Dancing on the golden ashes

The Golden Flood Dragon slowly raised its head, its piercing golden eyes locking onto mine. It stared deeply, as though trying to peer into my very soul.

I didn't resist. If it were to serve me, then I would allow it to read my mind completely. Trust is the first step to building a lasting relationship.

"Now," I began, my voice firm and commanding, "you haven't explained one thing to me. Just who are you, and why do you speak as if you existed before the system?"

I demanded answers. Now that it was under my control, it had no way of resisting me.

Hrrrrhhh...

The dragon let out a deep sigh, its rumbling voice resonating through the air. It stretched its massive body lazily, its golden scales glinting faintly in the light, before turning its gaze to the sky. For a moment, it looked lost in thought, as if reminiscing about a time long past.

"Those days..." it began, its voice heavy with sorrow. "We were a clan of mighty dragons—each of us powerful, each of us sacred.

But then, he appeared. A strange creature, offering his so-called system. We rejected it without hesitation.

Yet that wasn't the end of the story."

Its eyes darkened, the golden glow dimming slightly as it continued.

"The demons and angels, drunk on their greed for power, eagerly embraced the system. And what did it bring them? Destruction. The world was reduced to ruin. That person played his cards well, pitting them against each other, feeding their desires."

The dragon's gaze lowered for a moment, its tone growing softer, almost bitter.

"We stood against him. We tried. But one by one, every single dragon was slain.

All except my father, the leader of all dragons. His might was so immense that even that person couldn't completely suppress him."

Its deep voice trailed off as its gaze returned to the sky, as if searching for something long lost.

I stood silently by his side, leaning on my scythe as I rested my chin on the blade's cold, gleaming edge.

"But when my father was given the choice—submission or total annihilation—he made the ultimate sacrifice," the dragon said, its voice trembling slightly.

"He chose to let me live. Just me. He offered his life in exchange for mine. At the time, I was nothing but a small serpent, far from worthy of being called a mighty dragon.

And so, that person took his life... and implanted me with this system. My soul was bound, my freedom stripped away. I was left unable to share my sorrows, though there weren't many left to hear them. Almost no one in this world chose to submit.

The creatures of this world... were too prideful."

The dragon's gaze dropped, shame flickering in its golden eyes.

"I am ashamed that I still live. But I can see it in you—you hate him too. You want to kill him.

And for that..." it paused, its voice heavy with resolve, "I will allow myself to be bound by you. I will follow you, a true leader, who I hope will someday free us all from this prison."

"That's a good dragon," I said with a smirk, patting its head. Hwangryong gave in to my touch, though his golden eyes flickered with uncertainty.

"Now..." I continued, my tone casual yet sharp, "tell me, which part of your body can you regrow easily?"

Hwangryong blinked, clearly taken aback. His expression shifted to one of confusion, but he quickly responded.

"Well, I lost a horn accidentally not long ago. It only took about a week to regrow. Why are you asking this?"

His voice grew wary, suspicion creeping into his tone. Slowly, he began to edge backward, but before he could retreat further, my scythe moved faster.

In an instant, one of his horns was severed and resting firmly in my hand.

"This will do," I said excitedly, turning the horn over in my hand to examine it. "Sorry, Hwangryong, but I'll pay you back someday. I need this to make people believe you're dead."

Hwangryong began to tremble, his golden eyes narrowing in disbelief. "You… You!!! How dare you, Master!"

He started to shake violently, but I waved my hand dismissively. "Yes, yes…"

Before he could protest further, he vanished, absorbed into my Beast World in an instant.

"How quiet now," I muttered, smirking as I inspected the horn once again.

Inspect!

[Left Horn of the Golden Flood Dragon][Mythical Grade Crafting Material]

[Uses: Potions, Weapons, Enhancements]

[Condition: Perfect]

Not bad. I didn't have any use for this horn at the moment—not like I knew how to craft anything anyway. But it would do the job. This should fool all of them.

With a flick of my wings, golden flames erupted behind me, and in just a few moments, I soared out of the mountain range that had masked me from view. The earlier explosion would've put them on edge, especially Choi Ha-Eun.

