《Eclipse Dragon: Lullaby of the forsaken》


 Prologue

    The heavens stretched vast and endless, a kingdom of marble halls and towering spires, their peaks vanishing into the void of light above. A realm where the weary might one day shed their burdens, where suffering held no dominion.


    And above it all, the gods watched.


    They had ruled in eternal splendor, untouched by time, unmoved by mortal prayers. They believed themselves infallible. Their world was perfect.


    They never noticed the machine was breaking.


    At the far end of the grand temple, behind Ordos''s throne, the Soul Flow Engine hummed¡ªa vast, tangled mechanism of golden pipes, its crystalline heart pulsing with the cycle of life and death.


    It had functioned flawlessly for eons.


    Until today.


    Inside the grand temple, a massive stone table dominated the chamber, its surface smooth as glass. Above it, a great planet hovered in projection, swirling with clouds, continents shifting in slow rotation. Surrounding the table stood twelve marble chairs, each carved with intricate patterns reflecting their occupant''s domain. At the far end, a single throne of gold loomed over them all, its surface gleaming like a diamond catching sunlight.


    A deep, crackling voice broke the silence.


    "The mortals pray for an end to the war again, Ordos," said a fire-eyed god, his form clad in armor veined with molten fissures. Heat radiated from his body, warping the air around him.


    Ordos, seated upon the radiant throne, barely stirred. His voice was calm, indifferent.


    "And let me guess, Kael''Zir. You wish the war to continue? War is something you''ve always been most fond of."


    Kael''Zir grinned, his molten eyes flashing. "Of course. Conflict is the crucible that forges the strong." He leaned back in his chair, the stone beneath him turning black from the heat. "Besides, if they truly wanted peace, they would stop fighting. Is that not their choice?"


    A sigh came from across the table.


    "They have no choice," muttered Seraphis, the faceless goddess of wisdom and knowledge, her six feathered wings folding neatly behind her. Her single mouth moved, though her body had no eyes. "War is a cycle, much like all things. Knowledge forgotten, knowledge regained. A song sung, a song lost."


    Kael''Zir rolled his eyes. "Not everything is a poetic tragedy, Seraphis."


    Before she could respond, another god chimed in, his crystalline body shimmering under the golden light. "Kael''Zir is right. Hardship is necessary. Just as stone is carved by wind and water, so too must the weak be shaped by struggle." Arodan, the Shattered King, crossed his arms, his voice like grinding rock. "Without pain, they would stagnate."


    A feathered hand slammed against the table, making the planet projection flicker for a moment.


    "It is always ''struggle builds character'' with you lot," snapped Emaris, the Hollow Veil, her dark lips curling in amusement. "Do any of you actually listen to the mortals? Their prayers are not thank you for this grand lesson in suffering. They are please, let my child eat today."


    Ordos exhaled through his nose, rubbing his temple as the argument began to spiral.


    "I tire of this debate," he muttered, slumping against his throne. "It is always the same. War, hardship, the mortals are fools, the mortals need guidance. What of it?" He waved a hand lazily. "They live, they die, they return. And they will continue to do so, forever."


    Tsaryis, the foxborn trickster, let out a playful hum. "How very inspiring, O mighty King of the Gods." She plucked a single grape from the silver bowl in front of her and popped it into her mouth. "Perhaps you should tell the mortals to stop bothering us with their little miseries. Would make our jobs much easier."


    "You have no job," Arodan grumbled.


    "Which makes me the smartest one here."


    The bickering continued, voices rising, overlapping. Arguments about war turned to arguments about trade, about territories, about meaningless portfolio disputes. Some gods ignored the conversation entirely, staring into their goblets of celestial wine. Others fanned the flames, enjoying the sport of watching their peers quarrel.


    No one noticed the dull hum filling the chamber.


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    No one turned toward the machine standing at the far end of the room.


    Nestled behind Ordos''s great throne, a colossal structure of gears and flowing light stood in perpetual motion. The Soul Flow Engine, the divine mechanism that governed the cycle of death and rebirth, pulsed steadily, its core shifting in shades of deep blue and silver.


    It was a vast network of golden pipes, sprawling across the chamber like the tangled roots of an ancient tree. Some snaked along the walls, others curved haphazardly around the ceiling, stretching ever outward as more souls entered the cycle. It had not been designed so much as built upon, expanding endlessly as existence demanded.


    At the heart of this chaotic system, behind the throne, sat a massive crystal sphere, clear as glass but brimming with motion. Inside, a churning vortex of souls swirled violently, twisting and spinning as they were funneled through the converging pipes, sorted and siphoned into the next phase of existence.


    Beneath the sphere, three small valves jutted from the base¡ªsimple, unassuming mechanisms that controlled the flow and intensity of the soul stream. A system so crucial to the order of the universe, reduced to nothing more than a glorified plumbing fixture.


    Except for one thing.


    A flicker. A single, stuttering pulse.


    A momentary hesitation, like a breath caught in a throat.


    And in that moment, one god finally glanced over.


    A pair of void-black eyes narrowed.


    "¡­The machine," Xel''thos, the Black Maw, murmured. "It hesitated."


    The room fell silent.


    Ordos frowned and finally turned his head. "What?"


    Xel''thos gestured toward the engine with one skeletal hand. "It just¡­ skipped."


    The other gods turned, watching as the great machine thrummed as usual, its celestial cogs turning, its light shimmering in perfect rhythm.


    The hesitation was gone.


    Kael''Zir snorted. "Oh, how terrifying. A machine made by gods hesitated. Perhaps it sneezed."


    Tsaryis chuckled. "Well, since you noticed it first, why don''t you check on it, Xel''thos?"


    The god of death gave an empty smile, rows of sharp teeth glinting in the golden light. "I do not concern myself with the function of the engine. I merely collect the souls once they pass through."


    Seraphis sighed, brushing a hand across her feathered wings. "Shouldn''t the one who built it be responsible for its upkeep?"


    Silence.


    Eleven sets of eyes turned to Arodan, the Shattered King.


    The crystalline god let out a slow, grinding exhale. "Built is a strong word," he muttered. "I merely¡­ willed it into existence. It assembled itself."


    Tsaryis tilted her head, grinning. "Ah, so you didn''t build it."


    "No, I merely conceived the idea of something that would collect and sort the souls so we wouldn''t have to. It practically built itself."


    "Then why is it breaking?" Kael''Zir asked.


    "It doesn''t break," Arodan snapped, folding his arms. "It even repairs its own damage. The idea that it''s malfunctioning is ridiculous."


    The gods stared at the engine in silence. It continued to hum, its radiant glow undisturbed.


    Ordos waved a hand lazily. "If there was a problem, it would have fixed itself by now."


    Seraphis sighed. "Still, someone should check it."


    Kael''Zir placed his gauntleted hands on the stone table. "Then perhaps the one who suggested this check should be the one to do it."


    Xel''Thos tapped a bony finger on the table while pointing another at himself. "I simply observe. I do not interfere."


    Ordos exhaled through his nose. "Enough." He leaned forward on his throne, fixing Arodan with a glowing, heavy stare. "You will do it."


    Arodan stiffened. "What?"


    Ordos''s voice remained calm, his tone carrying the weight of an order, not a request. "You. Will. Do. It." He leaned back, resting his chin against his palm. "Because I am your king, and you will do as I say."


    Silence.


    Arodan''s gemlike fingers curled into a fist. His crystalline skin let out a faint, grinding noise, the only hint of irritation he allowed himself to show. His jaw tightened. This angered him, but refusing was not an option.


    "¡­Fine."


    Without another word, he stood, his heavy steps echoing through the chamber as he made his way toward the machine.


    Ordos watched him go, exhaling in boredom. "Honestly. You''d think I was asking him to rebuild it."


    Soft laughter rippled around the table. The gods resumed their conversation.


    Arodan approached the machine, his heavy steps echoing through the chamber. The golden pipes surrounding the crystal sphere hissed softly, their endless, twisting coils disappearing into the walls, the ceiling, the very foundation of the temple itself. The heartbeat of existence, humming along, indifferent to the gods who had long since forgotten how it even worked.


    He stopped before the three small valves beneath the sphere.


    His gemlike fingers hovered over them.


    "¡­What do these even do?"


    Arodan gripped one and twisted, expecting resistance¡ªnone came. The valve spun loosely in his grasp, the mechanism beneath it letting out a pathetic wheeze, like a dying animal.


    Nothing changed.


    He turned another. More wheezing.


    Still, nothing changed.


    Annoyance prickled in his chest. The others were watching. No doubt that insufferable Tsaryis was smirking behind her fan, waiting to make some sarcastic remark.


    Arodan rolled his shoulders, trying to maintain his dignity, and placed both hands on the crystal sphere, as if he could feel what was wrong. The souls inside swirled like a tempest, oblivious to the celestial incompetence unfolding outside their prison.


    His fingers clenched.


    "This is ridiculous," he muttered.


    And in a moment of childish frustration, he reared back and kicked one of the pipes.


    A hollow clang echoed through the chamber.


    For a moment, nothing happened.


    Then, the pipes groaned, the engine whirred to life, and suddenly¡ª


    Everything was working again.


    Arodan smirked. He turned back toward the others, arms crossed.


    "There. Fixed."


    Behind him, the Soul Flow Engine purred back to life. The crystal sphere churned, the golden pipes hummed, and the divine machine resumed its eternal function, as if nothing had ever been wrong.


    The gods barely acknowledged the moment.


    Ordos, satisfied, leaned back in his throne. "I told you it would fix itself."


    Soft laughter rippled through the chamber. Conversations resumed.


    But unseen¡ªbehind the throne, deep within the tangled maze of pipes¡ªa pinprick of a hole remained.


    A flaw.


    A mistake so small it was beneath the notice of gods.


    Yet through it, something had already begun to slip.


    Something that did not belong.

 Momentum

    The cramped apartment lit up with the first golden rays of sunrise, filtering through the single, narrow window of Tetsuo Arata''s home. Another day in Kita City.


    Tetsuo climbed down from his bed platform into the even smaller living space below, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He moved to the bathroom, taking off his glasses before splashing cold water onto his face. Mundane features. The same tired reflection as always. But still, he gave himself a small smile.


    He walked to his tiny refrigerator, the hum of its overworked motor filling the silence. Inside, barely anything¡ªjust a few condiments and a single tuna mayo onigiri. He grabbed it along with a canned coffee, cracking it open with one hand.


    "Oh¡­ the last one. Guess I''ll grab more today."


    With practiced ease, he wolfed down the rice ball, not really tasting it. Then he stretched, rolling his shoulders and breathing deep. Another day. Another routine.


    Another beautiful morning in Tokyo. Tetsuo stepped out into the bustling noise of the district. Filled with the people going about their day just as he was. the work of those trying to earn a living in a city that didn''t care one way or another about his meager existence.


    A salaryman brushed past him, barely noticing the impact. No apology. No glance back.Another man snapped at him for standing too long at the crosswalk.


    And as always, the world pushed forward.


    Salarymen squawked into their phones, voices sharp with deadlines.Teenagers sprinted past, backpacks bouncing, toast hanging from their mouths.A thousand people moved around him, brushing by without a second thought.


    This was his home.


    A grain of sand on a beach.A cog in the vast, grinding machine of Tokyo.Just another small part of the great metropolitan current¡ªflowing endlessly, never stopping. And he was okay with this.


    Tetsuo arrived at his workplace. The station was already alive¡ªconstant movement, constant noise.


    He dipped his mop into the bucket and began cleaning the platform floor. A thankless job, but it was his.


    As soon as he mopped a section, people walked over it again, their shoes leaving fresh streaks of dirt. Trash fell from pockets, hit the ground, and stayed there¡ªforgotten, unnoticed.


    This was job security.


    He saw hundreds of faces, thousands of steps. An endless sea of people, moving toward their destinations. All of them wrapped in their own worlds.


    "I wonder if any of them are happy," he often thought.


    "Attention passengers: Be sure of your transfer before boarding. Some routes do not return."


    Tetsuo heard this same message over the intercom every day. Sometimes, he even mimicked the robotic voice under his breath as he worked.


    "If only the dirt didn''t come back," he mused, wringing out his mop. "No... never mind. Please, bring on more dirt. It''s no fun just polishing the already polished objects."


    A quiet chuckle caught his attention.


    He glanced over and saw an old man sitting on a bench, waiting for his train. Unlike the thousands of others who passed through this station every day, this man was watching him.


    "You work hard, kid," the old man said. "Most wouldn''t bother."


    Tetsuo blinked, caught off guard. People didn''t talk to him, especially not about his work. He gave the old man a lopsided smile. "Gotta do something with my time."


    The old man nodded, as if he understood something deeper.


    "The world doesn''t see people like us," he said. "Doesn''t mean we ain''t here."


    The train arrived. The old man stood, adjusting his bag, and stepped onto the train without another word.


    Tetsuo watched the doors close, his own reflection briefly appearing in the glass before the train sped off into the distance.


    He stood there for a moment before shaking his head and getting back to work.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "Hmm... well, I can now say that my job isn''t thankless," Tetsuo said to himself, pushing his mop across the platform. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he dipped the mop back into the bucket, the water swirling with the grime of a thousand hurried footsteps.


    The day moved fast. It always did. The hustle and bustle of the train station never let up¡ªnot in the morning rush, not in the lull of midday, not even when the neon lights outside flickered to life in the evening.


    No matter how many times the floors were dirtied, no matter how much trash tumbled carelessly to the ground, Tetsuo was always there to set things right again. One swipe of the mop, one discarded wrapper tossed into the bin. A cycle as steady and predictable as the tides.


    It was meditative.


    Simple.


    And fulfilling in a way that only a few¡ªincluding him¡ªcould understand.


    There was something about restoring order, about seeing the chaos settle, if only for a moment. The world moved too fast, people ran from one place to another, eyes glued to their phones or locked on the next destination, never sparing a thought for where they were now.


    He wished¡ªjust once¡ªthat the people around him could slow down.


    Stop.


    Breathe.


    See what he saw.


    A world in motion, not just a blur of destinations and obligations. A world that, for all its mess, was beautiful in its chaotic splendor.


    But the station never stopped. The people never slowed down.


    And so, Tetsuo just kept mopping.


    Tetsuo adjusted his bag strap as he walked. His shift was done. His body ached, but that was normal.


    The city was still alive around him¡ªneon signs flickering, the hum of distant traffic, a few late-night workers making their way home.


    Then¡ªfootsteps. Fast.


    A figure sprinted past him, almost knocking into his shoulder. Tetsuo barely had time to register them before he saw the second man, close behind.


    Something flashed under the streetlights.


    A knife.


    Tetsuo barely processed it before the blade sank into the first man''s side.


    A sharp, choked gasp. The victim staggered, clutching his ribs.


    The attacker didn''t even hesitate. He pulled the knife free, turned, and disappeared into the alley.


    Tetsuo stood frozen.


    It had happened so fast.


    The victim stumbled forward, legs giving out.


    Tetsuo caught him before he hit the pavement.


    Blood. Warm and sticky, spreading through the man''s clothes. His breath came in short, shallow gasps.


    Tetsuo ripped off his jacket, pressing it against the wound.


    "Hey, stay with me. You''re okay."


    The man gripped his arm weakly.


    "I¡­ I don''t¡­" His voice trembled. "I don''t wanna die."


    "You won''t."


    Tetsuo said it without thinking.


    Blue lights flashed at the edge of the street. An ambulance. Someone must have called it.


    Paramedics rushed in, pushing Tetsuo aside. Within seconds, they had the man secured, loaded onto a stretcher, moving fast.


    Tetsuo stood there, hands coated in blood, watching as the ambulance doors shut. The sirens faded into the distance.


    He looked down at his bloodstained jacket.


    He exhaled. Rubbed a hand over his face.


    "That could''ve been me."


    He shook the thought away.


    Not tonight.


    He picked up his bag, dusted himself off, and kept walking.


    Tetsuo arrived at his apartment and went straight to the shower.


    The hot water ran over his skin, but it did nothing to wash away the thoughts clinging to him.


    That could have been me.


    His dreams, his aspirations¡ªall of it could have ended in an instant.


    The thought sat heavy in his chest, lingering even after he stepped out, dried off, and slipped into his usual nightly routine.


    RPG on his old laptop.


    Then a short drawing session in his sketchbook.


    But the pen felt wrong in his fingers. His mind kept drifting back to the alley, to the man who had almost died in his arms.


    Tetsuo stared at the page, waiting for inspiration to strike.


    Nothing.


    Minutes passed. Then an hour.


    No matter how hard he tried, nothing came to him.


    He sighed, shutting the sketchbook.


    "So much for that."


    Just then, his phone buzzed.


    Unknown number.


    He hesitated before answering. "Hello?"


    A polite but unfamiliar voice responded.


    "Hello! May I speak with Arata-san?"


    Tetsuo adjusted the phone to his other ear.


    "I''m Arata-san."


    The voice on the other end was calm, professional¡ªbut there was something else underneath it.


    Excitement.


    "Yes, I am calling from Hoshikawa Publishing. We have been looking over your work, and we are very impressed. We would like you to come in for an interview. When would you be available?"


    The words hit like a shock to the system.


    For a moment, he couldn''t breathe.


    Years of dreaming. Years of rejection. And now, suddenly, here it was.


    And tonight of all nights.


    Maybe all the strange things he had seen today were a sign.


    Maybe his fortune was finally changing.


    "Yes! I can be there in twenty minutes!" Tetsuo said, voice shaking with excitement.


    "Great! We will be ready to talk over your portfolio. See you soon!"


    The call ended.


    Tetsuo stood there, frozen.


    Then, all at once, he moved.


    He grabbed his portfolio, flipping through his sketches to make sure they were his best work.


    He checked himself in the mirror¡ªmaking sure he looked presentable, making sure he was real.


    He threw on his best clothes, adjusted his bag strap, and took a deep breath.


    This was it.


    For the first time in forever¡ªhe ran.


    Tetsuo ran out into the night.


    His feet pounded against the pavement, his bag bouncing against his shoulder.


    He bumped past a few bystanders, barely registering their startled looks.


    The crosswalk light was red. He didn''t care.


    He wouldn''t be late.


    A horn blared.


    He wasn''t ready for what came next.


    A pair of headlights surged toward him.


    Blinding. Fast. Too close.


    And then¡ª


    Darkness.


    No sound. No pain.


    Just the slow, creeping realization.


    "What just happened?"


    "I''m gonna be late."


    "What is this? Wait... was I just hit?"


    Memory snapped back into place.


    The light. The street. The car.


    "Wait... was that light red?"


    A sinking, horrible realization.


    "No... how could I have been so unbelievably foolish?"


    "What have I done?!"


    And then¡ªnothing.

 Exile

    The colors surrounding Tetsuo shifted and twisted, endless and incomprehensible, like a kaleidoscope without pattern. A horizon stretched before him¡ªone beyond human imagination.


    He saw colors he had never seen before, colors that shouldn''t exist. It was as if the entire spectrum had been unlocked, where before, he had only glimpsed a sliver of reality.


    But it wasn''t just his sight that had changed. His senses expanded, stretching into concepts he could barely comprehend. He felt something¡ªnot air, not movement, but the shape of existence itself.


    It was insane.


    Then, a voice.


    Faint. Distant. Impossible to understand.


    It wove through the shifting colors, slipping in and out of recognition. A whisper. A murmur. A presence just out of reach.


    Tetsuo strained to hear.


    The voice continued¡ªjust on the edge of his perception. He wasn''t alone.


    "Malfunction."


    The voice was distant, layered, and mechanical.


    "Erroneous soul detected. Executing Program Sigma-6 protocol."


    Then came the pull.


    Tetsuo felt himself unravel. His very being twisted, stretched, and reformed like taffy caught in a machine, twisted into a new shape that wasn''t meant to exist.


    "Decreasing Beta-24 protocol."


    Something shifted.


    A weight he didn''t know he carried was suddenly removed. Or added. He wasn''t sure.


    Something about him changed.


    But he had no idea what.


    He felt no weaker. No stronger. No different.


    "Executing Soul Repositioning System."


    His awareness lurched. He was forced into a space that was not his own.


    A container. A body moments away from birth.


    "Proceeding with soul assignment. Initiating."


    And then, suddenly¡ª


    For what seemed like an eternity¡ª


    For time itself no longer moved the way it once had¡ª


    He felt his body again.


    At first, it was strange. Distant.


    Not the familiar weight of flesh and bone he had always known.


    This was something else.


    Something new.


    Something that didn''t quite fit¡ªbut at the same time, felt right.


    He was contained. Encased.


    Heat surrounded him.


    He could feel walls pressing against him.


    Not in a room. Not in a building.


    But something smaller. Warmer. More natural.


    And then, for the first time in this new life¡ª


    The instincts kicked in.


    Move.


    Push.


    Break free.


    He pressed against the hard surface with his face. With all his might, he kept trying to break out, and finally, the wall gave way. It was cold outside the wall, but it was better than in here. He continued to break away at the shell that had been containing him.


    He was hatching from an egg!


    But what kind of egg?


    He finally managed to wrestle himself out of the egg and into the cool air outside. As his eyes slowly adjusted to the brightness of his new environment, he found himself looking up at two mighty dragons.


    They were massive. And they were beautiful. He could see them despite how dark it was in here. One was a bright crimson red, while the other was a sapphire blue. Both had red eyes, and they looked down upon him with an expression he couldn''t quite understand.


    Where was here? It looked like a cave... but where on earth was this? When on earth was this?


    "Oh my god... I have been isekai''d! IT REALLY HAPPENS!" he thought in absolute amazement, and just a little bit of horror.


    "No... no... no, not like this! I was going to be a mangaka! I was so close to following my dreams! The universe can''t be so poorly made as to allow this nonsense!"


    The blue dragon then spoke. "Look at him. Look at his stats!"


    The red dragon scoffed. "And that rusty orange color... he couldn''t even do red right!"


    The blue dragon craned her head closer to him, sniffing his body. "It''s a male. He may yet prove useful... perhaps. If he''s worthy. But I don''t see him doing well."


    The red dragon snorted. "Why don''t we just throw him out already? No son of mine is an F-tier piece of trash!"


    "Hush, Rorgah. Let''s see if he can prove himself first," the blue dragon said.


    Tetsuo blinked.


    He tried to stand, but his legs wobbled beneath him, shaking under his own weight. His body felt wrong¡ªfat and rounded, unsteady, unfamiliar.


    He could feel his tiny wings twitching at his back, useless and weak.


    Slowly, he raised a hand to his face.


    It was tiny. Stubby. Four small claws.


    He pressed it to his muzzle, feeling the soft scales beneath his touch.


    Then he looked back up at the two dragons towering over him.


    They looked back, as if expecting something.


    Rorgah scoffed. "I''ll bet he doesn''t even know how to breathe fire, Juzah."


    Tetsuo immediately felt terrible.


    Like a stone in his gut.


    Beaten down. Looked down on.


    It was happening again.


    He had been pushed around all his previous life¡ªignored, dismissed, treated as insignificant. And now¡­


    Just minutes into his new one, it was all happening again.


    "Life is just unfair sometimes," Tetsuo thought.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    But then¡­ something sparked inside him.


    "No. If these two want to see me breathe fire, then that''s exactly what I''m going to do."


    "As weird as this situation is, I won''t let anyone¡ªor anything¡ªdecide what I can or can''t do but me!"


    The moment he thought about doing it, something flashed in his vision.


    A strange window appeared before his eyes.


    "What''s this?!"


    The glowing blue screen hovered in his vision, no matter where he turned. His heart pounded in his tiny chest.


    Lines of text scrolled before him.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    Name: ¡ª (Name not assigned)


    Species: Dragon


    Tier: [F-Tier]


    Level: 1


    XP:0/1000


    Vitals:


    HP: 30/30


    MP: 10/10


    Stamina: 50/50


    Stats:


    Strength: 2


    Dexterity: 1


    Intelligence: 3


    Vitality: 2


    Magic Affinity: 2


    Resistances:


    Fire Resistance: 5


    Cold Resistance: 2


    Skills:


    [Active Skills]


    Fire Breath (Lv.1) ¨C Allows the user to exhale flames. Damage: Minimal. Cost: 8 MP.


    Claw Attack (Lv.1) ¨C Basic melee attack using claws. Damage: Pathetic.


    Bite (Lv.1) ¨C Basic bite attack. Damage: Weak.


    Polymorph (Lv.1) ¨C Disguise yourself as another living creature. Cost: 6 MP.


    [Passive Skills]


    Flight (Lv.0) [Locked] ¨C Insufficient strength to sustain flight. 30 Strength required.


    Draconic Regeneration (Lv.1) ¨C Minor passive healing over time. Regenerates 1 HP every 30 minutes.


    Heightened Senses (Lv.1) ¨C Enhanced sight, smell, and hearing.


    Night Vision (Lv.1) ¨C Can see clearly in low-light environments.


    Scaled Hide (Lv.1) ¨C Provides natural damage reduction. Reduces all physical damage by 5%.


    Magic Sensitivity (Lv.1) ¨C Can instinctively sense nearby sources of magic, even without formal training.


    Instinctual Combat Awareness (Lv.1) ¨C Basic survival instincts allow for improved reaction speed against immediate danger.


    Heat Absorption (Lv.1) ¨C Passively absorbs heat from surroundings to maintain body temperature.


    Tetsuo stared.


    His eyes scanned over the numbers, the skills, the stats.


    His Strength was 2? His Dexterity was 1? His Fire Breath was listed as ''Minimal''?


    His Bite? ''Weak.''


    His Claws? ''Pathetic.''


    His Flight? Locked.


    And his tier?


    F.


    F-tier.


    His vision blurred as he read it again.


    He felt a tightness in his chest¡ªsomething between disbelief and humiliation.


    This had to be a mistake.


    "No¡­ no, no, no. I''m a dragon! I just got reincarnated! Why are my stats this low?!"


    His mind raced for an explanation.


    He had seen games before. He knew what stats should look like. And for a dragon, even a baby, these numbers were¡ª


    Pathetic.


    The word burned in his mind like a brand.


    His own father had just called him trash. And now, staring at these numbers, he was starting to believe it.


    "Everything I fought for... Every dream, every single hope I once had... Meaningless. Is this all I''m meant to be?"


    Then, quietly, fiercely:


    "No! Not again! Never again!"


    They just wanted him to breathe fire, right?


    Fine. He''d show them.


    He wasn''t trash!


    Tetsuo selected the icon for Fire Breath with his mind and took in a deep inhale.


    Then, he let it out.


    A sputtering cough.


    Smoke puffed weakly from his nostrils, dissipating into the air.


    The red dragon closed his eyes and shook his head.


    "I think his egg was turned the wrong way," Rorgah muttered.


    Tetsuo''s heart sank.


    No.


    No, he wouldn''t accept this!


    "I will breathe fire!"


    "I will show my mother and father that I am worthy of them!"


    He selected Fire Breath again.


    He inhaled.


    This time, when he exhaled¡ª


    A single ember flickered from his mouth.


    And then¡ªnothing.


    Juzah scoffed and laughed. "I have just the name for this one. Hibana!"


    Rorgah chuckled as well. "Maybe he might make good entertainment for a while."


    Hibana blinked.


    He checked his stat screen.


    Name Assigned: Hibana.


    That was it.


    He wasn''t even Tetsuo anymore.


    Just Hibana.


    A pathetic little dragon.


    At least, according to his parents.


    "Well, what do they know?" he thought bitterly.


    "What gods are in charge of heaven that would allow this mockery of existence to occur?"


    He shook the thought away. Dwelling on it wouldn''t change anything.


    Instead, he rose to his feet and started exploring the cave.


    The walls glowed softly with veins of green crystals, casting an eerie light over the stone.


    Further in, he found another chamber.


    A hoard.


    Piles of gold, jewels, treasure.


    His parents'' sleeping chamber.


    Hibana exhaled.


    "Yep. Typical dragon behavior."


    It seemed that, in this world, dragons were just as greedy as they were in the stories.


    And yeah... their "might makes right" mentality was definitely accounted for.


    But where was he, exactly?


    That was the real question.


    Hibana.


    He opened his status window again, staring at the name.


    It didn''t feel real.


    He struggled to come to terms with what he was seeing. This was his new identity. He was no longer Tetsuo Arata. That life¡ªthe life of a bespectacled 35-year-old Japanese man, an aspiring artist¡ªwas gone.


    And this new name? It wasn''t a gift. It was a joke. A mockery.


    His gaze drifted downward to his sleek but rounded body. His scales gleamed a rusty orange under the dim light, but there was a softness to them¡ªlike he hadn''t yet hardened into something formidable. His tail felt far heavier than he expected, dragging slightly as he tried to balance. His wings, small and weak, twitched instinctively, as if testing the air they couldn''t yet conquer.


    Walking was another struggle entirely. His steps wobbled, his weight shifted in unfamiliar ways, and every movement reminded him that this body was nothing like the human one he had once known.


    He needed to see himself.


    Stumbling closer to the massive hoard of treasure, his eyes locked onto a golden urn with a flawless, reflective surface.


    Slowly, hesitantly, he peered into it.


    Not a man. Not a person.


    A small, triangular head stared back at him¡ªcurved, sleek, and unmistakably dragonic. Two tiny nubs jutted from his skull, barely formed but undeniably the beginnings of horns. His eyes, large and a vivid green, glowed faintly in the dim cave light.


    He blinked. The reflection did the same.


    A slow realization crept over him, something both exhilarating and terrifying.


    "This is insane¡­" His thoughts raced.


    "I''m really a dragon."


    Then¡ªshuffling.


    Footsteps.


    Hibana tensed as the sound echoed behind him, the soft clatter of claws against stone.


    Two figures emerged from the darkness of the cave, stepping into the dim glow of the treasure hoard.


    They were taller. Leaner. Stronger.


    Their scales gleamed a deep crimson, their bodies twice his size, their frames built for power. Matching red eyes glowed with smug amusement as they regarded him like a curiosity¡ªan insect beneath their notice.


    The first dragonling grinned, his voice dripping with mockery.


    "Look at our new brother! Mother said he was pathetic, but I had to see it for myself."


    The second one sneered, stepping closer. Hibana''s gaze locked onto him, but his instincts screamed that he was outmatched.


    "What''s the matter, F-tier?" the dragonling taunted, eyes glinting with cruel delight. "Are you so useless you can''t even speak?"


    Hibana opened his mouth to respond¡ª


    But nothing came out.


    He tried again, forcing air through his throat, shaping his tongue, willing his body to cooperate.


    Nothing but guttural squeaks and rasps.


    His throat tightened. His tongue felt thick and uncooperative. The muscles in his jaw moved awkwardly, like trying to force a puzzle piece into the wrong slot.


    The words were in his mind. He understood them perfectly, just as he understood the insults being hurled at him. The language made sense¡ªit felt like his own.


    But when he tried to form a response, his own body failed him.


    The first dragonling smirked, tail swishing in amusement.


    "What''s the matter? Hatchling instincts not kicking in?"


    The second one sneered. "Maybe he''s defective. You know, like the runt he is."


    Hibana clenched his jaw. His claws dug into the stone beneath him.


    He wasn''t stupid. He wasn''t broken.


    He knew what he wanted to say. But knowing wasn''t enough. His body wouldn''t just do it.


    He had to learn.


    Hibana barely had time to process his frustration before a deep, rumbling voice filled the cave.


    "Now, children... You know how we are to deal with new siblings?"


    The mocking laughter from his siblings stopped immediately. The two crimson dragonlings stiffened and turned to face the approaching figures. Hibana followed their gaze, and his stomach sank.


    His parents.


    Rorgah loomed over them, his red eyes gleaming with expectation. Juzah stood beside him, her expression unreadable. Though their presence silenced the taunts, Hibana had no illusion that they were here to protect him.


    His siblings looked at him again. Their sneers had faded, replaced with something colder. More focused. They were no longer just tormenting him.


    They were preparing to fight him.


    Hibana''s breath caught in his throat. He wasn''t stupid¡ªhe understood now. This was a test. A rite. A tradition ingrained in dragon society.


    A fight for dominance.


    A fight for survival.


    His legs tensed. His claws pressed against the stone floor. He wasn''t a coward. If this was what it took to prove himself, then fine.


    But deep down, he already knew the truth.


    This wasn''t about proving anything. It was about driving him out.


    The dragonlings lunged.


    Hibana barely dodged the first strike, the wind from his sibling''s claws rushing past his face. He scrambled backward, his movements awkward and unsteady. His tail felt heavy, his legs wobbled beneath him. His body wasn''t ready for this.


    The second dragonling struck, swiping at his side. Hibana twisted to avoid a direct hit, but the attack still clipped his shoulder. Pain flared through him as he stumbled to the ground.


    He tried to rise, but they were on him again.


    Another strike. Another blow. Each attack sent a new shock of pain through his small body.


    He lashed out instinctively, swiping with his claws¡ª


    But his strike barely grazed his sibling''s scales.


    A harsh laugh rang out. "That''s all you''ve got?"


    Hibana gritted his teeth. He wanted to fight back. He wanted to show them that he wasn''t weak.


    But he was.


    His body was weak. His flames were weak. His very presence in this world was deemed an insult.


    Juzah watched in silence. Rorgah snorted in amusement.


    Hibana forced himself up again. He wouldn''t beg. He wouldn''t cower. If they wanted him gone¡ªfine. But he wouldn''t grovel before them.


    One final attack sent him sprawling. The pain no longer mattered. He understood now.


    This wasn''t his home. It never had been.


    He slowly rose, standing on shaking legs. His siblings waited for him to collapse again, but he didn''t. He met their gazes, his green eyes burning with something deeper than anger.


    Defiance.


    Then, without another word, he turned away.


    And left.


    Behind him, his parents said nothing. His siblings didn''t chase him. The cavern grew silent as he stepped into the cold unknown.


    Hibana didn''t look back.


    He had no reason to.

 Survival

    The cave entrance spilled out into a vast, snowy landscape. Behind him, laughter echoed, cruel and mocking, as he ran¡ªhis tiny legs struggling to carry him through the deep snow.


    "If you ever come back, we''ll rip off your wings and eat you for real!" one of his brothers shouted after him.


    He kept running, his breath coming in short, frantic gasps. The open expanse soon gave way to towering, snow-covered trees, their skeletal branches clawing at the sky. The thick woodland offered some shelter from sight, but the cold remained relentless.


    Finally, he slowed down. His lungs burned, his legs ached, and his entire body trembled from exhaustion. His brothers weren''t chasing him.


    Of course they weren''t.


    Why would they leave the cave?


    That warm, safe cave.


    Meanwhile, their "superior" children were probably curled up in comfort, basking in their parents'' love, being fed while he froze out here.


    The sun was still high in the sky, but the air was bitterly cold. That was when he noticed the wind. It howled through the trees like a living thing, cutting through his thin scales like knives. A violent shiver wracked his body, and instinctively, he curled his tail closer to himself. It didn''t help.


    Then, the hunger hit.


    His belly let out a pitiful growl, twisting with emptiness.


