The wards hissed in protest, then shattered like brittle porcelain.
The Dragon Law—it was a new law that Valeris had comprehended, born from her own understanding of her ancient lineage. The idea came to her one day when Asher had suddenly erupted with the Sanguine Law—the highest and purest form of any blood-related law. Witnessing that, she thought, If he can forge his own supreme law, why can't I?
Driven by that realization, Valeris spent countless days in deep meditation and battle-tempered insight, pushing her soul and bloodline to their very limits. And eventually, she found it—a glimmer at the edge of comprehension. And then, she grasped it.
She became the first to awaken the Dragon Law—a sovereign force born of draconic will, royal pride, and unmatched elemental harmony.
Behind them, the great doors of obsidian and soulsteel creaked open, revealing the vast interior of the Akar'del estate.
The place was rich in dark beauty—gleaming halls of void crystal, chandeliers strung with whispering will-o'-wisps, tapestries that depicted ancient blood rites and victorious wars against rival clans.
"Let's find the vault," Asher said simply.
They didn't have to search long.
The vault was hidden beneath the estate—a sealed chamber bound with four levels of curse-wards and protected by two guardian statues shaped like chained colossi.
Asher approached them, and the moment his foot touched the threshold, the statues stirred.
"They move," Veyra whispered, preparing herself.
But Asher merely raised his hand and spoke two words: "Kneel. Now."
The Sanguine Supreme pulsed out—a wave of sovereign pressure laced with bloodline dominance.
The statues… hesitated.
And fell to their knees, bowing to him as if before a forgotten god.
Valeris laughed quietly. "They remember what strength is."
The vault door unsealed with a hiss and a groan.
Inside were treasures worthy of an ancient noble family: vaults of soul coins, dark artifacts forged in cursed starfire, blades sealed in cryo-chains, scrolls of forbidden rituals, elemental cores, and more. There were weapons of war. Relics of power. Objects that whispered curses the longer one looked at them.
Veyra's eyes lit up. "This… is a legacy."
Asher stepped through the rows, hands behind his back like a casual emperor surveying spoils.
Valeris was already examining a long black spear etched with draconic runes. "This belonged to one of the Seven Devouring Knights. It seems in this world there are dragons too."
Asher paused before an altar holding a crystalline box.
Inside… was a Heart-Shard of an Abyss Leviathan. Still pulsing faintly with primordial hunger.
He picked it up. "This will come in handy."
The source of this content is Novel~Fire. (n)et
They looted everything of value. What they didn't take, they destroyed. Curses were nullified. Runes shattered. No part of Akar'del's legacy would remain intact.
As they stepped out of the vault, flames bloomed behind them—Valeris had set the estate ablaze with celestial fire, smiling faintly as the sky darkened in response.
"World Heart City next?" Veyra asked, her voice light.
Asher looked toward the distant skyline, where the pulse of the greatest Evolvers could already be felt.
"Yes," he said. "let's continue on our course."
On the Road to World Heart City
Night gave way to dawn, and with it, a different kind of tension.
Veyra walked just ahead of the other two, her movements fluid, almost feline. Her white hair danced with the wind, and her aura had changed—subtly, but noticeably. After a week in Asher's arms, after tasting his blood and power, she seemed more… refined. More dangerous.
"You've grown stronger," Valeris noted without turning her head.
Veyra glanced back, eyes narrowed like slits of moonlight. "Well, Asher's blood is like a supreme elixir to me—it keeps making me stronger and stronger. And even his seed is… powerful."
She trailed off at the end, her voice barely above a whisper.
Valeris grinned. "I know that," she said smoothly. "Living with him, I've tested it many times."
Veyra flushed slightly at Valeris's response, but a playful smile tugged at her lips. "I can only imagine how intense it must've been for you at the start," she murmured, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "For me… every time I take even a drop of his blood, it feels like my entire being is reborn. I can't get enough of it."
Valeris's golden eyes glinted knowingly. "That's the mark of a true bond. His essence recognizes you. You're no mere companion anymore—you're becoming something far more dangerous. That hunger you feel? It's part of your evolution."
Veyra looked down at her hand, flexing her fingers slowly. "It's more than hunger. When I fight, it surges through me. I can feel his strength pulsing in my veins, guiding my movements. I don't just want to protect him—I want to earn my place beside him. Truly."
Valeris's gaze softened just a little. "And you will. You've already proven your will. What remains now… is to keep climbing."
Their conversation faded for a moment into the quiet sounds of wind brushing through wild plains. The road toward World Heart City stretched ahead—wider now, its stones older and marked with engravings in ancient tongues. They had traveled far from Evolver's Paradise, and the shift in atmosphere was palpable. The air felt denser, heavier with presence.
Asher, who had remained a few steps ahead, suddenly slowed down. His senses, always attuned to danger, prickled with subtle alarm.
Valeris noticed immediately. "Something's wrong."
Then the wind shifted—and a presence emerged from it like a creeping stormcloud.
Asher looked at the man and frowned. "Who are you now?"
The man didn't give his name, but raised his head slightly and muttered, "Hmm… three World Rankers. One at the high stage, one at mid, and one who's just entered the World Rank recently."
He extended his hand, and a pass appeared in his palm, pulsing faintly with light.
"You three may proceed to World Heart City."
"You're the gatekeeper?" Asher asked, narrowing his eyes. He gently tapped the man's aura with his own, testing for traps—but found none. It was indeed the pass keeper to World Heart City.
"Yes, kind of," the man replied with a slight nod.