“Since you dared strike at me, I’ll see to it you accept the outcome, mind, body, and soul…”
As soon as Jared finished speaking, the draconic essence embedded in his chest pulsed to life. Lances of gold burst outward, painting the training ground In blinding light. Behind him, that light knitted itself into the towering silhouette of a golden dragon, each translucent scale glinting like freshly poured molten metal.
A reverberating roar, deep, ancient, endless, ripped through the clouds. The shockwave made every spectator stagger, and the weaker Imperial Guards collapsed where they stood.
Rylan stared, dumbstruck. The dragon bloodline once flaunted now felt like a cheap trinket displayed beside a living crown jewel.
Jared was not merely of a dragon bloodline. He carried the most exalted blood of all, the lineage of the golden dragon.
“I yield!” Rylan prostrated himself. voice shaking. “From this moment on, I will follow you wherever you lead, Mr. Chance!”
For the first time, the pledge rang true. Even Yuliana, usually a study in poise, stood open-mouthed before the illusory shadow of the gold dragon, words denied by sheer awe.
The golden dragon hovered over the martial arts arena, coiling through the air while its roar rolled across the sky.
Those from the Imperial Guard who had mocked Jared earlier now lay facedown, limbs quivering, reverence eclipsing every last trace of scorn.
Flat against the god-steel tiles, Rylan’s emerald scales dulled to ash. His tattered wings hung useless at his sides. At the sight of the dazzling illusory shadow of the golden dragon, the final bit of grievances in his chest dissipated entirely.
As someone with part dragon bloodline, knew better than anyone how supreme the Golden Dragon Bloodline was. That instinctive suppression left too afraid even to lift his head.
“Mr. Chance, it was blind arrogance that made me offend your honor! Please, forgive me!” His hoarse words muffled against stone, devotion trembling in every syllable.
Jared lifted a hand. The draconic essence dimmed, the Illusory shadow dissolved, and the crushing aura ebbed like an evening tide.
He walked up to Rylan and said nonchalantly, “Celestia and I stand as partners, not conqueror and conquered. But if you keep underestimating me, how will we face the coming demonic soul threat together?”
“I understand!” Rylan’s eyes burned with new purpose. “Order me as you will. I will die before I disobey. So will every Imperial Guard under my command!”
Around them, the Imperial Guards echoed, “We await your command, Mr. Chance!”
Their unified shout thundered above the arena.
“Mr. Chance, you hid this well,” Yuliana whispered, wonder softening violet eyes. “A Golden Dragon Bloodline… No wonder your power feels limitless…”
Jared answered with an easy smile, offering no elaboration. He understood that revealing the Golden Dragon Bloodline within would reverberate through Celestia far louder than any victory.
In a world that worshiped strength of blood and blade, such lineage promised deep foundations and limitless potential. It would steady his alliance with Celestia and clear obstacles from the coming hunt for the Roaring Storm Bell.
News from the martial arts arena sprouted wings. By midday, it had swept through every square and alley of Celestia, leaving bankers, beggars, and palace clerks alike buzzing with the same electric rumor.
“Did you hear? Some ruthless newcomer, who was only an Earthly Immortal Realm Level One, flattened Commander Drake, then raised an illusory shadow of a golden dragon!”
“Golden Dragon Bloodline?!” another voice gasped. “That is the stuff of ancient legends. If I were Drake, I doubt I would have found the courage even to lift a hand.”
“They call Jared Chance. King Aurelius invited personally. Word is will help our kingdom track down the stolen Roaring Storm Bell.”
“With an expert with Golden Dragon Bloodline at our side,” someone whispered, “Perhaps we can reclaim the bell and choke the demonic soul before it ever sees daylight.”
Teahouses, taverns, and curbside stalls all hummed with Jared’s name, each retelling painted brighter than the last.
The shadow that had settled over Celestia since the bell’s theft loosened its grip. Hope, slender yet stubborn, took root in the crowd’s imagination. Even nobles behind jade screens sent servants scurrying for details, eager to befriend the man who carried Golden Dragon Bloodline in his veins.
