Early morning, the sky was a dim, slate gray.
Lucas stood at the window of his cramped dormitory, holding a single backpack. There wasn't much to pack. He had no parents, no lingering attachments. The only things that mattered were the system bound to his soul and the Abyssal Dragon Empress hiding in his shadow.
He placed the dorm key on the table.
"Goodbye, Azure City. Thank you for the pain, it made me stronger."
Lucas turned around and left without a second look.
...
[Central Grand Station]
The station was an architectural marvel, mixing futuristic steel structures with glowing blue mana runes. Above them, massive Mana-Airships hovered, and on the ground, high-speed Maglev trains prepared for cross-country journeys.
"Passengers boarding for the Capital, Arcadia, please proceed to Platform 1. VIP passengers, please enter through the Express Lane."
Lucas swiped his new Hunter Card at the VIP lane. He didn't mind spending money now.
Arcadia—the Capital. That was where the top S-rank academies, the giant guild headquarters, and the true dangers resided.
More importantly, that was where he would find the multi-million-dollar resources to evolve Seraphina again.
Inside the VIP compartment of the train, it was incredibly luxurious. White leather seats, self-serving gourmet tables, and soundproof enchanted windows.
"Wow," Lucas sank into the soft seat.
Swoosh.
As soon as the compartment door closed, Seraphina manifested out of the shadows.
Because she had absorbed new energies, she was getting bolder. Instead of taking the seat opposite Lucas, she elegantly climbed over and sat directly on Lucas's lap.
Her heavy weight was perfectly supported by her own levitation magic, but Lucas could still feel the breathtaking curves pressed against him.
"Master, the journey is eight hours," she whispered, her golden eyes scanning his lips. "It is very private in here. How should we pass the time?"
Lucas's throat went dry. Having an SSS-Rank Waifu teasing him daily was truly a test of his mental fortitude.
"Ahem. Behave. Rest up," Lucas coughed, trying to look out the window. "Once we reach the Capital, we won't have time to relax."
Seraphina pouted slightly but obeyed. She rested her head on his shoulder, intertwining her pale fingers with his.
As the train began to accelerate out of the city, a harsh, unwelcome voice broke the tranquility from the aisle outside the compartment.
"Hey, conductor! Are you telling me the entire VIP cabin is full? I am Leo Vance, heir of the Silver Dragon Guild! Kick whoever is inside out! I'll pay triple!"
A moment later, the electronic door to Lucas's compartment buzzed, and someone violently punched the access panel.
"System override! Emergency unlock!" The guy outside used a tool to pry the door open.
A young man with blonde hair and expensive enchanted armor stood there. Behind him was an apologetic, terrified conductor.
Leo Vance looked at the casually dressed Lucas and scoffed. "Hey, peasant. Five thousand dollars. Take the economy seat."
Lucas looked up, his expression unbothered. Seraphina was instantly dissolved into the shadow so as not to cause unnecessary public chaos.
Lucas tilted his head. "And if I don't?"
"Don't? Haha!" Leo released his aura. A fiery-red energy burst out. "Level 7 Fire Mage! Top seed from Red Rock City. You are testing my patience, kid."
Just as Leo stepped forward, ready to use violence, he suddenly froze.
His breathing stopped.
A monstrous, invisible gravity suddenly crushed down on the entire compartment.
[Passive Skill: Conqueror's Aura + Monarch's Domain combined pressure]
It wasn't magic. It was a suffocating pressure coming from Lucas's calm eyes.
In Leo's vision, the teenager in front of him wasn't human. Behind Lucas, the shadow on the floor writhed, morphing into a gargantuan, monstrous jaw ready to swallow his soul.
"Y-You..."
Leo's legs turned to jelly.
Plop.
He sat on the floor, sweat pouring down his face, completely humiliated in front of the conductor.
"Conductor," Lucas said politely, sipping his water. "Please clean the trash out of my compartment. I prefer a quiet trip."
The conductor hastily dragged the shivering Leo out and locked the door tight.
Lucas closed his eyes.
Arcadia Capital... This place seems to have a lot of 'experience points' waiting to be harvested.
The train sped off into the horizon.
[Volume 1: The Azure City Awakening] - COMPLETED.
[Volume 2: Capital Storms] - COMMENCING!