Alex soared through the air at full speed, guided by the screams that tore through the horizon. He flew straight into the unknown, driven by instinct… and curiosity.
But suddenly, his body froze.
A shiver ran through him. A cold that had nothing to do with the altitude.
A visceral, icy fear, far more oppressive than when he had faced the Sylvan Panther.
Even more paralyzing than when he encountered the Stormbeak.
"What… is that?"
He murmured to himself, eyes wide.
And then, he saw it.
A dragon.
Black as night. Colossal. Majestic.
Its wings tore through the clouds, creating shockwaves so powerful the air trembled. Its flight was slow, heavy, almost lazy. Yet, an aura of death radiated around it.
Alex felt his heart skip a beat.
"It… it didn't even see me…" he whispered, petrified.
The dragon was flying away toward the mountains. And behind it…
The ground. A massacre.
An entire army reduced to nothing.
Alex descended, landing gently on the ground. The grass was scorched. The earth was cracked. He walked forward slowly, eyes sweeping over the horror.
Hundreds of corpses. Burned. Mutilated. Scattered like mere toys.
He staggered.
"Shit…" he murmured, throat tight.
He bent over, ready to vomit, but held back.
He had seen worse. He had survived worse.
"Stay calm, Alex… You can't afford to falter anymore."
He stood up, and his eyes fell upon the abandoned weapons.
Dozens of master-crafted weapons scattered among the dead.
Runic swords, enchanted hammers, blessed spears… Some still vibrated with mana. Others mourned the souls of their wielders.
"Incredible…" he whispered, fascinated. "It's like… a divine armory."
For an entire hour, he examined each piece. Each weapon told a story.
But eventually, he pulled himself together.
He turned toward the fallen knights.
"You fought a dragon… and died for it. But you won't have died in vain."
He knelt down. His gaze turned cold.
"I will take what you left behind. Your strength… your knowledge…"
A marsh of blood stretched out before him, a dark red mix of fluids from several fallen knights. Without hesitation, Alex brought his lips close and began to drink from the grim puddle, absorbing the power held within that macabre blend.
[Skill: Bloodthirsty Acquisition – Activated]
You drink the blood of your targets…
Analyzing…
"Show me… what holy knights are capable of."