Victor and Arkanis locked eyes, a palpable tension hanging in the air as if something explosive could happen at any second.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Arkanis broke the silence, his face taut with controlled anger, “I want to know just how much you know about our Empire.” He paused, his voice dropping lower, almost a growl. “And more importantly… who the hell are you?”
Victor, unfazed, met Arkanis’s gaze without flinching. He let the silence linger for a moment longer, purposely heightening the tension, watching as the flicker of irritation crossed Arkanis’s face. Then, with a faint, amused smile, he replied, “Oh, I know a great deal about your Empire. More than you might think. Including the little fear you’re hiding behind that mask of anger.”
Arkanis’s jaw clenched, his teeth grinding audibly, “You lowborn filth,” he snarled, “I’m warning you… be careful with your words. The next time you speak to me like that, I won’t be sitting still.”
Victor simply ignored the threat as if it were inconsequential, reaching casually for the glass of water on the table.
He drank it slowly, savouring the moment before gargling it, the sound obnoxiously loud in the silence.
Crrckklllccklllkkkk
Arkanis’s hands trembled, his fingers elongating into sharp claws, a clear sign that he was on the verge of losing control.
Yet, Victor remained annoyingly calm, spitting the gargled water onto the floor with a casual disregard as if the room, this space, meant absolutely nothing to him. He glanced at the mess he made and smirked, “Ahh… that feels better. Talking crap makes my throat dry.”
BOOMM!!!
The entire table exploded into fragments under the force of Arkanis’s fist. The impact echoed through the room, splinters of wood scattering across the floor.
Victor’s expression didn’t change; he seemed more amused than ever, tilting his head slightly as he observed Arkanis, “You know,” he said in a calm, almost mocking tone, “letting your anger take control like this… it’s going to come back to haunt you. Trust me, you’ll regret it later.”
Arkanis sneered, baring his sharp teeth, “Regret? You think anger is something to be ashamed of?” He leaned in, his voice a menacing whisper, “Anger is the only thing that keeps us—The Prideful Dragon—sane. It keeps us rational in a world filled with weaklings like you.”
Victor nodded thoughtfully, “Oh, is that so? Well, if that’s the case, then tell me—what exactly do you want from me?”
Arkanis glared at him, “I already told you. I want to know how much you truly know about our Empire…. And you will tell me.”
Victor leaned back, feigning boredom, “I know enough to be dangerous,” he replied smoothly. “Including the summit, for instance.”
The colour drained from Arkanis’s face for a brief moment. His confident facade wavered, revealing a flicker of unease, ‘He knows too much,’ Arkanis thought, ‘He’s more dangerous than I anticipated… I need to deal with him before it’s too late’
Meanwhile, Victor’s thoughts wandered in a different direction, ‘Log… I have one of his horns, don’t I?’ His eyes drifted to Arkanis’s gleaming, crystal-blue horns, which seemed to glow faintly in the dim light, ‘But if I already have one of his horns… what are those? Are they real?’
[Yes, they’re real, and the one you have is also genuine.]
‘Huh… shouldn’t that create some sort of paradox? You know, like in those movies where time goes haywire because two versions of the same thing aren’t supposed to exist in the same timeline?’ Victor’s brow furrowed in confusion.
[Normally, yes. A paradox would occur. But because of your unique bloodline ability—
Unique Ether
—you can nullify any paradox. Both real versions can coexist in the same reality, but they are considered distinct entities due to your power.]
‘Interesting,’ Victor thought, genuinely surprised. His curiosity piqued, and he pressed further. ‘Tell me more about this bloodline ability of mine…’
[Unfortunately, the details of your bloodline cannot be revealed until you reach the peak of your level… or when
The Beginning
begins.]
‘I see…’ Victor mentally filed the information away as he noticed Arkanis beckoning him to follow.
Soon, they arrived at the Throne Room, and Victor’s eyes widened in surprise.
The room was in ruins.
Walls were cracked, pillars toppled and shattered remnants littered the floor.
Everything seemed destroyed… except for the imposing black throne that sat undisturbed in the centre.
‘What the hell happened here?’ Victor wondered as he surveyed the destruction.
“I want you to sit on the throne,” Arkanis demanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Victor raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting this from a prideful Lizard, “Why would I do that?”
Arkanis’s expression darkened, and he stepped closer, his voice low and serious. “Because I don’t trust you. That throne will show me whether you’re telling the truth or not.”
Victor stared at him, incredulous. “What, does it have some sort of magical lie detector built into it or something?”
“Hmm?” Arkanis frowned.
