Chapter 5 Blood Offering

The massive golden eyes staring at me from the deep darkness were the size of small houses. They burned with a fierce and ancient heat. The sheer pressure coming off the creature made it incredibly hard to breathe. My lungs felt like they were being crushed under a heavy stone block. Every single muscle in my body froze in pure terror.

The blue System screen flashed violently in front of my face. The text turned a bright warning yellow.

[Eight seconds remaining. Provide a royal blood offering or face immediate incineration.]

I stumbled backward. My mind raced in absolute panic. A royal blood offering. Where was I supposed to find that? I was trapped in a dark cave with a giant monster. The royal army was marching right outside the entrance. I had no gold and no magical items. I had absolutely nothing to give.

[Six seconds remaining.]

A low growl vibrated through the stone floor. The sound shook my bones. The massive golden eyes narrowed. The creature was preparing to breathe fire. I could see a bright orange glow building deep inside its massive throat.

Then the realization hit me like a physical punch. I did not need to find royal blood. I was the Dragon King. The blood flowing through my veins was the highest form of royal blood in the entire realm.

[Three seconds remaining.]

I reached down and pressed my right hand against my stomach. The wound from the Royal Shadow Poison was still bleeding a thick and dark liquid. I coated my palm entirely in my own hot blood.

[One second remaining. Commencing incineration.]

"Wait!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

I threw my bloody hand forward. I slapped my palm flat against the cold stone floor of the cave. I smeared the dark red liquid across the ancient rock.

"I am Valen!" I shouted loudly, my voice echoing off the high ceiling. "I am the true Dragon King. Here is your royal offering!"

The glowing orange light inside the throat of the beast instantly died out. The cave fell completely silent. The heavy crushing pressure in the air vanished completely.

The blue System screen chimed softly.

[Royal blood offering accepted. Incineration canceled.]

I collapsed onto my knees. I was gasping for air. Thick sweat dripped down my forehead. I had just survived by a single second.

"Valen," a booming voice echoed through the massive cavern. The voice did not just enter my ears. It echoed directly inside my mind. It sounded older than the mountains and heavier than the ocean.

The giant golden eyes moved closer. A massive head slowly emerged from the thick shadows. The creature was a dragon, but it was unlike anything I had ever seen in books or movies. Its scales were not green or red. They were pure glowing gold. Ancient magical symbols were carved directly into its thick armor.

The First Dragon Ancestor lowered its enormous snout until it was only a few feet away from my face. The heat rolling off its skin was incredible.

"You carry the true bloodline," the ancient dragon rumbled. "But your blood is incredibly foul. It is tainted with dark poison and a wicked curse. You are dying very quickly, little king."

"My brother betrayed me," I explained. I kept my voice as steady as possible. "He stole my throne and poisoned me. And to survive his assassins, I had to bind myself to a magical System that steals my life force."

The giant golden dragon let out a sound that resembled a deep and bitter laugh.

"A magical System," the Ancestor repeated. "You think that glowing blue screen is just a simple tool? You are a fool. That System is a parasite. It is an ancient debt collector, and it will eventually consume your entire soul."

A cold chill ran down my spine. The System was not just a game mechanic. It was a living parasite. I had invited a monster into my own body just to survive the night.

"I had no other choice," I said loudly. "I only have a few months left to live. The poison takes a day of my life every single hour. I need power to kill my brother and take back my kingdom."

The Ancestor stared at me for a long time. The golden eyes seemed to look right through my skin and directly into my soul.

"The royal army is waiting outside my cave," the giant dragon said. "They are searching the forest for you. If you walk out there right now, they will cut you to pieces. You are far too weak to face them."

"Then help me," I demanded. I stood up and looked directly into the giant eyes. "You are my ancestor. Give me the power to destroy the false king."

"I do not give gifts," the Ancestor growled deeply. "Power must be earned through blood and absolute agony. I can give you a piece of my own golden dragon core. It will give you enough strength to suppress the poison for thirty days. It will stop the hourly drain on your life."

My heart leaped in my chest. Thirty days without losing a day every hour. That would give me enough time to find the rebel army and plan a real attack.

"What is the price?" I asked. I knew there was always a terrible catch.

"You must prove that your soul is strong enough to hold my golden power," the Ancestor said softly.

Before I could ask what that meant, the solid stone floor beneath my feet completely vanished.

I screamed as I fell straight down into total darkness. I plummeted through the cold air for what felt like an eternity. Finally, I crashed hard onto a floor of smooth black glass. I rolled perfectly and jumped to my feet. I was inside a massive circular arena deep underground.

The System screen suddenly flashed a blinding red light. The text was larger than ever before.

[Warning. The host has entered the Arena of True Death.]

[Level Up capabilities are permanently disabled in this zone.]

[Magic skills are disabled.]

[Survive for five minutes against the Shadow Beast using only physical strength.]

Across the dark arena, a pair of glowing purple eyes snapped open. A creature made entirely of thick black smoke and razor sharp claws stepped out of the shadows. I had no magic. I had no System help. And the beast was already charging right at me.