[Sky Fox’s Marble is about to be canceled due to an imperfect transformation.]
[Time Limit: 00:01:14]
[Time Limit: 00:01:13]
...
“Huff! Huff! Bony fucker!” Seo-Yeon shouted as the blue in her blue-white hair began to fade away.
Her golden eyes and vertical pupils were also returning to black eyes and circular pupils. The S-rank item, Foxfire, granted her powers on par with those of a High Ranker, but she had rushed out of Fox Village without completing her training. Hence, her transformation was not perfect yet, and its duration was short. Worst of all, she was against a powerful opponent.
“I am Spartoi, the earthborn of Master Rahab, the son of the almighty Dragon King Regnator! We are different from birth, you inferior creature!” Spartoi shouted as he swung his giant spear, seemingly still having more than enough power to spare.
“Big words for an inferior dragon species! Yip! You’re a fucking skeleton with insane amounts of mana just because you’re a dragon!” Seo-Yeon insulted.
“I could say the same to you, phony beastfolk. You seem to be nearing your limit!”
Spartoi’s golden eyes flashed from behind the visor of his dragon bone helmet, certain of his victory.
This will be... my last attack. I’ll put all my power into it! Seo-Yeon thought as she dashed toward Spartoi and focused all her mana into her tails.
The blue flames at each end of her tails merged into one. The single giant flame then spun rapidly as it blazed ferociously.
“Yip! Die!”
The blue flames burst forth from the nine tails.
“Hup!” Spartoi grunted as he drew out Draconic Mana from his Dragon Heart, as always, and wrapped it around him like a storm armor.
However, the result was different this time. The flames, containing all of Seo-Yeon’s mana, tore apart Spartoi’s Draconic Mana armor.
“GAAAAAH!” Spartoi screamed.
His left shoulder was destroyed, and the blue flames blazed from the area, devouring his mana. However, Seo-Yeon expressed despair as she coughed up blood.
“I... failed? Kurgh!”
She had aimed for Spartoi’s heart, but it had only managed to blow off his shoulder. She began to fall toward the ground after using up all her power.
[Canceling Sky Fox’s Marble.]
[Foxfire takes a short nap.]
[Canceling Mythical Beastification.]
...
Seo-Yeon returned to her original form once the skills were canceled. Miho came out of her chest and also fell powerlessly.
“I WILL KILL YOU!” screamed the wounded Spartoi as he threw his giant spear, wrapped in violent gusts, at the defenseless falling Seo-Yeon.
It’s over... Seo-Yeon thought.
She did not even have the mana to defend herself. Various voices echoed inside her head.
“You sly nine-tailed fox!”
“We’re not family, huh? Kekek! Did you only realize that just now? We’re not even blood-related.”
“I suppose I have a new little sister.”
The voice of Seong-Hwi, who taught her what a true family was, echoed the most.
“Seong-Hwi... oppa... I’m sorry...” Seo-Yeon mumbled.
“NOONA! NOOOOO!!!”
She lost consciousness as she heard the voice of an anxious boy.
***
Charles Dullin was defending against the earthborn invading Jericho.
“Re del Diavolo! The demon lord sealed inside me! I will undo the seal just for today, so subdue those villains!” he shouted as he sprinted, the blue cape fluttering behind him, as he outstretched his right hand wrapped in bandages.
An eastern dragon made of black flames was released from his right hand. It was serpentine, had a mustache, and deer antlers sprouted from its head.
[Dark Flame Dragon (Destiny Weapon)
Rank: A(59)
Description: La Notte del Drago del Gioco Oscuro. It is a familiar of the protagonist in the cartoon, Dark Flame Dragon Knight Chronicles. It is the enemy and companion of a lone hero who has sealed the dragon capable of destroying the world inside his right hand.
Unique Skills: (5)]
“Dark Flame Fist!” Charles shouted as he punched the air.
The Dark Flame Dragon rushed forward, scorching everything in its path.
“Dark Flame Kick!”
This time, the Dark Flame Dragon spread fire all around Charles.
“Hahahaha! So weak! Where is the final boss?!” Charles laughed as he placed his hands on his waist, acting as if he were inside a video game. “Everyone is stricken with fear by my Demonic Eye of Terror!”
