Chapter 1: The Drag King's Path

Asuka's mind spun, the words of the armored stranger echoing in her head like a distant drumbeat. She stood still, rooted to the earth beneath her feet, unable to fully grasp the gravity of what had just been told to her. Drag King. Chosen. Drakos.

It was too much—too surreal. She had barely adjusted to the idea of being alive after what had happened in the alleyway. Now, she was standing in a strange, vibrant world with a man who claimed she was meant to save it. The very notion was absurd.

"You... you're saying I'm supposed to rule this place?" Asuka repeated, her voice shaky but sharp. The wind stirred the leaves around them, and she took in a deep breath, trying to calm the whirlwind of thoughts flooding her mind. Her heart was still racing from the shock of her transformation. She had been a fugitive moments ago, desperate to keep her research safe, to hold on to the only thing that had mattered to her. Now, everything had changed.

The man's golden eyes fixed on her, unwavering. He was calm, like a rock in the middle of a storm. His gaze never faltered, and the way he stood exuded confidence, the kind that came only from knowing one's purpose. But to her, it felt like an imposition. She had never wanted to be anyone's savior. She had fought for her own life—just hers—and now this? The weight of what she was supposed to carry felt unbearable.

"Yes, Asuka Aoyama," the man said, his voice deep and steady. "You have been chosen by the Divine to lead this world, to unite its fractured lands and restore balance. You are the Drag King now, the sovereign who will wield the power of dragons and guide Drakos to its salvation."

She blinked, feeling the weight of his words press on her chest. Dragons? She had heard of them in legends, but they were mythical creatures, like something out of the fairy tales she had read as a child. Drag King? The very title sounded like something out of an epic fantasy novel, but the reality of it felt... foreign. How could she, someone who had never ruled a thing in her life, be expected to take on such a monumental task?

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about," Asuka said, her voice rising despite herself. She clenched her fists at her sides, trying to regain some semblance of control over her emotions. "I'm just... I'm just trying to survive. I was just doing my work in the city—trying to make something of myself. I didn't ask for any of this."

The man's lips twitched in what might have been a smile, though his eyes remained serious. "None of us ask for the burdens we carry. But the world chooses its rulers, and you have been chosen, Asuka."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over her once more, as though assessing her, judging whether she was ready. "You don't have to understand everything right now. What matters is that you are here, and this world needs you. Drakos needs you."

Asuka's breath quickened. The overwhelming sense of uncertainty threatened to overtake her. She had never been someone who sought power. She had never been someone who even thought she could be the one to change anything. Her work in the city had been her life—her only focus. Now that was all gone, and in its place was something far greater, something far more dangerous than she could have ever imagined.

"Where am I supposed to start?" Asuka asked, her voice small despite her best efforts. She had to begin somewhere, she realized. If she was truly trapped in this new world, she would need to learn. She would need to survive.

The man gave a slow nod, as if he had expected her question. "You start by understanding your power. You must first learn to wield the strength that the Divine has granted you, the strength of the Drag King."

His words seemed to ring with finality, but Asuka didn't know what to make of them. She didn't feel any different—aside from the strange, newfound strength that pulsed through her body. The pain that had once wracked her body, from the bullet wound and the exhaustion, had vanished entirely. She felt... whole. Alive. But the knowledge of her supposed role, the burden she was meant to carry, threatened to drown her.

"And how do I do that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The man tilted his head again, as if considering how best to answer. "You will need to seek out the ancient dragons. They are the guardians of Drakos. The first step in your journey is to find them. They hold the knowledge you need to truly claim your title as Drag King."

He stepped forward, closing the distance between them. Asuka instinctively took a step back, her instincts screaming at her to be cautious. She wasn't used to trusting anyone, let alone a stranger in a world she didn't understand. But the man's presence was compelling, his confidence drawing her in despite her hesitation.

"The dragons?" Asuka repeated, her mind racing. "Where do I find them?"

The man's expression remained unreadable, but his voice softened ever so slightly. "They are scattered across the land, hidden in places only the chosen can reach. But fear not, Asuka. You will know where to go when the time comes. The Divine will guide you, just as it guided you here."

Asuka didn't know whether to be comforted or terrified by his words. But something in her chest stirred—an unfamiliar feeling. Hope? Was that what it was? Was she really supposed to believe that she could accomplish what this man was asking of her?

"I'll guide you for now," he said, breaking into her thoughts. "But soon, you will be on your own. You must learn to trust your instincts, to trust the power within you. You are not the woman you were before. You are the Drag King now."

Asuka's gaze flickered down to her reflection in the pond again. She could hardly recognize the woman she saw—the regal cloak, the silver streaks in her hair, the powerful, confident stance. The woman who had been a quiet researcher in a city full of ambition and greed was gone. In her place stood someone entirely different. Someone who could rule?

It seemed impossible.

The man was watching her closely, his golden eyes unwavering. "You have strength within you, Asuka. But it is not only the dragons you must seek. There are others who will test you. Rival factions, power-hungry warlords, traitors. The world is fractured, and there are those who will stop at nothing to see you fail. You will have to fight to stay alive, to protect your power, and to fulfill your destiny."

"Fight?" Asuka echoed. She felt a cold chill run down her spine at the very thought of it. She had never fought anyone in her life—not physically. She had always used her mind, her intellect. But now, she was being told to fight, to rule.

A sense of dread settled over her, but she couldn't ignore the pull in her chest—the urge to move forward, to find out if she could truly live up to this new identity that had been thrust upon her.

