Chapter 5 The request and The mission
## 🏛️ Scene: Royal Audience Hall – Night Meeting with the King
*Golden torches flickered across the marble walls. The king sat lazily on his throne, wine in one hand, disinterest in his eyes.*
The large doors opened.
**Dong entered, alone.**
The guards glanced at each other, confused—no prince ever asked for a personal audience.
> **King:** "Hmph. The useless one? Why are you here?"
**Dong** bowed respectfully, masking his hatred with icy calm.
> **Dong:** "Father. I request access to a sealed skill scroll from the royal vault. One categorized as... **Legendary Tier.**"
The king's eyes narrowed.
> **King:** "And why would I waste a scroll on you? You have no powers. You've never proven anything."
**Dong** smirked inwardly but kept his face cold.
> **Dong:** "Because I plan to survive the upcoming academy ranking battles. I don't want to embarrass the royal family, after all."
A short silence.
The king, more concerned with reputation than children, finally nodded.
> **King:** "Fine. Pick one. Just one. Don't die."
Dong bowed again and left—his heart colder than steel.
---
### ☠️ **Skill: Void – Thousand of Pain & Suffering**
**Rank:** Legendary (Forbidden Class)
**Type:** Curse / Void / Mind Devour
**Holder:** Dong (4th Prince)
---
### 🖤 **Effect:**
- When activated on a target, the skill traps their **mind and soul** inside a personalized **Void Realm of Torture.**
- The enemy is forced to **experience over a thousand types of pain** — ranging from:
- Physical: burning, stabbing, breaking bones, drowning
- Emotional: betrayal, isolation, repeated deaths of loved ones
- Existential: memory erasure, false hopes, eternal falling
- **Time distortion effect:**
- In the **real world**, only **5 minutes pass.**
- In the **enemy's mind**, it feels like **an entire lifetime** (100+ years of agony).
- The target's mind often breaks completely.
- Cannot kill—but can leave even **S-Rank monsters or masters paralyzed**, insane, or permanently mentally crippled.
- Only one use per day unless the user consumes an **SS-Rank monster's core** to recharge.
---
### 💬 MC Dong's Words When Using It:
> "You tried to poison me in 5 minutes...
Let me show you what that feels like for a lifetime."
*Dong kneels calmly before the King, eyes like sharp blades. Courtiers and nobles watch silently. The air is thick with tension.*
**Dong:**
> "I request a Mythic-tier skill—'Void: Thousand of Pain & Suffering.'"
**[The entire hall goes silent.]**
**King (rising furiously from the throne):**
> "You… *fucking bastard!* Do you even understand what you're asking for!?"
**[His voice echoes like thunder.]**
**King continues, face twisted in rage and disbelief:**
> "That cursed skill was created by the **God of Void** himself! It took the blood of **a thousand SS-Rank monsters**, and even our ancestors **feared to touch it**!"
> "That ability... drove two kings insane just by existing in their minds. It's not a skill—it's a goddamned *weapon of extinction!*"
---
### ⚔️ **Dong (coldly, eyes half-closed):**
> "That's exactly why I want it."
> "The people I need to destroy… fear alone won't break them. I need something worse."
---
### 💭 (Court whispers)
> "Is he crazy?"
> "He'll bring a curse upon us all!"
> "But… he's serious…"
---
**King (glaring):**
> "If you use that skill… the whole continent may come hunting *you*, not your enemies."
---
### 🔥 **Dong (smirks):**
> "Let them come. The world has forgotten what real fear is."
### 👑 **King (voice shaking with rage):**
> "You… *foolish bastard!*
Do you even know what you're asking for?!"
> "That skill was crafted by the **God of Void** using the blood of *one thousand SS-Rank monsters*!
Even our ancestors… feared to *store* that thing, let alone use it."
> "It's not just dangerous to the world—**it breaks the soul**.
