-1259- The awakened dragon

////Sorry didn't update yesterday, extra today////

Hot.

That's the only sensation Stella feels at this moment.

When that small bottle of dragon blood is ingested by Stella, it feels as if a mass of magma is injected into her body. Her heartbeat instantly becomes as powerful as if it were stimulated, and the blood in her body seems to turn into magma, becoming unprecedentedly scorching.

This is different from the burning sensation she felt when awakening her abilities and learning capabilities in the past.

The burning sensation from the flames only caused external injuries.

But this time, this heat comes from within, as if igniting Stella's internal organs, causing extreme pain and discomfort.

"Ugh... Ah...!"

Right now, Stella bends her body, emitting a muffled cry from her throat.

"Bang."

The empty bottle that once contained dragon blood, now emptied by Stella's consumption, slips from her hand and falls to the ground, turning into a pile of fragments with a crisp cracking sound.

"Thump-thump—Thump-thump—Thump-thump—"

The next moment, on Stella's body, the sound of her heart beating vigorously is heard clearly.

"Hey...!"

Seeing Stella in such pain and distress, Shizuku almost instinctively prepares to approach.

"No! Shizuku!"

However, Ikki suddenly grabs Shizuku, shouting at her.

The urgency and tension in his voice are unprecedented.

Obviously, Ikki's extraordinary combat instinct and the power of his "Mind's Eye" in the way of the sword made him aware of it.

Aware that a terrifying presence is awakening before him.

Naturally, if Ikki can perceive it, Rozen will naturally not fail to perceive it.

At least, through the reconnaissance of "Spirit Vision," Rozen can already see that the Yin energy originally belonging to the human female on Stella's body is gradually turning into Dragon energy.

Then...

"Clang—!"

On Stella's body, a dazzling glare shines like a scorching sun.

At the same time, an unparalleled high temperature turns into a heat wave, emanating from Stella's body.

"Ugh, AH————!"

In the glare and heat wave, Stella's agonizing cry resonates.

"What...!?"

"It's so hot...!"

Ikki and Shizuku, who are relatively close to Stella, are both touched by the bursting light and heat emanating from Stella's body. They instinctively retreat as if they had touched hot iron.

Only Rozen, still standing closest to Stella, bears the oncoming light and heat, his expression always calm, only magical power surges, acting and separating the oncoming light and heat, protecting Rozen's body.

Otherwise, even if Rozen is not melted by the high temperature, he will be instantly burned red.

The storm of light rising from Stella's body is so terrifying, like a hot ferret, blowing in all directions.

As a result, the earth begins to smoke and turns red and hot again.

As a result, the position under Stella's feet turns into magma, gradually melting.

Rozen was engulfed by such a terrifying light and heat.

"Rozen...!"

Ikki, who has retreated far away, raises his hand to shield himself from the scorching storm, shouting loudly ahead.

"That idiot...!"

Shizuku scolds Rozen for his foolishness, for directly facing such heat at close range.

However, the truly astonishing sight is about to unfold.

"Boom—!"

Accompanied by a burst of heat and light, behind Stella, who is groaning in pain, a shadow slowly emerges.

It is a shadow of a dragon, slowly unfolding its fierce wings.

And as this dragon shadow appears, a glowing red wound appears near Stella's heart, resembling a crack.

That wound, emitting red light like a branding iron, shines faintly.

The wound, like a pulse, flickers, causing Stella's skin and red hair to seem to respond to its pulsation, emitting a scorching light from within.

In this state, Stella raises her head and opens her mouth...

"■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■————!"

In the next moment, Stella lets out a roar.

That is not a roar that a human can make.

That is an earth-shaking roar.

That is a raging tide.

That is a howl that can shake the atmosphere.

Undoubtedly, it is a dragon's roar.

"————!"

Ikki and Shizuku endure the ear-splitting roar, their bodies stiffening as if they were tense.

Because their human instincts are telling them that the creature standing before them is at the top of the food chain, the pinnacle of all beings.

That is—a dragon.

With the scorching dragon blood merging into her body, Stella's dragon power is finally awakened.

However...

"Ugh, ahh————!"

After letting out the thunderous roar, Stella's voice immediately turns into a painful wail, causing her to tremble and struggle uncontrollably as if in response to her own body.

"Not good...!"

Watching this scene, Ikki's expression changes drastically.

"What... what's happening...!?"

Shizuku is also starting to panic.

Just at this moment...

"This is trouble."

"It seems that Her Royal Highness can't handle the sudden outburst of power and is showing signs of losing control."

Two figures suddenly appear beside Ikki and Shizuku, their gazes toward Stella becoming grave.

"Chairman...!?"

"Yaksha Princess...!?"

Ikki and Shizuku recognize the newcomers.

They are Shinguji Kurono and Saikyo Nene.

"Kurogane, you two should back away."

Shinguji Kurono flicks away her cigarette and grips a black spear in each hand.

"This is something you can't handle right now, so get back."

Saikyo Nene's body floats as if losing weight, and she holds a pair of iron fans in each hand.

Two strong individuals, ranked third in the world in the A-level league of KOK, have appeared here, prepared to intervene.

However, their appearance is completely unnecessary.

Just as Shinguji Kurono and Saikyo Nene prepare to rush forward...

"Buzz!"

With a tremor, countless silver-white chains emerge from the scorching storm, like restraints from heaven, swiftly entangling Stella before she can react to her loss of control.

"Ah...! Ahhh...!"

Stella roars in agony, struggling instinctively.

The terrifying force acts on the chains, pulling them taut, causing the silver-white chains to straighten and making the atmosphere and earth tremble, raising gusts of wind.

In this way, the awakened dragon is imprisoned by the chains forged by the gods.