Serum

After staring at the two moons below him for a while, Pandora pulled Dirk along. The two entered a building and then emerged onto a street. Around them was another city, only much smaller. Dirk also felt the gravity get stronger. When he looked up, he peered into the abyss.

"Is this another city?"

"It is. This city is much smaller though. The deeper you go into the hole, the stronger the spatial repulsion gets. Nobody has been able to build a structure that extends more than 150 meters downward. So most buildings are short, and nobody with a weak body can live here long term without hurting themselves. But it's great for the powerful people. Body refiners become stronger after training here, and the place is thick with dark mana, allowing dark mages to naturally comprehend the element faster. It would be fantastic for you to live here since you're both of those things."

"Mm... What are those lights though?"

Dirk pointed toward some bright lights in the sky, or, in the hole. They reached much higher than the buildings and looked like stars. 

"Those are levitation discs. We shoot spatial power at them from a device on the ground and make them float against the repulsion. There are contests to see who can make theirs float the highest."

"Is that it?"

"Of course not. In order to make them float so high and against so much power, everyone has to refine their manipulation of the dark element and spatial power. Those levitation discs are the foundation for most of the spatial devices we use throughout the Dark Kingdom. Countless advancements have been made in magic, enchanting, and technology from those little discs alone. So don't think they're just pretty little lights, although, the lights were put there to make them look like stars. But you get the point."

Pandora spoke a bit smugly, proud of her accomplished empire. 

Dirk nodded while looking at the dozens of little lights up above. Pandora hummed a bit as they walked before glancing at the side of Dirk's face. Specifically his neck where the blood pact was formed. 

The mark that was left was a bit smaller than a palm. It was a deep red that flowed with power. There were a pair of large reptilian wings, and above these wings sat an eye and chains. It was the royal mark of the Dark Kingdom, one that nobody would carelessly bear in the open and nobody would falsely claim to truly possess. 

One might think that getting their hands on a royal seal was good fortune. But all empires and kingdoms enforced brutal punishment upon those who would dare sully or forge their seal. Therefore, the shape of the seal was well known among all, yet it was rare to actually see a genuine mark. When one saw this seal, they knew they were in the presence of royalty. 

Now, both Dirk and Pandora bore this mark on their necks. Pandora didn't need to worry about such things. She was royalty anyway, and incredibly famous. But Dirk wasn't, and now he walked in the open with it. Not to say that he was in danger, but his status was affected massively with this single mark. 

"...At least it doesn't look bad on you."

"The tattoo? I still think it would have been better on my forearm."

"Sorry. Your blood was just too delicious. Seriously, I've never tasted such luscious blood in all my life, and I've been fed the best. What's up with that?"

"...My blood has been enhanced several times over. I'm an anima trainer as you discovered, and my mana cultivation technique infuses mana throughout my blood. Then there was an accident that genetically altered my blood to supposedly that of a dragon's, or something close to it. I knew that my blood would taste good to vampires, so I intended to keep it hidden. But..."

"I got to it first!"

Pandora cheered as if accomplished. At the same time, she was a bit surprised. Not just by all the different things that enhanced his blood, but the fact that he told her. 

Dirk smirked when he saw her happiness. He didn't have a problem revealing this information since they would be revealing a lot more to each other soon. While he was cautious of her, he also wanted to work with her. She was smart, and although she had her own goals, he had his own too. If he could use her to find and take down Asura, then he was willing to reveal as much as necessary. Besides, there wasn't much she could do with this information. Just because one told you their strengths didn't mean you could find their weakness. 

But there was another reason Dirk told her. Though, he didn't like it. 

'I feel too... drawn to her. Like she's attractive or something. Well, she is... but she's black on the inside. It's that soul connection.'

Dirk could feel it deep inside him. There was that string between their souls. Before, they were separated by entire empires, so the string was weak. But now, as she was linked arms with him, it was as strong as it could get. Dirk was feeling drawn in, and no doubt she was to him. But it nonetheless messed with his head. He felt like his mind would be clouded if he let his guard down. 

But it still had its subconscious effect. Dirk was feeling more open, more willing to speak to her. She felt familiar, and combined with her new princess self, she was like a beautiful partner. 

