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Chapter 46: Pandora, The Vainglory Dragon (II)
🕑 Added 2024-09-03 16:00:44 +0000 UTC10+ Advance Chapters: patreon.com/Accel14
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A week and some change had passed since Takauji had first begun the process of replacing his body parts with that of Fafnir's. The Mana surging from his body had cooled down significantly from when the process first began, now reaching a point where Raynare could comfortably be around him without disintegrating into a pile of dust. However, touching him was still too dangerous.
["He's waking up, Azazel."]
The Governor flinched, eager to approach his sleeping body until Fafnir decided to caution him otherwise.
["Listen, I don't have time to explain everything but I need you to do exactly as I say. Do not move, do not make any sudden movements. Do not activate your Mana, and do not speak. You'll die if you do."]
Azazel halted, shocked to hear his partner barrage him with warnings, but ultimately deciding it would be wise to listen to the Dragon King regardless. Fafnir's voice was not a joking one at the moment.
Takauji's eyes opened. Having changed a little from before the deal had been made, retaining their violet hue but becoming more reptilian in nature. With slit pupils instead of rounded ones, like a Dragons.
(Image)
Azazel could feel his heart start to beat wildly, his skin starting to perspire as a nervous grin appeared on his face. He wasn't sure why, but the sight of Takauji simply getting up from the bed, and removing the equipment he was attached to filled with him an undesirable level of dread.
Like watching a monster be born.
["He needs time to adjust to his senses. You'll startle Pandora if you do anything to set him off. Like I said, just remain still."]
Pandora? Who's that?
["That's his name."]
Did someone tell you that?
["No. I just know for some reason. I think we all know."]
We? You mean Dragons?
["Probably."]
The Fallen Angel grumbled internally, desperate to have his curiosity satiated.
The first thing Takauji noticed was his vision, for some reason he could see strange currents flowing all around him. Causing him to reach out and try to interact with them, finding out that they were cool to the touch. Giving off the same feeling when one channeled their Mana.
It took him a bit of contemplation, but eventually his brain was able to figure out what he was seeing without any outside input.
This was Mana itself, or rather the flow of it. As a Dragon, a being made up of Mana, he now had the ability to see it with his own eyes.
Then he opened his mouth, a sea of pitch-black flames leaving his mouth which started to attack the Mana around him, contaminating it relentlessly until it was no more.
His [Rotted Flame], it was now truly his. He no longer required the aid of Fafnir's [Balance Breaker] to harness them. He was free to use it however he pleased.
However, he also seemed to have access to abilities he had never harnessed before. One's that he had only just attained from acquiring Fafnir's blood.
And when he tried to use one of the abilities, he noticed that his Mana had changed. Calculations had truly no longer become a part of them, in any way, shape, or form whatsoever. Moreover, it had grown stronger, much stronger.
He held his hand out, a [Golden Aura] leaving his fingertips as he observed the phenomenon like a child who had just been given a new toy. The light reminded him of clay, capable of being molded into whatever shape he desired.
Isn't that one of your abilities, Fafnir?
["Yes, it is. He probably doesn't have my [Replication] since that is an ability I developed myself. However it makes sense for him to have my [Golden Aura], and maybe even my [Treasure Summoning]. But that remains to be seen."]
Takauji continued to play with the aura for a while, Azazel yearning to question him about his new powers but Fafnir continued to keep him at bay. Not wanting the Governor to die an idiot's death.
And then Takauji turned, facing the individual who shared the space with him. Azazel flinched a little, hoping that his movement didn't set Takauji off.
Luckily for him, the newly born Dragon displayed no hostility. Continuing to stare at the Fallen Angel as he felt his emotions rush into him, he knew exactly what Azazel was feeling at the moment.
"You needn't be afraid." He finally spoke, Azazel heaving a deep sigh of relief. "I've got my bearings down."
The Governor collected himself, withholding the urge to bombard the possibly still unstable Dragon with questions.
"Fafnir called you Pandora. Does that mean you are not Ashikaga Takauji anymore?"
"If your interpretation of Ashikaga Takauji was the person sleeping on that bed, then I am indeed no longer that person. However, my character remains true to the memories and experiences Ashikaga Takauji held. So in a way, I am still that person."
Takauji smiled at him, his personality seemed identical to Takauji. However the core of who that person had become had changed, Ashikaga Takauji was no longer a lost lamb desperate to figure out what he was.
He had been taught, Great Red had told him exactly who he was, and what his purpose was. The confidence radiating from him was brighter than it had ever been.
"Do you mind if I call you Pandora?" Azazel asked, beyond interested to figure out what had become of his Contracted Magician.
"Sure, if you want to. I know you have a plethora of questions to ask me, but before that I'd like to go see Raynare first." The Dragon clearly had his priorities.
"Of course, I made sure to keep her updated on your situation as it progressed. I'm sure she'll be ecstatic to see you again."
Takauji nodded approvingly, following Azazel out of the training chamber as he braced himself for impact.
THUD!
Just like when he had finished assimilating with the parasite, and getting his Mana under control. Raynare rushed into him even faster than she had before, elated to have her master back.
