Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 498 : Access to the System of The Origin - DENIED

Victor and Arkanis locked eyes, a palpable tension hanging in the air as if something explosive could happen at any second.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Arkanis broke the silence, his face taut with controlled anger, ”I want to know just how much you know about our Empire.” He paused, his voice dropping lower, almost a growl. ”And more importantly... who the hell are you?”

Victor, unfazed, met Arkanisʼs gaze without flinching. He let the silence linger for a moment longer, purposely heightening the tension, watching as the flicker of irritation crossed Arkanisʼs face. Then, with a faint, amused smile, he replied, ”Oh, I know a great deal about your Empire. More than you might think. Including the little fear youʼre hiding behind that mask of anger.”

Arkanisʼs jaw clenched, his teeth grinding audibly, ”You lowborn filth,” he snarled, ”Iʼm warning you... be careful with your words. The next time you speak to me like that, I wonʼt be sitting still.”

Victor simply ignored the threat as if it were inconsequential, reaching casually for the glass of water on the table.

He drank it slowly, savouring the moment before gargling it, the sound obnoxiously loud in the silence.

Crrckklllccklllkkkk

Arkanisʼs hands trembled, his fingers elongating into sharp claws, a clear sign that he was on the verge of losing control.

Yet, Victor remained annoyingly calm, spitting the gargled water onto the floor with a casual disregard as if the room, this space, meant absolutely nothing to him. He glanced at the mess he made and smirked, ”Ahh... that feels better. Talking crap makes my throat dry.”

BOOMM!!!

The entire table exploded into fragments under the force of Arkanisʼs fist. The impact echoed through the room, splinters of wood scattering across the floor.

Victorʼs expression didnʼt change; he seemed more amused than ever, tilting his head slightly as he observed Arkanis, ”You know,” he said in a calm, almost mocking tone, ”letting your anger take control like this... itʼs going to come back to haunt you. Trust me, youʼll regret it later.”

Arkanis sneered, baring his sharp teeth, ”Regret? You think anger is something to be ashamed of?” He leaned in, his voice a menacing whisper, ”Anger is the only thing that keeps us—The Prideful Dragon—sane. It keeps us rational in a world filled with weaklings like you.”

Victor nodded thoughtfully, ”Oh, is that so? Well, if thatʼs the case, then tell me—what exactly do you want from me?”

Arkanis glared at him, ”I already told you. I want to know how much you truly know about our Empire.... And you will tell me.”

Victor leaned back, feigning boredom, ”I know enough to be dangerous,” he replied smoothly. ”Including the summit, for instance.”

The colour drained from Arkanisʼs face for a brief moment. His confident facade wavered, revealing a flicker of unease, ʼHe knows too much,ʼ Arkanis thought, ʼHeʼs more dangerous than I anticipated... I need to deal with him before itʼs too lateʼ

Meanwhile, Victorʼs thoughts wandered in a different direction, ʼLog... I have one of his horns, donʼt I?ʼ His eyes drifted to Arkanisʼs gleaming, crystal-blue horns, which seemed to glow faintly in the dim light, ʼBut if I already have one of his horns... what are those? Are they real?ʼ

[Yes, theyʼre real, and the one you have is also genuine.]

ʼHuh... shouldnʼt that create some sort of paradox? You know, like in those movies where time goes haywire because two versions of the same thing arenʼt supposed to exist in the same timeline?ʼ Victorʼs brow furrowed in confusion.

[Normally, yes. A paradox would occur. But because of your unique bloodline ability—

Unique Ether

—you can nullify any paradox. Both real versions can coexist in the same reality, but they are considered distinct entities due to your power.]

ʼInteresting,ʼ Victor thought, genuinely surprised. His curiosity piqued, and he pressed further. ʼTell me more about this bloodline ability of mine...ʼ

[Unfortunately, the details of your bloodline cannot be revealed until you reach the peak of your level... or when

The Beginning

begins.]

ʼI see...ʼ Victor mentally filed the information away as he noticed Arkanis beckoning him to follow.

Soon, they arrived at the Throne Room, and Victorʼs eyes widened in surprise.

The room was in ruins.

Walls were cracked, pillars toppled and shattered remnants littered the floor.

Everything seemed destroyed... except for the imposing black throne that sat undisturbed in the centre.

ʼWhat the hell happened here?ʼ Victor wondered as he surveyed the destruction.

”I want you to sit on the throne,” Arkanis demanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Victor raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting this from a prideful Lizard, ”Why would I do that?”

Arkanisʼs expression darkened, and he stepped closer, his voice low and serious. ”Because I donʼt trust you. That throne will show me whether youʼre telling the truth or not.”

Victor stared at him, incredulous. ”What, does it have some sort of magical lie detector built into it or something?”

”Hmm?” Arkanis frowned.

