"What should we do with the corpses of those four giant dragons?"
Hearing Rania say that, Chu Lian suddenly remembered. That was right. The four dragon corpses could not be handled carelessly. The bodies of dragonkind were extremely valuable. No matter what, she should be the one to decide their fate.
"I'll go take a look."
Chu Lian nodded. Fixing her gaze on where the dragons had fallen, she activated Teleport. Her figure vanished instantly and reappeared before the massive corpses. Seeing the grassland stained red with dragon blood, her heart ached slightly.
"Ayase, how should I deal with these?"
This was not the first time Chu Lian had slain a dragon, but it was the first time she had to process a dragon's corpse. The previous half-step Heaven-tier dragon had been shattered entirely when she used Ordinary Punch and Mystic Eyes of Death Perception while it was weakened. She had passed out immediately afterward.
What happened next, she did not know. In any case, no one had ever found that dragon's corpse.
Because of that, the authorities in America had been thrown into panic, fearing that the supposedly gravely wounded dragon had escaped rather than been killed by some powerful expert.
"There's a method for handling them in the Bloodstained Reward," she asked Ayase. After a long while, Ayase finally responded.
"Shiroha, open the Bloodstained Reward interface. I need to see what to do."
Since Ayase had said so, she would follow her advice. Although she was already familiar with the system, no matter how familiar she was, she could not compare to Ayase, who was practically the system's chief steward. Rather than fumbling around on her own, it was better to listen.
"Bloodstained Reward: Host has currently slain one giant dragon (reward already granted), slain one C-rank human (reward: 1 Bloodstained Point), slain 2,457 C-rank magical creatures (reward: 2,457 Bloodstained Points), slain 257 C-rank magical beasts (reward: 514 Bloodstained Points), slain 23 B-rank magical beasts (reward: 460 Bloodstained Points), slain 4 A-rank giant dragons (reward: 2,000 Bloodstained Points). Remaining Bloodstained Points: 15,782."
"Human corpses below B-rank hold no value and cannot be exchanged for rewards."
"Magical creature corpses below B-rank hold no value and cannot be exchanged for rewards."
"C-rank magical beast corpses possess slight value and can be exchanged for bloodlines or item rewards. (Quantity is excessive. Reducing quantity can increase item grade.) Exchange?"
"B-rank magical beast corpses possess considerable value and can be exchanged for bloodlines or item rewards. Exchange?"
"A-rank giant dragon corpses possess high value and can be exchanged for bloodlines or item rewards. Exchange?"
Seeing these prompts, Chu Lian froze briefly, then understood. So-called corpse exchange likely meant converting the bodies of these magical beasts into energy required by the system. She ignored the others for now. She would first see what the dragons could be exchanged for.
"Confirm exchange of the four giant dragon corpses."
Selecting confirm under the dragon corpse exchange option, she watched as a deep azure light enveloped the four enormous bodies. They rose into the air, slowly condensed, shrinking into a tiny point. Then more than ten items fell out from within, protected by a transparent barrier, floating in midair.
Chu Lian raised her hand, and the items drifted before her for inspection.
"Cursed A-Rank Giant Dragon Bloodline. Evaluation: A giant dragon bloodline with eighth-tier potential. Whether its potential can be fully awakened depends on the user's will. After use, and after enduring immense agony, the user's bloodline will transform into a half-dragon. Strength +15, Physique +20, Agility +10, Spiritual Sense +15. Strength output increased to 150%, physical regeneration speed increased by 120%. Immune to magic below A-rank. A-rank magic damage reduced by half. Usable skills: Dragon Breath, Dragon Transformation, Half-Dragon Form. Note: As this is a cursed bloodline, various side effects will accompany its use. The specific side effects vary by individual."
"This looks more diverse than the SS-rank bloodline of a Heaven-tier dragon, but in terms of potential, it's practically exhausted. And it comes with a curse. Who knows what strange side effects would appear after using it."
Chu Lian had no desire for it whatsoever. She could sense that immense secrets lay hidden within her own body. Even an SS-rank giant dragon bloodline was trash to her—let alone this cursed A-rank one.
