Primordial Awakening: Rise of the Legendary Dragon God

As the barrier parted, inviting them inside, the twins and Seraphina descended slowly.

Not as conquerors crashing down from the heavens, as they hadn't been able to break through the barrier.

But they weren't coming as guests either because no one there seemed to be in the mood to welcome them.

Evethra stood half a step behind Kael, crimson eyes locked on the twins like blades drawn halfway from their sheaths.

Alenia's posture was rigid, mana coiled and ready despite her calm expression.

Druvarn's button eyes were narrowed, the plush-like body deceptively still.

Lyra's ears twitched faintly, gaze never leaving Caelis and Caelia.

Darian swallowed hard, but his feet stayed planted.

He knew he wasn't strong enough to do anything, but he was sure that he could at least be a meat shield for Kael in case things went downhill.

Aldric and Vaelen, on the other hand, remained silent, instinct screaming at them that this was not their place to speak.

It was as if they had realized that their role of intimidating opponents had ended the moment these guys jumped in.

Kael's golden eyes never left Seraphina.

Only he didn't seem hostile to them.

But he was still tired, as the day wasn't going well.

There was one trouble after another coming for him, and for some reason, he felt like this wasn't the end of it.

The three 'guests,' on the other hand, came down soon.

Seraphina stepped through the opening first, boots touching the stone street without a sound.

The twins followed a heartbeat later, expressions clearly dissatisfied, eyes sharp with restrained irritation. The barrier sealed behind them seamlessly, cutting off the sky above.

After that, there was silence.

And it stayed like that for a while.

Every presence inside the dome was tense.

The staring contest continued.

Seconds passed.

Then Kael sighed.

"I'm really not in the mood for a staring contest," he said flatly. "So whatever you came here for—say it, then go back."

The words landed like a slap.

The twins' eyes snapped to him.

Caelis' aura flared violently. "You—"

Caelia stepped forward at the same time, mana spiking sharply—

—And Kael waved his hand.

The air was locked.

Both twins froze mid-step.

Their expressions twisted in shock as invisible pressure wrapped around them, pinning their bodies in place like insects trapped in amber.

'Telekinesis,' Seraphina deduced, her brows raised.

The ones on Kael's side, however, didn't react well to all this.

Evethra's fingers twitched, ready to move. Druvarn leaned forward slightly. Lyra's mana surged. Alenia took one sharp step—

But Kael just shook his head without looking back. "Stay."

They did just that.

Caelis, on the other hand, snarled. "You think this will hold us?"

"Of course," Kael replied casually.

That only made it worse.

Mana erupted from both twins at once, roaring outward as they pushed back against the invisible force.

They could still use their mana, and they could even cast magic, but because Kael was using telekinesis, they wanted to break his arrogance.

Crimson and black energies clashed violently against Kael's unseen grip, the ground beneath them cracking under the pressure.

They smiled.

This was simple math.

Two SS-rankers versus one.

More mana always wins.

Because the easiest way to break telekinesis was to overpower it with mana.

Except—

The pressure didn't budge.

Not even a fraction.

Their smiles faded.

"What—?" Caelia hissed, pouring more power in.

Caelis growled, veins of light crawling up his neck as he forced even more mana outward.

Still nothing.

It was as if they were pushing against a mountain that didn't acknowledge their existence.

Meanwhile, Kael wasn't even looking at them.

His eyes were still on Seraphina.

"If you don't mind," he said calmly, "I'm borrowing them for a moment."

Seraphina studied him.

Then shook her head once. "I don't mind."

Her lips curved faintly. "If we're going to be on the same team soon, it's better to clear misunderstandings early."

Kael frowned. "That part... could you explain what you—"

Before he could complete his words—

"Hey!" Caelis barked, furious. "Don't ignore us!"

Caelia glared daggers. "I can already tell that you're burning through your mana at a fast pace! You won't last long—!"

Kael finally glanced at them.

Just once.

"I won't last long?" He raised a brow. "We'll see about that."

Gritting his teeth, Caelis growled, "This won't end well for you—"

"I don't like wasting time," he cut him off, his voice flat. "Especially on people who are all bark but no bite."

The twins exploded.

"Bastard—!"

Six magic circles flared into existence behind Caelis, crimson sigils spinning violently.

Five more ignited behind Caelia, black runes shrieking as mana surged.

They decided to attack Kael.

His arrogance was too much for them, and so, they were going to attack now.

The air screamed, visibly trembling.

But before they could do more, Kael moved again.

He raised his hand, and the ground beneath the twins answered him.

