The sneering gaze was still there.
But the gaze that had been showing nothing but disgust seemed, even if only a little, to have had some of its poison drained away.
That bastard’s name was Omega.
He introduced himself as the final Dragon Lord and the last Arch Dragon.
So I was pretty damn surprised.
Because across both my previous life and this life, I’d been lucky enough to see various dragons, but this was the first time I’d seen a dragon with a specific position like that.
‘And a Dragon Lord?’
Up to now, “Dragon Lord” was something I’d only ever seen in creative works made up by media.
But it was real.
Even though I lived in the age of the Great Cataclysm, I’d never seen so much as a mention of a Dragon Lord—not even in any item description or gate description.
‘Even Dragon Demon, who got Dragon Blood from the Dragon Mountains, said he’d never even heard a huge name like Dragon Lord, let alone seen one with his own eyes.’
And yet a Dragon Lord like that had suddenly appeared.
Omega spoke.
– Before that, I’ll ask just one thing. You were using a giant’s power earlier—how in the world did you do that? Don’t tell me that’s a skill too?
“You know your stuff. It’s a skill.”
– Where did you get that power?
“It’s power I got through my personal trait. Dragon Blood runs in me, but giant blood runs in me too.”
– What?
Omega’s eyebrow twitched.
He really looked shocked.
What?
Does he not know everything about me?
Then for the sake of a smooth conversation, I should explain everything, too.
There was no reason to hide it.
The other side had clearly revealed who he was and why he was here.
Su-ho said.
“It’s not just a giant’s bloodline. In my personal trait, New Blood, mixed blood runs—starting with Dragon Blood, and then vampire, giant, and fairy blood all mixed together.”
– W-What did you say?
“It’s true. Whenever my level rose to a certain point and I obtained new power, the System released them for me one by one. Of course, the first one I got—Dragon Blood—was something the System handed out as a reward right after I killed the Tower Dragon.”
– …….
After hearing Su-ho’s answer, Omega’s eyes were trembling even more violently than when Su-ho had first cut down his barrier.
It made sense. Even though he’d heard it with his own ears, he couldn’t believe it.
Omega thought.
How can that even be possible?
Every bloodline he mentioned was something they called mutually incompatible.
Ah.
This is all because of that damned System.
That thing made the impossible possible.
Ahh, yes.
Why didn’t I think of that?
Omega closed his eyes.
With his eyes closed, he stayed silent for quite a long time.
And when he opened them again, his eyes were no longer filled with disgust, but with a strange sorrow.
Su-ho also sensed the change in his gaze.
“The mood changed.”
– Because my thoughts changed.
“You look like you’ve gotten pretty sentimental. But that doesn’t change my first impression of you. So, can you finally explain why you called me here?”
– …Fine.
First impressions aside, he was a bastard whose image had been bad for a long time.
Just because his mood suddenly changed, there was no reason for Su-ho to play along.
Omega didn’t intend to ask him to, either.
So now, Omega decided to carry out the role he needed to carry out.
– To get straight to the point, I called you to give you even higher dragon power.
“Figures. The timing was exactly like that.”
– …….
“Why? What? I’m lowly and foolish and what was it again? Anyway, I’m an inferior being, so this ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) is just how I talk.”
– I know. I’m just surprised you’re even more vulgar than I thought.
Oh, sure?
You’re really going to keep it up to the end?
But they said if you lose your temper, you lose.
Su-ho answered lightly.
“Alright. So what power are you going to give me?”
– The power I will give you is….
Omega fell silent for a moment.
His expression looked like a kid who really didn’t want to give something, but had no choice but to give it.
But he had to.
His body was bound by constraints placed by the System, and because of that, there were things he had no choice but to do.
– First, I will completely release the dragon power dwelling within you.
“The dragon power dwelling within me… you mean the Dragon Egg?”
– Yes. By now, the hatching should be completely imminent.
That was true.
I got kidnapped by Omega and ended up here at the exact moment 1% remained until hatching was complete.
Then a thought occurred to me.
“Don’t tell me you were deliberately blocking the hatching?”
– Nonsense. With that paltry power of yours, you can’t complete the hatching in the first place. You weren’t born a dragon, and yet you’re forcing yourself to become one—how could you think that would be possible?
“How the hell would I know? The System said it, so I figured that’s just how it is. So stop being snide and hurry up and finish the hatching already.”
– That was my intention anyway.
Omega raised his hand and pointed at Su-ho.
Golden light burst from his hand and swept over Su-ho.
In that moment—
[ The Dragon Egg fully hatches. ]
[ A new power has been born. ]
[ The born power resonates with you. ]
[ The born power fuses with you. ]
[ Evolution begins. ]
Evolution?
The moment he saw the last notification, Su-ho felt as if his entire body was bursting into flame.
“Gghhhhkk!!”
Burning pain?
No, it was burning pain, but a pain even bigger than that crashed over him.
It was pressure.
A massive pressure, like it was grinding his whole body to pieces.
Had he ever felt pressure at this level in his life?
No.
…No, he had.
A pain every human being experiences.
Of course Su-ho had experienced it too.
He just didn’t remember it.
It was when he was born from his mother’s womb.
The pain given to Su-ho was that kind of pain.
It wasn’t a metaphor. It was literal.
Because the System had deliberately set it that way.