"Just how many times do you plan on doing this? Takauji-sama." She said with a pout, recoiling a little as she made contact with his Draconic pupils.
"This is probably the last time, don't worry. Have you been doing alright?" He gently stroked her hair, his presence may have changed, but this was still her master. She was sure of that.
"I have, even though it's been pretty boring without you around. It's a promise when you say this won't happen again though, right?" She shot a pleading look his way, not liking the sense of unease she felt when he wasn't around.
"It's a promise." He softly kissed her forehead, boosting her mood significantly as she tightened her hug. "You've gotten stronger, I imagine Azazel was probably helping you train?"
"Yes! Do you want to see how strong I've gotten?" She said with a prideful smile.
"Sure."
Raynare didn't even activate her [Balance Breaker], flexing nothing but her raw strength causing Takauji to purse his lips.
"You've made it to Ultimate-Class?" Granted, she was probably the weakest Ultimate-Class in existence right now. However, it was still an achievement worth praise.
"Mhm, I'd brag about it more but the fact that I can't even remotely gauge your strength is pretty annoying."
Takauji chuckled, with the supercomputer like mind the parasite had granted him, and the unbelievable physical might and Draconic Mana he had gained from Fafnir. He was without a doubt at the very top of Ultimate-Class. The peak of it.
"To be fair, I had some outside help beyond Azazel."
The Governor raised a brow.
"You did? From who?"
Takauji raised a finger to his lips.
"Secret."
Azazel groaned, confident that Ashikaga Takauji's personality was most definitely still there. Actually it probably hadn't changed even in the slightest.
"Of course it is," he exhaled. "Alright then, I'll let you two lovebirds catch up, but later you'll tell me all about this Pandora stuff right?"
"Relax, I wouldn't have gotten this strength without you and Fafnir's help. I'll spill the beans."
"Good," he nodded affirmatively. Leaving Raynare and Takauji to their own devices.
"Pandora?" Raynare said. "What does that mean?"
"It's my name. My true name."
As expected, Raynare didn't have the faintest clue as to what he was talking about.
"Mind putting that in Raynare terms for me?" She seemed to understand her lacking comprehension skills in comparison to Takauji and Azazel.
"Simply put, it was the name I was given when I became a Dragon."
"Someone named you? Was it Azazel?"
Takauji shook his head.
"As if I'd ever let him name me, I was given the name by a much older, and much stronger Dragon. But don't worry about it too much, you can still call me Takauji if you'd like. I don't mind."
He had started off as Ashikaga Takauji, a third-year high school student who had just awakened his Mana. Then he had become Ashikaga Takauji the Demon, having fused with a parasite to break his human shackles. And finally, he had become Pandora, The Vainglory Dragon. The Dragon of Delusions.
All in the span of a month, it really was quite the journey.
Raynare hummed.
"I don't really get it, but if Pandora is your actual name that I'd rather call you that. Is that alright?" Just go with the flow, that was her motto.
"Mhm. Now then, would you mind giving me a little space? There's something I'd like to try."
"Sure."
He remembered the power he had tried to call upon when he first assimilated with the parasite, his strength being too lackluster back then to make use of it. However with his current strength, he believed that it would now be possible. Not only that, but he felt it had changed in some way.
And he was right.
All of a sudden, his pupils and irises in all four eyes split in two. Giving him an almost alien appearance that Raynare somehow wasn't fearful of in the slightest, probably still believing it to be cute in her own weird way.
(Image)
"Hit me." Takauji told his servant out of nowhere.
"What?"
"Just do it, I need to confirm something." The Dragon felt no immediate change when he used the power, but he had a feeling that the ability required some sort of outside input to activate.
She did as he asked, throwing a solid hook in his way as Takauji swiftly dodged the attack, not surprising Raynare in the slightest.
"Was there any point to that?"
"Yeah, I didn't make any effort to move at all. My body just did it for me, without any input from my mind whatsoever."
Now surprise seeped in.
"How is that possible?"
"This power seems to give my body the ability to predict movements without the need for me to actually read an attack, basically allowing me to focus all my efforts on attacking if I wanted to while I let my body handle the rest."
He could only keep the power activated for around 13 seconds until it went on cooldown, but with enough training it would become a truly remarkable ability for him to wield.
The power of [Prediction]. A boon that didn't require him to expend any brain power at all.
"So you've gained another ridiculously unfair ability? Is that what you're saying?" She huffed.
"It would seem so." He smiled, thankful to Azazel, Fafnir, and Great Red for allowing him to get to this point. He owed them a debt, one that he fully intended on repaying.
"Everytime I close the gap you just extend it another hundred feet, being your servant really is a tough gig." She pinched her nose bridge, knowing that it would only get worse from here on out.
"You'll get there if you keep up your current rate of progress, trust me."
"So you say." Raynare rolled her eyes. "On another note, I've gone an entire week without any bedtime attention from you." She grabbed him by the hand. "So I'll be expecting you to even out your balance pronto."
He wasn't even surprised at this point.
