---
Noa's eyes slowly opened. For the first time, the familiar, gentle light that usually shone within them was gone. Instead, strange, feral crimson flames flickered, lighting up the cave like a blood-red sun. Instantly, the air grew heavy, as if all existence were pressing down upon them.
Rion staggered back a step, his heart racing. Yet he did not flee.
— What… kind of aura is this? — he whispered.
The soldiers recoiled in fear. Their swords trembled, their faces pale. Until recently, they had believed this was just an ordinary battle, but now before them stood a being seemingly born from evil itself.
— I-It's… not a dragon! — one stammered.
— Should we run?! — another said in panic.
Noa slowly rose to her feet. With each step, the ground shook, as if the earth itself could not bear her weight. Her aura expanded, suffocating everyone with its oppressive force.
Words escaped her lips. Her voice resembled that of a dragon, yet strangely — as if a thousand voices were speaking at once.
— …I am tired of you, — she said, low but terrifying.
These words pierced the soldiers' hearts like ice.
— You want to kill me, to trample me underfoot. Do you think you are superior to me?
Her words echoed against the cave walls, crushing spirits.
— Silence… is over now.
The air quivered. Red particles appeared in the darkness, swirling and increasing the pressure. The soldiers could no longer lift their swords under the weight.
Rion felt the force too, but in his heart, it was not fear — it was a different kind of dread, a deep worry.
— Noa… stop! — he shouted.
But Noa's burning eyes did not recognize him.
The crimson flames terrified the soldiers. Fear gripped their hearts; their legs grew weak.
— This… this aura… — one whispered hoarsely. — We cannot withstand it! We must inform the commander! This power is equal to hers, if not more malevolent! Low-ranking soldiers like us cannot resist — we're not even full-fledged warriors.
Panic spread; the soldiers began to retreat.
Rion blocked their path with a clenched fist, as if it were a dragon's claw.
— You think you can just run away?
Then Noa's voice sounded — calm, yet firm:
— Let them go.
Rion turned to her, eyes mixing anger and astonishment. He knew that if these soldiers returned, the entire empire would hear of it. Disaster was inevitable.
— Noa, if they report this, it's over! — he said sharply.
But Noa raised her hand, her voice low but resolute:
— I said… stop.
The steel tone in her words surprised Rion. He had never heard Noa speak like this, issuing a command.
Rion gritted his teeth and stepped aside.
— …Fine.
The soldiers wasted no time and disappeared into the cave, their torches extinguished in the darkness. Silence returned. Gradually, Noa's crimson aura faded.
Rion cautiously approached.
— What… was that? — he whispered.
Suddenly, Noa's knees buckled; her strength left her, and her body trembled — but Rion caught her in his arms.
— Stay conscious! — he said anxiously.
He gently laid her down and brought a container of water to her lips. Noa took a few sips, her eyes dimming as she began to lose consciousness.
— What kind of aura was that? — Rion asked again.
But Noa could not answer. Her mind was no longer in the cave.
---
Inside her consciousness — The Abyss
Darkness. Endless, suffocating. It seeped into her bones. Noa stood on a gray stone path, completely engulfed in shadows.
— This… where is this? — she whispered.
She looked at her hands. No wounds remained. Her body was intact; breathing was easy.
— My injuries… gone? How is this possible?..
She continued walking. Soon, a massive monolith appeared — pitch black like night, with red lines flickering within it. Mysterious, ancient symbols seemed to pulse on its surface.
As she approached, the symbols glowed red. In the center of the monolith, words appeared:
[Artifact: Abyss Stone]
Name: Noa S. Dragon
Age: 5
Power: 10
Endurance: 5
Speed: 12
Mana: None
Rank: Beginner — Stage 1
Ability: False Aura
Noa stared in awe.
— This… is this my… power? Where did it come from? What is this place?
She slowly touched the stone. Immediately, it trembled, a burst of red light engulfing her completely.
[Abyss Stone Activated]
Ability: False Aura awakened.
Blood consumption initiated
Noa took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes — she was back in the cave.
---
Cave — During Battle
Her eyes sharpened. Rion fought nearby. But Noa's body now glowed with a strange, living shadow-like red light.
A voice echoed within her — as if speaking from the depths of her soul.
— So… this is… the False Aura?.. and it consumed blood?
The present moment.
Noa's heart raced.
— …I do not know what this is, — she said softly. — But we need to leave immediately. This aura — it's just a shell; there is no real power inside.
---
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