Chapter 8: VALKORIX, THE FLAME DRAGON

"P-please don't kill me!" Justin stammered, bowing his head low to the ground, hoping the terrifying dragon wouldn't take his second life away. Every instinct in his body screamed at him to flee, but he knew that facing this monstrous dragon, there was nowhere to run. 

The silence that followed his plea was suffocating, as if the very air in the dungeon had been drained.

Then, the dragon laughed.

Ha ha ha ha ha!

The sound was bone-chilling, a deep, booming roar that shook the very foundation of the dungeon. Dust and loose stones fell from the ceiling as if even the dungeon itself trembled in fear of the great beast.

"Do not worry, child," the dragon said, his voice deep and rumbling like distant thunder. "I will do you no harm. Ha ha ha ha!" He laughed again, but this time there was a strange warmth to it, though it still carried a primal edge of something ancient and incredibly dangerous.

Justin's breath hitched, his chest tightening as he stared in disbelief. Dragons didn't exist in his world—hell, no one had ever seen one. They were nothing more than myths, confined to books and flashy Hollywood effects. But standing before one now, he realized how laughable those depictions were. This was no mere fantasy. This was something far more terrifying. 

Its presence alone sent a primal fear crawling up his spine. And its voice—too enormous, too ancient, too otherworldly to be believed. 

Justin dared a glance up. "R-really? You won't kill me?" Justin asked, still bowing, his body shaking uncontrollably. His legs felt like they would give way any moment.

"I give you my word," the dragon said, his overwhelming energy suddenly withdrawing like a receding tide. "Now, raise your head."

Justin hesitated but then slowly lifted his gaze, his knees still shaky. Standing before this colossal creature, he felt like an insect—small and insignificant beneath the dragon's towering form.

"I-I'm sorry for intruding in your domain," Justin stammered, backing up slightly. "I'll just... leave now." He slowly turned, edging toward the door, hoping to slip away unnoticed.

"Wait!" The dragon's roar shook the dungeon once again, freezing Justin in place. His breath caught in his throat as he slowly turned back, heart pounding.

"I was only teasing you earlier," the dragon said, a glint of amusement in his fiery eyes. "I was the one who summoned you here."

Justin blinked, his mind reeling. "Y-you summoned me?"

The dragon's towering form shifted slightly, the scales on his massive body glinting in the dim light. 

"Indeed. You see, I need your help."

"Help? You… need my help?" Justin's voice cracked as he forced a weak smile, struggling to keep his composure. What could a mighty dragon possibly want from a mere human?

"Yes," the dragon said, lowering his head slightly as his fiery gaze bore into Justin. "I fought with my niece, Shaltear, long ago. She sealed me here using her ultimate skill, Limitless Imprisonment."

"Limitless Imprisonment?" Justin repeated, frowning.

The dragon's massive chest rumbled as he sighed. "Yes. It's a powerful spell that binds both your movements and your magic until the caster releases it. I've been trapped in this forsaken dungeon for five hundred years."

Justin's eyes widened. 'Five hundred years… in a place like this?' The thought of such loneliness sent a chill through him. "That's... that's a long time," he muttered, scratching his head awkwardly.

 "But I'm not sure I'm powerful enough to undo a spell like that."

He winced, trying to keep the nervous smile on his face. "I mean… it's only today that I started using Mana and Aura."

Suddenly, the dragon's fiery eyes widened, his massive body tensing. His reaction was immediate and terrifying.

"Mana… and Aura?" the dragon's voice trembled, disbelief flickering in his gaze. For a moment, his calm demeanor shattered, replaced by pure shock.

'Oh no,' Justin thought, fear creeping up his spine. 'Did I just make him mad? Is this it? Is he going to kill me now?!'

"Impossible!" the dragon roared, his voice shaking the ground beneath Justin's feet. "It is utterly impossible for a human to wield both mana and aura!"

"What are you?!" the dragon demanded, his voice thunderous. The surge of energy was suffocating, pressing down on Justin like a heavy weight. His knees nearly buckled under the pressure.

"I-I'm a hu…" Justin started, but his voice trailed off as a thought crossed his mind. 'Wait... come to think of it, my stats didn't show my race back then.'

His mind raced as he recalled the stats window from earlier.

[Name: Unknown]

[Race: ...]

[Mana Energy: 100]

[Aura Energy: 10]

[Talent: Vulture]

[Ultimate Skill 1: Great Sage]

[Ultimate Skill 2: Locked ????]

[Ultimate Skill 3: Locked ????]

'I don't have a race,' he realized, his heart pounding in his chest. 'What the hell am I?'

