Pyris could see the gears turning in Drac''s mind. The Vampire Emperor had hoped for more, but the risk of pushing too far was something even he couldn''t ignore.


    "Brat," Drac finally said, his voice low and sharp. "You promised me something that could enhance my immortality and the armor. Are you going back on your word?"


    Pyris chuckled lightly, his tone filled with calcted nonchnce. "Uncle, we both know the Chalice can do that. There''s no mistaking on that. But like I said... it requires an immortal or a god to unlock its full potential. Iam but a mortal. I can''t do that. Unless… you have an immortal on standby who can help you. If so, I''ll dly lend the Chalice to you. Let''s see what you can create with it while dealing with an Immortal."@@novelbin@@


    Drac''s teeth gnashed audibly, the sound carrying through the line. Pyris knew full well that no way would Drac dare align himself with an Immortal—it would be suicidal. And Drac knew it too.


    He will lose it all, and the implications around not just the armor but the Blood Chalice too. Experience new tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    Smiling faintly, Pyris delivered the final blow. "So here''s the deal. I''ll craft the Blood Armor, as promised. And with the Blood Chalice It''ll be beyond anything you imagined. Or, we can terminate our agreement right here. You can let your vampires run wild and sabotage Obsidian businesses in your empire. Let''s see who loses more. You or me."


    His eyes burned with a daring glint, fearless and unyielding. "But we both know the most powerful vampire alive has much more to gain than to lose, don''t we? The most powerful vampire sees beyond the echoes of time."


    Drac''s jaw twitched, his annoyance barely hidden. But Pyris could see it—the shift in his demeanor. He had won.


    "Very well, brat," Drac finally said, his voice clipped. "Someone will deliver the Blood Essence Stones to you. Do not disappoint me."


    "Wait for the good news, Uncle," Pyris replied smoothly. "Once I have them, I''llter deliver the armor myself."


    He ended the call, leaning back with a satisfied grin. There was more to his decision to deliver the armor in person than Drac could see.


    Pyris always yed the long game, and Drac would soon learn that. He had ns to visiting the Vampire Pce.


    As he stared at the now-nk screen, Pyris''s smile faded slightly. "I can''t make that armor alone," he muttered to himself. "Looks like I''ll have to contact her."


    The thought brought a mix of excitement and trepidation. His mentor wasn''t the easiest person to approach, let alone persuade but he knew her weaknesses, hehe...


    [Ding! New quest generated.]


    [Quest: Forge an Immortal and Godly Rank Items.]


    [Reward: Godly Rank Forging Hammer.]


    Pyrisughed softly, shaking his head. Even the system didn''t seem to think he was biting off more than he could chew. But there was no turning back now.


    "Give me the information the Unknown Orb," it was time to cash in his reward to get another reward.


    ____


    On the other side of the call, Drac sat silently, his expression unreadable.


    A flicker of greed crossed his mind as he briefly considered snatching the Chalice by force. But he dismissed the thought almost immediately. The Obsidians weren''t to be trifled with, not directly.


    Emberly''s secret forces ensured that much. No one knew the full extent of their power but they knew not to y with her, well, apart from the anger-blind Drakos.


    "Arrogant mother and son," Drac muttered under his breath. Yet, even as he spoke, a small grin tugged at the corners of his lips.


    He thought Pyris had yed him, but he''d still gotten what he wanted—the Blood Armor. And that was more than enough. For now.


    There was this worry of Pyris having kept the most important thing to himself but what could possibly the boy could do with the Chalice? Nothing! He thought.


    ****


    [Ding! The Unknown Orb is an ancient artifact tied to the Endlesses, enigmatic beings who existed before even the gods and immortals. The Unknown Orb is said to be a fragment of their essence—a condensed piece of their limitless potential!]


    Pyris stared at the glowing notification, his eyes narrowing slightly as he processed the system''s words. A fragment of the Endlesses'' essence?


    Endlesses Who were they?


    But still he thought hat exined the strange energy it radiated. But then the next message appeared, and his jaw tightened.


    [The Unknown Orb can only be embedded within a construct or artificial body to unlock its abilities.]


    For a moment, Pyris felt a flicker of irritation. The orb couldn''t even be used directly—it was practically useless to him in its current state. But that thought didn''t stick. His lips curved into a small smile as he tilted his head back, gazing at the swirling patterns within the orb.


    "Figures," he muttered to himself. "Nothing worth having everes easy."


    His musings were interrupted by another chime.


    [Does host wish to receive the reward? YES/NO.]


    Pyris didn''t hesitate. "Yes."


    The moment the word left his lips, the world seemed to tilt. An explosion of pain shot through his head, sharp and relentless, as if something had detonated inside his skull. Pyris''s hands flew to his temples as he stumbled, his vision blurring.


    The pain was unlike anything he''d ever felt. It wasn''t just physical—it was like his mind was being torn apart and put back together all at once. Every nerve in his body screamed, and his legs buckled beneath him.


    Images, symbols, and words shed in his mind, overwhelming him with their intensity. It wasn''t just knowledge—it was a torrent, a flood of information about forging weapons and items. Concepts he couldn''t have imagined seconds ago now burned themselves into his brain, carving pathways of understanding that hadn''t existed before.


    His teeth clenched as he gasped for breath, sweat pouring down his face. It felt as though his head was being ripped apart from the inside, every fiber of his being forced to adapt to the iprehensible data flooding in.


    Minutes passed, though it felt like hours. Slowly, the pain ebbed, leaving Pyris panting on the floor, his body trembling. His mind, however, was clearer than ever. The knowledge left behind was immense—beyond anything he could haveprehended before.


    A technique, designs, forms, and methods that felt as though they belonged to a being far beyond his mortal understanding.


    "This…" Pyris muttered hoarsely, his voice trembling with a mixture of awe and exhaustion. "This isn''t just a technique or knowledge. It''s… something else."


    He staggered to his feet, gripping the edge of a table for support. The weight of the orb in his hand felt different now, heavier somehow, as if it had acknowledged him.


    The system chimed one final time.


    [Host has received Forging Technique of an unknown rank: Eternal Forging.]


    Pyris let out a breathlessugh, his golden eyes burning with newfound determination. "Guess it''s time to contact her now."