The sealed gate did not open.
Instead, it watched.
Aiden could feel it—an immense will pressing against his senses, ancient and proud, wrapped tightly around layers of glowing runes. Heat bled from the cracks in the stone, distorting the air like a mirage, yet the gate remained unmoving.
As if waiting.
The hunters gathered at a cautious distance. No one dared approach the gate without orders now.
All eyes were on Aiden.
The realization settled over him slowly, like armor locking into place.
They were waiting for him to decide.
Lina broke the silence first. "This wasn't listed in the dungeon report," she said quietly. "A sealed structure this old… it shouldn't even exist in a B-class gate."
"It doesn't," Aiden replied.
Her gaze snapped to him. "What?"
"This dungeon was downgraded," he continued calmly. "The seal suppressed its true rank."
A murmur rippled through the group.
"That's impossible," a mage muttered. "Dungeon classifications don't change."
Aiden looked at the gate again.
"They do when something inside is too dangerous to be released."
The Beast Archive pulsed sharply.
[Ignis Draconia — Suppression Confirmed.][Original Dungeon Rank: Dragon-Class Cataclysm.]
Aiden felt a chill crawl up his spine.
So this wasn't just a summoning site.
It was a prison.
Lina exhaled slowly. "If that seal breaks…"
"It won't," Aiden said.
She studied him. "How can you be sure?"
"Because it isn't reacting to brute force," he replied. "It's reacting to me."
The system chimed.
[Conquest System Alert.][Summoning Trial Stage One Unlocked.]
A new interface unfolded before his eyes, far more detailed than anything he had seen so far.
[Trial Name: Authority Recognition]Objective:Establish dominance through acknowledged bonds.
Conditions:• Complete 3 Female Conquest Missions• Bonds must be voluntary• No coercion, violence, or deception
Current Progress:1 / 3
Aiden's lips curved faintly.
"So that's the rule."
Power through consent.
Dominance through choice.
Ignis Draconia wasn't testing his strength.
She was testing his authority.
Behind him, a sharp gasp echoed.
Lina staggered slightly, one hand pressing against her temple.
"Lina?" Aiden asked instantly.
She shook her head. "I'm fine… I just—"
Her voice faltered.
"I heard something," she admitted. "A voice. Like fire scraping stone."
The system chimed again.
[Compatible Target Detected.][Emotional Resonance: High.]
Aiden's expression remained calm, but his mind sharpened.
So the dungeon wasn't just responding to him.
It was reacting to those connected to him.
"Sit down," he said gently.
Lina frowned. "I don't need—"
"That's not a suggestion."
She paused.
Then, surprisingly, she obeyed—lowering herself onto a fallen slab of stone.
The hunters exchanged glances.
Since when did a B-rank squad leader listen to an F-rank without question?
Aiden knelt in front of her, keeping a respectful distance.
"What you heard," he said quietly, "was a sealed entity reaching out. That only happens when compatibility exists."
Her eyes widened slightly. "Compatibility… with that thing?"
"With power," Aiden corrected.
The system chimed softly.
[Mission Available: Conquest Mission #2]
Objective:Stabilize a compatible target experiencing external influence.
Conditions:• Maintain calm authority• Establish emotional trust• Target must acknowledge you as a point of stability
Reward:• +15 All Stats• Bloodline Release +2%• Beast Archive Progress +20%
Aiden took a slow breath.
This wasn't about charm.
It wasn't about temptation.
It was about presence.
He met Lina's gaze steadily.
"Listen to me," he said. "The voice isn't trying to hurt you. It's testing your reaction. Don't resist it—anchor yourself."
Her jaw tightened. "Easy for you to say."
Aiden smiled faintly. "You're right."
Then he leaned closer, lowering his voice.
"But you're not alone in this dungeon."
Something in his tone shifted.
Not commanding.
Not pleading.
Certain.
Lina's breathing slowed unconsciously.
The tremor in her hands eased.
"I… can still hear it," she whispered.
"What does it say?"
Her brows furrowed. "It keeps asking… why I'm following you."
The system pulsed.
Aiden didn't hesitate.
"Because you trust me," he said.
Silence.
The dungeon seemed to hold its breath.
Lina looked up at him.
Really looked.
Not as an F-rank.
Not as the son of a legend.
But as the man standing calmly between her and something ancient enough to shatter her mind.
"…Yes," she said quietly. "I do."
The system rang clear and sharp.
[Conquest Mission #2 Complete.]
Power surged through Aiden's body—stronger than before.
His muscles tightened, mana flowing smoothly through channels that had never existed until now. The oppressive heat of the dungeon faded another notch, bending away from him instinctively.
[All Stats Increased by +15.][Bloodline Release: 7%][Beast Archive Progress: 70%]
The sealed gate cracked further.
A thin line of molten light bled through, spilling heat across the chamber.
A voice echoed—no longer just in Aiden's mind.
"Two bonds acknowledged," it said."One remains."
The hunters backed away in fear.
"That voice—" someone whispered. "We can hear it."
Lina stood slowly, steadier now.
She looked at Aiden, her expression complicated.
"…You knew this would happen."
"I suspected," he admitted.
She shook her head, then laughed quietly. "You're insane."
"Probably."
But she didn't step away.
That mattered.
The system interface updated.
[Summoning Trial Status:]2 / 3 Conquest Missions Complete
Aiden turned toward the gate.
One more.
One more bond.
And the dragon sealed by his father would finally step into the world again.
Not as a conquered beast.
But as a being who chose to stand with him.
Somewhere beyond the seal, Ignis Draconia laughed softly—deep, pleased, and dangerous.
"Very well, Blackwood's son," her voice echoed."Show me the final proof."
Aiden clenched his fist.
He was ready.