Blood pooled in the cratered earth. The rebels lay broken, breathless, trembling as Rin stepped closer,his eyes glinting with cruel satisfaction. His fists were soaked, his robes torn, his expression a mask of rage barely held together by logic.
"You thought you could kill me?" Rin's voice was calm,almost eerily so. "You thought you were so much stronger than me?"
The first rebel pleaded, "We had no choice!"
"You always have a choice," Rin replied, stomping his boot down. A sickening crunch echoed. "You chose the wrong one."
Without hesitation, Rin grabbed the second rebel by the jaw, lifting him with one hand as if he weighed nothing.
"Tell Kaelion something," he sneered. "Tell him I'm just getting started."
The man choked out blood. "You'll… you'll burn—"
"You're right," Rin cut in, his tail igniting in black flames. "Let me show you how."
A roar of flame burst forward. The man's screams were drowned in the blaze. Nothing but a charred husk dropped to the ground.
Rin turned to the remaining two rebels,paralyzed by fear.
"Run? Beg? Fight? It doesn't matter," he said, stretching his arms mockingly. "This isn't a battle. This is a stage. And you're props."
He finished them in seconds. His movements were efficient, cold, and unmerciful. Each kill fed the system with a satisfying ding.
> [Tyrant Path Points +18,000]
[Cumulative: 303,000/300,000]
[Bloodline Purity: 45% Reached]
Rin's breath hitched. A wave of heat pulsed through his veins. His skin shimmered faintly with draconic luster, bones cracking, muscles rippling. The system's voice echoed in his mind:
He closed his eyes, savoring the power, before turning to the last one,the female guard. Her legs twitched; she could barely breathe.
He walked to her slowly, a predator with time to kill.
"You… are pathetic," he said.
She stared up at him, blood leaking from her lips. "I had… orders…"
"I know. I just don't care."
His tail slithered around her throat. Her eyes widened.
"What is Kaelion's plans?" Rin asked.
Silence.
The tail tightened.
"tell me."
Still nothing.
Black flames surged down the tail, scalding her skin.
"I can give you mercy," Rin said, softly. "But not for free."
She opened her mouth. Blood came out,but no words.
Finally, she whispered, "... Lord… I'm sorry… I'm… useless…"she thought of kaelion.
" A loyal dog.Die," Rin said coldly.
Crack.
Her head tore from her shoulders, flung like a discarded fruit.
Rin stood still as her body slumped. He didn't blink. He didn't flinch. The wind howled around him, but no one breathed.
Except one.
"...Hahaha… you're… truly terrifying…" came a weak voice.
Rin turned to find Dren, barely conscious, leaning on a rock. His face bruised, eyes bloodshot, lips cracked,but smiling.
"You're alive," Rin muttered. "Impressive."
"You're… insane," Dren coughed. "But formidable."
Rin walked toward him slowly. "You've got two options. Die here. Or become my right wing."
Dren blinked. "What?"
"You heard me," Rin said. "Serve me. Be my shadow. My sword."
The battered warrior stared. Becoming the right wing of a Solas prince… was a dream for even nobles. He was a commoner. An ex-general. Forgotten, cast aside.
Each prince had one or two wings so dren was surprised rin chose him.
Rin's voice cut the silence. "You've got ten seconds."
"I…" Dren swallowed his blood. "I accept."
He immediately forgot that rin is the reas5he is like this.
Rin's tail whipped forward and jabbed into Dren's neck. A single drop of silver-red blood entered his veins.
Dren screamed. Then laughed. Light burst from him, burning silver and blinding.
> [Bloodline Mutation Detected…]
[Draconic Purity: 75% → 77%]
[Loyalty Imprint: Successful]
Dren collapsed, panting, glowing, alive with power he hadn't felt in years.
He dropped to one knee. "Dren welcomes his Emperor."
Rin found it a waste to kill everyone here,he wanted a strong ally. So whether Dren agreed or not, he would force him. He asked him because he wanted Dren to feel like he had a choice. If this had been before Dren got injured, Rin wouldn't have been able to control him. But now that he was wounded, Rin could control him ,even if he recovered.
Rin smiled.
The tyrant now had a right wing.
And soon, the world would know.