    "Why didn''t I look both ways before crossing the street? Right now, I could be enjoying a bag of chips from a vending machine... and a nice, warm can of coffee."


    Another, louder grumble. His tail flicked in frustration.


    "This sucks. Don''t panic, Tetsuo... I mean... Hibana..."


    The name his "loving" parents had just given him. A final insult. He looked at his status screen again, and a single tear rolled down his scaled cheek before turning to ice.


    His claws curled into the snow.


    "So what if I''m a small spark¡­? A spark could still set the world ablaze."


    "Ablaze! That''s it! I can breathe fire! Or rather¡­ I can figure out how!"


    Hibana''s eyes darted around, searching the snowy forest floor for anything dry enough to burn. Luckily, plenty of twigs and dried leaves littered the ground. He hurriedly gathered a small pile of kindling, his claws fumbling as he worked.


    Once satisfied, he took a step back, planting his feet.


    Now came the hard part.


    He inhaled sharply, aiming his mouth at the kindling, and forced his throat to move in a way that felt¡­ instinctive.


    Nothing happened.


    He coughed, then gagged¡ªa strange, deep sensation churned in his throat, almost like he was about to throw up. But just before he could panic, heat surged upward.


    He opened his mouth¡ªand a tiny burst of flame sputtered out.


    The fire licked at the kindling and instantly caught, flickering to life. His throat burned from the effort, and as quickly as it came, the fire died away, leaving only a curl of smoke rising from his mouth.


    But it worked.


    The wind howled around him, threatening to snuff out his precious flame. Panicked, he grabbed the nearest log with his small claws, rolling it toward the fire, hoping to feed it before the wind killed it.


    For a moment, the fire faltered¡ªthen, it spread.


    A small, flickering glow pushed back against the cold, weak but defiant. It wasn''t much¡­ but it was warmth.


    And for now, it was enough.


    While the warmth felt good, a strange fatigue settled over him. It wasn''t just exhaustion¡ªit was different. His mind felt hazy, like he had been sleeping too long.


    Then, realization struck.


    "The fire breath!"


    He quickly opened his stat screen, eyes scanning for anything unusual.


    MP: 9/10.


    "Just as I thought¡­ Fire breath consumes MP."


    So, he could use it nine more times. That was useful. He scrolled down to his skills and focused on the entry labeled Fire Breath.


    Fire Breath ¨C The burning breath of a dragon. When activated, it allows you to breathe fire.Cost: 8 MP.


    Hibana blinked.


    "8 MP? But¡­ I only used 1."


    Something wasn''t adding up. His MP should have been much lower. Had he somehow spent less than the skill required?


    "Strange. Maybe I should test this..."


    But before he could, his stomach gave a loud, pitiful gurgle.


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Survival first.


    "N¨CNo!... Food¡­ I need food." His claws pressed against his belly as if that would stop the hunger pangs.


    "I haven''t eaten since¡­ Well¡­ since before I was a dragon."


    His tail flicked. The fire was nice, but warmth alone wouldn''t keep him alive.


    "Better go find something to eat."


    As Hibana looked around, he noticed something he hadn''t before. A strange, subtle awareness tickled at the edge of his mind.


    Smell.


    It wasn''t just a passing sensation¡ªit was everywhere. Now that he was paying attention, the world unfolded around him in ways he never knew possible. The trees carried a deep, earthy musk, their bark rough and alive with a scent he had never noticed as a human. The rocks had a cold, mineral tang, like wet stone after a storm. Even the snow¡ªsomething he had always thought of as scentless¡ªhad a crisp, frozen sharpness that somehow felt clean.


    Then, something else.


    It cut through the other scents like a thin thread of warmth in the frozen air. Faint, but distinct. His nostrils flared as his body reacted before his mind could process it. His pulse quickened. His muscles tensed. It was beckoning him.


    "What is this sensation? Is this¡­ the dragon in me kicking in?"


    His body moved before he fully understood why. Drawn by the scent, he followed it, weaving between the trees with an instinctive precision he had never known before. The closer he got, the sharper it became¡ªfur, warmth, the faint musk of something alive. And then, in the snow, he spotted them:


    Tracks. Small, fresh, leading away into the trees.


    He inhaled again, and it clicked.


    "This¡­ this is the smell I''m following." His tail flicked. His claws curled into the snow. His body knew before he did.


    "This is an animal. This is prey."


    The realization sent a ripple through him, awakening something deep inside. This was instinct. He was a dragon. And his body knew exactly what that meant.


    "So that''s it. That''s what this sensation is¡­ hunger. I can smell my next meal."


    Hibana crept through the trees, his eyes locked on his prey.


    A rabbit? It looked like one¡ªsmall, fluffy, twitching ears¡ªbut something was off. Tiny antlers curled from its head, and a long, rat-like tail flicked behind it.


    As he moved closer, his thoughts intruded.


    "I can''t believe I''m about to kill an animal with my own hands¡­ or paws, claws¡­ whatever. So this is what it was like for my ancestors. I don''t even know how to cook it¡­ do I even need to? Maybe my dragon body can stomach raw meat."


    He exhaled softly, lowering himself further into the brush.


    "Well, none of that matters if I can''t catch it. At this point, it''s just a rice cake drawn in a picture."


    Hibana leapt out of the bushes, claws outstretched¡ª


    The tiny creature bolted.


    It was fast. Much faster than he expected.


    Hibana tore after it, his legs moving on instinct.


    "So this is what it feels like to be an animal? They make it look so majestic and effortless in the nature videos I watched!"


    The rabbit-thing zigzagged wildly, then suddenly dove into a small hole.


    Hibana skidded to a stop, staring at the empty space where his meal had just been. Then, with a growl, he slammed his arms down on the ground in frustration.


    "What I''d give for a rice cake right now! Even just a single lychee candy! Anything!"


    Hibana didn''t waste time moping. That was a waste of energy.


    He needed food. Now.


    All he had to do was catch it.


    But his body disagreed. His limbs felt like lead, his breath came in ragged gasps, and a heavy dizziness crept over him. His legs wobbled beneath him.


    He felt like he was going to collapse.


    "Not now! I can do this! I WILL do this!"


    Then¡ªa new scent.


    Not prey.


    Something else.


    Blood. Death.


    His body stiffened as he turned toward the smell.


    A shadow loomed in the bushes. A large, black-furred creature with piercing yellow eyes.


    It had a strange, unnatural body¡ªsomething between a lion and a wolf, its movements eerily smooth, muscles coiling like a predator ready to strike.


    It was twice his size.


    Hibana''s instincts screamed.


    Run.


    Fear surged through him as he turned and bolted.


    Behind him, he heard the rustling of undergrowth¡ªit was chasing him.


    His heart pounded. His breath burned. His legs threatened to give out.


    "I can''t die here! Not again!"


    The creature caught up.


    Hibana barely had time to react before it pounced.


    Fangs sank into his haunches.


    A searing, white-hot pain ripped through him.


    His armored flesh¡ªhis scales, his natural defense¡ªpierced like nothing.


    The force yanked him backward, his claws scraping against the frozen earth.


    He screamed.


    The beast snarled, muscles tightening, preparing to drag him down.


    Hibana twisted, eyes wide with terror.


    "No¡ª"


    He inhaled.


    Then, with everything he had left, he blew fire into its face.


    The flames were weak¡ªbarely more than a sputtering burst¡ªbut it was enough.


    The beast yelped, flinching away as the fire licked at its fur.


    Hibana didn''t hesitate.


    He tore free, legs burning, lungs screaming, blood dripping into the snow.


    But he couldn''t stop.


    He had to run.


    Hibana kept running.


    He burst into a clearing, his breath ragged, his legs trembling beneath him.


    For now, he had lost the beast.


    But his body was giving out.


    His vision blurred at the edges. His muscles screamed. Every step felt heavier.


    He was fixing to collapse.


    Then¡ªa new scent.


    Faint, buried beneath the frost-covered earth.


    His instincts took over. He dug.


    Cold soil caked his claws until¡ªthere. A small, wild tuber.


    It smelled awful.


    He didn''t care.


    He shoved it into his mouth, biting down. Bitter. Dry. Disgusting.


    But it was food.


    And right now, food meant survival.


    As he swallowed, another wave of pain hit.


    His haunch¡ªstill bleeding.


    He turned his head, watching the thin trail of red he''d left behind.


    A dull, throbbing ache pulsed through his body.


    Hibana limped to the nearest tree and collapsed against it.


    Would the food be enough to heal him?


    Would he last through the night?


    He was too far from his fire.


    "Maybe I can try to build another¡­"


    Hibana opened his status screen.


    MP: 1/10


    His eyes narrowed. "But I thought it only took 1 MP? Why is there only 1 left?"


    Then it hit him.


    "The cost must vary¡­ makes sense, I guess. But that means¡ª"


    His stomach dropped.


    "I don''t have enough MP to build another fire."


    The cold crept deeper into his bones. His limbs felt stiff, his breath came out in weak, foggy wisps.


    "I need to¡­ find a way out of this cold."


    He forced himself to look around.


    And then¡ªhis blood ran colder than the air.


    The beast.


    It was back.


    Its massive black form emerged from the trees, yellow eyes locked onto him. Its muzzle was scorched, fur singed where the flames had touched it.


    And yet¡ªit was still coming.


    Slow. Unstoppable.


    Hibana''s body refused to move.


    He was too weak to run.


    Too tired to fight.


    His vision swayed.


    His fingers curled into the snow, the heat of his blood melting the frost beneath him.


    "Fine."


    His breath shuddered.


    "This world is terrible¡­ All it has done is beat me down from the moment I arrived here."


    The beast stepped closer.


    Its breath was hot, visible in the cold.


    "May my body at least satisfy you."


    The beast lunged.


    Hibana braced for the end.


    Then¡ªsomething flew through the air.


    A wooden torch struck the creature square in the face.


    It yelped, recoiling, flames flickering against its dark fur.


    A shout rang out.


    "Back! GET BACK! YOU NOT HAVE IT!"


    A small figure burst from the trees, gripping a wooden spear.


    Hibana''s vision blurred, but he could make out a short, humanoid shape¡ªgreen skin, sharp features, wild eyes filled with determination.


    The beast snarled but hesitated.


    The small warrior stood firm, torch raised.


    The beast **stepped back. Then¡ª**it turned and vanished into the darkness.


    The figure turned to him.


    He held out the torch.


    Warmth.


    Hibana felt the heat against his frozen body.


    His mind drifted. His senses faded.


    "Is that¡­ a goblin?"


    Darkness took him.

 Trust

    Hibana slowly regained consciousness. The first thing he noticed was the crackling of a fire, its warmth licking at his scales. He found himself inside a cramped wooden hutch, the scent of roasted meat thick in the air. A hole in the roof allowed the smoke to escape, casting shifting shadows along the walls. Over the fire, a makeshift spit turned with a large haunch of meat sizzling over the flames. Beside it, a goblin sat hunched, his beady eyes watching intently. Hibana glanced down at his haunch¡ªhis wound had been cleaned and primitively dressed. Before he could process the situation, the goblin let out a high-pitched cry of excitement.


    "You not dead! You wake! This good!"


    Hibana tried to speak again, but, just like before, he couldn''t properly control his throat muscles, jaw, or mouth. The sounds that escaped were little more than squeaks and strange, guttural noises.


    The goblin grinned. Picking up the spit, he craned the roasting meat closer to Hibana''s face.


    "You need food! This yours! Eat! Grow!"


    Hibana stared at the goblin, his mind racing. This... isn''t what goblins are typically known for. The creature certainly looked like a goblin, but his behavior was strange¡ªalmost reverent.


    The rich scent of roasted meat filled his nostrils, and his body betrayed him. He couldn''t resist. The moment his teeth sank into the juicy flesh, the goblin nodded eagerly.


    "Yes! This good! You grow strong! Become protector of tribe!"


    Hibana was beginning to piece it together now. He tore into the meat ravenously, his gnawing hunger quickly fading with each bite.


    "I see... this goblin wants to recruit me as their protector. But why? I couldn''t even defend myself against a simple predator. What makes him think I''d be of any use?"


    Suddenly, the goblin shot up, eyes wide with excitement.


    "I tell Chief! He want to know you wake up!"


    Without another word, he scurried out of the hutch, leaving Hibana alone with the fire.


    Hibana tore off the last scraps of meat and, without thinking, swallowed the bone whole. He sat up, picking at his teeth with a claw as the warmth of the flames wrapped around him.


    "I''ve played hundreds of RPGs in my life. Goblins are usually bloodthirsty monsters. But then again¡­ I''m not human. I''m a monster myself. Maybe this is just how things are in this world."


    His gaze flickered to the doorway where the goblin had vanished.


    "I wonder what this chief has to say. If he rejects me too for being an F-tier, I wouldn''t blame him."


    Not long after, the hut''s flap opened. A much more muscular goblin stepped inside. His red eyes gleamed under the firelight, and he wore colorful yellow and red leather rags, adorned with hoop earrings that clinked softly as he moved. Unlike the younger goblin, he carried himself with grace, settling cross-legged in front of Hibana with practiced ease.


    "Forgive Grek for his excitement. He''s only six years old," the goblin said, his voice calm and measured. "I am Goroh, current chief of this tribe."


    His gaze lingered on Hibana for a moment before he continued.


    "After appraising you earlier, I confirmed that you are indeed an F-tier dragon, just as we expected. And your name¡­ is Hibana." He paused, nodding slightly. "It is most fortunate that your parents did not kill you, and that we were able to bring you here. The tribe has not had a dragon among us since the last one abandoned us many, many generations ago."


    Hibana tried to speak again, but like before, nothing recognizable came out.


    Goroh nodded, unsurprised. "Dragons usually speak from birth. This must be part of your F-tier weakness." His red eyes studied Hibana carefully. "But here, among us goblins, you are a boon of great rarity. And I can tell that you understand me."


    He leaned forward slightly, his tone shifting, more solemn.


    "We goblins are hunted. Always have been. The Three Kingdoms cull our numbers, take us as trophies. It has been this way for so long that even our oldest stories have forgotten when it began." He tapped his chest. "And so, we live in the now. The now is where we survive. The now is where we grow. Tomorrow? Tomorrow is when we die. And tomorrow is when new goblins are born to replace us."


    He let the words settle before continuing.


    "But while you are here, we will feed you and help you grow. Until the day you are slain by humans¡­ or the day you leave us." His expression was unreadable. "But for today, we ask this¡ªlet us protect you. And in return, you protect us."


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Goroh''s voice lowered, as if speaking a truth that could not be ignored.


    "And then, when you are strong enough, you can choose. Rejoin your kind¡ªwho will never accept you as an F-tier. Or die with us, protecting our tribe."


    His red eyes met Hibana''s.


    "The choice is yours."


    Hibana drifted back to his past life as Tetsuo.


    "Work, pay the bills, put food in your stomach. A no-brainer. Goroh is offering me a job. Do my job, get paid. Only this time, I''m not mopping floors or cleaning toilets. This is honorable. And it''s coming from goblins¡ªcreatures that were always the lowest-ranking mobs in every RPG I''ve played."


    His thoughts darkened.


    "Just what kind of world is this, where goblins have lost all hope of ever having a real name for themselves? What keeps them from the greatness they deserve¡ªthe same greatness they''ve shown me with this generous offer?"


    Hibana moved closer to Goroh. His new dragon instincts stirred again, overtaking the remnants of his human self. Without fully thinking, he lowered his head into the goblin chief''s lap.


    Goroh stiffened, his red eyes widening in shock.


    "Mighty dragon, you honor me with your touch!"


    A moment passed before the goblin chief slowly placed a hand on Hibana''s muzzle, his voice steady but filled with awe.


    "I''ll take this gesture as a sign that you approve... given that, for some strange reason, you are unable to speak."


    Goroh stood up, brushing the dust from his rags. "Come, Hibana. Let me show you what you shall be protecting."


    Hibana grunted as he pushed himself up, wincing as pain flared through his haunch. It''s healing faster than I expected¡­ His mind flicked back to something he had seen earlier. Must be that passive Regenerate skill from my status screen.


    That thought led to another, curiosity stirring. Surely I must have gotten some XP by now, right?


    A familiar screen flickered into his vision.


    [STATUS WINDOW]


    Name: HibanaSpecies: Lesser Dragon (Hatchling)Tier: [F-Tier]Level: 1


    XP: 0/1000


    Vitals:HP: 30/30MP: 10/10Stamina: 50/50


    Stats:Strength: 2Dexterity: 1Intelligence: 3Vitality: 2Magic Affinity: 2


    Resistances:Fire Resistance: 5Cold Resistance: 2


    Hibana blinked. Zero XP?


    "Huh... I guess I have to actually kill something or finish a quest to get XP in this world¡­" He let out a small huff, stretching his wings experimentally. "That''s fine. I can probably try again later."


    Hibana followed Goroh through the tiny, makeshift camp. Goblins bustled around him, each occupied with some task¡ªtanning leather, crafting weapons, repairing hutches.


    "Where''s the agriculture? Don''t they know how to grow food for themselves?" The thought nagged at him.


    They approached Grek, who turned and grinned at Hibana. "You better now after food, yes?"


    Goroh nodded. "Yes, child. He''s better."


    They continued until they reached a special hut, larger than the others. Goroh gestured for Hibana to look inside.


    Food. Dried meat, a few vegetables¡ªnot much. Not nearly enough for all the goblins that lived here.


    Goroh met Hibana''s gaze. "We goblins are a fertile bunch. We multiply quickly. We do this so that no matter how many of our number are slain by adventurers, there will always be more of us. As is our way."


    He gestured toward the meager supplies.


    "Because of this, food is a constant concern. We hunt as much as we can, but sometimes we are forced to steal from the farms of the kingdoms. When we do, the kingdoms send adventurers to cull our numbers. And thus, the cycle of our lives repeats endlessly."


    Hibana''s stomach clenched.


    "They just gave me a massive roast. Enough to feed five goblins easily¡­ I can''t believe they did that. They gave me so much when they have so little."


    A new thought took root in his mind.


    "Perhaps¡­ I can help them with their food problem somehow."


    Then the thought occurred to Hibana. he smelled animals just outside of the camp. the smell was faint, but he oculd detect it. he took Grek''s hand in his mouth and led him to one of the wooden spears being made. he took a spear with his draconic hand and put it in Grek''s hand. he then ran to the edge of the camp, signaling Grek to follow him. Grek looked to Goroh. "I think he want''s you to follow him." Grek answered. "Yes, cheif."


    Grek and Hibana wandered into the woods outside the camp. Hibana''s nose twitched¡ªthe same scent as the meat he had eaten earlier. He followed it, leading them to a wild boar grazing among the underbrush.


    Grek''s eyes widened, but he remained silent.


    Slowly, they crept forward. Hibana circled to the other side, positioning himself behind the boar to flank it. Grek tightened his grip on the spear, steadying his breath.


    With a swift motion, he loosed the spear.


    A direct hit. The boar let out a bloodcurdling scream, thrashing before locking eyes with Grek¡ªthen it charged.


    Grek barely had time to react.


    But before the boar could reach him, Hibana lunged from behind, tackling it, his fangs sinking into its neck.


    The boar thrashed violently and with a powerful jerk, threw Hibana off, sending him crashing into a tree.


    "Ow! That hurt!" Hibana thought, dazed from the impact.


    The boar turned, eyes burning with pain-fueled rage. It charged straight at Hibana.


    But before it could reach him¡ªGrek tackled it from the side.


    The goblin grunted from the effort, clinging to the beast''s back as he pulled out a small stone knife and, with one quick thrust, drove it straight into the boar''s heart.


    The boar spasmed, let out a final gurgling breath, and went still.


    Hibana groaned, pushing himself up before limping over to the fresh kill. Without a word, he bit into its leg and began dragging it back toward the camp.


    Grek, panting from the struggle, grinned and hurried to help.


    Goroh turned his head as a goblin pointed toward the edge of the wilderness.


    Hibana and Grek had returned.


    And on Hibana''s back was a large boar, its weight dragging against the dirt as the baby dragon limped forward. Grek was beside him, helping him lift the massive beast.


    For a moment, the camp fell silent. Then, goblins rushed forward, eager to help.


    Goroh stood there, dumbfounded. Perhaps¡­ they wouldn''t need to steal from a farm so soon after all.


    Hibana, finally relieved of his burden, staggered over to Goroh, his limbs heavy, his breath ragged.


    His jaw moved, struggling, his throat working to form something coherent.


    "....I... glurgh¡­ help?"


    His voice was rough, broken, barely understandable.


    Goroh''s expression softened, then broke into a wide grin.


    "Yes¡­ I suppose you did!"

 Thrive

    The grand throne room of Solarsa, the human kingdom, stood in solemn silence. Guards lined the walls in perfect formation, their eyes scanning the room for any signs of disturbance. At the center, upon a lavishly adorned throne, sat the King, his expression unreadable. To his right, the Queen sat with quiet poise, while to his left, the Royal Prince observed the proceedings with veiled interest.


    A minister approached, his robes swaying with each careful step. Reaching the foot of the throne, he knelt before his sovereign.


    "Rise, Orvan," the King commanded, his voice echoing through the chamber. "What news do you bring me? I assume it is the same as always."


    Orvan stood, brushing the dust from his sleeves. "Yes, sire," he confirmed with a slight bow. "The elves still refuse to grant our diplomats an audience, and the demihumans have once again challenged our claim to the Dale Lands in the south."


    "In all of Amatus, the Dale Lands¡ªagain." The King exhaled, rubbing his temple as he leaned back into his throne. "I grow tired of these reports, Orvan, but I suppose it cannot be helped. Send one hundred soldiers to reinforce our claim. The demihumans don''t have the numbers, and they know it."


    "Yes, sire." Orvan bowed, then turned on his heel, swiftly departing.


    The King slumped into his throne with a weary sigh. The weight of the realm pressed upon him, yet the same problems remained, day after day.


    From his right, the Queen spoke, her voice calm yet firm."Richard, why do you insist on provoking the demihumans? Shouldn''t you be focusing your efforts on the elves? They can''t ignore your demands forever."


    "For Ordos''s sake, Oriana, I know that!" King Richard snapped, his frustration spilling into his voice. "But what else am I to do? The price of grain is at a record high, and there are always more blasted mouths to feed."


    Queen Oriana lowered her gaze for a moment, fingers tapping idly against the armrest of her throne. A thoughtful expression crossed her face before she finally spoke.


    "We could conscript more E-tiers to strengthen our numbers. The filth must be good for more than just planting seeds and building wagons."


    Richard exhaled sharply, fingers drumming against the gilded arms of his throne. "Maybe this time the outcome will be different."


    Oriana raised an eyebrow but said nothing.


    The young prince finally spoke, swinging his legs idly as the conversation dragged on.


    "This is boring, Mother. Can''t I go to the courtyard and play Knight and Goblin?"


    Queen Oriana clicked her tongue in irritation. "Hush, Erik! This is important. One day, you''ll have to make these choices yourself. Your little games come second to the duty of your country!"


    The boy frowned but said nothing, slumping slightly in his seat.


    King Richard glanced at him, just for a moment. Something in his expression shifted, but whatever thought had crossed his mind, he didn''t voice it. Instead, he let out a weary sigh.


    "Maybe this time, the outcome will be different," he murmured.


    But the discussion had moved on.


    Months had passed. Hibana was now fully integrated into the goblin tribe. Their culture¡ªharsh and fatalistic¡ªwas unlike anything he had known, yet within it, he had found something unexpected. A family.


    Hibana glanced at his status screen. The rock he had been practicing on had nearly melted.


    MP: 10/10


    "I''ve breathed fire six times now, but my MP still says ten." His brow furrowed. "None of my other stats have changed either¡ªnot even once since the beginning."


    He exhaled another stream of fire, watching the molten glow pulse across the stone.


    MP: 8/10


    He felt the strain creeping in¡ªthe repeated fire breaths were starting to take their toll.


    "And then there''s this¡­ What is that supposed to mean?" He frowned at the screen. "It only updates when I''m almost drained? That means I have more MP than what''s listed here. But how much more?"


    His eyes drifted to another line on the screen.


    XP: 0/1000


    "I should have gotten XP by now." He exhaled sharply. "Maybe hunting animals doesn''t count. Maybe only monsters, quests, or special targets give XP. is my interface glitched or somehting?"


    His claws tapped idly against the dirt as he thought.


    "How am I supposed to become the guardian of this camp if I can''t even reach level 2?"


    Goroh approached, his footsteps crunching softly against the dirt. "What are you doing out here, Hibana?"


    Hibana stood, exhaling slowly as he turned to face him. "Just working to make my breath more effective. If I''m going to protect this tribe, I need to be better."


    Goroh studied him for a moment before nodding. "Come. The tribe has called a meeting¡­ and it concerns you."


    As they walked back to the camp, Hibana looked around and saw the camp beginning to thrive more and more. With him helping them with hunting and teaching them agriculture techniques even he had forgotten, these goblins were no longer just surviving¡ªthey were living.


    "When I was just twelve years old, living in Shibuya, I had seen a documentary on TV in a waiting room at a dental office. For some reason, my mind is able to recall events from my previous life that I had forgotten. Little things that were of no real consequence to me¡­ perhaps it''s my new dragon brain?"


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    He flicked his tail absently, thinking. Whether it was his memories becoming sharper or something deeper at work, it didn''t matter.


    "This isn''t the way it''s supposed to be!" One goblin said sneering to another. "We not strong! We weak!" another younger goblin said.


    Hibana interrupted the crowd of Goblins. "Whats the matter?"


    The goblins were all gathered in the center of the camp. They had mixed expressions on thier faces. some of them looked confused, and others looked angry.


    "This was always going to happen, Hibana, I''m afraid not every goblin agrees with your ideas." Said Goroh. Their usual chatter was gone, replaced by hushed murmurs and tense glances. Some shifted uncomfortably, gripping their weapons as if expecting a fight. Others looked uncertain, their gazes flicking between their kin and the crude homes they had built.


    Hibana approached, his heavy steps muffled by the dirt. His sharp eyes swept over the crowd, noting the mix of emotions¡ªanger, frustration, doubt. He could feel it like a storm in the air.


    "What''s the matter?" he asked, his voice low but firm.


    A murmur rippled through the goblins. Then, a voice rose from the crowd.


    "This isn''t the way it''s supposed to be!" A goblin sneered, his lip curling in disgust. His name was Drogg, one of the more restless hunters. "Goblins not build villages! Goblins take! We fight! We die! That is our way!"


    "We not strong! We weak!" A younger goblin, barely into adulthood, echoed with a distressed whine. "We forget who we are! We live like humans now!"


    A chorus of agreement rippled through a portion of the tribe.


    Hibana''s brow furrowed. "You are still goblins," he countered. "You are still strong."


    "No," another goblin spat, shaking his head. "We not strong. Strong goblins raid! Strong goblins fight! Weak goblins stay here and plant stupid food!"


    Hibana turned to Goroh, who stood with his arms crossed, watching in silence. The old chief sighed. "This was always going to happen, Hibana. I''m afraid not every goblin agrees with your ideas."


    A goblin stepped forward¡ªGrum. The one next in line for leadership. His yellow eyes gleamed with certainty, his posture steady. Unlike the others, he was not angry. He was resolute.


    "You made us stop raiding," Grum said, his voice calm but firm. "You made us farm. You think goblins can live like humans?" He gestured at the growing village, at the crude fences and the fields of struggling crops. "This¡­ this is not goblin."


    Hibana frowned. "It is survival."


    Grum shook his head. "No. It is your way. Not ours."


    A few goblins nodded. Others looked away, uncertain.


    "Goblins die, dragon," Grum continued, stepping closer. "That is how it has always been. And we are not afraid." His eyes met Hibana''s, unflinching. "You want us to fight together, but we already fight together. We die together."


    A heavy silence followed. The words hung in the air, undeniable.


    Hibana felt the weight of it¡ªthe depth of their belief, the centuries of tradition, the way they had accepted death as their fate. He had fought to change that. To show them another way. But for many of them, it wasn''t change. It was weakness.


    He could argue. He could tell them they were wrong, that survival meant more than mindless sacrifice. But would they listen?


    Grum turned to the others. "We leave," he said simply.


    Slowly, a portion of the goblins began to step away, forming a separate group. Some hesitated, looking between the homes they had built and the kin they had chosen. A few children clung to their parents, confused and scared.


    Goroh let out a weary sigh. "And so the tribe splits."


    Grum walked forward without looking back. One by one, the dissenting goblins followed.


    Hibana said nothing. He watched them go, his claws flexing against the dirt.


    Even though the camp remained, even though many had stayed¡­ the village felt emptier.


    Nearly two-thirds of the tribe were gone.


    Hibana watched them disappear into the trees, their figures fading into the wilderness. What had once been a thriving, bustling goblin camp now felt eerily quiet. Only twenty-four goblins remained.


    During the exodus, he had noticed the hesitation in some. A few had wavered, glancing back at their makeshift homes, their fires, their kin. But in the end, they followed Grum.


    Yet, Goroh had chosen to stay.


    And for some of the goblins, that choice mattered. It gave them pause, and in the end, it convinced them to remain. If the old chief still believed in Hibana, perhaps there was still reason to hope.


    Hibana sighed, releasing a slow breath. Smoke drifted from his nostrils, curling into the cool air. His voice was steady, but there was a weight to his words.


    "Look¡­ I know I haven''t been a typical dragon." His emerald eyes swept over the goblins who remained¡ªGoroh, Grek, Gonjo, Gopi, and the others. "But I swear to you, this is the best way I can think of to keep you alive longer."


    He lowered his head slightly, meeting their gazes. "For those of you who have chosen to stay¡­ that mission has not changed." His wings flapped a little as he spoke. "Yes, what I am doing is not Goblin. But I am a Dragon. And I see this as the best way forward for us."


    He let the words settle, letting them feel the weight of them.


    "It''s not easy. I know. But if you become self-sufficient, if you choose not to steal from the nearby humans, I believe they will be less likely to attack you."


    A moment of silence followed. Then, Goroh stepped forward, gripping his staff. He raised it high.


    "The tribe survives!" his voice rang out. "I choose to still see this dragon as a boon. Let us continue to take a chance on Hibana!"


    A murmur rippled through the remaining goblins¡ªthen cheers. Small, hesitant at first, but they grew. They picked up their tools, their weapons, their tasks, and got back to work.


    Goroh turned to Hibana, his eyes unreadable.


    "I still think we are doomed," he admitted, his voice carrying a dry humor. "But maybe¡­ just maybe, this new way will give us more time in this world."


    Hibana met his gaze and smiled, a small, knowing smirk.


    "We can only hope."


    Hibana was walking near the edge of the camp when he saw a figure exit the woods. It was a human! carrying a large backpack. Then the human saw Hibana and he froze completely stiff. Hibana cocked his head and approached the human. "OH Great Ordos! No! Don''t eat me, Dragon! I''m just a humble traveler! I barely have two coins to rub together!"


    "Huh...I can understand him!" Hibana thought. "So the language barrier is simply nonexistent in this world." Hibana walked closer to him, and glared at him with his green eyes. "I have no intention of harming you. What brings you here?"


    The human looked confused. "Oh...Uh...My name is Sudio...I''m...Uh...Im a traveling merchant." Hibana looked again at his backpack. "Is that so. that would explain the giant backpack you carry."


    Sudio seemed to calm down. "very astute, Dragon."


    "the name''s Hibana"


    "Hibana? Well I see, a s-strange name indeed." Hibana Looked back at the Goblin camp when he saw Sudio looking at it. "Oh them? they are my charges. These goblins wont attack you, they are friendly. But I''m afraid we don''t have something to Trade with you. Sudio nodded. "Oh...that''s quite alright.


    Sudio adjusted the straps of his backpack, his shoulders visibly relaxing. "Well, that''s a relief," he said, exhaling. "I had no idea what kind of reception I''d get out here. Goblins don''t exactly have the friendliest reputation, you know."


    Hibana sat down on his haunches. "These goblins are different. As long as you don''t cause trouble, you have nothing to fear."


    Sudio gave a small nod, his eyes drifting once more over the camp. "I see that. Quite the little community you''ve built here."


    He paused, rubbing the back of his neck. "Still, I should be on my way. I don''t have much time to waste, and it seems you don''t have much to trade just yet."


    Hibana considered this, then dipped his head slightly. "You''re free to go. Next time, perhaps we''ll have some produce to offer."


    Sudio''s lips curled into an easy smile. "I''ll keep that in mind. Safe travels, Hibana."


    With that, the merchant turned and walked back toward the trees, disappearing into the fading light of dusk.


    Hibana watched him go, then turned back toward the camp.


    As he made his way past the goblin dwellings, he spotted Goroh standing near one of the fire pits, watching him. The old goblin''s face was unreadable.


    "I met a human today," Hibana said, coming to a stop beside him.


    Goroh''s grip on his staff tightened just slightly. He exhaled through his nose and said, "We are likely doomed."


    Hibana blinked. "What?"


    Goroh didn''t elaborate. He simply turned away, heading back toward the center of camp.


    Hibana sighed, shaking his head. "He didn''t even try to explain. As if I wouldn''t understand."

 Epiphany

    Hibana woke up in his hutch, shifting his wings slightly as he stretched. The makeshift wooden structure creaked under his weight¡ªa reminder of the goblins'' limited resources. And yet, he was already outgrowing it.


    His horns scraped the entrance as he stepped outside, his form nearly twice the size it had been when he first arrived. Wandering toward the river, he lowered his head for a drink, the cool water soothing his throat.


    Then, he caught sight of his reflection.


    It was still strange not seeing a Japanese man staring back at him. But that strangeness was fading.


    In its place, a rust-colored face stared back at him¡ªsoft, rounded, unfamiliar. His dappled scales caught the light as the water rippled, shimmering like polished copper. His horns, though still mere nubs, had grown longer than the last time he''d seen them in his parents'' cave.


    Hibana smiled at his reflection. Then, without hesitation, he turned away.


    Three days since I last saw Sudio... He exhaled through his nostrils, watching stray embers flicker into the air.


    Let''s see¡­ what needs doing today?


    He ran through the list in his mind. Help Gobo with the planting. Two new goblins were born¡ªmore mouths to feed. So I''ll need to hunt again. And Grek should be back from his fishing trip soon.


    His stomach churned. "All this growing is making me hungrier too."He flexed his claws, tracing their soft, curved tips against the dirt. "And this brain¡­ it''s incredible. I''ve never been able to think this clearly before."


    As if on cue, Grek trudged into the village, nearly hidden beneath a bundle of fish strung together on thick twine. His tusked grin stretched wide as he hoisted his haul higher, clearly pleased with himself.


    Hibana nodded in approval, warmth swelling in his chest. This is exactly what I knew they were capable of.


    Turning his attention to the fields, he spotted Gobo, hunched over the soil, inspecting the crops. As Hibana approached, the goblin''s ears perked up, and he scrambled to his feet.


    "Hibana! Look!"


    Gobo lifted something covered in dirt¡ªa pale, knobby root, vaguely resembling a parsnip. The smile on his face told Hibana everything. The hard work was paying off.


