READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 7
Whomp! Crack!
Bones are twisting and reassembling like it’s a never-ending carousel. Muscles are tearing and healing again.
Viscera wriggle into new positions within the body. The heart starts evolving into something completely different. New organs that didn’t exist before are popping up.
With a sensation that feels like the head is about to explode, something entirely new begins to be seen and felt. The brain is endlessly evolving with functions that couldn’t even be considered human.
The sludge and impurities piled in the body are being wiped away, and pure crimson mana swirls through the insides.
Moreover, the body starts to merge with the mana, beginning to transcend the limits of mortality. Mana becomes part of the being like a living creature of pure energy.
As a living being, the ‘tier’ has changed.
The soul, too, grows rapidly to fit its new vessel. Thanks to the bond with Tiamat, it possesses the potential to surpass the realm of mortals.
On top of that, due to the arduous task of inscribing magic circles on the gigantic skeleton and Tiamat awakening the mind through the soul, the growth of his soul is extraordinarily swift.
His soul begins to enlighten. A nonexistent ‘third eye’ awakens.
Yujin, who is experiencing all these changes at once…
Whomp!
“Ugh…! Hah… Hah…”
The pain of evolution and growth of the soul made it hard for him to even hold himself upright. Amazingly, thanks to the soul’s growth, he is fully savoring all the pain with a clear mind.
Added to that, everything is so vivid due to the entirely altered sensations. The pain keeps getting amplified.
Though the growing soul easily endures this pain, his physical body, undergoing evolution, is in no condition to utter a word.
“Are you okay?”
Tiamat asks, observing Yujin. He opens his mouth.
Whomp!
“Ugh!”
‘Haha… It’s more bearable than I thought. Maybe it’s because I’ve been through burning and regenerating before?’
Regardless of what he wanted to say, a groan came out instead. The body was reassembling, making it hard to speak properly.
“Is that so? You’re holding up better than expected.”
But perhaps it’s because their souls are connected? Yujin’s words, held within him, reached Tiamat.
And indeed, as she said, the growing soul was enduring the agony of evolution with ease. Though his reassembling body was so distorted he couldn’t even speak a single word.
‘Haha, this is a bit scary. I feel like I’ll end up looking like a monster when this is all over.’
Feeling that thought, Yujin relayed it to Tiamat. He’d somewhat grasped how to use the soul connection.
“It’s fine. That won’t happen. Just look at me; that’s not the case, right?”
‘Is that so?’
“Yep. Well… maybe two months ago? I mentioned back then that this form was my polymorphed state.”
‘Yeah, you did.’
“Do you remember what you said when you saw my human polymorphed form?”
‘I said you were very beautiful. That thought still stands.’
“Right. Just like me, you’ll end up possessing an appearance that’s superior to human standards. Well, it may not have much meaning from a dragon’s perspective… but maybe it’s different for you, who used to be human?”
‘Well, as long as I can make a living off my looks, I guess it wouldn’t be too bad. I’m just curious, though… Is there a set standard for how dragons look when they polymorph into humans?’
Yujin wondered that again. Would all dragons take on an appearance deemed superior by human standards if that was the case?
“Not particularly. If they want to, they can change into whatever form they desire. However… well, there is a sort of ‘default’ for polymorphing. When a dragon turns into a human, they generally take on the appearance they find most ideal for a human. They can modify from there, but most dragons don’t bother. They usually polymorph for fun anyway.”
‘Ah, I see. Do dragons have a sense of aesthetics similar to humans?’
“It’s more that their standards of beauty are somewhat similar. Didn’t I mention this before? Humans are not dogs or cats, but just like they can appreciate the cuteness of dogs or cats, we do the same.”
‘Got it.’
Thus, Yujin continued conversing with Tiamat, enduring the pains of evolution.
Time passed.
Shwooooosh…
The evolution of the body concluded. Crimson mana erupted from Yujin like steam.
“…Phew.”
Yujin let out a sigh and pulled himself up. He looked around.
“…Oh.”
And he beheld a new world.
Would this be the feeling if someone born blind suddenly gained sight? If a completely new sensory organ had sprouted, would it feel like this?
It was still the same gigantic joint space as before, but he was absorbing information here at a far more immense magnitude.
It was as if a ‘me’ existed everywhere, receiving information even from spaces where he thought he didn’t exist.
A torrent of information impossible for a mere human to handle. A storm of data that he couldn’t even categorize, let alone comprehend.
In an instant, he saw the world in seven colors, felt sounds, touched colors, and even smelled visions.
Simultaneously, he could see the disturbances in space caused by his own movements and momentarily grasp the flow of time.
Moreover…
‘These energies are…’
Mana, aura, divine power, magic…
He could see, touch, hear, and smell the four great powers.
