The mouth of the dungeon breathed cold mist, darker than night. As Kaido stepped inside, the temperature dropped sharply, and even his draconic blood shivered.
Silvia followed without hesitation, her dual blades glowing faintly. She didn't say much, but her eyes scanned every inch of the walls—cautious, calculating. Behind them, the mountain sealed itself with a low rumble. No turning back.
Kaido's System flared to life again:
[Dungeon Entered: Tomb of the Eternal Flame]
Difficulty: Adaptive
Number of Participants: 2
Primary Trial Objective: Survive and Uncover Your Origin
Warning: This dungeon adjusts difficulty based on your true potential.
"Adjusts based on my potential?" Kaido muttered. "What kind of scam is that…"
Silvia glanced over. "Means you better stop holding back. Or this place will kill us."
The first room opened into a spiral staircase that seemed endless. On every wall, runes burned faintly, reacting to Kaido's presence.
As they descended, illusions started appearing—memories that weren't Kaido's.
A boy with crimson eyes stood alone in a rain of blood.
A dragon screaming across a ruined sky.
A vampire queen whispering to a child, "You are our only hope…"
Kaido fell to one knee.
"What… are these?"
"Fragments," Silvia said, crouching beside him. "Of your past life. You weren't just reborn—you were made."
The stairs ended in a circular arena. Waiting for them was a massive statue… that suddenly moved. It wore black armor etched in gold and held a flaming scythe.
[Boss Battle: Gatekeeper of Blood and Flame]
Type: Constructed Soul Warden
Objective: Defeat to proceed
Kaido's heart pounded. He looked at Silvia, who was already dashing forward, blades flashing. He joined her, flames pouring from his fists as his blood roared.
The fight was brutal. The Gatekeeper read their moves like a book. Every time Kaido hesitated, it punished him with a slash that sent him flying.
But each time he rose again—stronger, faster, more aware of the power inside.
His system reacted mid-battle:
[Skill Awakened: Flameborne Rebirth – Passive]
Every time HP reaches 0, restore 40% once per day and gain +10% Strength temporarily.
The Gatekeeper struck him down again… and Kaido rose from the ashes, roaring as scales spread across his back, and vampiric wings burst forth.
With one last coordinated attack—Silvia's blade in the eye, Kaido's flaming claw through the chest—they ended it.
The Gatekeeper fell. The floor shook.
A door opened.
Inside… was a mirror. In its reflection, Kaido saw a golden city burning. A woman in black armor smiled at him from within.
She looked just like him.
"Welcome home, my creation," she whispered.
Then the mirror shattered.
Kaido fell to his knees, breathing hard. Silvia placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You're more than some hybrid, Kaido. Someone created you for something… something massive."
Kaido stood slowly, eyes smoldering. "Then I need to become strong enough to find them. And break whatever fate they wrote for me."
They left the dungeon as the sun rose beyond the mountain.