I was kicked out.

Suddenly, I found myself barefoot, staring blankly at the teahouse I had just been thrown out of.

“...What the hell...?”

Did he really kick me out? It was absurd.

Bang! Bang!

“Elder? Elder! Open the door! You said you’d teach me!”

I pounded on the door with all my strength, but there was no response from inside. A clear rejection.

And to top it off—

Bzzzz—! BOOM—!

“Guh!?”

A vibration surged through the air, followed by a direct impact to my body.

I was lifted off the ground and sent flying a considerable distance.

Barely managing to land on my feet, I rolled my eyes in disbelief.

“...Son of a bitch.”

A surge of heat flared in my chest.

They said they’d teach me, and now this? What kind of nonsense was this?

“You’re not opening? Then I’ll just break my way in.”

I clenched my fists, pouring my emotions into them.

I tightened the force in my heart.

I was about to use Cheonma Divine Art once again.

But—

‘Huh?’

As power coursed through me, a scoff escaped my lips.

The force of friction, the sensation of wrapping my will around it—everything felt the same.

Except—

‘Well, would you look at that?’

The quality of the spell’s threads had changed. It was more refined. More intricate.

The force that wove my martial arts together had become significantly stronger.

Was it because the spell’s loops had increased?

Or was it something I had learned from that damn turtle?

Either way, it didn’t matter.

‘With a stronger binding force...’

The amount of energy slipping away had been reduced.

Which meant—

‘I can grasp an even stronger friction.’

The better I held onto friction, the greater my power became.

Crrrrk—! Veins bulged across my arms.

The force pressing against me was far greater than anything I had previously felt.

If I released it carelessly, I might even suffer internal injuries.

And yet—

‘Not bad.’

I was satisfied.

Because I could still grow stronger.

My body breaking down?

That was something I could endure a hundred times over.

The only thing I couldn’t endure—

‘Is being stuck in place.’

If there was a path forward, I wouldn’t stop.

If there was a way to advance, I would use any means necessary.

Vrrrrrrrrrrrrr—!!!

The violently spinning loops finally completed their preparation.

Just as I was about to unleash the power—

[If you fire that in this direction, I will never teach you anything again.]

I froze.

Hearing the turtle’s words, my body stiffened instinctively.

The voice came directly from inside the teahouse.

Hearing that, I let out an exasperated sigh and replied,

“...Are you seriously threatening me?”

[Yes. It’s a threat.]

“...”

He was so damn shameless about it that I was left speechless.

[I’m not joking, so choose wisely.]

“...Tch...”

After hearing that, I really only had one choice.

Hwaaaaaah—!!

I released the power surging through my body.

Like before, the energy spread through me, but this time, the intensity was even greater.

A burst of wind swept through the area, so powerful that it startled even me.

‘...Damn.’

If the backlash was this strong, what would’ve happened if I had actually fired it?

It would have definitely been much more destructive than when I had aimed at Shin Noya.

Haaaaah...

A heated breath slipped through my lips.

Excitement.

The more I pushed myself, the more I achieved,

the more anticipation I felt for this power I was trying to master.

Why?

Why was I so fixated on this technique and not any other martial art?

The answer was simple.

‘...Because I created it.’

Even though it was just a combination of my existing powers,

the fact that I had built it myself gave it a different meaning.

I was strangely obsessed with this power.

‘...Just like back then, with the Holy Spear.’

Back when I first transformed Flame Jade into Flame Jade Spear, it had been the same.

Not something inherited from the Gu family,

but a power I had forged entirely on my own.

I seemed to have a peculiar attachment to such things.

Which is probably why I was feeling this way now.

“Phew.”

Brushing off my hands, I suppressed the energy I had just ignited.

Then, turning my back on the teahouse—

“...I’ll leave for now. But you better keep your promise.”

I spoke directly to the turtle, knowing he was listening.

If he said he’d teach me, then he better follow through.

[...]

There was no reply.

But I didn’t bother waiting.

I had already gained enough for today.

One extra ring.

I still didn’t know what exactly that meant.

But for now, I decided that it was more than enough.

*****************

After leaving the teahouse, I didn’t head to my next destination.

Clang—! Clang, clang—!

Instead, I arrived at a place filled with intense heat and rough noises.

The blacksmith’s forge I had visited before.

Even from the entrance, the heat was overwhelming.

It was so intense that Nine Flames Firewheel Technique instinctively started circulating to block it.

Clang—!

Ignoring the ear-splitting hammering sounds, I walked forward.

And at that moment—

Ssshhhhhhhhh—

A wave of emotions surged from all around me.

The heat remained the same, but the noise abruptly vanished.