The dragon's keen eyes were locked on him, as though searching for answers in Justin's very soul.

 "Strange..." The dragon muttered, though some of the tension in his massive body began to ebb. Slowly, the storm of energy swirling around him began to settle once more.

Justin let out a shaky breath of relief. 'Thank god... for a second, I thought I was a goner.'

The dragon's eyes remained sharp, studying him with newfound interest. 

"If you truly possess both Mana and Aura," the dragon rumbled, "then that means only one thing... You are no mere human."

"What are you saying?" Justin asked, his voice cautious.

"You are... a monster," the dragon declared, a mixture of wonder and certainty in his voice. "A creature unlike any other."

Justin's heart raced. 'A monster? What did that even mean?' But before he could ask, the dragon's posture shifted, the ominous aura fading as he chuckled.

"Well," the dragon said, his tone now lighter, "it doesn't matter. Since we're friends now, let me introduce myself properly."

'Friends?' Justin blinked. When did they become friends? Still, he supposed it was better than becoming the dragon's dinner. A cautious smirk crept across his lips. 'Better a friend than an evening snack, I guess.'

The dragon raised his head high, his massive form casting an imposing shadow. 

"I am one of the Four True Dragons. I am VALKORIX, the Flame Dragon. But humans know me by another name..." his voice darkened slightly,

 "The Lord of Destruction!"

A shiver ran down Justin's spine. Befriending someone called the Lord of Destruction—was that really a good thing? 

"Uh… nice to meet you, Valkorix," he said weakly, trying to hide the growing dread creeping up his spine.

"Ha ha! Yes, my friend," Valkorix responded, his deep voice rumbling like distant thunder. 

The dragon's molten-gold eyes burned into him. "Alright, human… or whatever you are. Tell me your name." 

'Shit,' Justin thought, panic gripping him. 'I can't tell him my name is Justin.' He scrambled for an alias, but his mind came up blank. 

Valkorix's reptilian eyes narrowed. "What's taking so long?" His deep voice rumbled with suspicion. Then, his gaze sharpened. "Don't tell me… you don't have a name?" 

"Um… that's right, I don't have a name yet," he said, a weak smile flickering on his lips.

The dragon hummed in thought. "Hmmm. Strange…In that case, allow me to bestow a name upon you." He paused, pondering for a moment before suddenly locking his gaze on Justin.

Valkorix's enormous wings slowly stretched wide, the shifting of his titanic frame causing the dungeon to tremble. With a powerful whoosh, he flapped once, sending a gale of wind that forced Justin back several steps.

"Yes… this name shall suit you just fine." Valkorix's voice resonated like the crackling of an inferno. 

"From now on, you shall be called Bellion!" 

At that moment, something shifted within Justin's very being. 

[Registering name: Bellion] came the cool, detached voice of the Great Sage, reverberating through his mind. The moment the name registered, a warm glow enveloped his body, and a torrent of energy—both Mana and Aura—surged through him. His aura flared brilliantly, shooting toward the ceiling as his energy levels skyrocketed.

CLING!

[Notice: Mana has increased to 500.] 

Another black ring-like tattoo appeared around his wrist, pulsating with power.

[Notice: Aura has increased to 300] 

Simultaneously, a black star-like mark burned itself onto the side of his neck. 

'For the black circle, I guess I've evolved into a second-circle mage,' he thought, confusion flooding his mind. 'But what's this star on my neck?' although he couldn't see it, he could feel it.

[Answer: You are now a First-Star Apprentice Stage Aura User.] 

Then suddenly…'W-what the hell is happening?!' Bellion panicked as his feet left the ground. His body lifted into the air, suspended in an unseen force. 

[Answer: This is a natural reaction to a Supreme Being bestowing a name upon a monster. It is known as the Naming Ceremony.] 

'Wait, why the hell is everyone calling me a monster?!' Bellion's thoughts reeled. 

[Notice: You have awakened a race. You are now a Dragonborn.] 

His breath caught. 'A… Dragonborn?' 

[Notice: You have unlocked your Unique Dragon Flame: Hell Blaze.] 

Slowly, he began descending back to the ground. His body felt lighter and much more powerful. Crimson-red Aura crackled around him, intertwining with violet tendrils of Mana. The energies pulsed in perfect synchrony, their intensity warping the air itself.

Valkorix observed him in stunned silence. Despite already knowing Justin—now Bellion was different, witnessing this transformation firsthand left the dragon momentarily speechless. 

After all, the laws of this world were clear: 

There were four primary energy sources—Mana, Aura, Demonic Energy, and Divinity.

