Chapter 28: Devourer Dragon!
It was about Bruce. It had always been about Bruce, right from childhood.
Just as she was lost in thought, a voice suddenly echoed within her mind, deep, ancient, and resonant.
[Bruce is okay. Do not worry about him. He will return soon, with Ash.]
Sophie froze, eyes widening. Her instincts screamed that the voice was not mortal. Its weight carried the echo of something vast, something beyond her comprehension.
She slowly rose from her seat, scanning the room. "Who is there?"
But there was no one. Only silence.
Her heartbeat slowed, and after a moment, she exhaled softly. "Bruce," she whispered, a small, relieved smile forming on her lips.
She did not know what that presence was, or how it had bypassed the labyrinthine barrier of the Reign family’s mansion without triggering its defenses, but she understood one thing:
Whatever it was, it was not a threat.
And for the first time in hours, her heart felt a little lighter.
---
Meanwhile, far away from Sophie’s location, Bruce toyed with his new weapon one last time, testing its balance, weight, and natural flow in his grip. Each movement came easier than the last. Ash sat nearby, curled atop a floating shard of mana crystal, watching with bright, curious eyes.
Vaelith had given Bruce a few pointers earlier, not on healing or manipulation, but on killing technique. Efficient angles. Minimal movement. Maximum lethality.
And Bruce absorbed it frighteningly fast. His natural flow with the weapon made everything come effortlessly. He grasped the basics in just a few minutes.
Swoosh!
Swoosh!!
His scalpel-like daggers carved through the air in clean arcs, leaving faint streaks of crimson mana behind. The movements were so sharp and fluid that their reflection danced inside Ash’s wide, glossy eyes as the little dragon watched in fascination, tiny wings tucked close to its body.
Bruce exhaled, lowering his blades. "Alright," he muttered, satisfied. He turned to the hovering diamond core. "Is there anything else, Vaelith?"
The crystal pulsed faintly, as though hesitating before speaking.
[There is one more thing.]
Bruce narrowed his eyes. When Vaelith hesitated, it usually meant trouble.
[This last idea, I have put a great deal of thought into it. I wish to embed a fragment of my consciousness into your system.]
Bruce’s gaze sharpened immediately. "And what exactly am I supposed to gain from that?"
[Your current system is SSS-Rank. It possesses powerful features, but it is still incomplete. By linking my consciousness to it, you will gain advanced analytical capabilities. You will be able to scan and analyze any inhabitant of Velmora: class, rank, potential, combat power, weaknesses.]
Vaelith paused before continuing.
[And beyond that, you will gain limited insight into invaders, their power levels, abilities, and divine interference.]
Bruce squinted. "Limited insight? So even your power has boundaries."
[Of course it does. To the rest of the world I may seem vast, but to the universe, I am small. There exist beings capable of erasing all of Velmora with a casual thought. If such a being invades, I cannot help you.]
That blunt truth hit like a hammer.
Bruce fell silent, his ambition clashing with harsh reality. He was strong, rapidly growing, but in the grand scale of creation, he was still nothing.
He exhaled slowly. "Alright. You win. Let us do it."
Then his eyes sharpened. "But we are doing this under contract. A blood oath under the Akashic Codex."
[Is that really necessary?] Vaelith groaned.
"It is." Bruce did not blink. "The contract will state that your consciousness inside my system cannot harm me physically, mentally, or emotionally."
There was a long pause.
[Emotionally?] Vaelith sounded exhausted.
Bruce shrugged. "You would be surprised how many people betray you from the inside."
Vaelith sighed in defeat. [Fine. Draft it.]
A glowing panel appeared.
---
[The Will of Velmora agrees to a binding contract of cooperation.]
[Clause: The Will of Velmora may embed a fragment of its consciousness into Bruce Ackerman’s system for mutual benefit.]
[Limitation: Said consciousness must not cause physical, mental, or emotional damage to Bruce Ackerman under any circumstance.]
[Violation of contract will result in total erasure.]
Bruce pressed ACCEPT.
The crystal pulsed, almost like a heartbeat.
[Will of Velmora wishes to assist your system with expanded features.]
Accept?
[Y/N]
Bruce smirked. "Yes."
And the system changed forever.
With a mere act of will from Bruce, his weapon, Red, disappeared. He could summon it back whenever he wished. That was the advantage of wielding a true weapon. He exhaled slowly, a faint sigh slipping from his lips as his gaze shifted toward the small creature perched loyally on his shoulder.
Ash tilted his head, obsidian eyes blinking up at him with innocent curiosity, as if it had not just transformed into a ten-meter dragon moments ago. This mysteriousness made Bruce curious to know more about Ash. Since he had the cards, why not use them?
"Vaelith," Bruce said calmly, "analyze Ash."
The diamond crystal pulsed.
[You want me to scan the dragon?]
"Yes," Bruce replied. "Give me everything."
Another pulse. Then a system window unfolded before him.
[Status – Ash]
[Race: Devourer Dragon (Infant)]
[Class: King of Gluttony]
[Rank: C (Evolving)]
[Bloodline Grade: Royal – Abyssal Devourer Line]
[Affinities: ???]
[Abilities: ???]
[Innate Talent: Gluttony]
[Loyalty: 100%]
[Emotional State: Protective | Curious | Hungry]
[Status Condition: Stable]
[Growth Potential: ??? (Infinite?)]
Bruce raised a brow. "Class: King of Gluttony."
Even the system dared to label it like that.
"Hmm. I wonder how its appetite would be with such a class," Bruce muttered dryly, though he felt a bit shaken. A dragon with limitless potential. How lucky could he be?
He could not help but let out a pleased smile. "Perfect."
Ash let out a proud little "Kyu," puffing his chest as if satisfied with the evaluation.
Vaelith, however, seemed shaken.
[Bruce.]
[This should not be possible.]
"Be specific," Bruce replied.
[Devourer Dragons are one of the Royal Dragon Bloodlines, beings born with sovereignty over destruction and consumption. They do not appear naturally in lower worlds like Velmora. Even in the upper realms, they are feared.]
Bruce hummed. "And?"
[This one, this Ash, should not exist. He was just a defective Black-Scaled Drake, was he not? For your healing to forcefully trigger a bloodline resurrection, no, an evolution into a Devourer Dragon cub..." Vaelith hesitated.
Another pause. Almost reverent.
[Your class is far more dangerous than even I first imagined.]