The Demon Monarch System

Chapter 492 - Choosing A Bloodline

----

Each of the following bloodlines appeared to go through a meticulous selection process that chose the few bloodlines that agreed with Amduscias most. From what Apollo estimated, each of the choices should be at the Perfected level. On top of being one of the highest possible bloodline levels, another factor made it easy to determine the magnitude of a bloodline.

When it came to Perfected Bloodlines, a clear indication that a bloodline reached this level was the fact that it boosted the individual's primary combat abilities to the highest level possible. In Amduscias's case, the bloodline bestowment could enhance three potential strengths.

One, there was his lightning in general, which is where the Lightning Fiend Bloodline came in. It enhanced all factors of his lightning usage, allowing it to step into a new place, whether it be destructive power, the speed at which he released the lightning as well as how fast each of his lightning creations could travel.

Once all of these factors combined into one, it gave birth to the perfect situation for Amduscias's lightning combat, hence why Apollo believed these bloodlines to be at the Perfected level.

Meanwhile, a Pinnacle Bloodline meant that not only would the user be able to exhibit their highest combat power, but that power could seep down to others as well. So, in a sense, a Pinnacle Bloodline was simply a Perfected Bloodline with a mass ability.

However, a mass ability was rare, which was why Apollo's bloodline was the only Pinnacle Bloodline present in the history of demonic records.

Even Fuhrer wasn't sure whether bloodlines of that level existed outside of Apollo's body. While it wasn't confirmed, Fuhrer was willing to bet that the origin belonged to a separate upper race's genealogy if it did. Just as Demons could awaken bloodlines, the other blessed races could awaken bloodlines unique to their physiques as well.

It simply operated under different principles since they weren't demons like the others.

Next, Apollo glanced at the first bloodline while rubbing his chin in thought. He had a feeling that there was an untapped power in Amduscias's lightning. Yes, it possessed the power of corruption and was very difficult to track, but Apollo felt it was lacking in this department for some reason.

After reading the summary of the bloodline, he understood why. 'So, there's inherent darkness melded with the lightning; however, Amduscias tends to treat the lightning as if it's normal when it's in fact not. Judging by this bloodline, there seems to be a lot of untapped potential he isn't utilizing.'

Apollo felt that the lightning could become even more devastating if Amduscias could capitalize on the concealment properties of the dark lightning. If he could train the obscurity of the dark lightning to its peak, then Apollo was confident that Amduscias could develop into one of the most frightening assassins due to his monstrous speed.

Even after reaching over 4,900 Agility, Apollo wasn't confident in overtaking Amduscias in this department. The compounded increase of his innate speed and ability to accelerate to baffling speeds chipped away at Apollo's confidence. 

Granted, this was only for now. Just because Apollo wasn't confident didn't mean that it would stay that way. Apollo estimated that all he needed was one year at the most to become Amduscias equal without the activation of his stigmata or the usage of any Incomplete Armaments.

Apollo believed his raw power would be enough to bridge the gap given enough time.

Lastly, Apollo glanced at the last bloodline?the Lightning Tundra. Truth be told, it sounded more like a title than it did a bloodline. However, Apollo couldn't disparage the bloodline's effects. In fact, it was an obscene improvement upon Amduscias's current bloodline. 

And, from what Apollo read, it was similar to the Lightning Fiend Bloodline. It was just that this bloodline more so focused on the boost around the ice rather than the lightning.

Despite that fact, Apollo was sure that the bloodline could be just as valuable as the previous two; it'd also give Amduscias the included benefit of possessing a variety of attacking abilities. 

However, Apollo was silent as he didn't know which of the bloodlines Amduscias preferred. As mentioned before, this decision was Amduscias's since it was linked to his future. Besides, any of the three were viable, allowing Apollo to be indifferent about Amduscias's decision.

After weighing his option, Apollo presented them to Amduscias, who fell into a deep silence while pondering the best choice for himself. Immediately, his attention fell on the Lightning Fiend Bloodline since most, if not all, of his attacks included his lightning.

