'So that's how it is,' Noa realized upon reading the system notification.
The dragon before him was once the weakest beast. She had somehow evolved into this divine being who could allow him to transmigrate into the new world.
But something went wrong.
Her species had been weakened and extinguished, which left her with an unyielding determination to revive her lineage.
Noa respected that.
'The Weakest Beast Egg,' he repeated in his mind. 'I should learn more after making a contract with it… But no one could call her weak right now.'
Knowing that his thoughts lay bare, Noa glanced at her luminous body.
"You did well. You became strong, right?"
The dragon nodded her head, her glowing eyes never leaving Noa. She was graceful, and each action carried an ancient instinct.
Her lips twitched.
Almost like she was hiding a smile before her tail moved and filled the void once again.
"But worry not. I will become much stronger than you and revive your lineage. Not only that, but I will also make sure that fate never repeats itself."
Noa took a step forward. His expression remained serious, his voice calm but loud enough to bring echoes.
[We will see about that,] the dragon smiled this time. [But remember, her name is Ashe—just like mine.]
She meant the weakest beast as she raised her clawed hand, pointing it directly at Noa.
[Your path starts now… Look after her, and good luck with your adventure,] she declared, her tone left no room for argument.
Though Noa still tried to say something.
"Wait! I don't even know what I am up against. You should explain more!"
Meanwhile, a surge of energy swayed through him. The force was so powerful that it felt like his limbs were torn apart.
"Hey!" he shouted.
However, the energy continued to expand around him. Invincible currents of mana swirled, creating a storm about to break. Noa's chest tightened, his breath slowed, and while his hair glowed like he was about to explode, the void cracked.
[Rise, Heir of Ashes!] she added suddenly.
And with that, the world dissolved. Then everything went white, leaving only her echoing chuckle in his place.
**
Noa's consciousness returned in fragments. A sharp pain throbbed at the back of his head, and a faint trace of unknown energy moved onto his fingers.
Sounds came first with distant noises, and it was followed by the weight of his body that seemed both foreign and familiar.
He blinked.
His chest rose up and down because of an uneven heartbeat.
Then—hot.
The first breath he took felt like a flame would erupt into his lungs. Memories of his death and meeting with an ancient dragon still lingered in his head.
When he forced his eyes open, harsh light assaulted him.
'Where am I?'
This was his very first thought in this world as he observed the cold metallic walls around him.
Then—blood.
The chains dug deep into his flesh, binding him to the ground. Noa moved, but they held his neck, ankles, and wrists firm, unmoving.
"I am a slave?" he muttered. His voice cracked over each word he tried to utter.
Trying to break the chains didn't work. Their loud clicks reverberated in silence, followed by the realization that he couldn't escape. Every sense was overloaded.
Especially the heat that made breathing unbearable.
'And here I thought my new life would be better,' he lamented, expecting something better. But after recalling how Ashe had warned him to be careful, he realized he needed to take her advice to heart.
Yet, the situation wouldn't change.
He lay flat on the ground, surrounded by four cold, metallic doors, while the sun shone down on him, burning his flesh.
'I should have received memories or something from this body's previous owner. What did he do to end up in this situation?'
Noa's thought process continued.
Time kept ticking until he remembered something.
"Status window! I should see my perks and abilities to see what benefits being the first dragon's heir would bring," he called out, expecting the same hovering window to appear.
To his surprise, nothing happened.
The world remained still, and the hushed noises from afar still reached his ears.
"What the…" he exclaimed and repeated the process.
Changing the wording didn't work. Not even pleading or increased concentration did anything.
And just as Noa was contemplating his life choices, one of the metallic doors creaked open, showing a tall, mysterious figure.
His face was covered by a hood, hiding his features in the darkness.
Noa, sitting slumped, looked up at him.
His body ached from the days of neglect, and his bones cracked in pain, his muscles resisting.
Suddenly, the figure yanked the chains, pulling with roughness. "Let's go. It's time for your execution," the stranger growled.
He wore black gloves. Holding the chains tightly, he dragged Noa out of the cell.
"Execution?" Noa asked. "I am going to get killed?" his voice showed a trace of panic.
It hadn't been long since he transmigrated into this unknown world, and he was already being punished for a crime he hadn't even committed.
Still, there was nothing he could do.
He limped forward, as the pain was the only thing that made him take one step after another.
Moving through the corridor, the air grew colder. The noise he had been hearing this entire time turned into the roar of a relentless crowd.
'Holy shit! This is a really big deal.'
The chains on his body clicked with each forced step.
The smell of heat and sweat mixed to create something unbearable for his nose.
But there was no time for that…
Noa was about to be executed, and each step he took neared his demise.
After leaving the hallway, he saw rows of spectators loom above, their faces filled with sneers and laughs. Some leaned down to better see his face.
"Kill this traitor!"
"Cut his head off!"
People yelled eagerly, asking for both blood and death.
Ahead, the executioner stood motionless, his axe catching the light of the burning sun.
Not a single person stood by Noa's side. It was the same as his past life.
The ceremony was quick, with no announcer to tell his crimes.
With no power to help him, Noa was destined to die on this day.
The crowd's chants became louder. They were impatient for the show to begin, and with a brutal shove, Noa was forced to his knees.
He clenched his fists, anger rising.
'There is no way this is how it all ends. I didn't even get a proper beginning.'
His hair was yanked, exposing his neck as the executioner stepped forward and the axe rose high, its shadow falling over him.
"This is not the end," he shouted.
The blade descended with a sickening thud.
Pain.
Then—nothing.