The other day, I assumed a meditative position and adjusted my mindset. It was still quite early in the morning, but I was already hoping to receive my reward.
"System displays reward messages"
Seeing the messages left me speechless about the apparent debt I incurred, along with the consumption of some points. Still, based on the name of the reward, it certainly seemed useful.
---
**Soul Power: Nuclear Flame of the Ancient God Dragon of Fire.**
**World:** *Reincarnated as a Fox with Systems* + *My Turquoise Girlfriend.*
**Effect:**
- Places the user in a state of continuous bodily purity, preventing any flaws or impurities from affecting the host.
- Significantly strengthens the individual's soul.
- Grants the ability to wield the powerful flame of the Ancient God Dragon of Fire, controlled through Soul Energy and a bit of mental energy (primarily consuming Soul Energy).
**Description:** The flame, drawn from the mighty Ancient God Dragon of Fire, encompasses the core of its existence and divinity, imbued with traces of the spirit and soul of this powerful being. However, all aspects have been subdued and limited by the system to ensure total obedience to the Host. With this, your soul will be even more powerful, and you will have the ability to destroy anything you desire; the world shall burn with the might of the dragon god.
---
I found the description a bit exaggerated, but I was extremely pleased with the reward. Despite it being related to Soul Energy—something I tend to avoid due to its centrality to my being and my lack of control—it's a perfect destructive power with the potential for versatile uses. I'll also have to train a lot to reduce its energy consumption... hopefully, the powerful lineage of the Phantom Clan can help me with this, along with months of training inside the system's chamber.
"Receive the reward," I said, taking a deep breath. As soon as I spoke, the world around me changed.
I was transported to an ancient valley, filled with red rocks and surrounded by lava and flames so hot that they seemed even more intense than the sun itself. The view was beautiful, especially the vibrant minerals scattered around one side of the valley.
However, I didn't have time to focus on the scenery. As soon as I arrived, I felt my entire being threatened by the scorching heat. My skin began to burn, my hair turned to ashes, and even my mind and soul felt as if they were on the brink of destruction from the pure latent power of this place.
Fortunately, the powers of my soul and mind acted in response. In my mind, all the entities within me emerged with strength and power. An aura of an ancient and divine beast, an aura of royalty and dominance, and an aura so ancient it seemed capable of observing and overpowering everything emanated from my mental sea with vigor and force.
From my soul, a phantasmal, powerful, violet-black soul aura was released. A giant black lotus seemed to form in spirit behind me.
As other mental projections of the beings within me materialized, the intense pain and agony continued to assault me, causing severe suffering. Though it didn't last long, I had never felt anything so harrowing; it was as if I were being reborn or burned repeatedly.
The flame seemed to increase my resistance to fire and purify every cell of my body. After some time, when the fire wasn't as unbearable, the system intervened.
It created a barrier that allowed me to calm down, if only for a brief moment.
A powerful ancient roar, accompanied by an aura more terrifying than what I had felt when facing Thor and Loki, filled the valley.
In the sky, I saw the being from whom I would receive my reward.
A dragon, colossal as a mountain, perhaps even appearing larger than an entire planet.
It was a fiery orange-red creature, typical of a Western dragon, with a terrifying jaw, claws seemingly capable of destroying cities in a single swipe, and flames around it that looked as if they could burn through space-time and reality itself. Compared to the sun, its flames seemed as though they could outshine and destroy multiple stars.
< To claim the reward, head toward the fire.>
I was impressed by the first, but speechless at the second. I stood up, feeling the wind gathering at my feet as my soul and mind strained to their limits. As I flew toward the dragon, the system's shield vanished. I faced an even more excruciating and powerful heat than before, along with a pressure that made Loki's aura feel like child's play.
Clenching my teeth, I pushed myself to ascend, but the dragon didn't seem to want to let me have any fun. It unleashed a dragon's breath, enveloping my entire body. Already harsh, the situation only worsened, yet I kept climbing, trying to withstand the pain, the blazing heat, and the overwhelming pressure.
Minutes felt like hours as I drew closer to the dragon. Just as I approached, it struck again: its massive claw swung toward me. I felt as if an entire mountain range were about to crush me, yet I didn't lower my gaze, knowing that if I did, I'd lose something essential.
