Chapter 472: Elemental Master
However, leveling up was the least remarkable gain from his journey to the Elemental Plane of Fire.
Even if Cassius hadn't slain those fire genies, the experience provided by the players would have been enough for him to advance within half a year—it was merely a matter of course.
His greatest harvest from this trip was devouring the divine-like elemental power within Ismael.
According to Cassius' speculation, this power was originally prepared by the Great Sultan of the fire genies as a material for his own apotheosis, yet Cassius had inadvertently "enjoyed" it ahead of schedule.
Godhood—an ambitious yet widespread goal.
Such matters were not uncommon among the sinister forces of Erezaghe.
For instance, the ruler of the astral Githyanki, the powerful lich Vilagis the 157th, had consumed the strength and souls of high-ranking Githyanki, using them as materials for wish spells in his pursuit of godhood.
Most centurions and above among the Githyanki had their souls drained, leaving behind only empty shells that obeyed Vilagis' commands.
By comparison, the Great Sultan of the fire genies—who merely cultivated six of his most loyal direct retainers into divine materials—could almost be considered "benevolent."
Though this was only one of six such powers, it was the result of thousands of years of meticulous cultivation by the Great Sultan, far exceeding Cassius' expectations.
If not for the uprising of the Prince of Holy Flame, the Sultan would have undoubtedly descended in person to fight Cassius to the death.
He could understand why the Sultan was so enraged, nearly losing his reason entirely.
It had been over a month since Cassius returned from the Elemental Plane of Fire, yet that power still surged within his belly, not yet fully digested.
It was a peculiar sensation, as if a noble fire genie were wailing, roaring, and resisting its transformation within his gut.
But unfortunately for it, the body of an ancestor dragon possessed an extraordinary essence, imprisoning that power completely, rendering all struggle futile.
"Divine-like power..."
"Tsk, it almost feels like it has its own consciousness."
Accompanied by a sizzling sound, the final remnant of the fire genie's essence was absorbed by the terrifying magic digestion of the ancestor dragon.
That crimson energy surged through the red dragon's body, flowing through his arteries back into his heart, before being pumped powerfully throughout his entire form.
From his heart to his neck, skull, forelimbs, wing joints, hind limbs, and even the very tip of his tail.
"Roar—"
Cassius couldn't help but raise his head and let out a mighty roar toward the heavens.
With his roar, streams of flaming meteors rained down from the sky, and massive firestorms formed on the ground.
If these spells had been allowed to unfold fully, they would have left nothing but devastation in their wake—but Cassius would not allow such a thing to happen.
"Flames, heed my command."
"Stop."
With just a whisper, the raging, surging flames calmed instantly, as obedient as docile sheep, dispersing into nothingness.
This was the power of Authority.
As one of the Inner Planes that formed the very fabric of the world, the Elemental Plane of Fire was both the primal source and ultimate destination of all flames, its very essence. The elemental nobility were the bearers of this Authority, and this power extended beyond the Elemental Plane, allowing them to exert dominion over flames even in the Material Plane.
The true ruler of the Elemental Plane of Fire—Karsus, Lord of Flames, the Ever-Burning—was a deity of greater divine power.
In Cassius' pale gold slit pupils, crimson fire burned, tongues of flame wrapping around his head.
[You have fully digested an essence of divine-like elemental power.]
[Having grasped elemental Authority and attuned yourself to the forces of the cosmos, you have unlocked a new class path—[Elemental Master]]
[To qualify as an Elemental Master, a dragon must meet the following conditions:]
Race: Any True Dragon.
Feats: Any three Metabreath feats.
Spells: Must be capable of casting arcane spells.
Special: Elemental Affinity—the dragon must possess an elemental or energy subtype, such as Air, Cold, Earth, Electricity, Fire, or Water.
Breath Weapon: The dragon must possess a breath weapon that deals energy damage.
[You have met all the requirements. Would you like to advance to Elemental Master?]
"A new advanced class..."
"Elemental Master."
Cassius' eyes lit up—he had not expected an additional surprise after digesting the power of the fire genie.
This was a well-known dragon class, even in his previous life. In the Silvermoon Bay region, an ocean drake attuned to water elements had been able to summon terrifying waves and whirlpools, ruling the Western Sea like its true master.
