Saquin: Death To My Enemies

"Courting death!" the Balogun roared, his voice shaking the forest.

"Huh? Who the hell says that?" Saquin raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips.

[ Probably only self-entitled, spoiled young masters. ]

"They probably thought it sounded cool," Saquin muttered, shaking his head.

The Balogun's eyes narrowed. "Tch, I almost let you get to me." He took a deep breath, steadying himself. This must be an attempt to disrupt my focus. Clever, but not enough.

"Old man," Saquin interrupted with a mocking grin, "I'm not trying to get into your head. I don't need to. I can beat you regardless. I'm just stating a fact—I would never sink my beautiful fangs into someone like you."

His words were dripping with provocation, and the mud streaked across his face made his mocking expression even more infuriating.

The Balogun tilted his head, his anger simmering beneath the surface. "Let this dragon guess—a vampire." He paused, glancing up at the sun. "Wait, that's not right. The sun's still up. Well, not that it matters. This dragon suspects you'd rather sink those... pathetic fangs into helpless maidens." His tone carried a sneer, but there was a trace of regained composure.

"You're old… maidens," Saquin muttered, rolling the word around like it left a bad taste in his mouth. "Technically, yes, I do prefer them being ladies—but not helpless ones. I don't need them to be defenseless to get what I want. After all, unlike you, I'm actually handsome."

A wicked grin spread across his face as he licked his fangs absentmindedly, his thoughts drifting. Now that I think about it… I could use some fun. A couple of ladies wouldn't hurt to taste.

[ Hmmm. I'm not sure Relia would approve of that. ]

Saquin's grin faltered for a brief moment, his eyes flickering with an internal struggle before he shook it off. I'm no simp, he thought, forcing his cocky smirk back into place. Besides, does she think she alone can keep me?

[ It's just as I thought… this isn't you. ]

What do you mean?

[ I've been skeptical for a while now. Maybe since your doppelganger died to Relia—or rather, Sharon. Or maybe it started the moment you saw her. Either way, something changed. ]

Smart, Saquin thought, his grin thinning.

[ At first, I thought this was your true personality—the one suppressed by the village incident. But the more I observed, the more I realized… it's not that simple. Your aura has shifted three times in this short encounter. ]

Three times?

[ Yes. The Saquin who spoke to Relia had a different aura when he felt the dragons closing in. That same aura attacked—but when it came time to press the assault, it wasn't the same Saquin who hesitated. And now, the one standing here… is yet another Saquin entirely. ]

Saquin's smirk faltered slightly. Three different auras… three different Saquins.

[ You're not the same Saquin I first met—the one who spoke to Relia. Or should I say Sharon? That Saquin would never have called her Relia. He was the one who escaped the capital. The 'you' now? You wouldn't have run. None of the current 'you's would have. You would've stayed to fight the commander and the lady—even if it was two against one. ]

And still win.

[ This is what I mean. You're too cocky. ]

Saquin's mocking grin widened as he remained silent, his sharp teeth glinting in the dim light.

I AM.

Meanwhile, the Balogun hovered in the air, his fury simmering as he prepared to strike. Yet, despite his rage, he maintained his distance from Saquin. Instinct held him back. This opponent is not simple.

I'm stronger... but he's cunning, the Balogun thought, his sharp eyes narrowing as he assessed Saquin. He's been provoking me from the start—taunting, pushing. No doubt he's prepared for anyone who charges at him recklessly.

What the Balogun didn't realize—what nearly everyone alive below level 9 couldn't comprehend—was the true depth of Saquin's power. Only Marou had truly understood it. But the prince was dead now, robbed of the chance to warn his uncle.

Even level 9s would struggle to gauge Saquin's full strength. All they would sense was a single unsettling truth: he is stronger than any level 8.

Back to the internal monologue.

[ What do you mean? ]

I'm cocky. The first one you met? That was probably Narcissism.

[ Where is Saquin? ]

He's here. And you're right—that was Saquin. But you're also wrong. We're all Saquin.

