Chapter 60:
Valyria Central Ruins, Underground Cavern — "Black Throne".
With a massive draining sound, the battle-scarred Nautilus finally broke through the boiling red water surface and surfaced inside a gigantic underground cavern.
There was no sunlight here. Only the dark red glow from rivers of lava flowing across the rock ceiling provided illumination.
Gray-white ash floated in the air like snow, thickly coating the once-magnificent yet twisted black buildings.
This was the City of Ash.
The core of the Valyrian Freehold that once ruled the world was now nothing but dead silence.
"We're here."
Maester Marwyn looked out the window. The glass candle in his hand burned with unprecedented intensity.
"This is the underground of the Fourteen Flames. That massive altar…" He pointed at the black-stone pyramid-like structure in the center of the cavern. "That is the legendary 'Life Laboratory' where the Valyrians fused dragon blood and created monsters."
Victor glanced at Daenerys beside him.
The Mother of Dragons' face was pale, her body trembling slightly. Ever since entering this region, she had been hearing countless whispering vengeful spirits and the curse that had haunted her for years echoing in her ears.
"When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east, when the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves…"
"Don't be afraid."
Victor took her hand. The warmth of his palm helped her calm down a little.
He summoned the system panel. The bright red mission objective was flashing frantically.
[Current Location: Valyrian Magic Node (Extremely High Concentration).]
[Mission Objective: Combine with "True Dragon Bloodline" here and use the ambient magic to wash away the curse.]
[Success Rate Prediction: 99.9%.]
[Time remaining until end of ovulation window: 2 hours.]
"Time is short."
A look of determination flashed in Victor's eyes.
"Prepare to disembark."
"Hound, take your powered armor team and clear the way. No matter what you encounter — even if it's a god — blow it open for me."
…
In front of the black stone altar.
Everyone stepped on the thick volcanic ash, leaving deep footprints with every step.
The surroundings were deathly quiet, broken only by the distant gurgling of flowing lava.
Suddenly—
Hiss————!!!
The ground began to shake.
The thick ash layer exploded violently. Several enormous, fire-red creatures burst out from underground!
They resembled dragons but had no wings. Their bodies were serpentine, covered in scales that flowed with molten lava. Their mouths spat flames hot enough to melt steel.
Flame Wyrms.
Ancestors of dragons — overlords of the depths.
"Careful! Wyrms!" Marwyn shouted. "They can breathe fire! Powered armor can't withstand that temperature!"
Before he finished speaking, one wyrm opened its massive maw and unleashed a column of incandescent flame straight at the Hound.
"Fuck!"
Even inside the armor, the Hound felt the terrifying heat wave. Alarms blared wildly.
"This thing is hotter than that black dragon!"
"Physics Lesson Five."
Victor's calm voice came through the loudspeaker.
He was not panicked — he had already studied this creature in the system's "Valyria Strategy Guide."
"Thermal expansion and contraction."
Victor drew a strangely shaped silver firearm from his waist — a prototype weapon he had specially exchanged using Chemical Industry Points earned from the previous mission.
[LN2 — Liquid Nitrogen Jet Gun.]
"Everyone, fall back!"
Victor pulled the trigger.
Hiss————!!!
There was no flame — only a burst of extremely cold white mist.
Liquid nitrogen at -196°C collided head-on with the wyrm's thousands-of-degrees flame.
Crack-crack-crack-crack—!
The extreme temperature difference caused the air to emit sounds like shattering glass.
The once-arrogant flame wyrm froze instantly. Its flowing lava scales rapidly cooled, blackened, and then shattered from the violent contraction!
Hiss-ang—!
The wyrm let out a painful shriek. Its body became as brittle as a cookie.
"Hound! Smash it!"
"Got it!"
The Hound seized the opportunity. His powered armor's hydraulic drill spun at full power and rammed straight into the frozen-brittle wyrm's head.
Crunch!
It was like smashing an ice sculpture with a hammer.
The giant flame wyrm's head exploded into countless cold fragments.
"This is science."
Victor blew the white frost from the gun muzzle.
The remaining wyrms sensed a predator-like aura (extreme cold) and fled back into the ground, never daring to show themselves again.
…
Altar summit, Life Laboratory.