The more one saw the boy’s overblown attitude, the more one felt bad for him. He had created a makeshift world to avert his eyes from the horrors of reality, and his retrograde imagination made it seem as if he were the protagonist of that world.
Just then, a giant explosion sounded. Charles turned around to see a large earthborn covered in blue flames.
“As expected of my comrade, Nine Tail del Foxy! You’ve defeated the enemy commander!” he shouted.
However, he quickly realized something was wrong. A giant spear flew out of the blue flames, and Seo-Yeon was falling to the ground, seemingly defenseless.
“What... are you doing? Dodge, Nine Tail del Foxy!” Charles yelled.
However, Seo-Yeon continued to fall like an angel without wings, and the giant spear was about to pierce through her. Charles’s blue eyes widened, reflecting Seo-Yeon like a diver plunging into the water.
Who cares? It’s just a game. Nine Tail del Foxy will revive. She’ll just be teleported to the safety zone, like mama.
Voices echoed inside his head, trying to defend his imaginary world. However, he recalled the warm conversations he had with Seo-Yeon at Fox Village.
“Do you know the true meaning of family, Charles?”
“Reality sure is full of painful and sad things, isn’t it, Charles?”
“I fully understand your desire to run away. I was just like you, once.”
“But no matter how dreamlike the fantasy is, it is based on reality.”
“If I had a little brother, I wonder if he would’ve been like you, Charles?”
“You’re spilling food everywhere, Charles. Want a tissue?”
“Chew properly, Charles.”
“Why didn’t you eat your carrots, Charles? It’s disrespectful to the cook.”
“Charles...”
“Charles...”
“Charles...”
Tears fell from Charles’s eyes.
“Ah... Ahhh...”
His older sister, who was as kind as his mama, took care of him like his mama, and called his name full of warmth like his mama, was about to die before his very eyes, like his mama. Charles started running without realizing it, gradually getting faster. His frantic expression was full of desperation.
“NOONA! NOOOOO!!!”
Charles no longer called Seo-Yeon Nine Tail del Foxy. She was his noona. The barrier between reality and fantasy crumbled. This world was both a game and reality. He was a hero with superpowers—a dragon knight. If that were true, he needed to save his noona.
“Help me! Help me save noona!” Charles shouted as he stared at the Dark Flame Dragon wrapping his right hand.
However, the Dark Flame Dragon stared at him with its translucent black eyes and refused.
“No, child. This is just a game, right?”
“I-it’s not! This is reality!”
“Do not lie. I am the Dark Flame Dragon, sealed inside your right hand. I am just a dragon that plays along with your hilarious play, aren’t I?” The Dark Flame Dragon smiled widely and asked, “Besides, are you sure? If this is reality, like you say, your mother would be dead.”
Charles gritted his teeth and undid the layers of bandages on his right hand, revealing a faint, pink kiss mark on the back of his hand.
“I know! Mama is dead! She’s dead!” he shouted as he wiped off the kiss mark with his other hand.
He had wrapped his hand in bandages so that the kiss mark wouldn’t be erased, but he had known for a long time that it was pointless—because his mother was dead.
“I’ll admit it all, so save noona!”
“Finally! Ahahahaha! Very well! However, I won’t be the one saving her. It will be you. After all, I am you, who you’ve been turning away from all this time!”
The Dark Flame Dragon bit Selfinus Canhel’s Dragon Heart inside Charles’s pocket. The dragon was wrapped in a bright green light and began to transform.
[The Dark Flame Dragon obtains the Cintamani.]
[Re-enacting the Legend of Ascension.]
[The imugi is reborn as a true dragon after completing its ascetic journey.][1]
[Converting Destiny Weapon: Dark Flame Dragon to Kiss Dragon.]
...
[Kiss Dragon (Destiny Weapon)
Rank: A(59)
Description: The guardian dragon of Charles Dullin, born from Mama’s last kiss. It has been reborn from the fusion of a warm heart that wishes for her son’s safety and happiness, with the Cintamani.
