At the entrance of a grand structure, a servant knelt before the towering gates, delivering his message with deference.
"Grand Regent, the fifth prince seeks an audience with you."
The gates creaked open, revealing Lord Gaius, who stepped aside and bowed deeply. Inside stood Kaedryn Von Drakon, his commanding presence filling the room.
"Abaddon…"
Kaedryn's voice was cold, measured.
"You sought me out, boy? What is it you want?"
Abaddon remained silent for a moment, his sharp eyes scanning the room—lined with shelves of books, scattered quills, and piles of papers.
'He looks perfectly fine… hard to believe he's poisoned. But no matter. I'll get what I came for and leave. Staying here much longer might make me lose control.'
Abaddon bowed respectfully before speaking.
"I came to request permission to enter the Lava Grave Dungeon beneath the peaks."
The mere mention of the place sent a ripple of unease through the air. Both Kaedryn and Gaius stiffened at the name.
"That place is overrun with Vermin Class-I Myths and Alpha-tier threats"
Kaedryn said, his voice sharp.
"It would be reckless to allow you entry, considering your current… condition."
Though Abaddon kept his face impassive, a flicker of anger flashed in his eyes. Concern? From him? How amusing.
"I understand the risks"
Abaddon replied evenly.
"But I still want to go. After all, if I die, announcing it won't be difficult for you, will it... old man?"
The room plunged into silence, the tension between father and son palpable. Lord Gaius, sensing the growing hostility, sighed and stepped in.
"Young master, do not mistake the Lord's caution for dismissal. That place is no ordinary danger. It's filled with evil mantra energy from decayed corpses. What could you possibly seek in such a forbidden place?"
Abaddon straightened, his voice as cold as his expression.
"What I seek is my business, not something to share with servants. Now, Regent, will you give me the crystal to open the barrier?"
Kaedryn's expression darkened, his eyes narrowing with an intensity that matched his son's. His voice turned icy.
"You speak as though you're above everyone, yet you're nothing more than a human. Your death would mean nothing to me, except tarnishing the Drakon name. The Keep has no use for weaklings."
He paused, a faint smirk curling his lips.
"So I'll test you. Endure my aura for ten seconds, and you'll have your crystal."
Lord Gaius immediately objected.
"My Lord, he's just a boy! How can you expect him to withstand an Imperium Rank aura?"
But both men were immovable, their wills clashing in a silent battle. Fatty, Jane, and the guards outside were stunned by the exchange. A father testing his son with such merciless terms?
Abaddon, however, smirked.
"As you wish, Regent. But let's raise the stakes—make it twenty minutes."
Word spread quickly through the Keep, and a crowd began to gather at the training grounds. Servants and guards abandoned their tasks to witness the confrontation. Father and son stood a few paces apart, their gazes locked.
In the fourth quarters, Veylan's voice boomed in disbelief.
"He did WHAT? Abaddon, oh Abaddon… my dear little brother is as foolish as he is proud. Even I, a peak Diamond Stage Ranker, can't endure that aura for five seconds!"
One by one, the siblings arrived at the training grounds, eager to witness what many deemed a foolish endeavor. Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"The useless prince comes back from the dead, only to dig his own grave again."
"Hah! He won't last two seconds under an Imperium Rank aura."
Their mocking was silenced by the icy stares of Fatty and Jane. Despite their faith in Abaddon, they knew the severity of the test. Imperium Rank was a realm far beyond ordinary comprehension.
A maid whispered urgently.
"Watch your words! Useless or not, he's still a prince. Do you want to lose your heads?"
The sound of drums echoed through the air, silencing the murmurs. All eyes turned toward the two figures at the center of the grounds.
Kaedryn's voice rang out, sharp and commanding.
"Remember, boy, endure for twenty seconds, and you'll not only have the crystal but one wish from me."
Abaddon met his father's gaze.
"I don't need your wish. Just the crystal. Now, let's begin."
Kaedryn inhaled deeply, and the peaks of the Keep trembled in response. The sky darkened ominously as violent lightning storms erupted above. When his eyes opened, a monstrous aura exploded from him, a force so overwhelming it reverberated far beyond the training grounds.
Though the grounds were shielded by a Barrier, the sheer power of an Imperium Rank aura pressed everyone to the ground. The crushing intensity cracked the Keep's foundations and sent shockwaves through the entire empire.
In the bustling marketplaces of Avalon, taverns, and distant regions, the aura struck like a tidal wave. People collapsed, gasping for breath, as their bodies felt as though they were being torn apart.
In the Duke Alaric House, the patriarch froze mid-meeting, his courtiers similarly stunned. "That… that's the aura of an Imperium Ranker!" he gasped.