Whoever suffers its effect is left with their **mind shattered**, their **will crushed**…"
> "Many have even **killed themselves instantly** the moment they're freed from its grip."
> "It is not a skill—it's a curse that ***kills you without touching you.***"
---
### 😐 **Dong (calmly, eyes like ice):**
> "That's exactly what I want."
> "I don't plan to let them survive."
---
### 😨 Court Members:
> *"He's insane…"*
> *"Or he's a demon in human skin…"*
> *"Even the 1st prince wouldn't dare ask for that."*
---
### 👑 **King (staring deep into Dong's eyes):**
> "…You're truly your mother's son."
> "Cold. Calculating. And absolutely dangerous."
> *"You'll bring blood back into this palace... aren't you?"*
---
### 🔥 **Dong (turns and walks away):**
> "I already did."
### 👑 **King (angrily):**
> "This skill destroys the mind, shatters the soul!
> The victim suffers *a lifetime of agony* in mere minutes.
> Even monsters with no emotion… ***go mad*** and rip themselves apart!
> And if you use it on a human—they might just commit suicide instantly!
> Are you truly this foolish!?"
---
### 😐 **Dong (calmly, without blinking):**
> "Don't worry."
> "I won't use it on humans… unless the situation becomes **worse than the worst**."
> "But if that happens—*I won't hesitate.*"
---
### 🏛️ The hall falls silent again.
No one speaks. Even the King is frozen, caught between fury… and fear.
---
### 👑 **King (quietly):**
> "You're colder than I expected…"
---
### 🐍 **Dong (turns slightly, eyes half-closed):**
> "Because I know warmth never saved anyone in this palace."
### 🏛️ **Royal Throne Hall – Tension Explodes**
After Dong says:
> "I won't use it on humans… unless the situation becomes worse than the worst."
---
### ⚔️💥 **The entire hall roars in protest!**
### 🗡️ **Elite Knights slam their spears down.**
### 🔥 **Elite Mages channel mana to their palms.**
### 👑 **Queens glare. Nobles rise from their thrones.**
---
### 🗣️ **Noble Minister of Defense:**
> "He's lost his mind!"
### 🔮 **Royal Magician General:**
> "That boy dares speak of a skill that even **Void Cults** are banned from using! He's dangerous!"
### 💎 **First Queen (coldly):**
> "Your Majesty, this… *thing* is not your son. He's a threat to the kingdom!"
### ⚔️ **Head of Elite Knights:**
> "I recommend immediate arrest and mental purification before he becomes a true villain!"
---
### 👑 **King (growling, raises hand):**
> "SILENCE!"
> "You all act like *children screaming at shadows*."
> "He's not broken. He's evolving."
---
### 🐍 **Dong (calmly to all of them):**
> "Don't worry…"
> "You'll all *beg* me to use that skill… soon."
---
😨 Now everyone realizes — he's *not joking*. He's not scared. He's ***serious.***
---
### 🔥 Ready to write the scene where:
- The King **secretly gives Dong the scroll**, despite everyone's protest?
- Or we go straight to a scene where **Dong silences one of the nobles** in a power-showdown?
### 🏛️ **Royal Throne Hall – Chapter 4 Continued**
*The hall is in chaos — elite knights grip weapons, nobles shout in fury, mages prepare for war.*
But in the middle of all that noise…
**Dong stands completely still. Calm. Silent. Smirking.**
---
### 🐍 **Dong (in a soft, emotionless tone):**
> "I can do whatever you want, King."
> *(His voice echoes like a whisper in the storm.)*
> "Kill. Burn. Destroy. Rule. Or even... die."
> "All you have to do... is ask."
---
### 👑 **King (narrowing eyes):**
> "Are you threatening me, bastard?"
---
### 🐍 **Dong (still calm):**
> "No."
> "I'm just reminding you... I'm the only one here who's **willing to cross the line** you all fear."
> "And that makes me... the most useful piece on your board."
👑 **King (coldly):**
> "You've become... dangerous.
