THE AFTERMATH
"What is this pressure?! It's smaller, but..."
The dragon was scared to death. He could feel the heat radiating from the incoming blast—it was illogical. The air around Rentaro seemed to be sucked dry, creating a momentary vacuum. The dragon's heart hammered against his ribs. He realized then that there was something deeply unnatural about this human boy.
But he was too late to dodge. In the split second his mind was clouded by disbelief, Rentaro's Dragon's Breath slammed directly into his chest.
BOOM!
A massive explosion shattered the sky. A terrifying mushroom cloud billowed upward, stained a dark, hellish red from the mixture of fire and thick smoke. The shockwave was so violent that the ground groaned and shook. Massive fissures spider-webbed in every direction, pulverizing rocks and anything left of the greenery.
Rentaro watched the carnage with a satisfied smirk. He crossed his arms, feeling a surge of petty joy from getting back at the "lizard" who had attacked him for no reason.
"Dahahahaha! Take that, you damn dragon! How does it feel to taste your own medicine? Good, right?!!!" Rentaro laughed, his voice ringing across the clearing.
As the smoke began to drift away, the dragon was revealed, lying powerless on the scorched earth. He was charred black. His left horn was snapped, and worse, his wings were shredded, exposing the bone underneath. He looked like a heap of overcooked meat. Only his legs seemed to have escaped the worst of it.
"Get up! I know you're not dead yet!" Rentaro shouted from a few meters away. "The 'Great Dragon Lord' can't die a pathetic death from his own attack, right? Stand up! Show some pride!"
The dragon let out a pained groan. His voice was heavy and raspy. Trembling, he began to move his massive frame, forcing himself up with what little strength he had left. He was clearly stung by Rentaro's mockery.
"You brat..." The dragon coughed, black smoke leaking from his snout. "How... how is your breath stronger than mine?"
Rentaro looked at him with a look of pure disdain. "My power?" he replied with a mockingly mysterious tone. "For now, it's a secret. We were just trying to kill each other, why should I tell you?"
Rentaro then glanced around. The forest that was once lush and green had turned into a wasteland. Giant trees had toppled, many of them reduced to standing charcoal. Small fires still flickered here and there, devouring the dried grass.
"Hey, look around. Before this stupid fight ruins the home you're supposed to protect, why don't we just stop? It's pointless, isn't it?"
The dragon fell silent. He looked at the devastation. His eyes lingered on the fallen trees with an unreadable expression.
"Uh... fine. There is no point in continuing this," he muttered. He cleared his throat, trying to regain his shattered dignity. Ahem. "In that case, before we continue this chat... may this Great Dragon Lord heal himself first?"
"Sure," Rentaro replied casually. He didn't even take a defensive stance, as if he knew the dragon wouldn't strike again.
The dragon then produced a glowing red orb that floated magically in front of him. Without wasting a second, he bit into it.
CRUNCH!
The sound was sharp and clear. Immediately, a blinding red light enveloped the dragon. Rentaro's eyes widened as the wounds on the beast's body closed at an impossible speed. His horn regrew, and his tattered wings were covered by fresh, smooth membranes. In an instant, the dragon looked as if he hadn't been in a fight at all.
"So cool! What was that thing?!" Rentaro exclaimed, his curiosity peaking.
Seeing Rentaro's awe, the dragon's arrogance surged back. He grinned, feeling like he finally had the upper hand.
"This? Hehe. Before I answer that, you must beg and praise the Great Dragon Lord with the proper tone."
Rentaro didn't mind. In fact, he found it funny. "Oh, okay, okay! I'll do it!" Rentaro cleared his throat. "O Mighty and Incredible Dragon Lord, Sovereign of the Great Forest, could you please tell your humble servant... what the hell did you just eat?"
The dragon listened with pride, his chest puffing out. He gave a mischievous grin and suddenly winked one of his massive eyes at Rentaro.
"Actually... it's a secret!"
Rentaro's face turned bright red with rage. "HEYYY! What kind of answer is that, you damn dragon!!!" he screamed, shaking his fist at the sky.
The dragon couldn't hold it back anymore. He burst out laughing, rolling on the scorched ground until the earth trembled.
"Dahahahahaha! Take that, you stupid brat! Now you know how I felt earlier! Annoying, isn't it? Hahahahahaha!"
After his laughter finally died down, the dragon wiped a stray tear from the corner of his eye. His voice softened, turning calm and friendly.
"Alright, enough of this nonsense. Since we've agreed to stop fighting, how about we get to know each other? What's your name?"
"I think... it's Takahashi Rentaro?" Rentaro answered, his tone laced with uncertainty.
"Why are you saying your own name like it's a question? It's incredibly annoying to listen to," the dragon grumbled.
Rentaro gave a sheepish laugh and scratched his head. "Well, I can't help it. I just suddenly woke up here with no clear memory of my past. Oh, by the way, do you have a name? Calling you 'The Great Red Dragon' is way too long and a total pain."
The dragon hummed, scratching his scaly chin. "Hmm, call me whatever you want. I suppose the title is a bit of a mouthful to say over and over again."
"Then... how about Ignarion? It comes from 'Ignis' meaning fire, and 'Arion' meaning noble. So, it means the Noble Fire Dragon. What do you think?"
The dragon fell silent for a moment, tasting the name on his tongue. A second later, he let out another boisterous laugh, his chest swelling with pride.
"Dahahahahaha! A masterpiece! A name truly fit for someone like me! From this moment on, the name of this great dragon lord is—Ignarion!"
Rentaro smiled, seeing Ignarion so genuinely thrilled with the new name. But in the middle of that warm moment, a faint sound drifted from the distant trees. The snap of a dry branch. The unnatural rustle of leaves.
The air turned cold. The friendly atmosphere vanished in an instant, replaced by a suffocating tension. Both of them whipped their heads around, their gazes piercing the dark thicket.
"Show yourself!" they barked in unison.