Victor sighed, rubbing his forehead, ʼWell, I guess earning his trust for now is better than creating more problemsʼ Shaking his head, he reluctantly walked toward the throne.

As he got closer, he couldnʼt help but marvel at its intricate design.

It really does look... different. Almost... cool, he thought as his fingers traced over the delicate carvings along the armrest.

He scanned the throne for any hidden traps, his eyes moving with precision.

”What exactly are you doing?” Arkanis asked, his tone laced with mild amusement. ”Afraid Iʼd set a trap for you?”

Finally, with one last glance at Arkanis, Victor sat down on the throne. Unbeknownst to Arkanis, Snowflake slithered stealthily behind the throne, placing two crystal explosive balls under it—just in case things went sideways.

Arkanis grinned slyly as he asked, ”So, how does it feel to sit there?”

Victor shifted his position, trying to find some semblance of comfort. He leaned back on the throne and scowled, ”Itʼs hard... uncomfortable, actually.” He muttered his expression one of irritation, ʼHow the hell does he sit on this iron-like surface every day?!ʼ he thought, trying not to show his frustration.

The Throne was barely comfortable for Victor.

Arkanisʼs smirk widened, ”Thatʼs because youʼre soft! Hahaha...” He snapped his fingers, and suddenly, the throne began to glow. Golden veins appeared, slowly spreading from the base of the throne and snaking their way toward Victorʼs body.

Victor tensed, just about to leap off the throne when he felt something coursing through his veins—an odd sensation, not pain, but rather... calmness. A soothing, almost tranquil feeling washed over him.

Then, unexpectedly,

!~Ding~!

Victor blinked in surprise as a black holographic display materialized before his eyes, glowing faintly.

[Scanning...]

[...]

Enjoy exclusive content from empire

[...]

[...]

[Blood Type: Tier 1 - Crimson Elixir of the Null]

[Bloodline: Tier Primordial - Ether Bloodline (Partially Awakened)]

[New Species: Unnamed One]

[Access to the System of The Origin - DENIED!]

[Ejecting Subject!!]

BOOM!

Without warning, a violent force expelled Victor from the throne, hurling him across the room. Reacting quickly, Victor channelled fire through his hands, propelling himself into mid-air just enough to avoid slamming into the wall. He landed back on the ground, flames dissipating as he straightened himself.

He exhaled sharply, his eyes blazing with irritation as he glared at Arkanis. ”What the hell was that about?!”

Arkanis clicked his tongue, visibly annoyed, ”Tch! Seems like youʼre really not a descendant of the Origin Emperor, after all.”

Victorʼs frown deepened, ”What are you talking about?”

Arkanis shrugged, his earlier smugness fading. ”Look, kid, I canʼt just blindly trust you. What if you were the Origin Emperorʼs descendant, hiding your identity and waiting for the right moment to manipulate or kill me? That throne belongs to the Origin Emperor.

I put you to the test, and If you were his descendant, the system wouldʼve accepted you.”

Victor processed Arkanisʼs words, ”So, you put me on that throne to test if I was connected to the Origin Emperor... Now that you know Iʼm not, do you trust me?”

Arkanis folded his arms, his golden eyes narrowing. ”I trust youʼre not the Origin Emperorʼs descendant, yes. But that doesnʼt mean I trust you entirely. ”

Victor gave a casual shrug, glancing back at the throne, which had returned to its previous, deep black hue, ʼIt knew my bloodline,ʼ he thought to himself, ʼDoes that mean there were others with the same bloodline before me? I need to find out more about this...ʼ

”I will offer you half of our Arcanium Mountains... but in return, I need to know—who is the descendant?” Arkanisʼs voice carried a weight of desperation beneath the offer.

Victor leaned back slightly, a subtle smile tugging at his lips, ”I donʼt need your mountains anymore.”

Arkanisʼs brow furrowed in confusion, ”What? You donʼt want the Arcanium Mountains?”

Victor shook his head, his tone now serious, ”I want to know about the Origin Emperor... or, more specifically, the true history of this Empire.”

Arkanisʼs expression darkened as he mulled over Victorʼs request.

Sharing the Empireʼs past—especially with someone as unpredictable and well-informed as Victor—was perilous.... And Victor clearly knew more than he should already.

The risk was immense!

Yet...

ʼHe only one who knows about the descendant!ʼ Arkanis thought, gritting his teeth. He found himself cornered, forced to make an impossible decision.

Should he risk revealing the truth to this mysterious man who could become a threat? Or... should he take a chance, get the information about the descendant, and finally rid himself of the cursed horns that weighed heavily on his soul?

A tense silence filled the room..... Finally, he made his choice.

”Fine!” Arkanis spat the word, frustration is evident in his voice. ”Iʼll tell you what you want to know about the Empireʼs past.... But thereʼs one condition—youʼll need to sign this contract first.”