To ensure no one would ever find him again, Florian commanded his creations to build a fortress atop the hidden laboratory.

  ?Stone by stone, his monstrosities raised a twisted castle, its spires jagged and unnatural. He even managed to activate one of the ancient cloaking artifacts, casting an illusory barrier that concealed the entire structure from sight and detection.

  Years passed. His army grew vast and terrible.

  Among them were the Higher Ones, perfect fusions of beast and humanoid souls, their bodies further evolved by the goddess’s potent green blood.

  Driven by ambition, Florian set his sights on the Beastworld Jungle, seeking stronger materials for his experiments.

  But the dragon that ruled the jungle did not tolerate his intrusion. It sent his projection, furious, annihilating most of Florian’s army and crippling him in the process.

  He had never known such pain. Such fear.

  He fled, dragging the remnants of his forces behind him.

  ?From then on, he rebuilt slowly, haunted by the memory of that defeat.

  Paranoia consumed him. He established hidden stations throughout the southern lands, each equipped with simple teleportation diagrams to transfer body parts and materials quickly. He rarely left his castle from then on, only focused on creating.

  For a time, things went well…. Until someone killed Mantis.

  That was the beginning of the end.

  Florian was beaten again and again. Desperate, he sacrificed his body and fragments of his soul to escape, but in the end, the cursed dragon’s inheritor found him and destroyed him.

  Florian died unwilling, disappointed, and afraid.

  All his work, all his creations, lost.

  ?His final thoughts were filled with regret.

  Then pain. Sharp, searing pain.

  Kai jolted upright in bed, his body trembling with rage and disgust.

  ?He remembered everything. He had lived it.

  He screamed, and his mana surged outward, shaking the very foundations of the cabin.

  His eyes turned draconic, glowing with fury as he roared and roared.

  Umbra and Nerva, the closest to him, rushed to his room, fear gripping their hearts at the chaos erupting within.

  ***

  Umbra leaped forward, wrapping her arms around Kai as he screamed. His mana surged outward like a storm, slicing into her body. “Kai! Wake up! You’re safe. It’s me, Umbra!” she shouted, both aloud and through their soul bond.

  Nerva reacted instantly, summoning an ethereal shield around Umbra to protect her from the violent waves of mana.

  Kai roared, his eyes glowing with draconic fury, but Umbra kept whispering through the bond, her voice steady and warm.

  ?Little by little, her presence reached him. His rage began to fade, the mana weakened, and his eyes returned to their normal hue.

  He looked around, seeing the shattered bed and Umbra bleeding in his arms. His face turned pale. “Umbra… are you okay? Forgive me, please. I never meant to hurt you.”

  “I’m fine,” she said softly, smiling through the pain. “Welcome back, Kai. I’ve missed you.” She kissed his forehead, though her wounds still bled.

  “I’ll fix this. Just wait,” he said, regret thick in his voice.

  His mind turned to his third emerald magic circle. The mandala spun and shifted, green vines pulsing through it like veins. He focused his will. Life mana surged through his hands, bathing Umbra in a soft green glow.

  “Touch of Life,” he whispered.

  Umbra’s body shimmered. Her wounds closed, and even her exhaustion faded.

  She and Nerva watched in awe. “Well, that’s new,” Umbra chuckled.

  “How are you feeling? It’s been three and a half months,” Nerva asked, concern in his voice.

  Kai exhaled slowly. “Honestly? Confused. I lived two lifetimes while I slept. The last one… was Florian’s. That madman... I need time to process it all.”

  Nerva sighed. “Your ability is incredible, but the cost… I don’t think I could bear it.” He gave Kai a sympathetic look and left, giving him and Umbra space.

  “You don’t need to explain,” Umbra said gently. “I can feel your state, and it’s not good.”

  Kai took a deep breath and truly looked at her. His eyes widened. “You reached Divine Beast level… and you look human now?”

  She laughed. “Took you long enough to notice that a woman is hugging you, not a cat.”

  His mood lightened. “Why do you look like we’re related? You look half-Asian.”

  “I wanted to resemble you a bit, since we’re family. Turns out humans think I’m gorgeous now.” She grinned.

  “Well, I can see that. Does that mean I’m gorgeous too?” he teased.

  “Don’t push it,” she laughed, hugging him again. “I missed you, brother. Truly.”

  “Did you gain anything from all this suffering?” she asked, hopeful.