But Dirk was uncomfortable with this closeness. He actively reminded himself of who she was. He couldn't just spill all his secrets. 

"Hey."

Suddenly, Pandora nudged his side. He looked over, seeing her flushed face. 

"Can I... get more blood?"

"My blood isn't limitless, you know."

"But... but it's so good! Just a bit! I'll be sure to get you some foods rich in nutrients and mana. You'll regenerate your blood in no time."

"I refuse to be your blood bag."

"It's not like that! And I wanted to make the blood pact more than just a symbolic bond, but you didn't like that."

"I know. I saw the quick change."

Dirk had a small grin. He had detected that addition, but she quickly got rid of it when she sensed his displeasure. 

"That thing you didn't like would allow me to rely on the vitality in your blood and empower myself. It would also be less detrimental to you. If we had that, then I would be more than just some leech who enjoys the... succulent waves of taste your blood gives me."

Pandora shivered a little when she remembered that taste. It was more than just taste. She felt it through her entire body, the pure and bountiful vitality in that blood. It filled her mind and body with ecstasy. It was truly delectable. 

That's why she suddenly added that other pact to the mark. 

Dirk looked at her weirdly. 

"I thought you just got the vitality from the blood anyway? Why do you need a pact for it?"

"Because drinking blood normally is just a shallow exchange of shallow vitality. Vampires aren't just parasites, Dirk. We don't just take. With a true Blood Pact, a vampire can stimulate the vitality of their partner, as well as their own. Then, they can compound off of each other."

"...I don't get how that can help me."

"Uh, well, then I'll use a weird metaphor. You know that sex makes babies."

"Sex? What's that?"

"Shut up. Anyway, when two people have sex and conceive a baby, life is created. In this magical world, it starts the process of combining the vitality of two different people and making something more. Two sources of vitality compound off each other. It's the same thing with a Blood Pact. I drink your blood, and the rivers of our vitality interact. This results in mutual benefit, but I will say, the vampire doing the drinking does in fact get more. Still, you would at least get something out of it. There's only one downside though."

"What is it?"

"The vampire becomes... reliant."

Pandora's previously smiling face turned a little darker. 

"The vampire can only interact with the vitality of the one they have a Blood Pact with. Over time, their vitalities become more intertwined, and at some point, the vampire can no longer engage in such interactions with anyone else. This is actually the reason that vampires mate for life. Two vampires who constantly combine their vitality become dependent on each other, leading to an irreversibly strong bond. It also means they're careful of those they choose to make a Blood Pact with. If one dies or they separate, it can be incredibly debilitating."

"...Interesting."

Dirk was shocked at this new information. He didn't realize they had such powers. It was actually rather amazing that they could just naturally do this. 

"...But why would you make one with me then?"

If it was such a big decision, why would Pandora make one with him? She wasn't that crazy. Right?

She smiled. 

"Luckily, there are Blood Pacts of different types and strengths. The one I wanted to form was a more parasitic one that would take more vitality than we combined. It would provide only a little benefit to you and a good amount to me, making the blood more effective for me while not making me reliant. Besides, forming even a full Blood Pact with you wouldn't be such a bad idea."

"Why's that?"

"Because I don't believe it's possible for you to die. You're too tenacious. Not even I could kill you, and believe me, I really wanted to for a long time."

"You actually did in the end."

"No. Your soul is the same. Not true death. Anyway, I'm not more confident in anybody's ability to survive than yours, even in this new world. Forming a Blood Pact with you wouldn't be a bad decision. And of course, you would have the purest vampire as your partner, so it couldn't be better for you."

She smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He frowned as her deep red eyes bored into his magical gaze. He shouldn't be so comfortable with this. 

She whispered as she got close.

"So anyway... how about a little bite?"

"..."

Dirk remained silent, but in his hesitation, she moved in. He felt a small pinch where the mark was. 

Pandora let the blood flow, like a small stream of red wine down his neck. Dirk got goosebumps as her tongue and lips enjoyed every drop of blood they could. Added to the fact that her entire body was pressed against him, and they looked like two lovers getting too cozy in the middle of the street. 

