?
Kurose Akira stared at the eight traits that had appeared before his eyes, sinking into deep thought.
[Breastfeeding Phase]?
Was this… like Beiyalela's situation back then…?Cough, cough.
[Unknown Later Years]?Forget it. A giant dragon with long fur sounded a bit too strange.
As for [Poker Face] and [Bratty Loli]…
Maray Rhine's temper was already atrocious. Picking Bratty Loli probably wouldn't make much of a difference.
[Newbie] and [Baby Face] weren't particularly impressive either.
Only [Multiple Combat Forms] caught Akira's interest—it actually looked useful.
So Akira decided to keep [Poker Face], [Newbie], and [Baby Face], and reroll the rest.
With 26 rerolls remaining, all he needed was one decent trait to satisfy him…
[Lame Leg][Airhead][Homosexual]
"…Reroll!"
[Severe Injury—Hard to Heal][Power Bank][Loss of Sanity]
"?!"
[Turtle][Nun][Vanished Corneas]
"Reroll!"
...
After twelve consecutive rerolls, Akira still hadn't seen anything he liked.
"…Let's keep going."
He triggered another reroll, hoping something worthwhile would finally appear.
[Dancer][Crybaby][XX! Combine!]
Akira stared at the newly appeared traits, wearing a deeply baffled expression.
XX! Combine!?
Combine what exactly?!
He had no idea what that even meant—but!
Any trait with an exclamation mark couldn't be bad, right?
[Your final selection: A Valkyrie Red Dragon Egg that symbolizes destruction, possesses Undying Flame and Multiple Combat Forms—COMBINE!][Recruiting Adventurer…]
Bzzzz—
A blinding crimson radiance descended from above, slamming directly into the red dragon egg.
In that instant, the egg trembled lightly.
Mysterious golden runes surfaced across its shell, wrapping around it completely as it released a dazzling glow.
Akira even heard Maray Rhine's voice echoing faintly from within the egg.
"Our… rebirth."
As her voice faded, the egg shook once more—then fell silent again.
"…Huh? That's it?"Akira walked over and poked the egg lightly with his finger, frowning.
Don't tell me I really just summoned an egg…
"My child~"
Now that the egg had been infused with new life, Nadta, as its mother, immediately sensed the change.
She spread her arms and hugged the egg gently, caressing it with visible affection. Her thick dragon tail slapped the ground again and again, unable to contain her excitement and joy.
"I'm NOT your child!"
Suddenly—
The dragon egg shook violently as Maray Rhine's furious voice burst out from inside.
"I am the dragon of destruction!The Crimson Dragon!Maray Rhine!!!"
"T-This…"
Hearing her voice, Nadta panicked and staggered back several steps. She looked helplessly toward Akira, her eyes brimming with vulnerability.
"Ahem."
Akira cleared his throat, then raised his palm and lightly slapped the egg.
At the same time, a thread of magic flowed from his hand into the egg.
That magic stimulated Maray Rhine directly, triggering intense pain. The entire egg began shaking violently.
"You bastard! Y-You—YOU—what are you doing?! Stop it!!"
Maray Rhine screamed in rage. Fiery runic symbols flared across the surface of the shell—but they posed absolutely no threat to Akira.
"You were reborn using someone else's egg," Akira said coldly."By definition, Nadta is your mother. Is this how you treat your 'mother'?"
Akira felt no fear whatsoever toward this so-called Crimson Dragon.
Though Maray Rhine had been reborn, everything about her had reset to zero.
Before she could grow stronger, he fully intended to bully her thoroughly—so she'd understand exactly who was in charge.
"You… stop it!!!"
Maray Rhine's voice trembled now. Her condition was clearly unstable.
At this stage, she was utterly weak and helpless—how could she possibly resist Akira?
Especially when the effect of [Soul Allure] had already seeped deep into her soul.
She could only endure it.
"Mr. Akira, please show mercy."Nadta hurriedly pleaded on Maray Rhine's behalf."She's still young and doesn't understand anything yet. Please don't break her~"
Akira understood Nadta's feelings.
After all, her egg had finally gained life—of course she cherished it deeply.
So he stopped.
"Since your 'mother' has pleaded for you, I'll let it go for now."He tapped the egg lightly."Remember this—we're in a cooperative relationship. I have no obligation to spoil you."
"You—!"
Maray Rhine ground her teeth in rage—but as a dragon egg at someone else's mercy, she could do nothing.
Endure.I'll endure it.
"There, there~"
Nadta gently stroked the egg, her face filled with maternal tenderness.
"Your Uncle Akira was just joking with you~ Don't take it to heart~"
"???"