Still, something was better than nothing. Even if she did not use it herself, she could keep it for someone else, or trade it in Origin Land. Either way, it was a decent option.
With that thought, she put away the four crystal vials of dragon blood and looked up at the remaining items, feeling a surge of satisfaction. Not a bad harvest, was it?
"Dragon Scale Armor: Forged from the scales of a half-step Earth-tier giant dragon. Possesses extremely high defense and resistance. When equipped, weapons of Elite (A-rank) and below cannot break its defense. Immune to magic below A-rank. A-rank magic damage reduced by half. Magic above A-rank receives no reduction. This armor is soulbound and will adjust to the wearer's body size. It can only be worn by a new master after the current wearer dies. Item Rating: A-rank."
"The four dragons yielded four sets of Dragon Scale Armor. That's quite a generous reward. What about the rest?"
Chu Lian glanced back at the people silently watching her. After thinking for a moment, she decided to store the armor as well. She could not bring herself to grant such items to those who had contributed nothing. Rewards without merit were not something she would give.
Good grief… Is this the system's item conversion ability? Dolores' origin truly is the consciousness of the game system—the god of this game? To casually craft legendary-tier equipment from dragon corpses… what a terrifying ability.
Watching the items Chu Lian produced, Ainz felt even more certain of Dolores' "origin." While feeling proud to have such a little sister, he also grew curious about her capabilities. Could she create even stronger items, equipment, or weapons?
After all, he knew that Dolores possessed a weapon that surpassed even a World Item—so powerful it defied calculation. He wanted to know what kind of material had been used to create it.
If the corpses of powerful beings could be used to produce equipment or items at artifact-tier or higher, it would benefit not only him but Nazarick as well.
One must remember that as one of the top ten guilds, the Great Tomb of Nazarick possessed eleven of the game's two hundred World Items.
Yet even such a wealthy Nazarick had not managed to equip all its Guardians entirely with artifact-tier gear. Each Guardian only had one or two such items. There was still plenty of room for improvement.
If Dolores could convert the corpses of even more powerful beings into artifact-tier equipment or similar items, then leaving everything else aside, simply enhancing the Guardians' strength would already be Nazarick's greatest gain.
Of course, he also knew such matters could not be forced. Setting aside the fact that Dolores' current strength had not yet reached that level—whether she could even perform such a conversion remained unknown. Moreover, did this world truly possess beings above level 80?
Having learned about this world from Nigun, Ainz harbored deep doubts. Still, it did not matter. Even if there was no way now, they would surely encounter possible enemies in the future.
As the world's changes grew increasingly numerous, Ainz found himself thinking more and more. As the Supreme Ruler of Nazarick, he bore responsibility not only for himself but also for his subordinates. This was something every leader had to face.
And deep down, he still hoped that one day he might find his former comrades—or return to the world he once came from.
"Momon, Liliana's abilities are becoming more and more mysterious. Those items… they're all at least legendary-tier, right?" Narberal asked curiously. She truly wanted to know how Chu Lian had transformed those corpses into equipment. The ability was simply too powerful. Without any crafting process whatsoever, she could produce formidable gear.
"Yes. Liliana's origin is far more complicated than we imagined. But she is still one of Nazarick. That much is beyond doubt."
Ainz was not worried that Chu Lian would ever act against Nazarick. However, this was not the time to reveal her identity, so this was all he could say.
"Understood."
Narberal nodded, casting a sidelong glance at the members of the Swords of Darkness and Nfirea. For a fleeting moment, she felt the urge to kill them all.
But since Lady Dolores and Lord Ainz had not taken action, it meant they had no intention of hiding anything from them.
Although she did not understand their purpose, as a subordinate—and as a maid—Narberal chose silence.
However, if they dared to speak words she did not wish to hear, she would personally kill them.
