The air was cold, sterile, carrying that faint, sickly-clean smell Ren had gotten used to over the years. He lay on his hospital bed weaker than he had ever been. He was barely feeling the weight of his own body.
The doctor stood beside him flipping through his chart and with a deep sigh he said, "Ren… we've done everything we can."
Ren didn't react. He didn't flinch, he didn't ask why. He just stared at the ceiling with a blank eyes.
"So, this is it, huh?" His voice was hoarse, but there was no fear. No shock. He had seen this coming for a long time, he had felt it with every aching breath, every day his body had failed him a little more.
The doctor hesitated, then nodded. "Your condition is getting worse. Faster than we expected. The treatments… they're not helping anymore."
Ren let out a short, dry chuckle, though there was no humor in it.
"Yeah, figures. My body's always been against me."
The doctor shifted, struggling for words.
"I won't sugarcoat it, Ren. You don't have much time left. A few weeks, maybe less." He sighed. "If there's anything, anyone, you want to see… now's the time."
Ren let out a slow breath. No tears, no panic. He had already accepted it. The signs had been there for months. He had been waking up weaker, feeling his body slowly give out. It had all been leading to this moment.
Instead of fear, his eyes drifted to the small bedside table.
A worn-out book rested there. It was an old novel he had clung to ever since he started staying in the hospital. He used to read it all the time, but as his illness got worse, even that had become too difficult.
"It's kinda funny," he muttered, his voice was barely above a whisper. "People always say you should fight to the end, but…" He traced a weak finger over the book's cover. "I think I'd rather just try to finish this."
Ren was just a regular guy. He was thin, pale, and always exhausted from being sick his whole life. His dark hair was always a mess, and his eyes, tired as they were, held a quiet acceptance of his fate.
He had spent most of his days stuck in hospital rooms, hooked up to machines, watching life go on without him.
The only thing that made it bearable was books. especially manga and fantasy stories. They were his escape, they were his way of living a life he'd never get to have. But out of all the books he had read, this one was different.
At first, he didn't know why he was so drawn to it. Maybe it was just another fantasy to kill time. But as he read, he realized something. Rhe main character, Ren, was exactly like him.
In the story, Ren was born without magic in a world where power meant everything. Because of that, nobody wanted him. He was ignored, treated like nothing, left to fend for himself.
It hit too close to home.
Hr knew what it was like to feel useless, to be treated like a burden, to live every day feeling like he didn't belong. That's why he kept reading. Because even if it was just a book, it made him feel like he wasn't alone.
The doctor didn't really know what to say, so he just gave him a small nod ans patted his shoulder, and then he quietly stepped away.
The days blurred together after that. Time slipped past like sand through his fingers.
Then, one day, the doctor walked in, he was looking different, he was looking softer, more less like a doctor and more like a person who knew what was about to happen.
Ren didn't need him to say anything. He already knew.
"How are you feeling?" the doctor asked.
Ren let out a weak chuckle. Even that small effort drained him.
"I feel like I'm running a race I already lost."
The doctor sighed, folding his arms. "Any regrets?"
Ren thought about it. His life had been short, full of pain, with only a few good moments here and there. There were things he wished he had done, dreams he never even got to chase. But what was the point of thinking about them now?
"Maybe a few," he admitted quietly. His eyes landed on the book resting on his lap. "I just wish I had time to finish this."
The doctor didn't say anything. He just gave Ren's shoulder a firm squeeze before walking out, leaving him alone with the quiet hum of the machines.
Ren let out a slow breath. His body felt weird, heavy, numb. He couldn't move his fingers, no matter how hard he tried. It was like his body had finally had enough.
But even now, one thing kept him going was that book.
It had been with him through everything. When the pain was too much, when he felt completely alone, he would open it and get lost in the story.
He had read it so many times he practically knew it by heart. And yet, he kept reading. Because somehow, he felt like he was living the same life as the Ren in the book.
He wasn't just reading it anymore, he was feeling it.
Ren's weak fingers barely clung to the book as his tired eyes dragged over the words. He had reached the part where Ren was betrayed by the people who were supposed to be his family.
Riku and Riya. His own siblings. They had poisoned him.
Not because he was weak, but because he wasn't.
All his life, they thought he had no magic. Just another failure, another worthless existence. But the moment he showed signs of power, the moment it became clear that he was meant to be the next Dragon Lord, they couldn't stand it.
Out of pure jealousy, they tricked him. They led him into the woods under the guise of sibling bonding, pretending they cared. And then, without hesitation, they poisoned him with fangbane.
The venom didn't just kill him, it destroyed his dragon essence, the very thing that made him special.
Lying in his hospital bed, Ren felt the weight of it all. It was like his own pain mirrored the Ren in the book. The unfairness of it. The cruelty. Just when Ren in the story had finally found hope, it was ripped away from him.
As he read, a deep pain twisted in his stomach. It was as if the poison in the story was real, as if it was happening to him. He could feel Ren's pain, his helplessness, the way his body gave up while no one cared.
His breaths grew weaker. The words on the page blurred.
Then, he read the final line, the moment when Ren in the book took his last breath and died from the poison.
His fingers loosened. The book slipped from his hands and hit the floor with a soft thud.
A long breath left his lips.
And just like the Ren in the book… he was gone.
His chest rose.
Fell.
Then… nothing.
A long, flat tone echoed through the room.
He was gone!
Ren's eyes snapped open.