    Hibana tilted his head, then let out a small huff of amusement, he then smiled and nodded to Gobo. And then he saw an Arrow fly right through the side of Gobo''s head. Hibana went wide eyed as the goblin stood there for a moment, the smile dropped form Gobo''s face and he fell backward. Hibana turned his head and saw five humans approaching the camp.


    "HUMANS! ATTACK!" Hibana heard Goroh scream as he charged straight at the adventurers.


    Around him, the goblins dropped what they were doing, scrambling to grab their spears and clubs before rushing toward the attackers.


    The adventurers closed the distance on the camp.


    Hibana spotted Sudio at the back, his face twisted with devious glee.


    "Like I told you! Have at ''em!" he shouted, a sickening smile spreading across his face.


    Hibana watched as the goblins, led by Goroh, charged straight at the adventurers.


    The party consisted of the classic four. A large, muscular warrior clad in plate armor, his sword already raised. A female mage draped in black robes, gripping a wooden staff. A male healer in white robes, clutching prayer beads as he chanted buff spells. And finally, a rogue in leather armor, loosing arrows into the charging goblins¡ªthe same man who had killed Gobo just moments before.


    Hibana''s vision stayed locked on the memory of Gobo''s smile.


    It played over and over and over in his head.


    "This is what Goroh knew..." he realized. "He told me, and I didn''t listen..."


    A familiar heat crawled up his throat¡ªthe raw bile of a dragon.


    Hibana roared, but it came out weak and shrill, his voice still that of a baby dragon.


    Gouts of fire erupted from his maw, uncontrolled and desperate. He charged forward, claws digging into the dirt.


    "I must stop them! All of them! This is madness!"


    The warrior cleaved through another goblin, his massive sword cutting effortlessly through flesh and bone. As he spotted Hibana rushing toward him, he grinned.


    "You were right, Sudio! An actual baby dragon! His hide will fetch a hefty sum!"


    The mage scoffed, adjusting her grip on her staff.


    "He''s a runt, but worth at least five gold coins!"


    Hibana couldn''t process what he was hearing.


    "Is that all this really is to them?! Loot? Gold?!"


    Rage exploded inside him.


    "I won''t let you have them!"


    With a furious scream, he leapt at the warrior.


    The warrior was still engaged in battle, cutting down another goblin when the mage raised her staff and began chanting.


    "Come forth in a dance of mighty power! Fireball!"


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    A searing sphere of flame erupted from her staff and shot straight for Hibana, slamming into him mid-air.


    The explosion sent him flying.


    He hit the ground hard, pain jolting through his entire body. His vision blurred for a moment. The fire wasn''t as bad as he expected¡ªperhaps his draconic heritage had weakened the spell''s effect.


    Then¡ªhis status screen flickered into view.


    HP: 7/30


    "Oh no! I''m way more hurt than I thought!" he realized, panic setting in.


    He forced himself up, wincing as he looked ahead¡ªGoroh was now locked in battle with the warrior.


    The other three adventurers stood back, watching.


    "They''re letting him fight alone...?"


    The ranger let out an impatient sigh. "Will you hurry up and stop playing with it?"


    The warrior laughed, effortlessly parrying one of Goroh''s strikes.


    "No way¡­ this old goblin''s got some real spunk!" he mocked, grinning as if this were nothing more than entertainment.


    Hibana sturggled to get back on his feet, and just as he managed to, th warrior swung and Goroh''s head flew away from his shoulders.


    "Noooooooo!" Hibana screamed as he charged toward the warrior.


    The ranger nocked an arrow, loosed it without a second thought¡ª


    Thwack.


    The arrow pierced Hibana''s shoulder.


    The impact stopped him cold.


    Then¡ªhis status screen popped up.


    HP: 0/30


    Hibana froze.


    "What?" he thought, staring at the display in bewilderment. "What does this mean?"


    Then, the healer''s voice cut through the battlefield.


    "Uh¡­ guys? That dragon isn''t dead."


    The other four immediately cast some kind of spell. Hibana could feel it pulse through the air, a distinct, sharp energy signature.


    The warrior spoke first. "Yeah, my Appraisal says the same thing. What skill allows a dragon to do that?"


    The mage scoffed. "There is no skill that allows a dragon to do that! That''s impossible!"


    Then Sudio, who had clearly been waiting for a chance to complain, threw up his hands.


    "What do you mean it''s impossible?! Can''t you even kill something right?"


    All four adventurers snapped their heads toward him.


    The warrior was the first to bark back. "Hey, shut up, merchant. You''re lucky we even let you tag along!"


    The ranger shrugged. "Yeah? Well, without him, how would we have found the camp?"


    The mage huffed. "He could have just¡­ drawn us a map."


    And just like that¡ªthey started arguing.


    Hibana blinked.


    They had completely forgotten about him.


    He turned his head toward the trees. The woods were closer now¡ªhe had been knocked so far away from the fight, he had an opening.


    His claws dug into the dirt.


    "I will get justice for you, Goroh... Grek... Gobo... all of you..."


    Then, without a second thought, he ran for the woods.


    "H-Hey! It''s getting away, you fools!" Sudio screamed, pointing frantically in Hibana''s direction.


    "Shit!" the ranger barked, reaching for another arrow¡ªbut his quiver was empty.


    "Lara! Take him down!"


    The mage raised her staff, but nothing happened.


    She gritted her teeth¡ªthat last fireball had drained too much of her MP.


    "I need a magic potion!" she snapped.


    The warrior snarled and took off running.


    "Get back here so we can kill you, stupid dragon!"


    Hibana dashed into the woods, tears streaming from his eyes. The pain from his wounds was almost as bad as the pain in his heart. His thoughts kept spiraling, his mind refusing to stay quiet.


    "What is this feeling? Why can''t I control my tears?"


    He looked back. The adventurers were gaining on him.


    "It was all for nothing. I couldn''t save them. I couldn''t help them change. And even if I had, these sickening people would have just cut them down anyway!"


    His chest burned. The arrow lodged inside him felt like a white-hot piece of metal, searing into his flesh with every step. The pain was immeasurable, but he couldn''t stop. He had to keep running.


    Then, his status screen flickered into view.


    HP: 0/30


    "Zero HP. And yet I''m still running. I''m still alive. How? How can I get away from these bastards?"


    His eyes darted to the bottom of the screen. Polymorph.


    "It''s a hiding spell! It''ll let me disappear¡­ now if I can just figure out how to cast it."


    Ducking through the trees, dodging spells and arrows, he tried everything.


    "Polymorph!" He called out the word. Nothing.


    "Polymorph, Polymorph, Polymorph!" He thought it over and over, forcing himself to will it into existence. Still nothing.


    "Damn it! Maybe I''m thinking about this the wrong way!"


    He gasped for breath, mind racing. "I was born with this spell¡­ so I should be able to use it naturally, right? That means it''s not something I have to command¡ªit''s something I have to feel. It''s instinct!"


    "That''s it! I have to think about hiding. I have to disappear! I have to get away from these bastards¡ªdon''t let them find me!"


    He leapt into a small clearing, spotting a lone bush. It wasn''t enough, but he had no choice. Skidding around it, he curled up behind the leaves, his body trembling. His wounds screamed, his chest burned, but none of it mattered. The adventurers were closing in.


    "Hide, Hibana¡­ don''t let them find me¡­ Hide¡­ HIDE!"


    Suddenly¡ª


    His entire body twisted.


    A strange sensation ripped through him as his flesh warped, his bones compressed, his entire form shifting in ways that shouldn''t be possible.


    Then¡ªnothing.


    He couldn''t breathe.


    "I¡­ can''t breathe!"


    Then, a terrifying realization struck him.


    "I don''t¡­ have to breathe?"


    His lungs were gone.


    He tried to open his eyes. He had no eyes.


    He tried to move. He had no limbs.


    He was still. Silent. Formless.


    Hibana was gone....or was he?


    The ranger arrived first. Hibana couldn''t see him, but he could sense him.


    The others followed, one by one. The warrior. The mage. The healer. And finally, the merchant, wheezing from the effort of running.


    "We lost him, Rutger!" the ranger spat, glancing around in frustration.


    The warrior scowled. "No way, Zeke! I saw him come this way!"


    The mage stepped into view, followed by the healer. The warrior turned immediately. "Good, you''re here, William. We can''t find him."


    William knelt down, eyes scanning the ground. "This is his blood. It even leads this way. And there''s the arrow Zeke got him with."


    Rutger picked up the bloodied arrow and scratched his head. "Damn it! He has to be here somewhere!" He turned sharply. "Lara, can you detect anything?"


    Lara closed her eyes, focusing. "No¡­ nothing. Dragons usually panic and try to use Polymorph when they''re hiding, but that leaves a faint magical trace. I''m not detecting anything."


    She frowned. "And my Appraisal doesn''t see any living beings here except us."


    Zeke stepped forward, moving toward Hibana''s branches. His hands pushed them aside, feeling for anything solid.


    "He came through this bush. And the blood stops around here, but there''s no sign of him. Maybe he flew off?"


    "His wings aren''t big enough, you idiot!" Sudio snapped.


    "Hey, don''t call me an idiot, you stinkin'' D-tier merchant!"


    "ENOUGH, all of you!" Rutger finally shouted, his patience breaking. "Let''s split up! He can''t have gone far! Shout if you find him!"


    His voice lowered, annoyed. "That dragon is an F-tier and a baby. There''s no way he could take any one of us alone."


    Hibana felt their presence fading. Their energies and voices grew weaker as they scattered deeper into the forest.


    Hibana wasn''t feeling any pain from his wounds.


    He wasn''t feeling anything at all.


    Except¡­ something strange.


    A faint warmth seeped into him¡ªsunlight filtering through the canopy above. Nutrients slowly crept up through his roots.


    "Wait¡­ roots?"


    His mind reeled.


    "This isn''t Polymorph¡­ so what is it? And¡­ I''m¡­ a bush?!"


    A sharp jolt of panic shot through him, but that only made the realization worse. He wasn''t feeling his body¡ªbecause he didn''t have one.


    Still, at least he was hidden.


    "Okay. Okay. That''s good. No sign of them anymore. I can probably just end this spell."


    He focused, trying to release the magic.


    Nothing happened.


    He tried moving¡ªflailing his nonexistent limbs.


    Still nothing.


    "Wait¡­ I''m stuck?! How do I get out of this form?"


    A slow, creeping horror crawled into his mind.


    "Is¡­ is there even a way to get out of this form?"


    Then, a final, terrifying thought struck him¡ªone that made his leaves tremble in the wind.


    "Is this¡­ permanent?!"

 Veil

    It felt like an eternity, trapped in the form of a bush. The sensation itself wasn''t unpleasant¡ªif anything, it was peaceful, almost meditative. But it did nothing to quiet his mind.


    The scene played over and over in his head, a relentless cycle of horror. The wanton slaughter of the goblins. The face of Gobo. The arrow. Again and again.


    "They treated it like a game." The thought burned through him. "They killed them with joy. It was entertainment to them."


    Sorrow welled up inside him, heavy and suffocating, yet in this form, he had no way to release it. No voice to scream. No hands to clench into fists. It existed only in his mind. And yet, his leaves drooped¡ªhis grief manifesting in the only way it could.


    "I need to get out of this form. I need to turn back¡­ but how?!"


    He felt the sun dip lower through the canopy, the last traces of warmth slipping away. His body¡ªif he could even call it that¡ªresponded instinctively. A nocturnal cycle began, a creeping drowsiness washing over him, making his leaves sag. It was automatic, something beyond his control.


    But something else was happening. A feeling he recognized.


    The same sensation he got when using fire breath. The same presence he had sensed from the adventurers when they cast their spells.


    "My MP is draining!"


    A sharp awareness cut through his hazy mind. He focused inward, reaching for his MP reserves. They were almost gone¡ªreduced to a sliver. No wonder his thoughts felt sluggish. It was the same drained state he had always experienced after pushing himself too far, the creeping exhaustion that signaled he was running on empty.


    "But I''m not casting anything¡­ am I?"


    He focused harder, searching within himself. The drain was still there, steady, constant. Something was feeding off his MP, sustaining itself through his energy.


    "That''s it¡­ I''m maintaining a spell!"


    But what spell?


    His first thought was Polymorph, but he immediately rejected that.


    "No¡­ that mage. She said she could detect Polymorph. If this were just that, they would have found me instantly."


    He didn''t understand what spell he had cast. He didn''t even remember casting anything at all. But he could feel it now. Something was draining him, keeping him in this form.


    "If I can figure out how it''s doing that¡­ maybe I can shut it off!"


    More time passed.


    And then, suddenly¡ªhis MP was gone.


    A shift coursed through him, deep and undeniable. His body¡ªhis real body¡ªbegan to change.


    "There it is! It turned off! I just felt it! So that''s how you turn it off!"


    He gasped as sensation flooded back. His clawed hands, his tail, his lungs expanding with air. His vision returned in an instant, only for the blinding light of the setting sun to overwhelm him. He squinted, his breath coming in ragged pants as the transformation completed.


    Instinctively, his hand went to his chest¡ªthe wound from before. His scales were scarred over, but the injury was closed.


    "Well, that''s useful!"


    His mind was foggy, but he was still conscious.


    He exhaled, focusing past the haze. Something else¡­ something about magic¡­


    "The magic system here has waves of energy. I can sense them."


    He could still feel the residual magic in the air. Even when the adventurers had surrounded him, he had picked up another spell being used nearby.


    "That must''ve been the spell they called Appraise."


    He focused inward. He still had some magic left¡ªjust enough to experiment.


    "Appraise didn''t seem like it cost much. If I can just¡­ figure out how to manipulate those energy waves¡ªthe ones with that distinctive frequency I felt before¡­"


    Hibana cast a spell on the bush he had hidden behind. A window popped up before his eyes.


    APPRAISAL


    Type: Flora ¨C PlantCombat Information: Not applicableHP: 10/10


    Species: Blue Ferrel (Wild Shrub)Alchemic Use: UnknownNutritional Value: 0.03 ¨C Ingestion not recommended


    "So that settles it. I can cast spells."


    The revelation sent a strange thrill through him. He was drained from his transformation, but this spell hadn''t made him feel any weaker. The cost was negligible, barely noticeable.


    "I wonder what this spell does on a person?"


    He exhaled, taking a deep breath through his nostrils.


    The forest air was damp with the lingering scents of the day¡ªearth, leaves, distant traces of wildlife. But the scent of blood and steel still clung faintly to the area. The adventurers had passed through, but they weren''t here now.


    "I better not go back to the camp¡­ those bastards could be waiting for me."


    He needed to move. To hide.


    Even if the adventurers were gone, other things lurked in these woods. Predators. Beasts that didn''t need magic to tear through him in his current state.


    "I need shelter before something else decides I''d make a good meal."


    Hibana wandered through the trees for hours, searching for a place to rest. The forest was calm, peaceful¡ªalmost like a walk through a park at night. The cool air wrapped around him, carrying the scent of damp earth and leaves.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Above, the stars peeked through the canopy, distant and unfamiliar. The constellations didn''t match the sky he once knew. No Nanatsuboshi, no Tsuzumi-boshi¡ªjust an alien arrangement of lights, indifferent yet beautiful.


    This world, foreign as it was, was becoming his new reality. And in moments like this, when everything was still, he found himself treasuring the quiet.


    "Maybe someday I can get a sketchbook again¡­ or whatever the equivalent is in this world."


    The pleasant thought vanished when Hibana spotted firelight flickering through the trees. Voices drifted through the night air.


    "They must be downwind¡­ I couldn''t smell them!"


    Hibana crept forward, his body low to the ground, ears straining to pick up the conversation. Then¡ª


    A voice he had never heard before.


    "Let me pass. I have no quarrel with any of you."


    A firm, measured tone. Unshaken. Unafraid.


    Then another voice¡ªone he did recognize.


    "Just a minute, Beastkin! We''re looking for a dragon¡ªabout yay big."


    Rutger. The warrior.


    Hibana stiffened. "Oh no! They''re still looking for me!"


    Carefully, he crept closer, slipping between the undergrowth until the firelight revealed the scene.


    All four adventurers stood together, Sudio among them. But across from them stood someone new.


    A tall figure, towering nearly two and a half heads above the adventurers.


    Not human.


    She stood rigid, unmoving¡ªlike a marble statue carved by the hands of gods.


    Her kimono, once elegant, was now caked in dirt and frayed at the edges, revealing glimpses of splint armor beneath the fabric. Yellow, with delicate floral patterns woven through it, cinched by a blue sash.


    Her weapon¡ªa massive nodachi¡ªrested over her shoulder. The blade was worn, chipped along the edges, its very tip broken off.


    Her fur was earthy brown, her black nose sharp and dignified.


    Her golden eyes pierced the firelight¡ªcalm, unwavering, but carrying a quiet exhaustion.


    Two large ears fell just beneath a pair of small, weathered antlers.


    A mane of yellow fur framed her face, flowing like wild grass in the wind.


    Hibana couldn''t look away.


    "That doesn''t concern me, human. Now let me by."


    Her voice was calm. Unshaken. As if she were speaking to insects rather than armed men.


    A scoff. Then Zeke spoke up, his excitement barely contained.


    "Hey, I know her! That''s Tsu¡ªthe murderer! She''s wanted in the Demihuman Kingdom. 100 gold coins! To hell with the dragon¡ªlet''s just take her!"


    Lara chimed in next.


    "She''s A-tier! But she''s not very high level¡ªwe can take her!"


    William nodded, assessing her with a calculating stare.


    "Her equipment''s damaged, and she looks fatigued. This would be quite the haul. Perhaps our benefactor here didn''t waste our time after all."


    Sudio simply folded his arms, a grimace on his face.


    "Hmmph."


    Then¡ªsteel flashed.


    Tsu''s nodachi swept from her shoulder in a single, fluid motion, cutting through the firelight like a falling star.


    The tip hovered at her side, perfectly still. Unmoving. Absolute.


    Her golden eyes remained unreadable.


    "This is your final warning."


    Her voice was as lifeless as cold iron.


    Rutger grinned, unsheathing his sword with a confident flourish.


    "You don''t scare me, freakshow. You''re outnumbered¡ªand we have higher levels!"


    Tsu kicked off her heel, launching forward like a bullet.


    Hibana barely saw her move before she was already on top of William¡ªjust as he opened his mouth to chant a buff spell.


    The words never had time to leave his lips.


    SHLK.


    His head flew clean off his shoulders. The body remained standing for a single, awful moment before a crimson geyser erupted from his open neck.


    Lara screamed.


    She raised her staff, chanting Fireball¡ª


    But Tsu was already on her.


    One bound. One swing.


    Her nodachi sliced straight through Lara''s staff¡ªthen her midsection.


    Her upper body slid off her waist, collapsing onto the dirt.


    Hibana barely registered Sudio turning to flee into the woods. That coward didn''t matter anymore.


    Because Tsu was still moving.


    Zeke staggered back, fumbling for his bow.


    He loosed arrow after arrow¡ªbut none of them reached her.


    Tsu batted them aside like leaves in the wind.


    Then¡ªshe caught one.


    For a single breath, she stared at it.


    Then she moved.


    A blur. A gust of air. A flash of silver.


    She closed the distance in an instant, driving the arrow''s tip straight into Zeke''s forehead.


    His body jerked. He staggered.


    Then¡ªhe dropped, limp as a sack of potatoes.


    Rutger was furious.


    He charged, sword swinging in a wide arc.


    Tsu sidestepped effortlessly, her blade flickering as she parried. Steel rang through the air.


    Hibana watched, enthralled.


    She wasn''t just fighting. She was dancing.


    Every strike, every movement was measured¡ªperfect.


    But Rutger wasn''t slow.


    He was the leader for a reason. He wasn''t as fast as her, but he was just fast enough to keep up.


    Clash. Parry. Dodge. Counter.


    Tsu''s nodachi skimmed his flesh again and again, landing shallow cuts between his defenses.


    She was wearing him down.


    Then¡ªshe struck.


    A solid kick to the chest.


    Rutger''s body lifted off the ground and slammed into the dirt.


    Tsu advanced. Silent. Unstoppable.


    Her blade gleamed in the firelight, ready to deliver the final stroke.


    But then¡ª


    A flick of his wrist.


    A handful of dirt, thrown straight into her eyes.


    Tsu gasped, staggering back.


    Hibana''s breath caught. "No¡ª!"


    For the first time in the entire fight, Tsu faltered.


    Rutger was already moving.


    He flipped onto his feet, his hand slipping to his boot.


    A dagger flashed.


    SHLK.


    The blade sank deep into her side.


    Tsu let out a sharp breath, but she didn''t scream.


    Her golden eyes widened in shock.


    Rutger sneered, twisting the dagger deeper.


    "You samurai¡­ always fighting with honor!"


    He kicked her in the knee, sending her crashing to the ground.


    She tried to stand¡ªbut her body refused.


    Rutger loomed over her, panting, his bloodied sword rising for the final blow.


    "But a warrior fights to WIN!"


    Hibana''s heart raged.


    "I must save her! I can''t let that evil scumbag kill her!"


    Hibana sprinted out of the forest, rage surging through his veins.


    He saw Tsu on the ground, wounded. Rutger standing over her, sword raised.


    No.


    Not her.


    He threw himself forward, launching straight at Rutger like a wildfire unleashed.


    They collided.


    The force of the tackle sent them both crashing to the ground.


    Rutger''s sword clattered away, spinning into the dirt.


    With a snarl, Rutger tried to throw Hibana off.


    But Hibana was faster.


    His maw found Rutger''s throat.


    And he bit down.


    Hard.


    He felt bone snap. Flesh tear.


    The iron tang of blood flooded his mouth.


    Rutger choked, his body convulsing.


    A desperate kick¡ªHibana was sent flying off him.


    Rutger staggered to his feet, one hand clawing at his ruined throat.


    He took one step. Then another.


    Then¡ª


    He collapsed.


    And he didn''t get back up.


    Hibana panted, his breath ragged, his heart still hammering from the fight. He turned¡ªand found Tsu already looking at him.


    Her golden eyes, sharp even through the haze of pain, locked onto his.


    Then, finally, she spoke.


    Her voice was weary but firm.


    "¡­Do you want a reward for your heroism?"


    There was no gratitude in her tone. Only bitterness. Disbelief.


    Hibana didn''t react to the words. He barely even processed them. His eyes were on her wound.


    "You''re wounded. I want to help you."


    Tsu let out a breath.


    Then¡ªshe laughed.


    It was a sharp, almost mocking sound.


    "This¡­ this is a joke. The gods have played a most cruel joke on me!"


    Her body trembled, whether from pain or sheer absurdity, even she wasn''t sure.


    Hibana nodded. His voice was quiet, almost fragile.


    "Please don''t die¡­ I can''t lose anyone else today."


    His throat tightened. "Especially not you. Not after you just avenged the only ones who ever seemed to care about me."


    Hibana looked back at the fallen adventurers before turning to William''s lifeless body.


    "He was their healer¡­ surely he has a potion on him somewhere."


    His claws rummaged through the satchel, heart pounding. Then¡ªhis fingers closed around glass.


    He pulled out a small vial filled with red liquid.


    His chest tightened with relief. "This has to be one."


    Carefully, he carried it over to Tsu.


    She didn''t even look at him.


    "Leave me, dragon¡­ I am of no use to you."


    Her voice was cold. Final.


    Hibana didn''t argue.


    He simply knelt, placed the potion at her side, and stepped away.


    Then, softly¡ª


    "A Samurai decides their own death, right? Not a coward who fights dirty."


    Tsu''s breath hitched.


    Her golden eyes widened.


    Then¡ªa low, guttural growl.


    Her fingers snatched up the bottle.


    She pulled the cork free with her teeth, tilted her head back, and drank.


    She coughed against the bitter liquid as it coursed through her body, her wound beginning to glow as the bleeding slowed, then stopped.


    A long, measured sigh left her lips.


    Then, at last, she looked at him again.


    A moment of silence.


    Then¡ª


    "Who are you?"

 Barter

    The sun was already up by the time Tsu stirred from her sleep. She awakened to the faint, smoky scent of roasting meat, the warmth of the fire reaching her skin before her eyes even opened. Instinct took over¡ªher body tensed, her senses sharpening as she pushed herself up.


    Pain lanced through her side. She hissed softly, her breath catching as a dull ache rippled through her body.


    She turned her head.


    A large hunk of meat, skewered on a crude spit, slowly turned over the fire. The juices sizzled as fat dripped into the embers, sending up a thin wisp of smoke. She didn''t recognize the animal it came from, but the scent was undeniably rich.


    Beyond the fire, Hibana moved quietly, his small frame weaving between the trees as he cleared the area of debris. He wasn''t just loitering or waiting for her to wake up¡ªhe was cleaning, dragging off remnants of the night before.


    The corpses.


    Her gaze followed him, watching as he methodically worked, pushing aside charred scraps of clothing, discarded weapons, and the lifeless remains of those who had sought to kill them. He moved with steady, unhurried efficiency, as if none of it carried weight, as if he had done this a thousand times before.


    She shifted again, trying to sit up fully¡ªher body protested, pain flaring up. A sharp gasp escaped her lips before she could suppress it.


    Hibana glanced over his shoulder at the sound, his expression unreadable.


    "The potion stopped the bleeding," he said simply. "You fell asleep quickly. So I decided to clear the area of the corpses you left."


    He turned back toward his work, as if the explanation needed no elaboration. Then, without looking at her, he added,


    "And¡­ no. That there is just the result of my hunting."


    Hibana saw Tsu open her eyes a little wider, she took out a knife and began prodding at the meat as if she was checking for something.


    "I was full...I couldn''t eat it all. It would have been a waste."


    Tsu continued to scrutinize the meat. and then she took the knife away. and looked coldly at Hibana.


    "If you wait too long, it''ll dry out."


    Tsu stood up. her towering figure casting a complete shadow over Hibana.


    "...Do you prefer vegetables? I could probably find some tubers, but they aren''t very tasty." Hibana said slightly nervously.


    "I don''t accept "free" gifts from dragons." She says like daggers flying out of her mouth.


    Hibana nods. "I see. I didn''t know that. What you did last night...I...thought I''d repay it. But not as a gift okay...I don''t want anything from you...truly. What you did it...made me happy. Those were terrible people."


    Tsu pauses mid-step, her expression unreadable, but there''s a flicker of something¡ªuncertainty, maybe. Her brow lifts slightly, a quiet challenge in her eyes, but she doesn''t press the issue.


    Then, with a sharp exhale, she scoffs, turning on her heel. Her movement is deliberate, dismissive, as if she''s shaking off an irritating thought she refuses to acknowledge.


    Hibana watches her for half a second, then, without a word, he kicks dirt over the fire, smothering the flames in a single practiced motion. Embers hiss and fade into the earth.


    By the time the smoke clears, he''s already walking after her.


    An hour passed in near-total silence, the only sounds being the rhythmic crunch of their footsteps against the earth and the rustling of the wind through the trees. The dragon and the beast woman walked side by side yet worlds apart.


    Finally, Tsu''s patience snapped.


    "Stop following me, dragon!" she barked, her voice cutting through the quiet like a drawn blade.


    Hibana didn''t even hesitate. "Sorry, but I can''t do that."


    Tsu''s footsteps halted abruptly. Hibana stopped as well, watching as she turned to face him.


    Her golden eyes burned with restrained irritation. "I will not be your protector."


    Hibana, unfazed, met her gaze without a trace of hesitation. "I didn''t ask you to be."


    For a flicker of a second, her expression wavered. A brief wrinkle in her brow¡ªthe smallest crack in her carefully controlled mask. But just as quickly, it was gone, replaced with her usual cold, unreadable stare.


    "Well, I don''t need your protection either," she said, crossing her arms as if reinforcing the boundary between them.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Hibana smiled, not mockingly, not smugly¡ªjust with quiet acknowledgment.


    "I am aware," he said simply. "You''re an incredible warrior."


    Tsu scowled at him, turning on her heel without another word. As she resumed walking, he could hear the low rumble of a growl in her throat, a sound caught between irritation and something else¡ªsomething she refused to name.


    Another hour passed. Hibana never stopped following her.


    The silence between them stretched long, but he didn''t mind. He quietly admired her relentless drive, the way her steps never faltered, the way her presence felt like a force of nature moving forward, unshaken, unbroken.


    Then¡ªa flash of silver.


    A ringing impact.


    Tsu''s Nodachi slammed into the ground, the force of the strike sending up a spray of dirt and stone right next to Hibana.


    The air hummed with tension.


    Hibana''s eyes traced the length of the blade, then calmly lifted to meet hers. He barely flinched. His expression never changed.


    Softly, with certainty, he said: "If you had intended to kill me, you wouldn''t have missed."


    Tsu bared her teeth, frustration flickering in her golden eyes. "Just leave me¡­ Where I''m going, you cannot follow!"


    Hibana nodded, unfazed. "And where might that be?"


    She exhaled sharply, her grip on her sword tightening for just a moment before she pulled it free from the ground. She didn''t meet his gaze this time. Instead, her eyes turned distant, locked onto something far beyond the horizon.


    "I go to my death," she said, her voice quieter now. "To fight the monsters in the Cursed Lands."


    A long pause. The wind rustled through the trees.


    Hibana nodded again, his voice just as steady. "Then I shall go with you¡­ I won''t let you die alone."


    Tsu stiffened. The faintest shift in her stance¡ªnot anger, not yet, but something close. Her eyes flicked back toward him, sharp and wary, searching for deception.


    But there was none.


    Hibana simply stood there, small beside her, but utterly unshaken, unwavering.


    The wind carried the sound of Tsu''s low, rumbling growl.


    She turned sharply and resumed walking.


    Hibana, as always, followed.


    The forest grew less vibrant as they neared the border of the Cursed Lands. The scent of decay thickened in the air, and the once-lush trees stood twisted and withered, their skeletal branches clawing at the sky. Something about this place felt wrong. Hibana could sense it¡ªthe quiet hum of death lingering beneath the surface.


    Then, without warning, Tsu stopped.


    Her ears twitched. Her golden eyes flicked around the thinning woods, her hand drifting toward her sword.


    "Come out," she called sharply. "I know you''re there."


    For a moment, silence.


    Then¡ªmovement.


    Figures emerged from the dying trees, stepping out from the shadows one by one. Small, scaled humanoids barely reaching Tsu''s knees. Their bodies were covered in vibrant, iridescent scales¡ªa chaotic spectrum of blues, reds, greens, and yellows. Their muzzles were short and sharp, more like those of wild dogs than lizards. Long, thick tails swayed behind them as they moved with a practiced wariness.


    Tsu''s expression darkened.


    "Kobolds," she spat. "Filthy creatures."


    One of them, a yellow-scaled kobold, stepped forward. Unlike the others, he was decorated with leather skins and bones, his body adorned with trinkets that rattled softly as he moved. His yellow eyes gleamed with recognition as he stared at Hibana.


    "It''s a baby dragon!" he announced.


    Immediately, more voices joined in.


    "Awfully big for a baby!"


    "Eggo of that baby musta been huge!"


    "Yeah! Probably hurt his momma real bad layin'' it!"


    Laughter rippled through the group, sharp and yipping, like a pack of hyenas mocking fresh prey.


    But beneath the amusement, Hibana could sense it¡ªrecognition. Understanding.


    The kobolds knew exactly what he was.


    Hibana felt it immediately¡ªthe familiar pulse of Appraisal washing over him. A subtle but unmistakable shift in the air as the yellow kobold activated the spell.


    "So, just about anyone in this world can use that spell¡­ He saw my stats."


    He straightened, keeping his voice firm. "Please let us pass."


    A ripple of excitement ran through the group as the kobolds whooped and jumped, their yipping voices blending into something almost like laughter.


    The yellow-scaled kobold grinned, baring sharp, uneven teeth."No, no! You''re an F-tier dragon! Weak, useless, pathetic!"


    The others chimed in, their voices overlapping.


    "But you will grow!""And make our tribe strong!""We have food for you!"


    Hibana stared at them, and for a moment, his thoughts drifted¡ªback to his dead goblin friends.


    Their smiling faces flashed in his mind.


    They had made him the exact same offer.


    Tsu, however, didn''t share his hesitation. Her hand shifted toward her sword, her golden eyes narrowing as she prepared to cut them down.


    Hibana quickly stepped in front of her, shaking his head. "This will only take a moment, Tsu."


    She glared at him, her jaw tightening in irritation, but after a tense second, she exhaled sharply and looked away. She didn''t strike¡ªbut she didn''t sheath her sword either.


    Hibana nodded and turned back to the kobolds.


    "So it''s not just the goblins who do this." The realization settled in his mind. "The kobolds are in the same boat as them."


    He took a slow breath, then spoke.


    "Let me guess¡ªyou want a dragon to strengthen your tribe. In return, you offer me food, shelter, and protection against raiding adventurers."


    The kobolds bobbed their heads enthusiastically, their tails wagging.


    Hibana''s voice remained calm, but there was a sharp edge to his words.


    "In the end, it''s always the same, isn''t it?" His eyes narrowed. "Fight and die with you¡­ or fight and die alone. Those are my choices, right?"


    The yellow kobold let out a sharp bark of laughter.


    "Yes! You''ve been offered this before! Who was it last time?"


    His yellow eyes gleamed, his tail flicking behind him.


    "The Lizardmen? The Orcs? Those pathetic, miserable Goblins?!"


    Hibana''s expression didn''t change, but his breath hitched for just a second.


    The kobold grinned wider, sensing an opening.


    "Or maybe¡­" He leaned forward, voice dripping with amusement.


    "The human we caught told you about this?"


    Hibana''s stomach tightened.


    "He''s a mouthy one, he is!" the kobold added with a cackle.


    Hibana glared at the yellow kobold. "Interesting! take me to this human, and I''ll consider your request."


    The kobold camp was a mirror of the goblins'' settlement¡ªmud huts, a roaring fire, the stench of survival thick in the air.


    And then Hibana saw him.


    Tied to a large wooden pole, bound and gagged, was a young man with dark purple hair and piercing violet eyes. His black robe was marked by six colored circles along his sash¡ªsome kind of magical insignia?


    The yellow kobold grinned, throwing a hand toward the prisoner.


    "This was the food we were talking about!"


    Hibana felt something cold settle in his gut.


    He had seen too much death already.


    He knew this human wouldn''t be grateful. Would probably resent being saved by a dragon. But that didn''t matter.


    He couldn''t let this happen.


    And then there was Tsu.


    He didn''t need to look to know she was already gripping her sword.


    One wrong move and she would strike.


    One wrong word and the kobolds would turn hostile.


    The rest was up to him.

 Weapon

    Sudio stumbled into the local adventurers'' guild, his once-pristine merchant''s robe now tattered and streaked with dirt. His hair was disheveled, his face bruised, and his breathing came in ragged gasps. He had spent half the night fleeing through the wilderness, dodging monsters and bandits alike.


    The boisterous laughter of adventurers filled the hall¡ªmen and women boasting of their latest hunts, clinking mugs of ale together. But as soon as they noticed Sudio''s pitiful state, the noise gradually died down.


