The morning light seeped gently through the grand curtains of Dong's chamber. The air was cold yet fresh, like the calm before a storm. Dong stretched his body slowly, the tension in his muscles releasing as he thought to himself, Two skills… two mighty forces that can bend the fate of nations.
"I have many spells," he murmured, "but only those above EX rank deserve my count. Only the extraordinary shapes destiny."
A soft knock interrupted his thoughts.
"Young master, your breakfast is ready," his maid's polite voice came from the other side of the door.
"Today, we have pancakes and fresh juice prepared for you."
Dong did not lift his head from his thoughts. "Go now. I will eat," he replied.
Moments later, the aroma of warm pancakes and chilled fruit juice filled the room. Dong ate in silence, his mind far away on the dragon, on the whispers in the court, on the threads of destiny tightening around his name.
After the meal, the maid returned to collect the plates. Her movements were quick but hesitant. Dong noticed.
"What is it? Speak."
The maid lowered her gaze, her fingers trembling slightly as she clutched the tray. "Young master… outside your room, the First Queen is waiting for you."
Dong's expression did not change, but a spark flashed in his dark purple eyes. So, the news has already spilled into the world… he thought. They know I intend to slay the SSS peak Chinese Ice Dragon. The ripples have begun.
"Alright," Dong said calmly. "You may leave. I will take care of the rest."
As the maid bowed and hurried away, Dong's thoughts deepened. The First Queen… Alorine, the Queen of Arrogance. In my previous life, she was the mastermind behind my death. But this time his lips curved into a faint smile this time, the board is mine.
He stepped out of his room.
The corridor was lined with polished marble, and there she was Alorine draped in flowing crimson silks, surrounded by her personal maids. Her eyes carried the sharpness of a blade concealed in velvet.
"Ohhh… so there you are, little prince," Alorine said with a voice as sweet as poison.
Dong's gaze was cold but steady. "What brings you here, Alorine?"
Her smile cracked. "How dare you say my name so carelessly!" She raised her hand high, fingers stiffened to strike his face.
Before her palm could descend, Dong's hand moved calm, firm grabbing her wrist in mid-air. His grip was unyielding, like iron forged in silence.
"How dare you try to slap a prince?" Dong's voice did not rise; it did not need to.
One of her personal maids shouted in fury, "Release the queen!" and rushed forward to attack.
Dong did not even look at him. With one swift motion, his leg shot out kicking the maid squarely in the chest while still holding Alorine's hand in place. The maid tumbled back, gasping for air.
Alorine's arrogance flickered with a trace of caution now. "I came to speak, not to fight. Leave my hand, and I will talk."
Dong released her slowly, his eyes never leaving hers.
"Now the whole world knows what you are planning to do," she said, smoothing her sleeve as though nothing happened.
"So what?" Dong replied simply.
Alorine leaned closer, her voice a whisper dripping with venom. "I only came to give a blessing may your death by that dragon be slow and full of pain. Because if, by some cursed miracle, you come back alive… your end will be far more miserable than death."
Dong's lips curved faintly. "Let's see. If I return alive, the moment I breathe on this earth again, your chance of living will turn to zero."
For a heartbeat, their eyes locked arrogance against an unshakable will.
Both spoke at once:
"Let's see."
Alorine turned sharply, her robes sweeping the marble as she left with her maids. The air she left behind felt colder than before.
Moments later, two other figures appeared the First Prince and the Second Princess. Their steps were hurried, their eyes alight with both fear and cruelty.
Mira, the Second Princess, sneered. "You little lunatic… you are going to die. Do you even understand what kind of dragon that is?"
The First Prince crossed his arms, his smirk laced with mockery. "I hope you die a painful death. That dragon will not just kill you it will erase your name."
Dong looked at them with a calmness that burned hotter than anger. "I promise you this if I come back alive, I will turn your lives into hell itself."
The First Prince's smirk faltered for a second, but he turned away, scoffing. The Second Princess rolled her eyes and followed.
As their footsteps faded, the hall fell silent again.
