My SSS-Rank Clone Talent: I Level Up Endlessly!
Chapter 145: Life and Death Pill!

The telekinetic abilities of the human race had always been a mystery to the dragons.

To the eyes of dragons, humans were fragile beings, creatures who could be snuffed out with the flick of a claw. But despite their weakness, humans possessed a unique strength rooted in their bloodline, one that dragons had coveted for generations.

Driven by curiosity and desire, dragon spies had long since infiltrated human territories, seeking the source of this strange power.

Aside from their telekinetic abilities, humanity's greatest strength was their sheer numbers. However, this very advantage was also their greatest weakness.

Why?

Because of their massive population, humans were scattered across the lands, divided by borders, ideologies, and pride. Internal conflicts plagued their kind, preventing them from uniting and fully harnessing the potential of their collective strength.

Although dragons were fewer in number, they shared deep, unshakable bonds. Conflicts did exist among them, but in the end, every disagreement served the greater good of the dragon race.

Because of this unity, infiltrating human society was remarkably easy. In contrast, humans had never succeeded in infiltrating dragonkind, not even once. The dragons' tight-knit connections and tight population left no room for outsiders.

As these thoughts passed through Drayken's mind, his gaze settled on the round-bellied man trembling with fear and uncertainty.

"Show me the serum," he said, his voice cold and deep.

"Y-Yes," the man stammered, quickly scrambling to his feet. He rushed to his cargo without daring to hesitate.

Especially knowing that Drayken was a dragon, it wasn't just fear he felt.

If it had been a Dragon Slayer, he might've held onto some hope. Dragon Slayers could still be reasoned with. But a dragon? A being whose pride was said to be higher than their own tails?

Even the smallest misstep... the round-bellied man didn't dare imagine the consequences.

As for betraying the human race?

That thought hadn't even crossed his mind. His own life was far more important than any notion of loyalty or patriotism.

He rushed inside, only to find a woman cowering in the corner, trembling in fear.

"You… woman…" he growled, clenching his fists in fury. "You were enjoying yourself while I was out there, staring death in the face, weren't you?!"

The woman frantically shook her head, eyes wide with horror.

"Hmph."

The round-bellied man's face twisted with rage. But before he could say more, Drayken's voice rang out from outside the carriage.

"What are you doing? Hurry up."

"Y-Yes, yes!" the man stammered, snapping out of his fury. He quickly moved to a corner of the small space, crouched down, and reached beneath the bed, his hands fumbling with urgency.

After a few tense moments, his fingers found a box. Gripping it tightly, he pulled it out and scrambled to his feet.

He was so frightened he didn't even check its contents. Without sparing the woman a glance, he stumbled out of the carriage and rushed to Drayken, panting heavily as he held the box forward with both trembling hands.

Drayken took it without a word and opened the lid.

Inside, a single tube lay nestled in a velvet lining, filled with a swirling, purple liquid that seemed to boil and churn as though alive.

As Drayken gazed at the swirling purple liquid, his bloodline surged with a sudden, violent disgust.

A deep, instinctual revulsion roared through him. His first impulse was to hurl the tube away and obliterate it.

But he didn't.

His control was absolute for his bloodline. With a steady breath.

Ho. Ha.

He calmed the storm within, his expression unreadable.

He stared at the serum, eyes narrowing as a grim certainty settled in his heart.

'If I take this serum… I might gain telekinetic power, or I might not. But one thing is certain: my bloodline would be severely weakened.'

Without another word, he sealed the tube with cork and hid it within his cloak and turned his gaze toward the round-bellied man.

"What's your name?" he asked, voice low and sharp.

"It's Pierce," the man stammered, barely able to meet his eyes.

"I see." Drayken patted his shoulder gently, almost kindly, before leaning in slightly.

"Then tell me, Pierce… how do you want to die?"

"Eh?" Pierce froze, eyes wide in disbelief. Then, as the meaning of Drayken's words sank in, he dropped to his knees and began slamming his forehead against the ground.

"T-Please don't kill me!" he sobbed, tears streaming down his cheeks, snot mixing with his breath. "I won't tell anyone, I swear!"

Drayken stared down at him, unmoved.

"You're smart, Pierce. I know that," he said softly, his voice barely more than a whisper. But within it carried a weight so immense that it pressed down on Pierce like a mountain.

A chill ran through the man's spine. His face turned pale.

"I'll be loyal to you!" Pierce cried out desperately. "Just give me a chance... a chance…"

With trembling hands, he reached into his robes and pulled out a small red pill, offering it up like a lifeline.

Drayken's eyes flicked to the pill, and a slight smile touched the corner of his lips.

"Oh… the Life and Death Pill," he murmured.

"I'll take the pill to prove my loyalty—please!" Pierce cried, banging his head against the ground, blood beginning to mix with the dirt.

Drayken watched him for a moment, then nodded calmly. "Alright."

He infused the pill with a wisp of mana, activating its binding properties, and tossed it back to Pierce.

Without a second's hesitation, Pierce snatched it from the air and swallowed it whole.

Almost immediately, his body reacted. His face twisted in pain as he trembled, a strangled hiccup escaping his throat. Veins briefly bulged at his neck, and his limbs shuddered violently.

But it was over just as quickly as it began. Pierce's body stilled, his breathing returned to normal, and the color slowly returned to his face.

Drayken watched in silence, his gaze cold and unreadable.

The Life and Death Pill… A cursed creation.

It bypassed the stomach, the blood, the lungs, it traveled straight to the heart.

There, it would settle like a silent parasite, dormant, ready to explode at a single command. When it did, it wouldn't just shatter the pill.

It would annihilate the heart with it.

Truly terrifying.

But this was actually something Dragon used to create the cult among the humans. Drayken didn't expect even Pierce to have this.

"Did you get this in your grandpa's research lab too?"

"Yes." Pierce hurriedly nodded his head.

"So you know what it does?"

"Yes."

"Very good." Drayken shrugged about and was about to return to his carriage. At this time, Synthia walked out.

"Hmm, Synthia?"

Synthia just chuckled: "What happened here?"

Drayken walked up to her and slowly whispered into her ears, narrating the entire story. At the same time, Synthia felt a little fuzzy and tickled with how close Drayken was to her and his hot breath stinging her skin.

"Are you listening?" Drayken asked, raising a brow after finishing his story.

"Y-Yeah, definitely," Synthia replied quickly, nodding her head while avoiding his gaze. For some reason, her cheeks felt unusually warm.

"Haha," Drayken chuckled, amused by her reaction.

With that, the two entered the carriage, leaving Pierce behind, a bitter expression etched on his face.

"I really lost big this time… but at least I've kept my life," he muttered to himself.

He turned back to his own carriage with a sigh, and their convoy resumed its journey through the forest.

The path ahead was calm and uneventful.

Eventually, they arrived at their destination, the grand gates of Nightingale City loomed ahead, bathed in the golden hues of twilight.

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