Black Dragon Im seemed to understand Rayder's intent. The giant beast slowly opened its cavernous maw—large enough to swallow an elephant whole. A wave of hot, damp air rushed out, carrying Im's unique scent. It was heavy and slightly sulfurous, but Rayder didn't mind. He had far more pressing concerns.
Without hesitation, Rayder extended his bleeding palm into the dragon's mouth. He went as far as inserting his entire arm, allowing the fresh blood to drip directly onto Im's broad, rough tongue. The sensation surprised him. Instead of the cold, wet feel he had expected, it was warm and viscous—like plunging his hand into thick syrup.
For a few tense moments, nothing happened.
Then, to his amazement, the searing pain in his palm began to subside. Curious, Rayder quickly withdrew his arm. He stared at his hand in disbelief—the deep wound he had inflicted only moments ago had completely healed. The skin was flawless, leaving behind only the faintest pink line.
"Super Regeneration…" he murmured, realizing his abilities were far stronger than he'd thought.
Still, he couldn't help but question the efficacy of his action.
"Was that enough blood? Was it too little? Did it even do anything at all?"
Suppressing his doubts, Rayder brought up the system interface. A translucent screen floated before his eyes, and he navigated to Im's status bar. There, he saw the same dreaded word staring back at him:
Cursed.
His shoulders slumped. The mark of the curse hadn't vanished. It still clung to Im like a lingering shadow, weighing heavily on both their hearts.
Was his blood not powerful enough?
Had he misinterpreted the connection between them?
Or perhaps... the effects would take longer to manifest?
He glanced again at his palm. The cut had healed entirely. His regenerative ability was unquestionable—but that didn't necessarily mean his blood could cure a curse born of divine vengeance.
For a brief, reckless moment, he considered cutting deeper. If one drop hadn't been enough, then maybe an artery would suffice. He could heal. He was confident in that much. But he also knew that Im had exhausted itself earlier—after unleashing massive torrents of Dragon Flame, the beast was likely at its weakest.
If his blood had any effect, perhaps it simply needed time to work.
"Time," he muttered. "I need to give it time."
And so he waited.
The silence inside the Dragon Lair was almost oppressive. The air was heavy with tension, broken only by the occasional puff of steam rising from the volcanic fissures beneath the lair and Im's deep, thunderous breathing.
Rayder sat cross-legged on a flat rock, his gaze fixed on the system interface. Minutes stretched into an eternity. Every second that ticked by seemed to tighten the knot in his chest.
After what felt like hours—but was actually only about thirty minutes—he reopened Im's status screen. His finger hovered over the panel, trembling slightly, and he tapped the cursed icon again.
His breath caught in his throat.
The word "Cursed" was gone.
In its place stood a single word that flooded him with overwhelming relief:
Healthy.
Rayder almost cried out in joy. His blood had worked. It had cleansed the vengeful spirits from Im's body. The "Resentment Curse"—a vile parasite born from the souls of sacrificed worshippers—had finally been lifted.
The binding shackles that had weighed down his most powerful ally were broken.
Elated, Rayder ran toward Im and began inspecting the dragon's body up close. The once grotesque, fleshy tumors that had grown between its scales—signs of the curse—were completely gone. Im's sleek dark scales now gleamed with a rich purple hue, reflecting the soft ambient light from the lava below. The beast looked more majestic, more alive than it had in days.
Im, the creature he had relied on so heavily, was now whole again.
A surge of confidence surged through him. With Im restored and Kidora growing rapidly, he was no longer just a survivor on this continent—he was becoming a force to be reckoned with.
But his moment of triumph was short-lived.
Suddenly, Rayder felt an odd tugging at the roots of his hair. It wasn't painful—just irritating. Like something nibbling at him.
He didn't need to look to know who the culprit was.
"Kidora…" he sighed.
The little creature was once again demanding attention—and food.
Turning his head slightly, Rayder saw the tiny hydra perched on a nearby ledge, its three heads bouncing up and down excitedly. It had developed an annoying habit of signaling its hunger by gnawing gently on his hair. While it wasn't exactly painful, it wasn't pleasant either.
Rayder sighed again and patted the cloth pouch strapped to his waist.
Inside were small portions of dried meat—jerky made specifically to feed Kidora between meals. The little glutton had an appetite that could rival a dragon's, and keeping it fed had already become a daily struggle.
He pulled out a few strips of jerky and waved them in front of Kidora.
The little beast immediately quieted, all three heads converging on the treat like starving wolves. It licked and chewed eagerly, purring with satisfaction. Its bright eyes sparkled with joy as it munched, occasionally chirping as if to say, "More!"
Rayder couldn't help but chuckle.
"You're going to eat me out of house and home, little one."
Despite the inconvenience, Kidora was family now. He was as much a part of their survival as Im. He was mischievous, yes, but his growth and potential far outweighed the trouble.
Rayder shifted his focus back to the lair. His eyes swept across the food supplies stacked against the far wall. He brought up the storage interface again, transferring the majority of the resources into his system's virtual space for better preservation. Only a small portion was left out for easy access.
As the digital numbers updated, his smile faded.
According to his calculations, their current food supply would only last two days.
Two days.
That single realization hit him harder than any curse. Kidora's constant hunger, combined with Im's massive dietary needs, meant their reserves were depleting far faster than expected.
Even if he rationed carefully, there was no way they'd last more than 48 hours.
Rayder stared at the list in silence, the tension creeping back into his chest. His earlier joy felt like a distant memory now.
"We need to find more food," he muttered, rubbing his temples. "And soon."
He turned again to look at Kidora, who was now curled lazily in a sunlit patch of stone, rubbing its belly and snuggling itself with all three heads.
The tiny beast was adorable, but it was a black hole when it came to food.
Rayder approached, knelt beside it, and gently poked its rounded belly.
It was soft and warm—like touching a tiny furnace. It radiated energy, pulsing with the promise of tremendous power hidden inside that deceptively small body.
"You're going to be the death of me," he whispered, half-jokingly. "But you'll also be the key to everything, won't you?"
Kidora chirped sleepily, responding to his touch with a lazy flick of its tail.
Rayder leaned back against the cave wall, letting his eyes close for a moment.
He had cleared one major hurdle—the curse. Im was finally free. That alone gave him a fighting chance in this harsh, godforsaken world. But now, a new challenge had emerged—supply, survival, and sustainability.
The continent was vast. Dangerous. Full of secrets, ruins, and beasts. And somewhere out there were the resources they desperately needed. Perhaps even Evolution Points to help Kidora grow stronger—or answers about the deity who had destroyed the Valyrian Empire.
For now, however, Rayder allowed himself a brief moment of peace.
Between the healthy dragon and the hungry hydra, he had his hands full.
But they were his family. His team.
And together, they would rise.
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