Without his lightning, his power would be more than halved because the core properties of his Dominion operated on the strength of his lightning as well. So, the temptation of increasing his storage limit intrigued Amduscias greatly.

On the other hand, the Lightning Tundra Bloodline also interested Amduscias as well. It'd give him a chance to relearn the usages of his original ability. Thus, Amduscias was left at an impasse as he scrambled to choose the answer.

Noticing the difficulty plastered across his face, Apollo placed his hand on Amduscias' shoulder.

"Don't think so hard. Any pick of the given options is a good decision. Each one of them allows you to either hone your style or make it more powerful. Just choose the option that best fits the future you see for yourself."

"The best fit for my future…" Amduscias muttered while staring at Apollo for a moment. This was the first time anyone told him to look to the future. Most demons lived day by day, not worrying about the future, so Amduscias didn't possess the foresight to look that far.

Fortunately, Amduscias's mind was as quick as his body was. Eventually, he turned towards Apollo with a cunning smile. "In your opinion, which of the three options would be best for me?"

This time, it was Apollo's turn to be shocked. He gave the decision to Amduscias, yet he was once again asking for Apollo's input. However, Apollo didn't make a big commotion about this. Instead, he presented his opinion on the matter while addressing that each choice possessed an issue that required ample training to resolve.

"Truth be told, I'd advise you to take the Lightning Fiend Bloodline, but I can also tell you it is incredibly short-sighted amongst the three. While it's true that your lightning will experience a huge power-up, you should ask yourself if the upgrade is something inevitable," Apollo said.

This comment made Amduscias think hard about his decision. It was true that he could quickly increase his limit by returning to his former power while also empowering the core of his Dominion. Hence, the Lightning Fiend Bloodline wasn't as crucial to his success as he believed it to be.

Not accepting this bloodline merely meant that his progress would be slower than the instant gratification produced by the system. However, taking into account his personality, Apollo knew that Amduscias was the type who preferred to acquire his strength through his means.

Self-indulgent training was the easiest way for Amduscias to feel proud of himself, which inevitably contributed to his ballooned narcissism. 

Therefore, Amduscias shook his head repeatedly. "You're right. This isn't the choice, but neither is the first one. I've always neglected the dark aspect of the dark lightning, so receiving a bloodline like that is counterproductive. Though, listening to the description is quite interesting. I'll visit that later."

"So it's settled then?" Apollo answered while slowly lifting his hand. As this decision was final, there was a brief silence between the two before Amduscias finally agreed, cementing his decision.

?System: You have chosen the Lighting Tundra Bloodline for the Demonic Dark Lightning Duke, Amduscias. [This is an irreversible choice. Do you wish to continue? [Y / N] ??

Before finalizing the decision, Apollo glanced in Amduscias's direction. A scenario played out in his mind where the utilization of this bloodline could open new doorways for Amduscias's application prowess. Thus, Apollo gave the only plausible answer.

'Yes.'

Suddenly, a burst of mystical power burst from Apollo's palm, injecting itself within Amduscias's body. Every inch of his body was penetrated by this aura that radiated a signature beyond Amuscias's knowledge.

As the power permeated his body, icy blue veins sprouted up Amduscias' pale body, originating from his Sin Vessel, Infernal Nucleus and Tainted Temple. The power altered the nature of each power station as the icy blue veins expanded.

However, they didn't remain icy blue. The color shifted between four distinct shades numerous times?frosty blue, pale gold, light purple, and black. Out of the four shades, the icy blue appeared the most, indicating the most significant alteration.

Eventually, the process finished, and Amduscias gasped in pain, releasing a frigid breath. Due to Apollo's acute vision, he could even see the crystal suspended in the small frost cloud.

?System: Congratulations, your follower has assimilated perfectly with a Perfected Bloodline tailored to achieve their highest potential.?

Meanwhile, Apollo pulled up the information on Amduscias and received the biggest shock since learning of Fuhrer's true attributes!