The Awakening of the Emperor's Might

Chapter Three: The Awakening of the Emperor's Might

Griffin's heart pounded in his chest, the heavy weight of the unfamiliar sword in his hand making his arms tremble. Around him, the battlefield was chaos. Blood and dust swirled through the air as the monstrous creature—an enormous, scaled beast—towered above him. Its red eyes glowed with hunger and fury, its claws slicing through the air with terrifying precision.

"Move, Your Majesty!" a voice shouted beside him.

Griffin turned to see a fierce warrior by his side, her sword already raised and her eyes locked onto the monster. The woman's armor gleamed in the dim light, but there was no time to admire it. The beast was upon them.

Griffin could barely process the situation. Why am I here? Why am I holding this sword? His thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion. As an emperor candidate, he had no idea what was expected of him, let alone how to fight a monster like this.

The warrior beside him lunged, slashing her sword at the creature's claw, but the monster swiped at her, sending her crashing into the dirt with a sickening thud.

"Fight, Your Majesty!" she shouted through clenched teeth, scrambling to her feet.

Griffin hesitated, still unsure of his own abilities. His body screamed at him to run, to find safety, but he had nowhere to go. His back was against the wall, and the only way out was through the monster in front of him.

He clenched the sword tighter, feeling an odd surge of energy. I have to do something.

As if his body moved on instinct, Griffin found himself charging forward, his feet pushing him toward the monster without conscious thought. The sword felt heavy, but there was something undeniably powerful about it, something that made him feel as if it belonged in his hand.

The monster roared, its jaws snapping as it lunged at Griffin. Without thinking, he swung the sword.

Slice!

The blade cut through the creature's thick hide as if it were nothing, and the beast staggered back, letting out an agonizing screech. Griffin's heart pounded even harder in his chest. He hadn't expected it to work, but the beast was wounded.

The warrior—who had been knocked down moments earlier—rose again, her eyes wide with astonishment. She lunged forward, her sword joining Griffin's as they fought together against the beast. Each strike they landed seemed to weaken it, each blow more powerful than the last.

Griffin barely noticed the sweat pouring down his face or the exhaustion creeping into his limbs. It was as if time itself had slowed, as if he and the warrior were locked in a rhythm that couldn't be broken. Together, they made their way around the beast, each strike pushing it closer to defeat.

The monster screeched in anger and pain, its movements growing sluggish as it staggered to one knee. Griffin's heart raced. We're going to do this. We're going to win.

In one final, desperate move, Griffin plunged his sword into the beast's chest. The monster's eyes widened in shock as the blade found its mark. The beast let out one final roar before collapsing, its body going limp.

Griffin stood over it, panting, his hands gripping the sword as though it were a lifeline. He could hardly believe it—he had done it. He had just fought and defeated a monster.

The warrior beside him gasped for breath, her expression a mix of shock and admiration. "Your Majesty… you've done it."

Before Griffin could respond, a voice echoed through his mind, cool and mechanical.

System Notification:

You have defeated a B rank beast.

Strength has been increased by 2.

Agility has been increased by 3.

You have awakened the blessing [Sword God] using the Emperor Firadel.

You gained the skill [Sword Mastery]. This acquired skill can evolve into the blessing [Sword God] if practiced enough.

Congratulations on winning your first battle.

Kaido blessing [Boss Devourer] has been awakened.

Using this blessing, you can devour the blessing of a boss-level threat.

Note: Boss-level threats start from A rank upwards. This blessing will not work on lower ranks.

Griffin's heart skipped a beat as he processed the flood of information. What is all of this? His mind raced as the new powers settled into his body. He could feel his strength growing, his body adapting to the new skills.

"What… What just happened?" he murmured, staring at the lifeless beast before him. "Was this… real?"

The woman warrior looked at him, her expression softening. "Yes, Your Majesty. It was real. You've awakened to your blessing." She bowed respectfully. "We've won this battle because of you."

Griffin stared at her in confusion. "I… I don't understand. How did I—how did I do that?"

She smiled, though there was sadness in her eyes. "It was your destiny, Your Majesty. You are the Emperor's candidate, and now you've taken the first step toward claiming your throne."

Griffin's mind was a whirlwind of questions, but the warrior didn't seem to be able to answer them all. Instead, she turned her attention to the battlefield, where other warriors were tending to the fallen and securing the area.

"You've done well," she said quietly. "But this is only the beginning."

Griffin nodded slowly, a feeling of weight settling in his chest. The beginning of what? He still had no answers, no understanding of what had just happened or what was to come. But one thing was certain—he couldn't afford to fail.

To Be Continued…