When the claw, moving at incredible speed, seemed ready to kill me, its immense talon stopped mere inches from my face. It barely grazed my skin, giving me a small moment of relief—quickly replaced by shock and pain.
The colossal dragon transformed into a being of pure fire, divine energy, and an ancient, powerful force. This energy enveloped me entirely, and I felt my soul being reshaped as if it were reborn multiple times over. If before my soul's size and power were already vast and formidable for a human, it now became even greater, growing exponentially and emanating an increasingly terrifying aura.
A massive lotus emerged from my body, expanding with more of its petals opening, as though its energy and lineage were awakening further. A blue reiatsu-like energy flowed around, trying to mediate the intense forces.
The soul, once a blue hue interwoven with other elements (symbolizing inner energy, mental power, and abilities), had transformed into a striking orange-red with a vibrant, powerful red core. The lotus, projected from my essence and soul, unfurled slightly, and around it emerged a flame so intense it could extinguish gods. This flame occasionally took the form of pure fire and, at other times, shaped itself into a western dragon that appeared alive—flying, huffing, and roaring, seemingly protecting the lotus and my soul with fierce loyalty, strength, and power.
Draconic wings emerged on my back, and my eyes took on a different form, a mix of red and purple-black. When I moved my hands, fiery orange dragon claws with a powerful, deep red hue appeared, though soon everything calmed. I took a deep breath and descended to the valley's center. There, I began to breathe slowly, calming the potent energy within me, understanding it bit by bit and gaining a degree of control over it. Fortunately, my mental powers and related energy were strong and assisted me, along with my reiatsu practice and, as expected, my lineage, which helped maintain control and even allowed for some practice. This continued for at least five days… until the system woke me.
< The extended time in this space has ended. The host has gained minimal foundational control. In the real world, 15 minutes have passed. The host is being withdrawn. It is recommended to have a good meal and use the cultivation room offered by the mouse collar; instead of one hour for six months, it will provide one hour for fourteen months if used immediately (available only as a bonus today).>
I agreed and exited. Upon returning to the normal world, there were still traces of the Ancient Dragon God's power lingering in my body and the space around me, visible even in the real world, though the system and I quickly suppressed them. However, even though it was mitigated to the point of being untraceable, beings nearby could sense it.
…
3rd Person POV
In a cave within a savanna, a man with a body seemingly composed of blue bio-metal opened his eyes, his energy perception alerting him to something strange and ominous in the distance. He looked up and murmured, "As always, Earth… has all sorts of entities…"
…
Elsewhere.
A blonde woman opened her eyes, sensing a terrifying aura and mental power; her body reflexively turned to crystal like diamond but soon reverted to normal. Beside her, a brown-haired man in a suit looked at her with curiosity, near a sign that read "Club."
…
In a simple cabin atop a mountain, an elder opened their eyes and gazed far into the distance. "Is it the boy?… intriguing… it seems he's acquired something even more unusual… though I'm unsure if it was really him," she murmured. After making some hand movements and casting a few sigils, she closed her eyes once more.
…
In the heart of Europe.
A woman with black and white hair, dressed in blue and purple, stopped in her tracks and struck her staff against the ground. "There seems to be a shift in the Earth's magic… intriguing… I wonder if it's a powerful witch… or a god meddling once again." She murmured before releasing a beam of purple mystical energy, which eradicated a creature with a body half snake, half human.
…
In two dimensions far from this place.
Two beings with long beards and overwhelmingly powerful auras opened their eyes and turned their attention toward Earth. One wore Greek attire with clouds and lightning surrounding him, while the other donned golden armor, holding a spear as he sat on an ancient, magnificent throne.
"Something or someone has awakened on Earth…" Both murmured nearly the same phrase, though they were far from each other.
…
In a special dimension containing an ancient village with oriental architecture, a colossal, scaled creature resembling an ancient dragon opened its eyes. "This aura… it doesn't seem to be from my race… but something similar… yet it feels so powerful… I wonder if another has arrived, and if so, how they are so strong… sigh… I just hope they're not from that faction, like the one contained on Mount K'un-Lun…" He glanced at a nearby unusual mountain but soon closed his eyes again.
…
Beyond them, many other powerful beings near Earth or within this solar system seemed to sense traces of this energy or an unusual presence. However, it faded so quickly that it was uncertain where it came from, and given the strength of the aura, few, if any, might investigate its origin.