"Let's see what's inside," Max muttered. But before he could move, the level 9 lava serpent appeared before him and began hissing relentlessly.
"Alright, alright… I won't kill you," Max chuckled, laughing as he patted the level 9 serpent, which rubbed its head against Max.
"Stay here. I'll be back," Max said to the serpent before heading into the cave.
The cave looked like any other normal cave, but it was filled with black flames. Max treaded carefully, heading deeper into the cave.
Not long after, he reached the end of the cave, but what awaited him there surprised Max.
He saw a human skeleton in a sitting position, leaning against the wall. A box with runes drawn on it lay open at its side.
But Max's attention remained on the human skeleton.
"This skeleton…" Max stared at the skeleton, which was overflowing with black flames. The bones of the skeleton were pitch black, with golden markings glowing atop them.
Just then, something unexpected happened. The skeleton suddenly moved and grabbed his hand.
"Let go!" Max's eyes widened as he shouted, trying to pull his hand back. But no matter what he did, he couldn't budge. His hand remained stuck in the skeleton's grasp.
But that was the least of Max's fears. In no time, the black flames began to move from every part of the skeleton to the hand that was holding Max's.
"No!" Max shouted, pulling with all his strength, but it was futile. The flames soon flowed from the skeleton's hand to his, engulfing him completely.
"AGGGHHH!" A bloodcurdling scream tore from his throat as waves of agony surged through him, consuming every inch of his being. It felt as though molten nails were being driven into his bones, tearing through muscle and sinew with unrelenting force.
The pain was so excruciating that Max felt his grip on consciousness slipping. It wasn't just one part of his body—every fiber of his being was consumed by torment.
It was as if black flames were searing him from the inside out, devouring every muscle, every bone, and every nerve, leaving him writhing in unbearable agony.
Darkness crept over Max, relentless and suffocating, steadily pulling him toward the abyss. He could feel his strength waning, his life slipping away bit by bit. It was an odd sensation, as though his very essence was being drained, leaving behind an empty, hollow shell.
But he refused to let go.
"NO!" he roared, his voice echoing with defiance. He couldn't die—not now, not like this. He hadn't yet found his sister, hadn't yet reunited with his family.
"I won't die! I won't die this easily!" he bellowed, his determination burning brighter than ever, pushing against the crushing tide of despair.
And so, Max endured, his body wracked with excruciating pain that felt as if it would tear him apart. Every nerve screamed, every muscle convulsed, yet he fought on, clinging desperately to life.
Each second felt like an eternity, but Max refused to falter. With every ounce of strength he could muster, he fought—not just against the pain, but against the very force trying to snuff out his existence.
Hours passed, and the black flames engulfing Max slowly began to fade.
[Congratulations to Max Voidwalker for obtaining the Black Dragon Chaotic Bloodline.]
A notification from his system made Max open his eyes.
"What the hell just happened?" Max muttered, dread filling him at the thought of the pain he had just endured. He trembled at the thought of suffering like that again. "May God never give this pain to even my enemies…" he murmured before turning his attention to the notification.
"Bloodline?" Max uttered in shock, realization striking him. "Does that mean everything I went through just now was part of this black dragon bloodline fusing into my body?"
"So, the treasure of this cave was this bloodline…" he understood everything and checked his status.
---
[Max]
– Rank: [Novice]
– Level: 4
– Class: [Dimensional Keeper]
– Physique: 6
– Soul: 6.8
– Energy: 9
– Skills:
— » Class Skills: [Three Dimensional Body, Dimension of Time]
— » Acquired Skills: [Magic Bullets (Lvl-100), Basic Sword Arts (Lvl-100), Swift Dash (Lvl-100), Flurry Strike (Lvl-100)]
— » Comprehensions: [Sword Aura (Lvl-1)]
– Bloodline: [Black Dragon Chaotic Bloodline]
— » Draconic Essence: [10]
— » Dragon Scales: [1]
---
"Draconic Essence and Dragon Scales…" Max muttered as he saw a new bloodline section appear on his status. "I have 10 Draconic Essence and 1 Dragon Scale… What are they used for?" He wondered, contemplating.
"Let's see." Max brought his right hand forward and focused, causing it to blaze with black flames. "I know I can use black flames because it's like it's inherited in my memory, and it's very easy to control." He muttered, putting away the flame.
He could use the black flames because after the bloodline fused with him, there were things he instinctively understood about it, though some things remained unclear.
"As for the Draconic Essence…" Max pondered, focusing on the bloodline flowing through his body. It was then that he saw it—10 dim black lights floating inside him. He concentrated on five of them, causing them to glow brightly, still in black light.
As the five black lights shimmered faintly, Max felt a surge of untamed power roaring to life within him. It wasn't mana, nor was it the refined control of Sword Aura—it was something far more primal. A raw, ferocious energy that radiated from every fiber of his being, as if his body had become a conduit for pure, unbridled strength.
"What... is this?" Max murmured, his voice tinged with disbelief as he clenched his fists. The sensation was intoxicating. He felt invincible, as if the mere act of breathing could shatter the world around him. Every muscle thrummed with an overwhelming force, and his instincts screamed for release.
Unable to resist, Max surrendered to the feeling. He threw a punch into the air, his movements guided by the sheer confidence that coursed through him.
BOOM!
The air exploded outward, rippling like a tidal wave. The force of his strike shook the ground beneath his feet, sending a gust of wind tearing through the charred forest. Leafless trees bent under the invisible pressure, and for a moment, Max stood frozen, his hand still outstretched.
"I… did that?" he whispered, awe and exhilaration mixing in his voice as he realized the magnitude of his newfound strength.
"I only used the power of five black lights… What would happen if I used all ten?" Max murmured, his voice tinged with curiosity and a spark of madness glimmering in his eyes. Without a second thought, he pushed further, summoning the power once more.
First, five black lights. The familiar surge of raw strength coursed through his body, and a thrill shot down his spine. Then came six. The energy felt heavier, denser, like a tidal wave crashing within him. His confidence only grew.
But as he reached seven black lights, the first cracks appeared. Pain rippled through his body like lightning, sharp and relentless, clawing at his muscles and bones.
Max grimaced but refused to falter, driven by sheer determination—or perhaps insanity.