After breaking through, Raqin immediately sensed something strange.
His cultivation restrictions were still present, yet they felt noticeably looser than before.
"So breaking through didn't completely remove the seal..." he muttered inwardly.
Only then did he realize that everyone around him was staring at him. The sudden breakthrough during such a dangerous trial had naturally drawn attention.
Most of the participants were either quietly gossiping or recovering their exhausted energy when the atmosphere abruptly changed.
A giant projection materialized in the sky.
The figure wore a tattered black cloak. Its face was hidden within a darkness so deep it resembled a bottomless abyss. Its arms were thin and shriveled, ending in unnaturally long fingernails.
The moment it appeared, the surrounding air became colder and more oppressive.
The figure slowly spread its arms.
"Welcome, lucky and unlucky ones. The righteous and the wicked alike. Heroes and villains."
Its voice echoed throughout the realm.
"This realm is divided into Five Trials of Ascension."
"Each trial was designed by me to find a successor capable of surpassing me."
The projection paused before releasing a chilling laugh.
"Failure does not simply mean death."
"The realm recycles failed participants into new monsters."
"My monsters."
The eerie laughter lingered in everyone's minds.
"Boss, is that Veyrath?" one of the syndicate members asked nervously.
"Yes," his leader replied.
"Only someone of his caliber could transform a prison realm into his personal inheritance ground."
The projection raised a hand.
"Now..."
"Let the first trial begin."
Space distorted.
Everyone felt reality twist around them.
The next moment, they found themselves standing on the shore of an enormous underground ocean.
The sea was composed of black-red flesh-like liquid.
Half-submerged ruins floated aimlessly across the surface.
Towering spinal columns rose from the depths like grotesque trees.
And beneath the surface...
Millions of corpse-like creatures drifted silently.
Waiting.
Watching.
Far in the distance stood a tiny island.
Upon it was a lighthouse made entirely of bone.
The projection spoke once more.
"Cross the sea."
"Reach the Bone Lighthouse before the moon turns completely red."
Then it vanished.
Silence followed.
For several moments nobody spoke.
Then chaos erupted.
Everyone began discussing possible methods to cross.
Raqin remained quiet.
The stairway trial was already brutal enough to count as a test on its own.
If this was truly only the first trial...
Then surviving would likely be harder than passing.
Suddenly, the seven members of the Mollock Syndicate exchanged glances.
Without warning, they seized several weaker cultivators nearby and hurled them into the sea.
"You bastards!"
The victims screamed in fury.
Their anger quickly transformed into terror.
The black-red liquid immediately began mutating them.
Their skin warped.
Black veins spread across their bodies.
Their bones appeared to soften and dissolve.
Their bodies rapidly shrank as their screams became increasingly distorted.
The spectators watched in horror.
The Mollock Syndicate frowned.
They had used the cultivators as test subjects.
Now they understood one thing.
The sea was deadly.
Raqin silently observed everything.
He wanted to find a way across.
But he also didn't want to become another disposable experiment.
Keeping a low profile seemed best for now.
Then someone pointed upward.
"The moon!"
Everyone looked.
The moon hanging above the realm was slowly turning blood-red.
Panic spread.
People began making desperate attempts.
Some copied the Mollock Syndicate's method.
Others attempted to access treasures from their storage artifacts, only to discover their cultivation restrictions prevented them.
A few courageous individuals simply jumped into the sea and began swimming.
Then things became worse.
The first victims that had been thrown into the sea began changing.
Their bodies fused together.
Limbs stitched into limbs.
Faces merged with faces.
Soon a massive flesh monstrosity emerged from beneath the water.
It opened dozens of mouths.
"Join us..."
"Become one..."
"Embrace evolution..."
The voices belonged to the cultivators who had fallen earlier.
Many participants nearly lost their sanity hearing them.
Meanwhile, another group had attempted to use people as rafts.
They made it halfway across.
Then their living rafts transformed into monstrous creatures and attacked them from below.
Screams echoed across the sea.
The swimmers fared no better.
Some drowned.
Others were dragged beneath the surface.
Many simply vanished.
Only two old men successfully reached the Bone Lighthouse.
Their skin was heavily eroded.
Yet they remained alive.
As they sat down to recover, two glowing vials appeared before them.
Without hesitation, they drank them.
Moments later, damaged flesh peeled away and regenerated.
The two elders were fully healed.
Those still watching immediately understood.
This trial tested physical foundations.
The Mollock Syndicate members grinned.
