Chapter Seven: First Trial Challenge
Back in the Forbidden Red Sky Tomb, far from the cheers and rallying cries of the Great Plane, Aka Zema's new existence was far more precarious. The brief moments of overwhelming joy at his system's awakening had passed, replaced by the stark reality of his situation. He was a mere consciousness, a tiny, fragile spark in a place designed to erase all life. The countdown for his sub-mission had begun, ticking away precious moments as his essence threatened to vanish completely. He had to act. He had to absorb. And he had to do it now.
The Forbidden Red Sky Tomb was a realm of chilling silence and overwhelming dread. The very air, a corrosive red mist, seemed to swallow all sound, leaving behind a profound, heavy quiet that pressed down on my consciousness. There were no birds singing, no wind rustling through unseen leaves, no distant hum of life. Instead, the only sounds were those born of destruction and decay: a faint, continuous hiss – the subtle, relentless sound of the corrosive red air eating away at everything, a constant whisper of erosion. The hollow, almost imperceptible groan of the ground itself, as if the living prison sighed under its own immense, ancient weight. Occasional, distant creaks or cracks from the colossal skeletal remains, shifting just slightly in the corrosive currents, like the restless sleep of long-dead giants. The mental "pings" and mechanical echoes of the Ultimate Being System were sharp and clear, cutting through the eerie silence, a jarring contrast to the primordial desolation.
I looked around. There were many strange creatures, ancient beings I didn't recognize, but what really caught my attention was an overwhelming surge of energy, coming from deep down in the tomb. It was a pull I couldn't ignore, a promise of something immense.
With a surge of curiosity, I decided to check it out. I didn't know if my tiny, fading existence would survive the corrosive environment of the Forbidden Red Sky Tomb on the way there, but I didn't hesitate. I didn't flinch. I just moved.
"Flash!" A sudden system notification flared in my mind. "Host has adapted to red air."
Almost instantly, another message appeared: "Host gained passive skill: Immunity to Corrosion of the Red Air."
I was stunned. My Adaptability skill had kicked in, just like that. It was incredible.
"System," I thought, "where does the red air come from?"
"It is a secretion of the Forbidden Red Sky Tomb," the system replied, its voice devoid of emotion. "After absorbing chaos and abyss energy to maintain its existence."
"So how long has this Tomb existed?" I pondered, the implications of its words sinking in. "And by your explanation, it does feel like a living being." The thought was chilling, yet strangely fascinating. I was in a living prison, and it was trying to consume me. My brief moments of being a dying speck had clearly triggered something deep within my new powers. This place, this Forbidden Red Sky Tomb, felt like a colossal, ancient entity, almost as if it breathed in the very chaos that tore worlds apart. It wasn't just a location; it was a hungry, endless void, constantly maintaining its terrible form. I needed to understand it, quickly. I needed to understand everything.
The system's flat voice broke into my thoughts once more. "Host does not have the authority to know this for now. But just know it serves as isolation and banishment for hostile entities towards universal existence. However, it has weakened, and its gates have been breached, so anyone can be drifted here, and only the powerful ones can escape here with not much effort."
"Why was I brought here?" I demanded, the thought burning in my consciousness.
"It has to do with the mysterious interference after you regain yourself, but I urge you to continue. Your time limit is expiring." The system's reminder was blunt, a cold splash of reality. I couldn't waste precious moments on questions.
After a while, my tiny self reached the source of the immense energy. To my surprise, it was a massive dragon body, completely without flesh, only bones. Its skeletal frame stretched for what felt like miles, glowing faintly with the raw power that had drawn me here. But I couldn't get near it. An invisible barrier, a force field of pure energy, kept me at a distance, shimmering like heat haze. This was it. This was the Primordial Black Dragon God, or what was left of it. The source of my potential salvation, and perhaps, my greatest challenge yet.
"System, how can I absorb the dragon?" I mentally inquired, my non-existent form buzzing with anticipation and desperation.
"Don't try to absorb it directly," the system's voice was firm, a rare hint of urgency in its tone. "Something feels strange. Try to absorb the lesser organic remains closer to you first, and wait to see what will happen. Imagine it taking it into your body. The mission time is almost up."
The warning resonated with me. Despite the allure of the dragon, the system, which was me, had a point. My existence was still unstable. I refocused, sensing smaller, fragmented bones and dust from other, long-dead creatures scattered just beyond the dragon's barrier, but still within the general area of its immense power. I concentrated, reaching out with my consciousness, imagining the scattered particles being drawn into my tiny, circular form.
A low hum filled my awareness. The dust, the tiny bone fragments, they began to move, drawn towards me, merging. My fading form solidified slightly, a subtle but definite change.
"Mission Complete!" The system announced, a wave of relief washing over me. "Host has acquired Temporary Medium. Temporary medium formation 100% complete."
I could feel myself. Not a human body, but a somewhat more stable, denser circular form, like a solidified orb of darkness, though still very small. It was progress.
Twenty minutes later, just as I was beginning to truly grasp the feeling of my new, basic form, the very air around the Primordial Black Dragon God's remains began to ripple. The faint glow from its bones pulsed, growing brighter and more erratic. The ground beneath me trembled violently.
Then, from the massive, skeletal frame of the dragon, a towering, ghostly form began to rise. It was the Primordial Dragon Spirit, enormous and terrifying. It wasn't made of flesh, but of swirling, dark energy that echoed the red sky. Its eye sockets glowed with cold, ancient fire, and its vast, spectral wings, ragged and broken, unfurled to cast immense shadows over the landscape. Its form was like a living phantom, a translucent beast of pure, overwhelming power, born from the bones and the corrosive energy of the tomb itself. It was clearly the spirit of the Primordial Black Dragon God, but corrupted, twisted, still bound to this place even in death.
Its voice, a deep, resonating growl that seemed to shake the very foundations of the tomb, echoed in my mind. "Insignificant being... are you here to covet my body by your insignificant self?"