[ I'm lost. ]

Didn't expect you to understand right away. The "us" you're talking about? Different facets of Saquin. Each one led by a dominant personality. It's chaos in here—any of us can take control.

[ What exactly are you, Saquin? ]

Honestly? I don't know. Like Saquin told you, his memories are… fractured. But I do know one thing: the moment he saw Relia, the main consciousness decided to cut away a part of himself.

[ He wants to change himself. ]

Sort of.

[ Why? ]

From what I remember, I was sealed at birth. Just recently broke through that seal, probably around the time you showed up. Before that, I had no will to live. That's why I didn't resist when the county officers caught me. Escaping the capital wasn't a plan—it was a game. A game of running until I was caught and executed. Or until I had enough time to kill the ones who burned the village.

Then I saw her.

[ Why didn't you have the will to live, even after breaking the seal? ]

Because of the prophecy. Supposedly, by the third year I walk the world, the earth will be littered with corpses and the seas will run red with blood.

[ Come on, prophecies can be wrong—especially when they're about beings like you. ]

Maybe. But the only memory I have of my mother says otherwise.

Her voice... She told me:

"Saquin, I know you think death is a mercy compared to torture, but can you stop killing? You have to find a new way to punish. The servant didn't deserve death just for bringing the book late."

I think I was five.

[ I see. You decided to live because of Relia. But you don't want to hurt her. So, you're trying to get rid of what makes you… a killer. ]

Exactly.

Boom!

Saquin's internal monologue was abruptly cut short as the ground beneath him erupted in a deafening explosion, obliterating the area in a cloud of debris. The mud surrounding the massive boulder disintegrated, leaving the rock ominously untouched amidst the destruction.

"I thought dragons had pride and didn't resort to sneak attacks," Saquin's voice cut through the clearing, calm and mocking. He now stood perched on a tree at the edge of the shattered battleground, a grin tugging at his lips.

"You think I give a damn about some nonsense like pride?" A sharp, guttural voice responded. At Saquin's former position stood a winged humanoid, the Balogun, smoke curling from his clawed hands.

Saquin raised an eyebrow, his smirk never faltering. "Old man, how'd you get to me so fast?"

"This dragon's means are beyond your comprehension, boy," the Balogun sneered, his crimson eyes gleaming with menace.

"SP Treasures," Saquin remarked casually, as though identifying a party trick.

The Balogun's sneer deepened. "Got a problem with that?"

"Not at all," Saquin replied, waving a dismissive hand. "But I'll give you some free advice—step out of your battle state. Unlike an Earth Dragon, you can't sustain full power in this form."

"How I fight isn't your concern," the Balogun snapped.

Saquin shrugged, leaning lazily against the tree trunk. "Fair point. It doesn't matter to me anyway. I'm not the one who's going to fight you."

The Balogun's eyes narrowed, his wings flaring slightly. "Hah! What's this? Are you running away, beautiful fangs?"

Saquin straightened, the mud on his body rippling and flinging off in a sudden burst, revealing his striking blue hair. His mocking grin widened as he spoke. "A mere Fire Dragon isn't even worth the effort it takes for me to break a sweat, let alone consider retreating."

The Balogun's gaze sharpened. "Higher… Vampire." His voice dripped with disbelief, his claws twitching. "An impossible combination. Nothing is supposed to survive the fusion with the higher bloodlines. You're an anomaly, boy—but even that won't stop this dragon from tearing you apart piece by piece before ending you."

Saquin rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, you said that already. But I'm afraid this is where I say goodbye." He stretched lazily, his voice suddenly growing darker. "Someone else is coming out."

The Balogun snarled. "Enough of your cryptic nonsense! Square up, little boy!"

Saquin's grin turned wicked, his fangs glinting under the light. "Oh, I'm not running. But the guy coming… let's just say he's someone I don't particularly like." His voice dropped to a near whisper, carrying a tinge of amusement. "After all, he's just… too arrogant."