I couldn’t even remember the last time I cried from happiness. I was so moved by the taste of fish that the tavern keeper treated me to another serving—on the house.

  From the outside, it must’ve looked ridiculous, but you’d never understand what it meant to me. When you spent years drowning in nothing but pain and despair, even the smallest moments of joy hit harder.

  It was like tasting life again.

  The universe, by the way, didn’t collapse. But faint steam still rose from my pores. So I was right—my immortality still obeyed the laws of physics.

  Stepping out of the tavern, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. The sun felt warm and gentle that day. A grin stuck to my face—at least until I spotted Vergo sitting on a chestnut mare with twisted horns.

  “Hop on,” he said, nodding at the saddle.

  “Thanks for the ale,” I replied, climbing onto the mare.

  Not that I could actually get drunk.

  “Alright, spill it. Why the hell did you need me?” I asked, wrapping my arms around his waist.

  “As you already knew, my name was Vergo. I was a historian from Wardenhau. Currently, I was traveling to study the Titans of old. Dead Titans, to be precise,” he said, patting the horse’s neck as we set off.

  “What about the living ones? Know anything about them?”

  “Are you joking? Of course.”

  “I’m looking for the Titan of Desires. What can you tell me about them?”

  “Well, there’s not much information. But I know for a fact they exist. Have you read The Tale of the Northern Lord?”

  “No, and I don’t plan to. I’m only interested in the Tenth Titan.”

  “Strange words, coming from a Follower of the Path of Crimson Flame.”

  “What the hell does ‘Follower of the Path’ even mean?” I asked, genuinely curious.

  “It means you’ve mingled your blood with the Titan’s and gained a fraction of their power. Forgive me, but why test my knowledge like this?” Vergo turned to glance at me.

  Idiot, I’m not testing you—I actually don’t know.

  “So, you think I’m some kind of mage, right?” I prodded.

  “Even if you’re not, you’re part of the Phoenix Order. Which means you must know someone who can deal with the problem hanging over this fine town.”

  “What problem?”

  Should I just tell him I’m new to this world? This awkward conversation was already grating on me. Then again, if he didn’t believe I stole the sword, how the hell would he believe in reincarnation? Damn it. Am I really gonna have to play the role of a fried-chicken cultist? Maybe I should stick close to Vergo for a while. If I can learn about this world from him, I’ll avoid a lot of trouble later.

  “A problem that can’t be solved without a healer. Of all Nine Paths, only the Followers of Crimson Flame can mend wounds.”

  With my regeneration, pretending to be one of those fanatics is practically divine will.

  “Who needs healing?”

  Vergo glanced around cautiously, then whispered:

  “A black dragon.”

  We headed to the outskirts of the village, where the winged beast was imprisoned.

  Amid the apple trees—their fallen fruit already littering the ground—stood a red-brick tower. Time had gnawed at its roof: moss clung in patches, and tiles were missing in places.

  Nearby, a woman in a white shirt embroidered with green patterns plucked fruit from the lower branches, placing them in a basket. Farther off, a guy in a straw hat worked a long pole—though it was unclear if he was picking apples or just scaring off crows.

  “Did they know?” I asked Vergo. “They seemed way too relaxed for people with a sleeping monster in their backyard.”

  “These ones knew,” he muttered, shooting the apple-pickers a nasty look.

  After tying up the horse, we approached the tower. The moment we stepped inside, the massive doors slammed shut behind us. Soft light spilled from above, emphasizing the chamber’s height.

  In the darkest corner, two amber lights flickered to life. Once my eyes adjusted, I got a good look at the poor bastard.

  Black as coal, twisted horns, a spiked tail, and, of course, wings. Not the biggest—about the size of three horses.

  “You didn’t even flinch,” Vergo noted, surprised.

  “I’ve seen worse. Either way, you better explain what the hell’s going on, ‘cause I’m not following,” I said, scratching my ass.