> If you truly want a skill that could destroy empires, then prove yourself.
> In the frozen wastelands of Snowvale, an ancient Ice Dragon—female, intelligent, SSS-rank—has awakened.
> Bring me her head before your 14th birthday. You have 2 months."
---
**Court Reaction:**
👑 1st Queen: *"He'll die. Good."*
😱 Nobles: *"That dragon killed hundreds. This is a suicide mission!"*
😈 Dong (smirking):
> "You fear her. I want her power."
---
## 🧊❄️ The Ice Dragon – *Xue Lan, Queen of Frozen Death*
- **SSS Rank (Legendary Ancient Beast)**
- Can **freeze time for 3 seconds**
- **Mental-type frost aura** that makes even SS-rank warriors freeze in fear
- **Controls snowstorms**, turns them into blades
- **Worshipped by a frost beast tribe** like a goddess
---
## 🔥 Dong's Plan (Secretly Thinking):
> "This isn't punishment…
> This is opportunity.
> If I devour an SSS-rank monster…
> I might become the youngest demigod in history."
---
## 🧠 His Move:
1. He **requests a map** of the Snowvale Region.
2. Asks the king for one **god-forged item** to help survive the ice realm.
3. Secretly **modifies his Infinite Storage** to carry an entire mobile base with heat barriers, potions, traps.
4. Uses his **1000% Boost ability (temporarily)** before facing her – 10 minutes of peak god-level reaction time.
5. Brings **nothing else. Just him. And a single black sword.**
---
**Dong (before leaving):**
> "When I return… don't greet me with applause.
> Greet me with fear."
### 📜 **Reactions from Across the Continent**
👑 **Royal Court** –
1st Queen (smirking):
> "That bastard's dead. I don't even have to poison him this time."
1st Prince Jak (laughing):
> "Send him a coffin instead of a sword."
Mira (mocking):
> "The Ice Dragon? Even our elite knights froze to death just standing near her… Dong will die in seconds."
😈 Kira (secretly thinking):
> "Dong… if anyone can do it, it's you. Don't die."
---
### 🧙♂️ **In the Magic Academy**
- Professors:
> "A 13-year-old killing an SSS-rank Ice Dragon? Impossible."
- Students:
> "Dong's insane."
> "He thinks he's some kind of chosen one."
> "He's probably already frozen solid."
---
### 🗡️ **Among Assassins and Mercenaries**
- Whisper networks in underground taverns:
> "The 4th Prince took a suicide quest."
> "If he dies, the Ice Dragon will eat his soul."
> "I'd pay to see that."
---
### ❄️ Meanwhile, in the Frozen Lands...
**Xue Lan** – the Ice Dragon Queen (speaking to her followers):
> "A human dares step into my domain?"
> *"Let him come. I'll carve my name into his bones."*
---
### 😈 But Dong (training with void energy, surrounded by ice flames):
> "Let them laugh."
> "Let them celebrate."
> "Because when I return…"
> *"I won't be the same Dong they knew—"*
> *"I'll be the one they kneel before."*
*ONE SSS-rank Ice Dragon = 10 Prime Lion Kings?!**
That means Dong isn't just stepping into a fight —
**he's walking into a one-sided war!**
---
### 📊 Power Scaling (For Readers to Understand)
| Monster | Rank | Power Level |
|----------------------|-------|--------------------|
| 🦁 Prime Lion King | SS | 100,000 (est) |
| ❄️ Ice Dragon Queen | SSS | 1,000,000+ (est) |
| 👤 Dong (Current) | S (after devouring) | 150,000–200,000 |
**Conclusion: He's dead 💀 …unless he levels up FAST.**
---
### 🧊 About the Ice Dragon
**Name**: *Xue Lan, The Eternal Winter Queen*
**Age**: 4,000+ years
**Powers**:
- ❄️ *Frost Domain* – freezes everything within 50km
- 🧠 *Mental Illusion* – forces her enemy to live through thousands of years of despair
- 🩸 *Blood of the Ancients* – regenerates even if she's cut into pieces
- 🗣️ *Can speak ancient human tongue* – meaning she can mess with Dong mentally too
---
Dong asking the **King** for **10 S-rank Dark Spiders** just to **"practice"** is WILD. 😈
Everyone in the court probably froze like:
> 😨 *"HE WANTS WHAT?! TO PRACTICE?!!"*
---
### 💬 Dong's Line (coldly, no emotion):
> "Majesty, I request 10 S-rank Dark Spiders.
