First Light of a New Age

Chapter 92: Half-Dragon

"I see. So, that's his trump card?"

As the Dragon examined his opponent with a measured gaze with a mixture of curiosity and faint disappointment, he nearly prompted him to sigh.

‘Strong and durable… but not a real threat,’ he thought, feeling a familiar undercurrent of indifference.

His eyes flicked to Phobio, his opponent, stirred little fear in him.

"To think he’s one of the Mercenary Gang’s leaders," he thought. "From what Riley told me, this man’s strength and speed were even lesser than that cyclop he fought. But it seems he's managed to compensate with skill alone."

Yes, you have guessed!

The Dragon was none other than Price himself, one of Riley’s teammates.

Before Riley and the team returned to Aquarius, Price had been conducting his own mission aboard the Nuclear Submarine, working with scientists and researchers to experiment on one of the four Mana Symbiotes they’d stolen from the Auction House.

Recently, he learned that Riley had used the Mana Symbiote on himself and emerged victorious over a Mercenary Gang leader. After hearing the details of Riley’s transformation and knowing another gang leader awaited him in the warehouse he was heading to, Price felt a moment’s hesitation. But, understanding the mission’s stakes, he followed through with the symbiote.

The Mana Symbiote was a revolutionary organism, capable of bonding with a host and fundamentally altering their very genetic makeup to grant them mana capabilities.

Unlike conventional genetic modifications at a molecular level, the symbiote seamlessly integrated with the host’s DNA, bypassing the natural cellular boundaries that prevent humans and other manaless species from accessing mana.

But the most interesting thing Price discovered was that the Mana Symbiote on him was unique compared to Riley’s. It didn't just grant him the ability to wield mana, it even actively rewrote his genome, effectively reengineering his physiology to mimic that of some mana-wielding beings in this world.

The process was astonishing to say the least. The symbiote achieves this by introducing adaptive genetic information within its own code. These sequences act like viral RNA but are far more complex, designed to instigate a series of mutative changes throughout his body.

These mutations reshaped Price at a cellular level, creating physical traits that were otherwise impossible, such as scale growth, muscle reinforcement, and even skeletal restructuring, all necessary for Pice’s conversion into a Half-Dragon.

In Price's case, the symbiote rewrote segments of his genetic code, mirroring the structure of draconic physiology.

These changes blended human and dragon genetics, producing a new hybrid.

In this transformative process, Price's body adapted to display dragon-like traits such as scales that were tougher than steel, extraordinary strength, and an instinctual affinity for mana, essentially bridging two disparate genetic templates into a cohesive form.

The Mana Symbiote was indeed an evolutionary catalyst, merging arcane potential with physical transformation, fundamentally redefining the very biological identity of its host.

Now, armed with these powers, Price stood prepared for the battle against this Vampire, no longer as a mere human but as a superior race of this world.

'Blood Magic, huh? This is the first time I've seen something like this. But now isn't the time to be impressed. I’ve already wasted enough time. I should wrap this up.'