The man's voice softened further, though it still carried an edge of command. "You may not believe it now, but you have the strength to do this. You were chosen for a reason. The power of the Drag King flows through your veins. Accept it. Accept the destiny that is yours."

And so, with those words, Asuka's journey began.

Asuka stood still, her mind a swirling vortex of thoughts and emotions. The weight of the man's words pressed heavily on her shoulders. She wasn't a leader. She wasn't someone who had ever aspired to rule or even command. She had been content with her quiet life, working in the shadows of her research. But now, that life seemed far away, as if it had never truly existed.

Her reflection in the pond mocked her, a stranger wearing the skin of the woman she once was. The cloak, the silver streaks in her hair, the faint shimmer of power around her—it all felt foreign.

The wind blew softly through the trees, carrying with it the distant sound of something—no, someone—approaching. The man, the stranger who had called her the Drag King, turned sharply, his stance shifting from relaxed to alert in a heartbeat.

"Prepare yourself," he said, his voice cool and composed, though there was an undercurrent of urgency. "We are not alone."

Asuka's heart skipped a beat. She turned toward the direction the man was looking, but she saw nothing. The dense foliage of the forest blocked her view, and for a moment, she wondered if she had imagined the sound. But then, the air shifted again, and she could feel the presence of something—or someone—approaching. It wasn't just the wind. There was a tension in the air, something thick and palpable.

Suddenly, from the shadows of the trees, figures emerged—silhouettes moving swiftly, their forms barely visible through the thick underbrush. Asuka's body tensed, her instincts screaming at her to run, to hide. But she didn't. She stood her ground, unsure of what to do, but unwilling to show weakness.

The man beside her stepped forward, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of a weapon she hadn't seen before. It gleamed faintly, like something ancient and powerful, far more than a simple sword.

The figures emerged fully into the clearing, revealing themselves to be... humanoid. Their faces were obscured by dark hoods and armor, but their presence was undeniable. There was a kind of silent authority in the way they moved, a sense that they were not ordinary travelers.

Asuka's eyes darted to the man beside her. His expression was unreadable, but she could tell that whatever was coming, he was ready for it.

"You must remain calm," the man said, his voice low and commanding. "They are not enemies, at least not yet. But they are not here to simply greet you, either."

The figures stopped at the edge of the clearing, and one of them, a tall figure with a glowing, sapphire-like gauntlet, stepped forward. Asuka's breath caught in her throat as the figure lifted its hood. Beneath it was a woman, with sharp, angular features and silver hair that cascaded down her back. Her eyes were a piercing green, glowing with an unnatural light.

She looked at Asuka with an intensity that made her feel exposed, as though she were being weighed, measured. The woman's gaze lingered for a moment before she spoke, her voice cold but not unkind.

"The Drag King has arrived," she said, her voice sharp as a blade. "But the world is not ready for you."

Asuka swallowed hard, her pulse quickening. "What do you mean, not ready for me?" she asked, her voice sounding far steadier than she felt.

The woman stepped closer, her boots crunching against the forest floor. "There are those who believe you are an omen, a harbinger of a new age—or a destroyer, depending on their perspective." Her eyes flicked over to the man standing beside Asuka, her gaze lingering for only a moment. "And there are those who will see you as a threat. They will come for you. Whether you're ready or not."

Asuka's stomach churned. "I don't... I don't even know what I'm supposed to do. I'm just... I'm just trying to survive."

The woman's gaze softened, ever so slightly, and she reached out, placing a hand on Asuka's shoulder. The touch was surprisingly warm, comforting even. "We all start somewhere, Drag King. But make no mistake, this is only the beginning."

The air between them thickened, heavy with the weight of her words. Asuka felt like she was standing on the edge of a precipice, one step away from falling into an unknown abyss. The woman's words echoed in her mind. An omen. A harbinger. She was no longer just Asuka Aoyama. She was something else now. She was the Drag King. But the thought of it, of what she might have to become, filled her with both terror and curiosity.

"Come," the woman said, pulling her from her thoughts. "We must move quickly. There are those who are already aware of your arrival. The longer you stay here, the more danger you will bring to yourself and anyone nearby."

Asuka nodded, though doubt still lingered in her chest. She glanced back at the man standing behind her, the one who had called her the Drag King. His expression hadn't changed, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—approval? Caution?

He didn't say anything, but when Asuka turned back to face the woman, she could feel his steady presence beside her, like an anchor in a storm.

"Where are we going?" Asuka asked, trying to focus on the practical side of things. She had to hold on to something solid, something she could understand.

The woman glanced back at her with a knowing smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes. "To the place where you will learn what it truly means to be the Drag King. You will find answers there—if you are willing to accept them."

Before Asuka could respond, the woman motioned to the others, who began moving, their footsteps light and swift. Asuka hesitated for a moment, the weight of the situation pressing on her chest. But then she followed, keeping her steps quick and steady, as if to outrun the doubts that were starting to settle in.

The woman led them through the forest, the path twisting and turning through the thick trees. Asuka couldn't help but notice the way the woman moved, her grace almost unnatural, like someone who had walked these paths for centuries. The others with her were silent, their faces hidden beneath their hoods, but they moved with purpose, as though they knew exactly where they were going.

As they walked, Asuka's mind began to race again. The Drag King. Drakos. The dragons. Everything felt like it was happening too fast. She couldn't process it all. But she had no choice but to move forward, to keep walking down this path that had been laid out for her.

And so, she walked, step by step, into the unknown, with the weight of her new title heavy on her shoulders and the knowledge that her journey had only just begun.