    "Oi, what happened to him?" someone muttered.


    "Looks like someone took a nasty beating," another chuckled.


    Ignoring the whispers, Sudio lunged toward the nearest guild attendant, gripping their arm with desperation. "Please! I need to see the Guildmaster at once!"


    The attendant recoiled, looking him up and down before exchanging a glance with a fellow guild worker. Sudio''s frantic expression and battered state were enough to warrant attention. Within moments, two armored guild guards escorted him into the back office.


    The Guildmaster of the town was a grizzled, broad-shouldered man with a well-groomed beard and piercing gray eyes. His desk was covered in reports, but the moment Sudio was ushered in, he leaned back in his chair, arms crossed.


    He scanned the merchant''s disheveled form before letting out a knowing grunt.


    "Hmph. I remember you." His deep voice carried a weight of authority. "Didn''t you just hire four adventurers for a goblin culling?"


    Sudio stiffened.


    This was it. The moment of truth. He could try to lie, pretend he had no idea what happened to those adventurers, but¡ªno. That would only raise suspicions.


    He forced a trembling breath, shifting into his usual performance of a panicked victim.


    "It was terrible!" he gasped, voice shaking. "The goblins¡ªno, they weren''t normal goblins! They were organized! And worse¡­ they had a dragon leading them!"


    A heavy silence filled the office. The Guildmaster''s brows furrowed slightly, but he said nothing.


    Sudio pushed forward, feeding the moment.


    "He was enormous! No¡ªno, not enormous, but strong! A beast of fire and fury! Orange in color with green eyes! He commanded those goblins like a warlord! My hired men¡ª" he let out a choked sound, gripping his own shirt as if reliving the terror "¡ªthey never stood a chance! The dragon slaughtered them! I barely escaped with my life!"


    Inside, his mind fumed with frustration.


    "Confound it all! If only those fools hadn''t let that dragon escape! Now I have to give up my information for free!"


    The Guildmaster remains silent.


    He leans back, rubbing his chin, his gray eyes sharp.


    Then¡ªa deep, knowing sigh. "Every fifty years or so." he said flatly.


    Sudio blinks. "Wh-what?"


    The Guildmaster taps his fingers against the desk, thinking. "That''s how often this happens. A dragon ends up taking charge of a goblin tribe. Last time, it took a squad of ten or fifteen men to bring them down. If they were all B-Rank or higher, six to eight would have been enough."


    Sudio gulps. "Then you understand why we need to act immediately!"


    The Guildmaster exhales through his nose, his expression unreadable. "First, let''s verify the most important detail. All four of them are dead?"


    Sudio nods quickly. "Without a doubt. Three C-ranks, one B-rank. They didn''t stand a chance. He led them like a commander! It wasn''t just some wild beast sitting in a cave¡ªhe was actively protecting them!"


    The Guildmaster studies him carefully.


    Then, he stood, walking to the window. His gaze turned toward the distant horizon. "An orange dragon with green eyes, you said?"


    Sudio nods.


    The Guildmaster closes his eyes for a long moment. Thinking. Calculating.


    Guildmaster: "F-tier of course. It always is."


    Sudio frowns. "What?"


    The Guildmaster turns back to him. "If it were any higher than F-tier, it wouldn''t have been cast out by its own parents if not immediately killed by them. Dragons are dangerous creatures, but their arrogance, and pride is their biggest weakness. They value only the strong in all things. If they sire young that is weak, they determine it is worthless and consider it trash. Goblins, kobolds, and even lizard men value these discarded F-tier dragons as a prize. It''s actually rather pathetic. But effective."


    A heavy silence fills the room.


    Sudio gapes. "Then¡ªthen you understand why we should put a bounty on it¡ª"


    The Guildmaster raises a hand, silencing him. "No bounty. Not yet."


    Sudio stammers. "But¡ª"


    The Guildmaster turns to his attendant."Send word to Guild HQ. Inform them we have a confirmed F-tier dragon backing a goblin tribe. No bounty yet. Just an intelligence report."


    The attendant bows and quickly leaves.


    Sudio gapes. "That''s it?! You''re just¡ªjust reporting it?!"


    The Guildmaster smirks, but there''s no humor in it."If I put a bounty on a dragon before verifying its actual growth rate, I''ll have every two-copper hunter rushing in and getting themselves killed."


    Sudio stammers, trying to think of an argument.


    Then¡ªa chuckle from the doorway.


    A young man with black hair and brown eyes, dressed in a worn black cloak, steps casually into the room. Strapped to his back is a polished naginata, the leather straps of his gear crinkling softly as he moves.


    He stops, crossing his arms, a lazy smirk playing on his lips. "A dragon, huh?"


    The Guildmaster doesn''t even look surprised.


    He just exhales sharply and turns to the door."You really need to stop sneaking into my office, Kurt."


    Kurt shrugs. "And you need to lock your damn door. But you were saying? About a dragon?"


    Sudio''s eyes narrow. "Who''s this?!"


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    The Guildmaster sighs. "A pain in my ass. But a useful one."


    He gestures toward Kurt."Kurt. The Guild''s bloodhound. He doesn''t take posted quests¡ªhe tracks down problems before they become catastrophes."


    Kurt tilts his head, studying Sudio for a moment before ignoring him completely. "Sounds fun. And I want to track it before the Kingdom gets involved."


    The Guildmaster folds his arms, watching him carefully. "Fine. Track it. But no reckless heroics. I want information first."


    Kurt grins wider. ""Me? Reckless? Guildmaster, you wound me."


    The Guildmaster fixes him with a level stare. "I mean it, Kurt. Dragons¡ªeven F-tiers¡ªare dangerous. Don''t get cocky."


    Kurt bows dramatically. "Noted."


    The Guildmaster turns to Sudio. "Well? You have your answer, little man. Now get out of my office."


    Sudio grimaces as he gets up and leaves.


    Kurt watches him go. He doesn''t speak right away¡ªjust lets the silence settle. Then, casually he looks to the Guildmaster."Why is he alive?"


    The Guildmaster doesn''t answer immediately. Instead, he leans back in his chair, steepling his fingers. His gaze flicks to the door, then back to Kurt. "Exactly. That''s why there''s no bounty."


    He exhales, shaking his head. "That slimy little weasel is hiding something. His story wasn''t completely true."


    Kurt steps forward, placing both hands on the desk. His brown eyes gleam with sharp amusement. "So what''s the plan?"


    The Guildmaster leans forward, voice measured. "Proceed with your hunt of this dragon." He glances at the reports scattered across his desk. "Sudio might have lied about the details, but one thing wasn''t a lie."


    A pause. His gaze sharpens.


    "There is a dragon leading a goblin tribe. And I want to know everything about it."


    Kurt nods. "And you will get your answers." He then departs the room.


    Then, after a moment, the guild master walks to the window, staring out toward the forest beyond the town.


    He mutters, almost to himself. "Nothing ever changes."


    The kobold chief gestured again to the human tied to the pole ¡ª bruised, battered, and gagged ¡ª near the fire. His voice carried a smug, eager pride.


    "Well?" The chief grinned wide enough to bare his jagged teeth. "Would you say this meal is... enticing?"


    That smile told Hibana everything. The kobold desperately wanted him to accept the offer ¡ª yet there was fear behind it, poorly masked. Fear that Hibana would refuse.


    But the very idea of eating a human being struck Hibana hard. Memories ¡ª fragmented yet vivid ¡ª surged through him. Images of crowded streets, convenience stores, vending machines... the mundane world he once knew. The world where he was Tetsuo Arata. A Human.


    His dragon body didn''t recoil ¡ª dragons wouldn''t hesitate to devour a human. But Hibana''s mind twisted with revulsion, his memories clashing against his instincts. The thought made his stomach churn. His throat tightened, and he nearly retched.


    "That''s not food," Hibana said at last, his voice sharp and strained. His claws twitched from the sheer disgust. "That''s a person... and I''m not eating him."


    The kobold chief''s smile faltered. His wide, toothy grin wavered, his expression flickering between confusion and disbelief.


    "...But¡­ this is free food." His voice stumbled slightly, like a man questioning reality itself. "A dragon always takes the offering¡­"


    A smaller kobold behind him muttered, voice uncertain.


    "Maybe he not real dragon?"


    The kobold chief''s head snapped around.


    "No!" He barked. "He''s real! The appraisal spell doesn''t lie!"


    The tension twisted thicker. Hibana froze, unsure how to respond. He knew what dragons were supposed to be ¡ª and he knew what rejecting the offer made him look like.


    And then he saw her.


    Tsu.


    Her hand was on her sword, her body wound tight like a spring about to snap. She had heard enough.


    Before Hibana could speak, her blade lashed out ¡ª swift and merciless.


    The nearest kobold fell in two pieces, crumpling to the ground before the others even realized what had happened.


    Panic erupted. The kobolds shrieked, scattering behind rocks and twisted trees, scrambling to get away. Hibana gasped, his wings flaring instinctively. He turned sharply to Tsu, rage building in his chest.


    "What are you doing?!" he barked.


    The human ¡ª still tied to the pole ¡ª squirmed violently against his bonds, muffled shouts breaking through the gag.


    Tsu spat on the kobold''s corpse, then turned her blade on Hibana.


    Her glare was cold and sharp, her voice steady and unshaken.


    "You were thinking about it, weren''t you?"


    Hibana''s anger surged, but he forced himself to breathe. His voice wavered, still raw with frustration.


    "No! I wasn''t ¡ª"


    "Don''t lie to me, dragon," Tsu cut him off, stepping closer. Her grip on her sword tightened. "You''re just like the rest of your kind."


    Hibana turned away from Tsu''s blade. His breath came hard and fast ¡ª but that didn''t matter. Not now.


    He stumbled forward and fell prostrate before the kobold chief, his wings pressed flat, his claws scraping the dirt. His head touched the ground.


    The kobold chief peeked out from behind a tree, watching with wide, disbelieving eyes. The rest of the kobolds ¡ª armed with crude weapons and trembling with fury ¡ª looked ready to charge at Tsu. They bared their teeth, growling low and deep.


    But the moment Hibana bowed¡­ everything stopped.


    The kobolds froze. Their snarls turned to murmurs. Even the gagged human''s muffled shouts faltered as he stared in astonishment.


    Tsu''s blade wavered. Her mouth opened slightly ¡ª not in anger, but in stunned disbelief.


    Hibana clenched his teeth, forcing the words past the lump in his throat.


    "Forgive her¡­ forgive me," he pleaded, voice shaking. His claws dug into the dirt as he bowed deeper. "No more bloodshed... please!"


    The kobold chief staggered out from behind the tree, still gripping his spear. His wide eyes never left Hibana''s bowed form.


    "You¡­" The chief''s voice wavered, caught between rage and confusion. "You''re a dragon... Dragons don''t bow to anyone!"


    Hibana''s head snapped up, his eyes fierce with defiance.


    "Maybe they should!" he shot back, his voice sharp and firm.


    The air hung heavy ¡ª the weight of his words seemed to crash down on everyone at once. The kobolds faltered, unsure. The crude weapons in their hands drooped. The tension that had moments ago been on the brink of chaos¡­ cracked.


    Silence.


    Hibana walked up to the human, his steps slow and careful.


    "I''m going to free you," he said softly. "Please don''t try to run."


    The human, still shaken, gave a stiff nod. Hibana reached out and began tearing through the ropes with his claws. The bindings fell away, and Solryn let out a shaky breath, rolling his sore wrists.


    The kobolds crept out of hiding, but kept their distance. Their weapons remained lowered, but their eyes stayed wary.


    Hibana turned to the human.


    "What''s a human doing all the way out here near the Cursed Lands?"


    The man scoffed, brushing dirt from his robe. His voice held a sharp edge.


    "Why...would you help me?"


    Hibana shook his head. "Why? You''re alone, and you''re dressed like someone of importance. These kobolds didn''t just happen across you." He met the man''s gaze evenly. "What were you doing out here?"


    The human exhaled slowly. He looked at Hibana, then at the kobolds, and finally back to the ground.


    "Well¡­ since I''m probably going to die anyway, I might as well tell you." His tone was bitter. "I''m Solryn, an apprentice mage. I was chasing a literal faerie tale... and I nearly died for it."


    "A faerie tale?" Hibana tilted his head. "What do you mean?"


    Solryn''s tired gaze hardened. "I was researching the barrier of the Fae Wilds to the west."


    "The Fae Wilds?" Hibana asked.


    Before Solryn could answer, Tsu scoffed.


    "Pfft. Another foolish mage trying to enter the Wilds." She crossed her arms. "A waste of time."


    Solryn shrugged. "Perhaps... but I found an old book. It spoke of the Wilds ¡ª long ago, dragons visited there, and they were welcome."


    Hibana''s brow furrowed. "Dragons?"


    Solryn nodded. "That''s what the text said. I thought maybe it had something to do with a particular magic signature they gave off¡­ or maybe something about their body shape ¡ª who knows?" He sighed heavily. "Anyway, I was experimenting with different magical energies to see if I could match the lock¡­ if there was one."


    His expression darkened. "Then these fu¡ª" He caught himself, eyeing the kobolds. "...these kobolds grabbed me. They kept demanding to know how to get in. When I told them I didn''t know, they tied me up and dragged me here."


    Hibana nodded, taking it all in. Then, an idea sparked in his mind ¡ª a wild idea, but one that felt... right. His lips curled into a faint smile.


    He looked from Solryn to the kobolds, then to Tsu.


    "Well... you''re in luck, Solryn." His smile widened. "I am a dragon. So... let''s go find out!"


    "What?" Solryn blinked.


    Hibana turned to the kobolds next, his voice steady.


    "I know what you want," he said firmly. "And I want it for you too." He gestured to the ragged camp ¡ª the broken shelters, the scraps of stolen food, the desperation in their eyes. "You want a home. A real one. A home that''s better than this place."


    His gaze hardened with resolve. "So if I am welcome there¡­ I''ll make you welcome too."


    The kobolds stared, their wide eyes filled with disbelief. They didn''t speak ¡ª they couldn''t. For creatures who had always believed they were worthless, hearing a dragon promise something so selfless seemed... impossible.


    Hibana turned to Tsu. "This feels right," he said softly. "I don''t know why... but it does."


    His green eyes met hers ¡ª calm, yet determined. "Surely you understand what longing for a home feels like?"


    Tsu''s fingers flexed against the hilt of her sword, but she said nothing.


    "You can come along if you want," Hibana added. "Or you can keep heading to the Cursed Lands. It''s your choice."


    Tsu exhaled sharply, tension draining from her shoulders. "Very well," she muttered. "But I still think this is a waste of time."


    Hibana smiled faintly. "Maybe¡­ but we won''t know unless we try."


    With that, he turned to Solryn.


    "Lead the way."


    As they set off, Hibana glanced back at the kobolds ¡ª battered, weary, yet hopeful. For the first time in a long while, they weren''t just surviving.They had something to believe in.

 Beginning

    Solryn walked quietly at the front of the long line of travelers. He kept his steps measured, his gaze fixed forward, yet his mind wandered. In all the history books he''d read, he knew there had never been such a group before ¡ª a human, a beastkin, a dragon, and twenty-three kobolds, all marching toward a place known to repel everyone.


    The novelty wasn''t lost on Hibana either. He trailed just behind Solryn, unable to ignore how strange this gathering truly was.


    "Man¡­ if only the guys back in Tokyo could see this." Hibana thought wryly.


    Solryn kept glancing over his shoulder, scrutinizing Hibana whenever he thought the dragon wasn''t paying attention. It wasn''t just curiosity ¡ª Hibana knew that much. There was something calculating behind Solryn''s eyes. A tension that spoke of suspicion and doubt.


    But Solryn wasn''t the only one. Hibana''s gaze flicked toward Tsu. She walked with that same grim focus ¡ª her shoulders stiff, her hand resting near her sword. Each step she took was sharp and purposeful, her posture almost resembling a funeral march.


    Then there was the kobold chief. The old warrior kept looking at him too. Not with suspicion ¡ª not quite. It was something harder to define. Curiosity? Wariness? Hibana couldn''t tell.


    "Guess I should try to lighten the mood." Hibana thought.


    He shifted his pace, falling in line beside the chief.


    "Do you have a name?" Hibana asked, casually.


    The kobold turned his head, one scaly brow lifting. His voice was dry and sharp.


    "The dragon bows. Apologizes for the behavior of others. And now asks lowly creatures they should care nothing about for their name¡­" The kobolds''s voice hardened slightly. "Why?"


    Hibana sighed. "Because I have a name too. It''s Hibana... given to me by my own mother as an insult."


    For a moment, the kobold said nothing. He just stared ¡ª not in awe, not in suspicion, but with a faint sort of confusion.


    Then the old yellow kobold snorted.  "My name is Dundru." He paused, then gave Hibana a long look.


    "And we all know your name." His voice dropped lower. "It''s written in your appraisal."


    "Yeah... figures." Hibana muttered.


    Dundru''s sharp eyes lingered a moment longer. Then he shook his head and scoffed.


    "Whatever you are¡­" Dundru muttered, "...you''re... strange." His words weren''t laced with mockery or aggression ¡ª just an odd uncertainty, like someone trying to describe a color they''d never seen before.


    "You''re too big to be weak... and too weak to be this big." He scratched his chin. "Don''t make sense."


    Then Dundru turned away, his pace steady as he rejoined the front of the column.


    Hibana looked at his status screen again.


    Name: ¡ª Hibana


    Species: Dragon


    Tier: [F-Tier]


    Level: 1


    XP:0/1000


    Vitals:


    HP: 30/30


    MP: 10/10


    Stamina: 50/50


    Stats:


    Strength: 2


    Dexterity: 1


    Intelligence: 3


    Vitality: 2


    Magic Affinity: 2


    Resistances:


    Fire Resistance: 5


    Cold Resistance: 2


    Skills:


    [Active Skills]


    Fire Breath (Lv.1) ¨C Allows the user to exhale flames. Damage: Minimal. Cost: 8 MP.


    Claw Attack (Lv.1) ¨C Basic melee attack using claws. Damage: Pathetic.


    Bite (Lv.1) ¨C Basic bite attack. Damage: Weak.


    Polymorph (Lv.1) ¨C Disguise yourself as another living creature. Cost: 6 MP.


    [Passive Skills]


    Flight (Lv.0) [Locked] ¨C Insufficient strength to sustain flight. 30 Strength required.


    Draconic Regeneration (Lv.1) ¨C Minor passive healing over time. Regenerates 1 HP every 30 minutes.


    Heightened Senses (Lv.1) ¨C Enhanced sight, smell, and hearing.


    Night Vision (Lv.1) ¨C Can see clearly in low-light environments.


    Scaled Hide (Lv.1) ¨C Provides natural damage reduction. Reduces all physical damage by 5%.


    Magic Sensitivity (Lv.1) ¨C Can instinctively sense nearby sources of magic, even without formal training.


    Instinctual Combat Awareness (Lv.1) ¨C Basic survival instincts allow for improved reaction speed against immediate danger.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Heat Absorption (Lv.1) ¨C Passively absorbs heat from surroundings to maintain body temperature.


    It was all still the same as it was the day he hatched. "This is how they always see me. Whatever this this glitch is that doesn''t allow me to see my true stats is such a pain. I genuinely don''t know how powerful I really am right now. But I can''t let this intimidate me. I must try to make the lives of these kobolds better." He thought as he looked to them.


    Solryn led the group to the edge of the Fae Wilds. The transition was stark ¡ª like stepping from a dying world into a dream. The lifeless dirt and brittle bushes suddenly gave way to impossible greenery. Towering trees stretched skyward, their branches weaving a dense canopy of leaves that shimmered like emerald glass. Vines spiraled around trunks thicker than castle towers, and waterfalls glittered in the distance, their rushing streams cutting through the landscape like silver veins.


    Everything was vibrant ¡ª so impossibly colorful it felt unreal.


    Hibana''s gaze swept across the scene in quiet awe. The air itself seemed richer, heavier, as if the very atmosphere carried the weight of magic.


    Then he felt it ¡ª a pulse, faint but undeniable, like the low rumble before a thunderstorm. His scales tightened instinctively, a crawling sensation rippling down his spine. Whatever power guarded this place, it wasn''t something to take lightly.


    Solryn walked to the precise point where the earth turned green. The line dividing the two worlds was sharp ¡ª unnaturally so. Not even a stray vine dared to creep across it.


    He reached out and pressed his palm against the air. Silver light flickered to life, crawling across his hand like delicate threads of silk.


    "This is the barrier," Solryn muttered. "It''s been here longer than anyone can remember. Even the strongest elven mages couldn''t so much as scratch it. That''s why the elves ¡ª in their infinite wisdom ¡ª decided it''s better left undisturbed."


    He turned to Hibana with a dry chuckle. "But as a man of reason ¡ª and, more importantly, a human ¡ª I refuse to indulge in such ridiculous, superfluous frippery. That''s precisely why I came here."


    His gaze lingered on the glowing wall. "If the elves want to cower behind superstition, let them. Reality bends to knowledge, not whispered legends."


    He paused, casting Hibana a sidelong look. "Still... if this actually works..." He scoffed, shaking his head.


    "I''ll eat my own staff."


    Hibana''s eyes lingered on the glowing barrier. "There are elves in this world?" he asked.


    Solryn turned, blinking at him like he''d just claimed water wasn''t wet. "Yes¡­ of course there are." His brow furrowed, suspicion creeping into his voice. "What an odd question."


    For a moment, an uncomfortable silence hung between them ¡ª a reminder that no matter how many times Hibana surprised Solryn, the mage could never quite shake the feeling that something about him didn''t add up.


    "Well," Solryn huffed, turning back to the barrier. "We''re here. Might as well get this waste of time over with."


    The kobolds and Tsu stood in silence, watching as Hibana approached the barrier. The air shifted ¡ª heavy with unseen energy, like the static before a lightning strike. The closer he drew, the more he could feel it ¡ª not just the power woven into the magic, but something else.


    Something¡­ playful.


    Faint and distant, barely more than a whisper, he heard it ¡ª laughter. Light, musical, like wind chimes dancing in the breeze. It was hard to tell if it was welcoming¡­ or mocking.


    Hibana glanced back at the kobolds. Their anxious eyes flicked between him and the barrier, their tails twitching nervously.


    He turned back, exhaling slowly.


    Whatever happens¡­ happens.


    He held his breath, steeled himself, and stepped forward.


    The moment his foot crossed the threshold, Solryn''s mouth fell open.


    Tsu''s eyes widened, her usual stoic mask slipping for just a moment.


    Hibana kept walking ¡ª one step, then another ¡ª until he stood several paces inside the Fae Wilds. The air felt richer here, almost too alive. The colors around him seemed brighter, more vivid ¡ª like the world had been painted with sharper hues. Even the air itself seemed warmer, more fragrant.


    He turned back, meeting the crowd''s stunned faces through the invisible wall.


    The kobolds gawked, their jaws slack with disbelief. Solryn was frozen, still processing what he''d seen. Even Tsu ¡ª calm, steady Tsu ¡ª stared at him like he''d just grown a second head.


    Hibana''s gaze lingered on Solryn a beat longer. Solrin folded his arms and looked away. "Don''t you dare ask me to eat my staff!"


    Hibana couldn''t help but smile. But then he turned his head to the technicolor wilderness ahead of him.


    "Guess I''m invited," Hibana muttered.


    As Hibana crept deeper into the wilderness, that strange laughter returned ¡ª distant yet far too close. It was the sound of children ¡ª or perhaps women ¡ª their voices bright yet unsettling. He turned his head, searching the trees, but the forest gave him nothing.


    Then the voices spoke ¡ª light and melodic, yet sharp as glass.


    "Is it mortal?"


    "It isn''t!"


    "Is it divine?"


    "It isn''t!"


    "Is it a dragon?"


    "It is!"


    "Far away the dragons went... far away, far away... And where they went, it was not here..."


    "But here a dragon stands again... and yet..."


    "Look at the color of his thoughts! Look at them!"


    "Bright and blazing... like fire on dry leaves..."


    "Oh yes... this should be fun!"


    Hibana raised his head toward the source of the voices. Suddenly, his thoughts raced back to the days of Tetsuo playing video games in his apartment. He knew what these little magical creatures had to be ¡ª they could be nothing else.


    "Are you... faeries?"


    The voices answered at once.


    "Stupid dragon!"


    "Annoying dragon!"


    "Guessing what we are so easily!"


    Hibana frowned. "I''m sorry... if you want me to leave... I... I will."


    The voices giggled.


    "Silly dragon."


    "Goofball!"


    "...So easily hurt! As if you''re not a dragon at all!"


    "Yes! Just like all the others!"


    Hibana''s expression twisted in confusion. "But... I am a dragon."


    The faeries erupted in laughter.


    "Yes, you are!"


    "No, he''s not!"


    "Shut up! He is!"


    "Why?"


    "Because I said so!"


    "Who put you in charge?"


    "You did, remember?"


    "Oh yeah!"


    Hibana blinked, unsure if he was part of the conversation or just a spectator.


    "Umm..."


    The faeries answered him.


    "Oh, you''re still here?"


    "What do you want?"


    Hibana glanced back the way he''d come, then turned to face the unseen voices.


    "I... have a request," he said slowly. "If it''s within your power to grant..."


    The faeries gasped in exaggerated unison.


    "A request?"


    "A dragon with manners?"


    "...How rare."


    "How suspicious!"


    Hibana pressed on. "I have some friends outside... they''re not dragons like me. I told them I''d do whatever it took to allow them passage into this forest."


    The faeries went silent ¡ª for a beat too long. Then, suddenly:


    "Ohhh, so you promised something!"


    "And now you want us to fix it!"


    "How very dragon of you!"


    "No no no, this one''s different ¡ª he''s asking for things instead of taking them!"


    "Hah! That just makes him worse!"


    The voices erupted into chaotic giggling.


    Hibana lowered himself onto his haunches, his tail curling over his feet. Slowly, he bowed his head to the unseen voices. His draconic body shuddered ¡ª a trembling that reached deeper than muscle and bone.


    What was this feeling in his chest?


    Pain? No... something more. Something sharper. Something he couldn''t remember feeling this strongly as a human.


    Was it from his time with the goblins? Watching them grow, only to have them ripped away from him? Or maybe... maybe it was older than that. His parents ¡ª waiting eagerly for his arrival, only to cast him aside like refuse the moment they saw him.


    His claws dug into the earth. His voice came low and strained.


    "They are all I have left. If you cannot grant me this request..." He swallowed hard. "...you will never see me again. I promise."


    The faeries fell silent again ¡ª but this time, it didn''t last.


    "He''s ruining our fun!" one voice snapped.


    "We can''t give him what he asks!"


    "Why not?"


    "Because there are rules, you idiot!"


    "Rules, schmules! He asked! No dragon''s ever asked before!"


    "That''s the problem!"


    The voices twisted together, chaotic and shrill, spiraling into frantic giggles ¡ª yet their laughter rang hollow, like bells chiming off-key.


    Hibana Lifted his head once more. Tears streamed down his scaly cheeks. "I just want them to be safe."


    The faeries'' laughter sputtered and died.


    "Fine!" one voice barked.


    "Fine!" another echoed.


    "We will grant you this!"


    The air seemed to tighten, the forest itself holding its breath. Then the voices spoke again ¡ª quieter now, but sharper.


    "But be warned, dragon!"


    Their tone twisted, colder than before.


    "Never take more than what is offered!"


    The laughter returned ¡ª softer this time, almost nervous, like they weren''t sure if they were mocking him or themselves.


    Hibana nodded and smiled in the direction of the voices. Perhaps one day they would show themselves to him properly.


    As he turned and walked back toward his party, their final words echoed in his mind.


    "Never take more than what is offered..."


    The phrase circled over and over, like a whisper scratching at the back of his thoughts.


    "Perhaps Tsu... or Solryn would know what they meant by that."

 Home

    Hibana, Tsu, Solryn, and a retinue of kobolds now sat beneath a brand-new night sky. The stars seemed sharper here, like polished glass shards scattered across velvet. The air felt heavy ¡ª warmer, thicker than the chill they''d endured beyond the barrier.


    The kobolds had begun gathering branches, piling them in crooked heaps to fashion crude hutches for themselves. Hibana had quietly gathered wood for a campfire.


    Now the three of them sat in silence, the flames flickering low.


    Tsu stared directly at him ¡ª not with curiosity, but with something colder. Judgment. She sat cross-legged, her hand resting lightly on the hilt of her sword. It was Solryn who finally broke the silence.


    "How did you do this?" Solryn muttered, never taking his gaze off the fire.


    Hibana glanced at him. "I just asked."


    Solryn''s lips twitched ¡ª not quite a smile. More like a grimace.


    "He just asked¡­" Solryn muttered. "Twenty years of experiments. Hundreds of gold spent in research. And all a dragon had to do was... ask."


    Tsu scoffed, her voice cutting through the air like steel. "Dragons don''t ask. They demand."


    Hibana turned to her. "I''m getting that. There''s so much I don''t know about this world... My only experience with other dragons was my parents and siblings ¡ª who immediately kicked me out when they discovered I was an F-tier."


    Tsu''s eyes narrowed slightly. She didn''t speak, but her fingers flexed against her sword.


    Solryn shifted, his gaze finally pulling away from the flames. His stare locked on Hibana, hard and calculating. "Yes. Curious, that." His fingers drummed thoughtfully against his knee. "I see that when I appraise you as well. Along with the same stats you''ve had since I first met you."


    He paused. "How much XP have you accrued?"


    Hibana stared at the ground. The dirt felt cool under his claws, the heat of the fire barely reaching him. "I don''t know," he said quietly. "It always shows zero. My status¡­ it''s stuck."


    Solryn exhaled through his nose. "That''s not supposed to happen."


    "I know," Hibana muttered. "Believe me... I know."


    "The fact that your stats are stuck indicates that there''s something about you that''s an anomaly," Solryn said, his voice sharper now ¡ª as if the revelation unsettled him more than he wanted to admit. "Divine Law doesn''t make mistakes."


    "What is Divine Law?" Hibana asked.


    Tsu answered before Solryn could. Her voice was low, almost bitter. "It''s the force that governs our stats... the will of the gods." She stared into the fire, her gaze darkening. "Your place in this world ¡ª what you can achieve, how strong you can become ¡ª it''s all determined by Divine Law. The gods decide your ceiling, and no one surpasses it."


    Hibana frowned. "But¡­ what if someone tries?"


    Tsu''s gaze lifted, locking onto him with a hard stare. "Nobody defies the Law."


    The weight of her words lingered in the air. Not as a warning ¡ª but as an undeniable truth.


    Solryn shifted uncomfortably, his fingers tightening around the spine of his spellbook. "The people who resist Divine Law¡­ they don''t vanish," he said quietly. "They survive ¡ª bitter, broken, and forgotten. Cast out from the world. F-tiers, E-tiers ¡ª the ones the gods have deemed worthless. They don''t die trying to defy the system."


    He paused, his gaze flicking back to Hibana. "They just stop trying altogether."


    "And most of them become bandits or thieves," Tsu added coldly. "Living on scraps, raging at the world like dogs biting their chains." Her fingers flexed against her sword. "This is the will of the gods."


    "Which is why I need to know more about you, Hibana," Solryn said, his voice quieter now, almost cautious. "You are the most curious anomaly I have ever been introduced to in this world."


    Hibana shifted slightly, meeting Solryn''s gaze. "What would you like to know?"


    Solryn''s fingers moved to his chin, stroking it thoughtfully. "You asked me a very strange question earlier... about elves." His gaze sharpened. "What did you mean by that?"


    Hibana felt his stomach tighten. He looked away from Solryn, his eyes drifting to the flickering fire. "Yes... that." His voice wavered, and memories surged ¡ª the crowded train ride back home, the worn paperback light novel in his lap, the familiar hum of the station''s speakers echoing overhead.


    Swords and sorcery. Magic and dragons. Elves... always elves.


    His gaze lingered on the flames. "It''s... complicated," Hibana said carefully. "And I may tell you someday."


    Silence followed ¡ª not awkward, but heavy, like a stone dropped into still water.


    "Interesting," Tsu muttered. Her gaze remained sharp, as if dissecting his words for something unsaid.


    Solryn leaned back with a tired sigh. "Fine," he muttered. "Keep your secrets. But this... this is going to bother me endlessly."


    His words carried no malice ¡ª only frustration, thinly veiled by curiosity.


    "There''s something else," Solryn said, his gaze narrowing. "Just how old are you, exactly? You''re nearly twice the size of a normal hatchling... and far more articulate than you should be."


    Hibana''s mind drifted back to the goblin tribe ¡ª Grek, Goroh, Gobo... faces that felt too distant now. He swallowed hard. "I was with a goblin tribe for a while," he said quietly. "They recruited me ¡ª same way the kobolds tried to. I lived with them for... weeks. Probably close to three months now."


    "Three months?" Solryn repeated, incredulous. "You speak like you''ve been learning for years."


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "I had to learn fast." Hibana''s voice tightened. "Adventurers came. Wiped them out. I barely escaped." He paused, his claws flexing at the memory. "My polymorph ability saved me."


    Solryn''s brow lifted. "Your... polymorph ability?" His voice shifted ¡ª no longer just curious. Now there was something else. Doubt.


    "Yeah," Hibana nodded. "They were confused. They looked for me ¡ª tried to track me down ¡ª but I turned into a bush. They even put their hands right on me... and still couldn''t tell."


    Solryn''s face shifted sharply ¡ª disbelief, then confusion... then something that almost resembled fear.


    "That¡­" Solryn muttered, his voice low. "That''s not polymorph."


    Hibana blinked. "It''s not?"


    "No!" Solryn''s voice sharpened. "Polymorph disguises you ¡ª masks you as something else. It doesn''t change what you are. If those adventurers put their hands on you, they would have felt scales, muscle, bones ¡ª even if you looked like a bush. Your scent would''ve still been there. Your heat would''ve still been there."


    Solryn''s fingers clenched tightly around his spellbook, his expression darkening. "But you... you''re saying they couldn''t feel you at all?"


    Hibana hesitated. "...Yeah."


    Solryn exhaled slowly, fingers tapping against his knee. "That''s... impossible," he muttered under his breath. "There''s no spell that does that. Not even high-level illusion magic. Whatever you did... it''s something else entirely."


    Tsu''s voice cut through the silence. "If they didn''t know you were there... you weren''t just hiding." She fixed him with a sharp stare. "You weren''t there at all."


    Hibana''s throat felt dry. "But... that doesn''t make sense."


    "Neither do you," Solryn said flatly. "That''s the problem."


    Solryn stood abruptly, eyes flashing with excitement. "Can you do that again? Show me!"


    Hibana hesitated, recalling the strange, twisting energy that had consumed him before. He remembered the stillness, the unnatural quiet... and the taste. That awful, coppery taste. from the adventurers. which was a stronger memory than his desire to hide from them.


    Blood.


    "Okay," Hibana said cautiously. "Let me get away from the fire first."


