.
.
Seven days later...
The sky above the Heavenly Dao Academy distorted.
An enormous golden vortex appeared between the clouds.
Ancient dragon roars echoed throughout the world.
ROOOOAAARRR!
Every cultivator within thousands of kilometers looked toward the heavens.
The Dragon King's Ruins had finally opened.
At the academy plaza, thousands of disciples gathered to witness the departure of the five chosen representatives.
Knox stood at the front, his black robes fluttering in the wind.
Beside him were Alexander, Seraphina, Adrian, and Leon.
The Headmaster stepped forward.
"The Dragon King's Ruins are one of the oldest secret realms in existence."
"Inside, you'll encounter opportunities..."
"...and death."
He looked directly at Knox.
"Remember."
"Not every treasure is worth taking."
Knox smiled faintly.
"I'll decide that myself."
The Headmaster could only sigh.
A beam of golden light descended.
The five geniuses disappeared.
Knox slowly opened his eyes.
He found himself standing in an endless valley covered with ancient dragon bones.
Mountains of white skeletons stretched beyond the horizon.
The air was thick with Dragon Qi.
Every breath strengthened his cultivation.
But...
He was alone.
"The teleportation separated us."
The System immediately appeared.
[Ding!]
Welcome to the Dragon King's Ruins.
Current Mission: Locate the Dragon King's Palace.
Warning: Three Protagonist Opportunities detected.
Knox grinned.
"Only three?"
As he walked through the valley, a desperate scream echoed in the distance.
"Help!"
Knox frowned.
The voice belonged to a young woman.
He normally wouldn't interfere...
But the scream was followed by the roar of a beast.
He changed direction.
In a clearing...
A beautiful girl with crimson hair was surrounded by three Earth Dragon Wolves.
She wielded a spear with remarkable skill, but her cultivation was only at the Peak Core Formation Realm.
One wolf lunged.
She blocked it.
A second attacked from behind.
Her shoulder was torn open.
Blood stained her robes.
She stumbled.
"Damn..."
Just as the third wolf leaped for her throat—
Slash!
A black sword flashed through the air.
The wolf's head fell to the ground.
The remaining two beasts froze.
Then...
They slowly turned toward Knox.
He stood calmly with his sword resting on his shoulder.
"You've interrupted my walk."
The wolves roared.
Bad choice.
Knox disappeared.
Three breaths later...
Silence returned.
All three beasts lay dead.
The crimson-haired girl stared in disbelief.
"So... strong..."
Knox wiped the blood from his sword.
"Can you stand?"
She nodded stubbornly.
"I can."
She immediately lost her balance.
Knox caught her before she fell.
She looked up into his calm black eyes.
For a brief moment...
Neither of them spoke.
Then Knox sighed.
"So..."
"You actually can't stand."
Her cheeks turned slightly red.
"...Apparently not."
He helped her sit beneath a giant dragon skeleton.
After applying a healing pill to her wound, he stepped back.
"I'm Knox."
She blinked.
"The Knox Void?"
"The rumors reached even here?"
She smiled weakly.
"Everyone knows your name."
She extended her hand.
"I'm Lyra Ashborn."
"The last descendant of the Ashborn Dragon Clan."
Knox's eyes narrowed slightly.
The Ashborn Dragon Clan?
He remembered them.
A clan destroyed hundreds of years ago.
According to history...
No survivors remained.
Interesting.
[Ding!]
Hidden Destiny Detected!
Name: Lyra Ashborn
Title: Last Dragon Princess
Destiny Rank: SS
Future Potential: Dragon Empress
Recommendation: Recruit.
Knox smiled inwardly.
Another hidden destiny holder.
But unlike Adrian...
She wasn't a protagonist.
She was someone abandoned by fate.
Those were the kind of people Knox respected.
Lyra looked at Knox curiously.
"Why are you smiling?"
"I found something valuable."
She looked around.
"There isn't anything here."
Knox chuckled.
"I wasn't talking about treasure."
She blinked in confusion.
Suddenly...
The ground shook violently.
A massive shadow covered the valley.
Both of them looked up.
A colossal dragon descended from the sky.
Its scales were black as night.
Its wings stretched for hundreds of meters.
Most terrifying of all...
It still lived.
Not a skeleton.
Not a spirit.
A real dragon.
The beast opened its golden eyes.
It stared directly at Lyra.
Then at Knox.
A deep voice echoed across the valley.
"One carries the blood of dragons."
"One carries the aura of the Void."
The dragon lowered its enormous head.
"I have waited..."
"...for both of you."
Knox tightened his grip on his sword.
The dragon smiled.
"Do not fear."
"If I wished to kill you..."
"You would already be dead."
Lyra whispered,
"An Ancient Dragon..."
Knox nodded.
"And a very old one."
The dragon introduced itself.
"I am Vorthar, the final guardian of the Dragon King's Ruins."
"The Dragon King left behind a prophecy."
His golden eyes rested on Knox.
"When the Heir of the Void and the Last Dragon Princess meet..."
"The sleeping kingdom of dragons shall awaken."
Knox frowned.
Another prophecy.
He was beginning to dislike them.
Before he could question the dragon—
The System suddenly rang.
[Emergency Notification]
A rival force has entered the Dragon King's Palace.
Identity Unknown.
Estimated Time Until They Reach the Dragon King's Throne: 30 Minutes.
Knox's expression turned serious.
Someone had entered before them.
Vorthar slowly spread his enormous wings.
"Climb onto my back."
"I shall take you to the palace."
Knox looked at Lyra.
"Can you travel?"
She smiled confidently.
"As long as I don't have to walk."
Knox laughed softly.
The two climbed onto the Ancient Dragon.
With a mighty roar—
ROOOOOAAARRR!
Vorthar soared into the heavens.
Far away...
Deep within the Dragon King's Palace...
A man dressed in white robes stood before a golden throne.
His eyes glowed with divine light.
He smiled as he sensed Knox's arrival.
"So..."
"The First Villain's successor has finally come."
"But the Dragon King's inheritance..."
"...already belongs to me."
End of Chapter 17
To Be Continued...