Darkness. Endless and heavy.
Kael floated in the void, his body gone, his soul drifting like ash in the wind. There was no sound, no air, no ground beneath his feet—only the vast emptiness of death. He felt weightless, small, swallowed by nothingness. For a moment, he thought it was truly over. That his vow to return was nothing but a whisper lost to eternity.
But then—
> [System Awakening…]
[Host Detected: Last Dragon Lord.]
[Rebirth Sequence Initiating…]
The voice echoed inside his mind, metallic and eternal. Each word cut through the silence like the toll of a war drum.
Kael's soul trembled. He tried to speak, but his voice was swallowed by the void. Then, without warning, flames erupted around him. They did not consume him—they wrapped him, clung to him, and poured into him.
His veins burned like molten steel. His bones cracked, reshaped, reforged as though they were being hammered by unseen gods. His back split open, sharp pain tearing through him as wings of fire unfurled, vast and endless.
He screamed. But the sound was not human.
It was a roar.
A dragon's roar, shaking the emptiness, echoing into infinity. The void itself seemed to crack, splinter, and shatter under the weight of his rebirth.
Kael's eyes snapped open.
He was no longer on the battlefield of death. No longer in the void of silence. He lay on solid ground, gasping for air. The air was heavy, but alive, filled with power.
He forced himself up, his hand pressed against his chest. His heart beat—steady, strong. The spear that had pierced him was gone. His flesh was whole. His strength was greater than ever before.
Around him stretched a cavern unlike any he had seen.
The walls glowed faintly, covered in crystals of deep blue and silver. They shone like stars, scattering light across the cavern in patterns that seemed alive. Strange runes were etched into the stone beneath him, glowing in a circle, their lines pulsing like veins of fire. The air carried the scent of smoke and old magic, older than kingdoms, older than men.
Kael stumbled to a pool of crystal-clear water in the center. He looked down into the reflection and froze.
It was him—but not him.
His hair, once blackened with ash and battle, now shimmered silver, each strand reflecting faint scales. His eyes burned brighter than before, glowing crimson with draconic fire. His body, though human in shape, bore faint markings along his arms—scales, small but sharp, glinting faintly under the crystal light.
Behind him, in the reflection, he saw something that made his breath stop—wings. Vast, shadowy wings, like a dragon's, unfurled for a moment before vanishing as though they were part of his soul itself.
The voice returned.
> [Congratulations, Host.]
[You have been reborn as the Last Dragon Lord.]
[System Functions: Active.]
[New Quest Unlocked: Rebuild Your Throne.]
Kael's eyes narrowed. His fists clenched so hard his knuckles cracked.
Reborn. Dragon Lord. Quest. The words thundered in his mind.
He remembered Darion's smirk. His betrayal. The arrows raining down. The spear piercing his chest. The voice whispering that his bloodline would end.
And then he remembered his own promise.
"Remember this, traitor. Even if I fall today… I will return. And when I do… the world will burn."
Now, here he stood. Alive. Stronger. Changed.
Kael raised his hand. Fire coiled around his fingers, twisting and shaping itself without effort. It obeyed him like an old friend, like a weapon that had always been his. He clenched his fist and the fire vanished into smoke.
The cavern trembled softly, as though the very stone recognized its new master.
The system spoke again.
> [Tutorial Activated.]
[Basic Functions Unlocked: Status | Inventory | Quests]
[Would you like to view Status? Y/N]
Kael blinked. The cold voice felt strange in his mind. It was not like any sorcery he had ever encountered. But instinct guided him.
"…Yes."
A glowing screen appeared before his eyes, translucent but real.
---
[Status Window]
Name: Kael Draven
Race: Human-Dragon Hybrid (??? bloodline)
Title: Last Dragon Lord
Level: 1
Attributes:
Strength: 45
Endurance: 42
Agility: 38
Vitality: 50
Mana: 60
Skills:
– Dragon's Roar (Locked)
– Flame Breath (Locked)
– Draconic Body (Active)
Unique Trait: Rebirth of the Dragon Lord – Death will no longer bind you.
---
Kael stared, his eyes widening. Power radiated from the words themselves. He felt each number, each line, as though it were part of his body. He had been reborn, yes, but not as a man. He was something greater—something ancient.
The system flickered again.
> [Quest Updated.]
Main Quest: Rebuild Your Throne
– Gather allies.
– Awaken the Dragon Bloodline.
– Conquer or destroy those who betrayed you.
Reward: Unknown.
Kael's lips curled into a grin. His eyes burned. His voice was low, but filled with promise.
"You think my bloodline ends, Darion? No… my reign begins now."
The cavern rumbled, stones falling loose from the ceiling, as though the world itself acknowledged his vow.
---
Exploration of the Cavern
Kael steadied his breathing and rose to his full height. He felt taller than before, as if his very presence had grown heavier. Every step he took left faint scorch marks on the ground, though he made no effort to summon fire. The dragon blood within him was alive, restless.
The cavern stretched endlessly. He walked past crystal walls that glowed brighter as he approached, almost as if they were bowing to him. Some of the crystals even pulsed faintly with warmth when his hand brushed them, sending sparks of energy through his veins.
At the far end, he noticed an archway of stone covered in runes. A faint shimmer of light blocked the path, like a barrier. He raised his hand, pressing against it, and the runes blazed alive.
> [Restriction Detected.]
[Access denied until Host reaches Level 10.]
Kael growled. He understood. The cavern was more than a place—it was a sanctuary, a prison, and a test. To move forward, he had to grow stronger.
Turning back, he decided to test his strength. He clenched his fist and struck the ground. The stone floor cracked, dust and shards flying into the air. His power was raw, unshaped, but undeniable.
Then, without warning, the system spoke again.
> [New Tutorial Quest: Prove Your Rebirth]
Objective: Defeat the Guardian of the Cavern.
Reward: Unlock Dragon's Roar (Skill).
The ground beneath him trembled. From the shadows at the far end, something moved.
Two glowing red eyes opened.
From the darkness, a beast stepped forward—massive, made of black stone and molten cracks glowing like lava. It resembled a wolf, but larger than any Kael had seen, with claws that gleamed like obsidian blades.
The Guardian.
Kael's lips curved into a cold smile. "Good. I needed a test."
---
The Battle
The Guardian lunged, its roar shaking the cavern. Kael dodged to the side, his movements sharper and faster than before. He felt the air move differently, each breath feeding power into his limbs.
The beast's claws slashed down, leaving deep marks on the ground. Kael countered with a punch, flames bursting from his knuckles as they struck the beast's chest. The explosion sent it skidding back, but the creature was not wounded—it only grew angrier.
They clashed again and again, sparks of fire and stone filling the cavern. Kael's body moved instinctively, his strikes guided by the dragon blood. He could feel his strength surging, his veins alive with fire.
Finally, the beast leapt, jaws wide. Kael roared back, his own voice shaking the walls. Flames erupted from his throat, uncontrolled but furious, blasting the creature midair. It screamed, its body splitting apart, cracks glowing brighter until it exploded into shards of molten stone.
The cavern fell silent.
The system chimed.
> [Quest Complete.]
Reward: Dragon's Roar (Skill) – Unlocked.
Kael exhaled, flames still dancing in his throat. His lips twisted into a grin. "Yes… this power is mine."
---
A Vow in the Darkness
As the crystals dimmed back to their steady glow, Kael stood tall. His new power was real, tested. He clenched his fists and lifted his head toward the cavern ceiling.
"Darion. You thought you killed me. You thought you ended my line. But you only woke something greater. I will tear your kingdom apart. I will show the world what it means to kneel before a dragon."
The cavern trembled again,