That ocean drake had slaughtered players attempting to complete the Naga Kingdom questline, leaving their bloated corpses floating all across the sea.
Cassius continued scanning the panel's information, deepening his understanding of the class.
[Elemental Master]
Dragons are beings forged from primordial elemental forces. Two powerful energies surge within their veins—the elemental energy that fuels their breath weapons and the core essence that constitutes their very existence. Elemental Masters devote themselves to achieving perfect harmony between these forces.
Almost exclusively pursued by true dragons, this class requires an intrinsic connection to elemental and energy forces. Some dragons take levels in Wizard or Sorcerer before advancing, but many do not.
Elemental Masters are among the most solitary of dragons, dedicating their existence to communion with cosmic forces rather than mingling with what they consider lesser lifeforms.
When they do form alliances, it is usually with elementals, extraplanar beings, or, on rare occasions, younger dragons.
"The draconic equivalent of an Elemental Sorcerer..."
Cassius stroked his chin, thought for a moment, then made his decision.
A free class level? Of course, he would take it!
Moreover, he had already absorbed a portion of divine-like elemental power. For ordinary dragons, advancing into Elemental Master might risk energy instability or even bodily detonation, but for Cassius, it was merely another step forward.
[You have chosen to advance as an Elemental Master.]
[The Pasha's Essence of the Fire Genie you devoured has granted you a massive amount of experience exclusive to Elemental Masters. Your Elemental Master level has increased to 4.]
With that, Cassius' class panel now displayed three different paths.
Sorcerer 16 / Elemental Master 4 / Bloodscale Berserker 3
Among players in his past life, such a class combination was unheard of. Only one eccentric player had ever attempted to level four different classes at once, only to find themselves permanently stuck—spreading levels too thin came at a cost.
But for Cassius, this wasn't an issue—his other two classes had essentially been handed to him for free.
"A true jack-of-all-trades, huh?"
Cassius exhaled a puff of sulfurous white smoke, unable to resist a sarcastic remark.
Maybe he should aim to collect every single draconic class in existence?
The panel continued refreshing.
[Your Elemental Master level has increased to 1]
[You have gained the abilities Elemental Mastery and Energy Attunement]
Elemental Mastery: Grants enhanced affinity with the dragon's elemental subtype.
Dragons with the Fire subtype (including red, gold, brass, and hellfire wyverns) gain Fire Mastery—if both the dragon and its opponent are exposed to fire or wield fire-based abilities, the dragon gains significant control over them.
Energy Attunement: The Elemental Master harmonizes with the energy type of their breath weapon.
Dragons with multiple breath weapons may attune to Acid, Cold, Electricity, Fire, or Sonic, entering a state of "Elemental Dominance" that enhances breath control.
"More ways to enhance energy output—just icing on the cake for me."
"But... a free class level is a free class level."
Cassius opened his mouth and exhaled a thin stream of fire, controlling it like a thread dancing through the air, weaving intricate patterns as flames flickered across his entire body.
This was the effect of [Energy Attunement], allowing a dragon to achieve an almost unimaginable level of control over its breath.
Moreover, as a red dragon equipped with [Storm King's Eye] and [Eternal Frost Horn], Cassius had developed a strong understanding of lightning and frost energies—he could even breathe lightning, already qualifying for Lightning Energy Attunement.
His golden eyes gleamed as lightning, frost, and fire alternated within his breath.
The panel continued to refresh.
[Your Elemental Master level has increased to 2. You have gained the abilities: [Energy Substitution] and [Summon Elemental]]
Energy Substitution: Elemental Masters gain the ability to alter their spells with energy descriptors, converting them to match their attuned element.
The substituted spell functions normally in all aspects except for the type of damage it deals.
Summon Elemental: Starting at level 2, once per day, the Elemental Master can use its breath weapon to summon a Medium elemental of its corresponding elemental subtype. The dragon breathes as usual, but an elemental manifests afterward.
If the dragon chooses, it can instead summon an adult arrowhawk (Air or Cold), a common fire salamander (Fire), an adult spiked shell turtle (Water), or a common solstone golem (Earth).
Energy Substitution—a fascinating ability.
