"Why… why, why?!"
A blue-haired boy screamed in anguish, his voice echoing through the empty clearing. He stood trembling, staring up at the towering green-haired man clad in gleaming silver armor.
Blood spilled from his chest, seeping through his clothes where a dagger was embedded.
"I never did anything wrong!" he cried, voice cracking. "We've been friends our whole lives, Jax! So tell me—why did you do this?!"
The man—Jax—averted his eyes for a moment, guilt flashing across his otherwise stoic face.
"I'm sorry… but it's the only way to achieve my dreams, Markus. I wish there was another way, I really do, but—"
"That's a load of crap!" Markus snapped, cutting him off. His eyes were filled with pain and betrayal. "'It's the only way'? That's all you have to say? You sacrificed your best friend—for power?!"
Jax said nothing.
They had been inseparable since childhood. Trained together. Ate together. Joined the guild as a team.
When Jax first revealed his ambition to conquer the Kingdom of Iron and turn it into a paradise, Markus had stood by him. All he had ever asked in return… was help. Help to earn enough through their missions to buy medicine for his sick mother.
But instead, Jax had made his choice.
He betrayed him.
And plunged the Black Dragon Dagger—a cursed weapon said to multiply the user's power two-hundredfold when they sacrificed someone they loved—straight into Markus's chest.
Markus coughed violently, blood dripping from his mouth. His voice trembled with fury.
"You bastard… you couldn't find another way?! You just wanted the easy way out!" Cough! Cough! "And my mother… huh? What happens to her now? Are you going to take care of her? Or leave her to die too?!"
Jax finally looked him in the eyes. His face was cold, unreadable.
"I'm sorry," he said flatly. "But I don't have time to care for an old woman. There are more important things I need to handle."
Without another word, he gripped the hilt of the dagger and yanked it from Markus's chest.
Blood splattered across the ground.
Suddenly, a massive glowing circle flared beneath their feet, ancient glyphs lighting up with blinding brilliance.
A mechanical voice echoed from the air above them:
"System requirements met. Twin Dragon System is now online."
"What was that?!"
Markus screamed, panic surging through him as the earth beneath his feet shattered like glass.
From the depths of a swirling, inky void, a massive black hand—twisted, clawed, and seething with shadowy energy—shot upward and clamped around his body.
"No—no! What is this?! What's happening?!"
He thrashed in its grip, struggling to break free, but it was useless. The hand pulled him down, deeper and deeper into the chasm of darkness. The cold bit into his skin. Light vanished.
"JAX!" Markus roared, eyes filled with betrayal and fear as he reached upward toward his oldest friend—
But Jax never turned around.
The shadow portal collapsed in on itself with a thunderous snap—
And Markus was gone.
---
Meanwhile, Jax stood alone in the silence left behind.
The summoning circle beneath him pulsed faintly, its glowing glyphs fading like dying embers. The forest was utterly still, as if the world itself held its breath.
Then—
From the center of the ritual circle, a radiant, spectral figure emerged.
It hovered effortlessly in the air, humanoid in shape, yet clearly something far beyond human. Majestic dragon wings spread wide from its back, shimmering with a soft blue light. A fur-lined mantle circled its neck, rippling in an unseen breeze, and a long tail glided behind it with graceful menace.
Its eyes—twin orbs of glowing azure—locked onto Jax with a gaze that seemed to pierce through his very soul.
"You who have fulfilled the pact," it intoned, its voice deep and resonant, "step forward and accept the bond."
Jax took a slow breath and stepped forward, still gripping the dagger slick with Markus's blood. Guilt flickered in his eyes—but he did not stop.
The figure extended a clawed hand glowing with runes.
"Welcome, chosen of the Twin Dragon System. Your evolution begins now."
Jax stepped through the portal, vanishing into radiant light as the Twin Dragon System fully accepted him. Power surged through his body like a roaring tide, flooding his senses with strength, clarity—and silence.
Meanwhile—
Markus sank.
Deeper and deeper into the abyss, the void swallowed him whole. Time lost all meaning. No pain, no light, no gravity—just endless falling.
