Crack—
The fissure on the dragon egg spread rapidly, running from the very top all the way down to the base.
At last—under the collective gaze of everyone present—the shell shattered completely!
BOOM!
A deafening explosion echoed through the room as the eggshell burst apart, fragments flying in every direction. A torrent of searing flame erupted violently from within, surging outward like a tidal wave. The scorching heat flooded the entire chamber in an instant.
And yet—astonishingly—this world-ending inferno caused no harm to Kurose Akira and the others.
At the very moment the flames closed in, a thin veil of crimson light blossomed around them, forming an invisible barrier that cleanly isolated them from the raging fire. The red glow was like a guardian deity, calmly warding off the heat and destruction.
Akira stared at the shattered egg, his heart struck with profound shock.
Above the sea of flames, an aura of annihilation condensed, coalescing into the phantom silhouette of a majestic dragon. It threw back its head and roared toward the heavens, as if proclaiming its rebirth to the entire world.
Within the raging inferno, a figure stood tall at the very center of the firestorm—like a blazing phoenix emerging from its shell.
Akira's gaze locked onto that swaying silhouette amid the flames, awe burning deep in his eyes. He had assumed that Marei Rhein would descend into this world in the same form she had taken within the soul space.
But the figure before him far exceeded anything he had imagined.
Because—
Standing within the fire was a少女 with a form unlike any other.
Her entire body was clad in fire-red dragon scales. Each scale fit perfectly along her limbs, torso, tail, and even her head, forming what looked like a fully enclosed suit of armor crafted precisely for her. There was only one gap in that flawless armor—
Her tightly closed eyes.
Suddenly, Marei Rhein's eyes snapped open.
Blazing crimson light burst forth from them like twin raging suns. At the same time, the flames filling the air seemed to be drawn toward her, converging upon her body. Tempered by the inferno, the dragon scales covering her form grew even more radiant and dazzling, an overwhelming sight to behold.
Hoo—
A scorching red aura slowly seeped from the gaps between her scales, sweeping across the entire space.
The scene was like a brand-new half-dragon humanoid warframe powering up its annihilation engine—raw, violent, and visually breathtaking.
"..."
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the少女 born from the dragon egg.
Akira was no exception. His gaze was heavy with both solemnity and curiosity.
He had never anticipated that the Dragon of Destruction would emerge in such a form.
…Wait.
Akira suddenly snapped back to his senses, recalling the White Rose Valkyrie he had encountered before.
That Valkyrie's entire body had been covered in armor woven from petals, with only her face exposed.
Which meant—
Marei Rhein, who possessed the [女武神] trait, had replaced petals with dragon scales?
As he was still mulling over that thought, Marei Rhein's body finally moved.
She slowly raised her hands. The dragon claws encased in scales radiated terrifying power—claws that looked capable of tearing apart anything in existence.
"So this is… my rebirth?"
Marei Rhein stared blankly at her own body. Since she was completely covered in armor, no one else could see her expression.
But Akira could clearly feel the excitement and exhilaration surging within her at this moment of rebirth.
As for why he could feel it?
Because the thunderous beating of a dragon's heart—like the roar of a massive engine—was echoing directly in his ears.
He could hear it.
"Hey! Human!"
Marei Rhein turned toward Akira. The dragon scales on her face gradually parted, revealing a familiar countenance beneath.
With obvious satisfaction, she declared,"I am very pleased with how you shaped my new body."
Akira paid little attention to her praise. Instead, he studied her intently with deep, focused eyes.
Judging by the appearance beneath the armor, Marei Rhein looked identical to the form she had manifested in the soul space—
Still youthful-faced and… generously endowed.
"My child~"
Nata's joy overflowed like a bursting spring. Unable to restrain her emotions any longer, she hurried forward.
As a soul-form entity, Nata was unaffected by Marei Rhein's armor. She gently and lovingly pulled her into an embrace, holding her just as a mother would her daughter, softly stroking her.
Akira watched from the side, astonishment filling his heart.
Based on his understanding of Marei Rhein, this was absolutely not someone who would easily allow intimacy—let alone accept such a close embrace.
Had something happened while he was away?
Still, although Marei Rhein allowed Nata to hold her, she didn't look particularly happy. It was as if she were only tolerating it due to some agreement.
But the warmth of the moment didn't last long.
Marei Rhein raised her hand and snapped her fingers.
Snap!
In an instant, the world before Akira's eyes was completely overturned.
When he came back to himself, he found that he was standing within a mysterious space.
Above him stretched a deep azure sky. Beneath his feet lay a mirror-like surface of water reflecting the heavens. Sky and ground blended together in a breathtaking panorama.
Then—without warning—the tranquility shattered.
The sky was suddenly stained crimson, as if the flames of war had ignited across it.
In the next moment, Marei Rhein descended before Akira.
She snapped her fingers again. The sharp sound echoed through heaven and earth, and a throne forged entirely of blazing flames materialized out of thin air.
Marei Rhein sat down upon the fiery throne with brazen arrogance. One hand propped her cheek, one leg crossed over the other, her smile bright and domineering.
