The beast charged.
Rin dashed sideways, kicking off a rock, barely dodging the swipe of molten claws. A second attack followed,faster. He blocked with his forearm and was thrown ten meters back, crashing into a twisted tree.
Pain throbbed in his chest.
He coughed. Blood.
Damn… it's stronger than I thought.
The system's voice echoed in his mind:
> "Activate Dragon Form?"
He didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
White scales shimmered to life across his arms and neck. His eyes gleamed silver. Small, curved horns pushed through his white hair. A tail coiled behind him. The transformation completed in a breath,and the shift was immediate.
His senses sharpened. The pain dulled.
Let's see how you handle this.
The beast leapt. This time, Rin didn't dodge.
He met it head-on.
Claws clashed with scaled fists. The ground trembled. The shockwave cracked stone.
Rin ducked, weaved, and slammed his tail into the creature's legs, flipping it over. He followed up with a heavy kick to its chest, sending it crashing into a jagged cliffside.
The creature roared, dazed.
Rin rushed forward and, with a rising punch, drove his fist beneath its chin. Bones cracked. The beast went limp.
It was over.
+12 Tyrant Points: Fear (x5), Respect (x4), Victory (x3)
Rin breathed hard, blood still trickling from his lip. But he stood tall.
Another victory.
Another step closer to his goal.
He deactivated his Dragon Form and looked up at the twin suns. His armor hummed softly, still active but draining energy fast.
The truth was harsh,only at 20% purity could he unlock the armor's true potential. And only then would he begin to touch the power wielded by the elites.
Until then, every kill, every glance of awe or fear, every whisper of his name… mattered.
Three days had passed since they entered the gate.
The sky here never changed. The two suns baked the land with relentless heat, and the night,when it came,was colder than death. No intelligent life, no cities, only monsters, stone, and the scent of power in the air.
There were two reasons why people entered the gate. The first was survival: to hold back the tide of monsters that might someday flood their world. Powerful individuals remained stationed just outside the gate for this purpose. The second was greed. This place, savage and raw, was rich in materials and hidden potential. Bloodline awakening was rare,but here, through intense battle or rare resources, it became possible.
Rin knew both truths.
Which was why he moved carefully.
If he stumbled into the main force of the rival nation within this gate, and they had any hostile intent… he would die. It was that simple. His current strength, even with Dragon Form and royal armor, wasn't enough to survive a coordinated elite attack.
So when many of the guild members started grumbling about needing a break, Rin agreed.
They made camp by a shimmering lake,a rare spot of beauty in this jagged land. The water was dark red, yet clean. Some assumed the color was caused by minerals or strange light from the suns. Everyone began to relax: washing their arms, splashing their faces, even chatting casually.
Rin approached the edge, cupping a small amount of water in his palm.
The moment it touched his skin, the system activated.
> "Unique Element Detected: BLOOD LAKE."
He froze.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked mentally.
Silence.
No response.
"System?"
Still nothing.
He frowned. Was it glitching?
Or… hiding something?
He didn't like being ignored. But after a moment of consideration, he let it go. If the system wasn't speaking, then it probably wasn't dangerous. Or it wanted him to earn whatever this lake held.
Could this be a resource for my bloodline…? he wondered. Maybe later.
For now, he had no way of using it. He wasn't an alchemist or an engineer. But that didn't mean someone else couldn't do the work for him.
He turned his head and spotted a noble lounging near the lake. The man had been hovering around him since their arrival in the gate. Always trying to flatter him, always asking questions. Rin had ignored him until now.
Perfect.
"You," Rin said, pointing.
The man straightened immediately. "Yes, sir?"
Rin gestured to the lake. "Take thirty men and find a way to drain it."
The noble blinked. "D-Drain it? Sir, I don't think we have the equipment for that…"
Rin's voice was calm. "Find a way."
The noble gulped. "Of course. But… if I may ask… to what end?"
"You don't need to know. But if you succeed, I'll give you a second-level armor set. Full."
The man's eyes widened. "You're serious?"
Rin smirked slightly. "Do I look like I'm joking?"
"No! I mean—yes, sir! Thank you, sir! I won't let you down!"
Rin nodded, turning away.
He didn't need that armor anyway. And the task,though difficult,wasn't impossible. It would keep the man busy and maybe earn Rin something in return if the Blood Lake really was special.
Let them scramble. Let them prove themselves useful.
That was the point of power: not just to fight, but to direct.
He stepped away from the lake, gazing at the horizon. Somewhere out there, monsters waited. Somewhere, rival elites were hunting, conquering, harvesting resources just like him.
He had to be ready.
And to be ready, he needed more strength.
He opened the system interface.
> Tyrant Path:
Current Points: 1,847 / 2,000
Next Reward: Blood Purity Enhancement: 20%
Almost there.
Just a little more.
Behind him, the noble had already gathered a group and was shouting orders. Rin didn't look back. Let them do the work.
All that mattered now was preparing.
Because sooner or later, this gate would bring blood.
And when it did… he wouldn't be caught off guard.