Chapter 273 Runic Flames
[Synchronization Initiated...]
[Progress: 10%... 50%... 100%]
[Basic Runes Detected]
[Your lineage has activated initial compatibility with the Draconic Language.]
[Assessing potential...]
[You have learned Basic Draconic Language.]
[Warning: Due to your current level, the full effectiveness of the Draconic Language is restricted.]
[Adjusting for suitability...]
[Adjustment complete.]
[You have learned the Runa Kael\'Vyr – \'Draconic Flame.\']
[Active Ability: Draconic Flame (Kael\'Vyr)]
Description: Enables you to conjure a basic draconic flame capable of burning both the body and soul of your enemies. Its intensity depends on the user\'s mental and physical strength.
[Unlocked Rune added to Registry.]
Kael\'Vyr: The foundation of Draconic power. A manifestation of the dragon\'s fiery essence. Train and grow stronger to unlock new layers of its potential.
[Secondary Quest Activated: Mastery of Draconic Runes]
Objective: Master the runes presented in your mother\'s book to unlock the true potential of your lineage. The next rune will be revealed after mastering Kael\'Vyr.
Rewards: Enhanced power, advanced abilities, increased Draconic compatibility.
[Special Quest: Scathach\'s Legacy]
Description: Complete the training left by your mother and honor her legacy. Prove yourself worthy of bearing the Demon Dragon\'s Physique.
Current Progress: 1/??? Runes mastered.
Final Reward: ???
Strax blinked, overwhelmed by the flood of information. It was the first time the System had responded so... abruptly, to something as seemingly small as reading the name of a rune.
"So, that\'s how it\'s going to be…" he murmured, glancing at his hands, still warm from the power he had just awakened. "Alright, Mother. I accept the challenge."
Suddenly, another message appeared before his eyes:
[Kael\'Vyr Active: Initial Training Required]
Recommendation: Test the ability to understand its limitations and discover its practical applications.
"Initial training, huh?" Strax raised an eyebrow, glancing around the room. He sighed, realizing the potential consequences. "Yeah, I probably shouldn\'t test it here… Don\'t want to set half the mansion on fire."
Before he could consider his next move, a familiar warmth enveloped him, followed by slender arms wrapping around him from behind.
"Oh, you learned something new, didn\'t you?" a soft, slightly teasing voice whispered in his ear.
He didn\'t need to turn around to know who it was. "Tiamat... Always so sudden," he remarked, tilting his head slightly toward the blonde woman now resting her chin on his shoulder, her eyes sparkling with amusement and a playful smile on her lips.
"You look so cute when you\'re focused," she teased, ignoring his grumble as she peeked at the book in his hands. "Hmm... so this is what you\'re learning now?"
Tiamat, a contracted spirit who took the form of a stunning blonde woman, was, in truth, an ancient dragon with millennia of wisdom. For her, the Draconic Language was as natural as breathing.
Strax knew her presence was almost like cheating when it came to learning abilities like this. Having Tiamat and Ouroboros, another legendary draconic entity, by his side was an absurd advantage. But he wasn\'t about to complain.
"What do you think? Recognize it?" he asked, showing her the page that described Kael\'Vyr, the Draconic Flame.
Tiamat narrowed her eyes, her fingers tracing the text delicately. "Of course, I recognize it. Kael\'Vyr is a basic rune, but powerful. It\'s used to control draconic fire in a precise way—something most mortals can\'t even conjure without burning themselves from the inside out."
She looked at him, pride glinting in her eyes. "But you... you\'re different. After all, you\'re my husband. That draconic physique you inherited is a unique blessing. Though, I doubt she foresaw you becoming a dragon just a few months after awakening."
Strax gave a faint smile. "So, if I run into trouble, I can count on you to teach me, right?"
"Of course," Tiamat replied with a soft laugh. "Teaching draconic runes is practically a hobby for me. And for you, it\'s an honor."
"As I expected," he remarked, his smile widening.
Tiamat stepped back slightly, leaning forward with a more serious expression. "But be careful, Strax. Just because you have a special physique doesn\'t mean this will be easy. Kael\'Vyr isn\'t just a rune; it comes with a certain... complication. Using it in human form can be a bit tricky."
"Tricky?" Strax asked, crossing his arms.
"Basic doesn\'t mean it\'s not volatile," Tiamat corrected, her tone taking on a more instructive edge. "It\'s... challenging to control unless you\'re in dragon form."
She extended her hand, and a bright blue flame danced on her palm. Its intensity was mesmerizing, almost alive. "Kael\'Vyx, the Stellar Blue Flame. It\'s equally strong, but more stable thanks to its higher concentration," she explained with a proud smile.
However, her expression shifted suddenly, her face becoming stern as if she\'d sensed something unusual.
