Chapter 54: Enter the Dragon (1)

[Third Person's Point of View]

Bright golden waves of magic ebbed around, bathing the room in a beautiful glow and illuminating every nook and cranny until they were absorbed back into the golden chalice that rested magnificently at the heart of the table. As the chalice absorbed the power, it gave off an intense golden glow that seemed to pulse with life before abruptly dying down.

A sigh echoed through the room, breaking the silence that had fallen. August's face was etched with lines of frustration as he watched the spectacle unfold before him.

His eyes, reflecting the golden light, held a glimmer of disappointment. "Another failure..." he muttered to himself as he quickly scribbled his observations onto a piece of paper. With a snap of his fingers, the paper burst into flames and turned to ash, its secrets kept safe from anyone but him.

He had been working on Soul Magic for over three months now since gaining access to the Library of Stars, and while he had seen some success, precision still eluded him. The thought gnawed at him as he continued to push forward with his experiments.

The rest, however, had been uneventful. He had been more socially engaged, accepting occasional special grade missions. Everything else, though, had been excruciatingly ordinary.

With a swift movement, August did not hesitate to launch himself out of the window, flying towards the forest on the outskirts of the city while his body defied gravity.

As his eyes reflected the city below, a glimmer of nostalgia passed through them. Less than three days remained until the start of Jujutsu High's new semester, and he hadn't made as much headway as he would have wanted in his research.

However, that did not imply that he had not advanced at all. He had gained perspective and much-needed information from the Library of Stars. Though he was still at Level Zero in his comprehension of the Laws of Reality, he had advanced significantly in his Innate Technique. Although he wasn't employing Eikyū Mugen Sōzō to its fullest extent, his comprehension of the fundamentals of the technique had greatly increased. So much so that he was simultaneously confused and disgusted at the possibilities of his innate technique.

Eikyū Mugen Sōzō could allow him to manipulate the very fabric of reality if he was creative enough.

It granted him the power to control Elements, Time, Space, Life, Death, Fate, Destiny, and even Reality itself, but only if he could visualize it.

When he imagined a fireball, a vivid image of a red, burning sphere formed in his mind, which his technique then manifested into reality. This made manipulating tangible elements—even abstract ones like Space and Time—comparatively easier.

But when it came to aspects like Fate, Luck, Destiny, and Reality, he found himself at a loss. Merely wishing for these intangible ideas wouldn't make them materialize. He couldn't alter someone's destiny by simply imagining a nebulous cloud of nothingness. His innate technique, as powerful as it was, wasn't omnipotent.

As these thoughts swirled in his mind, the neon cityscape before him gradually transformed into a lush forest as he descended, his feet lightly touching down on the grass below.

His current research and experiments on souls and soul magic, in general, were heavily frowned upon by the international magical community and outright banned in some countries.

Luckily, Japan was not one of them.

However, he preferred to conduct his experiments in this secluded forest to avoid scrutiny from others. Unfolding a Mirror Realm in the middle of the city would surely raise alarms.

Magical Ministries all over the world had sensors in major cities that could detect any dimensional overlays, making it quite difficult for one to fly a Mirror Realm under their radar.

He expanded his senses, trying to feel the point with the strongest connection to the Ley lines to anchor his Mirror Realms. While Mirror Realms could be summoned without Ley lines, they were more stable when connected to one.

Mentally sifting through the connections, he dismissed the weak or narrow ones until his senses jolted with recognition, 'Is that...?'

In an instant, August teleported himself and his eyes widened in surprise as he took in the sight before him.

A colossal western dragon with shimmering green scales stared at him with hostile yellow eyes that glowed ominously in the dark.

"Human? No… Devil! Where did you come from?!" The dragon's voice rumbled in a deep baritone, echoing through the silent forest.

A lightbulb suddenly went off in August's mind as his gaze fell upon the enormous silver sword sticking out of the dragon's back. "Ah…I see," he murmured with a hint of understanding.

"Get lost before I devour you, you filthy creature!" The dragon snarled menacingly.

Still, August remained silent with an unreadable expression. He had to take off his Ring of concealment from time to time to avoid its side effects, and since the school year was starting in three days, he was only using magic to mask his energy signature – which unfortunately, couldn't fool this dragon's keen senses.

"I accidentally stumbled upon this place, I really mean no harm." August raised his hands in surrender, trying to placate the wary dragon in front of him.

After eyeing him warily for a moment, the dragon let out a deep sigh. "It's quite miserable to have a devil be the one to witness my last moments…" The exhaustion and sadness in its voice spoke volumes about the journey it had endured.

"Why don't I help you?" August suggested softly.

"Hmph! A devil helping me? Impossible. What are you after?!" The dragon retorted narrowing its eyes suspiciously.

