Aiden's eyes fluttered open, his vision blurry at first gradually cleared up. The sharp pain from earlier had disappeared, replaced by an eerie calm. He blinked a few times, sitting up slowly. The golden glow that had once surrounded him was gone, and the pool of liquid he had fallen into was now dry, its surface smooth and reflective like polished glass.
He lifted his hands to inspect them. They looked the same, but they didn't feel the same. His muscles seemed denser, his skin even though it looked smother was tougher, and beneath it all, he could feel a strange energy coursing through him—vibrant, alive, and almost too much to contain. It surged like a river in his veins, begging to be unleashed.
"What… happened to me?" he whispered, his voice echoing faintly in the cavern.
Before he could process the transformation, a soft hum filled the chamber. Aiden's head snapped up, and his breath hitched as a massive golden pillar appeared before him, floating in the air. It was about three meters long and two meters wide, its surface covered with intricate engravings that seemed to pulse with life. Symbols, shapes, and patterns weaved across its surface, almost hypnotic in their complexity.
Then came the voice.
"The dragons will rise again."
It wasn't spoken aloud; it resonated within his mind, deep and commanding, like a distant echo of something ancient and powerful. Aiden staggered backward, his heart pounding in his chest.
As if responding to the voice, the pillar began to crackle with light, its engravings glowing brighter until it disintegrated before his eyes. Golden particles swirled through the air, drawn toward him like iron to a magnet. Aiden gasped as the particles sank into his skin, merging with his very being.
His body burned—not with pain this time, but with an overwhelming surge of power. A torrent of information flowed into his mind, filling it with knowledge he couldn't yet comprehend. He staggered and fell to his knees, clutching his head as images, words, and symbols danced behind his eyes.
Amid the chaos, one name rose above the rest: Divine Dragon Sutra.
His breathing steadied as the flood of knowledge slowed, leaving him with a profound sense of purpose. Without thinking, Aiden crossed his legs sitting in a lotus position, and closed his eyes. His body instinctively followed the guidance of the sutra, his hands forming unfamiliar yet natural gestures. The energy within him calmed, flowing in precise patterns as he meditated.
With every breath, he felt the changes in his body more keenly growing stronger as is realm was consolidated. His senses sharpened, his thoughts cleared, and his connection to the strange power within him deepened. The Divine Dragon Sutra wasn't just a technique; but a legacy, a gift passed down through generations.
"My ancestor was a divine dragon?!" Aiden was shocked and lost in thought reveling in this new feeling,
But his newfound tranquility didn't last.
The sound of voices reached his ears, distant but growing louder. Aiden's eyes snapped open, his heightened senses instantly alert. Footsteps echoed through the cavern, heavy and purposeful. Whoever they were, they were looking for him.
He stood, his body reacting instinctively. The energy within him surged again, coiling like a dragon ready to strike. The intruders entered the chamber—seven men armed and dangerous, their faces hard and determined.
"There he is," one of them barked. "Don't let him escape!"
They charged, but Aiden didn't flinch.
The moment they attacked, his body moved on its own. His strikes were precise, fluid, and impossibly fast. He ducked under a swing, his fist connecting with one man's chest and sending him flying into the cavern wall. Another attacker lunged with a knife, but Aiden sidestepped effortlessly, his palm slamming into the man's side with bone-shattering force.
The third man hesitated, his confidence faltering as he watched his companions fall.
"Who… what are you?" the man stammered, taking a step back.
Aiden didn't answer. He closed the distance between them in an instant, his movements a blur. With a single strike, the final intruder crumpled to the ground.
Silence returned to the cavern, broken only by Aiden's steady breaths. He looked down at his hands, the reality of his transformation sinking in. He wasn't the same person who had fallen into this cave.
Making his way out of the cavern, Aiden felt the cool night air brush against his skin. He scanned the area, hoping to find his driver and bodyguard. Instead, he found their lifeless bodies near the wreckage of the car.
Aiden clenched his fists, grief, and anger twisting inside him. They had died because of him—because someone wanted him dead. But as much as the loss weighed on him, he couldn't ignore the fire that burned within.
He had been reborn, and he would make whoever did this pay