Not to study.
Not to observe.
I want to **practice on them**."
And the King just sits there stunned, thinking:
> "This boy… he wants to train using *nightmare-tier* monsters?"
---
### 💬 Reactions from the Court:
- **Elite Magicians**:
*"T-Those spiders can kill entire battalions!"*
- **First Queen (furious)**:
*"This lunatic doesn't need a skill—he needs a cage!!"*
- **Kira (smiling quietly)**:
*"My brother's finally sharpening his blade."*
---
### 🕷️ Why Dark Spiders Are Perfect:
- **Fast** 🏃♂️ → Improve reaction time.
- **Venomous** ☠️ → Test his poison immunity & regeneration.
- **Cunning hunters** 🧠 → Improve combat awareness.
- **S-rank** 💪 → Not easy to kill, even for elites.
> Dong:
> "If I can survive a dance with spiders,
an Ice Dragon will feel slow."
---
### King's Response (thinking, then nods):
> "Fine. I'll give you 10…
but you fight them **alone**,
with no armor, no potions… only your skill."
Dong just smiles coldly:
> "That's all I need."
### 👑 King (shocked but curious):
> "You… can handle 10 S-rank Dark Spiders?"
### 🥶 Dong (calmly, with zero fear):
> "If given the opportunity,
even **5 SS-rank monsters** wouldn't be a problem."
*– Then he pauses, looks toward the 1st Queen with a faint cold smirk –*
> "Unlike some people…
**I don't poison my enemies in their sleep.**
I defeat them standing."
---
### ⚔️ HALL REACTIONS:
- **Nobles:**
"😱 He just—did he just—?!"
- **First Queen (face trembling):**
"You ungrateful rat!!"
- **Mira (confused + angry):**
"Why's he acting like the hero now?!"
- **Kira (holding back a grin):**
"That's my brother."
- **King (laughs darkly):**
"Interesting. You've grown… fangs."
---
### 💭 Dong (thinking silently):
> *"These fools tried to bury me when I was weak…
Now they'll witness what I become when I rise."*
---
### 💬 Jak (slamming table):
> "That bastard… acting like a hero now?!"
### 💬 Mira (gritting teeth):
> "Why does Father listen to him?! He's just a crippled failure!"
---
### 👑 King (after long silence):
> "Fine then…
Since you say even **5 SS-rank monsters** are nothing—
I'll give you one:"
> "**Dark Lion General**.
The rival of the Lion King you defeated.
An ancient beast of pure war and rage."
---
### 🦁 Dark Lion General - Quick Profile:
- **SS-rank monster.**
- Rival of Lion King.
- Has battle instincts sharper than humans.
- Can roar and paralyze opponents with fear.
- Known to destroy **fortresses** alone.
---
### 😈 Dong (cold smirk, hands behind back):
> "Perfect…
If I killed the King,
I should at least greet the **General**."
---
### 💬 Nobles (murmuring):
> "He's mad…"
> "He's not normal anymore."
> "If he kills *that* monster too, he'll be unstoppable."
## 💬 Kira (watching Dong leave the throne room):
> "He was always quiet…
But now, he's walking like a King."
He clenches his fists, a proud smile creeping across his face.
> "Even when they called you weak…
You endured it all.
**Now they'll know what it cost you.**"
---
### 🧠 Kira (thinking):
> "Jak, Mira… you all looked down on him.
