruction Liquid, now fully fueled by the enormous influx of beast meat, unleashed its true miraculous power, weaving together the ashes and fragments of his destroyed body.