Pandora was obviously heated as she pushed even deeper, and Dirk couldn't help himself either. But as if showing off his inhuman willpower, he eventually grabbed her and peeled her off his body. She looked devastated as her bite mark healed within a couple seconds. 

"I... I'm not your food, dammit."

Dirk cursed as he growled at her. After taking her mind off the heavenly taste and euphoria of Dirk's blood, she smiled a bit. His rough breath and narrowed brows painted a dangerous picture. 

"Oh my. Are you going to take me right here? The princess of the Dark Kingdom was just voraciously sucking your blood, and you felt every inch of her goods. You want to rip my clothes off? You could take me right in that alleyway, and I'm not sure if I would stop you. I must admit, being together with you, being close to you, sucking your blood like that... It's truly pleasurable!"

*Click*

Suddenly, as Pandora was making her way into Dirk's arms again, she froze. A cold barrel placed itself under her chin. She felt Dirk's aura that was just as cold as the barrel.

"Back off."

"..."

"I don't know if it's the soul bond we have or some kind of subtle magic you're using, but I'm getting a bit too comfortable with you for my liking. Don't think I've forgotten who you are."

"...Sorry."

Pandora stepped back as Dirk pressed his gun a bit more. He was slightly surprised as she looked genuinely apologetic. 

"I guess now is a good time to tell you one of my skills, something I was given upon my rebirth. Temptation. A Grade 7 skill that acts passively, for the most part. It does exactly as it says and draws people toward me, or more like makes them bend to my will. For handling politicians and merchants, it's a great tool. But it's not so good for situations like this."

"So you were using magic."

"Hey, I can't fully control it! Believe me, it used to be much worse!"

"..."

Dirk frowned as she shouted back. Eventually, he put away the gun.

"Fine. Now I know to keep my guard up."

"Hey, the fact that you were able to pull yourself out means it has limited effect on you. You might have been a little entranced, but it was only temporary. Trust me, people who get entranced don't recover like that. But your mind is abnormally strong. Along with your Pure Soul, I can't do anything to you."

"...I'll decide whether or not to trust your passive power."

"Suit yourself."

With a small huff, Pandora turned and walked past Dirk. He turned and followed. 

"Anyway, this is the undercity of the capital. Since we'll be working together now, I suggest you find a way to stay here so you could train. I noticed that your magical strength is small. You aren't even Tier 4 yet."

"I was unable to cultivate mana for a couple years."

"Why?"

"I'll tell you later."

Dirk didn't answer. Pandora didn't push, just leading Dirk back the way they came to cross over to the upper city. 

"Well, I've got nigh unlimited resources to help cultivate. Along with good food, I'll give you what you ne-"

*Rumble!*

Interrupting Pandora, the two suddenly felt the ground shake. Dirk also felt the dark mana all around him become incredibly volatile. It was almost going berserk. 

Pandora smiled.

"It's coming! Quick, let's get into the sky!"

"What? What's coming?"

"The Dark Dragon!"

She smiled as she pulled him along. Like that, the two jumped back into the hole, only to be launched upward by the spatial repulsion. 

Dirk could hear massive chains clanging together. They were the chains that anchored the city above the hole. The dark mana really was getting wild. 

Pandora and Dirk arrived back in the spire, exiting before jumping into the air. They could see the two moons that were now at the top of the sky. 

"There are 6 Primordial Dragons, and those 6 dragons are basically gods of their element. They have their 6 dungeons, known as the Ancient Lairs. Under those Ancient Lairs are the Major and Lesser dungeons. Lesser dungeons are where people like students fight in. Major dungeons are home to the truly powerful monsters. But the Ancient Lairs... those house the Primordial Dragons."

"...Don't tell me-"

"This city sits right on top of the Ancient Lair of Darkness, the home of the Primordial Dragon of Darkness. That endless abyss below us is the entrance. And every year, at midnight on this very day, the Primordial Dragon himself emerges from his lair to grace the world with his presence."

Pandora was wondrous as she flew with Dirk in the air. Before Dirk could even be surprised, his mind was shaken.

