Chapter 1040: Max’s Order
7th floor, Inheritance Tower.
Max sat cross legged on the cold obsidian floor, his focus entirely on the swirling ball of black flames that hovered above his palms. The flames pulsed with a deep, chaotic rhythm, alive yet restrained, each flicker carrying a destructive force that could unravel the space around it.
Across from him, the parrot spirit observed carefully, its sharp eyes never leaving Max as it offered instructions on how to bend the unruly flames to his will.
The inheritance he had received had changed him. His control over the black flames had risen to a higher level, but the flames themselves had changed as well. Their quality had transformed, becoming denser and far more volatile.
They no longer behaved like the chaotic yet obedient flames he had once commanded; these new flames resisted him at every turn, their destructive essence thrashing against the boundaries of his will. For the past several days, Max had remained inside the tower, struggling endlessly to master what the inheritance had given him.
It was not a task that could be achieved easily. Under normal circumstances, even the most gifted genius would require years of meditation, trial, and failure to adapt to the flames’ new nature. The improved control granted by the inheritance gave Max an advantage, but it was far from enough on its own.
Anyone else would have been consumed by frustration, yet Max possessed something different.
The Dimension of Time.
When the pressure became overwhelming in the real world, he shifted into that separate space where time flowed differently. One hour in the outside world equaled a year inside. Within that dimension, he practiced endlessly, adjusting his breathing, refining his intent, and tightening the leash on the black flames until they obeyed.
Then he returned to the real world, tested what he had learned, and repeated the process again and again.
The cycle was grueling. Each transition between the Dimension of Time and reality demanded both mental strength and focus, but Max pressed forward relentlessly. With every shift, his control sharpened. The flames that had once lashed violently now began to coil together, their chaotic dance smoothing into a sphere of pure, concentrated destruction.
At last, what remained was no longer an unruly inferno. Floating steadily above his hands was a single ball of black flames, perfectly still, perfectly balanced. It radiated an aura of terrifying power, silent but overwhelming, a sign that Max had bent the flames entirely to his will.
The parrot spirit nodded with approval, its voice carrying a tone of satisfaction. "You have done it."
Max’s crimson eyes opened slowly. The reflection of the flames glimmered within them as he exhaled, calm yet resolute. He had mastered this stage of the inheritance, and in doing so, had taken another step closer to the strength he needed for what lay ahead.
"You are very good at controlling the black flames. If it were any other person it would take them years even with the improved control granted by the inheritance," the parrot spirit said with a long sigh, its tone filled with reluctant admiration.
Max raised his head and looked directly at the spirit. His eyes were calm, though firm. "I am leaving."
The parrot spirit blinked in surprise, its feathers ruffling slightly. "What? So early?" It had expected Max to linger, to test the limits of his newly enhanced flames or perhaps explore the deeper secrets hidden in the tower.
Max shook his head. "I have important things to do."
The parrot spirit tilted its head, then gave a slow nod. It could sense the weight behind Max’s words and knew that the young man was not exaggerating.
"I understand," it said softly. "I do not know where this path of yours will lead, but if you ever head to the Divine Realm, take me with you. I am not an ordinary spirit. My consciousness is linked to every inheritance tower across the universe. If I can reach the Divine Realm, I should be able to connect with the towers there. Through that connection, I could access memories and knowledge far beyond what is here. I may be able to help you when that time comes."
Max regarded the parrot spirit with a measured expression. He could feel that its words carried truth. After a moment, he nodded once. "I will keep that in mind."
With those words, Max’s figure blurred, and in the next instant he vanished from the seventh floor. The oppressive aura he left behind slowly faded, returning the tower to silence.
The parrot spirit remained perched on its pedestal for a long time. Then it sighed again, though this time there was a hint of freedom in its voice. "With the inheritance now fully transferred to Max, my task here is done."
For ages uncounted, perhaps for eons stretching so far back that even it could not recall the beginning, the parrot spirit had been bound to the tower. It had been a guardian, a guide, and a judge, carrying out the duty entrusted to it by the ancient founders of the Black Dragon legacy. Only when someone worthy took the full inheritance could it finally sever that bond.
Now, with its burden lifted, the parrot spirit could feel the invisible chains that held it to the tower falling away. For the first time, it was free to roam the world. Its eyes glimmered with something like excitement as it spread its wings wide.
"Finally," it whispered to itself. "I can see the world with my own eyes, not through stone and memory."
With a powerful beat of its wings, the parrot spirit took flight, leaving the seventh floor behind. The inheritance tower stood silent once more, its task fulfilled, while outside a new future awaited both the spirit and the one who had claimed its legacy.
---
Max’s figure floated calmly above the wide empty space surrounding the inheritance tower, his aura steady yet heavy with intent. A few days earlier, he had issued his first command as the master of the Black Lotus Guild.
The order had been simple but absolute: every squad was to hunt down demons silently and without hesitation, but under no circumstances were they to risk their lives recklessly. If they encountered strongholds or large gatherings of demons, they were to retreat and report back immediately rather than pursue glory.
This directive reflected the contradiction within Max’s heart. His hatred for demons burned hotter than any flame, and he longed to slaughter every last one of them in vengeance for Valora Continent. Yet he also valued the lives of those now bound to him by bloodline. He would not allow them to throw themselves into death simply to satisfy his thirst for revenge.