Dong stood still for a moment, staring at the fading light of the morning. How fragile are titles, how fickle are blood ties, he thought. They believe a dragon can kill me. They do not know… a dragon is merely the first stone in my path.
He turned back toward his room, a shadow of a smile on his lips. Let them speak. Let them hope. The moment I return, the game will no longer be theirs.
The first prince and second princess had barely left, their footsteps echoing down the cold marble corridor, when a new sound disturbed the silence. Footsteps steady, deliberate, and heavier than the arrogance that had just walked out. Dong tilted his head slightly, his dark purple eyes narrowing.
So… finally, he arrives.
The figure turned the corner, sunlight striking the side of his face. It was the third prince Kira. His presence wasn't loud, but his aura carried weight, a mixture of calm confidence and restrained sharpness.
Kira stopped a few paces away, his gaze scanning Dong from head to toe. "So, it's true. You are going to slay an SSS-peak ice dragon."
Dong neither flinched nor hesitated. "Yes. So?"
Kira's lips curved faintly, but his eyes betrayed his doubt. "I know you've grown a lot stronger than before… but I still have my doubts about you."
Dong crossed his arms. "So how do you intend to clear them?"
Kira stepped closer, a faint breeze catching his robe. "I want a friendly duel with you."
Dong gave a slight smirk. "Oh? A duel? Fine."
No more words were needed. Both turned toward the training arena a wide, open courtyard paved with stone, marked by countless battles before theirs. The sky above was a soft gray, the morning air crisp with the smell of dew and faint blood from distant training fields.
They faced each other, the arena empty save for their breathing.
Kira spoke first, "Are you ready?"
Dong adjusted his stance, his eyes calm, his spirit unwavering. "I am always ready."
"Then let's begin."
The duel started.
Kira moved first, hands weaving a simple seal. Water gathered around his palm a basic water magic spell. It shot forward like a thin spear. Dong's body shifted lightly to the side, his movement so effortless it looked almost lazy. The spell missed.
In return, Dong raised a single hand and whispered the incantation of an intermediate water magic spell. A surge of water burst forth, fast and precise. It struck Kira before he could even think of a counter.
The duel ended in a breath.
Kira exhaled, brushing water from his shoulder. "Huh. Not bad."
Dong's lips curved into a faint smile. "I know."
Kira chuckled softly, then reached behind him and drew a sword. It was nothing legendary just a simple training blade, but it whistled in the air as he tossed it toward Dong. "Catch."
Dong caught it, the weight settling into his palm. "So now you want to fight with the sword?"
Kira nodded. "Yes. Let's see what you've got."
Dong twirled the blade once and then took his stance opposite Kira. This time, no words. Only the sound of their breath.
The duel began again.
Steel clashed against steel, though in truth, only one blade was truly moving with purpose. Kira's sword was fluid, a river of strikes flowing, twisting, overwhelming. Dong parried once, twice, but his footing betrayed his inexperience. Within a minute, Kira's blade was at his neck.
"You're out," Kira said quietly, lowering his sword.
Dong lowered his weapon and exhaled, not in defeat, but in acknowledgment. "Hmm… you're not bad either."
Kira gave a short nod. "Thanks."
He stepped back and rested his sword on his shoulder. "The art of swordsmanship… it is very different from the beauty of magic. Your body it fits magic perfectly. Do you know how rare that is? In ten thousand, only one person is born with true magic affinity."
Dong chuckled lightly. "And your body fits the sword. It was built for it."
Kira's smile widened faintly. "I know."
Dong rose from the ground, brushing dust from his robe. His eyes softened just a little as he approached. He placed his rough, battle-worn hand briefly on Kira's arm not in brotherhood, not in rivalry, but in something between the two and then turned to leave.
Kira stood there, watching his back as he walked away, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
Dong's mind, however, was already elsewhere. Like in my previous life… Kira is still the same. Sharp, proud, but not without honor.
The morning sun broke through the clouds then, casting a long shadow of two princes on the training ground one walking away, one watching silently.
The duel was over, but something had begun.
Chapter End.