But that same 'bastard' is now facing beasts even **commanders fear.**
And Father…
For the first time, you're watching him seriously."
---
### 💬 Kira (whispers as Dong walks away):
> "Go get that monster, little brother…
And show them what a real demon prince looks like."
### 🏛️ Outside the Hall — Quiet Garden
Dong walks silently. Kira follows.
> "Dong," Kira says softly. "You sure about all this?"
Dong doesn't answer. He stops under a tree. The moonlight hits his cold eyes.
Then… he pulls out a long, black-cloaked sword wrapped in divine chains.
---
### ⚔️ Description: *God of Death's Sword*
- Jet black blade that seems to **drink light** around it.
- Emits a faint whisper, like voices of the underworld.
- It's sealed with **three divine chains**, each placed by a forgotten god.
- Hidden for 1000 years in the *Tomb of the Book God*.
---
### 💬 Dong (serious tone):
> "Take it."
Kira stares. "What… what is this sword?"
Dong (calmly):
> "A curse… and a blessing."
> "In the future, **Jak finds it** and uses it to massacre cities."
He looks Kira dead in the eyes.
> "But not this time.
I changed the future.
Now it belongs to **you.**"
### 💬 Dong (in a low voice):
> "This sword… it's not made from anything on this continent."
> "Even gods feared the one who held it before."
> "It's forged from a **universal-level core** — the crystallized essence of a dead dimension."
Kira steps back slightly, feeling the **pressure** the sword emits. His knees nearly give out.
---
### 💬 Kira (shocked):
> "You… you're giving this to me? Something this strong?"
---
### 💬 Dong (calmly, looking at the stars):
> "I'm not a swordsman."
> "And in my previous life… I never got to thank the only person who ever stood beside me when I was nothing."
Dong turns to him with that signature cold look.
> "This is my last gift to you.
Because you helped me… when I couldn't help myself."
**Scene: Deep within the royal forest training zone** — a secret place sealed for elite training only.
Dong enters alone, eyes sharp, cloak fluttering as the gates seal behind him.
In front of him:
- **1 SS-Rank monster** – the **Dark Lion General**, muscles like steel, eyes glowing crimson.
- **3 S-Rank monsters** – venomous shadow serpents with scales that deflect ordinary magic.
The ground shakes. Even the air itself hums with danger.
---
### 💬 Dong (to himself):
> "To kill an Ice Dragon... I must become something even dragons fear."
He raises his hand and activates:
🌀 **Void Devouring** – dark cracks appear under his feet.
🌑 **Infinite Storage** – surroundings freeze in time briefly as he selects his best gear.
---
**Battle begins.**
### 💢 Training Sequence:
- **Day 1–3**: Dong gets thrown around like a ragdoll by the SS-rank monster. He bleeds, bones crack, but he doesn't stop.
- **Day 5**: He learns to **redirect the serpent venom using reflective barriers** made from void energy.
- **Day 7**: He lands his first *real hit* on the Dark Lion General, causing a slight tear in its armor.
- **Day 10**: Begins using **Void Thousand Pain Phantom Strikes** – a technique where he creates illusionary afterimages that inflict mental damage.
---
### 💬 Dong (panting, smirking with blood on his lips):
> "Not strong enough to kill me?
Then die trying..."