Then…
A voice echoed in his mind, deep and ancient, vibrating through the darkness like a bell struck in a bottomless cavern:
"Wake up, child. You are not done yet."
---
Markus gasped.
His eyes flew open, only to be met with an eerie, unnatural sight: he was strapped to a chair floating on a still, pitch-black lake. The water below reflected nothing—no sky, no stars, only an infinite void. The same shadowy hands that had dragged him here now bound him to the seat, their cold fingers wrapped tight around his limbs.
He struggled, heart racing.
Then, something moved.
From the darkness emerged a figure—massive and otherworldly. It walked toward him without rippling the water, each step silent and deliberate.
The being looked like a fusion of dragon and man. Its body was covered in jet-black scales that shimmered like polished obsidian. Four muscular arms extended from its torso, each one ending in claws that looked like they were made of carved onyx. The creature's tail swayed behind it—long, thick, and ending in a plume of fur shaped like a purple flame.
Despite the terror it inspired, its tone was… polite.
"Hello there," the creature said, flashing a sharp-toothed grin. "My name is Umbra. It's lovely to meet you."
Markus blinked, confusion and fear swirling inside him.
"I… I'm Markus, I guess. What's going on? How am I even alive? And why the hell am I tied down?!"
Umbra chuckled lightly and raised one of his clawed hands.
"No need to panic. I'll explain everything."
With a wave of his hand, the black tendrils loosened and slithered away, disappearing beneath the surface of the water.
Markus stood shakily, still trying to make sense of his surroundings as Umbra continued.
"Your friend—Jax—has activated the Twin Dragon System. I'm afraid he misunderstood what that truly means. Yes, it grants power… but it also begins a game. A very specific kind of game."
Markus narrowed his eyes, cautious.
"What kind of game?"
Umbra smiled again, his voice lowering as though savoring the weight of his words.
"A death game."
Markus stepped back instinctively. "What?!"
Umbra raised his hands quickly, reassuring.
"Calm down. It's not against me—trust me, that would be unfair. No, both of you have now become linked to the system. You'll be transported to separate continents—he to the Continent of Iron, and you to the Continent of Drakes."
He began to pace, each step causing faint ripples across the dark lake.
"From there, you'll receive missions, challenges. You'll gather items, allies, and skills. As you grow stronger, you'll level up. And when you both reach level one hundred… that's when the true purpose of the system kicks in."
Umbra turned to face him again, eyes glowing faintly.
"You'll fight. One final battle—winner lives, loser dies."
Markus was silent.
Then, slowly… he smiled.
The thought of revenge surged through his chest like fire. The chance to make Jax pay, to face him with equal power—no longer as prey, but as a hunter.
But then a new thought pierced the haze.
"Wait… my mother. What about her?" he whispered. His fists clenched. "Will she survive without me?"
Umbra tilted his head, as if amused by the question.
"Hah… You really are a devoted son." His grin widened. "Don't worry. I'll keep her alive—if you win. I'll even heal her, completely. But if you lose…"
He trailed off, letting the implication hang heavy in the air.
Markus's eyes hardened.
That was all he needed to hear.
He nodded slowly, fire burning behind his gaze.
"Then I'll win. No matter what it takes."
Umbra chuckled darkly, pleased.
"Good."
With a flick of his wrist, the black water around them began to churn, rising like waves preparing to crash. Symbols—twisted and glowing—lit up beneath Markus's feet.
"Welcome to the game, Markus. Let's see what kind of dragon you become."
Markus was teleported into the middle of a dense, misty forest—the infamous Land of Drakes.
Ancient trees loomed overhead, their twisted branches clawing at the sky like skeletal hands. The air was thick with humidity and the distant screeches of unknown beasts echoed in the canopy above.
Markus looked around, blinking in confusion.
"Why do I feel like I'm missing a lot of information here…" he muttered.
Suddenly, a small, glowing figure materialized on his shoulder, its body like a wisp of smoke wrapped in dragon-shaped energy.
"That's because you are," Umbra's voice chimed in cheerfully.
Markus jolted back, nearly stumbling over a tree root. "Hey! Don't just pop out of nowhere like that! Warn me first!"
