Ch.6Chapter 6: Omen (1)

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Though I wanted to rush straight to the arena where Shizu was competing, I couldn’t.

Professor Grace Rabin was blocking the doorway of the hospital room, her eyes sparkling with intellectual curiosity as she observed me—someone who had just awakened the ultra-regeneration ability, one of the rarest special talents.

Gogogogo

Even though she was merely blocking the exit, her overwhelming presence pressed against me like an invisible force.

Shaaaa-!!

As if that presence wasn’t intimidating enough, she not only stared at me with sparkling eyes but now exhaled rough breaths revealing her excitement.

“Where do you think you’re going, young Ranos?”

Her voice was thick with what seemed like a declaration of “I’m excited!”

This is dangerous.

If she catches me, I’ll lose at least two hours of my time.

In my previous life, during my immature days, I would have simply brushed her off and dashed straight to the arena.

But the memories of my previous life command me to show this professor as much respect as possible while trying to escape—or if that fails, not to resist.

And for good reason.

“Professor, I need to go cheer at the finals. It’s urgent.”

“Lillian Shizu will win regardless of whether you cheer for her or not, won’t she?”

“Wow, look at you making harsh comments about someone else’s business.”

“Hehe, you caught me.”

Despite holding the official position of professor, she speaks casually with students, and yet…

“Anyway, I’m in a hurry, so could you please step aside?”

“No, I’m in a bigger hurry. This is the first ultra-regeneration ability I’ve seen with my own eyes since the Demon God’s Descent era. How could I just let this go?”

In her excitement, she casually drops words that make her age questionable.

She, Grace Rabin…

…is not human.

With her well-groomed, glossy black hair and appearance that perfectly balances composure and beauty, making her age impossible to determine, one might dismiss her as just an eccentric Awakened due to her quirky personality.

But her true identity is that of a dragon.

Moreover, she’s a dragon who has lived for over a thousand years and prefers walking around in human form rather than her true form—considered eccentric even among her own kind who know her.

A thousand years ago, under the name Von Draken, she was one of the legendary heroes who helped Lumen Ranos, the founder of the Ranos family and the first warrior, through the Demon God’s Descent era.

The name Grace Rabin is just one of many she has used throughout her long life.

Her real name is probably known only to the comrades who fought alongside her a thousand years ago.

In any case, would I dare to be disrespectful and fall out of favor with someone whose credentials alone bloom with such splendor?

‘If I act up, my head will be ripped off by those delicate-looking hands right then and there.’

I remember.

After my first death, when I was forcibly given life again and my reason was consumed by overwhelming malice, becoming a monster known as the Demon God’s Agent who burned the world.

Among the heroes gathered to stop the resurrected Demon God, she was one of the most powerful beings aside from Shizu.

I clearly remember how overwhelmingly she erased armies of malice with nothing but her well-trained body and martial prowess that reached the heavens, without even using equipment made of ultra-metal.

Even though I haven’t done anything wrong or owe her anything in this timeline where everything has been reset, the experience and reason accumulated in my memories naturally command me to treat her with respect.

But fortunately…

While I was in danger of being caught by her and failing to keep my first promise with Shizu,

Thanks to the words she just carelessly uttered, I found a clue to escape quickly.

And since I had no intention of missing this opportunity, I acted swiftly.

“Hmm?”

First, I trailed off as if I had heard some important information.

“Oh my, Professor, your joke skills are impressive. What’s this about ‘dragons’ and bringing up things from a thousand years ago?”

I spoke casually with exaggerated playfulness, but deliberately emphasized the word “dragon.”

Flinch

I could see it.

Her body trembled slightly at my casual remark as she stood blocking the doorway.

“Haha…”

With a slightly deflated laugh and twitching lips and eyebrows, it seemed she had realized what slip of the tongue she had made.

“Ah… y-you must have misheard. I never said… such things.”

The intellectual curiosity that had been shining in her eyes had faded, and she was now trying to avoid making eye contact with me. I was certain.

‘Just as I thought.’

If she inadvertently reveals her identity to anyone at the institution who doesn’t already know, she’ll lose her professorship and be expelled.

Ironically, despite being such a powerful and radiant being, Grace Rabin…

Only one person in this Cradle, her main area of activity, knows her true identity.

Only the head of the Cradle, Belphaeus the Duelist—a superhuman who has endured a thousand years in a human body—remembers her as an old friend.

This is partly due to her habit of changing her appearance and identity regularly over time, except for her gender.

But the main reason is that she was allowed to work here on the condition that she would never reveal her identity to students or other institution staff, as promised to Director Belphaeus.

It was a contract in the form of a verbal command—while others figuring out her identity through deduction was tolerable, if she was caught saying anything that hinted at her identity, she would be immediately expelled from the Cradle.

In any case, my casual remark seemed to have had an effect.

“Hohoho. Look at me. I left my research materials in the lab when I need them.”