Roots erupted upward in an instant, thick as tree trunks, twisting with terrifying speed.

Before either of them could react—

THUD.

Two massive fists of compressed roots slammed into their stomachs simultaneously.

The impact folded them.

Air blasted from their lungs.

And as their concentration broke, their magic circles shattered like glass, mana dispersing violently into the air.

They hit the ground hard.

Wheezing.

Choking.

Gasping.

The pressure vanished.

Kael lowered his hand.

"Did you really think," he said coolly, "that I was going to let you finish the spells?"

Last time, he wanted to test his barrier's durability, but this time, he didn't want to entertain the twins.

So, the result was obvious.

After all, the twins were SS-rankers, and there was no way an SS-ranker could defeat Kael—especially not when he decided to move first.

On the ground, Caelis coughed violently, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Caelia tried to speak—and failed, clutching her gut as she sucked in air.

Kael turned away from them with a scoff.

"All bark," he muttered, "no bite."

Silence fell again.

This time, it was different.

Heavy.

Final.

Kael turned back to Seraphina.

"You said something earlier," he said, his tone sharper now. "About us being on the same team."

His golden eyes narrowed.

"I'd like you to repeat that."

Seraphina met his gaze evenly.

And for the first time since arriving—

She smiled, not faintly, not politely—

—But with genuine interest.

Still, she didn't answer his question right away.

Instead, she tilted her head slightly, studying Kael as if seeing him anew—not as an anomaly, not as a potential asset or threat, but as a person.

She was still trying to get a read on his mana, but the problem was that she couldn't. Even now.

So, she decided to ask him.

"Before I answer that," she said calmly, "I need to know something."

Kael's eyes narrowed a fraction.

"Who are you?"

The question landed softly—but carried weight.

"Because whatever I decide to do next," Seraphina continued, "depends entirely on that answer."

Kael frowned.

Not confused—annoyed.

He exhaled slowly. "You come down from the sky, threaten my town, nearly flatten half the forest, and now you want introductions?"

His gaze hardened. "I'm not in the habit of answering questions from strangers who show up intending to attack my people."

Seraphina listened without interruption.

Then she shook her head.

"I see," she said. "Then there really is a misunderstanding."

Before Kael could respond—

Snap.

The sound was crisp.

Mana folded inward.

A translucent barrier sprang into existence around the two of them, forming a smooth, spherical enclosure that cut them off from the rest of the town.

The air inside felt unchanged—no pressure, no heat—but the world beyond blurred faintly, sound vanishing as if swallowed whole.

Kael's frown deepened. He glanced at the barrier, then back at Seraphina.

"What did you—"

"Relax," she said immediately. "It's not a restraining field. Just a sound barrier. Nothing we say here will leave this space."

Outside the sphere, Evethra moved instantly, blood-red mana flaring—

Kael lifted one hand without looking back.

"I'm fine," he said. "Stay put."

Evethra hesitated for half a heartbeat—then obeyed.

She couldn't hear him, but his expressions were enough for her and the others.

Only then did Kael turn fully back to Seraphina.

"Talk," he said flatly.

Seraphina nodded once.

"The place I come from, Astraea," she began, "is not a kingdom. Not an empire. It is a convergence."

She gestured vaguely upward, as if pointing beyond the sky itself.

"In every domain—human, demihuman, demon, and even the mystic—there exists at least one city like it. Places that gather individuals who have reached or surpassed Rank S… or those whose talent makes it inevitable."

Kael listened, silent.

"These cities aren't prisons," she continued. "Nor are they compulsory destinations. There are SS-rankers and higher who choose to remain below, living among ordinary people. But Astraea offers something no other place can."

Her eyes sharpened.

"An environment where growth is optimal. Knowledge. Resources. Training. Opponents who are worth fighting. Allies worth trusting."

Kael hummed softly. "Sounds convenient."

"It is," Seraphina agreed without hesitation. "And dangerous. Which is precisely why it exists."

She paused, then looked at him directly.

"That is why I said we would be on the same team."

Kael raised a brow. "You lost me again."

"If you come with us," she said simply, "then our goals align. You grow stronger. Humanity gains another pillar. We face what's coming together."

She let the words settle.

"All humans," Seraphina said, voice firm now, "should band together in times like these."

That was when Kael raised a hand.

"Stop."

She did.

His golden eyes locked onto hers, unreadable.

"There's your misunderstanding," Kael said quietly.

Seraphina frowned slightly.

"I'm not human."

The words hung in the air.

Heavy.

Absolute.

For the first time since she arrived—

Seraphina's composure cracked.