    He stepped back, feeling the warmth of the flames retreat from his scales. "Just so you know... I can somehow hear you when I''m in that form ¡ª and I can sense where you are ¡ª but I can''t move... and I can''t speak."


    Solryn''s brow furrowed. "No movement... no speech..." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Fascinating..."


    Hibana closed his eyes, focusing on the memory ¡ª the instinct, the overwhelming desire to vanish. He grasped for that sensation again ¡ª that desperate urge to disappear.


    The energy returned, bubbling inside him like a boiling pot, but this time it twisted ¡ª different from before.


    His thoughts faltered ¡ª no longer clear, no longer rational. Memories surged ¡ª the goblins, the adventurers, the taste of blood in his mouth. The copper tang rose in his throat, burning like bile. His heart pounded, and panic coiled in his chest.


    I don''t want to be seen... I don''t want to be here...


    His body buckled. His muscles twisted and stretched, bones shifting and grinding with a sickening crunch. His ribs cracked and compressed, his spine coiling in ways no body should move.


    Both Tsu and Solryn stumbled back as Hibana''s body shrank ¡ª twisted ¡ª changed.


    When the pain stopped, Hibana found himself face-down in the dirt. The cold bit against his skin. His skin... Skin?


    Something felt wrong ¡ª his limbs were unfamiliar, his fingers awkward and soft. His breathing was strange ¡ª too shallow, too fast. He tried to move but barely managed to push himself halfway up before his arms buckled beneath him.


    His head swam. His chest heaved. His mouth opened ¡ª but nothing came out. His tongue felt heavy, clumsy, like it didn''t belong in his mouth.


    Speak... Say something...


    "I..." His voice caught. The sound felt wrong, too thin, too sharp. He swallowed hard, trying to steady himself. His tongue flopped awkwardly, his lips stammering as if his mouth had forgotten what to do.


    Tsu''s voice cut in. "What... the hell...?"


    Hibana lifted his head.


    The face staring back at them was human ¡ª unsettlingly human. His skin was flawless, his complexion oddly smooth. His hair was wild and fiery orange, and his green eyes ¡ª still draconic in their intensity ¡ª locked on theirs with a strange sharpness.


    And he was naked.


    Solryn''s hand jerked toward his spellbook as if expecting an attack. Tsu instinctively turned her back on him, muttering something under her breath.


    Hibana tried to move again ¡ª and nearly collapsed. His legs wobbled beneath him, his body twisting awkwardly. The familiar balance of his tail was gone, and every instinct that told him how to stand felt like it had been yanked from beneath his feet.


    How do I...?


    Then ¡ª a memory. Tetsuo''s memory. A crowded train station. The ache of tired legs. A hand gripping a rail to keep balance. Muscle memory flickered through his mind like a lifeline, and Hibana forced himself upright, swaying like a drunkard.


    "I... I don''t know what just happened," he stammered, his voice still shaky. His tongue felt like a wad of damp cloth in his mouth, each word awkward and slurred.


    Solryn''s expression shifted ¡ª from confusion to something closer to alarm. "That... that''s not polymorph."


    "It''s not?" Hibana rasped. His throat was dry ¡ª his own voice foreign to him.


    "No!" Solryn snapped. "Polymorph disguises you. It doesn''t change you. Your body''s still a dragon under the illusion ¡ª scales, scent, everything. But you..." He shook his head in disbelief. "You''re... human. Not disguised. Not masked. Transformed. Even when I appraise you it says you''re a human!"


    Hibana looked at his hands. human hands. "no way...I think it was due to the adventurer I killed Saving Tsu. I drank his blood, and my mind fixated on that blood when I was changing."


    Tsu''s voice, still turned away from him, cut in coldly. "You don''t look anything like that man."


    Hibana blinked, turning his hands over in front of him. The skin was pale and smooth ¡ª almost too perfect, too clean. "I... don''t look like anyone, do I?"


    "No," Tsu muttered. "You don''t."


    The fire crackled in the silence that followed, but no one spoke. No one dared to.


    Then Hibana looked down again.


    His eyes widened.


    "...Oh no..." His face flushed. "I''m... I''m naked, aren''t I?"


    Tsu muttered louder this time. "Pathetic..."


    Solryn pressed his palm to his face. "Gods above..."


    Hibana staggered to his feet ¡ª barely holding his balance ¡ª and snatched a discarded cloak from one of the kobolds'' supply piles, hastily wrapping it around himself.


    "Well..." He huffed, voice still shaky. "That''s... that''s one way to break the tension."


    After a few minutes of getting used to his form, Hibana walked over to a nearby stream and knelt by the water. He stared at his reflection ¡ª the face of a stranger. The dragon wasn''t there, but he could still see traces of him behind those eyes. His hair was a fiery mess, and his unsettling green gaze felt too sharp, too intense.


    This isn''t really me, Hibana thought. I still feel like a dragon even in this form.


    The spell drained his MP slowly, like last time ¡ª a dull tug that gnawed at his senses. His muscles felt wrong, too light and awkward. Even his heartbeat seemed thin and faint compared to the powerful thrum of his dragon heart.


    Tsu''s footsteps crunched behind him. He smelled her before she spoke ¡ª her scent still sharp with steel oil and ash. His dragon senses were just as sharp as ever, even now.


    "I have decided to stay," she said.


    Hibana smiled. "And you''re always welcome here, Tsu. I don''t care what you did in the past. I don''t care what they said you are. You''re a remarkable warrior."


    Tsu''s expression didn''t change, but she sighed. "Don''t say that to me. Such things don''t matter."


    Hibana nodded. "Just sayin''. All the same... my home is your home."


    Tsu rolled her eyes and walked away, her steps heavier than usual.


    Hibana turned to Solryn, who was hunched over his book as usual.


    "Now that you''ve entered the Fae Wilds... what''s next for you?"


    Solryn barely looked up. "Hmm? Oh! Well... I was going to report my findings back at the magic academy." He paused, flipping a page lazily. "But honestly? They wouldn''t believe me. And they''d be right not to." He snapped the book shut and gave a thin smile. "I''ve witnessed a few miracles today. And frankly... you are one of the most valuable research specimens I''ve ever come across."


    His smile widened slightly. "But since I''m not some nefarious vagabond willing to whisk you away in a sack... I suppose I''ll just have to set up shop here for the time being."


    Hibana chuckled softly, giving Solryn a grateful nod before walking away.


    He found the kobold chief waiting by a freshly built fire pit, hunched over a worn blade. Hibana sat down across from him, feeling the embers'' warmth licking at his skin.


    "We have much to discuss," Hibana said quietly.


    The kobold chief''s face darkened. "Yes... we do."

 Whispers

    The farmer stepped forward, hat in hand, his boots scuffing against the cold stone floor. He bowed before the throne ¡ª not deeply, not out of reverence, but as if it was a habit long ingrained. His shoulders sagged slightly, the slump of a man who had grown too accustomed to disappointment.


    "Your grace..." His voice was thin, hoarse. "I come before you asking for help. My crops were plundered by a group of bandits... they made off with nearly half my yield."


    The king''s gaze swept across the room. The gathered crowd of D and E-tier commoners stood in grim silence ¡ª no murmurs, no pleas of agreement. Only tired faces staring back at him, as though they already knew what he would say.


    "So many of you," Richard muttered, more to himself than anyone else. "It seems these bandits are becoming a severe problem."


    The farmer twisted his hat in his hands, but his voice remained calm ¡ª lifeless, almost. "They''ve hit my fields twice already this month," he said. "If I lose any more... my family won''t make it through the winter."


    Queen Oriana leaned closer, her voice low but firm. "He''s an E-tier, your grace. His crops need extra protection."


    The king stroked his beard, his mind elsewhere. His fingers dragged along the coarse hair like a man stalling for time ¡ª searching for a better answer than the one he knew he''d give.


    "These bandits¡­" he murmured. "They''ve struck too many times in too many places."


    His gaze returned to the farmer. "I can spare you two guards," he said at last. "No more."


    The farmer''s face barely changed. He gave a stiff nod, his voice flat. "Thank you, your grace."


    But as he turned to leave, a quiet voice cut through the room ¡ª a voice soft as silk, yet colder than the stone beneath their feet.


    "Perhaps this is as it must be," the priest murmured.


    The man in pale robes stepped forward, clutching a wooden staff topped with the sunburst sigil of the Divine Law. He smiled faintly ¡ª a thin, bloodless smile ¡ª but his eyes gleamed with quiet satisfaction.


    "The gods do not burden us without reason," the priest continued. "If this man''s crops were taken¡­ perhaps the gods meant to test his faith."


    The farmer''s gaze shifted toward the priest. There was no outrage in his eyes, no bitterness ¡ª only something worse.


    Acceptance.


    The farmer''s head dipped slightly ¡ª not in agreement, but in surrender.


    King Richard''s hand tightened around the armrest of his throne.


    "And if the gods saw fit to burn half my fields," he said coldly, "should I let my kingdom starve?"


    The priest''s smile remained. "Perhaps they are meant to starve, your grace. Perhaps those who cannot endure are not meant to."


    The room was silent.


    Then Oriana spoke, her voice cutting like a blade. "You know what they''re doing," she said quietly. "The Temple lets these people suffer because it keeps them weak. Broken men cling to faith harder than whole ones."


    Richard''s hand flexed once more against the armrest. He turned his gaze back to the farmer, watching that familiar weight hang over the man ¡ª not anger, not grief ¡ª just dull, hollow resignation.


    "Two guards," Richard said again, quieter this time. "I''ll send no more."


    The farmer dipped his head once more, and with no further word, he turned and walked away.


    No one in the room stirred. No one called after him. No one dared to ask for more.


    The priest''s faint smile lingered as he turned to leave, his staff clicking softly against the stone.


    As the farmer neared the door, a young boy grabbed his sleeve ¡ª his son, perhaps. The child looked up at him, his face blank ¡ª not with fear, but with that same cold exhaustion that seemed to cling to everyone now. The farmer didn''t scold him or whisper comfort. He simply placed his hand on the boy''s head... and kept walking.


    King Richard sat in silence, his eyes fixed on the empty space where the farmer had stood.


    "They''ll keep coming," he said finally. His voice was hollow, like a man speaking to no one at all. "And I''ll have fewer guards each time."


    Hibana woke the next morning beside a well-tended fire. The flames flickered steadily ¡ª not the weak, sputtering flames the kobolds once struggled to maintain. Someone had tended it through the night. Nearby, the scent of roasting meat drifted from a pair of kobolds crouched beside a deer-like beast, carefully carving it with sharpened stones. Their movements were precise ¡ª not desperate, but deliberate.


    Hibana shifted, feeling a dull ache crawl through his muscles. His wings felt tight and stiff, and when he rubbed his horns, the bases throbbed with sharp tenderness that made him wince. His body felt... heavy. Not tired, exactly ¡ª different.


    Must be from True Polymorph, he thought. Probably like working a muscle you haven''t used before. He stretched again, rolling his shoulders to loosen the stubborn stiffness. His claws flexed automatically, and he shook out his wings with a quiet grunt. The pain lingered ¡ª not sharp, but persistent.


    Guess this is the cost of using that spell... makes sense. Power like that shouldn''t be free.


    He pushed the discomfort aside. There was too much to do.


    He walked to Dundru, who stood watching a pair of young kobolds struggling with ropes ¡ª their small hands fumbling as they tried to knot the cords properly.


    Dundru''s gaze shifted when he saw Hibana approach. The usual hard edge in his eyes softened ¡ª not much, but enough.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Hibana smiled. "You''re definitely not like the goblins," he said with a chuckle. "You''re taking to this rather quickly."


    Dundru snorted, turning back toward the children. "Goblins seem to hate themselves," he muttered. "They see life as something you do while waiting to die." His eyes flicked to the young kobolds again, watching their awkward attempts at the rope. "But us¡­" His voice lowered, quieter now. "We see life as something you fight to keep going."


    One of the younglings gave a frustrated grunt as the knot slipped loose again. Dundru''s lips twitched ¡ª almost a smile.


    "When I look at those children," he said softly, "it makes me happy... for the first time in many seasons."


    Hibana shifted his wings again, wincing as that dull ache flared up once more. His horns pulsed like an old bruise ¡ª tender, throbbing. He grimaced, rubbing at them absentmindedly.


    Stupid spell¡­ Guess this is normal. Probably just my body getting used to it.


    He clenched his claws and glanced at the young kobolds again. "They''re lucky to have you," he said. "They wouldn''t have made it this far without your guidance."


    Dundru let out a low chuckle. "Maybe," he said, voice rough. "But they''ll need more than rope tricks to survive if those bandits find us."


    His words lingered like smoke in the air.


    "They won''t," Hibana said quietly. "I''ll make sure of it."


    For a moment, the two stood in silence ¡ª Dundru watching the younglings, and Hibana quietly fighting the ache in his limbs.


    The warmth of the fire reached his scales, but somehow¡­ he still felt cold.


    Hibana approached Solryn, who stood stiffly beside his makeshift table ¡ª a cluttered surface piled with books, loose parchment, and hastily scribbled notes.


    "That''s just the kind of thing I''d expect to hear from a samurai," Solryn muttered, his voice sharp. "All this duty, all this honor... and where has that gotten you?" He gestured toward Tsu''s worn kimono and the dull, chipped edge of her nodachi. "Some tattered rags and a broken sword."


    Tsu''s back straightened. "I wouldn''t expect you to understand."


    Solryn scoffed and stepped away from the table. "Oh, I understand," he snapped. "I understand everything I have ever been made aware of!"


    Tsu''s lip curled. She turned away, her voice like ice. "A full cup."


    Solryn barked a bitter laugh. "This isn''t over, beast! Why you''ve chosen to stay here is beyond me!"


    Hibana moved quickly, stepping between them before things escalated further.


    "Her name," Hibana said firmly, "is Tsu. I''d appreciate it if you used it."


    Solryn folded his arms. "Hmmph! What do you even keep her around for anyway?" He jerked his chin toward where Tsu had stalked off. "I assure you, she''s nothing but a liability. She''s obviously only looking out for herself."


    Hibana exhaled, then sat down near the table. "And what if she is?" he asked quietly.


    Solryn''s brow furrowed. "What?"


    "I''ve seen what she goes through, even if you haven''t." Hibana''s voice softened, but his words carried weight. "If she chooses to leave... I won''t stop her. But I can tell you this ¡ª she''s still here. And that means something."


    Solryn''s scowl deepened. "Means what?"


    "It means," Hibana said steadily, "that she''s still fighting. Maybe for herself. Maybe for us. Maybe she''s not even sure anymore. But you? You should be focusing on your battles." He paused, then added gently, "You have yours. She has hers. Let her fight in her own way."


    For a moment, Solryn said nothing. He shifted awkwardly, his eyes drifting toward his table as if the books there suddenly seemed less important.


    "Fine," Solryn muttered at last. "Anyway¡­ I have a task for you."


    Hibana cocked his head. "What kind of task?"


    "I want to learn more about your powers," Solryn said, folding his arms. "So I''m going to need you to transform into a human again ¡ª provided you even can."


    Hibana looked down at his claws. "What are you hoping to find out?"


    Solryn stepped back to his makeshift table, flipping open one of his books. The pages were worn, the ink faded, but the diagrams ¡ª circles, sigils, and faint sketches of flame ¡ª were still clear. He turned the book toward Hibana.


    "I want to see if you can cast magic spells while in that form of yours," Solryn explained. "I''m going to teach you a simple level one spell ¡ª Fireball. Even F-tier apprentices can cast that spell."


    Hibana''s brow furrowed. "I''m willing to try... but do you have a spare change of clothes?"


    Solryn grimaced, glancing at the pile of books on his table like they might offer an answer. "Hmm¡­ yes¡­ that is quite an... issue."


    He paused, then snapped his fingers. "I know ¡ª grab an animal skin from the kobolds and bring it here."


    Hibana went to the kobold storage area. The pile of supplies was haphazard at best ¡ª discarded scraps, tools, and hides stacked wherever they fit. He rummaged for a moment before pulling out an old deer hide ¡ª ragged around the edges, but sturdy enough.


    He returned to Solryn, holding it up. "This work?"


    Solryn studied the hide, nodding to himself. "Yes... that will suffice."


    Hibana shifted uneasily. He could feel it now ¡ª a faint ripple of magic building in the air. The energy coiled tightly around Solryn''s fingers like a current waiting to snap free. Hibana watched as Solryn held one hand over the hide and spoke words that hummed with power.


    "Wondrous earth, weave for me ¡ª Mantle Manifest!"


    The deer hide twitched. Then it jerked, curling in on itself like a wounded animal. The coarse fur tore free, the pieces twisting and spinning in the air. Strips of sinew threaded through the fragments like stitching needles. The fabric stretched, folded, and stitched itself into a crude, yet wearable tunic, pants, and a pair of rough moccasins.


    Hibana stared. He could still feel the magic ¡ª faint yet lingering ¡ª clinging to the newly formed clothes like a scent that refused to fade.


    "Well?" Solryn gestured to the clothes. "Put them on after you transform, and we''ll begin."


    Hibana closed his eyes and focused, trying to recall the magical feeling from before. This time, it came much easier ¡ª like flexing a muscle that was finally starting to loosen.


    He felt his body shift, bones creaking and muscles tightening as his form shrank and reshaped itself. The dull ache spread through his limbs ¡ª familiar now, but no less uncomfortable. He exhaled sharply, taking a few quick breaths to steady himself, then reached for the clothes Solryn had made. The leather still smelled faintly of the deer it had once been, but they fit well enough.


    "Dressed now?" Solryn asked over his shoulder. "Good. Watch closely." He gestured toward a tree at the edge of the clearing. "Pay attention to the words and the gesture of my hand."


    Solryn turned, lifting his arm and spreading his fingers wide. His voice took on a practiced rhythm as he spoke.


    "Come forth in a dance of mighty power ¡ª Fireball!"


    A small flame flickered to life in front of his palm, no larger than an apple. It hovered for a breath, then streaked through the air and struck the tree. The bark blackened and hissed, a faint wisp of smoke curling upward.


    "That''s it?" Hibana thought. That''s... underwhelming.


    But the magic... that was something else. He''d felt it ¡ª the precise ripple of energy radiating from Solryn''s body. The unique pattern of it lingered in his mind like a song he couldn''t forget.


    I can replicate that! he thought. I can probably do that other clothing spell too...


    "Your turn," Solryn said, folding his arms. "Try to summon Fireball as I did ¡ª and hit the tree."


    Hibana nodded and raised his hand. He focused, pulling at the well of power inside him ¡ª that deep, unrefined pool of energy that never seemed to flow quite the way he wanted.


    Just like that... yes... I think I''ve got it...


    A fireball flickered to life before his palm, larger than Solryn''s ¡ª too large. Hibana''s heart raced as the orb swelled, pulsing with unstable heat.


    It''s taking too much... His breath quickened. I don''t know how to release it!


    Panic set in. The fire twisted and flared, growing hotter and wilder.


    "Let it go!" Solryn barked.


    Hibana clenched his teeth, forcing the unstable energy outward. He let out a strained yell as the fireball ripped free from his hand and rocketed toward the tree.


    BOOM!


    The tree didn''t just burn ¡ª it detonated. A blast of heat tore through the clearing, and what had once been solid wood was now a cloud of burning splinters raining down across the grass.


    Ash drifted through the air. The heat still clung to Hibana''s skin, and his breathing felt ragged, his body hollow and weak.


    When he turned to Solryn, sweat clung to his brow. Solryn stood frozen, mouth agape, staring at the scorched patch of earth where the tree once stood.


    Hibana swallowed, wiped his face, and managed a sheepish grin.


    "Whoops."

 Restraint

    Wooden branches and leaves kept falling from the sky, drifting down like embers from some distant fire. The explosion''s lingering warmth clung to the air, smoke curling lazily above the splintered remains of the tree.


    The kobolds, drawn by the noise, swarmed to the scene.


    "Was this done by Big Eggo?" one kobold asked, his voice brimming with awe.


    "Perfectly good tree... ruined!" another complained. And yet, despite the destruction, their dismay quickly gave way to chaotic celebration. They leapt and danced around the scorched earth, whooping and cackling like they had just watched fireworks rather than a blast that could have killed them.


    Hibana couldn''t help but smile. Their playful energy ¡ª so wild and chaotic ¡ª was strangely comforting.


    But not everyone shared his amusement.


    Tsu stormed over, her heavy footfalls pounding against the earth. Her face, usually guarded and expressionless, was twisted in a rare display of raw emotion ¡ª and none of it was pleasant. She drew her nodachi with a metallic hiss and pointed the tip directly at Solryn''s throat.


    "What did you just do, mage?!" she snarled.


    Solryn paled, his hand twitching toward his spellbook before thinking better of it. "I swear ¡ª I didn''t¡­ I didn''t mean to ¡ª"


    "It was me!" Hibana cut in, stepping between Solryn and her blade. "It was an accident. Please... put your weapon away."


    Tsu''s narrowed eyes flicked to Hibana''s human form ¡ª from his face to his trembling hands, to the dirt clinging to his hastily-made leather clothes. Her expression didn''t soften, but after a tense pause, she withdrew her blade with an irritated grunt.


    "Pfft... Be more careful," she snapped. "You''ll attract the enemy with that much noise." She turned sharply and started walking away.


    "You weren''t going to kill him, were you?" Hibana called after her, folding his arms.


    Tsu stopped mid-stride. For a moment, she lingered there, her shoulders stiff. Then she looked back over her shoulder, her golden eyes sharp and cold.


    "If I wanted him dead," she said, her voice low, "he''d be dead."


    And with that, she kept walking, vanishing into the trees.


    Hibana exhaled and turned to Solryn. "Are you okay?"


    Solryn gave a shaky laugh, wiping sweat from his forehead. "I think I prefer her when she''s just ignoring me."


    Hibana chuckled weakly but said nothing. His gaze drifted back to where Tsu had disappeared, her words echoing in his mind.


    If I wanted him dead... he''d be dead.


    She wasn''t threatening him. That wasn''t bravado ¡ª it was fact. Tsu didn''t make empty promises. If she believed Hibana''s magic could get them killed... she''d make sure it didn''t have the chance.


    Hibana shook his head, but suddenly felt his vision blur. The ground seemed to shift beneath him, and a wave of dizziness swept through his body.


    "Whoa..." He steadied himself, gripping his forehead. "That spell took more out of me than I thought."


    Solryn approached, frowning. "What spell did you cast?"


    "The same one you told me to cast..." Hibana muttered. "Fireball."


    Solryn''s brow creased. "That... wasn''t Fireball." He folded his arms, scrutinizing Hibana. "It looked more like Inferno Blast ¡ª a level four spell."


    Hibana blinked. "Level four?"


    "Yeah." Solryn''s voice turned grim. "Most human mages can''t even learn that spell. And those who do? They need weeks of practice and a full incantation to pull it off. Yet you just... flung it out like nothing." His eyes narrowed. "Then again¡­ it would appear, despite what your appraisal will tell me about you, that you''re still a dragon. Because dragons don''t need incantations. That''s useful."


    "Wait¡­" Hibana rubbed his temple. "That was normal?"


    "For a dragon? Sure," Solryn said with a shrug. "You lot just¡­ shape the magic through instinct. No chanting, no focus words ¡ª you just do it. It''s supposed to be one of your biggest advantages over human mages. Still..." His gaze hardened. "That didn''t look like a Fireball. And even dragons must follow Divine Law, so if your magic''s this unstable¡­"


    He gave Hibana a pointed look.


    "...it means you''re stronger than your appraisal suggests ¡ª a lot stronger."


    Solryn muttered something under his breath, then cast Appraisal. Hibana felt that dull throb behind his eyes again ¡ª like someone scraping at the inside of his skull.


    Solryn''s expression twisted in disbelief. "Your MP¡­" He shook his head. "It''s flickering ¡ª one second it''s showing three¡­ then seven... then three again. It''s jumping all over the place. So you definitely have more than ten points."


    Hibana exhaled sharply. "MP readings can fluctuate?"


    "No," Solryn said flatly. "They shouldn''t." He scowled. "You are both very interesting... and incredibly aggravating at the same time. What your MP is doing right now is unprecedented."


    Hibana stiffened. "I see... So what does that tell you?"


    Solryn folded his arms, still watching him carefully. "Remarkably little... and that''s driving me insane." He exhaled in frustration. "If you''re willing, I''d like to keep figuring this out."


    Hibana clenched his fists. His muscles ached, and his vision blurred. He could feel the last of his MP draining from him ¡ª a cold, hollow emptiness creeping through his limbs.


    His breath caught.


    "Oh no..." he muttered. "Already? But I just changed!"


    Hibana''s body shuddered ¡ª his muscles tightening beneath his skin. The dull ache swelled into something sharper. His fingers twitched, and a surge of heat flared from within. He recognized this feeling ¡ª the unraveling sensation of his form giving way to scales, wings, and claws.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    But he could still hold it back. For now.


    "I can control this... just long enough."


    "I need to get out of these clothes... or I''ll rip them!" he muttered urgently.


    "Turn around, Solryn!" Hibana barked. "I need to ¡ª"


    But before he could finish, a sharp laugh rang out.


    One of the kobolds, still dancing around the charred remains of the tree, jabbed a clawed finger at him.


    "Naked! Ha ha ha!" the kobold cackled. "Look! Big dragon wanna be BIGGER dragon!"


    The rest of the kobolds joined in, yipping and howling with chaotic laughter. Some hopped in circles, while others banged their spears on the ground like drums, chanting:"Na-ked! Na-ked! Na-ked!"


    Hibana groaned, clutching his forehead. "I should''ve known..."


    "This day just keeps getting better..." he muttered.


    After Hibana threw his clothing aside, he let the transformation happen. His body twisted and stretched, scales replacing skin, bones popping and shifting until he stood once more in his dragon form.


    His muscles ached ¡ª more than before. His limbs felt stiff and heavy, like he''d spent hours running without rest. He groaned and staggered upright, shaking out his wings with a few sluggish flaps.


    "Damn it..." Hibana muttered, grimacing. "That wasn''t even five minutes... I was able to keep my human form up for hours before!"


    "Six hours," Solryn corrected. "Give or take. I measured it." His voice was unusually serious. "I''ve been watching you."


    Hibana turned his head, raising a brow ridge. "And?"


    "And I''ve noticed something else as well," Solryn continued. "I thought I was just seeing things before, but now I''m certain."


    He stepped closer, raising a hand. "May I?"


    Hibana hesitated, then nodded. Solryn ran his fingers over the base of Hibana''s horns. The instant they touched, Hibana hissed through his teeth. "That hurts!"


    Solryn withdrew his hand with a knowing nod. "Because they''re growing."


    Hibana blinked. "Growing?"


    "Last night, before you changed into a human, your horns were shorter ¡ª about the length of my index finger." Solryn gestured with his hand for emphasis. "Afterward, they were noticeably longer. And now... even in that short time you were transformed, they''ve grown again. The base is red and tender ¡ª like a bruise. That''s not normal."


    Hibana lowered his head, pressing a clawed hand to his horns. "I''m aging?" His voice was quiet, uncertain.


    Solryn nodded. "Far more rapidly than any dragon normally would." His voice softened slightly. "I couldn''t even begin to tell you why... but I''d bet anything it''s tied to that spell that lets you transform."


    Hibana''s expression darkened. "So you''re saying... if I keep using this, I''m going to die?"


    Solryn shook his head. "Fortunately for you, you''re a dragon. Dragons are effectively immortal. When they reach adulthood ¡ª which usually takes about fifty years ¡ª they stop aging altogether. From that point on, they can live forever."


    He paused, then added dryly, "Not that they ever do, of course."


    Hibana squinted. "Never do? Why not?"


    Solryn let out a dry chuckle, folding his arms. "Well, seeing as how you were kicked out of your nest so young, you probably didn''t have time to notice that all dragons... present company excluded... are about as dumb as bricks."


    Hibana''s tail twitched. "Gee, thanks."


    "It''s true," Solryn continued. "They practically throw themselves at danger ¡ª convinced they''re invincible and incapable of being killed by us ''mere weaklings'' of the world." He snapped his fingers. "Inevitably proven wrong every single time."


    His gaze flicked to the kobolds. "Dragons rarely see three hundred years. The longest living dragon in recorded history? No one even knew how old she was. But she died trying to siege an entire kingdom by herself... all because someone insulted her pride."


    Hibana shook his head. "So what you''re saying is... dragons are just powerful idiots with death wishes?"


    Solryn shrugged. "Pretty much."


    For a long moment, Hibana sat in silence, wings partially unfurled. His eyes drifted toward the sky ¡ª not with longing, but with quiet thought.


    "...Then I guess I can''t afford to be like them," he muttered.


    "Wise choice," Solryn said with a smirk. "It''d be a shame to die before we figure out what you actually are."


    Hibana huffed softly, a thin curl of smoke rising from his nostrils. "Yeah... I''d hate to ruin the mystery."


    Solryn walked back to his makeshift desk, flipping through his notes with a thoughtful frown.


    "I believe that... Inferno Blast... you cast is the reason you couldn''t stay transformed for very long," he said, pausing to scribble something down.


    Hibana''s wings twitched. "It was just Fireball," he muttered under his breath.


    Solryn didn''t hear him. He tapped his quill against the parchment and looked up. "Your form of polymorph ¡ª whatever it is ¡ª is a sustained spell. Meaning the longer you maintain it, the more magic it drains."


    Hibana''s brow furrowed, then a flicker of understanding crossed his face. "Ohhh... I think I know what you''re getting at!"


    Solryn nodded sharply, a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes. "Exactly. That huge blast ¡ª whatever it actually was ¡ª must''ve burned through most of your MP. With barely anything left in your reserves, there wasn''t enough magic left to maintain your human form for much longer."


    Hibana''s expression darkened. "But I was able to stay transformed for hours before..."


    "Because you didn''t cast any spells before," Solryn reminded him. "This time, you spent everything in one go. Next thing you know ¡ª poof ¡ª you''re back to scales and wings."


    Solryn leaned back against his desk, flipping through one of his books. "We''ll need to test this again ¡ª after you''ve had some rest, of course. I''d like to confirm just how fast your magic drains under different conditions."


    He paused, then added thoughtfully, "And... to absolutely confirm the rate of your growth."


    Hibana''s wings flexed uneasily. "You''re really that sure I''m aging faster?"


    Solryn tapped the book with his finger. "I brought a few books on dragons with me. I don''t know as much as a dragon would know about you ¡ª obviously ¡ª but I know enough to get a solid estimate. If we test this properly, I can measure roughly how much you''re aging each time you use that spell."


    "So," Solryn said, dusting off his hands. "With all that out of the way, there are two things that require our attention right now."


    He placed both hands firmly on his makeshift desk, his expression unusually serious.


    "First ¡ª we need to name that transformation spell of yours," he said. "And I''ve just the name for it: True Polymorph."


    Hibana tilted his head. "Why True Polymorph?"


    "Because," Solryn explained, "it''s not just a disguise. You don''t just look human ¡ª you become human. That spell changes your body entirely, right down to the bones and blood. That''s what makes it different ¡ª and dangerous."


    Hibana mulled the name over for a moment, then nodded. "True Polymorph... Yeah... I like it. I''ll use it. It makes sense."


    "Of course it does," Solryn said with a half-hearted shrug. "I came up with it."


    He shifted his weight and leaned forward, his fingers steepled. "Now, the second thing ¡ª and this one''s important. We need proper supplies for this settlement of ours. Food, tools, maybe even some proper shelter if we want this place to last."


    Hibana frowned. "The kobolds can build just fine. They''ve got shelter, and they know how to hunt."


    "Sure," Solryn said with a dismissive wave. "But that''s bare minimum survival. What happens if someone gets sick? What happens when you need proper weapons ¡ª or armor? The Fae wild''s protection doesn''t go forever."


    Hibana shifted uneasily, but Solryn continued before he could argue.


    "And," Solryn added, "unless you''re planning to trade leaves and sticks with humans, you''re going to need gold. That means we need to visit a village."


    Hibana''s expression softened. "...That''s fair."


    "And while we''re there," Solryn said, tone sharpening, "you can start getting a feel for the human kingdom. Don''t pretend you''re not curious."


    Hibana''s face betrayed him with a faint smile. "I am," he admitted. "I want to know how they live... what they''re like..."


    "They''re like those four idiots that you said tried to kill you," Solryn shot back. "Well... most of them are." He exhaled heavily. "But if we''re smart, we can get in, grab what we need, and leave before anyone notices we''re out of place."


    "Even if they do notice us," Hibana countered, "we''ll be fine. We just have to act natural."


    Solryn barked a dry laugh. "Natural? You? You''re an F-tier." He shook his head. "I''m telling you, this isn''t going to go well."


    "But we have to try," Hibana said firmly. "The kobolds can survive on their own, but if I want to make things better ¡ª if I want to protect them properly ¡ª I need more than just their trust. I need tools, medicine... and gold."


    Solryn rubbed his temples, frustration bleeding through his voice. "I''m telling you, this isn''t going to go well. But then...I can''t believe I''m actually talking strategy with a dragon."


    Hibana gave a small, determined smile. "Yeah¡­ but we can pull it off. And that''s what matters."


    Solryn stared at him for a long moment ¡ª that same calculating look he always had when trying to predict how badly things were about to go wrong.


    Finally, he exhaled through his nose and muttered, "I feel like I''m about to regret this."


    "You won''t," Hibana said confidently.


    Solryn smirked, but it lacked any real warmth. "Yeah... well, let''s hope you''re right."

 Charge

    Hibana and Solryn arrived at a small village. A weathered sign outside the village marked the name of it as Stonewatch ¡ª the paint cracked and peeling, the wood warped from years of rain and neglect. The sign leaned slightly to one side, as though it had long since given up trying to stand straight.


    "This is one of the closest villages to the forest," Solryn muttered. "Stay close."


    As they walked up the road into the village, Hibana took in the surroundings. The streets were hard-packed dirt, scarred with wagon ruts and puddles of stagnant rainwater. Wooden buildings leaned together like drunks sharing secrets, their rooftops patched with mismatched shingles. A few villagers eyed Hibana and Solryn warily ¡ª none friendly, none inviting. Hibana noticed weapons on more than a few hips. Swords, clubs... even a rusted spear held together with leather strips.


    A tavern sat nearby, its crooked sign creaking lazily in the wind. Warm light spilled from within, and lively music drifted out with it ¡ª an upbeat tune that seemed out of place in such a grim place. For a moment, Hibana allowed himself to smile. It was nice, hearing something so... normal.


    But before he could dwell on the comfort, a shout rang out from the tavern''s doorway.


    "I told you already! No money, no service!"


    The barkeep ¡ª a burly man with sleeves rolled to his elbows and an apron stained with old beer spills ¡ª stormed back inside, slapping his hands together as if he''d just finished taking out the trash. A man lay sprawled in the dirt outside the tavern, groaning. His tunic was torn, and his face was streaked with grime. As he staggered to his feet, he caught Hibana staring.


    "What are you looking at, F-tier?" the man snarled, his lip curling. "Fuck off!"


