Primordial Heir: Nine Stars-Chapter 44: Ruler of Flame

ROARRR!

A roar that shook the heavens erupted, unleashing a powerful force aimed at the stars above—something the beast found tantalizing. The force slammed into the first star, the Red star, causing the last chain to struggle but ultimately fail.

Snap!

The chain broke, and the Red star was unlocked. The force attempting to engulf it was repelled, as if another beast had roared in defiance, chasing it away. A dazzling red light enveloped the inner world, resembling a baptism by primordial flame.

Boom!

Brilliance filled Nero’s mind as his soul was drawn into the newly unsealed Red star. The first thing he noticed upon entering this world in his soul form was the oppressive heat; it was excruciatingly hot.

He found himself in a world literally made of magma, where active volcanoes erupted, spewing torrents of molten lava in every direction. The ground was a vast sea of bubbling magma, its surface shimmering with an otherworldly glow, while rivers of fiery lava snaked through the landscape, illuminating the darkened sky with a hellish orange hue. The air was thick with sulfur, and the sound of bubbling lava echoed like distant thunder, creating an atmosphere that was both mesmerizing and terrifying. This was a realm of raw, untamed power—a reflection of the fiery essence of the unlocked star.

Nero marveled at the stunning scenery; to him, it appeared beautiful, evoking a profound sense of nostalgia.

’How strange that I feel this way. It should be my first time here, yet I feel such nostalgia, as if I’m returning home after a long absence,’ he remarked. He also discovered another surprising fact: while he had previously felt the scorching heat, now he felt none of it. On the contrary, he felt comfortable, and being here brought him a happiness so euphoric that it threatened to overwhelm his control over his emotions.

’This is dangerous.’

Nero reined in his feelings, thinking rationally.

’The sensation I’m experiencing must be because I’m being accepted by the Red star.’

Just by standing—no, floating—here, he was being baptized by the flames. Although he had entered in soul form, not only was his soul level being strengthened, but his physical body in the real world was also undergoing a transformation, his strength increasing steadily as impurities were washed away and burned away. Outside, Nero’s body began to be surrounded by a weak orange flame.

’I think jumping into the lava must accelerate this baptism.’ With that absurd thought in mind, he took immediate action and jumped directly into the lava. It felt as if he had entered his mother’s womb, the lava enveloping him in a warm embrace. The sensation was both soothing and exhilarating; it wrapped around him like a soft cocoon, igniting a deep sense of safety and belonging. It was as if the molten embrace was purging him of all his doubts and fears, merging him with the primal essence of this fiery world.

This continued for a while; Nero lost himself in this heavenly sensation when suddenly, from the depths of the sea of magma, something emerged, hurling him out of his blissful state. He froze at the sight of what had risen from the molten sea: a beast he had only read about in legends—a dragon. Yes, standing before him was a gigantic creature, a colossal red dragon with shimmering golden pupils that seemed to hold ancient wisdom and unfathomable power.

The dragon’s scales glistened like polished rubies, reflecting the fiery glow of the magma around them, each scale a masterpiece of nature’s craftsmanship. It had a long, sinuous body that coiled majestically, adorned with sharp, jagged spines lining its back, stretching from its powerful neck down to the tip of its long, whip-like tail. Its wings, vast and imposing, unfurled like a pair of crimson sails, their membranes translucent and veined with threads of gold that caught the light, casting a warm glow around the beast.

The dragon’s head was a marvel in itself, with a pronounced snout and fierce, elongated fangs that jutted menacingly from its mouth, glistening with moisture. Its nostrils flared as it inhaled deeply, revealing a hint of smoke that curled into the air. The golden pupils of its eyes sparkled with an intelligence that was both mesmerizing and intimidating, reflecting an ancient power that had withstood the test of time.

As it surveyed its surroundings, the dragon exuded an aura of dominance, its presence commanding respect and awe. The air around it crackled with energy, a palpable heat radiating from its body, mingling with the molten landscape. This was no ordinary dragon; it was a creature of legend, embodying the very essence of fire and power, a guardian of the depths of the magma sea.

ROARRR!

Its roar, when it finally unleashed it, echoed like thunder, reverberating through the air and shaking the ground beneath Nero’s feet, a clear declaration of its might and majesty.

[Our Child! Thou hast arrived. It seemeth that the time hath come. I, Igneel, creator and ruler of the Law of Flame, do choose thee as mine heir. This time shall be different. I shall grant thee the power to awaken the others. May thy fire never be extinguished, oh heir.]

The resounding voice of the dragon echoed in Nero’s mind, breaking him from his stupor. Although it spoke in an ancient tongue, he somehow understood it. He sensed that he had been swept into something significant; judging by the way the dragon spoke, its existence was anything but simple, shrouded in a vast secret. His desire to uncover this mystery and better understand himself intensified.

He simply nodded before the red primordial dragon, the creator of the Law of Fire, as it dissolved into a red sigil bearing the flame insignia and entered his body. In that instant, a second explosion erupted within Nero’s mind, unleashing a torrent of scenes and information that rushed into his consciousness. At that moment, he couldn’t process it all, but he knew that, given time, he would.