Across the land, enormous pillars shimmering with a bloody light stood proudly.

He extended his "tendrils" to touch the pillars, just as he did last time. This time, he chose one of the larger ones... and this time, he succeeded.

He saw a bustling marketplace where an elegantly dressed gentleman suddenly shuddered and looked up at the sky.

Then, the gentleman murmured, "The shadow of the hunt... no, such a colossal blood shadow... Even the Golden Tier of the Blood Faction is nothing compared to this."

"Could it be..." His expression froze, like a believer who had just seen a Demon. "The Blood God?"

’Blood God?’

The question arose in Baron’s mind as he tried to see and hear more clearly.

"Lord Blood God... have you awakened?" the gentleman said, trembling. "If you have any instructions, you may command me, your loyal believer, Ramas."

Before Baron could hear what he said next, the images and words suddenly faded away.

The black shadow he had become retracted back into his body.

A piercing, fiery pain seared through his nerves.

The pain was so intense he felt he was about to die... He could only gasp for air, his mouth and throat parched.

Something warm and moist wet his lips.

’Water... who’s giving me water... It’s not cold, but warm.’

The fire burning inside his body was extinguished by this warm water.

’Who... who is giving me water... so warm, so sweet... It tastes like the spring rain on my lips from when I’d walk to school, backpack on, no umbrella, just jumping and running through the streets with my friends.’

His heartbeat, his heartbeat was getting faster and faster... It was as if a little man was beating a drum inside him.

He heard the rustle of footsteps nearby. ’Is that you? Did you save me?’

He slowly opened his eyes and saw a face gradually coming into focus in the sunlight.

Carmen Ray Dragoon, the Dragon Witch despised by everyone on the Inner Side, had slit her wrist and held it to his mouth, her expression unchanging as he greedily drank her blood.

Baron was suddenly terrified.

He didn’t even know what he was afraid of.

Perhaps it was because a Witch was feeding him her blood, and he suspected it might contain some kind of curse.

Perhaps he was afraid that if they stayed here, Silver Wizard Fei would soon catch up, and if he saw this, there would be no way to explain it.

Or maybe... he was simply afraid of the Witch.

"I..." Baron said. "Am I still alive?"

"You are alive, Constantine," the Witch said. "This is our deal. I have given you my blood. Congratulations, you have achieved your goal. You have become a Bronze Tier Dragon Knight."

She still looked haggard, but color was slowly returning to her face. Her features remained graceful, carrying a pride that was uniquely hers.

In the twilight of the setting sun, half her face was burnished gold and the other half was gray. Beneath her red dress, her figure was still exquisite, her slender curves holding a captivating allure.

But her eyes were as mysterious and noble as ever, a labyrinth no one could enter; those who tried would only get lost.

But Baron could faintly discern intricate and complex threads hidden within.

"A Bronze Tier Dragon Knight... I made it through life and death just like that?"

’The Red Dragon’s acknowledgment, the Witch’s blood, a trial between life and death... ahem, all the requirements for the Bronze Tier promotion ceremony are indeed met.’

’But is it really this... perfunctory? Did I just ascend to the Bronze Tier that I’ve been obsessing over, just like that? Logically, shouldn’t there have been an outward burst of domineering aura and a world-altering phenomenon? Why do I just feel so weak that an ant could judo-throw me?’

Baron pushed himself up from the grass, only to find his heart was still racing wildly. The little man wasn’t just beating a drum; he was throwing a party in his chest!

But at the same time, he also heard a faint heartbeat. It wasn’t as frantic as his own, but slow and steady.

His gaze subconsciously fell on the Witch’s full chest, and he only averted his eyes sheepishly after she shot him a glare.

Carmen’s gaze was complex. She placed a scarred hand on her chest, the words seeming to have been weighed on her tongue for a long time.

"We may have formed a Blood Covenant. From now on, neither of us can harm the other, and our Destinies are bound together, just like yours and the Red Dragon’s."

"A Blood Covenant?"

Baron looked confused.

’It sounds like a contract, but the problem is, I don’t even know when I entered into it.’

The Witch’s tone was calm. "It was not my will, but the Red Dragon’s. It chose you... or to be more precise, its soul chose you."

"Did you hear my heartbeat? This isn’t because I have some other feelings for you, but because I can perceive your situation, just as your heartbeat allows you to perceive mine... If you want to stop hearing it, it’s simple. Just stop your own heart from beating."

’So, the only way to stop hearing it is to kill myself, huh.’

"I understand," Baron said. "It’s the blood. It’s because I drank your... that is, KK’s blood last night. It must have created some kind of link between us, allowing me to sense your situation."

"And you can hear my heartbeat because you drank my blood. Since I’m still in a weakened state, I can hear your heartbeat too..."

Baron understood instantly.

’So this heartbeat is like an early warning system. If the Witch is in life-threatening danger, my heart will suddenly race, and vice versa. She can sense my situation the same way.’

’What’s with this strange bond? Or does the Red Dragon just have a twisted sense of humor?’

Having figured this out, Baron felt this new connection could actually help him better distinguish the Witch’s malice from her goodwill. He offered a weak but genuine smile.

"Thank you."

The Witch froze for a moment, then suddenly looked down at her arm. The red scales were already beginning to slowly fade, leaving behind a faint red mark. The pain that had burned like molten magma from the earth’s core was also gone.

Carmen was silent for a long time before saying, "You saved my life this time. I owe you one."

But Baron didn’t answer. Instead, he suddenly got to his feet, his gaze fixed gravely on something in the distance.

The sun cast long shadows. In the place where Gawain had fought, the Undead Knight stood, a Giant Sword on his back.

All he could say was that Silver Wizard Fei’s combat prowess was truly on a different level than Baron’s at his current stage.

The Undead Knight’s Armor was cracked all over, revealing the pitch-black interior. A black, burl-like fluid dripped out, carrying the stench of decay.

The Knight’s Face Armor had also fallen off, revealing a scarred but still handsome face, its strong features visible in the gloom.

"The aura of the Immortal Law..." Baron said. "He appeared in Prole because he was tainted by the Immortal Law."

"No, it’s not just the Immortal Law. He has the Red Dragon Aura on him..." Carmen’s gaze was also grave.

Baron’s nostrils twitched. There was indeed a warm scent, very similar to Carmen’s.

’Could this be the Red Dragon Aura?’

Before, all of this had been contained by his armor, but now that the armor was shattered, it was all revealed.

Baron watched the Undead Knight walk toward him step by step. The wounds where pieces of armor had peeled away showed scorched marks.

"His cause of death was probably Fire... but the Dragon Flame had no effect on him last time."

He snapped his fingers. A Dragon Flame, more ferocious than before, danced around him. But upon closer inspection, it wasn’t simply Dragon Flame; it was a swarm of small, winged, dragon-shaped creatures.

Baron named them "Flame Demons."

It was a new Promise he had obtained after becoming a Bronze Dragon Knight.

They were creatures constructed from Dragon Flame and Spiritual Power.

Because of this, Baron’s already pale face, weakened as he was, turned even whiter. He felt like he could drop dead at any moment.

The corner of his eye fell on the Witch’s wrist beside him, and he started pondering what kind of excuse he could come up with to drink some more of her blood.

The Little Flame Demons appeared, circled Baron for a moment, and then, upon receiving the Dragon Rider’s command to attack, shot toward the Undead Knight.

Like moths to a flame.

The Undead Knight paid no mind to these Little Flame Demons hurtling toward him, clearly not taking them seriously. He swung his Giant Sword at one of them, but the moment the blade struck the Flame Demon’s body...

BANG!

——————