N/A: From this moment on, the MC will be referenced as Ziriel. When I mention "Dante," it refers to the other life where he was killed. Additionally, I will use the feminine pronoun as it is easier and less awkward in reading. Moreover, until next time.
***
Days passed quickly as Ziriel pondered her next steps, particularly contemplating how to excel. Fortunately, she had a Majestic Dragon over a million years old, resulting in only one thing: the ability to become strong quickly. But unlike Dante's time, Ziriel didn't want to become immediately strong. That's because she realized that strength isn't everything.
She instinctively recalled Valentina's words and simultaneously blamed herself for not following them correctly.
To be honest, Dante was a total failure when it came to improvement. Unlike normal warriors, when he learned something, he left it as it was. Not that he didn't want to improve his techniques. He did so with his fencing in Kryoris and with his fire in the Dungeon, but aside from those actions, all his skills were stagnant. Why? The fault lay with Valentina.
During training with her, she started to demonstrate many things, and whenever Dante learned, she moved on to another lesson. It was completely idiotic, but why did this happen? Well, Valentina is a warrior by instinct. This coincided with the fact that she couldn't explain most things, and he had to learn everything through practice. This made him somewhat weak, as he wasn't born to be a warrior.
He had already been born in another world, one where these things we call Supernatural Races no longer existed.
Ziriel wouldn't be like Dante; she is a different person now. She had ten years of meditation on her techniques, ten years of pure mental and interpersonal training, focusing solely on the person she wants to become. Ziriel is no different from Valentina now; only her hair sets her apart. Ziriel is cruel and insensitive; what gives her the most pleasure is seeing her enemy die.
Her eyes are calm, but her heart has a latent flame of pure devastation and chaos, and it has been emerging more and more. With Ziriel and Velryna's conversation, Ziriel remembered why she needs to be the strongest of all. She finally opened the path she had been seeking.
"You seem determined," I heard, it was like a calm melody beside me as I reviewed my spear skills, starting from scratch for the fifth time.
"I'm improving," I replied, Simon's voice came slowly, and he looked at me sideways, feeling his gaze pass through my entire body.
"Where did you learn that?" He asked, but I had already told him the truth several times. "My mother taught me."
"Who was your mother?" Insistently, I stopped what I was doing and looked deep into his eyes. "Her name cannot be mentioned," I replied neutrally. "But they call her Demon," I continued. "It's complicated to talk about her; I miss the nights when she hugged me while it thundered, her arrogant and impulsive actions, how she was overly protective.
I don't like to talk or mention her name; it brings back memories, and it upsets me," I said sincerely. It was true what I said; often I found myself having bad dreams about the end times when it was just Valentina and Morgana at the top of the white tower while we slept together. I miss her warmth, her touch, her love, her protection.
I was a spoiled little boy; fortunately, I grew up, lost almost everything, and now I have to act as such and reclaim what was stolen from me.
Simon, however, said nothing. It seemed like he was having a déjà vu, so I questioned such a stare and lack of words. "Are you okay, Sir. Simon?" I said, pulling the spear to my back and looking at him attentively.
Fortunately, he came back to himself. "Yes, I'm fine..." he replied. "Tell me what's bothering you, old man," I said with a smile. He was slightly shocked, but quickly returned.
"You look like him," he said, but fortunately, I knew, fortunately, he was already starting to understand what I wanted from the beginning.
"Him who?" I questioned. "No one important."
"Hey old man, come on, tell me, I'm anxious!" I appeared in front of him like a little girl, well, I was one, so the role fit perfectly.
"Now you don't look anything like him," he sighed and turned away. "The person is dead, but he was... in a way, the master I served, my friend's husband, a man... kind and somewhat demonic, but he was a nice guy," he said, exiting the scene without even letting me say anything.
"At least I know that his loyalty to Morgana will always be absolute... And who said I'm demonic?" I questioned. "You're currently a hybrid of human and demon; the more you grow, the stronger you'll become, and maybe even become a true dragon if you follow my lineage. Do you really want to argue about what you are?" I heard from the annoying White Dragon.
"You're the idiot, insufferable!" She roared and quickly swiped at my face with her tail.
"Ouch~" That hurt... Damn temperamental dragon, is she going through PMS?! Another swipe came.
"Voralith!" I shouted. But she didn't give me a choice but to grab her tail.
"COME HERE!" I said and held on, pressing her with my hand; fortunately, her body wasn't developing yet, so she was more of a lizard with wings than a dragon.
"Let go of me," she said, seeming cute, so I began to tease her to see what reactions she could give me. "Why?" I asked with a mischievous smile, while she stared deeply at me and said "Let go, insolent human," with a tone of anger, without any hesitation. It seemed like she could kill me at any moment, but she became even cuter.
"Should I?" I teased, but I received what I didn't want. "Screw you," she said and promptly burned my hand with her hot skin. "Ow Ow!" I released her immediately, blowing on my almost burned hands. "You damn lizard!" I cursed. She laughed at me.
"Next time you'll become demon barbecue! And I love eating demons!" Voralith said, laughing lightly, making the atmosphere calmer and quieter.
***
In a Palace in the Imperial Capital...
"You've been pensive." The female voice came from the background; I turned and saw her, her hair was slightly purple, and her expressions were akin to those of an Empress, well, she would be one soon.
"I don't like this time of year," I replied to her, my fiancee, and future mother of my children, Axilen Yuruzen.
"I know, my love, but you can't stay like this," she replied and wrapped her arms around my shoulders.
"How are the preparations going?" I questioned, stroking her delicate hands like beautiful flower petals.
"Everything is ready, but your sister seems to be arriving," she replied, an answer that didn't make me happy at all.
"Tsk, does that bitch still want to compete?" I muttered and sighed heavily. "Although I think she's not up for it, I'm afraid she'll do something to that wizard by her side."
"Simon is... it's a pity that Her Majesty Morgana has locked herself away after the incident." Axilen said and sat beside me, resting her head on my shoulders.
"Incident...," I said, remembering that day... that... insane monster.
"Calm down," she said, and I came back to myself.
"I'm calm," I said.
"No, you're not," she said and took my slightly trembling hands. "Seriously, Ethan? It's been ten years."
"And yet, every night I see that... demon." I replied.
Every night of my life, I see him killing everyone I love, taking my wife, and... destroying this whole world in an act of mass hatred. I will never forget him, the one who surpasses an entire school alone, the greatest evil of all time, The True Demon King, Dante Scarlet.