Chapter 608: Successor?

Chapter 606

As the torches abruptly lit up the room, Ray quickly raised his hands in front of his face to shield his eyes from the sudden brightness.

After a few seconds of adjusting to the lighting, he slowly lowered his hands and observed his surroundings.

Alas!

This was no ordinary room.

It looked like a throne room of sorts.

The throne room was a vast chamber constructed from dark stone, its walls rising high into the shadows above.

Massive pillars lined both sides of the room, each carved from a single piece of black-grey stone and etched with intricate patterns that seemed to resemble claws, fangs, and twisting beasts.

Faint silver light glimmered within the carvings, barely illuminating the enormous chamber.

At the far end stood a raised platform.

Upon it rested a single imposing chair that bordered on being a throne.

It was enormous, constructed from dark, rugged stone and reinforced with thick metallic edges.

The back rose high above the seat, curving slightly like the spine of some colossal beast, while the armrests ended in carved, claw-like shapes.

The surface was not polished to perfection.

It retained the rough, natural texture of stone, giving it a brutal, primal appearance.

A deep crimson cushion covered the seat, its colour standing out against the darkness of the chamber.

Behind the chair stretched a massive stone wall bearing a single enormous emblem carved deep into its surface.

The entire room carried an oppressive stillness.

There was no warmth here.

No unnecessary decoration.

Only the overwhelming sensation of power, authority, and restrained violence.

Even empty, the chamber felt occupied by something far greater than the ordinary beings who might have entered it.

Ray’s breath hitched at the sight of the throne, while Bruce went silent in his mind, as though thinking about something or perhaps trying to recall a memory.

The Tribrid looked behind him at the Ogre King, who was staring at the throne in awe.

The boy thought for a few moments, his eyes darting from side to side as he remained wary of any threat that might suddenly jump out at him.

But there was none, at least for now.

Nevertheless, he remained cautious, especially after what he had just experienced downstairs at the hands of the Werewolves.

Speaking of the Werewolves, his mind immediately flashed to what Bruce had called them.

’Runts.’

His brows drew together as a conversation he had had with Felix months ago in the Aspirant Corps resurfaced.

According to Felix, ’Runts’ were the weakest in the Werewolf hierarchy.

They were mindless and rabid, almost like beasts.

Everything he had faced today matched Felix’s description.

But something still bothered Ray as he looked around the throne room, searching for any hidden mechanisms.

"Why is this place abandoned? And why is there a throne here? Is this the Alpha’s place?" Ray wondered aloud as he stared directly at the throne.

Inhaling deeply, he took another step forward, then another.

Soon, Ray began approaching the raised platform, his expression calm.

Turning his gaze to the side, he noticed a balcony attached to the room, but that wasn’t what concerned him.

It was the chair.

It seemed as though it was calling him, silently urging him to come closer.

Thanks to the fortification around his mind, he knew it wasn’t a mental attack. So, he continued approaching, a hint of curiosity gleaming in his eyes.

King followed right behind him, just two paces away, with his Warhammer gripped tightly in his grasp. He was ready to defend his "Liege" in case anything unexpected appeared.

Within a few moments, Ray stood before the throne.

His fingers brushed against the armrest while Bruce remained unusually quiet within his mind.

Ray tightened his grip on the armrests and waited.

Nothing happened.

Nothing attacked him, either.

Seeing no immediate reaction, he proceeded to sit down.

The moment he did, however, something finally happened.

His System began flashing before his eyes, causing his brows to knit together in confusion as he read the messages appearing before him.

[Welcome.]

[Seventh Bloodline Authority recognized.]

[Successor detected.]

’Suc-Suc what?!’

His eyes widened in shock as the castle began trembling slightly, as though an earthquake had suddenly struck it.

The throne shook beneath him, and Ray’s eyes flashed a bright yellow as he felt something inside him being tugged at with tremendous force.

He was about to open his mouth to say something when the trembling suddenly stopped.

Abruptly.

A new screen appeared.

[Unknown authority detected.]

[Successor not worthy enough to take control over the Seventh’s Castle.]

’Wha—?!’

[System integrity compromised.]

[Hidden Quest Activated!]

[Quest Details: Are you a Tribrid because of your System, or are you a Tribrid because it is what you are?]

[Quest Description: Prove that you are a Tribrid and that it is part of your strength without the System’s assistance. Only then will you unlock full control over the System, and the castle will be given to you.]

[Restriction protocol activated.]

[Access to System functions restricted.]

[System Access: 25%]

[Bloodline Skills Available: Restricted]

[Echo Registry: Restricted]

[System Functions: Limited]

Ray didn’t know what to say or how to react. Shock after shock kept hitting him, leaving his body trembling in horror.

[Warning: Host needs to make all Tribrid bloodlines his own without the System’s help. Turn the power you have been given into your own and become worthy of the System again.

Prove your worth to the Tribrid System and the Castle, and become its owner. Otherwise, you risk losing the System... forever.]

[Time limit Host has: Three Weeks.]

"What the fuck is going on?!"

.....

Almost at the same time, in another castle, a round table could be seen with six distinct individuals sitting around it.

Two chairs were currently empty.

One stood at the head of the table, while the second was positioned alongside the other six.

At the back of the seventh chair, a small blue flame suddenly ignited.

The six individuals turned their attention towards it, their eyes glowing bright blue in the dimly lit room.

"So... a Successor has appeared, huh? Interesting. After so many decades, why now? And more importantly, who is it?"