Part 3. Summer (2)
"So since when are we supposed to be happy to see each other?"
"..."
"What are you? Why is someone like you even here? No—no, before that. You. Are you even human?"
Eyes are mirrors of one's existence.
That's what the regressor had learned through his many lives. Every being with eyes expresses its thoughts and emotions through them.
What filled the Red Dragon's eyes now was extreme wariness. Understandable. It must have sensed a kind of force that crossed a certain threshold, and to a Red Dragon that worships power, an incomprehensible kind of strength is an unpleasant thing.
Yu Ji-tae didn't like that wariness. In his previous iterations, the reason the Red Dragon had hated him from the very beginning was precisely this sense of caution between them.
Put simply, he'd completely botched the first impression.
Which meant this moment was critically important. Somehow, he had to ease the bastard's guard.
…But how?
His meager everyday life was showing its limits. From the memories his clone had brought back, there was nothing he could say to someone he'd just met—especially not to someone he intended to kidnap.
Just then, as if to save him, Spring appeared behind his back.
"Hi, Red."
"…Huh? Green?"
"How have you been?"
The Red Dragon's eyes flicked back and forth between Yu Ji-tae and Spring. Soon, a hollow chuckle slipped out from between his red lips.
"What is this? What are you trying to pull? Why are you here? Weren't you going on a trip?"
"Yeah. I came to see you."
"You came to see me? Then what's this monster next to you?"
"Just an uncle I met not long ago. He's not a monster—he's human. Right, Uncle?"
Green eyes and red eyes both turned toward Yu Ji-tae. He nodded vaguely. The Red Dragon snorted.
"If that is human, then I must be a lizard."
"No, it's true. Really."
Spring's expression suddenly grew serious, and this time the Red Dragon's face twisted strangely.
"Green. What kind of nonsense are you talking about?"
"Why?"
"That thing isn't human. What kind of human is that dangerous? You should know better than I do."
"Uncle isn't as dangerous as you think."
"What? Are you seriously out of your mind? Did that monster get some leverage on you? Or did you maybe give birth to a monster in your belly or something?"
"Red. I'm not joking right now."
Among the dragon clans, the Green clan are mediators. Unlike the others, they have little greed and are not easily swayed by anything.
That was exactly why Yu Ji-tae had brought Spring with him first.
"Hah. This is driving me crazy..."
Perhaps because it was Spring who said it, the Red Dragon looked like he wanted to argue but was holding himself back.
"Fine. Let's say you're right. Let's say that monster—no, that human—fucking hell, I don't know why, but let's say he's not a bad guy. Fine. Then why did you two come to me holding hands?"
"We weren't holding hands."
"Answer the question."
"Um..."
Spring hesitated for a moment.
Then she brought up something that hadn't been planned.
"Uncle is… looking for a disciple."
"A disciple?"
A disciple? What kind of nonsense was that?
"Yeah. You've always wanted to get stronger, right? That's why I brought Uncle to you. Chances to learn how to fight from someone this strong don't come often. And Uncle's never taken a disciple before, right?"
Spring's gaze turned and fixed on Yu Ji-tae.
Her round, gentle eyes seemed to be asking him to play along, just a little.
Of course, he'd never taken a disciple. Just surviving and becoming stronger himself had always been more than enough.
Still, Spring's quick thinking was fairly useful. Keeping her by his side as a teacher–disciple arrangement wouldn't be a problem.
Yu Ji-tae nodded.
The Red Dragon tilted his head this way and that with a pout, then spat out his answer.
"No."
"Red."
"What's wrong with you? Did you forget I'm from the Red clan? Ever since the 'Games' started, I've gone 199 battles, 199 wins. As long as it's not some freak like that, I can beat anyone. And I can get strong enough on my own, you know?"
"But still—"
"Ah, ah, enough. Normally I'd listen carefully to what you say, but this is one thing I won't budge on. Never again try to talk to me about martial arts. Who the hell thinks they can teach the Red clan?"
"..."
"Are you done talking? Then get going. Say hi to Gold for me. And give our Blue a kiss too. Here, pass it on. Mwah—"
Smack, smack. The Red Dragon tried to kiss Spring on the cheek. Spring dodged by tilting her head away and spoke in a slightly heated voice.
"Red. I'm not finished talking."
"Yeah, not listening. And let me give you one piece of advice. You should stay away from that human."
"..."
"If you ignore my advice and end up getting choked and raped later, don't come crying to me."
Then he muttered, "Damn. That actually sounds kind of exciting?"
"Well, if you like it, you could ask him to smack your ass while he's at it."
Cackling, the Red Dragon slapped his own backside a few times and turned around.
Then he seeped into space itself and vanished.
Like a storm passing through, silence settled over the desert.
"..."
Left staring at empty air, Spring repeatedly brushed her hair back. Her expression was the same as always, yet she seemed oddly irritated. Indeed, her breathing had grown a little rough.
"…I'm sorry, Uncle. I stepped in for nothing, and it didn't work."
After a moment, Spring approached Yu Ji-tae with a dejected look.
"You did well."
The regressor placed his large hand atop her green hair.
"So what are you going to do now?"
Even given how things had turned out, there was still exactly one way. It wasn't a method he liked, but with the Red Dragon being that willful, there was no helping it.
"We'll have to crush his pride."
Spring blinked and tilted her head.
"But… ah, do you mean by using someone else's hands?"
"Yes."
As if realizing something, her lips parted slightly. "Ah."
