Keal ran frantically towards the village, his breath coming in ragged gasps, his heart pounding wildly in his chest, threatening to tear it open. The scene before him was a nightmare—the entire village engulfed in blood and fire, houses burning, desperate screams swallowed by explosions and the whistling energy. He saw familiar villagers, people he greeted every morning, now being dragged like animals onto the glowing blue ship. And then… he saw his brother.
Sann stood there—no, knelt—in the middle of the square, covered in blood, his lion's fur stained red and scorched. He struggled to stand, his eyes hazy but still wide open. Keal screamed, about to rush forward. But his brother had seen him. In an instant—their eyes met.
No words. No calls. Just a gaze… choked with emotion. A faint nod from Sann—as if to say: "Don't come here." And then—
A blue light exploded.
The energy stream from the scepter pierced straight through Sann, engulfing his entire body in a light that seemed to burn him from within. Not a sound. Not a breath. He exploded into hundreds of pieces of flesh and blood.
A large chunk of flesh flew straight towards Keal, hitting his leg. The hot blood was still steaming, staining his pant leg and the ground red. Keal stood there, frozen, his eyes wide, his legs trembling uncontrollably.
Lyra, catching up from behind, collapsed at the sight. She hugged Keal from behind, burying her face in his back, sobbing uncontrollably.
"No… no… it can't be…"
Her cries choked in her throat, her trembling hands clutching him tightly.
Keal didn't turn around. Didn't say a word.
He just stared straight at the spot where his brother had vanished.
There was nothing left.
Only a seething pool of blood… and a rage about to erupt.
Keal stood stiff in the blood-stained square. His hands clenched so tightly that his fingernails dug deep into his palms, tearing the skin. His brother's flesh lay by his foot, still steaming. A drop of blood from it fell to the ground, mixing with the red that already dyed his eyes.
Then everything… burst forth.
In Keal's mind, hundreds of images flooded in at once.
His brother taking him fishing when he was little, his broad shoulders carrying him home every time he got stung by bees.
The first time Keal fought in the forest, Sann knocked him on the head and scolded, "If you die, who's going to carry this village?"
The warm gaze every time Keal asked, "Brother, have you eaten?"
The gentle smile.
The heavy pat on the shoulder.
The familiar phrase: "Don't worry, as long as I'm alive, they won't touch you."
And now… he had exploded before his eyes.
"Ugh…"
Keal bent over. His entire body trembled. His shoulders shook violently.
Lyra hugged him from behind, crying:
"Keal, don't… don't do anything foolish… they're too strong, even Brother Sann couldn't…"
"Let go…" – His voice was hoarse.
"No! You're no match for them! Please, Keal… please!"
Keal pushed her away roughly. Without turning. Without hesitation.
His eyes were bloodshot, his jaw clenched tight.
Each step he took left a bloody footprint from his tightly clenched hands.
His chest heaved. His muscles tensed. An invisible aura began to vibrate around him.
The wielder of the scepter turned to face him. For the first time, he stopped. A soldier beside him tilted his head, then mumbled through his comm:
"New bio-signature detected with anomalous energy. Warning: mental fluctuation beyond stable threshold."
"Prepare to sweep potential target."
"Engage remotely. Prioritize capture alive."
Three soldiers advanced towards Keal. Weapons charging energy. Blue beams already gathered in their palms. They didn't attack immediately—they wanted to capture him alive.
Keal didn't care.
His eyes remained fixed on the spot where Sann had disintegrated.
Each step, each breath, was like a countdown to an uncontrollable rage.
Keal stood amidst the still-smoking ashes. Lyra rushed to him, clinging tightly to his arm, tears streaming down her face.
"Keal… don't… I beg you…"
He didn't turn around. His hand clenched tightly, then—he pushed Lyra away forcefully.
"Keal!!!"
Her voice echoed in the empty space, but he no longer heard it. Everything around him blurred, only the sound from his memory echoing like a distant whisper…
"Your power… is a hundred thousand times stronger than mine, brother. Don't use it carelessly."
"Huh? I'm stronger than you, brother. I can even turn into a Lion. So cool!"
