Chapter 13: The Path of Blood and Steel

The underground chamber still thrummed with residual energy from Leonidas's transformation. The once dimly lit stone hall now seemed alive, as if the very air vibrated with the power of his new bloodline.

Valerius studied his brother carefully, golden eyes sharp and calculating.

— Subject: Leonidas Darius (Enhanced).— Power Classification: Magus-Knight Prototype (Stage 1).— Stabilization: 85% (Further Refinement Possible).

A remarkable success, but not a perfect one.

"You feel stable?" Valerius asked.

Leonidas clenched his fists, watching as scarlet energy coiled around his knuckles, intertwining with the azure glow of Magus essence. It was a delicate balance—two fundamentally different paths now coexisting within one body.

"I feel… powerful," Leonidas admitted, voice thick with excitement.

Tiberius crossed his arms, his warrior instincts wary. "But can you control it?"

Leonidas smiled, stepping forward.

The next moment—he vanished.

A blur of movement—impossibly fast.

Before Tiberius could react, Leonidas reappeared behind him, a blade of condensed aura and spellforce hovering near his throat.

A moment of silence.

Then, Leonidas dismissed the blade, smirking. "What do you think?"

Tiberius exhaled slowly, flexing his fingers. "That… was terrifying."

Valerius observed everything with cold precision. The results were promising—but not complete.

A single success was not enough to secure the future of the Darius Clan.

Expansion of the Magus-Knight Path

"This was the first successful transformation," Valerius finally spoke, his voice calm yet absolute. "But one success does not create a legacy."

His brothers turned to him, expressions shifting from awe to determination.

"If we are to make this path sustainable," Valerius continued, "we need a systematic method. A process that guarantees stability and ensures our warriors do not suffer from… unfortunate side effects."

Leonidas nodded. "You mean the ones that died screaming?"

"Precisely."

Tiberius, always the strategist, considered the implications. "How do we proceed? More experiments?"

Valerius did not answer immediately.

Instead, he turned toward a sealed stone door at the far end of the chamber.

Behind it lay something ancient.

Something the Darius Clan had long neglected.

Echoes of the Ancients

With a single wave of his hand, Valerius activated the runic lock, the engravings glowing a deep crimson as the door rumbled open.

A gust of cold, stagnant air spilled out—accompanied by an overwhelming presence.

The air thickened.

Something was watching.

His brothers instinctively stepped back as Valerius entered the darkened vault. Only he had the means to communicate with what lay within.

Echo of the Ancients.

His cheat—an ability unlike any spell, bloodline, or artifact.

It allowed him to call upon the knowledge of the dead—to commune with the echoes of legendary beings from the past.

And tonight, he sought an answer.

The stone walls were inscribed with forgotten texts, detailing the history of their ancestors—Magus Lords and Knight Kings whose names had been erased by time.

Valerius placed his palm against the central bloodstone obelisk.

He closed his eyes.

Then—whispers filled his mind.

Visions of Power

"You dare call upon us, child of the Darius blood?"

The voice was ancient, layered, belonging to something that had once ruled over empires.

Valerius did not flinch. "I do."

Images flashed through his mind. Magus-Knights of an era long past, warriors who wielded both magic and steel in perfect harmony.

Their secret had been lost… until now.

"You wish to restore the path?" The voice was laced with something close to amusement. "Very well. But knowledge has a price."

The memory vault within his mind surged to life, storing every detail, every lost technique, every intricate ritual—until the price was set.

Blood.

An offering.

Valerius did not hesitate. He bit his thumb, allowing a single drop to fall upon the obelisk.

The moment it touched the stone, a pulse of ancient energy erupted from the vault—sending shockwaves through the underground chamber.

His brothers staggered back.

And then it was done.

Valerius exhaled, his mind overflowing with knowledge.

He had what he needed.

The Future of the Darius Clan

Valerius stepped out of the vault, his golden eyes burning with new understanding.

Leonidas, Tiberius, and the others immediately straightened.

"You found something," Cyrus murmured.

Valerius smirked. "No. I found everything."

The Magus-Knight Path would not just be an experiment.

It would become the future of their clan.

And soon—the world would bow before their evolution.