Ancient Forest – Tanin
The sound of wind in that forest was different. The trees rustled, not by the wind, but by the vibration of aura.
Dragon birds that lived in the area flew low, confused, feeling intimidated by an invisible force.
At the top of a great rocky cliff, a humanoid dragon figure with two horns gazed at the sky with glowing red eyes.
Tanin, one of the former dragon kings who had become a Devil, opened his mouth and took a deep breath.
"Ddraig..."
He narrowed his eyes, observing the flow of energy in the air.
"But not the old Ddraig. This… is a form closer to pure essence. You have truly risen again."
The atmosphere around him shifted. Even the ground beneath his feet began to heat slightly. He folded his arms and smiled.
"Very well. I will wait for you, Red Dragon. Not to fight… but to witness how far you have changed."
His gaze turned to Kuoh, far to the east.
"Do you still remember the taste of burning skies?"
Other Dimension – Ophis
In the middle of another dimension where there was no sky, land, or direction—a small girl with black hair slowly opened her eyes.
Ophis, the Infinite Dragon, sat upon an empty space that could not be explained by dimensional logic.
Her eyes looked into the distance… not physically, but through the resonance of void that only she could feel.
Something had appeared. Something that made this void ripple—like something touching the surface of water from beyond dimension.
Her hair swayed gently, though there was no wind. Her eyes remained as blank as always, but the aura around her began to change.
No anger. No curiosity. Only...
"A quiet place..."
She stood up slowly, and her body vanished without sound. No spark, no magic. She simply… disappeared.
Toward the place where the same silence appeared: Kuoh.
Tiamat's Residence – Central Room of the Dragon Palace
The reading room was quiet. Old books lined neatly on stone wall shelves. Candles glowed softly, creating a peaceful atmosphere in the ancient residence.
In the middle of the room, Tiamat sat on an elegant sofa with an open book on her lap. Her fingers flipped the page, but suddenly—
Flap!
The pages moved by themselves. The candles flickered. The air grew warm, as if another dragon's breath had passed through the walls of the world.
Tiamat straightened her posture. Her eyes glowed blue, and her long hair slowly lifted by the magical pressure coming from afar.
"Ddraig..."
Her voice was soft, but full of pressure.
She stood, placed the book down without a sound, and gazed at the sky through a giant stone window.
"You think I wouldn't know you've returned?"
A small smile appeared on her lips, but it didn't erase the cold glint in her eyes.
"Even Ophis is moving. That technique… Dragon Authority… I haven't felt it in a long time. But now, you use it without guilt?"
She raised her hand, and dark blue magic enveloped her body.
In an instant, she vanished, leaving only a trace of aura that made all small dragon creatures bow in submission.
"This time, you won't escape, Ddraig. You will answer to me."
Kyoto Shrine – Yasaka
In the temple's meditation room, the spiritual flow that was usually gentle now spun wildly.
Yasaka slowly opened her eyes, golden light flashing in her irises.
"The magic across Kyoto is trembling… even the shrine spirits are uneasy."
She stood, folding fan opening in her hand.
"Is this a sign of a dragon…?"
Her smile was thin, but full of worry.
"If it's true that a dragon has awakened, then this world will tremble again as it did hundreds of years ago."
Nurarihyon Residence
The morning sky in Nura's territory appeared calm. A gentle breeze drifted between the traditional Japanese rooftops.
But on the main terrace, where the clan leader often meditated, Nurarihyon stood, eyes gazing far into the sky.
Amid the bright morning light, there seemed to be one dark point—not visible to humans, but strong enough to make the air feel heavy. He narrowed his eyes, sensing something in the air.
Something ancient.
Slowly, the Youkai figure with a gourd-like head forming behind his face appeared. Nurarihyon wore a brown robe over a dark green kimono with traditional Japanese sandals.
Rikuo (Human Form) turned to him, "Grandpa? Is something wrong?"
Nurarihyon didn't answer right away. He stared at the bright morning a little longer, as if searching for certainty in the sky. Then he spoke, his voice soft but full of meaning.
"Rikuo… listen carefully. A dragon rose this morning."
Rikuo (Human Form) fell silent. His father's words were never random.
"But… isn't the world peaceful today? I don't feel any war or chaos."
Nurarihyon gave a small smile, but his gaze was sharp.
"Precisely because it's too quiet, it's dangerous. Even we, who live in the shadows of the world, will be seen by him."
"'By him'?" Rikuo (Human Form) swallowed hard. "Th-that strong?"
Nurarihyon slowly nodded.
"More than just strong. He can see everything—no matter how deep you hide."
The terrace fell silent, even the crickets stopped chirping.
Rikuo (Human Form) closed his eyes briefly, then asked in a serious tone. "What should we do?"
Nurarihyon turned, his signature mysterious smile returning. "We remain silent. We wait. We observe. We never start unnecessary battles. But this time…"
He looked at the sky again.
"If he looks back… even shadows will burn."
Kekkain Headquarters – Spiritual Command Room
Scrolls inscribed with spiritual seals were neatly spread across the large wooden table. In the central spiritual surveillance room of Japan, the atmosphere felt like a battlefield before the war truly began.
Hidemoto Kekkain, 27th generation, stood at the center of the room. He wasn't chanting. He wasn't holding a talisman. He simply stood still.
Yet the papers around him stirred on their own. One of the main scrolls even vibrated violently — the red dragon symbol at its center glowing with spiritual ink that should have remained sealed.
A clan member rushed in, breath uneven.
"Hidemoto-sama! A massive magical resonance… appeared and disappeared from the direction of Kuoh!"
The middle-aged man's voice was deep and heavy. But not panicked. Just… firm.
"I know."
He looked at the scroll now shaking even more — ink beginning to seep from the symbol as if the seal was trying to break itself.
"The ancient dragon guardian seal… is reacting," he muttered.
Then with a single hand motion, he grabbed a long ritual staff from the wall and said firmly:
"Call Ryuji, Akifusa, Mamiru… and everyone. Including Yura."
"Order them to be on full alert. The world is trembling — not because of humans, devils, or gods."
He looked at the scroll nearly exploding.
"But because a dragon has awakened — and a true dragon never appears without reason."
The atmosphere in the surveillance room changed. Kekkain members who were usually calm now moved quickly, grabbing spiritual tools, reopening ancient texts, and activating the spirit surveillance network.
And when the dragon seal at the center of the room finally stopped shaking…
Hidemoto muttered softly, more to himself.
"If he decides to walk… then not a single spiritual seal in this country can stop him."
Hagoromo Gitsune's Castle – Western Youkai Realm
Morning mist rolled over the old castle.
In the throne room, Hagoromo Gitsune sat gracefully, her black hair draped over her black kimono. She gazed at the spiritual lantern that swayed gently — its flame suddenly flared, indicating a drastic shift in the world's mana flow.
Her eyes narrowed, a mysterious smile forming on her face.
"Dragon's breath…" she whispered. "It's been a long time since I felt one this strong."
She stood, lifted her fan, and laughed softly.
"Interesting. This world doesn't belong only to youkai or gods. If a dragon awakens, perhaps I should descend the mountain to greet it."
The wind blew, and thousands of spirit foxes appeared around her, kneeling in reverence.
"Deploy our spies to the western territories. I want to know who that dragon is… before the world burns."