Feeling the energies filling the surroundings, he realized that he could handle the storm of information with ease, processing it all.
He had momentarily forgotten about the usual information processing capabilities of a mortal. It was quite understandable.
Even while living in this world, his brain naturally processed the information. Yujin now felt confident that he could understand and manage all the magic circles Tiamat had previously conveyed to him.
Being endowed with such abilities made him think he could swiftly assimilate all that information. If he had possessed such capabilities in the past, that would have indeed been the case. Now, he might even be able to wrap up tasks that previously took him a month in mere seconds.
“…Remarkable.”
He felt he had transformed from an ant into a truly great being. He could grasp what was unfathomable to humans, perceiving the world with senses beyond compare.
At the same time, he felt the tremendous powers filling his body. No longer the shabby mana of Yujin; it was Tiamat’s power, the leader of dragons, coursing through him.
He bent slightly, grabbing a rock that had crumbled from the surroundings.
If this were before swallowing the heart, it would have turned to dust the moment he lifted it. But now, he could hold it in its entirety.
It might appear as if his strength had diminished at first glance… but that was far from the truth.
Crack! Crunch…
When Yujin exerted even a little strength, the stone disintegrated instantly.
In fact, he had grown stronger than before. It was just that he had gained the ability to control his strength.
He could exert strength like an ordinary human or summon the power to shift mountains. He could carry out both actions naturally.
He was wholly in control of his body.
He placed a hand over his heart. Currently, instead of its flesh, there lay a jewel-like heart of sorts.
The dragon’s core.
It continuously generated immense mana, circulating through his body.
He raised his mana, spreading his hand.
Mana, like it had been pulled from his heart, swirled in his grasp. As he waved his hand…
Boom!
A burst of crimson mana exploded, shattering a corner of the wall. He momentarily stared at it before tightening his fist.
‘This is a sensation akin to being on drugs.’
It made him feel as if he were a deity, a sensation similar to when he first moved Tiamat’s power.
This powerful mana was now his own. With that thought, he felt himself nearly intoxicated with strength.
‘Should I cool my head a bit?’
But Yujin collected himself. There was no good in getting lost in such sensations.
He must not forget. His essence was that of an endlessly weak human. If he forgot that, he would merely devolve into a beast intoxicated by power, not a great being.
He wasn’t extraordinary.
He was a being living in the world just like everyone else, laden with worries and pain.
As he calmed his mind, tranquility enveloped him. He smiled and turned to Tiamat.
Tiamat was also smiling, looking at him with warmth.
“How does it feel to be a dragon?”
“Haha, it feels like I’m going to get drunk on power. I never cared about this before, but so this is what it feels like to become a great being.”
“Is that so? You seem to be managing yourself quite well for someone feeling such things.”
“…Haha, you caught me.”
At that, Yujin bashfully scratched his head.
Looking at him as if he were a proud son, Tiamat understood every thought Yujin had.
It was true he had felt immersed in power, but he quickly restrained himself and regained his composure. He had never sought arrogance, acknowledging his shortcomings and weaknesses.
In fact, Tiamat had been a bit worried. Most young dragons… that is, hatchlings, share one main issue: they easily become drunk on their power, acting like tyrants.
To younglings, the world revolves around them. What would happen if those destined to be great beings inherited such tremendous power?
They’d quickly become arrogant, wielding their power like a tyrant and inevitably making irrevocable mistakes.
But Yujin was different. Despite being a hatchling, perhaps due to living most of his life as a human, he quickly found himself again.
‘No, could it be that Yujin is just that kind of person?’
Mortals often become conceited upon gaining power. It seemed that Yujin was different, free of greed and capable of self-restraint.
With one worry gone, Tiamat relaxed.
Though Yujin was the first mortal to arrive here, he was also the very figure she had longed for.
Perhaps, this was destiny. No, it had to be. The first mortal to arrive here being Yujin, who formed a pact with her, was a testament to fate’s guidance.
Tiamat gazed gently at Yujin.
He looked a bit different compared to before he became a dragon.
Though he had already been flawless in appearance, blemishes had disappeared, and his skin was now immaculate. His features too, took on an even more ideal form for a human.
His appearance had undoubtedly improved significantly.
Moreover, his hair had deepened in color, now resembling black ink, and his blue eyes had completely transformed into the same red as Tiamat’s.
His blood-red pupils met Tiamat’s gaze. Yujin then asked.
“Um, have I changed a bit?”
“You look cuter now. The eye color… it was nice when it was blue, but I really like you in red, just like mine.”
“Is that so?”
Yujin also sensed the extent of his transformation with his newly sharpened senses. He just wanted to hear Tiamat’s thoughts on it.
As he surveyed his changes for a moment, Tiamat spoke up.
“Well then, let’s start preparing to head out.”