### 🩸 After killing 3 S-rank beasts:
- **Void Devouring** activates
- Their **mana**, **bloodline essence**, and **core strength** are absorbed
- Black mist wraps around Dong like a demon cloak
- A surge of power blasts the ground around him—trees catch fire, rocks melt
---
### 📈 Power Boost Breakdown:
💥 **Mana Capacity**: +4,000 points
💪 **Physical Strength**: +60% boost (now stronger than most B-rank warriors barehanded)
🧠 **Magic Control**: Now able to control 2 high-tier spells *simultaneously*
🔓 **New Passive Skill Unlocked**:
#### 🌑 "**Void Aura**"
> A black aura that drains mana and stamina of anyone within 10 meters
> Stronger enemies feel *mental pressure*, weaker ones freeze in fear
🌀 **Void Devouring Fusion Trait Unlocked**:
> If Dong kills 3 monsters of same element/rank in short time, he temporarily fuses with that trait
> 🔥 Since all were fire-type → **Fire Void Body Activated**
---
### 🔥🔥🔥 Fire Void Body (Temporary Buff):
- Body becomes immune to fire and heat for 24 hours
- Fire-based attacks heal him by 20% instead of hurting
- His own fire-based skills deal 3x more damage
- Void Devouring attacks leave behind **black flames** that cannot be extinguished
---
### 💬 Dong (looking at his burning black hand, smirking):
> "This is what happens when a villain gets serious."
💭 *"Now… time for that Ice Dragon to feel the heat of hell."*
*Dong activates his new skill: *Dimension of Fire***
The air distorts, and in a flash, Dong and the SS-rank *Dark Lion General* are teleported to a blazing alternate world. The sky is blood-red, lava flows like rivers, and volcanic explosions echo in the distance. The heat is enough to melt steel — but Dong walks forward unfazed.
Suddenly —
💥 **BOOM!** A massive creature crashes down from the sky.
A colossal fire dragon, taller than mountains and eyes glowing like suns, lands with a roar that shakes the dimension. Without hesitation, it snaps its jaws and **devours the SS-rank monster's head in one bite**, its molten teeth turning the beast to ash instantly.
Dong stands there, watching calmly.
**Dong (thinking):**
"So this is the guardian of the fire dimension... Perfect. Let's test how far I've come."
**Dong (wide-eyed, heart racing):**
"What… the hell was that…?"
Even with his cold, calculating nature — **Dong is genuinely shocked** for the first time in years.
The SS-rank *Dark Lion General*, a beast feared across the continent, was devoured like a snack… in seconds.
The fire dragon turns its head toward Dong.
Its voice echoes through the burning sky — **deep, ancient, and powerful.**
**🔥Fire Dragon:**
"Another one dares step into *my domain*? Are you here to challenge me too, little mortal?"
**Dong (thinking):**
"This... this dragon isn't just some dimension guardian. It's *above SSS-rank*... This is a Primordial Flame Being."
He grits his teeth, trying to stay calm.
**Dong (aloud):**
"I didn't come to fight you. That beast followed me in — and you handled it well."
**🔥Fire Dragon (grinning):**
"Hm… You didn't tremble. You didn't kneel. I *like* that."
*Dong clenches his fist.** The overwhelming heat, the dragon's pressure, and the suffocating fire all around — it's crushing even his sharp mind.
Suddenly, a *golden aura* bursts from his chest—like a lion's roar shaking the entire dimension.
> **[Skill Activated: Will of the Lion to Fight]**
> *Trigger: Willpower below 60% — activating auto-regeneration.*
> *Effect: Mental strength restored to 100%, resistance to fear and mental pressure increased by 300%.*
---
**Dong (eyes glowing):**
"You tried to crush my spirit…? I don't break that easily."
The fire dragon **narrows its eyes.**
**🔥Fire Dragon:**
"Oh? You carry something interesting. Void energy and… the Will of the Lion? You're full of surprises."
**Dong (smirks coldly):**
"Let me show you another one."
He raises his hand — and black tendrils of void energy swirl like a vortex around him.
> **[Void Devouring: Partial Activation]**
> *Target locked: Dimensional Fire Essence*
He's not trying to devour the dragon — **he's trying to devour the fire dimension itself.**
### 📜 [Skill Gained: Fireball of the Sun]
> **Grade**: Mythic
> **Effect**: Creates a fireball with the mass and heat of 20% of the sun. It can be controlled freely by the caster.
> **Cooldown**: 7 days
> **Usage Warning**: Prolonged exposure can destabilize entire regions. Must be used outside of cities or populated areas.