"Nothing really…" August replied calmly. He circled around the dragon under its watchful gaze, stopping just inches away from where the sword was impaled. "I just have to remove this, right?"

"You fool! If any devil touches a god's weapon, they will be incinerated instant—Oi!" The dragon's warning was cut short as August casually grabbed the golden hilt of the sword and effortlessly pulled it out.

"What? How?!" 

Seeing the comically confused look on the dragon's face, August chuckled softly and said, "See? Not all devils are alike. And I already told you, I don't need anything in return."

A guilty look glowed on the dragon's face as it lowered its head and apologized. "I am truly sorry. You saved my life while all I did was insult you."

"All forgiven!" He laughed as he sat down on the ground. "Are you hungry? Wanna eat anything?"

The dragon thought for a moment before nodding, a glimmer of hope in its eyes. "If it's not too much trouble…"

August couldn't help but smile at the sight.

With a casual flick of his wrist, he conjured a large circular table that materialized in front of them. The table was laden with a variety of steaming dishes, their enticing aromas wafting through the air.

From succulent roasts to exotic fruits, and rare wine to sake, it was a feast fit for a ravenous dragon.

As if on cue, two ornately crafted chairs materialized at the table, one of which August pulled out and sat down on, sinking into the plush cushions that perfectly conformed to his shape.

"Do you also have a human form?" He asked, eyeing the dragon with curiosity. "It would be easier for you to eat if you transform."

The dragon snorted, releasing a puff of smoke from her nostrils. A massive circular magic circle formed in front of her, enveloping her in a blinding light, obscuring her from view.

As the light faded, a beautiful girl stood in the place of the colossal green-scaled dragon. She had long blonde hair with fiery orange tips that cascaded down her back, and red-orange eyes with dilated pupils that held an otherworldly allure. She wore only a heavy black cloak, allowing her curvaceous figure to be seen.

Interestingly, she still retained her green tail and yellow horns, which August found rather endearing.

"Still not fond of this magic," She grumbled in her now feminine voice, a stark contrast to her previous draconic rumble and took a seat at the table, reaching for the nearest platter of roasted meats.

August watched her with amusement as she ate voraciously, her rosy cheeks becoming more pronounced with every bite. Finally, he couldn't hold back his laughter any longer. "So you really were a girl," he remarked.

"Well, more or less," she replied between bites.

They continued to eat in comfortable silence, the only sounds coming from their cutlery clinking against plates. After a particularly delicious bite, she would rub her cheeks and let out a contented sigh.

"This is exquisite!" she exclaimed with delight sparkling in her eyes.

"Haha, thanks. I made it," August laughed.

As they feasted, August finally asked the question burning in his mind. "What is your name? I'm Augustus by the way."

"Tohru," she answered.

"So Tohru, why are you here?" August's curiosity was piqued.

"I was defeated in a battle against a god, and escaped to this world," Tohru contemplated for a moment before continuing, "Without your help, I would have definitely died. Thank you."

Their gazes locked, his deep violet eyes meeting her reddish-orange ones that sparkled like dying embers. He chuckled, "Well, I couldn't let another fall victim to an evil god with a clear conscience!" He exclaimed in a righteous tone while his voice carried a hint of mischief. "After all, I am a devil!"

They both cracked up at this as they raised their glasses of wine in a toast before taking a sip of the rich liquid.

"What are you doing here?" In turn, Tohru asked, curiosity glinting in her eyes.

August was about to reply with his usual spiel when he stopped himself, his gaze falling to the glass of wine in his hand. "It's a long story," he began, his voice distant and low. "It all started when my parents were killed..."

For the first time, August opened up and shared his real story - not the made-up one he usually spun, but the truth about who he was. Minus the transmigration and system.

"Those bastard Devils! They deserve to rot in hell!" Tohru seethed, spitting out a small fireball as she cursed the last 14 generations of all devils. August couldn't help but be amused by her display of anger.

"It feels liberating to finally let these burdens off my chest after being alone for so long," he whispered in a barely audible melancholic tone. Sharing his secrets with someone else felt freeing, but that wasn't the only reason.

"I am also completely alone now, in this world," she whispered back in an equally soft tone, her eyes reflecting a deep loneliness.

"You don't have any family?" he asked in a much gentler tone.

She shook her head, "I do. But by now, they all think I am dead. And I prefer to keep it that way."

He nodded understandingly, not willing to pry into sensitive matters this soon. "Do you have anywhere to go?"

"No," Tohru admitted. "I was alone to begin with."

"In that case…wanna come to my place?" A gentle smile lit up August's face as he looked at her.

Tohru's eyes widened as small droplets of tears ringed around them. "Yes! I-I do!" She nodded her head fervently as if afraid of August rescinding the offer.

'Seriously, she is adorable!'

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Author-san Here!!!

Arc 3 is here! This one is gonna be the best so far! Look forward to it.

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