Silence.

Feeling the uncomfortable atmosphere, I smirked.

"Not a bad welcome."

The moment I spoke with a grin—Thunk! Something came flying at me.

Thud.

Catching the object midair, I realized it was a hammer.

“...You bastard—!!”

A rough voice roared. Tilting my head, I looked toward its source.

It was the blacksmith I had met last time.

What was his name again? I couldn’t remember...

But what I did know was that this guy absolutely hated me.

And not just in a petty way—he looked like he wanted to kill me.

"You dare set foot here again?!"

Screech—!

He grabbed a sword hanging on the wall and charged straight at me.

The other dwarves in the forge widened their eyes in shock.

What should I do?

Watching the scene unfold, I moved my foot.

Thud—!

“Guh!?”

Crash—!

A simple trip sent him sprawling onto the ground.

The sword in his hand clattered away.

"Grrrr...!!"

Even so, he immediately tried to get up.

Boom—!

"Gah!"

I pressed my foot onto his back, pinning him down.

"You... you bastard...!"

His voice seethed with rage, and at that moment, the other dwarves also drew their weapons, their emotions laid bare.

"He's a dragon."

"It's him. They called him a dragon."

"A real... dragon...?"

Fear, mixed with anger, seeped into their voices and gazes.

Hearing their whispers, I let out a quiet sigh.

“...I was planning to be nice about this.”

But after what had just happened at the teahouse, I wasn’t really in the mood for kindness.

As I exhaled, my voice followed—

Thump—!

[Do not move.]

—!!!!

With those words, their bodies froze on the spot.

And the fear in their eyes deepened further.

“...D-Dragon Speech...!?”

"He really is a dragon...!"

They trembled violently, clearly familiar with the Dragon Speech ability.

"Damn it...!"

"Even here...! We can't let ourselves be caught...!"

"What was the Grandmaster thinking...?"

I could hear their voices filled with resentment.

Their hatred for dragons was even stronger than I had anticipated.

‘So it’s worse than I thought.’

I had expected some hostility, but not to this degree.

While I was processing their emotions—

‘Hm?’

I felt movement beneath me.

"Grrr...!!!"

It was the blacksmith I had pinned down earlier.

"Oh?"

I widened my eyes in interest.

Judging by his movements and energy, he didn’t seem trained in martial arts.

Yet he was resisting Dragon Speech.

"Kuh... Hrrrrgh...!!"

His veins bulged as if his body was on the verge of breaking.

If I left him like this, he might actually shatter himself.

So, I eased the pressure I was exerting.

"UAAAAAHHH—!!!"

With all his strength, he shot up from the ground.

Of course, that was only possible because I had removed my foot.

"I’LL KILL YOU...!!"

Without hesitation, he grabbed his fallen sword and lunged at me again.

“...Hmph.”

Scratching my cheek, I watched his reckless charge.

—Whoosh!

The sword flew toward me.

I simply extended my hand.

Clang—!

I caught the blade midair.

The blacksmith grinned viciously.

"You fool—!"

At that moment, I heard a sound.

Ssshhhhhh—!!!

Along with the noise, a searing pain spread through my hand.

A distinct burning scent filled the air.

This was the same cursed metal as last time.

"You idiot. Did you forget what happened before—?" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

The blacksmith started speaking smugly, but then his face twisted in confusion.

Because—

Ssssshhh.

Even as my {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} flesh melted away, exposing bone, I was staring at him with an expressionless face.

The pain was intense.

The metal was dissolving my flesh rapidly, and the bone beneath was already visible.

And yet, I remained unfazed.

"H-How...?"

"You should calm down. A person with such a short temper won’t live long."

"..."

His pupils trembled.

Even as the blade continued to eat away at my hand, I didn't let go.

"I have something to ask."

I looked straight into his eyes.

"Do you know about the Dragon Emperor?"

"...!!"

His entire body flinched violently.

That reaction told me everything I needed to know.

He knew.

And judging by his reaction, it wasn’t anything good.

"You...! You're one of his...!"

"Ah, don’t misunderstand."

Before he could assume the worst, I cut him off.

"I'm not on his side."

"What...?"

"To be precise..."

I loosened my grip on the sword.

Drip, drip.

As soon as I let go, blood and bits of flesh fell from my palm.

"I'm trying to kill him."

"...What?"

His eyes widened as if he had heard something incomprehensible.

Watching his reaction, I smiled.

"So, how about we have a little chat?"

His small body continued trembling.

But at least...

No more swords came flying at me.

That was a relief.

If he had attacked me one more time, I would’ve ripped off his arm before continuing our conversation.