Chapter 9: Rank revelation
The vast sky of Noah's inner realm shimmered with constellations that pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat. The Supremes stood around him, their presences a living storm of light, shadow, fire, and blood.
Orivandus, the Sage, leaned lightly on his staff, eyes glimmering like galaxies. His voice was calm, but carried a weight that silenced even the Demon for once.
"Young man… are you certain you wish to reveal this much of our power?" His tone was gentle but firm. "The moment you do, eyes—greedy and ruthless—will turn upon you. Before you are strong enough to wield us fully, such exposure may spell your doom."
Noah hesitated, fingers curling into fists. The thought of Lila and the Wards flickered in his mind like fragile flames. "Master Orivandus… you're right. I should hide it. But—"
A guttural snarl cut him off.
"What!?" Veytharion, the Dragon Supreme, loomed forward, wings casting vast shadows across Noah's realm. His eyes burned like molten suns. "You carry my memory, my dominion, and yet you would pretend to be weak? Impossible!" His voice cracked the air, making the mountains of Noah's mind quake.
He bared his teeth in a grin sharp as blades. "At least my flames must be shown. If you skulk like prey, the scavengers will tear you apart before you take flight. Displaying strength is not arrogance—it is survival. And… you wish to protect your little girls in the academy, do you not? You'll need my power to keep them safe."
The Sage's laughter chimed like bells across eternity. He tapped his staff against the ground, and the stars rippled. "It seems our draconic friend cannot abide weakness. Hm… do any others object?"
His gaze swept the circle. The Demon sneered but shrugged. The Angel's spear hummed, but he said nothing. The others remained silent, their auras folding back like watching predators.
"Then it is decided," Orivandus said. His words carried finality. "Only the Dragon's might shall be revealed to the outside world. The rest will remain veiled, unseen… but always within your reach, child."
He lifted his staff, and a river of light flowed down into Noah's chest. Noah gasped as the power sank into his flesh, marking him, branding him. The flames of Veytharion's dominion curled around his veins, becoming the mask of his strength.
The Sage's expression darkened suddenly. His staff trembled. "But… there is one thing I cannot prevent."
Noah's breath hitched. "What is it, Sage?"
Orivandus' eyes glimmered with starlight, grave and uncertain. "It is just that—"
---
The vision shattered. The light from the crystal winked out.
Silence.
The courtyard stared at Noah, the miracle gone as if it had never been.
For a heartbeat the courtyard was frozen in silence. Then Noah's body convulsed.
A sharp crack split the air as horns jutted from his skull, curling like obsidian spears. His fingers warped into talons, black scales rippling across his arms. His frame swelled, muscles tearing through fabric as his shirt strained.
Gasps filled the arena.
"He's… changing!"
"Assimilation!"
"Get ready to subdue him!"
Steel rang as the nearby officers unsheathed their weapons, spreading out in a practiced formation. Their eyes were grim, their stances heavy—prepared to cut Noah down before the "transmigrator" could rampage.
At the front, Lila's heart plummeted. Her breath hitched in panic.
"No… assimilation… NO!" she cried, breaking past the railing.
But an instructor's arm caught her mid-step, dragging her back. "Stay away! If he's possessed, he's already gone!"
"Noah!!" she screamed, struggling against the grip.
---
Noah staggered forward, his claws gleaming, height towering above the crowd. His breath came in ragged bursts, a growl tearing from his throat. For an instant, it seemed inevitable—that he would explode into a monster and shred the platform apart.
Then—suddenly—the transformation stopped.
His body shuddered, scales retracting slightly, his form halting before it could fully tear free of his humanity. He raised one trembling arm, gasping between breaths.
"I… am fine…!" His voice cracked but held firm. His chest heaved, power radiating off him in waves that made the runes flicker. "It's just… my power overflowed… hah… hah…"
The officers froze mid-step. Their eyes darted across his form—watching, measuring. The oppressive aura receded slowly. His horns dulled, claws reshaped into fingers, scales vanished. Bit by bit, Noah's body returned to human—though not entirely.
