NOVEL NEXT Chapter 20: Chapter ²⁰ The Dragon Within and the Sizzling Drama of High School
Chapter 20: The Dragon Within and the Sizzling Drama of High School
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Narration Mode Activated
"Nothing like a pep talk from a mysterious stalker to really get you thinking about your life choices. Honestly, though, Kira's warning about my dragon power was starting to feel like an actual problem. But for now, I had a much more pressing issue: surviving the day without embarrassing myself too badly. Spoiler alert: It didn't go well."
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The bell rings, signaling the end of lunch. I stand up, brushing crumbs off my shirt.
"Ready to fail at life, boss?" Blobby asks, popping out of my bag.
"Always," I mutter, adjusting my bag. "Come on, let's go see how badly I can mess up in history class."
Blobby flutters ahead. "I can't wait to see your 'genius' at work!"
I grimace. "Shut up, Blobby."
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Narration Mode Activated
"The thing about high school is that no one really prepares you for the sheer amount of drama you'll have to wade through. Between rivalries, secret crushes, and the occasional world-ending prophecy, it's a miracle anyone survives with their sanity intact. And then there's me—trying not to set off the ancient, world-ending dragon within me. Just a typical Tuesday."
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History class is... well, it's history class. Boring, predictable, and filled with people who think they're clever by making sarcastic comments about ancient civilizations. I take my seat next to Reina, who's already looking at me with a raised eyebrow.
"You're late," she says, not even bothering to hide the judgment.
"I'm just making a dramatic entrance," I reply, grinning. "A true artist knows timing is everything."
She rolls her eyes. "You're impossible."
As the teacher drones on about the fall of ancient empires, I zone out, thinking about the conversation with Kira earlier. A shadow council. My dragon power. This is all getting way too serious for my liking.
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Blobby suddenly flutters up to my ear, whispering, "Boss, what if she's right? What if your power is waking up?"
I sigh, trying to ignore it. "Blobby, not now. I'm trying to focus on not failing this quiz."
But Blobby is persistent. "But what if it's not just the power? What if the whole 'dragon thing' is part of you—like, deep down inside? Like... do you think you'll turn into a fire-breathing, world-ending monster if you sneeze too hard?"
"Please, for the love of everything sane, stop talking," I mutter, slumping in my seat.
Reina, ever observant, notices my distracted state. "Are you okay?" she whispers.
"Just thinking about... history," I say quickly.
She doesn't seem convinced but doesn't press the issue. Instead, she turns her attention back to the lecture, and I try to do the same. But my mind keeps wandering back to Kira's words. Is she right? Is there something inside me that could destroy everything? The thought makes me feel sick.
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Narration Mode Activated
"Now, I'm not one to get worked up over much, but the idea of accidentally blowing up the world just by sneezing—or worse, accidentally unleashing some ancient evil—suddenly seemed like a very real possibility. I mean, who wouldn't be stressed out about that?"
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The rest of the class goes by in a blur, and before I know it, the bell rings again. I grab my stuff and head out the door, but not before Reina stops me.
"Aki," she says, her voice unusually serious, "We need to talk."
"About what?" I ask, trying not to sound too alarmed.
Her eyes narrow. "You've been off lately. Is something going on?"
I laugh awkwardly, hoping she doesn't notice my discomfort. "Nah, just the usual—dodging death threats and surviving high school. You know how it is."
Reina doesn't look convinced. "Come on, talk to me. If something's wrong, we can figure it out together."
I hesitate. I don't want to drag her into this mess. But at the same time, she's my best friend. Maybe she should know what's going on—at least some of it.
"Reina, I…" I start, but then I see something out of the corner of my eye.
It's Kira. Standing at the edge of the school grounds, watching us. I freeze. I can feel her gaze boring into me from across the field.
Reina notices me staring and follows my line of sight. "Is that… Kira?" she asks, looking suspicious.
"Yeah," I mutter. "She's... around."
Reina raises an eyebrow, clearly picking up on the tension. "You sure you're not hiding something from me?"
I quickly shake my head. "It's nothing. Just… complicated."
Reina studies me for a moment but doesn't press further. "Whatever it is, be careful. You've been acting weird lately, and it's not like you."
"Yeah, I'll be fine," I say, forcing a smile. "Thanks, Reina."
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Narration Mode Activated
"Great. Now I've got my best friend worried, and Kira's lurking like some kind of ominous shadow in the distance. Could this day get any more complicated? Probably. Knowing my life, it's only a matter of time before something even weirder happens. But hey, at least history class is over, right?"
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As I walk to my next class, I can't shake the feeling that I'm being watched. And it's not just Kira this time. There's something in the air, a strange buzzing sensation that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
I look over my shoulder. Nothing.
I keep walking, but the feeling doesn't go away.
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Meanwhile, in the shadow council's lair...
"Akira Tanaka is more of a threat than we anticipated," one of the figures says, his voice deep and menacing.
"But his power is still dormant," another member counters. "If we move too soon, we risk alerting him."
The leader of the council steps forward, his face hidden in darkness. "Then we wait. But we must be ready. The dragon's return will be inevitable. And when it happens…"
The chamber falls silent.
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End of Chapter 20