---
**Inside the dimension**, after *Void Devouring* begins to **absorb the fire world**, something **unusual happens**—instead of completely collapsing, the realm reacts and **offers a reward**.
A core rises from the magma—a pulsating **sunlike orb**—glowing with golden and red swirls.
**System Prompt:**
> *You have successfully devoured part of the Fire Dimension's Source.*
> *Acquiring condensed essence of Solar Destruction...*
> *New Skill Unlocked: Fireball of the Sun*
---
🔥 **Dong's Reaction**:
Even Dong, usually emotionless, **raises his eyebrows**.
> **Dong (thinking):**
> "This is beyond what I expected… This is no normal fire. This is the kind of spell that could erase cities, no—kingdoms."
He lifts his hand — and above his palm, a small **miniature sun** forms, **compressing itself tightly**, waiting for a command.
---
Now Dong has:
- 🕳️ **Void Devouring** (Core skill)
- 🦁 **Will of the Lion** (Mental fortitude)
- 🔥 **Dimension of Fire** (Battlefield advantage)
- ☀️ **Fireball of the Sun** (Ultimate-level destruction)
**20 days passed.**
Dong had spent each day pushing himself to the edge—physically, mentally, and magically.
In these 20
ChatGPT
Perfect. Here's a continuation that captures the intensity and buildup of the moment:
---
### 📖 **Chapter 5 – 10 Days Left: Countdown to the Ice Dragon**
**Only 10 days remained** before Dong's 14th birthday... and the deadline to slay the **SSS-rank Ice Dragon**.
The atmosphere in the royal capital was heavy. Rumors spread like wildfire.
> "He's just 13… how can he kill something that could wipe out cities?"
> "Even SS-rank monsters avoid that Ice Dragon's territory..."
> "Didn't he just beat an SS-rank monster recently?"
But Dong… was silent. Focused. Ruthless.
---
### 🧠 **Dong's Mental State:**
> "Ten days… more than enough."
Dong had already absorbed the power of three S-rank monsters and one SS-rank general.
His **Void Devouring** ability had reached a new limit:
- He could now absorb *60% mana* and *30% physical stats* if the enemy was killed by one of his void-based skills.
---
### 🔥 **New Skill Mastery Progress:**
- **Dimension of Fire:** 75% control. Can now enter and exit the dimension without delay.
- **Fireball of the Sun:** Still on cooldown. Can now compress the fireball to increase destructive range and focus.
- **Will of the Lion:** Activated once during a brutal training spar and saved his consciousness from fading.
---
**Jak and Mira.**
Jak leaned against a rock arrogantly.
Mira crossed her arms, her eyes full of scorn.
> **Jak:** "Look who's pretending to be strong now. The bastard prince playing hero. Hilarious."
> **Mira:** "He thinks beating a single beast makes him worthy to stand with us?"
Dong didn't even look up. His fingers traced an invisible sigil in the air.
> **Dong (calmly):** "You two... still barking like weak dogs outside a tiger's den."
Jak clenched his fists. Mira laughed mockingly.
> **Mira:** "Say that again, and I'll rip your—"
Before she could finish, **a massive sphere of water** appeared above them—cold, dense, and shimmering with terrifying pressure.
**WHOOSH!**
Both their **heads were trapped** inside the sphere, their bodies still outside.
The water was freezing cold, and thick as mercury—designed to **simulate drowning** without killing.
> **Dong:** "Let them taste suffering. Just a minute or two."
They thrashed. Clawed. Choked on instinct.
But Dong watched with cold eyes.
> "This is mercy... compared to what I've planned for the future."
---
### 🧊 **Mira and Jak collapsed** when the spell ended, coughing violently.
Their legs shaking. Eyes bloodshot. Ego shattered.
> **Dong (walking past):** "Next time... I won't stop at water."
---
The blazing sun rose over the royal capital — unaware that today, a monster would walk the earth.
