Veyron lay unconscious in the arena. His body felt weightless, yet his mind was still wrapped in the roar of the crowd echoing in his head. It was strange—he thought he had lost… or maybe won? Everything was blurry. Then, as if the world had shifted, he found himself in an unfamiliar place. Not an illusion. Not a dream. Far too vivid for that.
"Where… am I? Why does it still feel like I'm in the match?" he muttered, trying to grasp the situation.
Among a gathering of beings radiating terrifying auras—gods and creators of pure malice staring at him like prey—Veyron's eyes fell on a lone girl. In her hands, a blade shimmered as it danced with graceful precision, accompanied by high-tier spells she unleashed without pause.
"Who is that girl? How can she keep casting high-level magic nonstop…? And her swordsmanship… too beautiful to be mere technique."
Her battle ended in a flash. She turned toward Veyron, her gaze clear and unclouded. Her hair—a luminous blend of blue and violet—caught the strange light in a way that made it seem almost unreal. She smiled, stepping closer.
She drew her sword—not to attack, but to demonstrate. Stroke by stroke, she displayed a technique so refined it was as if she were teaching him. But every movement was impossibly intricate, too difficult to imitate at a glance.
"What technique is this…? It's far too advanced…" Veyron thought, trying desperately to commit it to memory.
When the final movement ended, the girl slowly faded away, her smile lingering.
"Hey! Don't go yet! Teach me that technique!" he shouted into the void.
But his voice vanished into silence.
---
Veyron awoke with a gasp, his heart pounding violently. A bright light shone from the corner of the ceiling. Beside him, Taeryun and Lyra looked relieved.
"You're finally awake, Veyron. You've been unconscious for ten days," Lyra said.
"Wha—?! Ten days?! Then… who won that fight?"
"You did. In the last seconds, you used the Half-Dragon Transformation technique."
Veyron frowned. "Wait… you're saying I used that technique?"
"Yes. Did you forget?"
Still confused, he opened his system.
[Congratulations! You have acquired the Half-Dragon Transformation Technique.]
"How is this possible…? Just like when I used Infinity Magic, I wasn't aware of it at all."
Fragments of memory returned—of him being split in two, entering a white room… and a girl placing her hand on his chest.
He asked Taeryun and Lyra to leave. Once certain they were no longer outside his door, he unbuttoned his shirt. Embedded in his chest was a yellow crystal, glowing faintly like the element he wielded.
"What is this…? Why is its color the same as my element…?"
He tried to piece together the memory of that mysterious girl and the crystal, but suddenly, a searing pain like an electric shock tore through his head.
"ARGHH…!"
And just like that, the memory vanished—erased completely. The girl was gone from his mind. He collapsed again, and the crystal on his chest disappeared without a trace.
Taeryun and Lyra rushed in after hearing his cry. Lyra knelt by his side, tears in her eyes. "Don't leave us, Veyron… I just found a good friend."
"He's still breathing," Taeryun assured her. "We'll wait."
---
Somewhere else entirely, Veyron's eyes opened once more. All around him was an endless void. Then, a piercing light tore through the darkness.
"What is that…?"
A figure emerged—radiant, body obscured by pure brilliance. As he drew near, the man's face came into view, just as he raised a weapon and swung it down. Veyron tried to dodge, but the strike was too fast—and too strong.
"ARGHHH! What the hell is wrong with you?!"
But before Veyron could speak further, the figure vanished without a sound, leaving his heart racing.
---
He came to again. "Taeryun, Lyra… why are you here?"
"We heard you screaming," Lyra replied.
"Oh. In that case… can you go out again? Don't worry, I won't faint this time."
"Really?" Taeryun asked.
"Yes."
But Taeryun lingered outside his door.
"Taeryun, I know you're still there."
This time, Taeryun truly left. Yet moments later, Veyron's body began to tremble violently. His bones stretched, his muscles tightened—within seconds, he had grown into the body of a seventeen-year-old. The pain was excruciating.
Before he could process what was happening, the wall of his room shattered. A black-robed man stepped through the debris.
"Hahaha! Careless, aren't you, Veyron Aldrecht? This is where you die!"
"Oh? Is that so? I think you're the careless one." His gaze turned cold, laced with an unspoken threat.
The intruder shivered.
"Great Magic: Lightning Spear!" Veyron declared.
A massive spear of lightning materialized behind the man.
"Damn it! You planned this?!"
"Of course. I could feel the dark magic filling this room the moment you arrived. I already prepared invisible magic circles."
The spear struck, piercing through the man and burning his body to black ash. Veyron sighed.
"Why can't I have just one peaceful day…?"
Outside, Taeryun and Lyra waited. "You two didn't help?" Veyron asked.
"You can handle yourself, can't you?" Taeryun replied casually.
"Fine. Let's go. We're leaving Eidravelle for the academy."
As they walked, cold sweat trickled down Veyron's back. A dreadful aura had brushed past him only moments before. Lyra glanced at him. "You realize your body suddenly looks seventeen?"
"I have no idea why."
The three of them made their way to the city gates. Veyron looked up at the sky, quietly vowing to uncover the truth about himself… and his mother.
Just as they were about to pass through, a whisper reached his ear. The voice was unlike anything from this world—or any world at all.
"You must be ready."
"Ready for what?" Veyron thought.
He shook it off. The academy awaited.
---
Chapter 12 Completed