Reborn as a Devouring Dragon with a System-Chapter 132: The Abyss (2) [Bonus]

Ahhh!

A black-haired young boy lay tossing on a soft, cushioned bed. His body was drenched in sweat, as if haunted by nightmares. He mumbled incoherently in his sleep, twisting and turning—until suddenly, his eyes snapped open, and he gasped for air.

Daniel panted heavily, his chest rising and falling in ragged breaths. He had just dreamed that he was being devoured by a tiger. The vivid horror of it clung to him like a second skin. His trembling hand clutched his chest as he looked around, startled to find himself not in a forest, but inside a room—warm, quiet, and unfamiliar.

His breath caught again, this time in wonder.

Drakion—no, Daniel—opened his mouth, stunned by the sheer elegance surrounding him. A golden, crystal-like chandelier cast a soft glow from above. The walls shimmered in pure white, exuding a serene and divine aura. Even the bed beneath him was white, flawless, and comforting.

He blinked, overwhelmed but relieved. He was alive.

But the pain of being bitten—that raw, searing agony—remained etched into his memory, a burning reminder of the unforgiving world he had been thrust into.

Earth had never hurt like that.

Not even close.

Not even one percent of it.

CLICK!

"You’re already awake."

The door creaked open, and Daniel turned sharply toward it, body tensing as his instincts flared. But then, he saw her—a young woman in her thirties, with golden hair that flowed like sunlight and eyes to match.

When she noticed his guarded expression, she smiled gently.

"Don’t worry, we mean no harm," she said kindly. "One of our servants found you while hunting and brought you back here."

Daniel was startled. Though she spoke in a language he didn’t recognize, her words were perfectly clear to him.

He understood.

Somehow, instinctively—he understood.

"So, young one," the woman asked softly, "where are your father and mother?"

He said nothing. Just stared.

He had no memories from the body he now inhabited, but deep down, he already knew the truth.

He was an orphan.

His lips quivered as tears welled up in his golden eyes. Words slipped out effortlessly in their language, "No papa... no mama..."

There it was.

Said aloud.

The truth that burned quietly in his little heart.

Knowing he had no cheats, no golden finger, Daniel decided it was best to seek resources and cultivate in this world—if he was to become someone of consequence.

"My child, don’t worry," the woman whispered, kneeling beside him. "We are here for you."

A few hours passed.

A man entered—also in his thirties—with golden hair and eyes like hers. Behind him stood a small girl, no older than five, who shared the same radiant features.

Daniel soon learned that the man was her husband, and the girl their daughter. The girl was a beauty already, and Daniel merely gave a small shake of his head, amused.

Time flew.

A month passed in the blink of an eye.

Within that time, the family officially adopted Daniel as their son. His path began to open up, the weight of the unknown growing lighter with every day. Even the little girl now called him "Big Bruh," tugging at his heart with childlike warmth.

He learned their name—the Scott Family—a name that held power in the world.

They were one of the most formidable families in the Rugby Empire, the strongest empire on the continent. With a lineage of strength and status, they possessed something rare—an expansive library, which Daniel quickly took advantage of.

From the scrolls and texts, he began to piece it all together.

This world... was called the Nexus Continent.

A realm of cultivation.

Here, warriors, mages, and beasts harnessed a force known as Originat—a powerful, all-pervading energy.

The cultivation realm was split into twelve levels.

Level 1 to Level 12.

A Level 12 cultivator was considered a God. freeweɓnovel.cøm

His adopted father? Level 10.

His adopted mother? Level 9.

Their daughter? Already Level 3.

This world held races beyond imagination: elves, vampires, phoenixes... and yet, not a single dragon.

They were extinct.

All of them. Gone from history. Erased by unknown forces.

One day, Daniel overheard something that stirred a spark in him.

A whisper.

A thought.

"They say... the child’s name... might be draconic."

A flicker of hope danced in Daniel’s chest.

Maybe... just maybe... he was a dragon.

If that was true, then his path—his true path—was waiting to be reclaimed.

The family cared for him deeply. They gave him shelter, warmth, and purpose. But all of that was leading to one moment...

The day they would test his talent.

The day arrived.

Daniel stood before a white stone, its surface smooth and cold, humming faintly with power. This was the fated moment—the test of talent.

In this world, talent was ranked from D to S, with an F grade for those with no talent at all.

D rank shone green light.

C rank emitted a purple glow.

B radiated a platinum shine.

A sparkled with silver brilliance.

S gleamed with pure gold.

Beyond that, there existed the legendary SS rank, which radiated a terrifying black light—a mark of monstrous, otherworldly potential.

But at the very bottom... was F rank, a dull, dead grey light—a void of hope and promise.

This was one of the many truths Daniel had learned since arriving in this world.

He looked up at the couple who had become his caretakers. With a gentle nudge, they urged him forward, encouraging him to place his hands upon the testing stone.

Daniel stepped closer, his heart pounding. He reached out, fingertips brushing the cool surface—then pressed down.

At first, the sensation was soothing, almost calming...

But then—

The light changed.

Not green.

Not purple.

Not silver.

Not gold.

Grey.

A bleak, lifeless grey. A chilling aura of dead energy seeped from the stone like a funeral mist.

Daniel stared, stunned.

Unbelievable.

But it wasn’t just him. The entire family stared in disbelief.

"No... that can’t be," he whispered to himself.

Refusing to accept it, Daniel placed his hands again—firm, desperate. But the result was the same.

Grey. Lifeless. Worthless.

The father, frowning deeply, brought out another stone—a dragon stone. It pulsed faintly, dyed red with the blood of ancient dragons, a relic meant to awaken draconic bloodlines.

When Daniel saw it, hope ignited in his chest like a flicker of dawn.

He stepped forward once more, heart pounding in his ears, and placed his hand on the stone.

He waited.

And waited.

But there was nothing.

No light.

No sound.

No resonance.

The family looked at one another, utterly shaken.

Daniel’s heart sank into his chest like a stone in deep water.

Was he... trash?

Tears welled in his eyes. Slowly, he turned to the woman he had called mother.

"Mother..." he whispered, his voice cracking.

PAH!

The sharp sound of a slap echoed across the room.

"Don’t call me mother, you filthy brat!" she hissed, eyes full of disdain. "Who’s your mother?"

Daniel was slapped so hard that one of his teeth flew out, a testament to the sheer force behind the blow. Shock coursed through him, not just from the pain, but from the unbelievable reality of what had just happened.

He turned slowly, eyes wide in disbelief, and looked at the young woman.

Her face—once gentle and warm—was now twisted into something cruel and malicious.

He couldn’t believe his eyes.