After clearing the guards, the group finally entered the core area.
There were no instruments here — only a massive black stone pool covered in runes. Inside the pool, golden liquid churned, radiating a heart-palpitating life force.
"This is the place."
Maester Marwyn examined the surrounding runes with excitement.
"This is the source of the 'Eternal Fire'. The ancient Valyrians reshaped bloodlines here. The magic concentration is high enough to rewrite the laws of the human body."
He glanced at Victor and Daenerys, then tactfully pulled the Hound toward the exit.
"We'll guard downstairs. Don't come down when no one's around. This ritual… might get quite loud."
Inside the huge stone chamber, only Victor and Daenerys remained.
The golden light reflected on Daenerys's face, making her look both sacred and fragile.
"Victor…"
Daenerys looked at the churning golden pool, her voice trembling slightly.
"Will it really work? That witch said my womb is a field of death…"
"Look at me, Daenerys."
Victor stepped forward, unfastened his marshal's cloak, and spread it on the edge of the black stone platform.
He cupped her face, his eyes burning like fire.
"That witch cursed you with death."
"And I will break it with life."
"The system won't lie to me, and neither will I."
Victor kissed her lips.
"Tonight, in the center of this ruined world, we will create the most powerful life."
"We will fuse Targaryen dragon blood with Pompey industrial blood right here."
The fear in Daenerys's eyes vanished.
She felt Victor's unmatched confidence and dominance. Beside this man, even a god's curse seemed insignificant.
She closed her eyes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and offered everything she had to this sacred ritual.
"Give me a child, Victor…"
"A child who will conquer the world."
…
(One thousand words omitted here… System entering overclock mode)
(The golden liquid in the surrounding pool seemed to sense something and began churning wildly, turning into countless light particles that drilled into their bodies.)
…
After an unknown amount of time.
When everything finally returned to calm.
Victor leaned against the black stone platform, looking at Daenerys who had fallen asleep from exhaustion in his arms.
Her abdomen was now emitting a faint but resilient red glow — a brand-new, vigorous life force.
Ding!
A crisp system notification sounded like heavenly music.
[Congratulations, Host! Epic Quest "Continuation of the True Dragon" completed!]
[Curse Status: Shattered.]
[Conception Judgment: Great Success (Mythical Grade).]
[New Life Detected:]
Bloodline: Valyrian Dragonlord (Dominant) + Otherworld Transmigrator (Recessive).
Talent Prediction: [Born Dragon Rider], [Magic Affinity (EX Rank)].
Special Attribute: This offspring will become the bridge connecting "Magic" and "Technology".
[Mission Rewards Issued:]
Technology Tree Unlocked: [Magitech Industrial Era]. Acquired: [Miniaturized Controllable Magic Reactor Blueprints]. Acquired: [Floating Stone Refining Technology]. Acquired: [Mass Production Process for Dragonsteel (Valyrian Steel)].
Host Enhancement: [Fire Element Immunity (bestowed by Daenerys)]. From now on, you fear no flames.
Family Fortune: Promoted to [Imperial Embryonic Form].
Victor took a deep breath, feeling the surging power within his body. He reached out and placed his hand on the golden pool. The once-scorching liquid was now as gentle as water in his palm.
Fire immunity.
Now he could truly hand-craft nuclear bombs… well, hand-craft reactors.
He looked down at Daenerys's slightly swollen abdomen (though it wasn't physically obvious yet, it felt that way psychologically).
What was being nurtured there was not merely a baby.
It was the future sky fleet of the Pompey Empire — the ultimate force that would end this chaotic age.
"Sleep well, my queen."
Victor gently kissed her forehead and covered her with the cloak.
"When you wake up, we will take this child and conquer the skies."
He stood up and looked toward the dark dome above.
On the system panel, a new icon had already been lit — a steel fortress floating among the clouds.
[Next Phase Objective: Construct the First Floating City.]
[Required Materials: Cornerstone of the Eyrie, Core of the Braavos Titan, and… blessings from more offspring.]
Victor smiled.
"Looks like this is still a physical job."
Early access to upcoming chapters is available on Patreon.
Support the translator and binge ahead! patreon.com/arthursink Means a lot – thank you! ✍️