A being could wield two, but never Mana and Aura together. The two forces were inherently opposing, an impossible combination that should never coexist within a single body. 

Yet here stood Bellion, defying all logic. 

Valkorix cleared his throat, masking his astonishment. 

"Ahem." His piercing gaze scrutinized Bellion's every movement. "So… what do you think?" 

Bellion flexed his fingers, feeling the raw power coursing through his veins.

"Bellion…" He whispered the name to himself. 

For reasons he couldn't quite explain, Justin felt a surge of joy at the name. Although he had no idea what it meant, it resonated with something deep within him. "So then, from now on, my name will be Bellion," he said, a genuine smile breaking across his face.

'I've never been so glad that heartless jerk who calls himself my father didn't name me.'

Suddenly, a peculiar glow began to emanate from the ground beneath Bellion's feet, a swirling magic circle pulsating with energy.

"Huh? What now? Are you doing this, Valkorix?" Bellion asked, glancing down at the strange circle that continued to brighten.

The dragon's expression darkened slightly, his gaze drifting toward the magic circle. 

[Answer: You are being teleported back to your original location, master.] 

"I suppose our time is up," Valkorix said, his expression shifting to one of wistfulness. "That teleportation spell was only a Thirty-minute spell."

'What's with the wistful expression?' Bellion wondered, feeling a pang of sympathy for his new dragon friend. 

'I guess I'm leaving, and he's going to be all alone again. Who knows how long this time?'

"Hey, Great Sage… is there any way for you to undo the Limitless Imprisonment spell placed on Valkorix?" he asked, hoping for a solution.

[Negative, Master. The skill cannot be undone.] 

Bellion's fists clenched. 'Tsk. Damn it.' His mind whirled for an alternative. 'Wait… what if I devour it using Vulture?' 

[Negative, Master. Vulture is a skill that only devours dead or inanimate objects. Valkorix must be deceased for this effect to be possible.] 

'Damn it!' Bellion cursed internally. 

Valkorix sighed. "Well, I suppose it's time for me to go into sleep mood once more." His large body lowered, his wings folding in. "I hope we meet again, my friend." 

Bellion's brows furrowed. "Wait, sleep mode, what is that?" He asked curiously. 

"It is a skill that allows me to enter a deep slumber—similar to death—while gradually restoring my energy." 

Bellion's eyes widened. 'Wait a second… that could work! Right, Great Sage?!' 

[Positive, Master. However, as Limitless Imprisonment is a Unique Skill, the devouring process will take time. May I suggest you devour him now and keep him in a separate space to properly devour the spell?.] 

Bellion's heart pounded with excitement. Finally, a solution. He quickly turned to Valkorix…

"Hey Valkorix, I think I have a solution for breaking that spell," he announced, a sense of excitement bubbling within him.

"R-really? You do?" Valkorix responded, shock and hope threading through his voice.

"Yes, I do. I can devour the spell, but it will take a very long time. To do that, I need to devour you and keep you in…" He was abruptly interrupted.

"Alright, do it," Valkorix said, his tone resolute, as if he had made peace with his fate.

'Huh, just like that?' Bellion thought, surprised at how readily the dragon accepted his plan. 'I guess he really doesn't want to spend another minute in this wretched place.'

"Alright, here we go," Bellion said, extending his hands toward the dragon.

"We'll see each other later, friend. Devour!" he commanded. The dark tendrils of Vulture coiled around Valkorix's massive form, consuming him in an eerie black glow. The dragon closed his eyes as his body dissolved into wisps of energy, vanishing into Bellion's grasp. 

But just as he completed the devouring process, Bellion felt a surge of power beneath him. His gaze snapped to the dragon's resting place—a gleaming Mana Crystal lay where Valkorix once was. 

'Tch, can't let these go to waste!' Without hesitation, Bellion reached forward and devoured the crystals just as the teleportation magic reached its peak. 

A blinding flash consumed him. And then—he was gone. 

Meanwhile... The moment Valkorix's presence vanished, a ripple of energy surged across the world like an invisible shockwave. 

Deep within the forest, the elven and dwarven kingdoms stirred. 

In dark catacombs, demon lords opened their eyes. 

On distant mountaintops, sages gasped in unison. 

The whole seven kingdoms shook to their very core.

Somewhere in a massive, golden palace, a woman dressed in flowing white robes clutched her chest. Her golden irises flared as she whispered in disbelief: 

"Valkorix… has disappeared?" 

Chaos erupted across the world. 

For the Lord of Destruction—a being sealed for five hundred years—had vanished without a trace. 

And all of existence trembled at the implications.