Twin Fates, Dragon and Saber
A string of sharp beeps rang in Nux's head.
For one breath, he was paralyzed. Then elation coursed through him, setting his veins ablaze.
System reward? Finally!
He had fantasized with such infinite possibilities of War Souls as rewards before, but never—not even in his most fantastical imagination—did he think this would happen.
The Celestial Dragon Emperor War Soul.
Nux's chest constricted. His heart raced like a war drum.
"Fuck… this is not merely good, it's heaven-defying."
He couldn't help but compare. That so-called Blue Thunder T-Rex, touted as the world's number one monster War Soul? Honestly, it was just a mortal monster. Powerful, yes—but circumscribed.
Even the so-called Saint Dragon, even the exalted Moonborn Dragon Queen, or any of the Element Emperor Dragons—each being touted as unmatched in Spirita—were still below the Celestial Dragon Emperor.
Because the Celestial Dragon Emperor was not a beast.
It was the Prime Dragon, the ancestor of dragons everywhere, the ruler of all beasts that walked, crept, or flew. It was its breath that was the Saint Dragon, its shadow that was the Moonborn Dragon Queen, its lieutenants the Nine Elemental Dragon Emperors. All bowed in submission to it.
The legends said when the Prime Dragon raged, mountains fell, rivers ran red, and millions of corpses blanketed the earth. Under its roar, all magical beasts trembled and submitted.
If the Elemental Emperors could be considered God-level War Souls, then the Celestial Dragon Emperor was not just God-level. It was super-God-level.
The peak of peaks.
Nux smiled. With that, any beast-warrior Spiritual Initiate who dares to stand before me will fall apart. The proudest dragon War Soul owner? They'll fall the moment they can sense mine.
It was ridiculous. It was preposterous. It was… glorious.
His only reservation was if the system was being too overindulgent.
"…This reward, isn't it a bit exaggerated?" he grumbled.
But then he remembered, lips curling. Had it not been for his absurd luck—his meeting with Rose, walking into her heart when she was weakest—could any other person have completed this so-called "wife-taking" quest?
Another person, going up to the cold, unreachable Queen of the Soulforge Citadel with nothing to bring to the table?
Ha. Don't make him laugh. They'd be inviting death before they were even halfway there.
The system's difficulty had been hell itself. He hadn't passed—he'd shattered the wall and brought it down.
So of course, the reward had to be deserving.
As Nux's contentment spread, another chime exploded in his head.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully completing the task in the shortest time possible. Hidden special reward activated!]
Nux blinked. "???"
"Hidden… reward?" His voice shook with incredulity. "Don't tell me…
[Secret quest reward: True·The World's Number One War Soul—The Emperor in the Sword, the Celestial Emperor Star Saber!]
Nux was really taken aback for the very first time. His jaw dropped, words stuck in his throat.
"What… what sort of War Soul is that?"
The Celestial Emperor Star Saber.
He had never heard the title spoken of. Not in records, not in myths, not even in whispers of legend.
"Emperor in the sword? With such a mighty title… what can you do?"
The system's voice repeated once more, peaceful and detached.
[Ding! System description: The Celestial Emperor Star Saber will only drop when the host successfully completes a task for the very first time. If missed, it is impossible to acquire ever again. So, this reward is the most generous.]
[Celestial Emperor Star Saber: Strike the Gods above, oppress the mortals below. When the divine saber makes nine turns, each turn rewrites a world. Every soul ring brings out various divine powers and transformations.]
Nux took a sharp breath. "Hiss…"
"That unbelievable?"
He scowled, pinching his eyes. "Nine turns? Each a world? Every soul ring a divine power…?"
Before he could pursue it further, the system shut off.
[Ding! Additional consequences are for the host to experience personally.]
"…Run off without explaining? Tch."
Nux laughed helplessly, shaking his head. Nevertheless, his heart pounded. The mere words were sufficient to rattle him.
If the Celestial Dragon Emperor was the greatest among beasts, then this saber… felt like greatness itself forged blade.
Double super-God-level War Souls.
On his body too lay the divine basis of the 24 Petals of Genesis Lotus, its golden light having tempered his flesh in times of suffering.
War Souls that dared oppose the heavens.
A body that dared defy mortality.
And a future that lay beyond the stars.
Nux's lips twisted into a slow, sinister grin.
"With this ability…" His eyes grew keen. "…in all of Spirita, who else can even match up?"
The consideration brought his blood to a boil, his soul to rage.
"Ha." His chuckle was deep, confident. "Finally, I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be."
A gentle, tentative voice sounded in his ears just then.
"…Nux?"