Dragnof Kingdom
During Acnologia's absence, Irene had not been doing well. She had fallen into a deep state of anxiety. Scales had grown on her once smooth and tender face, looking like a shattered mirror, full of horror.
At first, she hadn't paid much attention to the dark red scales on her arms, but only now did she realize with a start that she was about to turn into a monster.
In the beginning, she could still use a veil to hide them, but now the scales were increasing by the day and could no longer be covered.
"Why is this happening?"
Irene collapsed to her knees in despair, her eyes filled with confusion and fear for the future.
In this state, could she still be the Queen of the kingdom? Could her subjects still accept her?
Would Acnologia still love her like this?
"This is Dragonification!"
She suddenly remembered that Acnologia could also transform into a dragon and still turn back into a human afterward. In other words, his situation was the same as hers.
Thinking of Acnologia as a precedent, her fear calmed slightly, and she began to try to settle her mind and think.
"This must be because of Dragon Slaying Magic..."
"As the strongest Dragon Slayer Mage, Acnologia became the first person to undergo Dragonification. And as the creator of Dragon Slaying Magic and the second strongest Dragon Slayer Mage, I am also starting to dragonize as my magic power grows."
"If this line of thinking is correct, Dragonification is inevitable..."
But the price was too heavy. Could a Dragon Slayer Mage still be considered human? Would the human race accept it?
"To defeat dragons, one must become a Dragon Slayer Mage. Becoming a Dragon Slayer Mage means Dragonification. It's a cycle..."
The war will never end!
At this thought, intense fear appeared in her eyes; the future was full of despair and darkness.
"The war will end!"
A cold voice drifted over. Irene looked up to see that Acnologia had appeared in the room at some unknown point, his indifferent eyes quietly watching her.
"You're back!"
Joy appeared on Irene's face, but then she suddenly thought of her face and subconsciously reached out to cover it.
Acnologia strode over, grabbed Irene's arm as she instinctively tried to retreat, and pulled her hand away, revealing the half-dragonized side of her face.
He reached out and touched it; it felt as solid and smooth as a carapace. "In my eyes, it is not ugly. You are still you! This is indeed Dragonification; I have experienced it too."
Irene carefully raised her head. Seeing that Acnologia's eyes were serious and soft, the anxiety and fear in her heart gradually faded.
Crystal tears flowed from her beautiful eyes as she reached out to hug him, whispering, "Thank you!"
If Acnologia had abandoned her, she didn't know if she could have held on.
Acnologia said seriously, "What are you thanking me for? You are my woman, and that will never change!"
Having experienced a revolutionary education, how could he be like that scumbag Rung and abandon her?
"I will teach you the method to turn a dragon into a human, but it can only be used after complete Dragonification."
Irene was puzzled: "Why? Is partial Dragonification not enough?"
Acnologia nodded. "Dragonification is a manifestation of the advancement of your Dragon Slaying Magic. Turning into a human will hinder this process. Unless you completely abandon Dragon Slaying Magic and give up on becoming stronger, it's better to wait for complete Dragonification."
"There is another method that only changes your appearance, but the price is losing your sense of taste and never being able to sleep. I don't suggest you choose that path, because I know you would regret it."
Back then, Zeref helped Irene become stronger out of kindness, but his understanding of Dragon Slaying Magic was still far from enough.
Irene could not give up on becoming stronger. Although she would continue to dragonize, with Acnologia by her side, she was not as afraid as before.
Her gaze became firm again. "I want to increase my magic power faster and accelerate the Dragonification."
Acnologia nodded slightly. "A correct choice."
In this era of war, weakness meant death. Even with his protection, one couldn't rule out accidents. One must know that a Dragon King's roar was comparable to a nuclear explosion.
"Your Majesty, Lord Acnologia!"
Suddenly, a soldier knocked on the door and reported from outside.
Acnologia asked, "What is it?"
"An envoy from a neighboring country has arrived. Led by the Phylos Kingdom, they hope that all kingdoms in Ishgar will unite for a decisive battle to slay the dragons."
Three years had passed. Since Irene created Dragon Slaying Magic, the number of Dragon Slayer Mages had surged. Overall, tens of thousands of talented people had mastered it.
Now, many people had bathed in dragon blood and become even stronger, even possessing the power to slay a dragon one-on-one.
Most importantly, the surrounding kingdoms had heard that a terrifying existence like Acnologia had joined the Dragnof Kingdom and was basically on the side of humanity. Coupled with the Good Dragons who favored humans, the odds of winning were as high as sixty percent.
The King of Phylos was a warmonger; he would dare to start a war with a thirty percent chance of winning, let alone sixty percent. It was a complete opportunity for a great achievement.
If the war could end under his leadership, his achievements would surpass all kings in history!
Acnologia also felt that a decisive battle could be initiated, just to test if there were any Dragon Kings stronger than the Fire Dragon King Igneel.
He replied, "I understand. You may leave!"
"Yes! My Lord!"
Then came the sound of footsteps receding into the distance.
Irene thought for a moment and said, "This war might not necessarily be won."
Acnologia laughed. "With me here, we will definitely win, but it will just take a long time."
The original story didn't specify exactly how long the war lasted, but in the end, he won. Now that he was on the human side, he had one less opponent and one more ally; it would be unreasonable not to win.
"But the Dragonification..."
Irene was somewhat hesitant. Combat was the most effective means of improving strength. Once the war started, many Dragon Slayer Mages would surely break through and become stronger during the conflict. What if they dragonized during the war?
Leave them be?
Or slay them as if they were dragons?
If the human race dared to slay a Human-Dragon during the war, the army's morale would likely collapse, and a significant portion might even desert on the spot.
Acnologia also knew how tricky this was. In fact, it wasn't just Dragonification; a bigger problem was that Dragon Slayer Mages became frenzied after bathing in dragon blood, their minds filled with nothing but rage and slaughter. One must know that even he had almost gone mad back then. If not for the soul fusion, he would have stayed insane for four hundred years.
If it were his former self, it wouldn't have mattered; whether they were true dragons or Human-Dragons, they were all within his hunting range. Now, he was actually a bit hesitant.
Of course, he wasn't someone who couldn't make a decision. When the time came, it would depend on the choice of those who dragonized. Anyone who stood against him or defied him wouldn't be allowed to live!
Withdrawing his thoughts, Acnologia reached out and picked Irene up, casually tossing her onto the bed, and then tore open his own clothes. Why think so much? As long as I am the one who wins, that's enough.
Irene's cheeks flushed red. "It's still daytime, and the envoy is still waiting..."
"Let the envoy wait!"
Acnologia snorted coldly. To hell with the envoy; could he be more important than what he was about to do now?
He violently tore open Irene's clothes, revealing her half-dragonized body, and pounced directly on her. Soon, sounds of bashful panting drifted from the room.