Her eyes felt heavy, a reminder of the aching muscles throughout her body, her arms raised by long, dense chains. Her long hair was dirty and tangled. There she knelt, struggling to lift her head. The shrill sound of the iron door beside her being opened reached her ears. Two individuals entered, and she asked them:
"Where am I? What day is it?"
"Don't you remember, sweetheart?!" The guard walked in front of her, laughing in her face. "It's been only two years since you came to this dungeon, and you've already forgotten?"
"Emmanuel! Grab her. She'll be our next guinea pig!" shouted the young scientist in the white lab coat.
"All right, Klaus. Do you remember the bet I've made with you?"
Klaus adjusted his glasses and answered with some irritation: "Yes… I remember. But you should focus on the work. Otherwise, Lord Smoke might want us dead."
"What do you mean, guinea pig?!" the young girl asked, frightened.
The soldier punched her jaw, knocking her unconscious. "No one gave you permission to speak around here!"
"Hurry up, Emmanuel, and don't try to kill her—unless you want to die."
"I'll get her. Open the cell!"
The huge, muscular soldier removed her restraints and placed shackles on her legs and wrists. He hoisted her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. As they walked down that small, moldy corridor, she slowly woke up, letting out soft grunts of pain. Her vision was blurry; the light filtering through the cracks in the dungeon caused her mind great suffering.
"This is it. Get the mechanical arm," ordered the scientist to the rest of the team.
Several scientists and soldiers placed her in front of the tank. They attached various breathing apparatuses and medical monitors to her body. They fastened new restraints to her limbs, lifted her, and threw her into the tank, letting her sink. Within seconds, she began to fall asleep again.
"Give her a shock, go on!" shouted Emmanuel.
He slammed the button, triggering a powerful electrical discharge that made her convulse until her eyes rolled back. Klaus pulled his arm away from the button and shouted: "Are you insane?! If she dies because of us for no reason, Lord Smoke will kill us!"
"Yeah… uh-oh… 300 ruthz won't pay for her life… we're screwed."
"You'd better pray she's alive, or your head will be on the line!"
Checking the guinea pig, the scientist saw that her heartbeat had stopped. He grew nervous and tried to fix Emmanuel's mess. "Be very aware that you'll lose your rank if she survives, you hear me?"
Emmanuel stood there completely dumb, with that blank look on his face, making the atmosphere even more tense.
…
"Karin!"
"New heiress to the throne of Tsugaki!"
"Shingetsu Karin, the fifth of my lineage… if you do not answer, you will not be able to avenge your father!"
In the deep void of her mind, a deep voice echoed. She stood in the middle of a calm, serene, sunny ocean. Karin answered with a weak voice: "Who… is…? What do you want from me?"
A small purple flame ignited before her, answering still calmly: "Are you really so weak? You didn't even try to escape."
"I tried! I couldn't do anything! I spent two years in that cell, tortured only to die in the end! I don't even know what happened to my mother or the others!" she cried, sobbing.
The flame blazed brightly, taking the form of a great fire dragon. In the field of her soul, the ocean began to churn, the sun faded, and a small dark cloud formed. "Enough! Do you truly believe you tried everything?! You didn't even think about your power. Even though you haven't awakened it, you showed a total lack of dedication to trying anything different! Repeating the same mistake is what left you in this deplorable state!"
Karin closed her eyes and shouted in frustration: "Who are you to lecture me?! Even my father didn't do that!"
The tide began to churn, creating giant waves. Gusts of wind grew fiercer, forming waterspouts. Rain and lightning tore through the sky in that place. The environment grew darker and darker.
From the flames, a great serpentine dragon materialized. Its black scales seemed more like an obscure shadow. Its fervent purple eyes made it even more evident that this was no ordinary creature.
"This is why he died!" The grave voice trembled the air and created enormous waves around the dragon. "If you wish to die like that, I will possess you! I will kill everything and everyone using your body—including those you love!"