  “This is a black dragon—also known as a South-North Dragonite. Mostly feeds on mountain carrion, but when hunting’s bad, it turns to people. Apelfaund has scouts, but they’d never stand a chance against something like this. Luckily, the village headman was smart. Thirty years ago, he ordered the whole place planted with apple trees—this thing’s allergic. Just the smell makes it sick. The moment it landed, it started sneezing, wrecking a couple houses in the process. They say its body swelled up so fast it didn’t even get a bite before fleeing. The farther it flew, the more apple trees blocked its path. That’s how it ended up in this abandoned tower. The dragonite smashed through the doors, but as you can see, the locals rebuilt them. The beast’s powerless here. The apple scent is strongest inside.”

  He laid it all out in detail. Definitely a historian. But something still didn’t add up.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “And how the hell does this involve you, let alone me? You wanna heal the dragon so it can eat people? Nah, that doesn’t track. Why didn’t the locals care that we walked in? Shouldn’t this place be off-limits?” I mused aloud.

  “You see, I Follow the Path of Justice,” Vergo said, holding up his palms—each marked with two black dots. Probably meant something. “I can forge contracts with sentient beings. I’ll bind the dragon to never harm humans again, and in return, I’ll heal it and help it escape Apelfaund. But you’re wondering why I’m doing this, right? The final clause of the deal. Once the dragon’s safe, it’ll give me its blood—crucial for my research.”

  Contract magic… Sounds like a scam.

  “And how do you even know this dumb lizard can make a deal?”

  “South-North Dragonites aren’t stupid. Believe it or not, some can even talk. Our friend here’s one of them—just shy.” Vergo glanced at the dragon, now curled in the corner.

  “What happens if it breaks the contract?”

  “My Titan’s judgment will strike it down.”

  “Alright, got it. Straight up—I can only heal myself. No healer friends. No friends at all. But I can help you.”

  “How?” Vergo’s tone sharpened.

  “Need blood? I’ll get it for you,” I said firmly.

  “No, that won’t work. However weak the dragonite is, it’s still a dragonite. Get too close, and it’ll swallow you whole. And if human blood hits its system, even a small boost could give it enough strength to break free.”

  “Then it’s this or nothing. And trust me, you’ll be waiting a long time for a healer.”

  “Why? The Phoenix Order’s nearby. Locals say Joji’s soldiers visit Apelfaund often. One in ten can heal.”

  “I killed them all,” I said coldly, locking eyes with him.

  “Y-yes… come…” A raspy voice echoed from the dark corner. “Come closer. Don’t be afraid.”

  Vergo gulped and took a step back.

  “I’m not a bad guy, just so you know,” I said.

  “First, you claim you stole that sword. Then, you admit to killing people. Now, you want to solve this with violence. If that doesn’t make you a ‘bad guy,’ I don’t know what does.”

  “You don’t know the full story. The Phoenix Order’s full of batshit lunatics, so the world’s better off without them. As for the dragon—look, I’m not saying we kill it. Just a little nick, and we’re done.” Why the hell am I justifying myself to him?

  “Come to me, little one. Take my blood,” the dragon whispered.

  “Do you need money that badly? I’ll pay you to just leave,” Vergo said, trembling.

  Am I really that scary? I’ve got a cute face, but my reputation… Gotta work on that.

  “Forget the shiny rocks. I need information.”

  “About the Tenth Titan?” Vergo read me like an open book.

  “Yeah. Something tells me you’re holding out on me.”

  “Fine. I’ll make you a deal. All you have to do is get the blood. But if you kill the beast, my Titan’s judgment will fall on you. Do you agree?”

  Silently, I offered my hand. He shook it firmly—and pain flared, not physical. Two bleeding holes opened on my palm, as if bitten by… a snake?

  Whatever.

  I tossed my sword aside and approached the dragon.

  The closer I got, the more details emerged. The locals had been feeding it apples—dozens of half-eaten ones littered the ground. Hunger had forced it to eat them.

  “You really think you can pierce my scales bare-handed?”

  Its scales were thick. I couldn’t imagine the strength needed to break through.

  “Buddy, ever heard of teeth?” I grinned. “Look how straight mine are!”

  “Seems it’s my lucky day. I’ve never met a human this stupid!” Warm breath blasted from its nostrils.