Sensing the danger of her identity being exposed if we continued talking, Grace tried to hide her embarrassment by making an excuse about research materials to leave the hospital room.

“Oh my, the most important thing for a researcher…”

I pretended to go along with her excuse while silently praying for her to leave quickly.

My prayer was answered.

“Your fiancée is at a turning point in the martial arts tournament finals, and it’s only natural for her fiancé to be there cheering in the most visible spot. Go ahead.”

Grace quickly set aside her curiosity and tried to escape the crisis by playing the role of a love cupid supporting a couple she had been observing.

“I can’t help you now, but I’ll visit your private lab this evening to demonstrate my ability and satisfy your curiosity, Professor.”

Unlike in my previous life, I also wanted to solve the mysteries of my suddenly acquired ability, so I steered the conversation in a direction that would save the professor’s face.

“R-really?”

Negotiation complete.

Seeing the curiosity that had dimmed now bursting from her eyes again, I was certain of my victory.

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“Then I’ll see you this evening.”

After showing Professor Grace the most appropriate respect a student could offer, I quickly left the hospital room.

“Enjoy yourself, but don’t forget to register your awakening at the certification agency this evening!”

I nodded politely in response to Professor Grace’s shout as I opened the door to leave.

Creeeeak

As soon as I exited through the door, I quickly made my way toward the arena where the martial arts tournament would be held.

“Even though I hurried out, time is still tight.”

Despite doing my best to leave quickly, time was so pressing that if I were even a little late, I might not make it before Shizu’s final match began.

“…Should I try it?”

So I considered attempting something I would never normally do at this stage, to save time.

At this point, even if the attempt failed and caused pain, it would be no worse than a light needle prick, so not much of a loss.

“Alright, let’s do it.”

Having made up my mind, I cleared my mind of distractions.

Hoooo

Taking a light breath, I focused all my consciousness related to bodily activities—except for walking toward the arena—on my breathing.

I imagined myself.

Naturally accepting mana—the blessing of nature distributed in the air—through the act of breathing.

I also envisioned.

The mana I inhaled passing through my lungs to my heart, where it was processed into fighting energy suitable for my body.

This is the basic breathing technique that every member of the Ranos family learns before the age of ten.

With further mastery, one would learn more advanced breathing techniques to pioneer the path of superhumans—the path that members of the Ranos family, who inherited the blood of warriors, were supposed to follow.

Unfortunately, in my previous life, I had a body that couldn’t do this.

An incurable disease called “Broken Vessel.”

Unlike magicians who create miracles by directly utilizing the mana distributed in the air,

For martial artists who inhale mana through breathing and convert it into fighting energy suitable for their bodies, this disease is essentially a death sentence.

This disease is known for causing excruciating pain as mana leaks from the heart before it can be converted into fighting energy, flowing throughout the body.

Even with the disease, one can live a normal life, but for a martial artist trying to walk the path of superhumans using mana-based breathing techniques?

It’s a terrifying disease that forces one to abandon any path related to martial arts.

‘That’s why I’m checking.’

Whether this incurable disease, which was the biggest factor that ruined my life before my first death,

Would still affect me now that I had awakened the ultra-regeneration ability, unlike before.

So, with half-belief and half-doubt, I poured everything into my breathing.

Before long, an invisible energy carrying hot heat rose from my heart and spread throughout my body through the capillaries, strengthening me.

The fighting energy that remained in my heart without spreading elsewhere gave me endurance that wouldn’t tire even with intense activity.

The energy that reached my legs made my steps light and fast.

And when the energy that rose to my head evenly touched my facial features, it heightened my five senses to the extreme.

This is a type of body strengthening technique that even ordinary Aura users who haven’t successfully awakened can easily use.

Though it might seem like an insignificant action, it holds deep meaning for me who has just succeeded at it.

Not only did I succeed without any problems…

‘It doesn’t hurt at all.’

The excruciating pain I used to feel in my previous life—like needles stabbing any part of my body where fighting energy flowed—just from drawing energy to my heart, isn’t there at all.

Even though fighting energy is actively circulating throughout my entire body.

“Has it been cured? The incurable disease that couldn’t be fixed by any means?”

Honestly, I couldn’t believe it, but the complete absence of pain told me this was no illusion.

“It seems that my body, changed by awakening the ultra-regeneration ability, no longer shows the problem of being burdened when accepting mana.”

Though I couldn’t yet perfectly understand the cause, as I continued walking without slowing down and talking to myself, I could easily tell:

As I felt my body becoming more energetic the more I ran,

The corners of my mouth were now slightly rising to the point of reaching my ears.

I don’t know what miracle had occurred, but this new opportunity gained by turning back time seemed to be offering me not just time but many other benefits as well.

“I don’t know why I’m being given such benefits, but I suppose I’ll find out as time passes.”

Yes, as time passes.

As I organized my thoughts and continued walking, before long,

Upon reaching my destination—the arena where the martial arts tournament was being held—I felt that an opportunity to test my newly reborn and strengthened body was approaching.