Shiyu was observing her surroundings, and no matter how many times she looks, it always seems like it was an illusion. In this beautiful dream, her race that once had to survive every day in danger and famine and now was living happily and improving their power day by day, reaching a level where they could move freely in the world, not afraid of being slaughtered for fun.
A place where even those newborns were more powerful than the adults from her memories.
Everyone who was of age spent their entire day training, either practicing their spells, martial arts, or increasing their power. Even though they worked to the point of exhaustion, in the face of everyone was a smile and excitement. Shiyu understood the reason for their expression. They were weak, and now they were finally given a chance to become strong enough to protect what they cherish.
Everybody has significantly changed from what she remembers, having a body that was the vivid description of the master that her race was supposed to serve a long time ago, especially the man that was accompanying her.
Although he had changed greatly and the first time she saw him, she could not believe they were the same person. Looking at his eyes, she realized it was the same weak but brave warrior that will burn his soul if it means protecting his race.
From the moment she awakens, she hasn't left this place, and they tell her that only the strongest ones were allowed to leave for safety. They inform her that this was an order from the one who brought her back to life and the Ancestor of the race she will soon become part of. Personally, she didn't have a problem. As being here with her partner and son was pure bliss, and she didn't need anything else.
Her days were relaxed, mostly occupied with a technique. It was supposed to help her improve the power of her blood. Still, there were stressful moments, that was when her partner and son went hunting and didn't reappear for several days, as the idea of losing them for the second time was fearful.
Luckily they always returned, unharmed, and brought with them creatures that were once the source of nightmares for her race, but now were reduced to food. What makes her curious at the beginning was the fact that it was not the ones that hunted that got most of the spoil. But those younger and that were in their infant stage. When she asked her partner, he told him it was the will of the Ancestor. Everyone understood that he was someone wise who wanted the best for the race, so they all obeyed happily.
Shiyu has always been curious about the Ancestor. After all, it was a person that can bring the dead back to life and transform a cave full of weak kobolds in a land of humanoid dragons with amazing abilities and the talent to reach a level she believed was impossible unless you were born a god. He had appeared once when she was alive, but since it was the first time he showed up, he was considered a threat, and those too weak to fight, like her, were hiding.
"What is going through your mind?"
Shiyu looks at the origin of the sound and saw an elegant draconic face of a four-meter tall man looking at her with warmth and gentleness, as if she was the most precious thing in the word for him, making her heart beat faster as she felt his love, creating a smile on her face.
"I was just thinking about how much our little tribe has grown and how this place looks like the paradise we could only dream of obtaining, yet now it is a reality."
"Everything is real. All of it is because we were given a chance to follow the Ancestor. He has transformed us into one of his people, a mighty race that can exceed the power of those who once were our master and have us as slaves. So we will accompany him to the abyss itself if it was necessary and extinguish his enemies, even if it means dying to achieve it." Devotion could be seen in Rax's face as he spoke as if it was a creed he believed with all his soul.
Shiyu was already used to this type of reaction in Rax when they spoke about the Ancestor. It wasn't only in him; all the kobolds that have seen him have this same expression. In reality, she is the same, for the person who gave her the opportunity to see her partner and son and give her tribe power and safety, she was willing to give back the life she owns him.
"You should continue training. So you can be at the peak of rank 0 when you transform into a Neo-Demon, and your bloodline becomes strong enough. So when you advance to Rank 1, if you are lucky, it can be assimilated into a Rank 4 directly, and you will not have to split your time enhancing it," as Rax spoke he could not help but find it a little funny, as reaching Rank 1 or having a powerful bloodline would be something almost impossible a couple of years ago yet now it was common.
Shiyu nodded. Rax has already explained the importance of the atavism technique and the fact that having a powerful bloodline from the beginning will be very helpful but also difficult, as the ones that achieve assimilation with a Rank 4 bloodline were only her partner and son. The rest had done it with a Rank 3. However, they could enhance it with time and resources. It was easier if she improved to that level before advancing and solidifying the Bloodline Heart.
Her son was able to have a Rank 4 bloodline because from the beginning he was born stronger than the rest, as for her partner, he told her that he went through special training with the Ancestor that allowed him to reach this level.
Shiyu closed her eyes and continued her training as she did every day, improving her power and heritage, waiting for the time she will finally transform in the race that makes the dreams of everyone here a reality.
Rax smiles as he sees the woman focusing on her meditation. When he was going to start with her, he suddenly looked in the direction of the entrance to the cave, before adopting a kneeling position, giving Shiyu a small pat on the shoulder to get her attention.
Shiyu opens her eyes, and despite the fact she could not feel anyone, she realizes the atmosphere changed as all the adults and children were kneeling as well, with only the infants making noises and looking with sparkling eyes at the entrance. She hurriedly bent her knees. She saw a man cover in golden light entering the cave and remaining in the air, looking at every kobold with serious but also gentle eyes.
"Stand up. You are improving greatly, but remember, you are Neo-Demons, the mightiest and most unique species of the universe, do not let your current power cloud your judgment, continue working until you are forced to break your limits, only when you are able to bend fate itself and earn the title of Doom Bringer, will you deserve the right to say that you are a champion of our race. But that is not the end; every single one of you has the capacity to achieve immortality. The only thing stopping you is your will. Tell me, will you follow me to eternity!"
"We will follow the Ancestor!!!"
Zatiel smiled as he saw the flame in the eyes of the kobolds. He knew that maybe no one would truly achieve eternal life, after all, even he could fall in the path, but having a goal was important. It was true that Neo-Demons can achieve eternity as long as they continue increasing their powers. They don't have any shackles that deliberately limit them.
The kobolds continue with their training as Zatiel flies in the direction of Rax, and sees the only one in this place that didn't look like the textbook description of a Dragonborn.
When Zatiel reached where Rax was, this last one immediately bows as he speaks, "Greeting Ancestor, this is my partner Shiyu. She was able to awaken 6 months after you left."
Shiyu was nervous as the man who was the absolute leader from the tribe and was able to manipulate death was less than three meters from her. Still, when she felt a hand on her shoulder and saw Rax looking at her, she calmed down a little.
"Shiyu greets the Ancestor, I thank you for bringing me back from the dead."
"If you want to thank me, become strong enough so you can follow me to battle."
Shiyu looked back at Zatiel and nodded, not giving any fancy words, making him smile in satisfaction.
"Good, I take it that you are going to prove it with actions. As you should know, the transformation will put great pressure on your will. Tell me, do you think that you can withstand it, or you need more time."
"I can withstand it, Ancestor. Like you did with the rest, Rax helped me by using his Primal Chaos Consciousness to train my mind and will, so I could be ready the moment you arrive," Shiyu's expression was determined, ready to face what comes next.
"Excellent, I don't have much time and don't know when I will come back, so we will begin with the transformation immediately."