It didn't take long to find them. In mere seconds, I landed silently behind the group, the force of my landing barely disturbing the ground beneath me.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Ah!" They jumped in unison, startled by my sudden appearance. All five of them turned, their faces pale with fear.

Their eyes locked on me—my scythe resting casually on my shoulder and the gleaming dragon horn in my left hand. To them, I must have looked like a demon emerging from the depths of hell.

"Let's move. Lead the way to the Kingdom of Gamers," I said, my tone flat and emotionless.

"Y-Yes!" Choi Ha-Eun stammered, snapping to attention. Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she quickly moved to the front of the group.

"Let's go home!" she exclaimed enthusiastically, her voice brimming with energy.

Her outburst left me wondering if she was mentally okay. Even her teammates exchanged uneasy glances, their expressions a mix of surprise and confusion.

I followed behind them, casually passing the dragon horn to one of the women in the group. She accepted it eagerly, a faint smile crossing her face as she placed it into her spatial bag.

The journey stretched over five days. Traveling on foot was painfully slow, but I didn't rush them. Strangely, I found myself enjoying their company. This small group, as fleeting as their presence in my life might be, reminded me of my own friends.

That thought stung more than I expected.

I couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy at the bond they shared—the kind of deep friendship I had once longed for. But I quickly shook those thoughts away.

Those thoughts were silly, childish even, and they didn't suit me.

"Welcome to the city of Arcadia!" Choi Ha-Eun exclaimed, standing tall with her hands on her hips, a proud grin lighting up her face.

Before me stretched a massive stone wall that soared high into the sky, its surface shimmering faintly with magical runes that pulsed with a soft, ethereal glow. The sheer scale of it was mesmerizing, and I couldn't help but marvel at its craftsmanship. It was impressive, especially considering how little time people had to establish proper settlements in this world.

We had to wait in line for at least an hour, which tested my patience. As an empress, I had every right to skip such lines, but I didn't want to reveal my identity. Besides, I doubted anyone on this side of the world had even heard of my empire—at least, not yet.

"Name?" one of the so-called guards asked, his tone sharp and officious.

Wow, these people really take this seriously. It's like an actual city straight out of an anime.

"I'm Go Hae-Rin," I lied smoothly. No way was I giving them my real name. Even if Jeong Suhan had no reason to know it, I wasn't taking any risks. Who knew how paranoid he was when it came to tracking me?

"Purpose of visit?" the guard asked, his voice grating on my nerves.

"She's part of our mercenary group," Choi Ha-Eun cut in quickly, saving me the trouble of spinning another lie.

"You may pass. Glad to see you all made it back safe and unharmed," the guard said, but then he leaned closer to Choi Ha-Eun, lowering his voice.

"Same time as always?" he sneered. "You know your place, right? Be a good bitch, and I'll let you all through."

I heard every disgusting word. At my current level, there was no missing it. His tone made my stomach churn, but Choi Ha-Eun's response was what truly threw me.

"Of course, big brother!" she chirped, her smile bright and cheerful. She even winked at him. "I'm so happy to see you too! See you later then."

She turned and led the group forward, her demeanor unchanged, but I could feel my killing intent bubbling just beneath the surface as I followed behind. How could she endure that without even flinching?

It made me sick, but I bit down the urge to act—for now.

Beyond the gates, I saw crystals of various sizes suspended in midair, their surfaces shimmering as they emitted a gentle, shifting light. The hues of blue and gold intertwined, bathing the city in a soft, ethereal glow that gave it an almost dreamlike quality.

The streets were alive with activity, bustling with colorful stalls that lined the main thoroughfare. Magical constructs moved seamlessly among the crowd, carrying goods or assisting vendors. Above it all, streams of soul energy wove through the air like ribbons of light, their fluid motions creating a mesmerizing display of magic.

This wasn't just a settlement—it was a masterpiece, a marvel of ingenuity and enchantment.

As I stood there, taking in the breathtaking view, I couldn't help but admit it to myself: this city rivals even my own.