Umbra chuckled, floating lazily in a circle around Markus's head. "Where's the fun in that? Anyway, I'll be your guide from here on out. Your mission should be appearing right… about… now."
A soft ding echoed in the air as a translucent blue screen blinked into existence in front of Markus.
---
[TWIN DRAGON SYSTEM ACTIVATED]
[DRAGON CLASS: FORCE DRAGON]
You now possess the ability to manipulate elemental forces such as repulsion, gravity, attraction, magnetism, and more.
[TRANSFORMATION UNLOCKED]
HYBRID DRAGON FORM:
You can transform into a humanoid dragon hybrid, significantly enhancing your physical and force-based abilities.
---
Markus blinked. "Huh… that's way more than I expected to get this early."
Umbra floated beside him, squinting at the screen. "Weird. I thought it would show your missions first… but this is fine. Keep scrolling."
The screen shimmered, then shifted as more data scrolled down automatically.
---
[ABILITIES UNLOCKED]
DRACONIC ECHO – Emit a directional force pulse that knocks enemies and objects away at high velocity.
DRACONIC PULL – Generate a magnetic-like force to drag enemies or items toward you. Can restrain targets, but stronger enemies may resist.
DRACONIC HOLD – Mid-range telekinetic control over targets or objects. Strength scales with focus and level. May be resisted by enemies of higher strength or willpower.
---
Markus whistled, impressed. "Telekinesis and force manipulation? Damn… this system doesn't mess around."
Umbra nodded. "The Force Dragon class is rare. Most who awaken it either burn out from the pressure or use it to reshape continents."
"…Wait, what?"
"Don't worry about that part yet," Umbra said casually. "You're still squishy."
Markus raised an eyebrow. "Comforting."
Umbra clapped—somehow, without hands. "Anyway! You should probably check your first mission. You've got about ten minutes before the local wildlife realizes you're not poisonous."
The screen blinked again as a new tab appeared:
---
[MISSION: SURVIVAL INSTINCTS]
Objective: Survive for 24 hours in the Forest of Drakes.
Bonus Objective: rescue the the prisoner of the black dragon cave.
Rewards: EXP, Rare Item Chest, Passive Skill Unlock
Warning: Hostile creatures inbound. Estimated contact: 07:36 minutes.
---
Markus's face paled slightly. "Hostile creatures? Already?! I just got here!"
Umbra grinned wide, showing spectral fangs. "Welcome to the Land of Drakes, baby. The game doesn't wait for anyone."
A distant, guttural roar echoed through the trees, deep and bone-shaking.
Markus slowly turned toward the sound, eyes wide.
"…I hate this already."
Umbra floated back onto his shoulder, tail flicking playfully. "You'll learn to love it. Or die. One of those."
Markus took a deep breath, cracked his knuckles, and stepped forward through the mist-covered underbrush.
Markus turned to Umbra, eyes sharp and determined. "Okay… how do I actually activate my abilities?"
Umbra floated lazily beside him, arms folded behind his head. "Simple. Just call the name—out loud or in your head, whichever you prefer. Focus on your target or intent, and the system will handle the rest."
Markus nodded. "Thanks. That's all I needed."
He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.
"Activate: Hybrid Dragon Form."
The response was instant.
Pain seared through his bones like lightning. His body convulsed as muscle tore and reshaped, bones cracked and elongated. His skin darkened as shimmering, obsidian-black scales spread across his body like wildfire.
Claws burst from his fingers, sharp and curved like twin goblets ready to spill blood. His legs thickened, heels rising into digitigrade dragon limbs. And from the base of his spine, a massive tail erupted—long, coiled, and heavy, ending in a bladed tip that pulsed with energy.
His eyes snapped open—now glowing with violet slits—and his breath steamed in the air like a beast exhaling fire.
Umbra grinned, clearly impressed. "Not bad for your first time. Still… let's see if you can keep it together once the killing starts."
Markus flexed his claws and rolled his shoulders, the transformation settling into place. The strength flowing through him felt real. Alive. Dangerous.
In the distance, the roar echoed again—closer this time.
He stepped forward through the mist, tail swaying behind him like a predator ready to strike.
The hunt had begun.