"Continue."

Yano nodded heavily, took several more Gray Gravel Crystals, closed his eyes again, and immersed himself deeper into that gentle stream of spiritual energy.

As more and more spiritual energy was absorbed, the membrane in his mind became nearly transparent.

Just as he felt he was about to touch the core—

In the endless darkness deep within his consciousness.

A pair of beautiful eyes filled with indescribable charm abruptly opened in the darkness!

Those eyes seemed to contain the flow of the Milky Way, yet carried depth and a trace of... cold indifference.

"Urgh...!"

Yano's body suddenly stiffened, a fear stemming from life's instinct instantly gripping his throat.

He felt all the blood in his body freezing, his bones creaking, his skin rapidly hardening.

He was turning into a stone statue at an astonishing speed.

Count Bran, who had just returned, jumped in fright at the sight.

"Oh no, oh no, Your Majesty... he, he, he, he's turning to stone."

This couldn't be leading to disaster, could it?

Chen Yu also felt uncertain inside.

Yano struggled desperately in the dark consciousness, the suffocating feeling brought by those eyes and the icy sensation of petrification spreading felt incredibly real.

He felt himself falling into an eternal abyss, about to follow in the footsteps of all his ancestors... endless despair and fear nearly consumed him.

"NO!!!"

A cry erupting from the depths of his soul burst forth in his heart!

Thoughts of Lola, promises to his children, gratitude toward the Boss, longing for life... instantly broke through the absolute suppression brought by those demonic eyes.

Buzz!

Just as the stone patches were about to cover his face in the final moment, the spreading petrification receded like it had been put on rewind, rapidly fading away like a tide.

His stiff, cold body became soft and warm again.

"Hah... hah... hah..."

Yano's eyes snapped open, like someone rescued from drowning, gasping for breath in large gulps, his entire body drenched in cold sweat, his heart pounding wildly.

The terror from that moment still lingered throughout his limbs, making him tremble uncontrollably.

Count Bran, still shaken, flapped his wings: "Alive... alive again? You scared this Count to death, what happened to you, kid?"

Yano looked at his hands, feeling the blood flowing within his body and his powerfully beating heart again, and also... an unprecedented, marvelous sense of control.

He tried focusing his mind, and instantly his fingertips were covered with a layer of petrified keratin, which then disappeared just as quickly.

"Bo... Boss..."

His voice was hoarse, carrying the weakness of someone who had narrowly escaped death and unbelievable excitement.

"I... I... made it through, and it seems... a bit different... from before."

It was indeed different from before.

Chen Yu could tell even with his eyes closed.

—

Reputation Title: Stone Scion Noble

Acquisition Conditions: Descendant of ancient nobility bearing weak immunity to petrification bloodline and afflicted by petrification curse, must completely accept the curse with full heart and mind during blasphemous ritual facing Medusa's demonic eyes, maintaining clear consciousness through excruciating pain as flesh gradually turns to stone, until bloodline fully awakens.

Title Effects:

1. Prestige Brand: The name "Stone Scion Noble" circulates among petrified creatures, bringing hatred and awe.

2. Perfect Stone Form: Can actively gaze upon Medusa's demonic eyes, petrify self, gain full damage resistance, exempt from freezing, poison, and other negative effects.

3. Stone Scion Bloodline: Can actively activate bloodline, immune to petrification effects.

Note: "The bloodline grants me the right to exempt curses, yet I choose to embrace it—tempering poison into a crown, forging the gorgon's gaze into heraldry. Wherever gargoyles kneel, there lies my domain."

—Declaration of the Fourth Generation Stone Scion Grand Duke Castor Obsidian

—

Stone Scion Bloodline.

He actually got a golden reward.

Which means the Petrification Disease is indeed a curse.

And Yano truly possesses a special bloodline called Stone Scion.

It's just that descendants of Stone Scions have weak bloodlines, unable to resist the petrifying gaze, thus gradually turning into stone statues due to the curse.

Only Stone Scion descendants like Yano, who have fully awakened their Stone Scion bloodline, can become immune to petrification.

As for Yano possessing such a miraculous bloodline, isn't that a bit too exaggerated...

Chen Yu thought, if Yano hadn't lied, back then if it weren't for the Petrification Disease, he should have smoothly passed the Knight Training Camp and become an official knight.

Actually, he was quite an outstanding noble descendant, but because of the Petrification Disease, he had to completely abandon his knight dreams and come to a rural place like Ironboot Town to make a living.

He also roughly understood why the Stone Scion bloodline gradually deteriorated.

This thing actually requires spiritual energy to awaken. Unless some alchemist accidentally brews an alchemical potion that gathers spiritual energy.

Otherwise, this Stone Scion bloodline wouldn't just fail to awaken—maintaining it would be another matter entirely.

And if such a potion really existed, the attached spiritual energy would likely be one of its most insignificant effects, and such a potion would definitely be extremely expensive.

With such a gold-devouring thing, if you don't deteriorate, who will?

"Boss, I should be alright, right..."

Chen Yu hadn't spoken for a long time, making Yano's inner joy diminish considerably, worry appearing on his face.

"It's fine, very good, incredibly good."

Chen Yu informed Yano about the effects of the Stone Scion bloodline, and only then did he relax.

Count Bran flew over, pecked at his hard head, making clanging sounds, feeling quite novel.

"This Count has seen plenty of stone men, even faced gargoyles deep in ancient castles, but never seen a strange stone man like you."

Yano gave a dry laugh: "Your Lordship jests."

"Want to test this petrification's defensive power?"

Chen Yu felt quite eager to try.

"How to test..."

Yano suddenly felt like he had become a popular toy, being stared at by two pairs of curious eyes.

Then he suffered attacks from Poison-stinger Wasps.

Fortunately, the poison stingers hitting the petrified parts only made clinking sounds without causing any damage.

Before he could catch his breath, Chen Yu immediately controlled a stone sword flying over, another "clang" sound, and the stone sword was sent flying.

"This defense is quite impressive."

Chen Yu was satisfied.

As for why he didn't use the Little Arrow Technique—

If he blew up his Rider, who would deliver takeout and packages for him in the future?

"Gahahaha! Fun!"

"Your Majesty, if we cut him open, could we stick him back together?"

"What if we grind him into powder, then reshape him back..."

Seeing the conversation heading in a terrifying direction, Yano quickly changed the subject: "Boss, I'm worried those Rusty Key rats might still come after me, even target my family..."

"That's simple, I need you to personally go to the Outpost Ruins camp."

"Go to the Rusty Key thieves' territory?!"

Yano felt his throat go dry.

Personally delivering himself into the enemy's stronghold... he feared those adventurers who only cared about money would fight over delivering his head to the Rusty Key guild.

Count Bran slapped his head hard with his wings, cackling loudly.

"Hah! Stone Knight, your courage doesn't match your body's hardness."

"Ahem... Your Lordship speaks truth."

"Boss, please give your orders."

In his embrace, the evil Slime's mind bubbled with sinister schemes.

"First you do this... then you do that... finally lead them into the dungeon..."