Chapter Eight: First Trial Challenge II
The moment the Primordial Dragon Spirit rose, I couldn't speak, couldn't even form a coherent thought. Its sheer presence sent shivers through my very core, an ancient dread that made my tiny, newly formed existence feel like it was fading into nothingness all over again. It was as if the cosmic power of the spirit was trying to unravel me.
The enormous, spectral dragon, with its glowing eye sockets and tattered, shadowy wings, loomed over me. Its voice, a deep, resonating growl, echoed in my mind again. "Little being, don't fear. I'm not going to consume you because you are very unique. You are going to save our race from extinction, but I won't let you covet my body for free."
A wave of relief, confusing and intense, washed over me, even as a new challenge instantly replaced the fear.
"This small assignment for you," the spirit continued, its spectral head dipping slightly, as if observing me closely. "Enter this secret realm and find these black keys, then come back alive."
Immediately, a series of notifications flashed in my mind.
"System, Mission Update!"
"[New Mission: Retrieve Black Keys from the Secret Realm of the Primordial Black Dragon God.]"
Objective: Enter the Secret Realm, locate and retrieve the Black Keys.
Time Limit: None
Reward: Primordial Black Dragon God Remains, Small World
Penalty: Death or forever sealed in the Secret Realm.
The thought of obtaining the dragon's remains and even a "small world" was almost too much to process, but the penalty was chillingly clear. No time limit meant infinite peril. This wasn't just a test of strength, but of endurance and wits.
A shift in the air, subtle but profound, indicated the opening of the Secret Realm. It manifested as a swirling vortex of deep, inky blackness right beneath the Primordial Dragon Spirit, absorbing the red light of the tomb around its edges.
The Secret Realm of the Primordial Black Dragon God
The moment I entered, the atmosphere changed completely. The Secret Realm was a place of oppressive, absolute darkness, a void where light itself seemed to wither. It wasn't the desolate red of the tomb outside, but a deep, suffocating black that pressed in from every direction. The air, though no longer corrosive, was thick and heavy, laden with the ancient, chilling scent of death and forgotten rituals.
Here, shadows moved with a life of their own. The ground beneath me, if it could be called ground, felt like solidified darkness, uneven and treacherous. Distant, guttural whispers and soft, scraping sounds echoed from unknown corners, creating a constant sense of unease.
And from the shadows emerged the black minions. They were grotesque, twisted figures, their forms vaguely humanoid but made entirely of shadowy, shifting material. Their eyes, if they had any, were pinpricks of malevolent red light that burned against their dark bodies. They moved with an unsettling fluidity, some crawling on all fours like spiders, others shuffling upright with long, clawed limbs dragging on the ground. These creatures didn't make much noise, but their silent, predatory movements filled the oppressive air with an unspoken threat. Each one seemed to be a fragment of dark magic, a reflection of the Primordial Black Dragon God's mastery over such forbidden arts. The realm was a labyrinth of shadows, designed for despair. Every path felt ominous, every corner hid a potential horror. This was a place where hope struggled to survive, a true test of one's will against the very essence of dark magic.
"System, do you have any guide map to the Black Keys?" I asked, my thoughts echoing into the oppressive darkness.
"No," the system replied simply, its voice as flat as ever. "But if Host discovers some lands meaning, when you roam around the areas I can create a map based on what you scan. Just make sure to avoid those creatures; you are no match for them in your current state."
This was going to be tough. No map, just pure exploration in a realm filled with shadowy dangers I couldn't fight. My strategy was clear: be as silent and invisible as possible.
After three days of tirelessly roaming through the pitch-black, twisting passages and vast, shadowy caverns, I had covered many distances. The mini-map for the Secret Realm was finally ready, slowly filling out in my mind's eye. It was a complex web of paths, showing various areas and potential dead ends.
But the System also revealed another crucial piece of information: "All powerful creatures in the Secret Realm are currently asleep."
So, the mission had to be discreet. I needed to move silently, not disturbing any creature, especially not trying to kill them. Even though I wouldn't face open combat, it didn't mean it would be easy. The sheer vastness of the Secret Realm was a challenge in itself, and the Black Keys were clearly not located close to each other. Luckily, my current form didn't need food; I could absorb energy from the very air of the realm, and it served as sustenance. It took a whole year of silent, constant searching, dodging the sleeping forms of unimaginable horrors, to finally find them all.
After finding all the black keys, they didn't just appear in my nonexistent hand. Instead, they all grouped together in the air by themselves, right in the center of the vast, shadowy realm. An ominous, incredibly powerful aura started surging all around them, making the very darkness of the realm tremble.
Then, with a deafening crack that echoed through the oppressive silence, a huge gate ripped open in mid-air, exactly where the keys had gathered. But now, the black keys were nowhere to be found; they had vanished into the gate.
"Warning! Warning! Host, hurry and enter the gate!" The system's voice was filled with an urgency I hadn't heard before. "It is the only way to the outside! The powerful entities that were asleep have woken up, and they are getting close to your location!"
A sense of pure panic surged through my consciousness. I could feel tremors in the ground, hear faint, shifting sounds that were growing louder the awakened creatures were on their way. I didn't waste another second. I threw myself forward, a tiny, determined orb of consciousness, hurtling towards the immense, open gateway. The moment I passed through, with a deafening boom, the gate slammed shut behind me, severing the Secret Realm from my presence.
I was back in the Forbidden Red Sky Tomb, facing the massive, skeletal form of the Primordial Black Dragon God. Its spirit, still hovering, its ghostly eyes fixed on me, offered a deep, rumbling sound that was almost a chuckle. "Congratulations, little being. To think you were able to release my curse on reincarnation and my minions."
"Those creepy creatures were your minions?" I asked, a mix of disbelief and horror in my mental voice.
"Yes," the Primordial Dragon Spirit replied, its spectral form shifting. "It has been a long time. I can't quite remember, but I saved their entire planet of creatures from destruction. It was from the schemes of someone... a truly powerful and evil being." The dragon's voice deepened, a hint of ancient pain in its tone. "They were a group, and very powerful. We fought, and I was severely injured. So many curses were placed on me and the ones I saved."
Its spectral head turned, gazing into the vastness of the Forbidden Red Sky Tomb. "Letting them wreak havoc in the universe was something I could not allow. So, I sealed them in my Secret Realm. That realm... it is within my very soul."
The dragon's gaze returned to me. "I forcefully broke through to here, the Forbidden Red Sky Tomb, to seek refuge. This place was the only way to ensure I couldn't wreak havoc outside, and it worked. I placed my last bet on you, and I won. Me and mine minions will be able to reincarnate. Thank you, little being."
"Wait," I interjected, a thought suddenly striking me. "I heard from a strange voice that you were trapped here. What about that?"
The Primordial Dragon Spirit snorted, a gust of spectral wind. "Oh, it's him. Don't mind him, with his nonsense. He is the oldest person here, chained up, and can't do anything. I couldn't even help him with my full strength back then."
Suddenly, a new voice, raspy and filled with ancient fury, boomed from somewhere far, far away within the Forbidden Red Sky Tomb. "Hey! Shut up, you little lizard! Who says I can't do anything!"
The Primordial Dragon Spirit paused, then let out what sounded like a spectral sigh. "Red Lord. Sorry, my bad."