26 The Dragon God - It Feels Like a Dream

Asura Ryuu summarized what Dragon God said and couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air. As he did, he started coughing as if choking - because he, in fact, was.

The entire fantasy-like world was now his Spirit World, including the gas-like Spirit Energy that has turned into Divine Energy when that space merged with his own.

He couldn't expel one thought from his head: "This all feels like a dream!"

Dragon God: "Here, take this."

As he said that, his little mouth opened and spat out a crimson dragon claw. Then he sucked in a deep breath from the spear impaled in the ground next to Asura Ryuu, and the little black dragon separated into a Chain of Samsara and the pitch-black claw similar to the crimson one.

Dragon God floated in front of Asura Ryuu and said: "I believe you recognize these two, don't you?"

Asura Ryuu's heart was beating so fast right now because he clearly knew what those two were - they were parts of the original Dragon God - two of his ten claws.

The red claw contained a law of space while the black claw contained the law of absorption.

The red claw was the core of that space in the Crimson Star Academy's Lifeless Valley and the reason why there was no speck of Spiritual Energy in its surroundings was because it was all absorbed by this claw to maintain the spatial barrier as to not be found by others.

Asura Ryuu already knew what properties the black claw had because he experienced it first-hand when the spear appeared in that world. He would still shudder when he remembered that feeling of a surging Spirit Energy.

Thinking of that, he suddenly asked: "What happened with my body?"

Dragon God: "Hmph, how easy is it to reconstruct the mere flesh and bones? Didn't you see what happened with that tiger you two had followed up to here?"

When he heard Dragon God saying that, Asura Ryuu found out that his question was a bit stupid after all. Even if not as strong as before, the Dragon God is still Dragon God.

Asura Ryuu suddenly remembered one more thing, but before he could ask, he heard Dragon God say: "Aye, aye. She's waiting for you down there. Let's be honest, I wouldn't wake up yet in your place."

Asura Ryuu: "Huh? Why?"

Dragon God smiled and both of them appeared on the cliff where Asura Tenka and him first came and almost died. There was a girl crouching in front of the lake. On her thighs was a boy of similar age sleeping.

Asura Ryuu: "Oh, there she is. Who's the other one? ..... Fucking hell! That's ME! How the hell am I talking with you if I'm down there?"

When Asura Ryuu saw himself, his pupils shrank faster than the speed of light.

Dragon God smiled with a somewhat mocking grin and said: "Fool, do you think the fusion of your Spirit World and that world wouldn't bring any benefits except for the more beautiful space. The 'you' now is your soul form, just as I am. You can come and go from this world whenever you want, if you just will it.

Others can come in here if you manifest that golden vortex outside of your body. In other words, this is your Spirit World, and it is a type of Divine Plane now. Beware of how you use your Divine Energy - you still don't have the Spirit Energy to form the core of this world so that it can be used endlessly. You should find one in the future, if possible, rather than congealing one."

Asura Ryuu grinned with joy and satisfaction. He decided to go down, but Dragon God stopped him.

Dragon God: "Are you a fool? Do you think I brought these out to show them off?!"

Asura Ryuu glanced at him with confusion and lowered his eyes where he saw the two claws. He still didn't know what Dragon God wanted, so he summoned two Chains of Samsara. Seeing that, Dragon God became a little annoyed.

Dragon God: "Recall those two things and extend your right hand!", he said a bit impatiently.

Asura Ryuu did as he was told and the two claws suddenly turned into two rays of light, penetrating his index finger and the thumb. There was an audible *crack* but for some reason, only the two of them heard it. There was no pain, nor blood.

Asura Ryuu stared at his hand missing two fingers and felt strange. Just then, the two claws popped out in place of the broken fingers. His forehead wrinkled.

Dragon God: "I know what you're worried about. You don't want to go around with dragon claws instead of fingers, right?"

Asura Ryuu looked at the floating snake-like thing and nodded. He felt some new information in his mind and paid attention. His face brightened, and suddenly, he smiled. When he glanced at the hand again it was normal with all five fingers there.

The information he had just uncovered was how to transform the two claws into fingers and vice versa, as well as their exact function and abilities.

He willed for himself to merge with the 'him' on Asura Tenka's lap and so it happened.

His eyes opened, but they didn't have the same color as before. His eyes were now black with crimson stars inside.

Asura Tenka stared at him for a while, dumbfounded, and then lowered her head quickly, kissing his lips passionately.

Asura Ryuu felt warmth in his heart.

"It's good to be alive.", he thought.

Asura Tenka: "Shall we go back?"

Asura Ryuu nodded, and this time he caught her unaware with a kiss.

She told him what happened after he fell unconscious and that they were here several days.

She knew a part of the story of what happened and knew that this was Asura Ryuu's Spirit World from now on, because the Dragon God had told her everything that happened while Asura Ryuu was immersed in the new memories of the Dragon God that had merged with him. It was the tenth set of memories he had gained.

The two stood up but just as Asura Tenka was about to make a step forward, Asura Ryuu caught her hand, smiled and in the next moment both of them vanished and reappeared in the familiar forest.

If he so willed it, they would be back in the Spirit World any moment. They could also use the golden vortex to come in and out, but Asura Ryuu didn't need to go through the trouble with just the two of them.

Before them were the Old man, Xun Bao and Xun Meng.

They were confused at first but still went forward.

Old man explained that they were missing for an entire day (seven days on Earth and in Asura Ryuu's Spirit World) and that their aura disappeared here.

The two told them about the story of how they chased after the tigers and were knocked out unconscious by the Crimson Tiger's Spirit Skill - Tiger Roar.

The old man didn't doubt their words because he believed the kids can't possibly know about the Spirit Beasts having Spirit Skills if they didn't experience it, but he could never know those two kids were much older than himself.

In the end, it all ended well, and they returned to the mansion under the threat of the old man to never venture this deep into the forest. Asura Ryuu ran off behind the trees before they went back and dragged the blue-striped tiger which the old man brought back as they returned.