The silence following the evolution was strange.
---
Not empty.
Nor calm.
---
But… dense.
As if the world had grown closer.
---
I stood there.
And felt different.
---
Too different.
---
The Kuroyami in my hand no longer felt like a weapon.
---
It was an extension.
---
'…What's happening to me?' I said quietly.
---
Akarania flashed:
---
[FORM ANALYSIS COMPLETE]
---
I froze.
---
"Forms?"
---
---
[EVOLUTION CONFIRMED]
[ENTITY TYPE: DRAGON GENETIC LINE]
---
My heart skipped a beat.
---
— A dragon…?
---
---
[SUBTYPE: DRAGON-HUMAN (HYBRID)]
---
I slowly looked down at my hands.
---
They looked… ordinary.
But I could feel it.
---
Power.
Deeper than muscle.
Deeper than energy.
---
As if inside me…
an ancient system had awakened.
---
---
[ABILITIES EXPANDED]
Enhanced regeneration
Aura Pressure
Instinct of Destruction
Enhanced Adaptation
---
I exhaled.
---
— So… I'm a dragon now.
---
SCAR chuckled quietly.
---
— Not a dragon.
---
Pause.
---
"You're what dragons become when they're broken."
---
I clenched my fist.
---
"That doesn't sound very reassuring."
---
---
I took a step.
---
And the world…
trembled.
---
Even the air reacted to me.
---
---
"Right then…"
---
I raised Kuroyami.
---
"Let's see."
---
---
I began my training.
---
The first strike.
---
And the air…
parted of its own accord.
---
The second.
---
The ground cracked without being touched.
---
The third—
---
the energy didn't escape.
It pressed down.
---
I stopped.
---
— Too easy…
---
And at that moment—
---
my body…
shuddered.
---
— …what?
---
A step back.
---
Another.
---
My heart raced.
---
My breathing became laboured.
---
— No…
---
I tried to hold back the power.
---
But it…
wouldn't obey.
---
---
[WARNING: BODY OVERLOAD]
---
— Already?
---
I smirked.
---
— Seriously?
---
---
And in the next moment—
---
the world tilted.
---
— Guh…
---
The ground was approaching too fast.
---
---
My final thought was simple:
---
— Damn… I've gone too far…
---
---
Darkness.
---
---
…
---
Warmth.
---
A voice.
---
— Is he alive?
---
— He's breathing… just passed out.
---
I slowly opened my eyes.
---
White light.
---
The ceiling.
---
And…
two silhouettes.
---
---
— Oh, he's awake! — So A's voice.
---
I blinked.
---
— …What?
---
---
I turned my head.
---
And saw her.
---
So A was sitting nearby.
Agitated.
But smiling.
---
And next to her—
---
Aki.
With her arms crossed.
With that very look:
'I told you so.'
---
---
'You nearly died again,' Aki said calmly.
---
— I wasn't dying…
---
— Almost, — she added.
---
---
So A leaned in closer.
---
— Do you even realise what happened to you?
---
I sat down slowly.
---
My body still felt heavy.
---
— Evolution…
---
---
They exchanged glances.
---
— What evolution? — asked Aki.
---
I froze.
---
— You… didn't see it?
---
---
So A shook her head.
---
"You just collapsed."
---
"That's all."
---
---
I frowned.
---
"So…"
---
---
SHRAM smiled quietly to himself:
---
"No one must know."
---
---
I exhaled slowly.
---
"All right…"
---
---
So A placed her hand on my shoulder.
---
"You gave us a fright."
---
---
I looked at her.
---
And for the first time, I noticed:
---
she was genuinely worried.
---
---
"I'm sorry…" I said quietly.
---
---
Aki looked away.
---
"Next time… just tell us."
---
---
Pause.
---
---
Then she suddenly smiled.
---
And added, a little more gently:
---
'And… don't disappear for so long.'
---
---
I nodded.
---
'I won't.'
---
---
Silence.
---
---
But a different kind of silence now.
---
A living one.
---
---
I looked at my hands.
---
And I felt it.
---
The dragon's power.
---
Dormant.
But real.
---
---
"Then…" I said quietly.
---
"Let's continue training."
---
---
Aki sighed.
---
— You've only just woken up…
---
---
So A gave me a light tap on the shoulder.
---
— Recover first, you idiot.
---
---
I smiled.
---
— Right.
---
---
But deep down…
---
I already knew.
---
---
This is only the beginning.
---
Because a dragon…
---
doesn't get weaker.
---
It either grows.
---
Or destroys everything around it.