  Kai furrowed his brow, scanning himself.

  “My body’s stabilized at early Master Knight level. My circles are fully powered. I gained a lot of knowledge from the goddess and from that monster as well, but I’ll need time to sort through it all and figure out what’s useful in combat.”

  “Good. As long as it was worth it. Try to forget his life, okay? It won’t do you any good.” She was concerned that it would influence him.

  “I’ll try. Don’t worry, it’s still me. Just… I feel older. Ancient, even.”

  He slapped both cheeks strongly to clear his mind and stood from the broken bed. “No time to waste. Let’s go see everyone.”

  He pushed himself to act normally, hoping the memories would fade with time.

  ***

  In the main hall, Nerva, Xarion, and Zara sat waiting as Kai entered with Umbra by his side.

  “Hello, everyone,” Kai said with a smile. “Sorry for being a handful.”

  Zara stood and pulled him into a hug. Kai blinked, surprised, a faint blush rising to his cheeks. “Didn’t know we were this close,” he chuckled.

  She smirked. “Stop it. Do you know how worried everyone was? This lizard of mine drove me crazy. I’m just glad you’re back on your feet.” She gave his back a gentle tap.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  “Thank you, Zara. That means a lot.” Kai smiled and moved to sit at the table.

  Xarion stood up as well. “Lord Kai, welcome back to the world of the living,” he said warmly. “How are you feeling?”

  Kai nodded toward the Dracorious. “Physically? Better than ever. But my mind… It’s tired. Crowded, you could even say.”

  Zara grinned from behind him. “Just ask him already, Xarion. You’re dying to.”

  Kai chuckled. “What is it?”

  Xarion leaned forward, eyes gleaming with curiosity. “I feel a strong draconic presence from you. It’s… different. Like a true dragon. Can you explain?”

  Kai scratched his head. “I haven’t fully figured it out yet, but sure, let me show you.”

  Just then, the doors burst open, and Scry flew in at high speed, crashing into Kai.

  “Took you long enough, you scoundrel! I missed you!” the tiger spirit cried, burying his face into Kai’s shirt, tears falling freely.

  Kai gently patted his head. “There, there. I’m back now. I won’t be leaving again anytime soon. I promise.”

  As he comforted Scry, Liliya and Lisa entered. Liliya’s smile was radiant, the weight of worry lifting from her shoulders. Lisa, on the other hand, sprinted toward him, her spirits barely keeping up.

  “Brother! You’re awake! I missed you!” she cried, leaping into his lap and squishing poor Scry beneath her.

  Kai laughed and hugged them both tightly. “I’m glad to be back. I hope you were a good girl.”

  “Scry was a good girl,” Umbra teased, laughing.

  “Heeey!” Scry protested, wriggling between Kai and Lisa as the group burst into laughter.

  “So, Lisa, who are your friends?” Kai asked, noticing the three spirits behind her. They stood frozen, stunned by the sight of a Primordial spirit treating Kai with such affection. But more than that, it was Kai’s mana; he smelled like a god. None dared to move.

  Lisa finally slid off Kai’s lap, wiping her tears and freeing Scry.

  “These are my spirits: Ruffy, Shelly, and Max,” she said, pointing to each.

  Kai smiled brightly. “Three spirits? I expect a good story later.” He winked at her. “I’m Kai, contracted to Scry,” he added, smiling at the trio.

  The spirits introduced themselves politely, then hid behind Lisa. Kai chuckled at the sight.

  Then he saw Liliya walking slowly toward him. His heart skipped a beat. She looked even more beautiful than he remembered. Warmth bloomed in his chest, and anxiety crept in.

  He stood and met her halfway. Zara and Nerva exchanged knowing smirks. Umbra sighed deeply.

  “Hey,” Kai said softly. “I’m back.”

  Liliya frowned, trying to stay composed. “Took you long enough. Not like I waited for you… I just wanted to see what changes you’d go through, that’s all.”

  Laughter erupted from the table.

  “You know she visited you every day,” Nerva said, grinning. “Spent hours scanning you, trying every healing spell she could think of.”

  “She was worried sick, worse than me,” Umbra added.

  “I think she was touching you, as well,” Zara said, fanning the flames.

  “Heeeey!! Are you all crazy?!” Liliya shouted, her mana flaring as her face turned crimson.

  Kai blushed. “Did you really touch my body?”

