—Creck!
A sharp, brittle sound—like the splitting of bone or the cracking of ice under pressure—echoed across the ravine.
"Eh…?"
Zack froze. His eyes widened in disbelief as the narrow outcrop beneath them began to shift, then crumble.
It had to be a geological fault. Fighting in a place like this was reckless. He should've noticed the small, weather-worn sign nearby that read, "Beware of Collapse."
"Shit…!"
No time to think. Zack grabbed the girl and hurled her forward with every ounce of strength he had. She landed safely on a more stable ledge.
But the action had cost him his own escape.
The stone beneath his boots gave way.
And he fell.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
The rush of air clawed at his skin like invisible blades. The world spun violently. The ravine stretched endlessly below—a void that seemed to swallow light itself.
Then, he felt it.
A burning sensation on his left wrist.
"Eh…?"
A crimson light flared through his clothes. The scar—like a fang mark etched from elbow to wrist—pulsed with searing heat, igniting in blinding red.
And the world changed.
Sound vanished.
All wind, all noise, was stolen from the world.
"Ugh…!"
Agony bloomed in his chest, as though something inside him was tearing apart—ripping its way out of his very soul.
His vision blurred.
Through the pain, he saw his own body glowing, radiant as starlight.
"Guaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
Zack screamed, voice raw, just before consciousness began to slip away.
But in the haze—he saw it.
A girl. Floating. Naked.
Hovering beside him in mid-air, her eyes gently shut, arms opened in serene surrender. Her skin was unblemished, pale as moonlight, her body delicate and ethereal like something from a dream.
Instinctively, Zack reached out.
She drifted into his arms without resistance, as if drawn by an unseen force. The light that surrounded them intensified, cloaking them in warmth, suspending their fall like magic from an old fairytale.
Gently, slowly, they descended—carried by the glow—until they landed on a flat rock by the side of a creek.
The luminous sphere shattered into countless sparkles and scattered like stardust in the wind.
"...Am I safe now?"
Zack muttered, his gaze falling to the girl cradled in his arms.
She was still asleep.
Her breathing soft and steady.
And then—realization struck.
"Uwaa…!"
A rush of heat shot to Zack's cheeks as he fully registered her form.
She was small, but her figure already hinted at womanhood—modest breasts swelling gently from her chest, her slender frame exuding a raw, untouched allure. Her ivory skin glowed with a soft luster in the ambient light, smooth and delicate like porcelain. It felt surreal—like he was holding a fallen angel.
She looked no older than fourteen or fifteen.
Carefully, Zack laid her down and, without hesitation, pulled off the coat from his Dragsuit, draping it over her nude body. Thankfully, it was large enough to cover most of her.
"Fuu…"
Relieved, he sat beside her, staring again at her face—calm, serene, yet strangely familiar.
"Could she be… Alys?"
That teasing girl from his dreams—sensual, mysterious, and always just out of reach.
But this girl... she was different.
Alys was like a gothic succubus—seductive and mature, masked by the innocence of youth. The girl before him, though undeniably beautiful, held only the raw purity of a girl untouched by time.
"...Eh?"
Zack noticed something odd.
Two small, curved bumps—ivory in color—protruded from the sides of her head.
"What is this…?"
He leaned closer, gently brushing his fingers against them.
They were soft, slightly springy. Not accessories—these were part of her body.
"...Horns?"
They resembled the tiny nubs seen on young dragons.
The pieces clicked in Zack's mind.
She had emerged from within him.
She had horns.
"...Is this girl… my par?"
His eyes widened. Par—his destined dragon companion. He had waited for this moment for so long.
But why... a girl?
Why wasn't she a dragon like the others?
"Uu...nnn…" Her lashes fluttered. "Huwaaah…"
She yawned, adorably, and one eye slowly cracked open, ruby-red and sleepy.
Zack leaned in, spellbound by her gaze.
Then—
"Hugiyaaaaaaaa!"
SMACK!
Zack went flying, her hand having slapped his face with incredible strength. He landed headfirst into the creek. Thankfully, it was shallow.
"Ugh… what power..."
Blood trickled from his nose.
"You pervert! Taking advantage of a sleeping girl! Do you have no shame?"
Blushing furiously, she stood—and the jacket slipped from her shoulders.
She was naked again. And didn't seem to care.
"P-Please put something on first!"
"Clothes? How absurd! Only humans hide behind fabric to mask their ugliness."
"What!?"
"Dragons don't need clothes!"
"I don't care if you're a dragon! Right now, you're a naked girl!"
"Hmph. Weakling. Typical human."
A sudden gust of wind swept through the ravine.
Despite it being spring, the breeze was chilly.
"A-aachoo!"
Her sneeze was devastatingly cute—comically so compared to her previous pride.
Then—boom—a huge gust of wind erupted from her direction.
"Uoo!"
Zack barely clung to a nearby rock, avoiding being thrown into the air.
"...A dragon's sneeze…? Not to be taken lightly."
He steadied himself, back still turned to her.
"You're right, clothes are decorative. But they also keep you warm!"
"Hmph…" She pouted, clearly annoyed, but finally relented.
After a rustling of fabric, Zack risked a glance.
She had put the jacket on.
It draped down to her thighs, leaving her legs exposed. The sight of her pale, slender legs—and the fact that she wore only a jacket—was oddly more provocative than her being completely nude.
Zack turned away again, breathing heavily.
"I need to confirm something. You're the dragon that was inside me, right?"
"Technically, I was borrowing your body."
"For how long? I've already made it to the Advanced Course!"
She narrowed her eyes dangerously.