At the O'Crown House, everyone was forced to their knees, their faces pale.
"What… is going… on? Such power!"
Even the Empire's second prodigy, Arthurian Pen Dragon who had achieved Imperium Rank just a few years prior, staggered under the oppressive force. The entire empire quaked beneath the weight of Kaedryn's unleashed mantra.
At the Royal Castle, the Emperor, a regal figure with long white hair and bushy gray eyebrows, sat unshaken on his throne. Dressed in the intricate royal regalia of Avalon, the Lion Crown resting atop his head, he surveyed his court. Around him, the elders lay pinned to the ground, unable to move.
With a sigh, his piercing golden eyes glinting from the shadows, the Emperor muttered, "Little brother, what on earth are you doing?"
Back at the Keep, Lord Gaius worked feverishly to reinforce the Barrier with Divine-Grade Barrier Stones, finally containing the aura and sparing the empire further torment. Inside the Barrier, however, the devastation continued.
Abaddon was barely holding himself up. Though it had only been five seconds, the relentless force was like nothing he had ever experienced. His body trembled under the pressure, his thoughts a chaotic spiral.
'So… this is the aura of an Imperium Ranker? What a sick joke, it's completely different from the presence of Arthur's brother. This presence… it's beyond anything I've faced. If not for the constant use of my Soul-Bank—and I'm nearly out of souls—I'd have been crushed in two seconds. Metallic Rage is helping, but it's not enough. My entire being feels like it's being torn apart… I… I can't… it's too much.'
Kaedryn smirked as he watched Abaddon's knees begin to buckle. But then, to his surprise, Abaddon stopped falling.
'For a normal human to last this long… could his body be special?'
It wasn't Abaddon's body that kept him standing—it was No'el's voice, a whisper in his mind.
'This is a gift in disguise, kid. Endure the aura. Let your fibers break down. Only in destruction can creation begin. When your body shatters, it will be reforged stronger than ever. Endure this, and you will gain unparalleled strength. Don't give up.'
Abaddon's eyes flared crimson, determination burning within him. Slowly, inch by inch, he began to rise. The ground beneath him fractured and split, unable to withstand the immense force. But Abaddon persisted.
Sixteen seconds…
Seventeen seconds…
Eighteen seconds…
Nineteen seconds…
With a defiant roar, Abaddon tightened his fists and surged upward as the clock struck twenty seconds.
Silence fell over the grounds.
His siblings, the knights, the maids—even Fatty and Jane—stood frozen in disbelief.
A mere human had endured twenty seconds under the soul-crushing aura of an Imperium Ranker—a feat that would go down in history.
Kaedryn's lips curled into a smirk as he observed the boy, barely standing but still defiant. Abaddon tilted his head upward, locking eyes with his father, a grin spreading across his face.
"You see that, old man?"
Abaddon said, his voice laced with triumph.
"This so-called weakling of the Drakon family just did something none of your so-called prodigy children ever could. Now, hold up your end of the bargain."
With a prideful flick of his wrist, Kaedryn tossed the crystal to Abaddon. Alongside it, he threw a Divine-Grade potion and a Body Enhancement elixir, sending murmurs rippling through the stunned crowd.
"Th-that's… Divine-Grade!"
One knight stammered, nearly fainting from shock.
"No way!"
An older knight exclaimed, disbelief etched on his face.
"The trash prince just got such a grand reward?"
Marshall General Kwesi let out a low chuckle, bumping the older knight's shoulder.
"Trash, huh? Can you, a late Gold Stage Ranker, even last three seconds under that aura? We were all on our knees outside the grounds. He earned it."
As whispers of Abaddon's feat shifted from ridicule to admiration, his siblings seethed with frustration. Veylan, particularly, stood frozen, his earlier smugness replaced with stunned silence. Unable to process the unexpected turn of events, he stormed off, followed by the rest of the siblings.
Knox lingered for a moment, throwing Abaddon a suspicious smile before departing. Only Belladon remained, conflicted as she hesitated to approach her brother. Before she could act, Seraphina appeared, pulling her away.
Kaedryn turned to leave but couldn't resist a parting remark.
"Look at you. Barely standing on those feet, and yet you still find the energy to taunt your siblings. I must have gone too easy on you."
Abaddon smirked faintly, his eyes gleaming with determination. Turning toward Fatty and Jane, he replied.
"Don't worry, old man. Things are going to change—quickly. And I'll be doing a lot more than just taunting them."
With that, the event concluded, leaving the Keep abuzz with murmurs of Abaddon's feat. The tale of his defiance spread like wildfire throughout the empire, igniting curiosity and shifting perceptions.
Abaddon turned his gaze toward the horizon, his expression resolute.
"Now… it's time for the Lava Grave Dungeon."