"That's a good idea. Instead of this, we probably need a strategy meeting."
The irritation from moments ago was nowhere to be found; Spring spoke with a bright face.
He nodded in agreement.
***
Yu Ji-tae and Spring followed the Red Dragon's trail. Since they'd already gotten close once, tracking him wasn't difficult.
Somewhere, wearing a crude wooden mask, the Red Dragon spent that night through dawn roaming three different battlefields, swinging his fists and sword.
His opponents included joint forces of the SAN and the international demon terrorist organization Barkata. From the start, he made no distinction between friend and foe. If people were fighting, he'd butt in and beat up both sides.
Surprisingly, there was a line he didn't cross. The Red Dragon only defeated his opponents; he didn't kill them. It seemed he was interested in victory itself, not murder.
And that evening, what was bound to come finally arrived.
"Are you the night brawler?"
A man clad head to toe in azure metal armor, wielding a crimson greats word, stood before the Red Dragon.
Just his presence alone pressed down on the air across the desert like crushing pressure.
His name was Javier Karma.
Ranked 9th among superhumans worldwide, he was also the greatest military power the African Union (SAN) boasted.
With the next-ranked individual being far down in the double digits, Javier was a peerless powerhouse on this continent. Even if the Red Dragon spent an entire year seeking fights, he wouldn't so much as catch the shadow of someone like this.
"I think it's that man…" Spring said cautiously.
They were watching from within the subspace "Heavenly Principle (S)".
"This could be dangerous."
The person Yu Ji-tae had warned about was stronger than expected.
"By the standards of the Ascalifa Continent, he'd be a Grand Sword Master. That means there are eight more people just as strong in this world?"
Yu Ji-tae nodded. In truth, there were even more than that.
The Red Dragon broke into a wide grin.
"What's this? He looks really strong, huh?"
"...So it seems I was right."
The man, now convinced, leveled his sword.
'Ra's Sword.'
A blade forged with the essence of the sun. It was a Level-4 artifact, a weapon regarded as a strategic armament on a national scale.
"You were far too insolent. Now it's time to pay for your sins."
"What are you even talking about?"
"I'll warn you. If you intend to flee, run now. And never return to the African continent. Otherwise, you will surely die by my hand."
If Yu Ji-tae were to guess, the Red Dragon had already sized him up at least once around this time.
But her pride must have been wounded—by the fact that a human could be this strong. Yu Ji-tae, perceived as something other than human, was a different case altogether.
That was why she did not avoid the fight.
"Fuck off."
Just as he'd thought, the battle between the Red Dragon and Javier began.
Relying on her powerful physical techniques, the Red Dragon struck first. Javier easily slipped past the blow and swung his longsword in a wide arc, aiming for her head.
It was a seasoned, swift, and devastating slash.
The Red Dragon hastily activated a defensive spell.
「Self-Guard (A)」
A red aura that protected dragons wrapped around her head—but it wasn't enough.
The longsword's momentum was overwhelming. The red aura shattered, and the Red Dragon was sent flying more than ten meters, slammed into desert rock, smashed through it, and was finally buried in a cloud of dust.
Unfortunately—
The battle was one-sided from the very start.
"..."
Bom frowned slightly.
Among dragons, part of their emotions can be shared. She must have sensed something.
The outcome was obvious, so it wasn't surprising.
The reason dragons are strong lies in the long history they have lived through. An inexperienced young dragon is nothing more than a promising but green rookie.
The fight continued, and the Red Dragon was beaten again and again.
Eventually, at some point, the Red Dragon—her forehead deeply slashed and bleeding—let out a furious roar.
"You fucking—! I'll kill you!"
The pride and dignity of the Red lineage were breaking.
Unable to contain her rage, red mana surged as the dragon's authority began to manifest.
The overwhelmingly unfavorable situation eased somewhat. Her fist slammed into Javier's jaw.
But that was as far as it went. After allowing that single blow, Javier widened the distance and raised his sword upright.
Soon, his blue armor and sword began to resonate.
Artifacts that surpass a certain level must normally have their destructive power sealed away. When necessary, those seals are released.
「Ignition」
That seal was now beginning to break.
From Ra's Sword, an intense light erupted. Despite it being early morning, sunlight gathered around the blade. Like a piece of metal pulled from a furnace, the sword's body became drenched in light.
"...Mister."
That was dangerous. Bom's urgent voice rang out as her small hand tugged at Yu Ji-tae's sleeve.
But he merely watched, arms crossed.
KWANG!
Where Ra's Sword swung, a massive explosion of mana erupted, shooting skyward in a cylindrical pillar more than ten meters in diameter.
With a choking sound, the Red Dragon collapsed to the ground.
Her eyes flickered. Scales began to emerge through the once smooth skin.
Having lost control of her anger, the Red Dragon broke the taboo of play and tried to undo her polymorph, manifesting as a true dragon.
Yu Ji-tae's brow furrowed. In this state, the Red Dragon would lose one wing and an arm.
Which meant it was about time to move.
Breaking free from subspace, Yu Ji-tae shot forward in an instant and appeared behind the Red Dragon. The middle-aged Javier's eyes widened as he hastily retreated.
"Where do you think you're running?!" the Red Dragon shouted, still unable to grasp the situation.
That was when Yu Ji-tae, his hand sharpened like a blade, struck down on the dragon's pale, slender nape.
「Knife hand Strike (D)」
Paak—
The Red Dragon's small body crumpled on the spot.