Maray Rhine nearly lost her mind.
Uncle Akira?!
Lady, listen to yourself!
And could you PLEASE stop talking in that tone?!
I am NOT your child!!!
As for Akira—
He had his own opinion.
I gave her rebirth.Shouldn't she be calling me—Dad?
"I—"
Just as Maray Rhine tried to speak again—
The dragon egg erupted with dazzling light.
Then, she fell completely silent.
At the same time, an information panel appeared before Akira.
[Dragon Egg (Mythic)] (Hatches in 24 hours)Level: 0 (0/100)Race: Red Dragon / Valkyrie
Strength: 0Agility: 0Magic: 0Constitution: 100
Growth: 15 + 5 (Gains 15 + 5 to all stats per level)
Skills: (Expand)
Traits:[Valkyrie][Red Dragon][Undying Flame][Dragon Egg of Destruction]*[XX! Combine!][Multiple Combat Forms]
[Valkyrie]: A special unit blessed by the gods. Immune to all negative status effects. Can summon Valkyrie Armor.
[Red Dragon]: One of the Five Chromatic Dragons standing at the apex of the world. Growth +5. Dragon magic power +100%. Damage reduction +50%. Desire +1000.
[Undying Flame]: A flame born from the depths of the soul that never extinguishes. Self-recovery +1000%. Every 24 hours, all non-lethal injuries are healed (even if only a fragment of the soul remains, rebirth is possible).
[Dragon Egg of Destruction]: A dragon egg imbued with the power of destruction. Ignores enemy armor.
[XX! Combine!]: Once recognition is obtained, this unit can be mounted and combined with. After combination, the rider gains "Red Dragon Valkyrie Armor," and damage taken is shared between both parties. (You may forcibly mount.)
[Multiple Combat Forms]:• Valkyrie Form: Agility +100%. Physical attacks deal 50% burn damage.• Half-Dragon Valkyrie Form: Magic +100%. Magic attacks deal 50% burn damage.• Crimson Dragon of Destruction Form: Strength +100%. Constitution +100%. Immune to soul damage.
"Oh?"
Akira raised an eyebrow as he studied the panel.
Maray Rhine's trait set was frankly terrifying.
Her combat potential might even surpass Luciya, especially with [Valkyrie], which granted immunity to all negative effects, and [Multiple Combat Forms], which offered absurd versatility.
In just twenty-four hours, his guild would gain an overwhelmingly powerful adventurer—and mount.
"She's… not moving?"Nadta gently stroked the egg, concern filling her eyes.
Even though this wasn't her own child, she still treated it with deep maternal affection.
"She'll hatch after twenty-four hours," Akira explained calmly."Don't worry."
"That's good~"Nadta smiled, joy overflowing as she wiped a tear of happiness from the corner of her eye.
...
Inside Sunset City, Roxia stood alone in the corner of the banquet hall, not celebrating with the others.
A female knight clad in golden armor approached her and delivered a message softly.
"Princess Vivian wishes to see you."
Roxia recognized her as one of Princess Vivian's royal knights. She nodded and followed her.
They arrived at the lord's manor garden, where Princess Vivian stood beneath the moonlight, wearing a pale blue gown.
"You've come."
Vivian turned with a smile.
But when Roxia looked at her, her blue eyes froze slightly.
Something about Princess Vivian was different.
Her golden pupils were brighter than before—and yet, faintly, they were tinged with black.
"Your Highness."
Roxia bowed respectfully in a knight's salute.
"Roxia," Vivian said softly as she approached, gazing up at her with expectation."As a princess of the Starfall Kingdom, I ask you once more—Will you become my royal knight?"
...
"You're really going to stay here until the egg hatches?""Yes. I want to stay with her a bit longer~""Alright then. I'll go handle other matters.""Mm~ please do."
Akira left the room, unhurried.
Since the egg needed a full day to hatch, there was no rush.
Entering the guild hall, he saw Ivsha softly chanting scripture, while the elven sisters listened quietly.
They weren't receiving a blessing—just captivated by Ivsha's beautiful singing.
"Is Luciya still in the hot spring?"Akira glanced around, not seeing her.
Night hadn't fallen yet. She likely hadn't returned to the Holy Church.
So he walked toward the bathhouse and knocked gently.
Knock, knock.
"Luciya?"
"Come in."
Akira opened the door.
Steam filled the room, thick white mist swirling like a dreamscape.
Luciya was soaking in the hot spring with her back to him, her snow-white body faintly visible beneath the water.
In the corner, her golden ceremonial dress lay neatly folded on the floor.
Beside it rested her Solar Scepter, radiating a soft, holy glow…
..
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