---
When the last shimmer of draconic power faded, Noah stood taller, broader, changed. He was nearly two heads higher than before, his frame solid with corded muscle, his shirt torn at the seams. Where the fabric had split, his physique showed—ripped, sculpted, strength written into every line.
He was already handsome, but now… he was striking.
Lila wrenched free of the instructor and bolted forward. Tears blurred her vision as she threw her arms around him, clutching him as if he might vanish again. Against her cheek, his body radiated heat like smoldering embers.
The courtyard erupted with whispers, jealousy, and awe:
"A… draconian?!"
"And not possessed…?"
"Impossible! Draconians never submit. They're pride incarnate!"
"What rank do you think it is? Epic? Higher?"
"Look at him! Damn… lucky bastard…"
Boys scowled, faces twisting as they watched Lila press close against him. Noah, for his part, only sighed and gently patted her head. His voice was steady, reassuring.
"I'm me, Lila. No one's taken over. I promise."
She tightened her hold, refusing to let go.
---
The murmurs only grew louder, spreading like wildfire until the lead instructor finally stepped forward. His eyes, once suspicious, now gleamed with newfound respect—and something else. A trace of wariness.
Carrying a smaller, faceted crystal, he bowed slightly before extending it toward Noah.
"Senior student Noah Draven…" the man said, his tone more formal than before. "Please place your hand on the ranking crystal. We must determine your rank for official registration."
The courtyard hushed again, every breath held. All eyes fixed on Noah.
Lila finally loosened her grip, though her hand refused to leave him entirely. She slipped to his side, clutching his arm with white-knuckled determination, as if daring anyone to come between them.
Noah exhaled slowly, his chest rising like a man preparing for battle. He placed his free hand upon the crystalline prism. The surface was cool, humming faintly beneath his palm.
What if it shatters? he thought, half-expecting the combined power of the Supremes to rupture the device entirely.
For a heartbeat, nothing.
Then the crystal flared—bright, molten gold.
Gasps tore from the crowd. The light was blinding, radiant, washing over the courtyard like dawn breaking across the sky. But almost as quickly, the brilliance dimmed, bleeding into a deep, pulsing crimson.
The crystal stabilized in that hue. Yellow. Legendary.
---
The silence broke into a flood of voices.
"Wha—yellow!? It's Legendary!"
"No way! A Legendary rank awakener right here!"
"His life's set! With that, he could walk into any academy he wants!"
Others hissed under their breath, jealousy thick as smoke.
"Fuck! I can't watch this anymore—I'm so damn jealous."
"Pfft. I've heard plenty of Legendaries are just studs. Potential means nothing if he can't live up to it."
"Yeah. Bet he'll end up face-down in the mud before long. Mark my words."
Lila shot them a glare sharp enough to cut steel, her hold on Noah's arm tightening protectively.
---
The instructor's hand trembled as he lowered his crystal tablet, eyes darting between the artifact and Noah. His voice cracked before he steadied it.
"Legendary…" he whispered. Then, in a stronger tone, "Congratulations, Noah Draven, on assimilating with a Legendary-ranked counterpart."
But in his mind, a doubt gnawed at him. Golden. I swear, for an instant, it was golden… Godly rank? No… impossible. Surely I imagined it.
He bowed slightly, handing the result tablet to an aide, his demeanor now tinged with respect—and caution.
Noah only gave a curt nod, shoulders squared, face unreadable. Inside, he could feel the hidden flames of Veytharion coiling, laughing at the half-truth of the result.
The instructor stepped back, announcing for the crowd to hear:
"Legendary-rank awakening. Registration complete."
The courtyard erupted once more, cheers, murmurs, curses and praise tangling together like wildfire.
But for Lila, none of that mattered. She pressed against Noah's side, her voice a soft whisper only he could hear:
"I knew it. You'd never let me go."