Being a Dragon

Boris rubbed his eyes, ensuring he wasn't imagining things. But no—what he was seeing was real. Ashan's aura had changed. It wasn't just stronger—it had expanded significantly. Leone noticed it too. He was puzzled.

"Am I imagining things? His aura seems to have expanded more than before."

"No, son. It's not your imagination. His aura field has definitely grown."

Leone turned to Boris, eyes wide with disbelief.

"Is that even possible? I know that constant sword training strengthens one's aura, but for it to grow this much in mere minutes? That should take months, if not years."

Boris frowned, his expression serious.

"I agree. I've never seen or even heard of anything like this before." He turned toward Leone. "Where's that aura measuring stone you mentioned?"

"I have it inside. We need to go back to the house to get it."

"Then let's go."

Boris turned to Ashan.

"Son, put your shirt back on. We're done for now. I need to check something."

Ashan dressed, suppressing a smirk.

It worked. I expanded my limiter slightly, stabilizing my aura. Now, they're confused. The only explanation they can come up with is that my aura grew due to the sword dance. Still, this is a bit risky. If they investigate too much, they might figure something out.

The three of them walked back to the mansion. Ashan and Boris remained outside while Leone went inside to retrieve the aura measuring stone. A few minutes later, he returned with a square crystal, slightly yellow yet transparent.

Boris handed it to Ashan.

"Son, inject your aura into the stone, but don't hold back—give it everything you've got."

Ashan placed both hands on the crystal and channeled his aura. The crystal's color deepened to dark yellow, but what caught everyone's attention were the small, faint red spots appearing in different areas.

"Those red spots?" Leone raised an eyebrow.

"Hahaha!" Boris suddenly laughed, slapping Leone's shoulder.

"Your son has taken his first step into the high sword master level! He's a little beast."

Leone's face shone with pride as he looked at Ashan.

"Your hard work is paying off, son. You're officially in the first stage of the high sword master level. Keep going."

Ashan nodded. "I will, Father. I'll train even harder."

Boris was pleased but also suspicious.

The sword dance must have triggered his advancement. This is new, but something isn't right. When someone reaches this stage, their physical strength improves, and their sword slashes become more powerful. However, Ashan's final attack wasn't just powerful—it was far beyond this level. Even if he had put all his strength into it, he didn't seem to be exerting himself fully. Could he be hiding something? No… that's impossible. He's still a child. There's no way he knows how to suppress his power. But I need to watch him carefully.

Boris snapped out of his thoughts.

"Son, starting tomorrow, I'll personally train you. There are four more stages before you fully reach the high sword master level. Each stage is harder than the last. You'll have to push yourself."

"Alright, Grandfather. I'd be honored."

Boris then noticed the sword Ashan was holding.

"Oh? A phoenix sword? Where did you get this?"

Ashan looked at the blade.

"The First Lord gifted it to me years ago when we first met."

Boris took the sword from Ashan and unsheathed it, running his fingers along the polished black blade.

Mithrillium. The rarest and strongest metal in the world. It enhances aura flow. Now it makes sense. Ashan used this during his sword dance. That must be why his final slash was so powerful. But where did the First Lord even find this? The Diamond Breaker only released a few of these in the past.

Boris turned to Leone, handing the sword back to Ashan.

"Son, do you know how the First Lord got his hands on this? I can't imagine how."

"I'll explain everything inside, Father."

Leone then looked at Ashan.

"You can go now, son. Do as you please."

Ashan nodded and walked toward the giant oak tree. Once there, he glanced back, ensuring no one was watching. Closing his eyes, he activated his echolocation ability, sensing vibrations in the ground. No one was nearby.

No one is nearby. Let's release the dragon core's powers

Releasing the dragon core energy he had been suppressing, Ashan felt his breath deepen, his voice mixing with a beastly growl. His eyes turned crimson, pupils narrowing into glowing yellow slits. His long black hair shifted as if alive. His body grew taller, nails elongated, and dark scales spread from his legs to his neck. His teeth sharpened, and his ears took on a pointed, more predatory shape.

Looking down at his transformed body, Ashan sighed.

This is the worst possible outcome after absorbing a dragon core—taking on a humanoid dragon form. Some remain permanently trapped in this state. Even I couldn't prevent the transformation entirely, but at least I can revert to normal. Now, let's see what I've gained.

Ashan focused on his senses.

My eyesight has changed. Color perception is slightly lower, but I can detect heat signatures. My hearing has increased significantly—I can now hear over long distances. My mouth feels different… Venom? It seems I can produce a paralyzing toxin. My body feels lighter, and my physical strength is overwhelming.

He flexed his arms and then took off running.

Black dragons are naturally fast. Let's see how fast I am now.

BOOM!

Ashan accelerated, shattering the wind barrier with his speed. His shirt and trousers tore almost apart from the force. He was now running faster than Noah at full sprint.

Let's test my jump.

Approaching the pond at high speed, he leaped. As he ascended, the pond grew smaller beneath him. A gust of wind nearly threw him off course, but he instinctively adjusted.

So black dragons have a natural ability to manipulate air, though not enough to fly. But in my case…

He altered his trajectory, landing effortlessly on a tall tree. As he grabbed a branch, small blue flames flickered over his body.

"Tch… This is annoying. My body keeps releasing flames. Let's remove it."

The flames vanished. From his high vantage point, Ashan surveyed the landscape, spotting a figure running in the distance.

It's Noah. He's at his best when running freely without carrying me. It's a good thing he didn't see me. If he knew how fast I really am, he might feel discouraged.

Jumping down, he focused his power again. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled. Dark blue flames erupted from his mouth, engulfing the area.

I see. In this form, I can use fire at will. My own flames don't harm me, and I barely use any mana. Impressive.

Spreading his fingers, Ashan absorbed the flames back into his body.

A cool evening breeze rustled through the trees, bringing with it the scent of fresh grass and distant water. He looked toward the horizon, where the sun was beginning to set, casting golden hues across the sky.

It's almost evening. That's enough for today. Time to head home.

Ashan relaxed his body, allowing his dragon form to fade away. His scales receded, his elongated nails shrank, and his glowing eyes returned to normal. A thin trail of smoke rose from his skin as the residual energy dissipated. Looking down, he saw the tattered remains of his clothes—burned and shredded by the sheer force of his speed and the blue flames.

I can't go back like this.

With a calm breath, Ashan raised two fingers and pointed at his clothes.

[Restoration.]

In an instant, the fabric reassembled, threads weaving together as if time had reversed. His clothes looked as pristine as before, without a single tear or scorch mark. Ashan smirked.

Even weak magic has its uses.

He stretched his arms, rolling his shoulders to rid himself of the last traces of tension. Then, he glanced at his hands, flexing his fingers. His nails had returned to their normal length, but the sensation of overwhelming power still lingered in his veins.

I need to get used to this transformation. Right now, I can control it, but if I push myself too far… who knows?

As he turned toward the mansion, his sharp ears caught the faint sound of footsteps. Someone was approaching—fast.

He remained still, allowing the last remnants of his dragon aura to fade completely. His human presence returned to normal.

A figure emerged from the forest path. It was Noah.

Ashan smiled.

Perfect timing.

To be continued…