"...Nothing. Forget it." Zack shrank back, intimidated.
Clearly displeased, the girl planted both her hands on her hips and looked at Zack.
"I'm no ordinary dragon. Don't lump me with the rest."
"Wha…?"
She crossed her arms beneath her chest, pushing her modest bust upward defiantly.
"Listen carefully. You are not my master. I don't care about the secret agreement of Vanitas—"
Zack was a little surprised when the girl mentioned that historical term—the secret agreement of Vanitas. Long ago, confronted with the crisis of extinction, the dragons stipulated a treaty with humans who wanted their magic.
"...That being said, you and I share a common destiny. Although you can't see it, we are bound together by an invisible thread."
She must be talking about the Astral Flow. The energy that linked dragons to their humans—the key to their survival.
"After combining with humans, dragons are able to get a supply of the Astral. As a result, dragons obtained the strength to survive, thus overcoming the crisis of extinction."
This knowledge was taught during the Basic Course. The Astral was something similar to "qi" and was the source of greatly-needed strength. The history of the dragons was far longer than that of humans. With each new generation, the Astral contained within their bodies decreased.
Due to the lack of the Astral, before becoming fully grown, many young dragons died prematurely. If young dragons were unable to mature into adult dragons, sooner or later, dragons would go down the path of extinction.
Concerned by the current situation, the dragons decided to combine with the humans who possessed the most Astral Flow, thus avoiding extinction.
"However, even so, I don't believe the dragons owe humans. Instead, humans should feel honoured."
"Couldn't you at least say thank you?"
THUD!—Her elbow sank into his stomach, making him gasp.
"Gahh!!"
"By the way…"
After glancing at Zack, who was writhing in pain, the girl, thinking about something, suddenly turned away. Her vigour, that she had displayed just then, disappeared and was replaced by bashfulness and embarrassment.
"My name..."
"Huh?"
Zack, puzzled, frowned. The girl turned a shade of bright red and shouted.
"My...name, my name! Give me a name! T-This is a, somewhat, very important thing!"
"Do you really want me to give you a name?"
"It can't be helped! Although I don't approve of the secret agreement of Vanitas, I too, can't break the rules! You must give me a name for the contract to be complete!"
"Is that so? The dragons also have so many difficult rules."
"I-I don't need things like your sympathy!"
Faced with the girl's extreme attitude, Zack made a bitter smile.
"If that's how it's going to go, relax. I have already thought of your name"
He had always known what it would be.
"Your name is… Ico."
A super meaningful name.
For the first time in human history, a young maiden succeeded in rousing a larva from its slumber. Her name was Rosa Maria. After her death, people referred to her as a saint, as she was the primogenitor of Breeders.
At that time, her par's name was Ico.
"Ico…"
The girl looked distracted and her dangerous expression eased up.
"Hmm, not bad!. Ico... Congratulations for thinking up this name. Fine, for now I'll spare you!"
"Phew, luckily you quite like this name."
If the name chosen had been deemed unacceptable, perhaps he would have become a victim of violence. Coming to this conclusion, Zack could feel cold sweat starting to form.
"Oh, by the way, although you had just awoken, you seem to be quite knowledgeable about the secret agreement of Vanitas and Astral Flow."
Although Zack didn't say this with the intention to flatter, she, nevertheless, puffed out her chest in pride.
"This is the greatest difference between wisdom-filled dragons and the stupid, ignorant humans."
"Seriously, humans aren't that bad, are they?"
"—Dragweiss"
"Ehh?"
She stared into the distance.
Ico suddenly began to stare off into the distance, taking Zack by surprise.
"In order to survive, the still slumbering larvae will automatically inherit relevant knowledge. As this inherited knowledge is beyond generations, there is no need for others to teach them."
"Wow, that's amazing... By the way, since you are a dragon, why do you take the appearance of a human?"
"This..."
Ico lowered her head in thought. After a while, she could only helplessly shrug her shoulders.
"It's no good, the Dragweiss doesn't contain records pertaining to this... No, there should be related records, except they can't be accessed. Forget about it, I don't know! Don't ask about it anymore, or I'll crush you!"
"That's no good...? I still want to live for a few more years!"
Thinking about Ico's unordinary strength, Zack shuddered.
At this moment, Zack suddenly remembered something, he still hadn't introduced himself!
Thus, he calmed his wild heartbeat, and extended his right hand towards Ico. Regardless, Ico would always remain his par.
To obtain his own par had been his wish for many years.
"Muu... What are you doing?"
"Name's Zack, from this day on, I am your master!"
"...What?"
Ico not only refused to accept Zack's goodwill, but also widened her eyes and stared at Zack.
"W-what's the matter?"
"You seem to have misunderstood something, I think I'd better clear it up. You are not my master."
Straightening her runway-like chest, Ico's eyes began to emit a strange aura.
"I'm the one who is your master!"
Once again, a bone-chilling icy wind blew through the ravine.
.˳·˖✶𓆩𓁺𓆪✶˖·˳.༄
A few hours later—
As expected, Silva didn't disappoint. With the flair of a true Jedi, she claimed first place.
Meanwhile, a search party formed—worried by Liquid's sudden disappearance. Security guards, students, and even the student council president, Roderika, joined the operation.
Zack Blake. Advanced Course. Top-tier problem child. Missing in action.
They feared the worst.
But just as the sun began to dip behind the trees, a powerful dragon—Lainn—suddenly soared toward the ravine, Roderika riding atop its head.
It hadn't been given an order.
It simply… knew.
Later, Roderika would remark:
"Today… was the first time Lainn ever disobeyed me."