The Dragon Egg given to Su-ho wasn’t a shell with just a name—it was a real Dragon Egg. And because it had to use system functions to combine two things that could never normally mix, it deliberately imposed the pain that came with it.
Because it thought it was only fair that if you evolved into a new species, you should suffer the same pain you did when you came out of your mother’s womb.
So amid an unprecedented flood of agony, Su-ho felt like he was going to lose his mind.
“GgaaAAAAAAAH!!”
He didn’t hold back his scream.
He didn’t hide his twisted thrashing, either.
He regretted not using Endurance in advance.
He regretted not removing his body’s pressure points in advance with acupuncture.
But that was only for a moment.
The pain of the evolution process—crushing, tearing, burning his body—was so dizzying it made those regrets into something fleeting.
But he wouldn’t die.
This was evolution, a process of being born again, not dying.
Omega knew that too, and watched Su-ho’s evolution with a dry gaze.
It was then.
“Gghhhh…!”
Something surprising happened.
Just a moment ago, Su-ho’s legs had buckled and he’d fallen to the floor twisting, but now he was barely holding himself together and starting to sit upright.
And that wasn’t all.
Su-ho clenched his teeth and reduced the moans leaking out, and restrained his trembling body.
He sat on the floor and crossed his legs.
He straightened his back.
He lifted his chin.
His eyes were closed.
Sweat poured down like rain.
He couldn’t help the groans leaking from his mouth, but compared to the screams that were almost shrieks at the beginning, this was a gentleman’s level now.
– Ho.
Omega’s expression shifted strangely as he watched.
Omega knew.
He knew what process Su-ho was going through.
And he knew how painful that process was.
But he couldn’t empathize.
Why?
Because humans are weak.
No, he thought every being other than dragons was inferior and weak.
The masters of the world are dragons.
That was why dragons had to protect the world, preserve balance, and know how to take care of everything.
The strong elitism and the accusations he’d spewed from the start existed because he had no expectations for anything that wasn’t a dragon in the first place.
But the human in front of him was different.
It wasn’t that he’d never seen humans in his life.
No, he’d probably seen more than any other dragon.
Because he was an Arch Dragon that had lived the longest and maintained his power the longest among the ancient dragons called Great Wyrms.
And yet the humans he’d seen were far too weak.
Of course, humans have endless potential compared to other races, and sometimes they reached a realm beyond humans—but even then, that power usually got wrapped up at the level of an ordinary dragon.
But the human in front of him had already shown unexpected sides several times.
No matter how much those humans who had gone beyond the human realm—humans called great mages or swordmasters—none of them had ever been able to destroy his barrier, and yet he did. He opened the Door of Qualification, too.
And now, he wasn’t just adapting to the evolution process—one where he should’ve fainted several times over—he was gradually reducing his moans and ugliness.
Omega’s eyes narrowed even more.
Is this the power the human in front of me has?
Or is it the System’s power the System gave him?
The answer was simple.
No matter how much the human in front of him was a player with the System’s power, Omega didn’t think he could have enough power to control even the pain that arose in the evolution process.
The System is a vicious hedonist.
A System like that would never miss a fun spectacle like this.
Then this had to be the human’s original power.
Omega muttered softly.
– Lunatic.
Of course, Su-ho couldn’t hear.
Just maintaining his sanity right now was already too much for Su-ho.
After quite a long time had passed—
Hwaaaak!
Radiance exploded.
The exploded radiance gradually converged into Su-ho, and at the same time, it freed him from the horrific pain.
System notifications appeared.
[ You have completely harmonized with the Dragon Egg. ]
[ Evolution has been successfully completed. ]
[ All unlock conditions for the fifth authority of Dragon Blood have been fulfilled. ]
[ ① Reached level 300. ]
[ ② Answer the call of ???. ]
[ The fifth authority of Dragon Blood is unlocked. ]
[ Hatchling has been unlocked. ]
[ You have mastered Quarter Blood (S) from Hatchling. ]
[ You have mastered Dragon Mode (S) from Hatchling. ]
[ Due to Quarter Blood’s effects, information for some skills changes. ]
System notifications poured down.
By finally unlocking the fifth authority of Dragon Blood, Su-ho was able to become a real dragon.
Peace came after the violent time passed.
The pain from just a moment ago vanished like a lie.
There were no aftereffects.
His whole body felt light, like he’d been reborn.
After finishing his evolution, Su-ho slowly raised his eyelids.
Omega was there.
Omega still looked down at him with a dry gaze.
After checking the system notifications, Su-ho slowly stood up.
Then he asked Omega.
“Hatchling, Quarter Blood, Dragon Mode… is that it now?”
– You could say that.
“One thing. I know what a hatchling is. You call a young dragon a hatchling. Then can I say I’m a complete dragon now?”
At that, Omega let out a snort of laughter.
Then, in an incredulous tone, he said—
– As if. You’re nothing more than a Quarter Blood that isn’t even half, and you dare? And you’ve got a bunch of other bloods because of some personal trait of yours, don’t you? So you’re not a great dragon—you’re an eternal mongrel, an inferior mutt bastard.
“…….”
I see.
It’s true, but damn, you really know how to say it in a way that pisses people off.
Still, whatever. Evolution was finished, so that was that.
As he thought that and was about to say goodbye—
– But there is a way for you to become a true dragon.
Unexpected words spilled from Omega’s mouth.