Victor sighed, rubbing his forehead, ‘Well, I guess earning his trust for now is better than creating more problems’ Shaking his head, he reluctantly walked toward the throne.
As he got closer, he couldn’t help but marvel at its intricate design.
It really does look… different. Almost… cool, he thought as his fingers traced over the delicate carvings along the armrest.
He scanned the throne for any hidden traps, his eyes moving with precision.
“What exactly are you doing?” Arkanis asked, his tone laced with mild amusement. “Afraid I’d set a trap for you?”
Finally, with one last glance at Arkanis, Victor sat down on the throne. Unbeknownst to Arkanis, Snowflake slithered stealthily behind the throne, placing two crystal explosive balls under it—just in case things went sideways.
Arkanis grinned slyly as he asked, “So, how does it feel to sit there?”
Victor shifted his position, trying to find some semblance of comfort. He leaned back on the throne and scowled, “It’s hard… uncomfortable, actually.” He muttered his expression one of irritation, ‘How the hell does he sit on this iron-like surface every day?!’ he thought, trying not to show his frustration.
The Throne was barely comfortable for Victor.
Arkanis’s smirk widened, “That’s because you’re soft! Hahaha…” He snapped his fingers, and suddenly, the throne began to glow. Golden veins appeared, slowly spreading from the base of the throne and snaking their way toward Victor’s body.
Victor tensed, just about to leap off the throne when he felt something coursing through his veins—an odd sensation, not pain, but rather… calmness. A soothing, almost tranquil feeling washed over him.
Then, unexpectedly,
!~Ding~!
Victor blinked in surprise as a black holographic display materialized before his eyes, glowing faintly.
[Scanning…]
[…]
Enjoy exclusive content from empire
[…]
[…]
[Blood Type: Tier 1 – Crimson Elixir of the Null]
[Bloodline: Tier Primordial – Ether Bloodline (Partially Awakened)]
[New Species: Unnamed One]
[Access to the System of The Origin – DENIED!]
[Ejecting Subject!!]
BOOM!
Without warning, a violent force expelled Victor from the throne, hurling him across the room. Reacting quickly, Victor channelled fire through his hands, propelling himself into mid-air just enough to avoid slamming into the wall. He landed back on the ground, flames dissipating as he straightened himself.
He exhaled sharply, his eyes blazing with irritation as he glared at Arkanis. “What the hell was that about?!”
Arkanis clicked his tongue, visibly annoyed, “Tch! Seems like you’re really not a descendant of the Origin Emperor, after all.”
Victor’s frown deepened, “What are you talking about?”
Arkanis shrugged, his earlier smugness fading. “Look, kid, I can’t just blindly trust you. What if you were the Origin Emperor’s descendant, hiding your identity and waiting for the right moment to manipulate or kill me? That throne belongs to the Origin Emperor.
I put you to the test, and If you were his descendant, the system would’ve accepted you.”
Victor processed Arkanis’s words, “So, you put me on that throne to test if I was connected to the Origin Emperor… Now that you know I’m not, do you trust me?”
Arkanis folded his arms, his golden eyes narrowing. “I trust you’re not the Origin Emperor’s descendant, yes. But that doesn’t mean I trust you entirely. “
Victor gave a casual shrug, glancing back at the throne, which had returned to its previous, deep black hue, ‘It knew my bloodline,’ he thought to himself, ‘Does that mean there were others with the same bloodline before me? I need to find out more about this…’
“I will offer you half of our Arcanium Mountains… but in return, I need to know—who is the descendant?” Arkanis’s voice carried a weight of desperation beneath the offer.
Victor leaned back slightly, a subtle smile tugging at his lips, “I don’t need your mountains anymore.”
Arkanis’s brow furrowed in confusion, “What? You don’t want the Arcanium Mountains?”
Victor shook his head, his tone now serious, “I want to know about the Origin Emperor… or, more specifically, the true history of this Empire.”
Arkanis’s expression darkened as he mulled over Victor’s request.
Sharing the Empire’s past—especially with someone as unpredictable and well-informed as Victor—was perilous…. And Victor clearly knew more than he should already.
The risk was immense!
Yet…
‘He only one who knows about the descendant!’ Arkanis thought, gritting his teeth. He found himself cornered, forced to make an impossible decision.
Should he risk revealing the truth to this mysterious man who could become a threat? Or… should he take a chance, get the information about the descendant, and finally rid himself of the cursed horns that weighed heavily on his soul?
A tense silence filled the room….. Finally, he made his choice.
“Fine!” Arkanis spat the word, frustration is evident in his voice. “I’ll tell you what you want to know about the Empire’s past…. But there’s one condition—you’ll need to sign this contract first.”