Alex stepped forward, his eyes scanning the massive city before him.
Dragons filled the streets, some in their full draconic forms, their massive wings tucked against their bodies, while others had taken on humanoid appearances for easier movement.
Regardless of their form, every dragon that saw the new arrivals glared with disdain.
“Disgusting.”
“Another batch? How many more of these insects will come?”
“This damn [Dragon Bloodline Trial] is a joke. We should keep our lineage pure.”
“Wait… isn’t your father a half-dragon?”
“…Huh.”
The muttered insults and sneers filled the air, echoing throughout the city.
None of them bothered to lower their voices.
But despite the hostility, none of the participants reacted.
Alex looked around and noticed that nearly everyone kept walking forward without hesitation.
It made sense.
Anyone who had come this far had already prepared themselves.
They had acquired the necessary items for the trial, meaning they had spoken to a dragon or someone who knew enough about them to warn them.
If they snapped back or challenged a dragon now, they’d be swarmed in seconds.
It wasn’t about whether they could fight back.
It was about knowing when to pick their battles.
“No, it wouldn’t be a bad look,” Alphox laughed from within.
“Hm?” Alex raised an eyebrow.
“In fact,” Alphox continued, “kill a few of them, and your chances of becoming a dragon increase.”
Alex smirked. “Alright.”
As he walked, he casually activated his [Cursed Eyes of Truth].
[Level 1,349]
[Level 1,378]
[Level 1,421]
Not surprising. Most of the initial participants were around level 1300-1400.
But then, as he scanned further…
[Level 1,674]
[Level 1,598]
[Level 1,702]
“…Figures.”
Alex should’ve expected this.
It wasn’t just people of his level coming for this trial.
Some had waited, trained, and only now decided to join after ensuring they were overpowered.
Yet, even knowing that, he wasn’t worried.
After all, thanks to the [God Blessing], he had gained a million points in every attribute.
Even against level 1700 opponents, his stats wouldn’t be any lower than theirs.
And yet, this trial wasn’t about stats.
It wasn’t about brute force or raw power.
If that were the case, none of the level 1300 or 1400 participants would be standing here with confidence.
This trial was about skill.
It was about technique, mastery, and experience.
If a person couldn’t fully control their abilities, no amount of stat points would save them.
Even if Alex were level 1, [Fated Cataclysm] would still be capable of annihilating high-level enemies.
[Bleeding Claws] would still deal 60,000,000 damage no matter his level.
Stats alone didn’t determine the victor.
Skill did.
And if there was one thing Alex had in abundance, it was skill.
He kept walking, blending into the massive crowd as they made their way deeper into [Dragon City].
The scale of the city was staggering.
Colossal buildings, each large enough to house fully grown dragons, towered over the streets.
The roads were wide, paved with obsidian-like stone, designed to accommodate creatures of all sizes.
Unlike human cities, there were no merchants, no street vendors, no trading stalls.
Dragons didn’t trade with currency.
They didn’t buy their way to the top.
Strength determined status here.
The stronger you were, the better your home, the better your equipment, the better your standing.
And above them all, the ten [Primordial Dragons] ruled over the city like gods, watching everything.
The deeper they travelled, the heavier the atmosphere became.
A suffocating pressure filled the air, pure draconic energy seeping through every street, every building, testing all who dared to enter.
“The core of the city is up ahead,” Alphox muttered from within the [Shadow Pet Space]. “That’s where the pre-selection phase will begin.”
Alex followed his gaze.
A massive temple loomed in the distance, standing taller than anything else.
Its structure was ancient, adorned with carvings of dragons locked in battle, each one exuding a presence of its own.
The very air around it buzzed with power.
Even the other participants, most of whom remained calm, showed subtle signs of discomfort.
None of them dared to make eye contact with any dragons watching from the buildings above.
And then—
A voice thundered from the skies.
[The pre-selection phase of the trial will start as soon as the Temple is full. All challengers will be given rooms. Until then, pray to the Primordial Dragons for their generosity.]
Alex reached the temple’s entrance, only to find it shut.
Thousands of others gathered around him, waiting.
Elves, wyverns, monks, mermaids, beastmen, every race imaginable was present.
Some had only arrived now.
Unlike the ones at the city gates, these were rarer races, stronger beings who had come to claim a place in the trial.
And the tension between them was palpable.
Auras clashed in silence, each person unwilling to back down.
Ding!
[Reminder: Only 50,000 participants will be accepted into the pre-selection phase. First-come, first-serve at first, but after a while, each of you will be judged accordingly.]
Overhead, a few dragons circled the sky, casting their shadows upon the crowd.
“They do this to remind you that they’re always watching,” Alphox said. “Ignore them.”
A moment later, the voice returned.
[The process shall now begin.]
But then—
[First, a reminder.]
The sky split apart.
A blinding column of light shot down from above, striking the temple.
And from within that light—
A dragon emerged.
A being so enormous, so overwhelming, that the mere sight of him sent shivers through the crowd.
[Vaelros, Primordial Fate Dragon – Level 2,000]
“Oh, seems like Primordial Dragons grew in the time I was asleep, huh,” Alphox groaned.
His scales gleamed like a shifting galaxy, shimmering between hues of silver and deep violet.
Two sets of horns curled back from his skull, crackling with arcs of lightning.
His wings, vast enough to blot out the sky, stretched outward as celestial energy pulsed around him.
And his eyes, golden, ancient, piercing, swept over the challengers below with cold amusement.
“Kneel before me, lowly beings,” he commanded, his voice booming across the temple grounds.
“Or lose your chance to become one of us.”
Instantly, the crowd obeyed.
Not a second of hesitation.
Some had already dropped to their knees before he even finished speaking, their heads pressed against the ground.
They had been told beforehand that this was the rule.
If you didn’t kneel, you were done.
And so, Alex, who had not been told, remained standing.
Three full seconds passed before he realized the issue.
And by then—
Every single gaze was on him.
Both dragons and participants alike stared in shock.
“…He’s dead.”
“That’s it for him.”
“Poor guy…”
Even the weaker dragons watching from the city muttered among themselves.
A challenger who didn’t kneel?
There would be no mercy.
The Primordial Fate Dragon’s eyes locked onto him, a flicker of disbelief crossing his face before rage took over.
From atop the temple, he spread his wings, lifting into the sky, then dove straight for Alex.
His sheer presence sent a gust of wind roaring across the ground, shaking the temple itself.
Yet Alex didn’t move.
He simply lowered his gaze, closing his eyes.
“Too scared to look at me now?” Vaelros sneered, his voice filled with amusement.
The surrounding dragons joined him in laughter.
But Alex slowly shook his head.
“No,” he murmured, his eyes opening again. “I just… I don’t know.”
At that moment, he wanted to activate [Destiny Shift] to undo his mistake.
But then—
Ding!
[There is no need. Just look at him.]
It was a message from Kaelios.
Alex exhaled and raised his head, locking eyes with the Fate Dragon.
The laughter stopped.
Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire
Vaelros’ pupils shrank.
A visible tremor ran through his massive body.
He instinctively took a step back.
‘What…?’
The great dragon couldn’t comprehend it.
“…Those eyes…” Vaelros whispered, his voice barely audible.
He had seen them before.
He knew exactly what they meant.
And for the first time, the level 2000 Primordial Dragon felt something he hadn’t felt in a long, long time.
Fear.