Strax felt it too—a weight on his left shoulder, subtle but unmistakable. He turned his head slowly, only to meet sharp, possessive eyes studying him with an almost predatory curiosity.
"Ouroboros," he murmured, swallowing hard. Stay connected with empire
The woman tilted her head, her long black hair cascading like a dark veil over her back. Her beauty was otherworldly, but her presence was stifling, carrying the weight of countless eras.
"Kael\'Vyx, huh?" Ouroboros\'s voice was calm, yet it carried an undercurrent of danger. "Do you really think you can teach something so trivial, Tiamat?" she taunted. "Watch, my dear," she commanded, raising her hand.
Ouroboros lifted her hand with a graceful, almost casual motion. When she uttered "Kael\'Vex," a black flame ignited in her palm, burning with terrifying intensity. The light it emitted didn\'t illuminate but consumed the shadows around it. It was stronger, sharper, and far more... feral.
Strax was speechless for a moment, the suffocating heat of the flame reaching him even from several meters away.
Tiamat huffed, crossing her arms as she glared at Ouroboros with disdain. "Oh, of course. Always with the theatrics, aren\'t you? Kael\'Vex? How original. Let\'s just ignore the fact that it\'s not exactly a rune he can even use, shall we?"
"At least my flame has a purpose," Ouroboros retorted with a serene smile, her tone laced with malice. "Unlike someone teaching basics as if they\'re the key to the universe."
"Basic doesn\'t mean useless, you arrogant serpent," Tiamat shot back, stepping closer, her eyes flashing like a stormy sky. "Some of us actually have the patience to teach humans instead of showing off powers no one but an ancient spirit could ever hope to use."
Strax sighed, running a hand down his face. "Why is it that every time you two show up together, you\'re competing? You both know I love you equally, right?"
Tiamat and Ouroboros froze for a moment before Ouroboros turned to him, a venomous smile curling her lips. "Oh, of course, darling. But let\'s be honest here. You know I\'m far more fun. Without me, you wouldn\'t have come this far."
Tiamat shot her a sharp glare. "Fun? Is that what you call your constant recklessness? Strax needs someone to guide him, not some crazy woman who wants to throw everything into chaos by teaching him things that\'ll get him killed!"
"And he doesn\'t need a controlling obsessive," Ouroboros countered, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Strax chuckled, the sound a mix of weariness and amusement. "You two do realize you\'re acting like children, right? I mean, you\'re my wives. There\'s no need for all this."
Both of them turned to him simultaneously, their gazes blazing with an intensity that made his smile falter.
"Wives?" Tiamat echoed, raising an eyebrow.
"That\'s how you see us?" Ouroboros added, her voice carrying a dangerous undertone.
He swallowed but held his ground. "Of course. You\'re a part of me—literally. It\'s more than just a contract. And if I may say so... I think that\'s rather romantic."
Ouroboros averted her gaze, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks. "Romantic or not, that doesn\'t mean you can put us on the same level. I\'m the first, after all."
Tiamat laughed loudly. "First? That\'s rich, Ouro. Because the last time I checked, I\'m the one who\'s always been by his side in the important moments. Let\'s not forget you invaded my spiritual dimension to steal him away."
"Important moments don\'t build loyalty," Ouroboros snapped, her gaze sharp as she turned back to her.
"And loyalty means nothing without passion," Tiamat shot back, her voice dripping with seduction as she stepped closer to Strax, resting a hand on his shoulder.
Strax shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "You two realize this only makes me like you both even more, right?"Nôv(el)B\\\\jnn
They paused, staring at him with a mix of frustration and, oddly, admiration.
"You\'re impossible," Tiamat muttered, looking away.
"And dangerous," Ouroboros added, crossing her arms.
"Which is exactly why we\'re perfect together," he said with a broad grin. "Now, if you\'re done with this little competition, maybe we can get back to what really matters: helping me not blow something up with this rune."
The two exchanged glances for a moment before sighing in unison.
"Fine," Tiamat said with a mischievous smirk. "But only because I want to see the disaster you\'ll cause trying to use it."
"I\'m just here to make sure he doesn\'t destroy himself, I was worried," Ouroboros remarked, though the soft glow in her eyes contradicted her serious tone.
After some time...
[You began to understand Kael\'Vyx, \'Blue Dragon Flame\']
Description: A flame capable of consuming magical energy and transforming the environment with intense heat.
[System Note: The Kael\'Vyx Rune is ideal for spellcasters who prioritize constant magic in prolonged battles. Its instability can be dangerous for beginners.]
[You began learning Kael\'Vex, \'Black Starfire\']
Description: A destructive, highly concentrated flame capable of annihilating both matter and magic.
[System Note: The Kael\'Vex Rune is not recommended for beginners. Use caution when casting it in confined spaces.]