She looked on, stunned. Her eyes widened, and with what little strength she had left, she screamed: "No! Please! Don't do it! I beg you!"
"Silence! If you want me not to do this, you will have to prove to me that you are worthy! Begging for forgiveness will not earn my trust!" He roared deeply into her soul. "Challenge me! Try to fight with your will!"
The young girl stared at the great beast before her, nervous. She furrowed her brow, gritted her teeth, and clenched her trembling hands firmly.
"I… I will not admit defeat! You are one of the few who can help me on my journey now… I will not let this chance slip away!" Karin said, with conviction.
That's the spirit, girl… the dragon thought.
The enormous creature uncoiled and rose above the clouds in a single charge. She followed him and quickly threw herself to the right, striking at his tail. He whipped her back and sent her flying far away, causing her to lose sight of the dragon.
Where did he go? Karin thought. Think of something powerful enough to face him…
In her soul, a great red-and-black bow and arrow materialized. The clouds behind her dissipated, and soon the fearsome creature came into view. She took an arrow and drew the string.
That day she had witnessed with her uncle came to mind—it was a memory of trust. She released, and the dragon deflected the shot with a swipe of his tail, sending her even farther away.
"How?!" the girl said, surprised. "Wait… Willpower? He said to fight with my will?"
"An attack like that doesn't even tickle my will to fight! Believe me, or you'll die!" He swung his tail, cutting through the air in front of her.
In a quick dodge, she ended up grazed by the strike, tearing half of the upper part of her kimono, leaving a small cut on her shoulder. The dragon warned her: "Be careful. If that hits you, you will lose your life, understand?"
Still confident, Karin quickly grabbed another arrow. She closed her eyes, raised the bow, and drew the string. Her body began to warm up. Droplets of sweat fell from her forehead. It was her very life essence being emanated.
The dragon roared and charged toward her. As she remained firm with the arrow concentrated on its target, the dragon approached rapidly!
"Now! Byakko no Chōdan!" The arrow was released with a tempestuous white trail. The dragon dodged, but the shot changed its course—striking him and ricocheting off him multiple times.
This time it was not an attack without will. It was her burning life spirit.
"Shingetsu Karin, I am impressed by your will. You have not only scratched me but wounded me… You are approved!"
The entire turbulent scene calmed. The sky was clear, the sea grew calm, and the beautiful sun returned, bringing a gentle warmth. She looked at the dragon again and said: "Ryukuro, will you form a pact with me?"
"Consider it done. I will possess you to carry out the work. Rest now…"
"Thank you…"
…
"Her heart stopped… Emmanuel! Do you have any idea what you've just done?!" exclaimed Klaus, furious.
"I hope the Lord gives me a chance…"
"No, Emmanuel! Consider yourself a dead man! Look at the guinea pig you just killed out of sheer stupidity!"
The steam valves began to hiss, and red lights were activated—this was not what they expected. "What?! Imminent high danger?"
"How? What do you mean, imminent high danger, Klaus?!"
"If we had killed her, it would just be a blue light. But the red light means…"
Cracks in the tank were heard, and water began to gush from the compartment. "Emmanuel! Run!"
Everything was blown sky-high—glass scattered, water sprayed, and clouds of condensed vapor formed. In the midst of the confusion, the young girl, who had been crouching, rose to her feet. A brilliant purple aura enveloped her.
As she walked toward them, on her left arm, a large dragon-shaped tattoo rapidly grew, extending to her chest. Opening her eyes, she glared at them with her brow furrowed—and that malicious smile appeared.
In her eyes, the thin, reptilian purple pupils fixed on the two men. "Sakugetsu ryu… ogi…"
"Stop! Don't come any closer, I beg you!" they both screamed in unison, terrified.
"Reiken! Shorai no Kuro Tamashi!" She thrust her hand forward. A portal opened, and from within she pulled a spectral katana.
She snarled and answered: "Begging for my forgiveness won't get you out alive… Prove to me that you're strong first! Then I'll think about it."