    Hibana''s chest tightened, heat flaring beneath his skin. His fingers twitched, curling slightly before he caught himself. His dragon blood stirred ¡ª the instinct to react, to fight, to crush ¡ª and for a moment, he imagined grabbing the man by the throat and hurling him back into the mud.


    But Hibana thought back to a time when he''d been someone else ¡ª just a tired janitor, standing there with a mop in hand as some salaryman stomped across his freshly mopped floor. "Hey!" the man barked. "I almost slipped, you idiot! Watch where you''re mopping!" No apology. No gratitude. Just blame.


    He remembered that moment ¡ª the helpless anger, the bitter frustration ¡ª and swallowed it down now, just like he had then. He kept walking. "He''s not angry at me. Not really. He''s angry at his own circumstances. And I can hardly blame him after being treated like that. What would it make me if I then made his day even worse?"


    "Face forward, Hibana," Solryn warned. His voice was quiet, but firm. "There are a lot of very nasty people in villages like this." His eyes flicked toward the man in the dirt, who had already stumbled off down the road. "And most of them are looking for an excuse."


    Hibana kept walking, but the knot in his chest remained. No one knew what he was. To them, he was just a runt. An F-tier.


    And that was the point. Because power like his... if anyone knew what he could really do, they wouldn''t look at him with scorn.


    They''d look at him with fear.


    Solryn entered a small shop, and Hibana followed close behind. The scent of dust and dried meat lingered in the air, and shelves crammed with tools, food, and equipment lined the walls. Crates of nails, rope, and tarnished lanterns cluttered the floor ¡ª a merchant''s mess, but organized enough to show the shopkeeper knew exactly where everything was.


    The man behind the counter was burly, with arms like tree trunks and a chest that strained against his tunic. A thick black mustache curled beneath his nose, and his bald scalp shone in the light of a cracked oil lantern.


    He barely glanced at Hibana before fixing his attention on Solryn.


    "You need to leave your slave outside," the shopkeeper said flatly. His tone was casual ¡ª dismissive ¡ª like he wasn''t even worth raising his voice for.


    Hibana froze. Slave?


    Solryn turned to him, already halfway into his usual scowl. "You heard the man. Shoo! I''ll be out in a moment."


    Hibana''s teeth clenched hard enough to hurt. He swallowed back the instinct to argue ¡ª the heat that flickered in his chest, sharp and hot. His fingers twitched at his sides, and for one awful moment, he thought about snapping back ¡ª about saying something, anything ¡ª just to remind them he wasn''t nothing.


    He let out a breath ¡ª slow and shaky ¡ª and nodded once. "Sure," he muttered.


    Without another word, Hibana turned and stepped back outside. The door thudded shut behind him, and the cold air bit against his skin. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, fingers still curled tight. His breath misted in the air, and his heart pounded hard enough to shake his ribs.


    Hibana stared at the streets. Nobody paid him any mind. Men carried crates, merchants barked about their wares, and the distant sound of hammering rang out from a blacksmith''s forge. Life moved on without him.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    But his hands...


    He raised them and stared at his fingers. They trembled ¡ª faintly at first, but enough to make his breath hitch. His palms felt clammy, yet somehow warm at the same time, like heat was simmering just beneath his skin.


    Why am I shaking?


    The memory of that man''s sneer ¡ª "What are you looking at, F-tier?" ¡ª played back in his mind. Hibana''s fingers twitched again. He clenched his hands into fists, but it didn''t stop. His pulse throbbed in his ears, and a knot twisted in his chest.


    This body... my mind... I can feel it. These strong, passionate emotions...


    Hibana swallowed. Something felt wrong. His heart pounded too hard, too fast ¡ª like his body was bracing for a fight that wasn''t coming. He felt the burn of something deep in his ribs ¡ª a flicker of instinct he didn''t understand. Something hot, something restless.


    I''m not human...


    The thought sat cold and heavy in his mind. I''m a dragon.


    And no matter how real this human body felt, something deeper ¡ª something stronger ¡ª ruled him still. A body full of instinct, of fire, of dangerous impulses just waiting for a reason to break loose.


    He exhaled shakily and unclenched his fists again. His fingers were still shaking.


    I have to be careful, he thought. Maybe this was a bad idea...


    Suddenly, a hand clamped down on Hibana''s shoulder.


    He spun around fast ¡ª too fast ¡ª and nearly lashed out before he recognized the face in front of him.


    Solryn.


    "I need your assistance with these," Solryn said, motioning to two backpacks full of gear. "We''ll need to be getting back."


    Hibana blinked. His pulse still thundered in his ears, and he realized his muscles were tense ¡ª like a coiled spring waiting to snap. The moment lingered too long before he saw it ¡ª the look in Solryn''s eyes. Sharp. Knowing. A silent warning.


    I know. Just play along.


    Hibana swallowed hard and gave a small nod. He reached down and grabbed one of the packs.


    Light.


    He barely felt the weight at all ¡ª it couldn''t have been more than a few spare rations and a coil of rope. "Is this thing empty?" he muttered.


    Solryn stopped mid-step and turned back, frowning. "...No?"


    "Let''s go," Solryn said, his tone quiet but firm. Hibana shook the thought away and followed him toward the village exit.


    Hibana and Solryn were finally back on the road. The cold air stung Hibana''s face, but the silence felt strangely comforting ¡ª a reminder that they''d made it out of Stonewatch without trouble.


    "I understand now," Hibana said quietly.


    Solryn nodded. "We did manage to get out of there in one piece." He tapped the pack on his shoulder. "And there are some nice supplies in these packs." His tone lightened a little ¡ª like he was trying to convince himself that things had gone better than they had.


    "By the way, here." Solryn stopped and dug something from his pack ¡ª a short sword in a worn leather scabbard. He handed it to Hibana. "That''ll do for now."


    Hibana took the weapon carefully. The leather grip was cracked and stiff, and the edge looked like it had seen better days. Even so, something about the weight in his hand felt... right.


    "Later on," Solryn continued, "when we get the camp better established... you can go back to that village on your own, earn some gold." He paused, eyeing Hibana carefully. "You may be an F-tier, but there''s still work there. After seeing that spell you cast... there are quests you should be able to complete."


    He''s trying to encourage me, Hibana realized. He thinks I need this.


    Hibana gave a small nod. "Yeah... maybe."


    They walked a few more steps before Solryn suddenly slowed.


    "Wait," Solryn muttered, eyes narrowing.


    A figure stood in the middle of the road ¡ª motionless, waiting. The wind tugged at his black cloak, revealing the curve of a naginata slung lazily across his back. One of his hands rested on the polearm''s shaft, fingers drumming lightly against the polished wood.


    The blade gleamed ¡ª sharp and wicked, curving like a grin in the dim light.


    "Is that..." Hibana''s voice trailed off.


    Solryn''s hand drifted toward his staff. "Stay close," he warned. "That''s no traveler."


    The figure stepped forward, boots crunching on the gravel road.


    "Well, hello there, weary travelers," he drawled, his voice low and casual ¡ª like this was just another lazy conversation. His fingers tapped lightly against the polished shaft of the naginata resting on his shoulder. "The name''s Kurt. What brings a B-tier mage... and a little F-tier all the way out here?" His eyes flicked toward Hibana, cold and curious. "Nothing out here except endless forest... and the cursed lands."


    Solryn''s expression hardened. "Nothing that concerns you, Bloodhound. An expedition involving a theory I have about the Fae Wilds."


    Kurt nodded thoughtfully. "I see..." His grin widened. "I wouldn''t keep you, but I''m curious. You see, I just happened upon an abandoned kobold camp not far from here."


    He reached into his cloak and pulled out a torn scrap of cloth ¡ª Solryn''s sash ¡ª crumpled in his fist like a trophy. "And I found this among the remains of that camp. T''would seem like you''ve already been out here. Good to see you were able to get away from those filthy beasts."


    Solryn stepped forward, voice sharp. "Yes, I ran into that kobold camp... but I managed to get away from them. Perhaps you can kindly get to the point of this exchange?"


    Kurt''s smile returned ¡ª wider this time. Like a predator baring its teeth. "Very resourceful of you," he said, voice mockingly sweet. "But yes... the reason I stopped you ¡ª" He took another step forward, boots grinding in the dirt. "¡ª is that I''m looking for a baby dragon."


    Hibana''s breath caught.


    "It came this way," Kurt continued. "Followed its tracks. Orange scales, green eyes..." His gaze flicked to Hibana again, this time sharper. "Sound familiar?"


    No... no way... Hibana''s mind raced. There''s no way he could have found me...


    Kurt took another step forward, tapping the end of his naginata on the ground with a dull thud. "Him ¡ª and some accomplice ¡ª slaughtered four adventurers not far from here." His smile sharpened. "And interestingly enough... their trail stops at the Fae Wilds. Imagine that..."


    Kurt''s eyes locked on Solryn. "That''s exactly where you''re going, isn''t it?" His voice dropped lower. "So tell me, mage... are you lying to me?"


    Hibana swallowed hard, then stepped forward. "We haven''t seen any dragon by your description," he said, voice steady. "Please... just let us pass."


    Solryn''s head jerked toward Hibana, glaring ¡ª a warning. But when he turned back to Kurt, his fingers tightened on his staff.


    Kurt chuckled under his breath. "I don''t believe in coincidences." His grin turned colder. "Now that I''m looking at you, boy... I''d say if you weren''t a human, you''d be a spitting image for that dragon. That fiery orange hair... those green eyes you''ve got."


    His fingers curled around his naginata''s shaft, knuckles flexing. "Somehow you''re masking that polymorph you have... but you can''t fool me."


    Hibana''s heart hammered in his chest. His mouth felt dry. He turned to Solryn, voice weak. "I''m sorry... Solryn..."


    Solryn raised his staff. "Apologize later!" he barked. "Defend yourself!"


    Kurt''s grin widened one last time. He cracked his knuckles, his fingers twitching eagerly along the naginata''s grip.


    "I''m going to enjoy this."

 Power

    Solryn raised his staff.


    "Ether of the heavens! Grant me your boon! Lightning Bolt!"


    A tendril of electricity shot from Solryn''s staff, crackling through the air like a whip.


    Clang!


    Sparks exploded as Kurt''s naginata swept through the bolt, scattering arcs of lightning harmlessly across the ground. He grinned ¡ª teeth flashing white ¡ª and lunged forward, his polearm slicing the air in a brutal arc.


    Hibana barely heard the clash. He was inside his own head.


    This is really happening again...


    Memories flashed ¡ª the goblins'' blood in the dirt, Solryn''s injuries from their last encounter. Another cruel man ¡ª another arrogant monster ¡ª treating life like a game.


    I can''t let him hurt Solryn!


    Hibana''s fingers clenched around the short sword Solryn had given him. The leather grip felt stiff and unfamiliar ¡ª wrong in his hand. He''d never held a real weapon before. Before this world, the closest thing he''d carried was a kitchen knife. Now here he was... standing in the way of a man with a blade twice the size of his own.


    His hand trembled as he raised the sword toward Kurt.


    "I... I must do this!"


    Solryn twisted away from Kurt''s first swing, barely dodging the naginata''s blade as it carved through empty air.


    "Ether of the flame!" Solryn bellowed, thrusting his free hand forward. Fireballs shot from his palm in rapid succession ¡ª glowing orange streaks that sizzled as they cut through the cold air.


    Kurt twisted his naginata, spinning the pole in a blur. The fireballs struck the spinning blade and burst apart ¡ª scattering sparks that hissed as they died in the dirt.


    "Nice trick," Kurt sneered. "Got anything that works?"


    Solryn roared as he drove his staff into the earth.


    "Earthen roots, RISE!"


    The ground erupted beneath Kurt''s feet ¡ª jagged stone spikes bursting upward like spears. Kurt''s eyes flicked down, and in one fluid motion, he sprang back ¡ª leaping over the twisting spikes just before they tore through the space where he''d stood.


    As he landed, Kurt''s hand shot beneath his cloak. A dagger flashed between his fingers, and with a flick of his wrist, he hurled it straight for Solryn''s chest.


    "Barrier!" Solryn barked, thrusting his hand forward. A shimmer of light flared just in time ¡ª the dagger struck the invisible wall and spun off harmlessly into the dirt.


    Before Solryn could react, Hibana charged in.


    The short sword shook in his hands ¡ª too light, too awkward ¡ª but Hibana knew he had to act. He swung hard, his blade tracing a wide, desperate arc. The sword''s edge barely nicked Kurt''s cloak, slicing a thin tear through the fabric.


    Kurt barely turned his head to look.


    "The grownups are playing, boy," Kurt sneered.


    The punch hit Hibana''s stomach like a hammer. For a split second, he didn''t feel it ¡ª then his ribs screamed with pain, and the breath tore itself from his lungs.


    The world tilted. The sky blurred. Hibana hit the ground hard, the impact jolting through his spine. His sword clattered somewhere out of reach.


    He couldn''t breathe ¡ª every attempt felt like knives dragging through his ribs. His fingers curled weakly in the dirt as his vision swam.


    I can''t... I can''t move...


    He watched helplessly as Kurt turned back to Solryn. The mage''s face was pale ¡ª sweat clinging to his brow ¡ª yet Solryn stood firm, raising his staff once more.


    "No..." Hibana''s head spun. His fingers dug into the dirt, weakly clawing at the earth. "I... will not... die here..."


    "Blast it!" Solryn roared, thrusting his hand out. A gout of flame burst from his palm, a roiling wave of fire surging toward Kurt.


    Kurt swept his cloak upward, the fabric snapping through the air. The flames smashed into the heavy material, curling harmlessly around him before vanishing in a flash of embers.


    "I think I''m through playing with you!" Kurt sneered.


    He shot forward ¡ª fast ¡ª twisting into a somersault. His heel struck Solryn''s face with brutal precision, snapping Solryn''s head back. Blood sprayed from Solryn''s mouth as he staggered back, clutching his jaw.


    Kurt didn''t stop. His naginata''s blade gleamed as it cut downward ¡ª aiming to split Solryn where he stood.


    Solryn hit the dirt hard, rolling aside just before the blade struck. The naginata carved a deep gouge in the earth where Solryn''s head had been a moment before.


    "Ice Flow!" Solryn barked, thrusting his hand toward Kurt''s face.


    A freezing mist burst from Solryn''s palm, blasting Kurt with a gust of biting cold. Frost bloomed across Kurt''s face and chest, and he stumbled back, swearing as ice crystals clung to his skin.


    Solryn coughed and planted both hands on the ground. With a sharp breath, he pressed down ¡ª launching himself upright in a single, fluid motion.


    "Heh¡­" Kurt grinned wide, wiping ice from his brow. "You''re a feisty one!" He spun his naginata lazily, flicking frost from the blade. "How about this?"


    The weapon blurred in his hands ¡ª switching back and forth between his right and left, spinning faster and faster until the polearm seemed to disappear in a blur of steel.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Solryn''s eyes narrowed ¡ª too late. Kurt lunged, driving his fist into Solryn''s ribs. The impact ripped the air from Solryn''s lungs.


    "Gah!" Solryn staggered, clutching his side ¡ª but Kurt''s boot slammed into his chest before he could recover. The blow launched Solryn backward, sending him skidding across the dirt like a ragdoll.


    Hibana groaned, pushing himself off the ground. His ribs still ached from Kurt''s earlier strike, but he forced himself to move.


    I can''t just sit here... I can''t...


    His gaze locked onto his fallen sword, lying several paces away in the dirt.


    There!


    He staggered forward, lungs burning, legs screaming in protest ¡ª but he kept moving.


    Solryn wasn''t moving. His staff lay beside him, half-buried in the dirt. Blood dripped from his split lip, and his chest rose and fell in shallow, ragged breaths.


    Kurt stalked forward, naginata dragging loosely at his side ¡ª like a man already convinced he''d won.


    He''s going to kill him...


    No...


    Hibana''s vision blurred ¡ª the pain in his ribs was distant now, drowned out by something colder.


    And then ¡ª


    That smile.


    Gobo...


    He saw it again ¡ª that crooked, gap-toothed grin Gobo always wore. The warmth in his eyes. The way he''d called Hibana "Boss!" like it was a title to be proud of.


    And then the arrow ¡ª that cold, metal shaft ¡ª driving through Gobo''s skull. The smile vanishing in an instant.


    The memory twisted like a knife in Hibana''s mind. The goblins. The tribe. The ones he couldn''t save.


    I couldn''t save them...No...Not again!


    His chest burned ¡ª hot and wild, the fire swelling inside him like an inferno.


    Something burned behind his eyes. His pulse thundered in his ears, and suddenly, the pain in his body felt distant ¡ª like something far away.


    His vision darkened at the edges, turning red. His breath came faster, hotter. His eyes began to glow ¡ª a fierce, burning green.


    "I WON''T LET YOU TAKE HIM FROM ME!" Hibana roared.


    He sprinted forward, feet pounding the dirt. The pain in his ribs didn''t matter. The fire in his chest didn''t matter. All that mattered was stopping Kurt.


    Kurt turned, brow furrowing. He barely had time to react before he whipped his naginata upward.


    CLANG!


    Hibana''s sword struck the naginata''s blade, steel scraping steel in a shower of sparks. Kurt twisted his weapon, deflecting the strike and swinging for Hibana''s side.


    Hibana lurched back ¡ª faster than he meant to ¡ª and the blade barely missed his ribs.


    Too slow...


    Kurt''s cloak snapped outward, and before Hibana could react, Kurt spun and drove his fist into Hibana''s face.


    The blow hit like a hammer. Hibana staggered back, blinking stars from his eyes. His lip split, and copper filled his mouth.


    "You''re tough for an F-tier¡­" Kurt sneered, shaking out his hand.


    Hibana wiped his mouth and spat blood into the dirt. His teeth clenched, and his breath came out in a low growl. The red haze in his mind surged hotter.


    Kurt''s grin widened ¡ª just enough to show he thought the fight was over.


    Hibana shot forward. His fist lashed out, fast and wild.


    CRACK!


    The punch landed square against Kurt''s chest. For a second, Kurt''s face twisted in disbelief ¡ª then his body launched backward like a stone from a catapult. He crashed into a tree with a bone-rattling thud, bark splintering from the impact.


    Kurt slumped forward, coughing blood as he pushed himself back to his feet. His eyes narrowed ¡ª not with smug confidence now, but with something else.


    "Wh... what the hell?!" Kurt staggered to his feet, his face pale with disbelief.


    Blood trickled down his chin as he lunged at Hibana, teeth bared in fury. His naginata slashed through the air ¡ª fast and precise.


    Hibana barely had time to react. The blade tore across his chest, carving a jagged gash from his collarbone to his ribs.


    Hibana stumbled, blinking down at the wound. Blood welled up, soaking his shirt. But he couldn''t feel it. He couldn''t feel anything.


    "I WON''T LET YOU TAKE HIM FROM ME!" Hibana roared once again.


    Kurt''s naginata swung again ¡ª but this time Hibana''s hand shot out. His fingers clamped around the pole like a steel vice, stopping the blade inches from his face.


    Kurt''s eyes widened. "What...?"


    Hibana didn''t hesitate. His other hand ¡ª the one clutching his short sword ¡ª lunged forward. The blade drove straight through Kurt''s shoulder with a sickening shhk!


    "GAAAH!" Kurt howled, staggering back.


    With a desperate kick, Kurt booted Hibana in the chest, sending him tumbling across the dirt. The sword wrenched free from his shoulder in a spray of blood.


    Kurt staggered back, clutching his arm, breath coming fast and ragged. His face twisted with pain ¡ª but his eyes locked on Hibana with something colder: fear.


    Hibana rose to his feet, his body swaying like a puppet on frayed strings. Blood poured from his nose and mouth. His chest heaved.


    His eyes glowed brighter now ¡ª two burning green orbs. His teeth had sharpened ¡ª jagged points gleaming behind bloodied lips. His fingers, now curling into black talons, twitched at his sides.


    Step by step, Hibana advanced. His gaze never left Kurt.


    "N... no way I''m dying to a freak like you!" Kurt spat, his voice cracking.


    He reached into his cloak, grabbed something, and hurled it to the ground.


    BOOM!


    White smoke exploded outward, choking the air. Hibana staggered back, coughing as the world turned to fog.


    "WHERE ARE YOU?!" Hibana bellowed, his voice deeper ¡ª rougher.


    A faint voice called back from the distance.


    "You haven''t seen the last of me... monster."


    The smoke thinned, and Kurt was gone.


    Hibana staggered and dropped to his knees, his breath ragged and uneven. The fire that had burned inside him moments ago was flickering out, leaving only a deep, aching emptiness.


    Pain surged through his body all at once ¡ª sharp, searing, like someone had dragged a blade across his ribs all over again. His hand drifted to his chest, pressing over the gash Kurt had left.


    His fingers came away sticky with blood... yet somehow, the wound had already begun to close. The torn flesh was jagged and ugly, but the bleeding had slowed.


    How...?


    Then he remembered.


    Oh yeah... I can... regenerate...


    He let out a dry, breathless laugh ¡ª more of a cough than anything. "That''s... convenient¡­" he muttered hoarsely.


    His muscles screamed in protest as he forced himself to his feet. His legs shook beneath him, his vision blurring at the edges.


    He lifted his hands and stared. His fingers were trembling ¡ª and worse still, they weren''t quite... human.


    Patches of orange scales covered the backs of his hands, thin but unmistakable. His fingernails ¡ª no, his claws ¡ª still had that darkened, talon-like edge. But even as he watched, the scales rippled and faded ¡ª receding like smoke curling away from a flame. His fingernails smoothed, shrinking back to dull human nails.


    His body was stabilizing ¡ª pulling itself back into its human shape.


    I''m... Still human. I guess this form isn''t very stable if I take heavy injuries.


    He wiped the blood from his face with the back of his hand ¡ª but his fingers still shook. The memories of the fight flickered behind his eyes. Kurt''s face. The blood. The rage that had swallowed him whole.


    And then it hit him.


    Solryn.


    "Solryn!" Hibana gasped, spinning around.


    Solryn wasn''t unconscious. He lay on his side, blood smeared across his face, staring at Hibana with wide, unblinking eyes.


    He didn''t speak. Didn''t blink. Just... stared.


    "Solryn¡­" Hibana''s voice wavered as he stepped closer. His legs felt heavy ¡ª like he''d forgotten how to walk.


    Solryn''s eyes never left him. Not with fear ¡ª but with something closer to... disbelief.


    Hibana knelt beside him and slowly extended his hand. "Come on," he muttered. "Let''s get you up."


    Solryn''s gaze flicked to Hibana''s outstretched hand ¡ª fingers still faintly smeared with blood, the nails still darkened where talons had begun to form.


    For a moment, Solryn just stared at it. Then, with a quiet grunt, he reached out and grasped Hibana''s hand. His fingers tightened like he needed something solid to hold onto.


    Hibana braced himself and pulled him up. Solryn staggered but caught his balance, still gripping Hibana''s arm.


    "What the hell are you?" Solryn muttered, his voice low ¡ª not angry, not afraid... just tired.


    Hibana glanced down at his hands. His fingers still shook. There were still traces of scales clinging to his skin ¡ª thin orange patches that faded with every breath.


    The heat in his chest ¡ª that wild, uncontrollable fire ¡ª was gone now, leaving only a dull ache. The rage had passed, but its shadow still lingered.


    "I''m..." Hibana swallowed hard. His throat was dry, his voice barely above a whisper.


    "I''m... a monster," he said.

 Parallels

    Kurt paced furiously across the room at the adventurer''s guild hall, boots scuffing the stone floor. His mind wouldn''t let it go ¡ª that moment, that exact moment when the pathetic, sword-fumbling runt had somehow turned into a force of nature.


    "Maybe he wasn''t a dragon... maybe... maybe he was a cursed monster of some sort. Yes! That had to be it! No way someone like that... someone so pathetic... could be stronger than me!" His voice seethed with venom.


    His fist clenched around the empty mug he''d been holding. He hurled it against the wall with a sharp crash, shards scattering across the room.


    "Confound it!" he roared. "How did he beat me?! How was he so strong?!"


    His breathing came fast and shallow. The injuries he had sustained during the battle were anything but insignificant. Images of the fight danced through his mind ¡ª Hibana''s awkward stance, the clumsy way he gripped his blade.


    "He barely knew how to hold a sword properly!" Kurt spat. "He was pathetic! A weakling!"


    His fingers twitched toward his naginata ¡ª still propped in the corner, its polished blade gleaming like a mirror. But Kurt noticed that the shaft now had a dent where Hibana had caught it.


    "And yet¡­" His voice dropped to a whisper. "One minute he was flailing around like an idiot... and then suddenly..."


    His fist slammed into the wall, knuckles scraping against the stone. The pain barely registered.


    "...Then he hit like a siege engine..."


    His eyes locked onto the reflection of his own face in the blade of his weapon. His jaw tightened. His fingers trembled.


    "No... no. It wasn''t real. It couldn''t be real. I''ll find him... I''ll prove it."


    He turned back to the mess he''d made ¡ª shattered mug, overturned chair, scattered maps ¡ª and a cruel grin stretched across his face.


    "He''s mine."


    Hibana lay motionless in the middle of the growing camp, his dull green eyes half-lidded as he stared at nothing. Around him, the kobolds worked tirelessly, their scaled hands hauling wood and stone to build new huts. Some had gone hunting ¡ª they''d returned quickly, the Fey Wilds providing them with ample food.


    But Hibana barely noticed. The hunger gnawing at his stomach didn''t matter. The ache in his limbs didn''t matter. The cold void inside his chest was all he could feel.


    Near him, Dundru sat quietly. His yellow-scaled hand rested on Hibana''s neck ¡ª firm, steady, but unsure of what comfort it was supposed to provide.


    "You were strong," Dundru said at last. "The mage said you almost killed a Bloodhound. You should be proud of this! Any dragon would be!"


    Hibana''s head turned slightly, his gaze finding Dundru''s. His voice was dry and hollow.


    "That''s not what I want to be."


    Dundru''s brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"


    Hibana exhaled slowly. "The only dragons I''ve ever known¡­ they were terrible." His eyes drifted upward, watching the shimmering branches above. "They''d have killed you. And everyone else they thought was weak. They wouldn''t have just done it to win ¡ª they''d have done it to watch you suffer." His voice faltered. "But that''s not me. Or¡­ at least I didn''t think it was."


    Dundru stared at him, clearly confused.


    "But you didn''t kill him," Dundru said. "You won."


    Hibana''s throat tightened. "No," he murmured. "I almost did. I lost control¡­ and if Kurt hadn''t run, I would have killed him. Not because I needed to ¡ª not even because I wanted to. I was just¡­ rage. I couldn''t think. I couldn''t stop." His claws curled into the dirt. "I would have killed him. And I don''t know if I would have even cared."


    He turned his head away, his breath shuddering. "That terrifies me."


    Dundru''s grip on Hibana''s neck tightened, not out of comfort, but frustration.


    "Why?" Dundru''s voice hardened. "If you were strong enough to kill him¡­ why didn''t you?"


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Hibana blinked, turning back to him. "Because it was wrong."


    "Wrong?" Dundru''s face twisted in confusion. "But... he''s your enemy. Enemies don''t get mercy." His fingers flexed against Hibana''s scales. "If you didn''t finish him, he''ll come back. That''s what they do. You said dragons kill for fun. Humans kill for greed. That Bloodhound''s no different. He''ll return stronger, angrier¡­ and he''ll kill you if he can."


    He paused, his voice low and grim. "That''s what happens when you let an enemy live."


    Hibana''s gaze softened. "Dundru... that''s not strength."


    Dundru''s brow furrowed deeper. "What else is there?"


    Hibana swallowed hard. "There''s¡­ there''s more to strength than just being able to kill." His voice wavered. "I don''t know how to explain it, but... real strength is knowing when not to kill. Knowing when to stop."


    Dundru''s expression didn''t change. He looked at Hibana like he''d just spoken gibberish.


    "You''re strong because you can kill," Dundru said flatly. "What you''re talking about¡­ that''s not strength. That''s weakness."


    "No," Hibana said quietly. "It''s not."


    Neither of them spoke after that.


    Dundru''s hand lingered on Hibana''s neck a moment longer before he stood and walked away, muttering under his breath. Hibana heard his parting words ¡ª barely more than a whisper.


    "I don''t understand you."


    And with that, Dundru was gone.


    Hibana continued to lay down. Looking at the forest when he heard another pair of footsteps approach him. This time it was Tsu. She looked down at him with that same empty expression she always had. her golden eyes seeming to stare right through him, burning a hole right into his soul.


    "I knew it! You are a dragon after all. Only a dragon would lay there feeling sorry for itself like you are now."


    Hibana looked at her. "But I.."


    You think this helps anyone? You think sitting here, wallowing in your own guilt, will erase what you''ve done? Or what you almost did?" She scoffed. "You nearly killed a man because you couldn''t control yourself. And now you think laying here in the dirt makes that right?"


    She stood up and turned to begin walking away. "This is the first time I''ve seen you act in a way a dragon would... Pathetic creature!"


    Hibana''s anger welled inside him. But he shook his head, and got up on his haunches to face her. "What would you have done?"


    Tsu stopped walking. She paused for a moment and she looked back at him with one narrow eye. "What would I have done?" she repeated, her voice sharp as a drawn blade. "I would''ve finished him." Her fingers twitched near her sword hilt. "I would''ve killed him ¡ª because that''s what this world demands."


    She turned around and faced him. "But you didn''t, did you?" Her lip curled slightly. "You failed to finish the job. And now you''re lying here, sulking ¡ª feeling sorry for yourself." She scoffed. "I''ve seen many like you before ¡ª fools who think regret means something. It doesn''t."


    Her gaze sharpened, her voice cold enough to cut stone. "You want to know what I would''ve done?" Her hand shifted away from her blade, curling into a fist. "I would''ve kept moving." Her voice dropped to a bitter whisper. "Because you either survive¡­ or you die. And no one''s going to mourn you either way."


    She turned to leave, but paused. "So get up," she muttered over her shoulder. "Or stay down and rot. Doesn''t matter to me."


    Hibana sat there. Silent. Lost in thought for what felt like hours.


    Tsu''s words lingered in his mind, like a splinter too deep to pull free. Pathetic creature...


    That thought stayed with him. But that dagger she had intended for his heart was the pain of truth. To him, It was refreshing. "I''m not pathetic, and I''ll show her why." He thought.


    At last, Hibana rose to his feet and made his way toward Solryn''s tent ¡ª a soft lavender structure that stood out against the earthy tones of the camp. The faint scent of herbs drifted from within.


    Solryn spotted him approaching and leaned against the tent pole, arms crossed. "Ahh, there you are. Done sulking yet?" His grin was sharp and smug. "I honestly thought you''d never finish."


    Hibana stopped in front of him, but instead of answering, he smiled ¡ª warm, steady, and sure.


    Solryn''s smirk faltered. He narrowed his eyes. "Hmmph... If you''re expecting some profound insight on how you handled that Bloodhound, I haven''t the faintest idea." He snorted. "Frankly, it''s a miracle you''re still breathing."


    "I''m not here for that," Hibana interrupted softly. "Tsu will help me learn how to control my powers... and so will you."


    Solryn blinked in disbelief, then barked out a laugh. "That''s preposterous! I don''t even know the first thing about your powers! And furthermore, Tsu is a trained samurai. What she''s even still doing here is a mystery beyond even the mind of Ordos himself."


    Hibana''s gaze shifted toward Tsu. She was sitting beneath a tree far off in the distance, her back against the trunk, her nodachi resting across her lap. Her face was impassive, but her presence alone was answer enough.


    "She''s still here," Hibana murmured, more to himself than to Solryn. "And so are you. And while you''re both here... I need you."


    Solryn''s smug grin twisted into something more serious. "And why should I care?"


    Hibana''s voice steadied. "Because those kobolds need you both too. It''s here, in this place, that I intend to survive ¡ª to build something better. And I want more to come here... people with nowhere else to go. People like you." He took a breath. "I''m going back to that village. I''m going to start making a difference."


    His gaze hardened, fierce with conviction. "I don''t care what this world says I am. What do you say I am?"


    Solryn''s smirk returned, but this time it lacked its usual arrogance. "Off your rocker... But honestly? A complete enigma." He chuckled dryly. "To walk away from a mystery like this?" He tapped his temple. "Why, that defies everything I stand for ¡ª and I''ll not have it!"


    Hibana chuckled softly, more relieved than amused. He turned his eyes back to Tsu, still sitting beneath the tree, distant yet ever present. "And look at her, Solryn..." His voice quieted. "She''s still here too. Maybe that mystery keeps her here as well."


    Solryn scoffed. "Perhaps... but there''s nothing simple about that one." He unfolded his arms, more thoughtful now. "Now... about these kobolds. What exactly do you intend to do with them?"


    Hibana followed Solryn''s gaze to where the kobolds worked. They moved with purpose, hammering wood, stacking stone, and carving out a new life from nothing.


    "I intend," Hibana said quietly, "to protect their new home."

 Stillness

    Hibana sat across from Tsu, his tail flicking back and forth in slow, deliberate arcs. His green eyes stayed locked on her, watching her face ¡ª searching for something that wasn''t there.


    Tsu bared her teeth, her gaze hard as iron. "Like I said, dragon, I can''t help you."


    Hibana dipped his head in a slow nod. "This isn''t for me, Tsu," he said quietly. "It''s for all of you. If I can''t figure out how to control my emotions in a fight... I''m useless."


    Tsu''s expression didn''t change, but her fingers flexed against the hilt of her nodachi. "No," she said firmly. "You''re far from useless." Her gaze sharpened. "You''re a natural-born killer ¡ª a walking massacre in the shape of a dragon. What''s useless is you trying to fight against that. Trying to bury your instincts? That''s a waste of time ¡ª and in that regard, there''s nothing I can do for you."


    Hibana turned away from her, his eyes drifting toward the kobolds. He watched them working in the distance ¡ª planting, watering, tending to their crops. They had taken to farming with an eager determination, far more willing to embrace it than the goblins had ever been. It gave him hope ¡ª a fragile, stubborn thing that flickered inside him like a flame in the wind.


    Tsu followed his gaze, her lip curling in disdain. "What are you hoping for, dragon?" Her voice was low, sharp as a dagger. "An empire? Built on the backs of slaves? Because that''s what those kobolds are ¡ª tools for you to use and discard."


    Hibana''s head snapped back to her, his eyes narrowing. "Is that really all you think I am, Tsu?" His voice was quiet, but something hard and dangerous coiled beneath it. "A ferocious killer... whose only nature is greed and destruction?"


    For a heartbeat, the two stared at each other, the air between them heavy with unspoken words. The wind danced across Tsu''s face, his orange scales reflecting in her golden eyes ¡ª cold and unwavering.


    "That''s what dragons are," she said flatly. "Prove me wrong."


    Hibana shook his head. "Prove me wrong first. In the time that you have been here, what have you seen from me? Do you truly see a dragon? Do you see the monster you have actually come to expect?"


    Tsu stood up. "What if I decided to cut down each and every one of your friends right in front of you? I don''t think you''d even try to stop me. Not that you''d be able to anyway."