  “Quit stalling, open wide, dumbass. Food doesn’t deliver itself every day,” I said, spreading my arms.

  “Ha-ha-ha! Your stupidity never ceases to amaze me!”

  In one swift motion, the dragonite bit off the top half of my body.

  The moment my plan went into action. I never expected to beat the beast the normal way. But I’m not normal—so I had to improvise.

  When I opened my eyes, the world burned with painful light. No sky, no clouds—just a pale, pulsing glow through the fleshy walls. The air—or whatever passed for it—scorched my lungs. Every breath felt like acid. I coughed violently.

  Around me, slick, mucus-covered folds pulsed like living flesh. Soft enough to sink my fingers into. The walls squeezed and released, as if trying to push me out—or suck me deeper. I raised a hand to wipe my face, only to feel my skin sizzle. Crimson burns streaked my fingers. No surprise—I just dunked them in stomach acid.

  A bright light flared from the “ceiling.” The temperature spiked, and the stench of sulfur hit me. A lantern-like organ, veined with pulsing blood vessels.

  Just as I’d hoped, the beast was so hungry it swallowed me whole. That’s how I found my boot—and the hunting knife strapped to it.

  Gotta hurry before it flew too far. The violent shaking told me we were already airborne.

  Gripping the hilt until my knuckles whitened, I cursed and struck.

  The blade sank in slowly, like puncturing thick fabric. Hot liquid gushed over my hand, splattering my face.

  Suddenly, everything came alive. The walls convulsed, crushing me. My body flung side to side, but I shoved my free hand into the wound and bit down, anchoring myself. I struck again. And again. Each slash met with a deep, vibrating growl. Not heard—felt. The sound shook my bones.

  Blood mixed with acid, bubbling higher, eating at my legs.

  But the dragonite wasn’t faring better. Its heartbeat raced.

  I screamed, throat raw, fueling each strike.

  Then—a torrent. The liquid swept me up like a river. Everything jerked, my head spun. I clung to the knife like a lifeline.

  I kept cutting. Strike after strike—until I was ejected.

  Light. Cold. Air! I fell, my body on fire. Above, the horned bastard vomited blood, exhausted.

  “Yo!” I waved mid-air.

  “Impossible! I ate you!”

  “Hey, you’ve got some digestion issues, pal. See a doctor—my diagnosis is amateur at best.”

  “I’ll end you!”

  Tucking its wings, the beast dove straight for me. It snatched my leg, shook me like a ragdoll, then hurled me away.

  I crashed through trees, branches snapping—no, bones snapping. Surprisingly, I didn’t die.

  By the time my bones realigned, the dragon had landed. It staggered toward me.

  “What are you…?” it wheezed before collapsing, tongue lolling.

  I stood up. Damn, I need new clothes again… So sick of this!

  “I am the wrath of humanity!” I joked, clenching a fist. “Try eating people again, and I’ll finish the job.”

  “Ha… Impossible. You made a deal with that weakling.”

  “Eh, this body’s weird—I doubt his contract works on me. But we can test it,” I said, twirling the bloody knife.

  “No… Just leave me be. I’ll never touch humans again. Promise.” Its breathing was ragged.

  Dunno if it’ll even survive.

  “I’ll take your word for it.”

  “Thank you…”

  “Hey, which way’s the village? You tossed me god-knows-where. You’re a shitty taxi, you know that?”

  “Huh? You’re... seriously asking me?”

  “What’s the big deal? I gotta get back to that weakling,” I said, crossing my arms.

  “Head west…”

  “Your west or mine? Or just west in general? I’m bad with directions without a compass. Speaking of—mind giving mine back? Think it’s still in your stomach.”

  “My stomach’s empty… Go left.”

  I pointed. “That way?”

  “Yes… Just… go… You’ll be the death of me…”

  “Okay, okay, sorry. I’ll stop bothering you. Get well soon. And do something about that allergy. Buy some cetrine or some shit.”

  “I don’t… understand…” The dragon sounded done with me.

  I left it alone, waving goodbye as I walked off.

  Now, to find that historian and grill him about the Tenth Titan.