Only I Awaken The Forbidden SSS-Rank Dragons

'Who… what are you?' Veldora's voice resonated deep within Aleron's mind, carrying a strange mixture of confusion and wariness.

Aleron froze for a brief moment. What did she mean by "what"?

He hesitated, his mind dipping into deep contemplation.

It seemed Veldora could sense something unusual within him, something fundamentally different.

He too could feel the change. His body and soul had shifted drastically, and within him stirred a presence that was both ancient and forbidden. Something had awakened, a force connected to his Origin Devourer bloodline.

He could not yet put his finger on it, but the sensation was undeniable. Even the mighty dragon before him appeared to sense the terrifying essence flowing through his veins.

Aleron remained silent for a while, shaping his thoughts into a reply that would carry both weight and mystery.

Finally, he sighed softly, his voice calm yet resonant. 'I am Aleron… your father. The father of dragons.'

'My… father?' The words tasted strange to her, as if the concept itself was distant. Yet, being a forbidden dragon, she felt the stirring of ancient memories. Like Ashkar before her, fragments of the past surfaced, whispering truths she had long forgotten.

The fact that he had awakened her from her deep slumber, coupled with the oppressive aura he exuded, made her believe he could indeed be… her father.

'Give me a moment to settle some matters,' Aleron said, his voice carrying a quiet authority. 'Then I will introduce you to your brother.'

His hand brushed over the dragon's head, feeling the faint chill radiating from her scales, accompanied by an enveloping calm.

'Bro… brother?' Her eyes glimmered faintly, and for an instant, half-formed images of the past swam before her mind's eye.

She could not fully recall Ashkar or the other ten forbidden dragons, yet there was an echo of a time when all dragons were united, roaming the world in dominance, indulging in their boundless freedom.

While she drifted into her memories, Aleron's gaze shifted away from her. He looked toward the translucent screen before him, scanning the system notifications.

One line of text caught his attention.

[Congratulations, Origin Devourer. You have received the B-grade Origin Ability: Metal Rod Control.]

'It actually worked… I devoured her origin and obtained her ability?' His eyes lit up, surprise flashing across his face.

A slow smile curved his lips as he looked toward the gathering of onlookers, their shocked expressions only fueling his satisfaction.

'In that case,' he murmured, shifting his gaze toward the crowd, including the five guards who had begun to retreat, 'I will test this new Origin Ability on you.'

In an instant, Aleron moved. His hand extended slowly, fingers curling into a firm clasp.

A faint tremor rolled through the air, carrying with it a metallic hum that sent ripples of unease through the onlookers.

"What is happening?" one of the trialists gasped, panic sharpening his voice.

The others scanned their surroundings anxiously, half-expecting another hidden creature to emerge from the shadows of the tenth level.

Their confusion shattered when they noticed more than ten rods hovering in the air, gleaming with a dark red hue. The rods trembled as if eager to strike, suspended under Aleron's control.

Though it was his first time wielding an Origin Ability, and his movements were still a touch unrefined, the adaptability of the Origin Devourer bloodline allowed him to synchronize with the ability at frightening speed.

As expected from the being ranked first on the Forbidden Ranking List.

The rods vibrated sharply, and a piercing whistle cut through the air.

Whoosh… whoosh… whoosh.

In less than a breath, ten trialists were struck through the heart, their bodies falling lifeless to the ground.

The remaining ten stared at Aleron in horror, their eyes wide, their breaths shallow. Recognition flickered in their gazes.

If they remembered correctly, this ability belonged to the noble lady from before.

"How?" one of the impaled trialists whispered, his voice trembling as life slipped away from him.

Aleron's expression brimmed with quiet amusement.

Finally, he possessed an Origin Ability of his own. The sensation was intoxicating, but he knew this was only the beginning.

Why stop at one? As the Origin Devourer, he could hunt endlessly, devouring and adding ability after ability until he stood alone at the peak, an unrivaled god with infinite powers.

This was the true terror of the Origin Devourer. This was why such a being had been hunted, forbidden, and erased from the annals of history.

He released a booming laugh, and with a flick of his hand, the rods tore free from the corpses and shot toward the remaining ten, including the guards.

At that moment, a change occurred.

Three of the guards, their faces pale with terror, abruptly chose to quit the trial. In doing so, they forfeited every treasure they had gathered within the level, but preserving their lives was worth the loss. Without hesitation, they vanished from the trial space.

A frown crossed Aleron's features at their sudden escape, but his attention was quickly drawn elsewhere.

His eyes narrowed on a young man standing not far away. The instant a rod struck at him, the man's skin shimmered and hardened, producing the sound of metal striking metal. The rod fell harmlessly to the ground with a dull clang.

'Another Origin Ability? Interesting.'

Intrigue sparked in Aleron's gaze as he stepped forward. His eyes glinted dangerously.

'Abyssal Eyes, activate.' The words left his lips almost instinctively.

The moment his Abyssal Eyes locked onto the man, Aleron's body blurred and vanished. In the blink of an eye, he stood before his target.

The man's eyes widened in shock, and he hastily reinforced his skin, transforming into a statue of living stone. Fear, however, could not be hardened. His heart pounded wildly, and he could feel the oppressive presence looming over him.

Aleron's Abyssal Eyes were as deep and unfathomable as the endless ocean, and under their gaze, a crushing pressure descended. It pinned the man in place, stripping away all strength and freedom of movement.

He understood with chilling clarity that his life and death rested entirely in Aleron's hands.

Desperation welled within him. He began to deactivate his ability, intending to plead for mercy, but before he could speak, Aleron's hand rose.

In a single, fluid motion, Aleron struck, his palm smashing down upon the man's head. The stone-like skull shattered into dust, fragments scattering across the floor.

A crisp notification appeared before Aleron's eyes.

[Congratulations, Origin Devourer, on obtaining the C-grade Origin Ability: Solidification.]

[Do you wish to upgrade the B-grade Metal Rod Control?]