He even poured the Martial Intent in store.

A roar echoed through the space.

It was not just from his throat, but from deep within his being. The cry was that of a dragon, raw and ancient, reverberating through the air.

The phenomenon intensified, shaking everything around him. The heat grew unbearable, and the aura radiating from his body became blinding.

The transformation pushed further. His muscles flexed and hardened, his bones reinforced as if tempered by the flames themselves. His skin glowed red, then turned darker as fine scales began to cover his body. Every part of him was being remade.

The flames that surrounded him twisted and roared. His clothes couldn't withstand the heat and were burned away, reduced to ashes in moments. The air rippled violently, and waves of power spread outward with every heartbeat. The sound of crackling fire mixed with the deep, resonant roar of something primal.

Ethan gritted his teeth, enduring the pain as the energy tempered his flesh. The agony was intense, like countless blades cutting into him, but beneath that pain was strength—strength unlike anything he had ever felt before.

Minutes passed, and the violent phenomenon finally began to fade. The blinding light dimmed, and the roar died away into silence. The air was thick and hot, filled with the faint scent of burnt stone and metal.

Ethan dropped to one knee, gasping heavily for breath. His skin still felt warm, and his heartbeat pounded in his ears. Slowly, the searing heat receded, replaced by a deep warmth that settled into his muscles and bones. He raised his trembling hand and stared at his palm. Power pulsed beneath the skin, alive and wild.

A tired but satisfied smile appeared on his face. "That… was insane," he whispered, his voice hoarse. "But worth it."

He took a long breath and leaned back, his sword resting across his lap. The air around him still shimmered with heat, but his heart had grown calm.

The transformation was complete, yet the lingering strength coursing through his veins reminded him that something fundamental within him had changed.

His skin had become more translucent.Instead of getting bulkier,his muscles had become more refined and condensed.

He clenched his fist, feeling the pulse of draconic power deep beneath his skin. "Looks like I've stepped one more level into something far more dangerous," he murmured, his tone steady but full of awe.

He glanced toward his sword, which was still faintly glowing with a golden light. "Sacred Luminous Sword Art," he said softly. "I can feel it… this power will grow even more with faith and connection."

After a brief moment, Ethan straightened his posture and muttered, "I've perfected my technique. However, my realm…" He frowned, his expression puzzled. "It's quite odd. It feels like I'm stuck in between stages."

He rubbed his cheek thoughtfully. "From my understanding, I'm neither at the peak of Master Knight nor at the early King stage. So what the hell is going on?"

He stood there thinking for a while before suddenly shouting, "Stat screen!"

A blue panel appeared before his eyes.

Name: Ethan Blank

Status: Lord of the Blank Estate

Species: Human [99%], Draconic Bloodline [6%]

Aptitude: Warrior [C], Magician [B]

Rank: Perfect Master Knight, Middle Advanced Stage Mage

Partner: 4

Children: 10

Lifespan: 275 years

Ability: Bloodline Convergence – 2nd Stage [SSS]

"Perfect stage!" Ethan muttered, blinking in surprise. He remembered one of his otaku friends talking about that term, but he couldn't recall the full meaning.

"System."

[Perfect stage means reaching the end power of that stage with a solid foundation, mastering everything that realm can offer.]

"What's the benefit?" Ethan asked curiously.

[A Perfect Stage realm can go toe to toe with a person in the early to intermediate stage in the next realm if that person hasn't reached perfection themselves.]

Ethan nodded, but his face showed no excitement. "Hmm. Doesn't sound that impressive. Weren't there protagonists in those novels who were at the Golden Core stage and still beat Nascent Soul and Soul Formation experts? Compared to that, this feels kind of bullshit."

[Host, you are underestimating this too much.]

[It may not seem useful now, but at the end stages, the difference between realms accumulated across all realms becomes massive. The foundation you build here will form an unbridgeable gap later.]

[Not only that, but your lifespan, vitality, and combat power will also increase greatly.]

Ethan's expression shifted slightly as he noticed the change in his stats. "My lifespan… it increased by twenty-five years." He thought for a moment. "If I'm right, a Master Knight can live up to two hundred fifty years, and a King Knight around three hundred fifty. That means…"

He exhaled slowly and smiled faintly. "This is quite marvelous. When you reach a certain level, it seems your understanding of the next realm begins to grow naturally."

He stretched his arms out, feeling the tension and power running beneath his skin. Then he froze as he noticed something new.

His arms were covered entirely in red-hot scales.

The scales shimmered under the dim light, glowing faintly like heated metal. They looked hard, almost like armor forged in fire. Ethan stared at them with wide eyes, then moved his fingers slowly, feeling the strength in every motion.

"Damn… this gives me the feeling of the Winter Soldier," he muttered quietly. He flexed his right arm and flicked his wrist.

Ting! Ting!

The metallic sound echoed crisply through the room.

"Now this is sick," he said softly, his eyes gleaming. Unlike before, he could now control the scales completely. He could cover his entire arms, and with focus, even extend them to his shoulder.

If he doesn't cover his arms,he can form an armour over his chest.

That means,he can manipulate the scales to cover any part of body though the cover area remained same

He smirked faintly. "I wonder how my opponent would react if, in the middle of a sword fight, I suddenly slammed him with a punch strong enough to crush his skull."

A small smile touched his lips as he looked down, his breathing slow and calm. The faint golden light from his sword reflected in his eyes.

"This… is just the beginning..I can fight like a brawler and even tanker if required," Ethan whispered.

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