Unique Skills: (5)]
Charles’s D Weapon transformed from that of a dragon covered in darkness to being covered in pink, like his mother’s last kiss. Its scales were heart-colored, and even its horns were curved into a heart shape, something that one would find hard to believe existed in real life. It was D Conversion, which could only be experienced by a trigger powerful enough to change one’s destiny completely.
The boy who had run away to an imaginary world after being unable to accept his mother’s death had acknowledged her death at last, resulting in a complete upheaval of his world. On top of that, Selfinus Canhel’s Dragon Heart acted as the Cintamani, the wish-granting jewel, to transform Charles’s D Weapon into a more powerful entity.
[Activating Unique Skill: Kiss Breath.]
The Kiss Dragon opened its mouth, releasing a pink breath attack that melted Spartoi’s spear. The pink breath closely resembled an acid breath, the signature attack of the Green Dragon, who used the acid element.
“Could that be?!” Spartoi shouted, his eyes shaking intensely as he stared at the green jewel that a beast of the likes he had never seen before was holding.
While Spartoi was focusing on the Kiss Dragon, Charles caught the falling Seo-Yeon.
“Noona! Noona... Ah, she’s alive!” Charles said in relief once he placed his hand under her nose, confirming she was still breathing. He removed his blue cape, wrapped Seo-Yeon with it, and shouted at the spec force members, “Take noona and get out of here, now!”
“O-okay!”
“Tend to the team leader!”
“Someone bring a healer!”
Charles handed the unconscious Seo-Yeon to the spec force members and turned around with a resolute expression. He needed to secure enough time for Seo-Yeon to escape and protect the escape route.
Once he recognized what the Kiss Dragon was holding, Spartoi charged at Charles and shouted, “YOU BASTARD! HAND THAT OVER!”
“I won’t let you get past this point!” Charles shouted back as he activated a skill, having no intention to back down.
[Activating Unique Skill: Divine Beastification.]
[Kiss Dragon.]
The Kiss Dragon entered Charles’s right hand, and his mother’s kiss mark appeared on the back of his hand. Charles began to transform; heart-shaped scales enveloped his body, and he grew a dragon tail and horns.
It was not just his appearance that changed. His chest pounded as if he had gained another heart. Selfinus Canhel’s Dragon Heart—now the Kiss Dragon’s Cintamani—had settled inside Charles.
[Drastically boosting the Magic stat as per the effect of the Cintamani.]
[Magic A(66) → A(80)]
[Magic A(80) → A(99)]
[Magic A(99) → S(1)]
[Magic S(1) → S(3)]
...
Mana endlessly surged from Charles’s body, filling him with a sense of omnipotence. It was as if he had become a real dragon.
I can kill him! Charles thought, believing he could easily defeat the wounded earthborn before him.
[Activating Unique Skill: Kiss Sword.]
A peculiar-looking chain whip sword of thousands of overlapping pink hearts was summoned in Charles’s right hand.
“I am Charles Dullin, the son of Kiara Julietta!” shouted Charles, no longer sad to call his mother’s name.
***
Only in the agony of parting do we look into the depths of love.
George Eliot
***
Seong-Hwi stood on an abandoned train station platform in the middle of a blizzard.
“Is it because... Bulgasal isn’t with me?” he mumbled as the freezing snow hit him.
He stared at the old train tracks with his bloodshot eyes. The two parallel tracks stretched endlessly as if they would never intersect. White noise sounded from an old speaker on a pillar.
“Fucking hell,” Seong-Hwi mumbled, knowing that woman’s voice would soon sound from the speaker.
He turned around and walked away without hesitation. He could hear the snow crackling under his feet. He had found the sound amusing when he was five years old, walking together with that woman as they held hands without knowing she would abandon him in a children’s home.
Just then, he heard the sound of a train running along the tracks from afar, but he did not stop. Regardless of whether the train arrived or not, he was not waiting for anything.
The train entered the station, bringing a snowstorm with it. Seong-Hwi was already on the stairs down to the platform exit before he had realized it. He then heard the train doors opening and footsteps.
Did someone... get off? Seong-Hwi wondered as he stopped.
A woman’s voice sounded behind him. “My baby...”
Seong-Hwi slowly turned around.
1. The imugi (이무기) are lesser dragons that are more like gigantic serpents, and they aspire to become full-fledged dragons. ☜
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