The journey to the South became a test of their group's endurance. The air grew hotter, and the ground turned into sharp volcanic rock. They reached the Peak of Draconia, the highest mountain on the continent where the last dragons resided.
"Lord, my blue flames seem timid in this heat," Ignis said, wiping her forehead. "Dragons have natural resistance to fire magic."
"Fire is not what we need here, Ignis," Valerius replied. "We need my sword. The Void Eater is not just a weapon; it's the key to unlocking my true Mana Circuit."
At the mountain's peak, a massive cave opened before them. Inside, surrounded by thousands of gold coins and jewels, was a woman with long black hair, wearing a gown made of golden scales. She was Aurelia, the Dragon Queen. Behind her, stuck in a pile of skulls, was a black sword that seemed to breathe—the Void Eater.
"Valerius von Infernum," Aurelia's voice was like thunder from the depths of her chest. "A millennium has passed, and you return. I thought the Union of Light had succeeded in eradicating your kind."
"Weeds are easy to pull, Aurelia, but the roots remain underground," Valerius said, approaching slowly. "Give me my sword, and I'll let your kind live in peace."
Aurelia laughed, a sound that shook the stalactites from the ceiling.
"Peace? The Union of Light gave me territory and protection in exchange for guarding your sword. Why would I trade that security for a king without a kingdom?"
In an instant, Aurelia transformed. Her skin was covered in golden scales, and her claws became sharp talons. A massive tail swiped at Vorgath, who blocked it with his rock arms.
"VORGATH! IGNIS! STAY OUT OF THIS!" Valerius shouted.
Valerius wanted to assert his authority. If he couldn't subdue a dragon at 15% power, he had no hope of defeating the seven Sages.
Valerius raised his Ring of Despair.
"Aurelia, you've forgotten who gave you the title 'Queen'."
"Domain Expansion: Endless Night!"
The entire cave was enveloped in pure darkness. Even a dragon's keen sight failed. In this darkness, Valerius was everywhere and nowhere.
"COME OUT, COWARD!" Aurelia roared, unleashing Dragon Breath—a blast of golden fire that incinerated everything in its path.
But the fire didn't hit Valerius. He appeared above the dragon's head and pressed his palm to its forehead.
"Soul Bind."
A black chain emerged from Valerius' shadow and wrapped around Aurelia's neck. This chain didn't restrain her body; it restricted her Mana flow.
Aurelia felt her power rapidly draining, sucked by Valerius' ring.
"W-wait... this power..." Aurelia weakened, reverting to human form. "This isn't the Valerius I knew. This darkness is... deeper."
"I learned from my death, Aurelia," Valerius whispered in her ear. "Light has limits, but darkness has no end."
Valerius released the chain. The Dragon Queen knelt before him.
"Forgive me... my King. My loyalty is yours once more."
Valerius walked to the Void Eater. As he grasped the hilt, a surge of black smoke enveloped his body. The sword growled, like a hungry beast reunited with its master.
As he drew the sword, his power jumped from 15% to 30%. His eyes weren't just red; they had black circles in the center—the mark of the True Demon King.
"Lord!" Malphas shouted from outside the cave. "Someone's coming! They're not Sages... they're the Chosen Heroes of the new generation!"
Valerius looked outside. Five youths with glowing armor and weapons stood at the mountain's entrance. In their midst was a young man holding a Holy Grail.
"The ones who killed me before were seasoned warriors," Valerius said, examining his sword's blade. "Now they send mere children? Pitiful."
"Don't underestimate them, Lord," Aurelia warned, standing. "That boy's Grail... it's the Grail of Resurrection. They can rise even if you kill them."
A smile spread across Valerius' lips.
"Then I must kill them quickly, before their Grail can intervene."