Only I Awaken The Forbidden SSS-Rank Dragons

The moment Aleron opened the description, the world around him seemed to darken.

[Abyssal Eyes, Level 3: Abyssal Stare, a concentrated strike of void essence that corrodes the target's life force and disrupts their soul pathways slightly, can create water spirits, can see through illusions underwater…]

As the words formed within his vision, a wave of searing heat and bone-deep chill erupted inside his skull. His vision blurred, and the forest around him dissolved into streaks of shadow and light.

Aleron clenched his eyes shut, the surge of information threatening to overwhelm him. When he opened them again, a pair of faint black ripples spread from his pupils, distorting the air before fading into stillness.

He had barely adjusted to this newfound clarity when a deep rumble rolled through the forest. The source was Ashkar.

The young dragon's body shuddered violently, his aura swelling like a rising tide. Origin energy poured into him from every direction, making the very air tremble with tension.

Suddenly, a burst of black and gold light erupted from Ashkar's chest. The shockwave flattened the grass and made the surrounding trees quake.

Leaves tore from their branches and whirled wildly through the spiraling wind. Veldora flinched but remained firm, her eyes locked on her brother.

The pressure from the breakthrough intensified. Even Aleron, whose body had endured countless battles, felt his muscles tighten beneath the oppressive force. A faint smile tugged at his lips.

"Good. Push through."

Ashkar roared, the sound far beyond that of a mere dragon. It was layered with an ancient resonance, vibrating through the air like the echo of an abyssal sea.

His body lengthened, his scales hardening until they gleamed with a metallic darkness. His horns curved higher, sharp and threatening, while his wings expanded until they blotted out the sunlight above.

Then, just as abruptly as it began, the storm of energy receded. The black and gold light folded inward, sealing itself deep within Ashkar's core.

When the dust settled, Ashkar opened his eyes. They no longer shone with the vibrant gold of before. Instead, they burned with a deep crimson threaded with black streaks.

The weight of his gaze alone made the surrounding air quiver.

Aleron stepped forward, his shadow stretching across the clearing.

"Well done," he said in a low, resonant tone. "Congratulations on your breakthrough."

Ashkar's chest swelled with pride, but he lowered his head in respect. "I will not disappoint you, Dad."

Before Aleron could reply, the system's voice rang out once more.

[Congratulations on the successful breakthrough of your dragon, Ashkar.]

[Infernal Eyes have leveled up.]

A rush of searing heat surged through Aleron's skull.

This sensation was different from the Abyssal Eyes. It was not the cold unraveling of truth but the merciless hunger of destruction that belonged to the Infernal Eyes.

The forest seemed to ignite in his vision. Every tree, every rock, every living being bore a faint ember, a fragile spark of life force, and with a single thought, he felt he could snuff them out.

The new description unfolded before him.

[Infernal Eyes, Level 4: These eyes hold dominion over the concept of burning away the unnecessary. They can incinerate an enemy's defenses, corrode energy constructs, and leave only the purest remnants behind. At higher ranks, they will not only burn the body but also the threads of fate tethered to the target. Host, please grow stronger!]

Aleron's lips curled into a slow, dangerous smile. Everything else had improved slightly, but this new ability made him far deadlier than before.

"Hah!" He threw back his head and laughed, the sound echoing through the clearing. Both dragons watched him as if he had lost his mind.

Two dragons had broken through—one into the Origin Expert Realm and the other into the Origin Apprentice Realm. With their power and his own, Aleron now felt confident enough to enter the Genesis Coil's branch without hesitation.

"Veldora. Ashkar." He turned toward them, his voice edged with command. "We move soon. There is something I need to hunt. We are going to have fun with other humans."

The dragons exchanged a glance, their eyes gleaming with excitement.

Then, without warning, time and space warped around Aleron. His perception shattered in an instant.

In that moment, it was as if he had ceased to exist within the world.

His heart tightened.

'What?'

He spun his gaze across his surroundings, only to realize he now floated in a vast, multicolored expanse filled with stars and swirling galaxies.

'The starry skies…' he thought.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" A soft voice echoed through the space, brushing against his ears like a whisper carried by the wind.

Aleron turned sharply.

She was there.

Her hair flowed in silky black waves, framing a face that radiated an ethereal presence unlike anything he had encountered before.

He froze. She was the most beautiful woman he had seen in either of his lives.

Though he had paid little attention to women in his second life, he had met a few striking ones. None could compare to the perfection before him.

She appeared youthful, perhaps only a few years older than him, yet deep within his heart he knew she had to be countless years old.

There was no point dwelling on her age. He had no idea why she had summoned him here.

He opened his mouth, his tone cautious.

"Why did you bring me here?"

At his words, the mysterious woman slowly opened her eyes.

Aleron's breath caught. Her eyes seemed to hold entire galaxies within them, and the instant their gazes met, a chill slid down his spine.

He quickly tore his gaze away, focusing instead on the vast expanse of swirling lights around him.

'How terrifying,' he thought. 'If she attacked me, I would not survive for even a heartbeat.'

Aleron was not arrogant enough to deny the truth. Her power was beyond his comprehension.

When she spoke, her voice was like music, each note flowing into the next with hypnotic grace.

"I have come with an invitation. An invitation to the Celestial Academy for all manner of geniuses."

Aleron's eyes widened.

"What is the Celestial Academy? And why have you decided to invite me?" He knew well that nothing in this world came without a price.

He did not know what the Celestial Academy truly was, but the grandeur of the name alone suggested it could bring immense benefits to his growth.

"About that… we decided to invite you because…"

To be continued.