Cassius conjured a [Witchbolt] imbued with lightning energy, then activated [Energy Substitution].
Instantly, the lightning bolt transformed into a flaming chain, setting the surrounding rocks ablaze.
This was the power of energy substitution—converting identical spells into different energy forms, making it harder for enemies to predict.
As for [Summon Elemental], it was just a free summoning spell—not particularly useful to Cassius.
If he wanted, he could always use the "Divine Petition Candle" he had acquired through negotiations with the Great Sultan to summon a high-ranking fire genie capable of granting wishes.
It was said that the fire genie nobles dreaded the task of aiding the Ember Empire, fearing they might be the unlucky ones chosen—but they dared not refuse.
After all, the infamous "Soul-Devouring Dragon" had built his fearsome reputation not through words but through the deaths of hundreds of fire genies, two Emirs, and a Pasha.
[Your Elemental Master level has increased to 4. You have gained the abilities: [Energy Focus] and [Energy Burst]]
Energy Focus: The Elemental Master has attained an extreme level of expertise in a particular energy type, greatly enhancing the power of their breath attack.
Energy Burst: The Elemental Master can resonate with the surrounding elemental environment, creating a destructive energy explosion around themselves.
"Now this is the real prize."
Cassius narrowed his eyes, exhaling a burst of white steam from his nostrils.
He felt an explosive force surge through his body, filling every artery like a series of latent elemental bombs.
The earlier Elemental Master traits, while powerful for players or even ordinary dragons, had felt somewhat underwhelming to Cassius.
But now, [Energy Focus] and [Energy Burst]—these were the true game-changers for a red dragon of his caliber.
[Flame Gate]
Cassius tore through space, leaving the outskirts of Northwind Fortress and arriving directly at the Wahala Glacier, the northernmost part of the Anzeta Wasteland.
The howling wind was bone-chilling, and towering glaciers gleamed under the sunlight, reflecting blinding rays.
This had once been the "Everfrost" tribe's homeland, but the frost giants who had lived here for nearly ten thousand years had been exterminated by Cassius. Their treasures were plundered, and their surviving kin reduced to imperial slaves.
The frozen caves still contained rotting bone clubs and tattered furs—the last remnants of the frost giants' former lives.
Of course, the shattered glaciers, collapsed ice mountains, and ruined snowfields bore the scars of that devastating war, though much of it had since been buried beneath the snow.
"The Battle of the Glacier's Fall."
"Has it really been six years already?"
Cassius gazed upon the battlefield's remains, feeling a rare moment of sentimentality.
Six years was barely the span of a nap for an ordinary dragon—but for him, it had been a lifetime of battles and conquests.
"Boom!"
In the distance, a massive centipede-like beast burst through the ice, devouring an entire musk ox in one gulp.
Without the frost giants to keep them in check, and with the empire showing little interest in managing this frozen wasteland, the Centipede Behemoths had become its most fearsome predators—unless a player happened to take an Icefield Hunt quest.
Cassius observed the gaping ice hole left by the creature and muttered:
"Let's put this Elemental Master ability to the test."
The red dragon easily climbed to the peak of the glacier, spreading his vast wings and slightly parting his maw.
[Energy Attunement]
Flames flickered across his colossal body, distorting the frigid air with intense heat, transforming this polar wasteland into a searing inferno.
Snow melted, glaciers liquefied.
The light around Cassius grew even more dazzling as he became one with the surrounding fire element, causing the snowfields and icebergs to reflect a blinding glow. The world itself seemed to fall into silence.
Then, an even fiercer blaze erupted, engulfing everything around him.
"Boom!"
[Energy Burst]
The glacier sublimated instantly, its frozen mountains collapsing, and thick layers of snow transforming into scalding water.
Steam—searing white vapor—billowed in all directions, enveloping everything within a ten-mile radius.
When the mist finally cleared, Cassius hovered high in the sky, flapping his wings. Below him, there were no glaciers, no snowfields—only a massive crater nearly a hundred meters wide, with boiling water still churning within it.
"Now that's an explosion."
Cassius grinned, baring his sharp teeth in satisfaction as he surveyed the scorched ruins of the Wahala Glacier.
This was exactly the level of destruction he had anticipated.