Dong stood at the edge of the royal palace's southern gate, dressed in black robes lined with void threads, his hair drifting in the wind. His aura — colder than ever. He glanced back once, eyes emotionless.
> "This country raised me to be nothing. I'll return with the corpse of a dragon and make them kneel."
A royal convoy waited behind him — three elite knights, two powerful mages, and a beast cart loaded with supplies. All looked nervous. Rumors had already spread:
> *"He's going to fight the Frost Tyrant... does he want to die?"*
As Dong mounted a black beast-horse, Kira arrived at the last moment, handing him a strange token — glowing faintly with crimson runes.
> **Kira**: "This is from mother's side... it's a barrier seal. One-time use. If you're on the edge of death, break it."
Dong took it, paused, then muttered:
> **Dong**: "I won't need it. But thanks."
The royal family lives in the **southern bottom region**, so Dong's journey would take **12 days** on fast beast-rides — through forests, freezing plateaus, ruined temples... and eventually, to the Ice Grave Mountains — the home of the **SSS-Rank Ice Dragon**.
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> "Glory to the prince! Glory to the Dragon Slayer!"
Dong kept his expression cold, riding at the front — black cloak fluttering like wings of the void.
But beneath the cheers… the truth festered.
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👑 **Noble A (whispers):**
> "Hmph. That bastard rose too fast. Just a few months ago he was nothing."
🧙♂️ **Mage Elder (murmurs):**
> "He's dangerous. Even the king fears him now."
👸🏻 **1st Queen (behind curtain):**
> "Let that dragon kill him. One monster taking out another."
🗡️ **Knights (gritting teeth):**
> "He killed an SS-rank monster like it was nothing… what if we're next?"
Even **Mira**, standing silently beside Jak in the crowd, bit her lip. Her pride refused to admit it — but fear flickered in her eyes.
> **Mira (thought):** *That bastard… he's truly changing. That pressure… he's
### 🌒 **Day 27 – "Calm Before the Frost"**
As Dong walks through the misty forests near the border of the frozen northern land, the temperature drops sharply. Even the SS-rank monsters he once slaughtered now seem like insects compared to what lies ahead.
Suddenly, the sky grows dark.
An ancient voice echoes in the wind:
> *"The child of frost... still slumbers beneath the glacier. Yet your footsteps disturb the silence of millennia."*
Dong looks ahead. A massive frozen valley begins to reveal itself — jagged ice mountains, howling blizzards, and a blue glow from deep beneath the ice...
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### ❄️ Build-Up Ideas for Day 27:
- **Dong meditates** in the blizzard to sync his elemental magic (Ice resistance).
- He uses **Void Devouring** on a wounded S-rank Ice Beast nearby to adapt to cold mana.
- **Final power check**: He tests "Fireball of Sun" on a glacier, vaporizing part of it — but realizes the **dragon absorbed part of the magic** through the ice!
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## 🌨️ **Day 27 – The Frozen Path of a Prince**
As Dong steps into the final village before the frozen north, a chilling wind howls through the snowy streets. Farmers, hunters, children, and elders—all the countryside people—gather at the village square. Their eyes are full of awe… and fear.
Then—
**All of them kneel.**
> "WE GREET THE ROYAL PRINCE!"
> "MAY YOU SLAY THE BEAST AND RETURN A LEGEND!"
The old village chief steps forward, his hands trembling as he holds out a glowing **blessing talisman**, passed down for generations.
> "My prince… this was once given by a wandering sage. They said it would protect the one chosen to face the Ice Calamity. Take it…"
Dong calmly accepts it. His eyes scan the crowd, reading their true emotions.
> *"They kneel with smiles,"* he thinks, *"but most of them want to see me fall… still, let them witness my rise."*
He turns toward the north, wind whipping his cloak as he steps onto the **Frozen Path**—the icy trail that leads to the ancient dragon's lair.
> "Just wait… I'll carve my name into eternity.