"Dragonspine Bow: A longbow crafted from the hardest bones and dragon sinew of a giant dragon. Possesses formidable power. Ability 1: Condense Mana into Arrows—can condense different elemental attributes of magic power within the body into arrows with corresponding effects. Ability 2: Condense Air into Arrows—can use immense force to compress elemental particles in the air into arrows and fire them. Ability 3: Range increased by 300%. Ability 4: Dragon's Intimidation—crafted from dragon remains, this weapon exerts significant deterrence against weaker creatures but may provoke the wrath of dragonkind. Use with caution. Item Rating: Elite (A+)."
"These four bows… I could reward one to Rania first. That way, the centaur girl would truly feel at ease and free of doubt. But I can't give it to her directly. I'll wait for a suitable opportunity before bestowing it upon her."
After reviewing the Dragonspine Bow's attributes, Chu Lian had already made her decision, though she still stored them away for now.
"Dragonbone Arrows: Arrows crafted from a giant dragon's finger bones. Possess magic-breaking and armor-piercing effects. Any defense or magic below A-rank will be nullified. When used together with the Dragonspine Bow, they gain an automatic retrieval function. Rating: Elite."
If the Dragonspine Bow had surprised Chu Lian, then these forty-eight Dragonbone Arrows were an unexpected delight.
"I didn't expect something this good. Combined with the Dragonspine Bow, their effectiveness is already close to an S-rank legendary item. Especially the automatic retrieval function—I like that. Unfortunately, I already have the Seven Illusions Bow, so I don't really need these. I'll store them away. It's not time to grant them to anyone yet."
Finally, her gaze fell upon the last remaining item—the reward she was most satisfied with.
"Dragon's Sin: Crafted from the most refined essence of four half-step Earth-tier dragon corpses. Increases damage against dragonkind by 15%. Intimidates all enemies below S-rank, preventing them from taking the initiative to harm you. Energy recovery speed increased by 50%. Can deploy a circular shield with a diameter equal to spiritual sense divided by M, blocking incoming damage. Item Rating: Legendary (S-rank)."
It was a small item—more precisely, a headpiece. Exquisitely ornate, it was set with eight black gemstones as deep and beautiful as the darkest night. Its body was crystal white, engraved with intricate patterns. It seemed destined to be worn by a woman.
She gently lifted it and placed it upon her head.
Her already near-peak charm immediately reached its absolute summit. Beneath the radiant sunlight, Chu Lian appeared like a goddess.
—Well, to those who already regarded her as one, and to the centaur tribe, she truly was.
"Alright. Let's burn these corpses. We can't let them fester and spread a plague. If that happens, we'll be the sinners."
After finishing everything, Chu Lian returned without offering a single explanation, allowing them to speculate as they pleased. She spoke softly to Ainz.
"There are still a few things left undone. Wait a moment."
Ainz nodded and turned to Peter and Lukrut Volve.
"Peter, Lukrut, go check the surrounding area and see if there are any corpses left unhandled."
"Alright, then I'll finish converting the rest as well."
Seeing that they were not yet ready, Chu Lian proceeded to convert the remaining exchangeable corpses.
After locating the magical beast corpses eligible for exchange, she had the centaur warriors gather them into a pile. Extending her hand toward the heap, she activated the Bloodstained Reward ability.
"Ayase, can I convert these into something specific that I want?"
Her current harvest was already sufficient. Even combined, these B-rank corpses might not reach S-rank rewards—at best, they would peak at A-rank. Rather than fusing them randomly, she preferred to obtain a batch of items she specifically needed.
"Yes, but be careful. Once you select a specific item, any excess rewards will not be granted."
Ayase's words made Chu Lian breathe a sigh of relief. As long as she could obtain what she wanted, losing extra rewards did not matter.
"Convert them all into longbows…"
After confirming, a gentle pale-blue light enveloped the corpses of the 257 C-rank magical beasts and 23 B-rank magical beasts. In moments, they transformed into 280 longbows of varying designs, suspended in midair.
With a wave of her hand, Chu Lian stored them all within her spatial inventory.
B-rank items were unnecessary for her. There was no need to examine them closely. As always—she would deal with them later.
As the sun set and night fell, a great fire blazed along the road to Carne Village, burning for a long, long time.
At the same time, the legend of a white Valkyrie began to spread far and wide…