He wasn't in the hospital anymore. Instead, he was standing in a strange, misty place. The ground beneath him stretched endlessly, glowing with eerie blue patterns that pulsed like a heartbeat.
Up ahead, a massive river stretched as far as he could see. Its waters shimmered with an unnatural glow, and on the other side was a towering, glowing gate. It looked… final.
He took a step forward, something deep inside him was pulling him toward it. But just as he reached the river's edge, a sharp voice cut through the air.
"Where do you think you're going?"
He froze.
A figure stepped out of the mist. She was tall, her crimson robes flickering like flames. Her long, dark hair flowed behind her, and her golden eyes locked onto him with an intensity that sent a chill down his spine.
Ren clenched his fists. "Who… are you?"
The woman tilted her head, she was clearly unimpressed.
"I'm Akane. Messenger of the First Dragon Lord." Her golden eyes locked onto him. "And where exactly do you think you're going?"
Ren's eyes widened. His heart raced. "Akane?" he blurted out. "The same Akane from the book?"
He stared at her, completely thrown off. How was this even possible?
Akane didn't look surprised. Her golden eyes stayed locked on him, calm and steady.
"You should know by now," she said. "There's more beyond your world. Another dimension. Another existence. When you died, your spirit crossed over, and now, you're here."
Ren swallowed hard. "But… I thought it was just a story. Just some fantasy book I read in the hospital."
Akane shook her head. "You were wrong," she said simply.
Ren's mind was spinning. If this was real, if she was real. then what did that mean for him?
"Why am I here?" he asked. "Why did you stop me?"
Akane's gaze didn't waver. "Do you want to live again?"
Ren froze. His breath caught in his throat. Live again?
That didn't make sense. He was already dead.
Akane didn't blink. "What if I told you that you could be reincarnated?" she said. "As Ren, the one you read about in the book."
Ren's head jerked up. His stomach twisted. "What?" His voice cracked. "That's not possible!"
Akane stepped closer, her presence making the air feel heavier. "I can make it possible."
Ren felt his hands shake. He had always felt connected to Ren in the book so much that sometimes it felt like he was living his pain. But now she was saying it wasn't just a story? That he could become him?
His thoughts were racing. "Why? Why would you do that?"
Akane's expression stayed calm, but there was something serious in her tone.
"Because in your past life, you never got the chance to really live." She looked him in the eyes. "You spent your days in a hospital bed, powerless, waiting for the end."
Ren clenched his jaw. He didn't want to admit it, but she was right.
"But when you read that book, you felt something, didn't you?" Akane continued. "Ren was abandoned, betrayed, and never given a chance. Just like you." Her golden eyes burned brighter.
"So, I'm giving you that chance now. You can take his place. Live the life he never got to. And claim the destiny of the Dragon Lord."
Ren frowned. "Why me? Why not someone else?"
Akane crossed her arms. "Because if anyone deserves another shot at life, it's you. You know what it's like to be powerless, to be cast aside. That makes you different."
Ren clenched his jaw. He had spent his whole life wishing for more time, more strength, more purpose. And now, she was just handing it to him?
Akane took a step closer. "The city needs a Dragon Lord," she said. "Riya and Riku? They're not fit for it. They don't have what it takes. That's why I'd rather give you this chance to go back, grow stronger, and claim what was meant for you."
Ren looked down, thinking hard.
Akane let out a breath. "I'm not forcing you, It's your choice. But this is a second chance."
Silence filled the space between them.
Akane turned slightly as if to leave.
"Wait," Ren said with a firm voice. "I'll do it. I don't mind."
Akane paused, then slowly turned back to face him. "Before you decide, there's something you should know."
Ren felt a strange unease settle in his chest. "What is it?"
Akane's expression grew serious. "You won't just wake up and become the Dragon Lord. There are conditions."
Ren's stomach twisted. "Conditions?"
Akane nodded. "Your father and siblings will hate you. You'll be treated like nothing. And worse…" She hesitated before saying, "The power that makes the Dragon Lord… it's already broken."
Ren blinked. "Broken? How?"
"Because of the Fangbane poison," Akane said. "The same one Riya and Riku used to kill the Ren in your book. Since you're taking his place, your souls will merge, and you'll inherit everything, including his ruined essence."
Ren's fists clenched. "So… what does that mean for me?"
Akane's eyes burned with intensity. "It means your power is useless. If you want to become the Dragon Lord, you'll have to fix it yourself. And the only way to do that… is by using an evolving system."
Akane's gaze didn't waver. "Here's how it works," she said.
"The evolving system will give you tasks. Every time you complete one, you'll gain abilities, skills that will help you repair your essence and grow stronger. Little by little, you'll unlock your full potential as the Dragon Lord."
Ren's eyes lit up with excitement. "That actually sounds… amazing," he admitted. "I'm in!"
Akane raised a hand. "Don't be so quick to decide," she warned. "There's more."
Ren's excitement faltered. "More?"
She nodded. "You won't get the evolving system right away. It will only activate when you turn eighteen."
Ren frowned. "Wait, so I have to survive without it until then?"
"Exactly," Akane said. "Until then, you'll be completely on your own. You'll have to dodge death, endure trials, and face things that will break you. If you make it to eighteen, the evolving system will be yours. If not…" She trailed off.
Ren swallowed hard. "So there's a high chance I could die before I even get my shot?"
Akane nodded. "Very high."
She stepped closer, her golden eyes locked onto his. "This is your last chance to back out," she said. "Yes or no?"