Chapter 148 Improving Bloodline

With the celebration concluded, Gavin handed over the management of government affairs to Daenerys and set off with Margaery.

Syndor spread his mighty wings and lifted Gavin and Margaery into the sky. Compared to when he had first arrived at the Stone Steps Islands, Syndor had grown considerably; now, he soared over Dragon Flame Bay in the blink of an eye.

On the way, Gavin planned to place the three newly obtained dragon eggs into the dragon's lair and allow Margaery to visit Dragon Flame Bay.

Upon landing, Syndor, eager for a hunt, let out a low rumble before flying off toward the sea to search for food.

No sooner had Syndor left than Gavin heard the excited cries of the six young dragons. Margaery stared in awe as the lively young dragons surrounded them, her heart pounding with excitement. In that moment, she fully understood the source of Gavin's confidence: once these dragons matured — along with Daenerys's Viserion — no one would be able to stand against him.

Gavin gently soothed the hatchlings, carefully observing their size and vitality.

The first three young dragons had already grown to about a meter in length and could now hunt in the sea on their own. The three younger hatchlings, though smaller at half a meter long, were lively and playful, frolicking across the lair.

Margaery looked around with wide-eyed curiosity. The dragon lair was vast, its ceiling studded with countless jagged stalactites that hung precariously overhead. The ground was rugged, littered with scattered rocks and deep potholes.

A squad of Blood Dragon Guards, clad in heavy armor and bearing sharp weapons, stood vigilantly at the only entrance, their presence solemn and immovable.

After comforting the young dragons, Gavin rose to his feet. He turned to Margaery and said calmly,"Dragon Flame Bay was once known as Shipwreck Bay. It's the place where I first sought refuge. The terrain here is treacherous — easy to defend, difficult to assault. There's only a single narrow channel for entry and exit. I built this dragon cave on the island and stocked it with enough supplies. Even if I were to lose the Stone Steps Islands and my armies one day, I could reclaim everything starting from here."

Margaery listened carefully, her eyes full of admiration. She understood that Gavin was not merely boasting — he was entrusting her with knowledge of his deepest preparations.

Turning her gaze toward the young dragons, she asked,"Gavin, are these young dragons the ones you brought back from the Valyrian ruins?"

Gavin smiled slightly and replied,"They were hatched from the dragon eggs I recovered there."Then he gently took her hand."Come — I'll show you the dragon eggs."

They walked deeper into the lair, the road underfoot rough and uneven. Before long, they arrived at a towering boulder more than ten meters high. Climbing the steep, winding stone stairs beside it, they soon reached the top.

There, two Blood Dragon Guards stood on either side of a platform where five dragon eggs lay carefully arranged in the center.

Gavin placed the three new eggs among them and said,"In addition to the three eggs I just brought, the others are ones I retrieved earlier from the ruins of Valyria."

Margaery reached out and gently stroked the nearest dragon egg, her fingers tracing the warm, ridged surface. Thinking of the fearsome legends surrounding Valyria, she couldn't help but ask softly,"Gavin... was it dangerous there?"

A shadow crossed Gavin's face as he recalled the journey. He smiled bitterly and said,"If it weren't absolutely necessary, I'd never set foot there again."

Afterward, Gavin took her on a tour of the newly built manor and the shipyard nearby.

As night fell, after ensuring Margaery was comfortably settled, Gavin made his way alone to the underground treasure house beneath the manor. The Blood Dragon Guards posted there immediately turned and pushed open the enormous, heavy door without a word.

Gavin stepped inside.

The room wasn't large, and it held no piles of gold or silver. Instead, on shelves along the left wall were more than a dozen fossilized dragon eggs and several finely crafted items made of Valyrian steel. To the right, a mountain of products fashioned from dragon bones towered up, each piece radiating faint magical energy.

Most of these treasures had been seized during the recent wars or obtained as reparations, with only a few collected from earlier expeditions.

Gavin picked up an exquisite dragon bone artifact. As he did, he felt the contained magic within it surge toward him, drawn by the power in his bloodline. It poured into him like a rushing tide.

Without hesitation, he opened his status panel:

Host: Gavin BellerisAge: 18

Bloodline:

Bloodfire Dragonborn (Development: 69%)

Inherited from the Dragon Kings. Grants dominion over dragons, mastery over fire, and resistance to flames.

Forces:

65/69 (slaves can be promoted via the panel)

43 Junior Blood Dragon Guards (blood witches created from dragon blood; capable of advancing twice)

10 High-level Blood Dragon Guards (no further advancement)

1 Adult Dragon (magical creature composed of blood and fire; advancement impossible)

6 Baby Dragons (magical creatures composed of blood and fire; cannot advance while young)

5 Dragon Eggs (can be hatched)

Skills:

Mastery of Fire: Legendary

Swordsmanship: Legendary

Flame Blade: Legendary

Archery: Legendary

Spearmanship: Mastery

Energy Points: 30 (gathered automatically from ambient magic or through active absorption)

Ever since he had bonded with Syndor, the role of the Blood Dragon Guards had diminished somewhat — after all, even the mightiest guard would be incinerated instantly by Syndor's flames if they ever turned traitor.

Still, the Blood Dragon Guards' absolute loyalty remained invaluable. Unlike free knights, who had their own wills and ambitions, the Blood Dragon Guards would obey without hesitation. Gavin entrusted them with the protection of his most precious people and possessions.

Staring at the mountain of dragon bones, Gavin estimated they could provide over 200 energy points. Yet he knew it would take considerable time to absorb all that power.

After some deliberation, Gavin decided to use the energy points to enhance his own bloodline. The young dragons and Blood Dragon Guards didn't meet advancement conditions yet, and personal strength was key to everything.

He absorbed energy rapidly, and soon, the bloodline development rose to 70%. Though no new abilities appeared on the panel, Gavin could feel immense power simmering within him — his body stronger, his magic denser.

Without hesitation, he continued pouring energy into his bloodline. When the last point was spent, his bloodline had reached 71%.

"The higher the development, the more energy it consumes," Gavin thought grimly."I thought the dragon bones would get me to 90%... but at this rate, even 80% might be out of reach."

Sighing softly, he placed the dragon bones carefully back onto the shelf.

His gaze sharpened.It was time to return to the dragon cave.After strengthening his bloodline, he was determined to test if the three mysterious dragon eggs would respond.