The Awakening of Fafnir

“Then, let us begin.”

The moment the words left his lips, dark, serpentine patterns emerged across Chongyun’s exposed skin, writhing, coiling, and connecting ceaselessly over his form.

Then, a cold voice echoed in his mind:

[Demonic Machine authentication initiated.]

[Information inputting…]

[Identity confirmed…]

[Demonic Machine: Fafnir login permitted.]

“You’ve already been given your chance, Lord Titan!”

A cacophony of shattering space erupted, and a turbulent, abyssal darkness surged forth from behind Chongyun. Like a ravenous beast eager to devour its prey, it instantly engulfed his body in a torrent of black.

“Ugh… Hnn… Hiss… Aaaaaaaah!”

Chongyun’s cries, laden with agony and suppression, suggested immense suffering, but they swiftly transformed into a monstrous roar. Concurrently, a grotesque, twisted silhouette flickered in and out of sight within the swirling black mist.

“Is this… a Black-blooded?”

Feeling an oppressive terror akin to confronting a High-tier Species, Titan’s expression immediately darkened.

To transform a normal human into a Black-blooded individual who retained their sanity in such a short span was a “miracle” even The Doctor couldn’t achieve with the power of The Gem.

Whether it was himself, Irina, Gang, or any of the numerous Bloodthirsters, they had all undergone countless adjustments and adaptations to successfully become Bloodkin. A single misstep in that process could lead to degeneration into a Vampire, driven solely by primal desires.

Yet, Chongyun dared to experiment with his own body… It seemed the disparity between them was truly vast.

“I’ll use this form to deal with you.”

The black mist shrouding Chongyun was swept away, revealing a monstrous form before Titan’s eyes.

It leaned forward, its hands hanging at its chest. Every inch of its estimated four-meter-tall body was covered in metallic-hued skin. Its head, a hybrid of dragon and serpent, bore six narrow, tiny eyes, three on each side, their sinister gaze sweeping over the surroundings with unnerving clarity.

Behind it, an enormous, thick tail extended, casually demolishing a wall with a mere flick. Following the tail upwards, one would find a tooth-filled, petal-shaped mouth, from which black liquid occasionally oozed, dripping onto the floor and corroding holes.

Thump, thump, thump!

Granting Titan no time to recover from his shock, the monster advanced with heavy, thudding steps. Red ripples radiated outward from its position, simultaneously nullifying the effects of another Fallen God’s Blood.

“Tch…”

Titan swiftly retreated, attempting to put as much distance as possible between himself and Chongyun. Without the support of The Gem, he was now merely an ordinary Derivative Species. While possessing a relatively strong standing among the Bloodkin, within the entirety of the Low-tier Species, he would be considered among the weakest.

To contend with Chongyun in this clearly formidable form… he knew his limits.

“What’s wrong, Lord Titan? Don’t hide! Come and fight me!”

Perhaps influenced by his transformation into a Black-blooded, Chongyun’s fighting spirit had undeniably intensified. His sinister eyes darted about, memorizing every possible escape route for the fleeing Bloodkin.

“Hmph, abandon your resistance. You cannot escape my sight!”

Seizing the opportune moment, the monster’s thick tail lashed out, instantly smashing a load-bearing pillar.

CRASH!

The wall collapsed along with the ceiling, burying the caught-off-guard Titan beneath the rubble. Yet, both Chongyun and Titan knew well that damage of this magnitude was barely an itch for a Black-blooded.

Thus, to ensure a swift victory, Chongyun activated the system within the Demonic Machine.

[Focus.]

[Focus engaged.]

“Ugh, ugh, ugh, aaaaaaaah!”

The black blood immediately boiled like an unbridled stallion, surging and coursing through Fafnir’s body. Yet, what accompanied the immense pain was an almost boundless supply of energy.

Harnessing this surging power, two of Chongyun’s six eyes turned a blazing crimson. His metallic skin radiated intense heat, and a terrifying toxin began to diffuse into the air.

“Try to survive as long as you can, Lord Titan!”

[Heart-Scorching Syndrome!]

“Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough…”

Amidst violent coughing, Titan painstakingly clambered out of the collapsed ruins. He felt as though he were trapped within a volcano, every inch of his body aflame. He held his breath, only to realize it was futile; the potent toxin hidden in the air continued to seep unobstructed into his system.

Boom!

Narrowly evading another piercing tail strike, the sight of its tooth-filled maw sent a chill down Titan’s spine. Without hesitation, he slammed his fist into the floor, and as the structure gave way, he dropped to the level below.

“You cannot escape! Heart-Scorching Syndrome has permeated your body; it will incinerate you from the inside out. Your end has come, Lord Titan!”

Chongyun’s shouts only intensified Titan’s plight. He struggled to his feet, scrambling towards a nearby window.

If he could just escape far enough, he could use the Fallen God’s Blood to purge the potent toxin from his system. This was his only way out, his last sliver of hope.

Shatter.

Reaching the window, he shattered the glass. However, what greeted him was not just a cool breeze, but a barrage of incoming missiles, each adorned with a cartoon shark’s head. The sight startled him, causing him to hastily retract his foot.

“Damn it!”

Titan cursed under his breath, realizing The Supervisory Bureau had made their move. He peered into the distance, confirming a cluster of small black dots. Then, glancing back at the stairwell, he saw Chongyun, who had followed him through the collapsed ceiling.

Trapped between a wolf and a tiger, he seemed to have reached a dead end.

BOOM—

Beneath a terrifying sonic boom, the surrounding walls cracked in layers. Chongyun’s colossal body covered a hundred meters in a single stride, reaching out to seize Titan.

‘It has to be this way.’

Facing a life-or-death crisis, Titan finally made his decision. He executed a slide, darting beneath the monster’s legs, thereby luring The Supervisory Bureau’s missiles to bombard Chongyun’s position.

BOOM!

One, two, three… ten…

An incessant volley of missiles pounded the floor, directly striking Chongyun’s body. Titan seized the chaos to flee into the distance…

“It’s useless.”

He was lifted into the air, Chongyun’s eerie voice echoing in his ear:

“Your strategy was sound, using The Supervisory Bureau’s deployment to hinder my pursuit. If weaker Low-tier Species were continuously bombarded by these military-grade missiles designed for Black-blooded, they might indeed suffer severe injuries.”

The bombardment ceased. The monster exhaled, clearing away the lingering smoke. Titan stiffly turned his head, finding the slender, draconic head mere inches from his body, utterly unharmed.

“But I am different. Or rather, Fafnir is different. Blades, guns, swords, missiles, nuclear weapons—even the attacks of other Black-blooded—as long as it is something I (Fafnir) comprehend, it cannot inflict any harm upon me.”

Despite Chongyun’s seemingly self-incriminating revelation, Titan was consumed by a profound chill.

“Therefore, once the Fallen God’s Blood was sealed, your chances of victory were zero from the very beginning.”

“Ugh… ugh…”

The grip on his body tightened inexorably.

“It’s regrettable to send you off in such a manner. So, farewell, Lord Titan… perhaps you could have become one of our kin.”

The next second, blood blossomed.