    Hibana shook his head slowly. "You could have killed me at any time," he said. "I was committed to following you into the Cursed Lands. You didn''t kill me then... because I know you couldn''t. And for that same reason, I know you couldn''t do it now ¡ª not to me, not to Solryn, and not to those kobolds."


    He sat up straighter, his gaze steady. "I don''t know what this world has done to you," he said, his voice quieter now. "I don''t care what they say you are, or what you''ve done."


    His eyes flicked toward the settlement ¡ª the scattered kobolds working the fields, laughing and shouting as they went about their tasks. His voice grew firmer.


    "You might think what I''m doing here is pointless... and maybe it is." He turned back to Tsu, his expression hardening. "But I have to try. I can''t just give up."


    Tsu''s gaze narrowed, her scowl deeper than usual. For once, the emotions in her face weren''t buried beneath cold detachment ¡ª they burned, fierce and unguarded.


    "You think I didn''t kill you because I couldn''t?!" Her voice was sharp as steel, cold and commanding. "No... I didn''t kill you because it would''ve been too quick of a death for a monster like you!"


    She turned away, her taloned fingers curling tightly around the hilt of her nodachi. Her grip was iron ¡ª her muscles coiled so tightly beneath her fur it seemed her arm might shake from the strain.


    "It would''ve been a mercy you didn''t deserve."


    For a moment, neither of them spoke. The air between them felt heavier than stone.


    Then Hibana''s voice broke the silence ¡ª steady, quiet, but unwavering."I don''t believe that for one second, Tsu."


    She didn''t turn to face him, but her shoulders tensed.


    "You let me follow you... and follow you, I would have." His voice faltered slightly ¡ª not from weakness, but from something heavier. "All the way to hell if I had to. Because this world had already taken everything else from me... and all I had left was to at least help you."


    His gaze softened, though his voice stayed firm."Because I thought you needed it. And I still do."


    Tsu turned sharply, her golden eyes locking onto Hibana''s. For a moment, she said nothing ¡ª just stared at him, her gaze hard and unrelenting.


    "What the hell are you?" Her voice was low, strained ¡ª not just angry, but demanding.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Hibana tilted his head slightly, as if the question didn''t surprise him ¡ª as if he''d been waiting for it."I get asked that a lot," he said with a small, tired smile. "I don''t know what I am."


    His gaze drifted away, almost distant."My parents told me I''m not a dragon. The goblins couldn''t make up their minds about what I was. Those adventurers that tried to kill you when we first met? They didn''t understand me either. Solryn''s asked me this... even the kobolds don''t really know what I am."


    Hibana''s eyes lingered on hers for a moment longer."All I know is... I''m still here."


    He paused, then added quietly,"And so are you."


    He shifted slightly, drawing in a slow breath before continuing."So while you''re here... this is the first time I''ve ever asked you for anything ¡ª since the day we met."


    His voice softened, hesitant but firm."You can refuse. Completely. But... would you help me figure out how to better control my emotions? Because... I have a feeling this is something I''m going to struggle with a lot."


    Tsu sighed, the sound heavy and sharp."So you can pretend to be something you''re clearly not?" She flipped her mane slightly. "You think a dragon can just act like a man, and everything will work out fine?"


    She shook her head, her voice hardening."But you don''t even know what you are."


    Her hand drifted to the hilt of her nodachi, fingers curling around the grip ¡ª not in threat, but in emphasis."If we do this... if you want to control your emotions... you''d better be willing to find out. Because I swear to you, dragon ¡ª waste my time, and you will know the pain of a thousand hells!"


    Hibana soon found himself with a wooden pail of water on his head. Tsu paced around him, her steps slow and deliberate ¡ª like a predator circling wounded prey.


    "You will balance that bucket of water on your head until the sun goes down," she said coldly. "Spill a single drop, and you have failed."


    Her voice hardened. "You''re always moving. Always reacting. Always chasing the foolish idea that you can fix things that shouldn''t even concern you."


    She stopped pacing. For a moment, silence stretched between them.


    Then ¡ª steel hissed against leather.


    Tsu''s nodachi flashed out, the broken tip hovering inches from Hibana''s face. His breath hitched, and the water sloshed over the rim.


    "D-Damn!" Hibana sputtered.


    "Pathetic." Tsu''s lip curled in disgust. "You still let your body control you."


    Her eyes narrowed, and her next words came slow ¡ª sharp as blades. "You beat that Bloodhound because you were lucky. You think that means you''re strong? You think that means you''re special?"


    She snorted. "You''re not. You''re weak. Soft. I already know you''ll never be able to do this."


    Hibana''s fists clenched. "I can do this!"


    "Oh?" Tsu sneered. She knelt in front of him, pulled out her water pouch, and slowly ¡ª deliberately ¡ª poured more water into the bucket until it was nearly spilling over the rim.


    The liquid trembled, threatening to spill with every breath Hibana took.


    "For the rest of the day," Tsu said icily, "you will not spill a drop. If you do... we start again tomorrow. And the next day. And the next ¡ª until you either succeed..." her golden eyes gleamed with malice, "...or admit you can''t."


    She stood and walked to a tree, planting herself beneath its branches. She drew her sword across her lap, resting her hand on the hilt.


    "I''ll watch," she muttered. "I''ll watch you fail."


    She closed her eyes, feigning disinterest. But her hand tightened on her sword ¡ª as if ready to punish him the moment he faltered.


    As she gazed at him from her seated position at the tree. Hibana''s thoughts wandered. the Bucket was getting heavier as the hours passed. Then suddenly he heard the familiar sound of young kobolds playing near him. They were play fighting. They scuffled in the dirt near Hibana, and one of them accidentally backed into his tail. the water splashed out over his head and he dropped the bucket. Hibana''s anger welled up, and he truned to the little child and growled at him, but then he realized what he had just done. "Oh...no..." he said.


    Tsu got up and walked to him. "Pathetic. Even kobold young can break your focus." When Hibana continued to stare at her without speaking. Her gaze narrowed. "Tomorrow, You''ll do it again!"


    The next day He held the bucket up again. and Tsu continued to watch him. He gaze never wavered. She barely ever even blinked. "How is she doing that?" he thought. Solryn came up to Hibana. He was eating what looked like an apple. "Oh...doing that useless activity again I see. I still can''t wrap my head around the idea of a dragon, standing there like a scolded dog." he takes a bite of the apple and throws the core over his shoulder as he walks away. the core lands on hibana''s wing, causing him to flinch. spilling the water.


    "...FUCK!" Hibana shouts.


    Tsu walks back to him. "This is who you are. Weak. Easily swayed by the words, and actions of fools!" and when Hibana didn''t say anything, and continued to look at Tsu. "Tomorrow then..." Tsu said.


    "I...I can''t give up! This can be done!" Hibana thought.


    Over and over again. Four more days. Four more failures. One day Solyrn came up to him again and spoke. "You know, I have seen some really stubborn fools in my time. Maybe you just can''t do this? I mean surely you have to realize that dragons are slaves to thier instincts. I just don''t see you doing this."


    Hibana yelled. "Shut up!" and he spilled the water once again.


    Tsu walked up to him again. "The fact is, You''re just another lowly beast pretending to be more than what you are."


    Those words crushed Hibana. and on the next day he was beginning to feel despair. "Maybe she''s right. Maybe Solryn''s right...what am I doing here? why am I doing this?" Then suddenly his mind began to wander again. back in time. to a day Tetsuo mopped the train station floor. The salaryman, walking over it with shoes covered in dirt. Teenagers running across it without care. Another man not noticing as a piece of trash fell form his pocket. and then he remembered the words of an old man. "You work hard, kid. most wouldn''t bother."


    "I''ve been here before," Hibana realized. "I''ve already done this."


    This wasn''t about strength. It wasn''t about power. It was about patience ¡ª about focus. About knowing that no matter how many times people ignored you, dismissed you, or stomped on the work you''d done...


    You kept going.


    The wind shifted, The sun moved. the grass grew. the kobolds played and toiled. and Solryn read his books. He ignored the distractions, and focused. and the sun fell below the mountains in the west.


    Tsu walked over to Hibana.


    She lifted the bucket off his head and set it down next to him. "Don''t expect a reward." she muttered. and then began to walk off again, but then she turned her head to him. "I was wrong. Perhaps you''re not so pathetic after all."


    After that, she walked away faster than usual, her steps stiff and deliberate ¡ª almost as if forcing herself to stay composed.


    Hibana''s legs shook, but he took in a deep breath, and went to go find something to eat.

 Scales

    Solryn folded his arms. "Like I said, Hibana ¡ª you''re a lunatic for trying this."


    Hibana nodded. "I know. But I need to do this for the good of the settlement. We can''t survive without steady resources ¡ª water, medicine, information ¡ª and Stonewatch is the only path to getting them."


    Solryn''s eyes flicked toward the kobolds, then back to Hibana. "And what happens if someone recognizes you? You remember what happened last time."


    Hibana exhaled slowly. "I''m aware... but I don''t have a choice. The settlement needs me, and I won''t let it die because I was too afraid to act."


    Solryn sighed. "Fine... but I still say this is a terrible idea. Always have."


    Hibana gave a small smile as he turned away. "Noted. I''ll be back."


    Hibana transformed into a human when he reached the outskirts of the Fey wilds. and he put on his simple traveling attire made for him by Solryn. Though now, he also had on a Green cloak made of a simple fabric. it really made his orange hair stand out.


    The road to Stonewatch was mercifully quiet. Hibana walked alone, the path dry and cracked beneath his boots. It had been a while since this village had seen rain. He passed familiar landmarks ¡ª the tavern''s weathered sign swaying gently in the breeze, the blacksmith hammering away at a stubborn door hinge. Each strike rang out with a dull clang, rhythmic and steady ¡ª a small, familiar sound in a place that no longer felt welcoming.


    Then Hibana saw it ¡ª the adventurers'' guild.


    The building was larger than the others, sturdy and imposing. Its door was tall and thick, painted a dull red ¡ª like dried blood. Something about that color lingered in his mind longer than it should have. Not a sign of pride or strength ¡ª it felt like a warning.


    For a moment, Hibana stood there, staring at the door. His hand hovered just above the iron handle.


    "I could turn back now," a small voice in his mind whispered. "This is a mistake."


    But he pushed the thought aside. The settlement needed him ¡ª and this was the only path forward.


    He grabbed the handle, braced himself, and stepped inside.


    The air hit him like a wave ¡ª warm, thick, and loud. The tavern-like space was crowded with adventurers of all kinds ¡ª men and women clad in leather, chainmail, and steel. Some were gathered at tables, trading stories and boasting of their exploits. Others leaned against the walls, nursing mugs of ale and muttering in low voices. The clatter of dice mixed with bursts of laughter, and the faint scent of sweat and stale beer clung to the air.


    No one paid him much attention. A few glanced his way ¡ª a fleeting look of disinterest ¡ª then returned to their conversations.


    "They don''t even care that I''m here." Hibana exhaled softly. "Good."


    He squared his shoulders and started toward the counter. He saw a female receptionist leaning on the counter. She looked bored. Her thousand-yard stare told him she was definitely daydreaming about being anywhere else but here at this very moment.


    "Ahem." Hibana cleared his throat loudly to signal the receptionist, who then looked in his direction.


    "I am here to sign up as an adventurer."


    She stared at him for a moment ¡ª eyes dull, unimpressed ¡ª and then lazily began casting the familiar appraisal spell. The faint glow reflected off her face as her gaze drifted down his body.


    Her expression shifted. First, a flicker of confusion ¡ª then sharp, shrill laughter burst out of her mouth. She leaned heavily on the counter, wiping a tear from her eye as her laughter turned to breathless snorts.


    "You... you want to be an adventurer?" she scoffed, shaking her head. "You''re an F-tier. You''ll be killed out there."


    Hibana forced himself to nod, swallowing the sharp sting in his chest. He couldn''t let his temper get the better of him ¡ª not here, not now. They didn''t know what he was capable of.


    "I can take care of myself," he said steadily. "I assure you, I''m stronger than I appear."


    The receptionist snorted again, barely stifling another chuckle. Behind him, Hibana felt a few adventurers shift in their seats, whispering among themselves. Quiet remarks, muffled laughter ¡ª he knew they were mocking him. He ignored them.


    "Since you''re likely destitute," the receptionist sneered, "you''ll have to cover the cost of your own gear. Looks like you have that covered... don''t know where some lowly F-tier managed to get ahold of a sword." Her gaze narrowed slightly. "But in any case, just sign this form."


    Hibana accepted the paper ¡ª a contract that felt heavier than it should. His eyes scanned the details. At the bottom, in clear, bold text, the guild claimed three-quarters of all bounty payments for new initiates.


    "I can deal with that," he thought. He signed his name and handed it back.


    "Hibana, huh?" The receptionist looked at the paper, arching a brow. "Strange name for a man. Where do you come from?"


    Hibana blinked, looking up for a moment. "Oh... just a small village in the mountains south of here."


    The receptionist''s expression darkened with suspicion. "Oh? And what is this village''s name?" Her gaze sharpened. "Because this is Stonewatch... the village furthest south of Solarsa."


    Hibana''s stomach twisted. His mind raced. He needed a name ¡ª something simple, believable...


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "Hearthflame," he said at last. The word spilled from his mouth before he had even finished thinking about it. He''d have to run that by Solryn, Tsu, and the kobolds later.


    The receptionist''s gaze lingered a moment longer, her expression cold and calculating. Then, her face softened just slightly.


    "Hearthflame, huh?" Her voice lacked the usual sneer. "Got a very simple, homey feel to it." Then her lips curled ¡ª not quite a smile, but something colder.


    "Well, alright, Hibana from Hearthflame." Her tone dripped with forced cheer. "It just so happens we have a quest that''s perfect for you."


    She handed him a slip of parchment.


    Adventurers'' Guild Job Notice


    Job Title: Lizardfolk Infestation in the Ruins of Kael''Thar


    Description:


    A group of Lizardfolk has claimed the Ruins of Kael''Thar, located south of Stonewatch. Their presence has disrupted merchant travel, posing a threat to supply routes and nearby settlements. These ruins are rumored to contain dangerous traps and unstable structures.


    Objective: Eliminate the Lizardfolk and secure the ruins. Proof of completion (e.g., scales, personal effects, or heads) must be provided to receive payment.


    Reward: 20 Gold Coins


    Additional Notes:


    Travelers missing: Three merchants last seen near the ruins have not returned. Confirmed Threats: Reports suggest the Lizardfolk are unusually organized and may be using the ruins'' defensive layout to their advantage. Survival Not Guaranteed: Adventurers are reminded that failure to return is their own responsibility. The guild is not liable for injury, death, or loss of equipment.


    Note from the Guildmaster:"Someone''s gotta clear them out. Whether you''re smart or suicidal is your own business."


    Hibana looked to the receptionist and nodded. "Consider it done."


    He turned and began to leave.


    "There goes my hero!" one adventurer shouted, his voice dripping with sarcasm.


    "I give him five minutes!" another barked. "Ten if they don''t enjoy the smell of him when he pisses himself! Gha ha ha ha!"


    The room erupted with laughter ¡ª harsh and cruel, but casual, like they were mocking a dead man who hadn''t realized his time was up.


    Hibana kept walking, letting their jeers roll off him like rain on stone. They don''t know me... he told himself. They don''t know what I''ve been through... or what I can do.


    But their laughter lingered ¡ª louder than it should have been.


    I can''t let this get to me. I can''t...


    His fingers curled tightly at his sides, nails digging into his palms. His muscles burned with the faint ache of memories ¡ª the long, hungry nights with the goblins... the endless failures training with Tsu... the lives he''d already seen slip away.


    I''ll prove them wrong.


    Just before he reached the door, something clattered to the floor near his feet ¡ª a half-empty mug, its contents splashing across the stone. Laughter swelled again.


    "Dead man walking," someone muttered from the crowd.


    "Yeah," another snickered. "Hope the lizards like their meat bitter."


    The guild roared once more.


    Hibana paused at the doorway. For a moment, the thought flickered through his mind ¡ª to turn back, to shout something, to make them see that he wasn''t some pathetic coward marching to his death.


    Instead, he exhaled slowly, shoulders rising and falling. His breath steadied. They''ll see soon enough...


    He pushed the door open and stepped outside.


    The wind caught him, carrying with it the dry scent of the dirt roads and the faint sting of forge smoke.


    As Hibana walked south along the path toward the ruins, a flash of movement caught his eye. A deer-like creature bounded gracefully through the trees, its slender legs barely disturbing the fallen leaves.


    What a deceptively peaceful life that creature leads, Hibana thought. No one calls it a monster... no one hunts it down just because it''s different. His gaze lingered on the animal as it vanished into the brush. I wonder if there will ever be a day where people don''t fear the real me.


    The dull ache building in his chest reminded him that his time as a human was running out. He exhaled slowly, feeling the strain of his fading transformation. His steps faltered slightly.


    I''ve probably got an hour left... He clenched his fists. I should''ve transformed closer to town ¡ª would''ve saved some strength. Nothing to be done about that now... His eyes drifted to the shade of a nearby tree. I should change back and rest before¡ª


    THUNK.


    A crude wooden spear struck the dirt just inches from his feet.


    Hibana''s thoughts froze. His eyes shot up, locking onto a figure in the trees.


    A Lizardman.


    The creature''s scaly form emerged from the undergrowth, muscles coiling beneath its rough hide. Cold yellow eyes stared down at him ¡ª wary, unblinking. The Lizardman''s clawed fingers flexed around the shaft of a second spear, poised and ready.


    "Think Hibana, think fast. He hasn''t thrown that second spear yet for a reason....perhaps I can try to speak to him."


    Hibana faced the Lizard man and crossed his arms. "Hold your weapon. I am not here to do battle with you!"


    The Lizardman cocked his head. "Filthy Human! Leave here! Thiss iss not your plassse!"


    Hibana couldn''t help but smile. Lizardfolk¡­ The best monsters of them all. He thought back to his old apartment ¡ª hours spent playing RPGs on his laptop, sketching Lizardmen in his notebook. He''d always imagined what meeting one in real life would be like. Now here was a real one ¡ª flesh and blood, scales and spears ¡ª standing right in front of him.


    If there''s one creature in this world I intend to save, it shall be you.


    That thought sparked an idea ¡ª a ridiculous one, but maybe just ridiculous enough to work.


    "My tail is longer than yours!" Hibana blurted out, smiling wide.


    The Lizardman froze, blinking in confusion. Slowly, his spear lowered just a few inches as he glanced over his shoulder. "What iss you talking about?! You be human! You hass no tail!"


    "Oh, sure I do!" Hibana said, grinning wider. "And my horns are bigger too!"


    The Lizardman''s eyes narrowed. "You think me fool?! You has no hornsss either!"


    "Oh, they''re just hidden right now," Hibana shot back, tapping his head. "See? I keep them small so I don''t intimidate the locals."


    The Lizardman''s grip on his spear loosened slightly. "Pfft... you are stupid." He gave a sharp snort that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle. "Iss no wonder you gonna die out here."


    "Die?" Hibana gasped with mock horror. "Me? With my magnificent tail and glorious horns? Impossible!" He struck a dramatic pose, placing one hand on his hip and gesturing grandly with the other. "I am Hibana the Magnificent! Fearless dragon! Lover of fine meat! Champion of the Faeries!"


    The Lizardman suddenly lowers his spear. "Champion of Faeries? What you mean?"


    Hibana put his hands on his sides. "I see that caught your attention." Hibana pulled his sword out, slowly and set it down on the ground. and he raised his hands. "I know you have absolutely no reason to believe a human. But everything i have told you about me is the truth. If you ware willing to let me step behind that tree over there. I promise you that I will answer all of your questions."


    The lizard man''s face was easier to read than even other humans for some reason. Perhaps it was because the lizard man looked so much like a humanoid dragon. But he could see the look of confusion in the Lizard man''s face as plain as day. "Why you need to step behind the tree?"


    "If you promise not to spear me in the back, I will show you."


    The Lizard man growled. "Only filthy humans stab in the back!"


    Hibana smiled at him again. "I couldn''t agree more. Would you allow me to do this?"


    The lizard man looked to the side for a moment and then looked back at Hibana. "Fine, but no tricks!"


    Hibana nodded and walked behind the tree, and began to take his clothing off. He let the transformation back into a dragon happen, and then stepped out from behind the tree.


    The lizard man made an alien gasping sound.


    Hibana walked out in the open and flapped his wings a couple of times. he then sat down and wagged his tail.


    "See?" Hibana said, wagging his tail with smug satisfaction. "Longer, stronger, and far more magnificent."

 Parlay

    The Lizardman lowered his spear, but only slightly. His stance remained rigid, feet planted like tree roots. He stood at least thirty feet away ¡ª far enough that if he decided to throw that spear, Hibana wouldn''t have time to react.


    "You... you not human!" His voice came low and strained, like he couldn''t trust his own words. "How did you do that?"


    Hibana let out a slow breath and slumped down where he stood, curling his tail around himself. The cold earth bit into his scales, but it was better than standing tense like he was about to be stabbed.


    "Magic." His voice was dry, tired. No explanation would satisfy the Lizardman ¡ª Hibana knew that much.


    The air shifted ¡ª cold and sharp. Appraisal magic. Hibana felt it crawl down his back like cold fingers tapping his scales.


    The Lizardman''s brow furrowed as the results appeared before him.


    "You are F-tier... and level one?!" His voice rose in disbelief. "But you''re too big to be a hatchling. Have you not even been hunting? How are you even alive?"


    His spear shifted again ¡ª higher this time, the tip flicking dangerously in the air.


    "Everything about you is wrong..." His grip tightened. "What are you?!"


    Hibana sighed through his nose. "I get that question a lot," he muttered. "I assure you... I''m a dragon."


    The Lizardman''s spear jerked upward, this time pointing directly at Hibana''s chest ¡ª though the distance made the threat feel distant... theoretical. But Hibana knew better. Spears had a way of finding their target.


    "That''s what I don''t get!" the Lizardman spat. "You should be dead! Weak dragons don''t survive past their first winter. The world doesn''t allow them to live!"


    Hibana''s gaze drifted to the ground ¡ª then past it, to memories still too raw to sit comfortably.


    Cold nights huddled beneath twisted roots. The dull ache of gnawing hunger. Grek''s grin after a successful hunt, wide and proud like he''d just killed a god. Goroh''s steady hand on his shoulder, telling him, You''ve done well, Hibana. We''ll make it one more day.


    "I should be," Hibana said softly. "But I had help... from some friends."


    The Lizardman''s brow twitched at the word. "Friends?" His voice curled with disbelief. "Dragons don''t know the meaning of that word!"


    Hibana gave a dry chuckle. "I know." He scratched at the dirt with one claw. "But... I''m not like most dragons."


    The Lizardman''s spear wavered slightly, but it didn''t lower. His gaze sharpened, suspicious. "What does that mean?"


    "It means," Hibana said, his voice firm now, "that I''m not here to fight you."


    He sat straighter, folding his wings tightly against his back.


    "I came here because I know what''s coming," Hibana continued. "I know about the adventurers. The guild. They''ll send stronger parties. More men. They won''t stop until they''ve killed you... or driven you from your home."


    The Lizardman''s fingers flexed along his spear shaft, his grip like a vice. His eyes narrowed. "We can defend ourselvesss..."


    "Not for long." Hibana''s voice cut through him. "Not alone."


    He paused, letting the weight of the words hang in the air.


    "That''s why I''m offering you something," Hibana said. "A place with me. Somewhere safe."


    The Lizardman blinked ¡ª then scoffed.


    "Safe?" His lip curled back in a sneer. "What, you''ve built some fortress in the woodss?"


    Hibana shook his head. "No. But I''ve found a place the adventurers can''t reach."


    "And where would that be?" The Lizardman''s voice dripped with skepticism.


    "The Fae Wilds," Hibana said calmly.


    The Lizardman froze.


    For a beat, there was nothing but the wind.


    Then, his laugh barked out sharp and bitter.


    "The Fae Wilds?" His grin widened in disbelief. "You really are a dragon ¡ª a liar to the very end!"


    Hibana''s face hardened. "I''ve seen it," he said. "I''ve walked inside."


    The Lizardman jabbed the spear toward the dirt in frustration, shaking his head. "Impossible! No one can enter the Fae Wilds ¡ª no lizard, no human... not even the gods themselvesss! The barrier keepss everything out!"


    "It doesn''t keep me out," Hibana said flatly.


    The Lizardman''s eyes narrowed. His gaze flicked down to Hibana''s F-tier status. The spear twitched in his hand like an anxious limb.


    "You expect me to believe that?!" he spat. "You? An F-tier runt claiming to have walked through the most impassable magic in the world?"


    "I don''t expect you to believe me," Hibana said with a shrug. "But if you''d rather gamble your tribe''s future on pride instead of possibility... that''s your call."


    The Lizardman scowled, scales along his brow tightening. He stepped back ¡ª not in retreat, but as if weighing something.


    "I will... sspeak to my tribe." His voice was tense, almost like he resented the words.


    "Fair enough," Hibana said. "I''ll wait."


    The Lizardman lingered a moment longer, then turned and stalked away into the trees.


    Hibana sat back, feeling his muscles relax for the first time in what felt like hours.


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    As Hibana waited for the Lizardman to return, his hands itched ¡ª not the sharp sting of an insect bite, but something deeper. A dull, crawling sensation beneath his scales. He scratched at it absently at first, tracing the dry, flaky patches forming along his fingers.


    Then he noticed it.


    His skin was peeling.


    He flexed his claws, watching thin, papery scales crack and lift away. The flakes clung stubbornly at first, like layers of dead bark. He dug his claw under one patch and peeled.


    The old scales came away in large, curling sheets, crackling softly as they tore free. Hibana froze, startled by how... strange it felt. It wasn''t painful ¡ª not like pulling off a scab. It was something else entirely. Unfamiliar yet... oddly pleasant.


    Curious, he kept going.


    The more he peeled, the easier it came. Strips of old scales sloughed off his arms and chest in long, curling sheets. The sensation bloomed across his body, like the faint tickle of wind passing through his skin. There was a warmth beneath it ¡ª not heat, but something deeper. A surge of... something. Something exhilarating.


    He pulled away another patch, and the new scales beneath glistened in the light ¡ª smooth, fresh, and perfect. His whole body seemed to breathe easier, like he''d been trapped in a layer too tight and was finally stretching free.


    This feels... good, Hibana thought, both confused and fascinated. Weird... but good.


    His fingers trailed along his sides, feeling the smooth, cool scales beneath. He couldn''t stop himself from pressing his palm to his chest, savoring the odd comfort. The air brushing his skin felt sharper now ¡ª cleaner, like he''d been blind to the texture of the world until this very moment.


    The base of his horns throbbed, a sharp reminder that his body wasn''t done changing yet. He reached up, fingers brushing the tender bumps behind his jaws. They ached terribly, but the pain barely registered compared to the rush still buzzing beneath his skin.


    And then there was something else ¡ª something softer. His claws shifted along the top of his head, feeling the familiar hard ridges¡­ and something new.


    Fur.


    Thin and patchy, but undeniably there ¡ª a small tuft of scruffy fur now sprouted from the ridges above his eyes.


    Hibana stared at his clawed fingers for a long moment, still trying to process everything. He flexed his hands, feeling his joints glide smoothly under fresh scales. His muscles still ached, his horns still throbbed... but beneath the discomfort was a sense of renewal. Of power.


    Like his body had finally caught up with something it had been chasing for a long time.


    So this is what it feels like to be a dragon...


    Alien. Strange. Yet somehow... right.


    After Hibana finally cleaned off the last stubborn patches of old skin, he looked down at what remained.


    The empty husk lay sprawled on the ground, curled and twisted like a forgotten shed cloak. Most of it had come off in one piece ¡ª an eerie outline of his former self. The jagged shapes of scales, the delicate trace of his wings, even the faint imprint of his claws were still visible in the brittle shell.


    He fixated on it, unable to look away.


    That''s me... or it was, he thought.


    The sight felt strange ¡ª like glimpsing a photograph of someone he''d once known, but no longer recognized.


    I should have expected this... His gaze lingered on the tattered remains of his face ¡ª hollow, empty, and lifeless. I am a giant lizard, after all.


    And yet, there was something oddly satisfying about it ¡ª like a weight he''d been carrying without realizing it had finally fallen away. He flexed his fingers again, feeling the fresh, glistening scales stretch smoothly over his knuckles.


    The Lizardman returned not long after ¡ª and he wasn''t alone. Two more stood beside him, their scales darker and their eyes sharper, each gripping a crude spear.


    "Follow us to our cave," the Lizardman said.


    Hibana nodded and began walking after them. Before leaving, he glanced back at the pile of shed skin lying in the dirt.


    The brittle shell looked so small now, like the remains of something frail and lifeless. The jagged outline of scales, the twisted imprint of his claws ¡ª a hollow imitation of the dragon he was becoming.


    I leave a part of me behind here, he thought.


    With a quiet exhale, he turned away.


    The Lizardmen led him along a winding path that cut deeper into the wilderness. The air grew colder, the trees twisted and crooked as if recoiling from the earth itself. Soon, they reached what looked like the ruins of some ancient structure ¡ª toppled stones strewn across the ground like scattered ribs. Crumbling walls jutted up from the earth, choked in vines and moss.


    The architecture was... strange. Not crude like goblin dens or the rough forts built by human bandits. These stones were carved with sharp angles and sweeping curves, their patterns chaotic yet deliberate. Each piece seemed out of place, yet undeniably intentional ¡ª like a language Hibana couldn''t begin to understand.


    This isn''t like anything I''ve seen before... he thought.


    The air smelled faintly of damp stone and stale earth.


    The Lizardman gestured forward. "Inside."


    Hibana stepped through the broken archway. The interior was cold and quiet, littered with fallen debris and jagged cracks that let in faint streaks of daylight.


    At the far end of the ruined chamber, a tunnel yawned open ¡ª a dark, gaping mouth that led deeper underground.


    Hibana stared down into the tunnel. The air that drifted out carried a strange weight ¡ª dry, heavy, and still.


    I hope I''m not walking into something I can''t handle... he thought.


    And with that, he followed the Lizardmen down into the earth.


    Inside the cave, the air was thick ¡ª damp and heavy with the scent of sweat, blood, and smoke. The walls were rough and uneven, clawed out of stone by hand. Fires flickered in crude pits, their light dancing along the figures of countless Lizardfolk. They were busy ¡ª mining jagged stones from the walls, butchering freshly caught game, or scraping hides into crude garments. The air buzzed with movement, but every pair of eyes still flicked toward Hibana.


    He didn''t belong here. The gleam of his fresh scales made him stand out ¡ª a flicker of copper in a world of stone.


    The Lizardmen led him to their chief ¡ª an older, gruff Lizardman covered in scars from past battles. One of his eyes was missing, the empty socket concealed beneath a band of cracked bone. His armor was a patchwork of bones from countless creatures, some twisted and jagged... others worryingly human.


    The chief''s cold stare settled on Hibana, and he let out a breath like gravel scraping over stone.


    "You bring an F-tier dragon before me," the chief rasped, his voice thick and guttural. "Thisss iss quite a boon. But he''s awfully big for a baby."


    Hibana stepped forward. "My name is Hibana," he said firmly. "I''ve come to offer your tribe a new home ¡ª safe from the adventurers who would come to kill you."


    The first Lizardman Hibana had met scoffed. "He claims to come from the Fae Wildsss!"


    The chief''s expression darkened, and he shook his head. "Ridiculoussss! Nobody visssitss the Fae Wildss! And even if that were true, we are ssstrong here! A pathetic weakling dragon like thisss couldn not possssibly offer protection from our enemiesss!"


    Hibana sighed. "I was hoping you''d be willing to negotiate."


    The chief''s lip curled back, revealing jagged teeth. He raised his hand. "Sssilence, worm! We don''t have the luxury to negotiate with weak dragon scum like you!" He lowered his hand, his tone sharp and final. "You have two choicesss. Either you choossse to live here as our ssslave and fight with uss... or you will die here. The choisss is yoursss."


    Hibana sat down and shook his head. I was afraid of this, he thought. He knew the Lizardfolk wouldn''t listen to reason ¡ª not yet. But he couldn''t give up.


    "What if I proved I was stronger than your best warrior?" Hibana asked.


    The chief''s expression froze ¡ª and then, after a moment of stunned silence, he let out a sharp, hissy laugh. The sound echoed off the walls, drawing the attention of nearby Lizardfolk.


    "Okay... thisss amussesss me!" the chief said, reaching down to grab a twisted wooden scepter. He shook it once, and the rattling sound of bones filled the air.


    The crowd parted. Heavy footsteps thudded against the stone floor. Out of the shifting bodies stepped a large Lizardman. His scales were dark and scarred, like stone weathered by years of battle. His eyes were cold and sharp, calculating. He carried a scimitar ¡ª long, heavy, and well-worn. He didn''t smile. He didn''t snarl. He simply stared at Hibana with calm, cold certainty.


    "This is Zerrusha," the chief sneered. "Our strongest warrior... and he will be happy to be your executioner."


    Hibana swallowed hard, feeling the weight of Zerrusha''s gaze. The Lizardman looked like he belonged in this cave ¡ª brutal, hardened, and unshakable. But Hibana didn''t step back. His scales still tingled from his recent shedding. His muscles still ached from growth pains. He was far from his strongest.


    If this is what I have to do to convince you all... then so be it.

 Oath

    Hibana looked from the towering Lizardman to the crowd of Lizardfolk forming a circle around them. He turned to the chief, his voice strained.


    "This... this is what I''m talking about. Do you all really believe this is the only way? I don''t want to fight him. Please¡ªdon''t make me do this."


    The chief sneered.


    "Pathetic, weak little F-tier dragon," he spat. "Zerrusha will eat you."


    Hibana turned back to the warrior.


    Zerrusha stood like a living fortress ¡ª massive, scarred, and still as stone. His green scales were rough and pitted, his leather garments simple and worn from years of battle. His arms looked like tree trunks, his chest like a craggy, moss-covered boulder.


    And then Hibana looked into his eyes.


    Yellow. Sharp. Focused.


    But behind the warrior''s scowl, behind the jagged teeth and hardened posture¡­ there it was. A flicker. A glimmer of something Hibana couldn''t name.


    Sadness? No. Not quite.


    Something older. Something buried deep beneath the scars.


    Honor, maybe. Or kindness.


    Whatever it was, it hit Hibana like a whisper in a storm ¡ª soft, fleeting, and unmistakably real.


    Zerrusha raised a clawed finger, pointing directly at Hibana. His voice rumbled low and gravelly, like pebbles grinding inside a rusted metal box.


    "Filthy dragon... your kind ate my parentsss. Made food of them!"


    His eyes narrowed, lips peeling back to reveal jagged teeth.


    "The chief wantsss you to join usss... but I jussst want you dead."


    Hibana''s expression shifted. The chief''s words hit something deep ¡ª something ugly.


    There it is again, he thought. That feeling in my chest. That burning hatred.