Roar!!

It wasn't a sound that one heard with their ears. The roar pierced into everyone's minds, though it didn't hurt. Everyone around Pandora and Dirk turned their gazes downward.

Dirk didn't have normal vision, so everything was seen either through mana or in black and white. Still, in his mana vision, he could suddenly see it as if looking through the massive city below. 

An enormous being, one so amazingly powerful and grand that people with lesser minds began to bow in awe. This being of darkness, one that was different from Eldritch Primordial, shot out of the endless abyss below and into the sky. 

Its body was far larger than the city itself, its mere head able to swallow it whole. It was like it had been curled up within that 6 mile wide hole, revealing a body that was at least 50 miles long and ethereal. It soared through the city, into the sky, and across the lands, its body stretching across the black horizon. 

It was a dragon, with four massive clawed legs, wings that covered the sky, a barbed tail that could sweep over valleys, and a scaled body that radiated the power of darkness. Dirk had to lift his head and spin his body around to see the entire being that was both majestic beyond words and horrifyingly menacing.

After bringing its body out into the world, the dragon opened its deep red eyes. Its massive head loomed over the city, seeing through its inhabitants in but a moment. For the residents of this capital city, they had seen this many times before, and everyone cheered the arrival of the great Dark Dragon. 

But Dirk could barely move. This was because he felt the dragon's gaze focus on him. Dirk was terrified at the unfathomable power within that dragon. He could almost see and feel the dragon's heart beating in its chest, causing the dark mana heart within Dirk to beat in synchronous. 

Pandora, on the other hand, met this gaze directly. For her, this also wasn't the first time she had seen the Dark Dragon. In her 16 years of life, she had seen it 15 times before, every single year. 

"Dark Dragon Primordial!"

Suddenly, everyone heard a voice. They looked up and saw the Vampire Queen, and she floated closer to the dragon's head. Her voice was respectful, containing awe and reverence. She even bowed, but before this massive and godly being, that was understandable. 

But the Dark Dragon didn't look at her. It kept its gaze on Dirk. 

{Eldritch Primordial!!}

"What?"

Pandora was shocked when she heard the Dark Dragon speak. At the same time, Eldritch Primordial, the one who stuck near Dirk's soul and fought him for domain over the dark element, narrowed its abyssal eyes. 

Dirk felt like he could see the Dark Dragon smile. He didn't know what to do. In fact, there was nothing he could do. He didn't even know what was going on. 

The Dark Dragon's smile widened. 

{Yes... Yes! You, who is named Dirk Strider! You have a Pure Soul, a Golden Soul of discipline and Order! Yet, you wield the Dark Element of Chaos, your opposite!

{Eldritch Primordial! You have made contact with and attached yourself to this Pure Soul in an attempt to attain a vessel! You have even allowed this soul to obtain Source Mana! You wish to lure him!

{You are emerging into the world once more! This violates our Covenant! You have violated the Covenant, that which has stood for countless millennia! I call upon Primordial Light!}

<I am here.>

Suddenly, Dirk heard the System itself speak. It was the same System that gave them their Profile and Skills. And it was actually speaking.

{Primordial Dragon of Light! What is your judgment?!}

<...I have also violated the Covenant. I have attached myself to and assisted the girl known as Pandora Vanadis, she who has a Grey Soul of Chaos yet wields the Light Element of Order. There are now two counts of violation.>

{Hehe... Hahahaha!}

The Dark Dragon roared in laughter, shaking Dirk's mind. 

{Then this is it! The Covenant has been broken! Peace shall be no longer! The denizens of the Gods and Dragons shall rage! The Elements shall reign free! Hear me, Eldritch Primordial, and Sovereign Divine!}

The dragon rose high into the sky, looking toward the two moons beyond the world. Before, the people below couldn't hear, but now, they could hear the words the dragon spoke clearly.

{He who heralds Calamity has finally arrived! She who heralds revolution has finally arrived! War Cataclysma... shall rage once again!!}

*Roar!!!*

The Dark Dragon shook the world with its declaration. At the same time, Dirk's soul trembled uncontrollably.

The night of fate had arrived.