"Human, you've done well," she said with a grin."Though my strength has yet to fully recover, I can already feel the potential contained within this body. It surpasses even the body I once possessed."
As she spoke, scarlet flames burst forth from her left palm. The fire was small in scale, yet the destructive power coiled within it was enough to inspire dread.
Akira stared at the flames without blinking, his expression growing increasingly grave.
He knew this wasn't ordinary fire.
There was the power of laws embedded within it.
Which meant that even Loserine's elemental immunity might not be able to withstand such flames.
"Since you've already fulfilled what you promised," Akira said calmly, "what about what you promised me?"
"I am a dragon who embodies destruction," Marei Rhein scoffed as she crushed the flame into nothingness."How could I ever go back on my word? As for the Crimson Dragon's treasure, I—"
"Wait."
Akira cut her off sharply, his expression serious."That's not what you promised me."
"Damn it!" Marei Rhein muttered under her breath, a flash of anger crossing her eyes."You're just as irritating as that mother dragon! Fine!! Anyway, with your insignificant lifespan, you won't even last a hundred years!"
Her words piqued Akira's curiosity.
The "mother dragon" she referred to had to be Nata—but what kind of agreement had they made?
"Listen carefully, human," Marei Rhein said solemnly."I can cooperate with you. But there are things I absolutely will not do."
"For example?"
"Anything I don't want to do."
"..."
Akira frowned deeply. He had no intention of accepting such an abstract, pseudo-artistic answer.
"You're dreaming if you think it'll be that easy, Miss Rhein," Akira said with a light, breezy smile."But right now—"
"I'm going to ride a dragon."
Before his words had even fully fallen, Marei Rhein felt her soul slipping out of her control. Her body began transforming against her will.
"Damn it! What's happening?!"
She struggled fiercely, but the effect of [勾魂] had already taken hold. Her resistance was pitifully weak.
At the same time, the existence of the [龙骑士] trait made escape impossible. From the moment she agreed to Akira's conditions, there had been no turning back.
Bathed in blinding red light, Marei Rhein's form instantly shifted from a half-dragon humanoid into her true dragon shape.
In the next heartbeat—
A colossal red dragon, over a hundred meters long, appeared before Akira.
Perhaps because her rebirth had reduced her level back to 1, her body was far smaller than before.
But a hundred meters was more than enough for Akira to ride.
In her dragon form, Marei Rhein was still completely covered in crimson scales, like living armor encasing her massive body. Even her wings were wrapped in thick scales, radiating an unmatched, awe-inspiring presence that made Akira's heart stir.
"Why…? Why is this happening?!"
Marei Rhein couldn't understand it.
As a dragon who stood above all beings, how could she be controlled by a mere insignificant trash-tier human?!
As Akira approached step by step, her fear only grew.
She roared with all her strength,"You—don't come any closer!"
She could sense something was terribly wrong with her current state. If this human climbed onto her back, the consequences would be unimaginable.
She might truly become his—
"If you dare touch me, I swear I will—!"
"Mm~"
Before she could finish, Akira lightly landed on her back.
The instant he mounted the dragon, he felt his feet adhere firmly to the crimson scales, allowing him to maintain perfect balance with ease. At the same time, a powerful current of strength flowed from Marei Rhein's body into his own.
"You—!! @#￥％!"
Marei Rhein's furious roar shook the entire space, but Akira couldn't understand dragon tongue. All he knew was that—
It was time to fly.
"Take off."
The command was absolute.
No matter how unwilling she was, Marei Rhein had no choice but to obey.
"Just you wait!"
She shot Akira a venomous glare, then spread her massive wings. Like jet engines, they shimmered with an otherworldly glow under the light. As power surged through them, the wings began to beat, releasing tremendous thrust.
A violent gale erupted, the air itself trembling.
In the next instant, the enormous dragon body shot skyward, flames roiling violently around them.
Akira's lips curled upward.
Joy flooded his heart.
He had finally ridden a dragon.
"Full speed ahead!"
At his command, Marei Rhein's massive form streaked forward like a meteor, blasting toward the direction he indicated.
Akira soared through the vast, boundless sky atop Marei Rhein. Their figures cut across the heavens, leaving behind a brilliant crimson trail. Sonic booms detonated around them, igniting seas of flame accompanied by thunderous explosions.
The exhilaration of the flight made Akira's blood surge. The wind roared past his ears as he reveled in the freedom and thrill of tearing through the sky.
Marei Rhein, however, was seething.
She twisted her head sharply, her crimson eyes blazing as they locked onto Akira, fury written unmistakably in her gaze—as if she wanted to devour him whole.
"Watch where you're flying," Akira reminded her kindly.
"Hmph!"
She snorted disdainfully, exhaling scorching breath, her resentment toward the human on her back unmistakable.
Her heart burned with rage—but there was nothing she could do.
Damnable human!You dare treat me as a mount—this debt, I will repay tenfold someday!
Just as Marei Rhein simmered in fury, a devilish whisper sounded beside her ear:
"So… when are we going to look for the Crimson Dragon's treasure?"
"!?"