    He inhaled, slow and heavy, and exhaled smoldering pyreflies from his nose.


    They weren''t fireflies. Not insects. Just embers ¡ª tiny, glowing flecks that drifted from his breath like falling ash.


    Pyreflies, the old word for them.Born from flame.Carried by regret.


    His dragon body trembled, muscles coiled, rage prickling just beneath his scales ¡ª eager to lunge, to tear, to burn.


    But Hibana held the line.


    No. This wasn''t the way.


    He wasn''t here to show them the dragon they feared.He was here to show them what a dragon could be.


    Hibana stepped forward, his voice firm but shaking with restrained fury.


    "I didn''t eat your parents. I didn''t give you those scars. I am Hibana! I came here in peace! I will not die to you... and I will not fight unless you leave me no other choice!"


    Zerrusha blinked ¡ª his scaly brow rising, surprised.


    Then he laughed. A cruel, guttural sound ¡ª half-mirth, half-murder.


    "You have no choice, little dragon!"


    He raised his scimitar high.


    The blade came down fast.


    Hibana dodged ¡ª just in time.


    "he''s fast!" Hibana thought. "but I must stay ahead of him. Perhaps if i tire him out..."


    Suddenly, Zerrusha''s claws closed around Hibana''s tail.


    Pain lanced through him as his spine jerked back ¡ª the stretch was sharp, raw, real.


    Before Hibana could react, Zerrusha spun, twirling him like a flail, and hurled him into a wall of stone.


    The impact rattled his bones.


    His status screen flickered into view.HP: 30/30.


    Didn''t drop¡­ but it sure felt like it did.


    Zerrusha advanced, blade gleaming.


    He swung.


    Hibana dove out of the way ¡ª barely dodging the slash.


    He rolled under the towering warrior''s legs ¡ª only for Zerrusha''s tail to whip around and catch him hard across the side.


    The blow sent him sprawling, skidding to a halt near the crowd.


    The watching Lizardfolk hissed and jeered, baring their fangs and flicking their tongues in mockery.


    Zerrusha roared and swung again.


    Hibana leapt ¡ª the blade slicing through air just beneath him.


    His left foreleg buckled on the landing.


    Throbbing. Definitely bruised.


    He glanced at his status screen again.


    Still 30/30.


    Hibana grit his teeth.


    Yeah¡­ maybe I should stop checking this thing. It''s glitched to hell anyway.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Zerrusha swung again ¡ª this time, the blade grazed Hibana''s right cheek.


    A sharp sting followed. Warm blood welled from the cut.


    Hibana staggered, lifting a claw to his face. His fingers came back red.


    His chest burned ¡ª not from the wound, but from the fury building beneath it.


    No! I must control it!


    But Zerrusha charged again, hissing through jagged teeth."Damned dragon! Fight me, coward!"


    That did it.


    Hibana''s eyes narrowed. His lips curled back into a snarl.


    Then ¡ª he ran.


    He leapt through the air, twisting mid-jump ¡ª and rammed his skull straight into Zerrusha''s solar plexus.


    The impact cracked through the silence.


    Zerrusha''s breath caught. His body launched backward, crashing to the ground. His scimitar clattered across the dirt, skidding away.


    Hibana hit the ground and shook his head, dazed ¡ª the heat of his blood boiling behind his eyes.


    NO. I must not lose control!


    His thoughts were clouded, muddled by the tide of rage.


    His insults are beneath me. He doesn''t know me¡­


    His claws flexed. His breath trembled.


    ...But he will.


    Zerrusha groaned, kneeling, one hand gripping his chest as he reached for his weapon.


    "You are Ssstrong, dragon..." he spat. "But not Ssstrong enough!"


    Then ¡ª with a roar ¡ª Zerrusha leapt.


    He crashed down where Hibana had just been, the ground exploding beneath his landing. Rocks and dirt flew outward in a burst of raw power.


    Hibana rolled clear, heart pounding.


    Zerrusha turned his head to Hibana, his teeth bared. He growled. "SSsslipeprly little SSSshit!"


    Hiabana shook his head. "Please! Don''t make me hurt you! You''re right I am strong! I''m much stronger than I appear! I don''t want this to continue!"


    Zerrusha advanced menacingly. "I do!" he said with a blood curdling lilt.


    Zerrusha lunged.


    Before Hibana could react, the massive warrior grabbed him by the throat, lifted him into the air ¡ª and threw.


    Hibana soared, then crashed through a jagged stalagmite with a sickening crack.


    Pain exploded through his chest.


    He hit the ground hard, gasping ¡ª one rib, maybe two, definitely broken.


    He staggered to his feet, legs shaky, vision swimming.


    Zerrusha was already on him, weapon raised.


    The blade swung.


    Hibana dodged ¡ª barely ¡ª and then sprang forward with sudden resolve.


    He clamped his jaws down on Zerrusha''s sword wrist.


    Hard.


    The taste of blood filled his mouth ¡ª thick, coppery, alive.


    And then something strange happened.


    A feeling surged through his mind ¡ª wild, alien, ancient. For a moment, he saw flashes: the dry caves, the stone huts, the endless hunger, the whispered pride of surviving another year.


    This is what it''s like... to be one of them.


    The moment snapped.


    Zerrusha let out a roar of pain, dropping his blade with a clatter.


    He reeled back and punched Hibana in the ribs ¡ª the force knocking the dragon loose and sending him skidding across the stone.


    Clutching his injured wrist, Zerrusha bellowed, "Now you''ll die for that!"


    He turned to retrieve his sword.


    Hibana lay gasping, blood on his tongue, pain screaming in his side.


    He glanced at his stats.


    23/30 HP.


    So it''s finally working again, he thought bitterly. Of course now it works.


    He forced himself upright, chest heaving.


    I have to end this¡­ but how?


    His mind reached for a weapon ¡ª instinctual, powerful.


    Fireball.


    His claws twitched.


    But he froze.


    No. That would kill him. I... don''t want to kill him.


    He looked at his clawed hands, trembling with hesitation.


    Maybe¡­ maybe if I can just control how much power I use¡­


    Hibana raised his right hand.


    He felt it ¡ª that now-familiar pull of magic, the heat rising in his palm. Fireball. Just like Solryn had taught him.


    Flames began to gather, swirling, crackling ¡ª hungry.


    Across the cave, Zerrusha paused mid-step.


    "What''sss thisss?!" he hissed.


    Then he charged.


    Hibana''s breath caught in his throat.


    His heart screamed.


    A tear slipped down his cheek as the fire left his hand.


    The Fireball surged forward, trailing heat and sorrow ¡ª and struck Zerrusha dead-on.


    The explosion roared through the cavern.


    The ground trembled. Dust fell from the ceiling. The watching Lizardfolk cried out in shock.


    Zerrusha''s body flew backward like a ragdoll and slammed into the far wall.


    The stone cracked under the force.


    He landed on his feet ¡ª just barely.


    Smoke curled from his chest. His expression was empty. Dazed.


    He took a step forward.


    Then another.


    Then collapsed.


    The silence that followed was absolute.


    Hibana limped over to Zerrusha. The massive Lizardman lay still.


    The chief stood suddenly, his voice laced with alarm.


    "What isss thisss?!"


    He hurried to Zerrusha''s side as others followed, forming a circle around their fallen champion. Several Lizardfolk helped turn Zerrusha onto his back.


    "Don''t be dead!" Hibana shouted, his voice echoing off the cavern walls.


    The chief pressed his ear to Zerrusha''s chest.


    A long silence.


    Then he rose slowly and turned to Hibana, face grim.


    "¡­He is dead."


    Hibana''s mind fractured.


    "NOOOO!" he screamed, rushing to Zerrusha''s side."No! It was too much¡ªI couldn''t control it!"


    Tears welled in his eyes, heat curling in his chest.


    "No! I won''t accept this! I¡­ can''t!"


    The chief stepped back.


    So did the rest of the Lizardfolk, their gazes wide and confused. They didn''t understand what they were seeing.


    One lizard woman whispered, "Why doesss thisss dragon cry?"


    A male answered, hesitant. "I don''t know¡­ mussst be sssomething wrong with him."


    Hibana whipped around. "There''s nothing wrong with me!"


    And then it hit him ¡ª a flash of memory so vivid it felt like stepping through time.


    Tetsuo. Eighth grade. Health class.


    He was doodling in his notebook, half-asleep from another boring lecture. His teacher, Mr. Asoka, stood at the front, speaking in that droning, almost lifeless tone:


    ¡ª¡ª"This is a basic technique for saving a life. You''re probably all aware of CPR, but allow me to demonstrate the proper method..."¡ª¡ª


    Hibana blinked.


    Wait¡­ CPR?


    The memory had been buried. Forgotten.


    But somehow¡­ it was there.


    He turned back to Zerrusha, dropped to his haunches, and placed his hands over the warrior''s chest.


    "Come on¡­ please¡­"


    He pressed down, just like Mr. Asoka had shown ¡ª his palms stacked, arms straight, rhythm steady.


    Thirty compressions¡­ then breathing. Right?


    The chief knelt beside him, watching in confusion.


    "What are you doing?" he asked.


    Hibana didn''t answer. He just kept going ¡ª pressing, breathing, hoping.


    Then ¡ª a cough.


    Zerrusha''s body jolted. He gasped for air, wheezing ¡ª alive.


    The cave fell silent.


    The chief stumbled back, eyes wide in disbelief.


    "You¡­ you are no dragon¡­" he whispered.He stared at Hibana, voice shaking."What are you?"


    After a short time, the gathered Lizardfolk began to huddle around Hibana, their once-hostile stares softened with curiosity¡­ and something else. Something like awe.


    Hibana looked over at Zerrusha, who now sat slumped against the back wall. The warrior''s breath was steady, but his eyes were distant ¡ª fixed on Hibana with an expression he couldn''t quite read.


    Fear? Doubt?


    He wasn''t sure.


    But Hibana smiled.


    And Zerrusha looked away.


    Then Hibana turned to the chief.


    The old Lizardman sat upright once more on his makeshift throne, the weight of what he''d witnessed still heavy on his scarred face.


    At last, he spoke.


    "¡­What isss it you want from usss?"


    Hibana glanced around the cavern. The walls, the worn stone, the flickering torchlight reflecting in hundreds of reptilian eyes.


    "I told you," he said. "I''ve come to offer you something better. A place to live. With me. In the Fae Wilds."


    He stepped forward, voice calm, but firm.


    "I truly do have a home there. And I want all of you to come with me. I''m building something real ¡ª something strong. And I know you''d make it stronger. Especially Zerrusha."


    The chief looked around at the ruined walls and worn stone ¡ª the ghost of a dying legacy.


    "We have nothing to offer you, Dragon..."


    Hibana shook his head.


    "My name is Hibana. And it''s not about what you can offer me."


    He paused.


    "It''s about what I can offer you."


    He took a breath, the words carried more by heart than air.


    "Adventurers are out there. And they want you dead. Just like the goblins. Just like the kobolds. They don''t care what you''ve done or how hard you''ve fought to survive. They just see monsters."


    "But I don''t."


    He looked each of them in the eyes.


    "I see people. Tired, hungry, desperate people ¡ª who still haven''t given up."


    He took a final step forward.


    "I''m offering you a place they''ll never find. A place where you can live. Grow. It won''t be easy. In fact, it might be harder than this. But it''ll be life."


    "And I''ll protect it. I swear to you ¡ª I''ll protect you. All of you."


    His voice dropped, quiet but unwavering.


    "And I truly mean that."

 Union

    Hibana had led them back to his camp.


    The Kobolds were romping around as usual, digging and tilling the land to make way for crops. A few were clustered near Solryn, who sat beneath a crooked tree, nose buried in a book. He looked visibly annoyed, one brow twitching as a particularly loud Kobold bounced beside him, chattering about something irrelevant.


    Solryn snapped the book shut with a sharp thwack.


    "You tiresome pests! Go bother Tsu. Can''t you see I''m busy?"


    The Kobold flinched, then scampered off with a squeak, muttering something about "grumpy wizards and their sticks."


    Tsu, meanwhile, had already gone rigid. Her hand flew to the handle of her nodachi the instant she caught sight of Hibana ¡ª and the towering figures following behind him.


    Solryn glanced up from his book again, his expression darkening.


    Hibana was leading a throng of Lizardfolk straight into their camp.


    The Kobolds saw them next.


    They froze.


    And then ¡ª panic.


    A shrill wave of alarm swept the camp as tools were dropped and crates overturned. Kobolds darted in every direction. Some dove behind huts, others clambered up trees or peered out from behind barrels, their squeaky voices overlapping.


    "Lizardfolk!!"


    "They followed him!"


    "We''re under attack!"


    Hibana raised his voice above the chaos.


    "Don''t be afraid!"


    He turned to the Lizardfolk chief walking beside him. The older warrior''s gaze swept over the camp, his brow furrowed in visible confusion ¡ª not anger, just the cautious wariness of a predator entering unfamiliar territory.


    Tsu was already storming toward him, her hand still tightly gripping her weapon. She planted herself in Hibana''s path.


    Her eyes blazed.


    "What are these filthy creatures doing here?!"


    Hibana shook his head. "Tsu, these are our new guests. I promised them I''d bring them here¡­ if they chose not to fight me again."


    He stepped closer, lowering his voice.


    "Please. Take your hand off your sword. I promise you ¡ª they''re not our enemies."


    Tsu hesitated for a moment, her fingers still curled around the hilt of her nodachi. But then, with visible effort, she exhaled, lowered her arm, turned around, and walked away.


    Hibana turned to the towering Lizardfolk chief.


    "Don''t mind her," he said calmly. "That other human over there is Solryn." He gestured toward the tree, where Solryn remained half-buried in a book, doing his best to ignore everyone.


    Then Hibana''s gaze shifted toward the Kobolds now huddled in their huts, peeking through cracks and doorways, their usual exuberance dampened by tension.


    "I forgot to mention one thing," he said. "This place ¡ª my home ¡ª is their home too. So if you want to stay here¡­ you''ll have to share it. With the Kobolds."


    The Lizardfolk chief''s expression darkened. His snout curled with visible disdain.


    "You expect uss to live with thossse disssgusting creaturesss?"


    Hibana nodded once. "I''ve been doing it for a while now. And I''ve yet to regret it."


    He tilted his head slightly.


    "But tell me ¡ª what is it that you find so disgusting about them?"


    The chief''s jaw tightened. His thick tail swayed low behind him in a slow, deliberate rhythm.


    "They''re a nuisssance," he said, flat and cold. "Alwayss have been. Troublemakerss. Pestsss. That''s not opinion ¡ª it''s memory passssed down through claw and tongue."


    He gestured toward the nearest huts with a flick of his claw.


    "They sswarm. They dig. They sscatter like insectss at the firsst sssign of threat. We''ve known their kind for longer than memory ¡ª and never once have they brought anything but noisse and chaosss."


    He turned his sharp gaze back to Hibana.


    "And now you ssay we musst live bessside them?"


    Hibana stood in place for a heartbeat, then called out:


    "Dundru! Come over here!"


    There was a pause.


    The old yellow Kobold stepped forward, his leathery features wary, his posture low but proud. He eyed the Lizardfolk gathered around Hibana with a mixture of caution and sharp awareness.


    Hibana lowered himself to his haunches, tail flicking behind him, and looked toward the Lizardfolk chief. Then, with quiet purpose, he bowed his head.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "I am Hibana, as you know. This," he said, lifting his gaze to the old Kobold beside him, "is Dundru ¡ª chief of this clan."


    Then Hibana raised his head fully, his voice steady.


    "What is your name, chief of the Lizardfolk?"


    The Lizardfolk leader folded his arms across his chest.


    "Thiss dragon¡­ doessn''t kill. He bowss his head. Dragonss do not do that."


    He snorted once, amused and confused in equal measure.


    "It iss because of thiss oddity that I am even willing to entertain thiss nonssensse."


    A beat passed. Then, with pride:


    "My name isss Ussaneth."


    Hibana nodded again, the name settling into him like a stone in still water.


    "Ussaneth. Dundru is not the leader of this camp ¡ª not anymore. He is here because I wish him here. And you¡­ are here for the same reason."


    He turned to Dundru, who tilted his head.


    "Ussaneth has said your kind are troublemakers and pests," Hibana said softly. "What do you say about the Lizardfolk?"


    Dundru stepped forward with a sharp sniff, folding his arms as he looked up at Ussaneth ¡ª unafraid, but definitely unimpressed.


    "Oh, they''re calling us pests now, are they?" he muttered, tail flicking.


    He turned to Hibana, brow furrowed.


    "Look, I don''t know what kind of dragon games you''re playing, but you want them to live here? With us? These grumpy, scale-polishing, mud-hugging doom-growlers?"


    He gestured toward the Lizardfolk.


    "They glare if we sneeze too loud. They hiss when we dig in the wrong spot. And stars forbid we wander somewhere they''ve claimed ¡ª suddenly we''re thieves. Invaders."


    Dundru shook his head, eyes narrowing.


    "I don''t know why they hate us. I don''t even remember when it started. But I know it''s always been that way. And I know we didn''t ask for them to come marching into our home."


    He crossed his arms.


    "So¡­ why are they here, Hibana?"


    Hibana shook his head slowly, his gaze sweeping across both camps.


    "This world really doesn''t play nice with anyone, does it?"


    He looked back at Dundru, his voice calm but unyielding.


    "The reason they are here, Dundru, is because I invited them. To live here. With you."


    Dundru recoiled, eyes wide. "You couldn''t possibly¡ª"


    "I could," Hibana snapped, cutting him off. His voice rose, sharp enough to cut through the tension.


    "Tell me, both of you¡ª" he turned his head to Ussaneth, then back to Dundru, "¡ªwhat is my kind known for?"


    Hibana looked to Ussaneth first.


    The Lizardfolk chief glanced at his warriors, then back at the dragon.


    "You¡­" he began, voice low and hard. "You''re the sscourge of the sskies. The killer of eggss. A weapon of pure desstruction and chaoss!"


    His nostrils flared.


    "You usse uss like pawnss in your ssick and twissted gamess. You kill for the fun of it. You are worse than the humanss and their ssoldierss!"


    Hibana smiled, though there was no joy in it.


    "Yes. That sounds like what I''ve heard before."


    Then he turned to Dundru.


    "And you?"


    Dundru hesitated, looking up at him.


    "Well... I''ve been around you for a while now, and I¡ª"


    Hibana cut him off gently, but firmly.


    "No, Dundru. I want to hear exactly what you believe dragons to be."


    There was silence for a moment.


    Then Dundru swallowed and spoke, voice shaking with memory.


    "Evil. Pure evil. Monstrous beasts who think only of themselves. They kill us just to watch us burn. Laugh at us as they smash our huts and slaughter our young."


    His eyes dropped.


    "And I''ve seen it. With my own eyes."


    Hibana nodded slowly.


    "I see."


    He stood tall now, his eyes passing between them ¡ª between every set of wary eyes watching from the huts and the treeline.


    "So you both agree."


    He raised a claw, pointing to himself.


    "This. Me. I am the monster. The evil. The destroyer. The thing that burned your homes and shattered your families."


    His voice was quiet now ¡ª not soft, but still.


    "I am what you fear. What you hate. What every one of your stories warned you about."


    He let that hang.


    Then:


    "And yet, here I stand ¡ª not burning your homes. Not smashing your eggs. Not laughing at your pain. Instead, I offer you food. Shelter. Peace."


    He took a slow breath.


    "You don''t have to like each other. You don''t even have to like me."


    He looked between Dundru and Ussaneth.


    "But the truth is," Hibana said, his voice steady, "you already share something. You''ve both lost too much. You''ve both had everything taken by monsters that look like me."


    His gaze swept across the clearing, catching every eye ¡ª Lizardfolk and Kobold alike.


    "And somehow¡­ you''re still here. Still breathing. Still fighting."


    Behind him, the Kobolds had quietly gathered. They didn''t speak, but their presence was clear ¡ª a wall of small, defiant hearts standing with him.


    Hibana turned, looking back toward both chiefs.


    "And that means you''re both stronger than you think."


    He paused, and when he spoke again, his voice softened.


    "And I want you here. All of you. Because I see something in you ¡ª more than I can explain. I see the beginning of something real. Something powerful."


    He stepped forward.


    "So I''m asking you¡ªno¡­ I''m begging you: stay. Stay here with me, in the Fae Wilds. Help me build something that has never existed before."


    His voice grew stronger with each word, the fire behind it not rage¡­ but conviction.


    "Let''s make a stand against the darkness of this world. Let''s find the truth about what unites us. Not as Lizardfolk. Not as Kobolds. Not even as monsters."


    He spread his claws.


    "But as people."


    Then he let his arms fall to his sides.


    "But I will say this: if you choose to leave¡­ I will not stop you. Any of you."


    He looked to Dundru. Then Ussaneth.


    "This is your choice."


    hibana took a breath.


    "Ussaneth. Dundru. Consider my offer carefully. What I''m asking for is the hardest path you can walk."


    He met their eyes, unflinching.


    "But I believe¡­ it''s the only path that will set us free."


    Hibana stood still as the silence broke.


    Low grumbles rippled through the crowd of Lizardfolk ¡ª murmured words, hard stares, the dull thump of feet turning away. One by one, then in clusters, they began to leave. Some without a word. Others with final glances full of doubt or disdain. Their heavy footsteps faded into the wilds beyond the trees.


    But Ussaneth remained.


    And so did Zerrusha.


    The massive Lizardman approached Hibana, his shadow falling across the clearing. His scales, once gleaming with defiance, now dulled under the weight of emotion. He dropped to one knee before the dragon ¡ª not as a servant, but as a man laid bare.


    There were tears in his eyes.


    "You¡­ ssspared me," he whispered. "You¡­ sssaved me. My life¡­ belongsss to you."


    Hibana looked at him gently, pain and pride mingling in his expression.


    "No, Zerrusha," he said. "You belong to nobody."


    He placed a clawed hand on the warrior''s shoulder.


    "You are free. And if you wish to leave, I won''t stop you."


    Zerrusha said nothing ¡ª just bowed his head lower.


    Ussaneth turned, watching the long line of his kin disappearing into the trees. A slow breath escaped his throat, and something shifted in his eyes ¡ª not grief, not defeat¡­ but resolution.


    He stepped forward, his voice firm.


    "No, Zerrusha," he said, loud enough for all to hear. "We remain here. With Hibana."


    There was a pause.


    Then one of the Lizardfolk behind him let out a cry.


    "Hibana!"


    Another joined in.


    "Hibana!"


    Then another.


    Soon the air echoed with it ¡ª rough voices raised not in defiance, but in unity.


    "Hibana! Hibana! Hibana!"


    The Kobolds, not to be outdone, picked up the chant. Their smaller voices rang out with high-pitched energy, bouncing between the trees like music.


    "Hibana! Hibana!"


    The chant filled the camp like a rising tide.


    Solryn stepped up beside Hibana, eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the scene unfold. His book was tucked under one arm now, forgotten.


    "What''s going on here?" he asked dryly.


    Hibana turned to him, the noise still ringing behind him.


    "Hope," he said simply.


    Solryn glanced at the gathered crowd ¡ª at the Lizardfolk who stood proud, at the Kobolds who beamed with something more than joy.


    He sighed, brushing a strand of hair from his face.


    "¡­We''ll see about that."

 Results

    Hibana stood before the village of Stonewatch.His trusty short sword hung at his side ¡ª a tool he hoped he wouldn''t have to use. As he stepped back into the settlement, a few of the locals gave him strange looks.


    "Is my tail sticking out or something?" he wondered, adjusting the green cloak around his shoulders.


    He kept walking, boots crunching softly against the dirt road, until the familiar sight of the Adventurer''s Guild came into view.


    The receptionist still had the same bored look on her face ¡ª until she caught sight of Hibana walking up to the counter. A few adventurers nearby shifted in their seats, heads turning. Eyes widened.


    The receptionist straightened in surprise, her voice catching slightly. "Y-You''re back!"


    Hibana placed his hands on the counter, steady and deliberate. "I''ll forgive you for sending me on a mission you didn''t think I''d survive. But the job''s done. The Lizardfolk have scattered. Their chief''s gone, and I defeated their champion."


    The receptionist looked him up and down, her mouth slightly agape. "You¡­ defeated them? But there''s not a mark on you."


    Hibana smiled ¡ª calm, measured. "I assure you, everything I''ve told you is the truth. I don''t have any physical evidence to provide. And I will even forgo the reward until you can send scouts to confirm what I''ve said."


    There was a long pause.


    Then, slowly, she gave a stiff nod and glanced up toward the stairs that led to the Guildmaster''s office.


    "Please wait here," she said, her voice quieter than before. "I''ll need to confer with the Guildmaster on how to handle this."


    Hibana dipped his head once, then turned and leaned against a nearby post ¡ª one of the thick, worn supports that helped hold the building together. The wood was old, nicked by years of boots, blades, and careless shoulders. It creaked softly under his weight.


    He kept his gaze low, fixed somewhere near his own boots.


    But he could feel them ¡ª all of them.


    Dozens of eyes. Curious. Suspicious. Unnerved.


    The laughter and chatter that had once filled the guildhall had faded into a strained silence. Mugs hovered half-raised, dice left unrolled. Adventurers who had mocked him days before now stared across the room like they were trying to solve a riddle that shouldn''t exist.


    An F-tier. Level One.


    And yet here he stood ¡ª alive, unharmed, and claiming victory over a tribe of Lizardfolk that had bested far better men.


    Hibana said nothing. He didn''t meet their eyes.


    But he felt the weight of their questions.


    The receptionist returned and gave a slight bow. "Please follow me."


    Hibana nodded and trailed her up the stairs to the guildmaster''s office. She gestured for him to enter, then addressed the man within. "This is him, Sir."


    The guildmaster stood facing the window, hands clasped behind his back. He didn''t turn.


    "Shut the door. Leave us."


    The receptionist obeyed without a word, the door clicking shut behind her.


    When the guildmaster finally turned around, Hibana saw a man forged by years of duty ¡ª middle-aged, bald, with a short, well-kept beard and a couple of old scars crossing his face like forgotten warnings. He was built like a warhorse: burly, broad-shouldered, and steady.


    He wore finely crafted leather armor dyed a soft, worn blue ¡ª practical, but marked by care. Draped over it was a tabard bearing the emblem of the Adventurer''s Guild: a pair of crossed swords, with a scroll at the center, all encased within a bronze-colored disk. The symbol gleamed faintly in the filtered light ¡ª part authority, part promise.


    Then the guildmaster''s gray eyes locked onto Hibana ¡ª sharp, cold, and calculating.


    Hibana felt the familiar sensation of the appraisal spell brushing against him. The Guildmaster''s eyes narrowed, the glow of the spell fading.


    "F-tier. Level one. Not a lick of XP... fascinating."


    The Guildmaster stepped away from the window, crossing the room with steady, unhurried steps. His gray eyes never left Hibana.


    "My name is Karthas," he said, his voice as gravelly as the worn stone floor beneath them. "And you are called Hibana. A rather strange name for a man."


    He came to a stop in front of his desk, arms crossing over his broad chest. Scars traced his face ¡ª not fresh, but deep, old things earned the hard way. His leather armor creaked softly as he moved, dyed a distinctive light blue. A bronze disk adorned his chest, the symbol of the Adventurer''s Guild emblazoned on the tabard: a pair of crossed swords with a scroll nestled between them.


    "Tell me," Karthas said, voice sharp, "did you truly fulfill that quest?"


    Hibana nodded once. "I did."


    Karthas studied him. "How?"


    Stolen story; please report.


    Hibana hesitated. "With my weapon," he replied at last.


    The Guildmaster''s stare darkened, unamused. "Trade secret, huh?"


    "You could say that."


    Karthas grunted and walked behind his desk. "And if I send scouts to those ruins? What will they find?"


    "Ruins," Hibana answered plainly. "The remnants of a Lizardfolk encampment. Perhaps a few stragglers, but not their chief. I dealt with him. And I defeated their champion. That was enough to make the rest scatter."


    Silence fell. Karthas leaned on the desk, drumming his fingers along its surface.


    "Four adventurers," he said at last. "Veterans. They were found dead not far from where your quest took place. Their trail ends in the cursed lands. Blood, broken steel, and silence."


    He looked up sharply.


    "You wouldn''t happen to know anything about that, would you?"


    Hibana didn''t blink.


    "I have heard of them, yes."


    He paused, choosing his words with care.


    "I heard they were killed... by a warrior. And a dragon."


    Karthas tilted his head slightly. A thin smile crept onto his face, more curiosity than mirth.


    "A tale with teeth," he said. "Conveniently vague. Poetically true."


    Hibana remained silent.


    Karthas leaned back in his chair. "You choose your words like someone who''s learned the cost of honesty."


    "I''ve had to."


    The Guildmaster nodded, folding his arms.


    "You''re not lying. I can tell. But you''re not telling the whole truth either. That bothers me. But you came back. And you brought peace to those ruins ¡ª at least, for now."


    He opened a drawer and pulled out a parchment folder. The seal was bronze.


    "This came from the capital," he said, sliding it across the desk. "Not standard guild work."


    Hibana opened it.


    WANTED: THE GHOST OF THE FOREST ALIAS: UNKNOWN REWARD: 10,000 GOLD COINS DEAD OR ALIVE


    Priority Status: ALIVE


    Target is responsible for multiple attacks on supply routes, raids on minor noble estates, and incitement of unrest among rural settlements. Known to operate from within the Deepwoods surrounding Solarsa. The Church of Ordos has declared this target a heretic.


    Hibana''s eyes flicked over the paper, then back to Karthas.


    "The Church," he murmured. "Who is Ordos? Perhaps Solryn or Tsu can tell me," he thought.


    Karthas replied. "This man ¡ª whoever he is ¡ª he''s shaking things. Making people ask questions. The wrong people."


    He tapped the edge of the desk.


    "And here you are ¡ª an F-tier with no kills to your name, no XP, no party, and somehow you come back with a completed mission no one expected you to survive."


    Karthas met Hibana''s eyes.


    "You''re not normal. And I don''t need normal. I need results."


    He slid the bounty toward Hibana.


    "I want you to take this. Not because I think you''ll win. Not because I think you''re ready. But because something tells me... the Ghost and you are on a collision course."


    He stood again, voice firm.


    "And when it happens ¡ª only one of you walks away."


    Hibana looked down at the parchment.


    Then back up.


    "Alright," he said. "I''ll take it."


    Karthas gave a satisfied nod.


    "Then I''ll consider this your first official mission as a real adventurer, Hibana."


    He paused.


    "Finally... something a little different for a change."


    Hibana looked over the parchment again. It didn''t mention where the Ghost of the Forest might be found ¡ª just the name, the bounty, and the words wanted alive if possible. For ten thousand gold, he hadn''t expected it to be easy. He lowered the paper and looked up.


    "Is there anything else?"


    The Guildmaster folded his arms. "See the receptionist for your payment. But one final thing ¡ª this is personal."


    He stepped around the desk, his expression tightening just slightly. "I haven''t seen my best Bloodhound in almost three weeks. His name is Kurt. If you happen to come across him in your travels, I want to know immediately. I sent him on a mission to track down a dangerous monster, and he hasn''t reported back."


    Hibana almost froze.


    Kurt... it has to be him. That man I fought on the road ¡ª the one who nearly exposed me.


    He forced his voice to remain even. "If I see him, I''ll let you know."


    "Good," said Karthas. "I am a man who likes results. And if I get results, I''m satisfied. I don''t care how you pulled this off. A level one F-tier human¡­" He let out a dry chuckle. "Damndest thing I''ve seen in years."


    He leaned forward slightly, those sharp gray eyes pinning Hibana in place.


    "Continue to get me results, and you''ll go far in this guild, boy."


    Then, with a dismissive wave of his hand, "Now, if you''ll excuse me ¡ª I have other pressing matters to attend to."


    Hibana gave a polite nod, then turned and walked out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.


    Downstairs, the receptionist barely glanced up as he approached.


    He handed her the sealed envelope. She opened it, scanned the contents, and gave a short nod before disappearing into the back.


    A moment later, she returned carrying a metal tray, which she set on the counter with a dull clink. Resting atop it was a modest leather pouch.


    "Here''s your reward," she said, voice still flat.


    Hibana took the pouch and tucked it into his satchel without ceremony.


    "Welcome to the Adventurer''s Guild," the receptionist added, not even trying to sound enthusiastic.


    Hibana gave a short nod and turned to leave, stepping back out into the light of Stonewatch.


    Hibana''s journey back through the barrier of the Fae Wilds was quiet, but exhausting. By the time he reached the clearing, the last of his polymorph magic was fraying at the edges. He allowed the transformation to drop, scales unfurling as he shifted back into his true form. The weight of his wings returned ¡ª heavy, familiar, comforting.


    He placed the leather pouch of gold inside a wooden hutch the Kobolds had built for him, then wandered back out into the heart of the camp and sat down to observe.


    The Lizardfolk were starting to build. Crude frames of stone and timber were being assembled near the treeline. He watched as they moved with practiced discipline ¡ª no chatter, no waste. Just focus.


    It made him smile.


    Solryn wandered over, arms crossed, cloak billowing faintly in the breeze.


    "So, what''s the plan for all that gold?" he asked, voice dry.


    Hibana glanced at him. "Supplies, of course. This place still needs tools, seeds, better gear. And I still owe you ¡ª for the sword, and everything else you gave me."


    Solryn waved a hand dismissively. "Don''t worry about it." His eyes drifted toward the Lizardfolk. "You really think this is going to last?"


    Hibana didn''t answer right away. He followed Solryn''s gaze ¡ª watched the Lizardfolk lift beams into place while Kobolds scrambled nearby, dragging rope and bundles of brush.


    Solryn sighed. "It won''t. You know that, right? The barrier won''t keep others out forever. And these two groups?" He gestured with a thumb. "They hate each other. They''ve hated each other for generations. It''ll end in blood. Mark my words."


    "I know," Hibana said softly. "But that''s why it has to work."


    He turned his eyes back toward the camp ¡ª to Dundru telling stories by the fire, to Zerrusha inspecting a pile of gathered stones, to Tsu sharpening her blade in silence beneath the tree.


    "I''m going to make this place into something real. A home for anyone who needs one."


    Solryn snorted. "Oh? Got a name picked out for your little utopia?"


    "I do," Hibana said. "Hearthflame."


    Solryn blinked. "Hearthflame?"


    Hibana nodded. "It''s more than a camp now. It deserves a name."


    Solryn rolled his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Wonderful. He''s named it. Now we''re really doomed."


    Hibana chuckled and looked up at the stars beginning to peek through the canopy. The scent of cooking fires and tilled earth lingered in the air. For a moment, he let himself breathe.


    Then, more seriously: "I have a question for you, Solryn."


    Solryn quirked an eyebrow. "That''s never a good sign."


    Hibana''s eyes drifted toward the fire again ¡ª where the younger Kobolds had gathered, listening in rapt silence to Dundru''s tales.


    He spoke quietly.


    "Who is Ordos?"