Ashen Dragon-Chapter 1233 - 369: Sacrifice and Battle_2

"Finally, finally I can discard this fragile human shell! Praise His Majesty Tiamat!"

"Long live the Five-Colored Dragon Queen!"

"Quickly... look! Look at my arm, how beautiful and noble it is!" A Dragon Worshiper stumbled down the street, showing off his arm, now sprouting scales, laughing loudly with a face full of wild excitement.

During the rule of the Dragon Worship Cult over the years, most of these followers developed a fanatic devotion, holding an unexplainable longing and yearning for giant dragons and Dragonborn that outsiders found hard to understand.

And now, their wishes have been fulfilled in some twisted way.

Even those who previously secretly resisted Tiamat are now infected by this will, transformed into incurable followers of the Dragon Worship Cult.

This barrier itself is an extension of Tiamat’s divine power, sweet-coated poison, a curse of slow erosion.

Felipe stood in the center of the altar, under the source where the five-colored beams converged.

He gasped violently, with each breath exhaling a mist tinged with a faint sulfur scent.

He slowly raised his head, looking towards the Allied Forces attacking futilely outside the barrier, then glanced over the suffering and struggling people within.

His lips curled into an indescribable arc under the shadow of the five-headed crown.

"Survive, ants."

Felipe’s voice was extraordinarily hoarse, devoid of any warmth, only an aloof indifference overlooking the dust, "Enjoy this pitiful survival granted by the Dragon Mother..."

He deliberately paused, as if something was wriggling in his neck, everyone could see a fierce red dragon skull tearing through his skin, bathed in the spurting blood appearing on his shoulder, appearing exceptionally bizarre.

"And then... become the fuel for the Dragon Queen!"

Felipe spread his arms, raising the scepter symbolizing supreme divine power once more, exclaiming with fervor.

Following his proclamation, the five-headed giant dragon in the sky roared, swaying its heads, the five-colored divine power sweeping across the earth.

The ground suddenly cracked open, revealing countless deep ravines, and those followers once buried underground by lava seemed to awaken.

Countless remnants wriggled underground, converging, forming monsters clad in lava, with hideous half-dragon humans, dragon beasts as big as hills, and serpentine pythons, they slowly crawled out from the deep valleys, as though returned from Purgatory.

"Roar——"

Raspy roars echoed across the land, tens of thousands of monsters crawled out from the depths, roaring, surging like waves towards the Allied Forces’ positions.

"Hold your ground!"

"Open fire!"

Dolores commanded coldly, "What a pitiful group of monsters! Send them back to Hell!"

With his order, an explosion of unimaginable gunfire and artillery erupted from the Allied Forces’ positions.

"Boom——"

Countless bullets poured out, forming a terrifying storm of steel, with shells raining from the sky, exploding among the horde of monsters, as destructive beams shot from the sky battleship in the distance, nothing surviving wherever they touched, everything extinguished.

In the high sky, Bipedal Wyverns spread their wings, screeching as they dive, dropping countless bombs like raindrops, their machine guns under the wings also unleashing a torrent of bullets.

In just a few minutes, thousands of lava monsters fell under the powerful firepower of the Allied Forces—more accurately, the Imperial Legion.

Dragon Ascendant (DRAGON ASCENDANT)

Dragons are undoubtedly the most powerful beings native to the Prime Material Plane, occupying a unique position involving forces beyond this plane. Those who become Dragon Ascendants seek to transcend the limitations of material existence, elevating above all other dragons, rivaling even the gods themselves in every aspect. Their progression in this occupational level represents their advancement towards their ultimate goal, as they progress, they become ever more godlike.

Most Dragon Ascendants previously had no occupational levels but are all dragons of considerable age and strength. Some Dragon Priests, Paladins, and Dark Guards transition into the ascension class upon reaching sufficient power levels. Members of the clerical advanced classes described in this Chapter (Kronipus’ Calm Observer, Bahamut’s Holy Watcher, and Tiamat’s Desecration Destroyer) sometimes choose the path of holy ascension to become more perfect servants of their deities.

Dragon Ascendants are proud and generally aloof. They view the journey on the path to holy ascension as a competition and do not choose to share this path with others undergoing the same process. On the other hand, they often have followers and allies supporting their exploration, cooperating with lesser and non-dragon creatures more freely than with other dragons.

Life Dice: d12.

Requirements

To qualify to become a Dragon Ascendant, a dragon must satisfy all of the below conditions.

Race: Any True Dragon.

Basic Attack Bonus: +30.

Specialty: Dragon Knowledge, Quick Healing, Strengthening, Increased Speed, Steel Will, Quick Reflex.

Special: Consume the hoard: To begin the process of holy ascension, the potential Dragon Ascendant must consume its hoard. Its hoard must be worth at least 100,000 Gold Coins, but the dragon cannot choose to consume precisely 100,000 Gold Coins and leave the rest—it must consume the entire hoard. (Also the most heartbreaking for giant dragons in this occupation)

Proficiency with Weapons and Armor: Dragon Ascendants do not gain proficiency with any weapons, armor, or shields.

Awesome Aura (Exceptional): A Dragon Ascendant loses its natural fierce momentum, replacing it with a special fear aura. This aura surrounds the dragon at any radius up to its fierce momentum’s range (30 feet × the dragon’s age category), and is always active unless the dragon chooses to end it. The dragon can choose to exempt its allies from its aura’s effects. Creatures within the aura must make a Will save (DC equals the dragon’s fierce momentum DC plus 1/2 its Dragon Ascendant levels). Creatures that fail the save become shaken, and those who succeed are immune to that dragon’s aura’s effects for 24 hours. If the dragon attacks or charges, shaken creatures must make a second Will save (same DC) or become frightened.

Upon reaching Level 5, a Dragon Ascendant can choose to alter its aura to instill resolve in its allies and fear in its enemies. All allies within the radius of its aura gain a +4 morale bonus to attack rolls, saves, and checks. The dragon’s enemies must succeed a Will save or suffer a -4 penalty on attack rolls, saves, and checks.

Upon reaching Level 10, the Dragon Ascendant gains a third option for its aura. Simply being in awe-struck fascination while staring at the dragon can cause affected creatures to become stunned, should they fail their Will save. As with the fear aspect of the aura, the dragon can choose to exclude its allies from the aura’s effects.

All applications of the dragon’s Awesome Aura are mind-affecting effects.

HP Increase (Exceptional): At Level 2, and every two levels thereafter, the Dragon Ascendant gains 1hp per Life Dice it possesses, including all its dragon class Life Dice and those gained from occupational levels. This effect can never allow a dragon’s hp to exceed the maximum determined by Life Dice and constitution bonuses.

At Level 12, the Dragon Ascendant’s hp equals the maximum determined by its Life Dice and constitution bonuses.

Transmutation Immunity (Exceptional): At Level 3, the Dragon Ascendant gains immunity to polymorph, petrification, and any other attack that would alter its form. Any polymorph-type powers or spells the dragon possesses affect itself normally.

Damage Reduction Enhancement (Supernatural): At Level 4, the Dragon Ascendant’s damage reduction can only be overcome by legendary weapons. At Level 8, the amount of the dragon’s damage reduction (the number before the slash) increases by 5. For example, an ancient Black Dragon/Level 8 Dragon Ascendant has 20/legendary damage reduction.

Life Guarding (Lifewarding)(Exceptional): At Level 6, the Dragon Ascendant is no longer affected by attacks that cause energy drain, attribute drain, or attribute damage.

Deflection Bonus (Supernatural): At Level 7, the Dragon Ascendant’s defense class gains a deflection bonus equal to its charisma bonus—if any.