Thwack! – Sann tapped his head, his face serious.
"Fool… if you use it then… nothing will be able to stop you… not even…"
He paused. His gaze shifted for a moment.
"…not even… our parents…"
"Huh? Our parents, brother?"
Sann smiled, his eyes slightly evasive.
"It's nothing. Just remember… you're a thousand times stronger than me, you fool."
That sound… that phrase… appeared as clear as if it were yesterday.
Keal bowed his head. His shoulders trembled.
He had tried to live like a normal person. He had tried not to touch it.
Because of his brother's words. Because of his vow.
But now… his brother was gone.
Keal stood silently in the blood-soaked square. No more crying. No more footsteps. Only his own breathing—and the rage seething beneath his skin.
Lyra ran to him, trying to hug him again.
"Don't… don't do it… I beg you…"
Keal didn't look at her. His eyes remained fixed on the scepter-wielding leader who advanced step by step, confident and cold, as if he were taking a leisurely stroll.
He spoke softly, his voice low and hoarse, almost a whisper:
"Lyra… run ahead."
"But—"
"I can't do otherwise."
Lyra froze. Looking at Keal's face, she suddenly understood… this time, he was no longer the Keal she knew.
Keal turned his head. For a fleeting moment, his eyes swept over Lyra one last time.
And then… his pupils slowly transformed.
The irises contracted, elongating like the eyes of ancient reptiles. Orange-red eyeballs glowed from deep within their sockets. Faint golden patterns began to appear around the irises—the eyes of a Dragon.
"BZZZZT—WARNING. S-CLASS ANOMALY DETECTED."
"DANGER LEVEL: SUPER HIGH."
"RARITY: SPECIAL CLASS. CLASSIFICATION: UNDETERMINED."
"PRIORITY: CAPTURE. DO NOT ELIMINATE."
Three soldiers simultaneously raised their energy weapons, their muzzles glowing brilliant blue. But—
The leader raised his hand, signaling. All of them stopped.
"Retreat."
He stepped forward. Not hurried. Not trembling. Each step he took seemed to press down on the very ground.
The scepter in his hand twirled gently, like a sword dancer. The scepter's tip glowed faintly. A purple-blue band of light wrapped around it like a living snake.
He… wanted to face him personally.
The stage was set. Darkness gathered to one side. Blood, smoke, and cold moonlight fell upon the two opposing figures. A humanoid monster stepped down from the spaceship—and a Dragon… was slowly awakening.
Keal stood opposite the leader, his dragon eyes blazing, reflecting the ship hovering in the sky. Wind swirled gently around him. Then he knelt, his hands on the blood-soaked ground, his shoes digging furrows. His whole body trembled slightly, enduring an invisible pressure or an internal struggle. The space around him sagged.
One beat. Two beats. Three heartbeats, heavy as sledgehammers. "CRACK…" Bones groaned, Keal's flesh contracted, his body transformed.
His hands transformed first—joints fractured and re-formed, longer and larger. Fingernails grew long, pitch black, sharp as sickles. Veins like lightning bolts appeared along his arms, radiating a faint golden light. His skin cracked open at his shoulders, back, and chest—revealing gleaming dragon scales beneath, reflecting the moonlight like living metal.
His back and chest swelled, muscles stretching, doubling in size. The dragon scales continued to grow thick, covering his entire body like a perfect armor. "CRACK—CRACK—CRACK—!!" Two black, violet-tinged horns gradually grew from his temples, curving backward like scythes, growing larger with each breath. Blood vessels pulsed across his neck. His teeth lengthened, sharpening. His brow jutted out, his eyes now burning orange-red, no longer a trace of humanity.
Keal's height soared—1.9m… 2.3m… then 3m. He was no longer Keal—but an ancient Dragon-Human. No wings. No tail. Only dragon scales, immense pressure, and overwhelming killing intent.
And at that very moment—A silent tear fell from the corner of his left eye. No one saw it but Keal himself. The last tear… of a human. It fell into the pool of blood beneath his feet. Dissolved into the earth. There was no turning back.