From a Talentless nobody to An SSS Class Dragon

Falling through this pit is getting kind of boring but I guess I've got no room to complain when it is the only path forward. It'll just be a bit exhausting for awhile.

At least I've gotten to learn a bit more about myself as I descend further into this damn place. There better be something worth all of this at the bottom, if there even is a bottom.

"Rokuro, are you really coming to find me?" A familiar voice echoes around me.

Why is her voice so familiar? It is probably part of this damn floor to play tricks like this on me. Mind games are probably some of the most annoying things to deal with.

I hate dealing with them because they make me think that someone or something is okay.

I'm going to just ignore the voice calling out to me since it wouldn't make sense when I'm in the middle of nowhere. Falling endlessly for God knows how long.

Reaching my hand out towards the top of the pit I could feel myself suddenly stop falling. My wings weren't flapping so it wasn't anything to do with me.

I was no longer descending into the depths of this pit so surely there was something to the spot I stopped at.

I took the chance to look around, noticing that there wasn't really anything around me down here. The walls around me were pretty old though, almost like they have been here for centuries.

But I found myself surprised when I felt someone wrap their arms around me, it was a surprise for sure.

"The great dragon has fallen into such a dark and scary place." Her soft voice whispers into my ear.

"And who might you be?" I ask while trying to keep a calm tone.

"You really don't recognize me Rokuro?" She responds with another question.

I honestly don't know how I didn't recognize her at first since it has been so long but it kind of sounds like Seraphine. But has she always been like this?

She seems kind of different from what I remember.

I'm getting more and more confused by the second so this doesn't really make a whole lot of sense to me. Why are people I know showing up so suddenly and why does it feel so different.

"Seraphine. I didn't expect you to be here." I said with a bit of a surprised tone.

"So you do recognize me, that does make me quite happy. I'm here to help you like I usually do." Seraphine responds with a kind tone.

Here to help me? I've been doing all of this just fine by myself but yet she's here to help me all of a sudden.

Ughhhh. F*ck it. I'll just accept it and get through this whole thing already.

"What's this help that you are planning to give me?" I ask with a curious tone.

"This pit is meant to help you draw out more of your own power and to help show you your strengths and weaknesses." Seraphine answers with confidence.

What more can I draw out? I feel like I've already drawn out quite a bit of my power with everything that's happened anyway. Weaknesses might be a bit more helpful to know more about.

Weaknesses are only there if you acknowledge them dumbass. We don't have any so think of it like that.

You could be considered a weakness in some ways as well. Especially if I get distracted while talking to you.

This is the type of shit that would happen to me when the girls were around as well so it wouldn't be surprising in the slightest. I've definitely gotten a lot better at making it less obvious lately.

"How does falling endlessly in a pit help me discover this?" I question with a bit of confusion in my voice.

"You aren't falling at all anymore. This is the place you needed to reach to begin learning about it more." Seraphine responds before disappearing.

The feeling of her embrace was gone and I could feel myself standing on actual ground now. This was a good enough sign that she was telling the truth.

A long corridor stood before me, looking almost endless as well. A series of endless bullshit seems to be what I'm dealing with here.

Not really the most ideal situation but I have no choice but to keep moving forward until I get to where I need to go.

I could see all different things forming around me as I continue to walk down the corridor. Different paintings of... Me seem to be appearing along the walls.

Me when I was kid, a teen, when I first became an adult, my junker attire, my current attire, and... Something new.

I could see myself once again but now I'm wearing a lot more of a fancy outfit. I look like I'm about to get to some sort of fancy dance with how dressed up I am.

I can't say that the outfit is bad at all either because it is kind of what I would wear at the end of the day. The painting also seems to depict some sort of dragon flying behind me in a way.

Will I really reach a point where I start dressing like that?

"You've been traveling on the path of a dragon for so long, these just depict where it reaches as of right now." A mans voice echoes around me.

The path of a dragon has been my path from the moment I awakened. I was destined to reach such a high rank that I could fight back against the world.

"Who are you or where are you?" I ask while looking around.

"I'm Xeno. The dragon you see within the final painting of you. Rika was helpful in getting you to the point you need, even if she thinks that you haven't reached it yet." Xeno answers with a calm tone.

Xeno. Xeno. That is a pretty easy name to remember but I thought I'd be becoming the dragon myself so I'm a bit confused. Shouldn't I not have something like this talking to me about anything?

Well, a dragon talking to me. Rika was more of a dragon kin in some ways than an actual dragon. But she was capable of being a dragon if I remember it correctly.

"But I'm a bit confused." I say while scratching my head.

"I understand the confusion completely. You'll be able to become a dragon, just I am also going to be by your side. In a way you are like one of my own kin." Xeno replies with a bit of joy behind his words.

It feels kind of strange to be referred to in that manner but I don't really think it is a bad thing either. I haven't really had family by my side in a long long time so it is kind of nice.

Having someone like this could help me significantly.

"Will I always be hearing you in my head as well now?" I ask with a bit of a comedic tone.

"Haha, no. I'll be around when you actually need me or when you decide to become a dragon yourself." Xeno answers with a bit of a laugh.

"Do you know when I'll have that kind of look?" I ask after hearing his response.

"Not entirely, I'd wager that it'll be by the end of your journey in the tower." Xeno responds with a bit of uncertainty.

I look forward to my new look and I'll work even harder to achieve it. This probably isn't the only thing that I'll figure out in this pit but it is definitely one of the major things.

Xeno will be quite helpful moving forward, I can feel it now.

I'm sure that Rika will be pretty happy that she can focus on becoming a more physical part of my life. She won't have to be stuck in the abyss anymore if I have Xeno to help with everything else.

That feels like a pretty good trade off in my opinion. Reaver might also merge with me completely at that point which will also make everything a bit easier.

I don't know why I let a completely different side of me slip away... To let them become their own person in a way.

It is better off having Reaver combined with me at all times, so that's exactly what I need to do. I'll probably be stuck as the ruthless, merciless, version of myself for a long time though.

I scratch my head for a moment while I look around once again. It was time for me to absorb reaver so that I could harness everything without fighting against another me.

You don't need to do this! Come on Rokuro! We can work through this together and become even stronger without having to merge.

I'll have to pass, I'm sure you'd do the same if you were in my shoes.