Gavin quickly straightened his posture, nodded solemnly, and said with firm determination, "Maester Qyburn, please rest assured! I swear upon my honor that I will not reveal a single word of what you entrust to me. My only desire is to gain knowledge and deepen my understanding in the field of academia. I wish to contribute more to our research, to you, and to our shared endeavors."
Qyburn narrowed his eyes slightly, studying Gavin once more before speaking slowly, "Very well. Since you are so resolute and sincere, I will grant your request. But remember, should there be any mishap, you are fully aware of the consequences."
Gavin's face flushed with excitement. He bowed deeply again and said, "Thank you, Maester Qyburn, for your trust and support. I will not disappoint you!"
Waving his hand dismissively, Qyburn said, "Go now. Come find me tomorrow, and I will make the arrangements."
"Yes, Maester Qyburn. Then I shall take my leave now," Gavin replied cheerfully. Turning around, he walked away from the study with a spring in his step.
In the days that followed, Gavin threw himself wholeheartedly into the vast repository of magical knowledge that Qyburn had provided to him.
This knowledge covered a wide range of fields, including fire mages, blood sorcerers, shadow binders, and moon singers. However, much of the knowledge was fragmented, with many records offering only cursory introductions.
Still, Gavin eagerly devoured every bit of knowledge he could find, like a starving fledgling desperate for nourishment. He immersed himself in the materials day and night, determined not to miss even the smallest detail. Though the information was vast and complex, he pressed on with unwavering focus and determination.
Amid these texts, Gavin discovered a remarkable casting ability belonging to fire mages, which, to his delight, was recognized by his panel. Among the rare books dedicated to fire mages, he came across descriptions of several astonishingly powerful spells. One spell, in particular, named "Flame Fiend," captured his imagination.
According to the records, this spell allowed the caster's body to transform entirely into blazing flames. When reverting from the flame form back to physical form, any injuries previously sustained would miraculously heal. In Gavin's understanding, this seemed akin to achieving complete elementalization—a wondrous ability that granted near-immortality.
This ability bore a striking resemblance to the powers possessed by the legendary dragon Belleris. Unfortunately, the details about the mighty "Flame Fiend" were limited to a brief description.
The only skill with a complete record that Gavin could truly master was "Flameblade." This technique allowed him to imbue his weapon with scorching magical flames, significantly enhancing its attack power.
However, he also gained several practical fire mage techniques, such as flame condensation, which enabled flames to take on an almost tangible form or be reshaped more easily.
In addition to these skills, Gavin discovered a recipe for a potion capable of rapid healing. The required ingredients were not rare, but the formula demanded the addition of blood infused with magical energy—the stronger the magic within the blood, the better the potion's effect.
For most people, this would pose a major challenge. However, for Gavin, it was an effortless task, as his own blood contained innate magical energy.
Meanwhile, Qyburn also made a breakthrough in his own research, particularly in the ritual of creating blood mage puppets.
He had long been troubled by the lack of magical energy and the challenge of replacing blood within the puppets. Yet through his discussions with Gavin, he finally devised an ingenious solution.
His new idea was no longer to rely on the traditional method of using a corpse described in ritual texts. Instead, he boldly proposed using a person in a state of near-death.
This delicate state, balanced between life and death, would allow the individual to receive the death magic typically inscribed onto a corpse at the moment of passing. Simultaneously, while the subject retained a sliver of vitality, their natural blood flow could facilitate the replacement of a specific blood type through a dropper device invented by Gavin.
Although this innovative method somewhat diminished the original power of the flesh puppets, it introduced significant advantages. Since the puppets were not entirely dead, they no longer required periodic infusions of magical energy.
Gavin's insights had been inspired by Qyburn's method of resurrecting Gregor Clegane in the original storyline. At that time, Clegane had not fully died but was instead left in a state of near-death after being poisoned by the Red Viper. Qyburn had successfully resurrected him using this unique approach.
However, Qyburn, ever cautious, chose not to reveal his intentions to Gavin. He planned to wait until Gavin left before conducting his experiments. Both of them tacitly treated their discussions as purely academic exploration.
Busy days flew by quickly. Immersed in his research, Gavin received news of an upcoming tournament. Highgarden had officially announced across the Reach that a grand tournament would be held early next month.
This grand tournament was not only intended to showcase the prowess of the knights of the Reach but also to celebrate the thirteenth name day of Lady Margaery Tyrell, daughter of Lord Mace Tyrell.
Gavin reluctantly set aside his studies. With a heavy heart, he closed his books, packed away his notes, requested leave from Maester Myche, and began his journey to Highgarden.
---
◇◆────────────────◆◇
Host: Gavin Flowers
Age: 15
Bloodline: Bloodfire Dragonborn (Unlocked: 32%)
Description: The bloodline of Valyria's dragonlords, enabling dragon taming and fire manipulation, with initial awakening achieved.
Dominion: 32 (Your subordinates' abilities can be enhanced through the system interface.)
Skills: Fire Manipulation (Master), Swordsmanship (Master), Flameblade (Proficient), Archery (Master), Spear (Master)
Energy Points: 1 (Gained automatically from the magic in the surroundings or by actively gathering it.)
◇◆────────────────◆◇
---
As Gavin reviewed his status panel, he felt a sense of accomplishment. His near-obsessive study of magic over this period had not been in vain. His bloodline development had reached an impressive 32%.
Moreover, his mastery of various fire manipulation techniques had significantly improved, elevating his control over flames to a mastery level. Gavin could now conjure a blazing fireball the size of a barrel out of thin air and sustain it for thirty minutes.
He could also compress the flames into any desired shape. One day, struck by a sudden idea, he condensed the fire into an arrow and fired it from a bow. Though the bow was instantly destroyed and the range was halved, the explosion of the fire arrow was as powerful as a grenade from his previous life.
What excited Gavin the most, however, was that he had finally mastered his first offensive spell.
Although the effects of Flameblade were less than ideal, with its duration limited to ten minutes, his tests revealed its immense potential. By combining the slashing power of the sword with the searing flames of magic, he achieved remarkable results.
Even plate armor could be cleaved apart with a single strike, and each swing unleashed a wave of blazing fire. Unfortunately, every use of the Flameblade caused the sword to break.
The frequent need to replace his weapon had left Gavin's coin pouch significantly lighter, prompting him to consider acquiring a Valyrian steel sword and a dragonbone bow in the future.
Setting out for Highgarden, Gavin boarded a merchant ship. As the ship set sail and entered the Whispering Sound, the shimmering waves reflected the sunlight like a field of glittering diamonds.
The warm rays of the sun on his skin and the gentle sea breeze brought a rare sense of peace. Gavin closed his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply, and felt a calm serenity wash over him.
..
..
[Image]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Chapter End's]
🖤 Night_FrOst/ Patreon 🤍
Visit my Patreon for Early Chapter:
https://www.patreon.com/Night_FrOst
Extra Content Already Available