The waters around Kairo rippled violently as the Divine Dragon hovered above, its immense wings stirring the mist into chaotic spirals.
For a long moment, silence reigned—broken only by the faint, echoing drip of blood into the lake.
The dragon's eyes, deep pools of ancient wisdom and rage, fixed on him, and in its mind, thoughts churned like thunderclouds.
Could it be… could this boy truly be like his ancestor? Could he, too, bring devastation upon the world as Stelix once did?
The dragon's immense head tilted, nostrils flaring as a hint of curiosity mixed with caution.
But this one… he follows evil cultivation.
That path… it is not merely dangerous—it is lethal.
Without killing, he cannot survive.
A ceaseless thirst, a relentless craving to destroy.
If this power is left unchecked… even I may be powerless to stop him.
For a heartbeat, the dragon's claws loosened their grip, releasing Kairo from the crushing weight.
The boy staggered to his feet, heart hammering, shadowy energy flickering like living ink across his arms.
The dragon's gaze bore into him, ancient and calculating.
Tell me… are you Stelix's descendant? the dragon asked, voice like rolling stone, deep and omnipotent.
Kairo met the eyes of the colossal beast without flinching, a shadow of a grin on his lips.
Stelix… who is that?
The dragon's eyes darkened with centuries of memory.
Your ancestor. The man who once commanded me, who forged the Kelric family into the mightiest lineage this world has ever known.
So powerful… that no one dared even glance at him without trembling.
He vanished from this world, whether dead or alive… no one knows. But his legacy… lives in you.
Kairo's pulse quickened, every word like a thunderclap in his mind.
So… the Kelric family… is more powerful than it seems.
You will know the truth when you step into the Immortal World,
the dragon rumbled. Only then will you comprehend the magnitude of your lineage.
But… tell me, boy… why did you choose the path of evil cultivation?
Kairo's shadowed eyes glinted. I didn't choose it. It… found me. Accidentally, perhaps, but… I had no cultivation power before. This… this was the only way I could survive… the only way I could grow.
The dragon's wings flexed, sending tremors across the lake.
Foolish boy.
You should have waited. By the time you turned twenty, your dragon body would have awakened naturally. The black dragon's power… it would have settled within you, harmonized with your body. Now… look at you. You've awakened it too early, unprepared… a grave mistake.
Kairo's jaw tightened, shadowed energy coiling around him like serpents.
I didn't know. What's done is done. I survive… and I grow.
A tense silence stretched between them, charged with the weight of ancient legacies and untold destruction.
Then Kairo's voice cut through the mist. If Stelix isn't in this world… if he's truly gone… then why didn't you wreak havoc before?
Why wait until now?
The dragon's gaze turned sharp, almost calculatingly cold.
I could have… yes. I could have unleashed devastation long ago. But your ancestor… he sealed me. He knew that in the next generation, no one would possess the black dragon body. He foresaw that. He knew I could not find my successor… until now.
A low rumble vibrated through the air, the dragon's voice heavy with ancient power.
And you… you have found me. You, and only you, are the one to set me free. Be warned, boy… freedom carries consequences. Once I am unbound, the world may tremble as it never has before.
Kairo's dark grin widened, shadows twisting around him like living ink.
Then I will set you free. And the world… will burn… under my hand.
Above him, the Divine Dragon's crimson eyes glimmered, a storm of anticipation, fury, and curiosity.