  “No! I mean… maybe a little. But only for medical reasons! I was trying to figure out what was happening!” she stammered, flustered.

  “Haha, told you,” Zara laughed.

  “It’s okay,” Kai said with a grin. “I won't sue you for sexual harassment.”

  “What does that mean?” She asked, confused.

  Kai waved it off. “Ah, forget it. Come on, I was just about to show something to Xarion.” He sighed. Nobody gets my jokes in this world…

  “Like a new spell?” she asked, instantly intrigued.

  “You’ll see,” he said with a wink, making her blush again.

  ***

  Kai and Liliya walked together toward the others. He gestured for her to sit, and she did so quietly, her eyes still lingering on him. Only Xarion remained standing, visibly excited.

  Kai took a deep breath and closed his eyes, sending his consciousness into his soul.

  ?Within, his Winged Hydragon stirred for the first time in nearly four months. All three heads yawned, wings unfurling as it rose from the now-expanded green island, ten meters wide and lush with life. His inner world had grown to 150 square meters, beginning to resemble a small realm.

  With a thunderous roar, the Hydragon surged from Kai’s soul and manifested behind him, its three draconic heads roaring in unison.

  ?Its wings spread wide, casting shadows across the hall. The projection was massive, three times Kai’s size, barely fitting within the room.

  Kai smiled, pride swelling in his chest. My soul… It’s truly grown. All my inheritances have merged. It feels whole. It feels mine finally.

  But the others were stunned. Xarion paled and dropped to one knee. Max, the spirit, floated forward and bowed respectfully.

  All draconic beings instinctively bowed before true dragons, and Kai’s soul was now undeniably draconic. Though his body remained somewhat human, his soul had ascended.

  He was now a Half-Dragon.

  “Lord Kai,” Xarion said, voice reverent, “that is the soul of a true dragon… and one I’ve never seen before. Whatever you endured, it changed you on an existential level.”

  Scry and Liliya stepped closer, eyes wide with awe.

  “It’s majestic,” Scry whispered, scribbling furiously into his notepad.

  Liliya reached out, and the Hydragon lowered its silver-crimson head, eyes closed, allowing her mana to gently caress its form.

  Kai shivered. “Hey, I can feel that!” he blushed. “It feels… weird.”

  She chuckled. “Relax. See? You’re a good boy.” She continued stroking the projection with a smile.

  Max floated closer. “Lord Kai, if I may… I’ve never seen a soul or spirit this fascinating. No wonder Sir Scryus accepted you as his master.”

  “I’m not his master,” Kai said, smiling. “We’re family. Right, Scry?”

  “That’s right,” Scry nodded. “And you three are family now, too, since Lisa is part of our pack.”

  The three spirits exchanged glances. They still found this group strange, but the warmth was undeniable. Only Rufus seemed slightly skeptical.

  Kai let his soul spirit return to his inner world and sat at the table.

  “So,” he asked, turning to Nerva, “what are your plans now?”

  “We’re heading to Fallhaven,” Nerva replied. “The kingdom’s unstable. War could break out any day. I’d like you to come with us. Also, the tournament starts in two months. I want to help you prepare.”

  Kai nodded thoughtfully. “I’m not sure about being part of a war, but maybe we can prevent it. As for the tournament, I am still not sure… I won’t say no to training, though.”

  He paused, then added, “I do have a question. It’s about the Trials of Sacra. I’ve reached Master level, but I never took the Knight-level test. Did I miss my chance?”

  Nerva laughed. “Not at all. Any Master Knight can take the trial until they’re twenty. Your strength will be capped at Peak Knight level during the test, though.”

  Kai exhaled in relief. “Good. Then we’ll go to Fallhaven.”

  He turned to Liliya. “Liliya, I need help learning spells. I’m a Magus now, but my repertoire is limited. Could you assist me?”

  She hesitated, then nodded. “Actually… I need to go to the Seven Towers. I was hoping you and Lisa would come with me.”

  Kai sighed. “I need a swordmaster and someone to teach me magic…”

  “We’ll talk more in Fallhaven,” Nerva said. “Rest for now. I’ll see what I can arrange.”

  Kai stood up. “Let’s go visit Harrietta and the others, shall we?”

  “You go,” Xarion said, staying behind with Zara. “We will come later.” He had a lot to think about after what he saw.

  The group left towards Harrietta’s place, Kai finally stepping into the fresh air.?

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