Their armor suddenly shifted and expanded.
Metal plates moved like living machinery.
Helmets formed over their heads.
Without hesitation, all seven dove into the sea.
The monstrous creatures attacked them repeatedly.
But the armor protected them.
Eventually, they reached the lighthouse.
One of the old men snorted.
"Lucky bastards."
"Their armor is comparable to a peak Mortal Realm beast."
His companion nodded.
"Meanwhile, our physical cultivation is equivalent to peak Seventh Mortal Realm beasts."
The two elders immediately distanced themselves when the Mollock Syndicate arrived.
They clearly wanted no trouble.
After watching long enough, Raqin stepped forward.
The crowd instinctively parted.
"Let's see what that kid can do."
"I doubt his body is stronger than those old men."
Raqin ignored them.
"System."
"Can I use the nanites to protect myself from the sea?"
/No, Host./
/Based on current analysis, spirituality is required to cross the sea./
"Really?"
"Then how did those old men succeed with their cultivation sealed?"
/Their physicality has already passed through spirituality and attained realism./
Raqin blinked.
"I don't understand."
/Their external physical strength is equivalent to at least a Seventh Mortal Realm beast./
Raqin's expression changed.
His cultivation had reached the Fourth Realm.
But his body was only comparable to a Third Mortal Realm beast.
Then inspiration struck.
"What if I use the nanites as armor and coat myself completely with spiritual energy?"
The system became silent.
A moment later:
/Calculating.../
/Success probability: 80%./
Raqin smiled.
"Eighty percent is enough."
The bracelet on his wrist immediately dissolved into silver liquid.
The nanites spread across his body.
Within seconds he was covered from head to toe in sleek metallic armor.
Only his eyes remained visible.
Many people stared greedily.
Some became envious.
Yet nobody dared act.
Then Raqin did something that shattered everyone's expectations.
Standing before the sea, he closed his eyes.
His voice thundered within his soul.
"Heaven-Thunder Nanoblade Dragon Sovereign Spirit."
"Awaken."
ROOOAAARRRR!!
A deafening dragon roar shook the realm.
Lightning exploded across the sky.
A colossal draconic figure emerged behind him.
Its silver scales resembled countless sharpened blades.
Silver-gold lightning coursed endlessly across its body.
Its wings spread wide.
Each wing seemed composed of millions of floating swords.
Then the eye at the center of its forehead opened.
Within it swirled stars.
Galaxies.
Endless mysteries.
Moments later, its draconic eyes opened.
Everyone felt their consciousness tremble.
Some nearly collapsed.
Others froze in place.
Even the old men at the Bone Lighthouse stood up abruptly.
The dragon descended.
It coiled around Raqin protectively.
The entire shore fell silent.
Nobody dared speak.
Nobody dared move.
Finally, a trembling voice broke the silence.
"What... was that?"
"Is it some kind of technique?"
"No."
One elder's voice shook.
"That wasn't a technique."
The Mollock Syndicate leader narrowed his eyes.
"Then what was it?"
The elder swallowed hard.
"If my guess is correct..."
"...that was a Martial Spirit."
The words exploded through the crowd.
"A Martial Spirit?!"
"Impossible!"
"Those only exist in myths and legends!"
The second elder stared at Raqin with disbelief.
"Not just any Martial Spirit..."
"I've never heard of one, talk less of seeing one with such pressure."
A Mollock Syndicate member spoke nervously.
"Boss..."
"Should we eliminate him now?"
The leader remained silent.
His eyes were fixed on the dragon.
Several seconds later, he slowly shook his head.
"No."
"Anyone capable of summoning something like that is either a monster..."
"...or backed by something even more terrifying."
Meanwhile, Raqin remained completely unaware of the storm his appearance had caused.
The dragon's voice suddenly echoed within his mind.
A deep and ancient voice.
"At last..."
"I awaken once more."
Raqin nearly stumbled.
His eyes widened.
"Wait..."
"You can talk?"
The dragon chuckled.
A sound like thunder rolling through heaven.
"Of course."
"And before you ask..."
"No."
"I am not explaining anything until we survive this trial."
Raqin's mouth twitched.
For the first time since entering the inheritance realm...
Someone had actually spoken to him with the same level of arrogance he usually reserved for others.
The dragon laughed again.
"Now move, little sovereign."
"The sea is watching."
As if responding to those words, the entire ocean suddenly began to ripple.
Countless monstrous eyes slowly opened beneath the surface.
And every single one of them locked onto Raqin.