Greatest of All Time — Season 2Chapter 5: The Arrival of the Dragon King
The battlefield had finally fallen silent.
The broken trees lay scattered across the ground. Smoke drifted through the air, and the remains of the battle between Blue A and Red A slowly disappeared into the darkness.
Arashio stood in the center of the destruction.
One eye glowed neon blue.
The other burned crimson red.
The power inside him was terrifying.
Siya stared at him, unable to speak.
Even Saku and James—voices that had once been buried deep within Arashio's consciousness—were silent for a moment.
Then Saku finally spoke.
"Arashio..."
Arashio slowly turned his head.
"What?"
"We need to leave."
James immediately agreed.
"He's right. Blue A and Red A won't stop coming after you."
Arashio looked toward the sky.
The clouds were slowly clearing.
"Then where should we go?"
Saku laughed.
"Back home, idiot."
James chuckled.
"Yeah. Before Siya starts blaming us for destroying half the forest."
Siya crossed her arms.
"Excuse me?! You three destroyed the forest!"
Arashio smiled.
"Technically, I only destroyed the enemies."
Siya stared at him.
"Arashio..."
His smile disappeared.
"...Okay. Maybe a little bit of the forest."
Saku burst into laughter.
James joined him.
For a brief moment, everything felt normal again.
But none of them noticed the strange shadow watching from far above.
Something powerful had sensed Arashio's awakening.
Something ancient.
Something that had been waiting for a very long time.
The Next Morning
Sunlight entered Arashio's room.
"Wake up!"
Arashio opened one eye.
Siya stood beside his bed.
"You're late!"
Arashio immediately sat up.
"What?!"
He looked at the clock.
His face went pale.
"School!"
He jumped out of bed and almost fell.
Siya caught him by the collar.
"Careful!"
Arashio stared at her.
"Why are you always saving me?"
Siya smiled.
"Because you're always getting into trouble."
From inside Arashio's mind, James laughed.
"She's got a point."
Saku added,
"A very big point."
Arashio frowned.
"Both of you shut up."
Siya tilted her head.
"Who are you talking to?"
Arashio froze.
"...Nobody."
Siya narrowed her eyes.
"Suspicious."
Arashio quickly grabbed his bag.
"Let's go!"
As they walked toward school, Arashio could hear James and Saku arguing inside his mind.
"I told you we should have taken the left road!" James shouted.
"No! The right road was faster!" Saku argued.
"You two are literally inside my head!" Arashio yelled silently.
Siya suddenly looked at him.
"Arashio?"
"Yes?"
"Why are you making angry faces while walking?"
"...I'm thinking."
"About what?"
"Nothing."
Saku whispered,
"She thinks you're crazy."
James laughed.
"She already knew that."
Arashio sighed.
This was going to be a long day.
The Alley
Suddenly—
"Help!"
A girl's voice echoed from a nearby alley.
Arashio stopped.
Siya looked at him.
"What was that?"
Arashio immediately ran toward the sound.
"Wait!"
Inside the alley, two boys stood in front of a frightened girl.
The girl was holding her school bag tightly.
One of the boys laughed.
"Give us your money."
"I-I don't have any!"
The second boy grabbed her bag.
"Then we'll take this."
Arashio stepped forward.
"Hey."
The two boys turned around.
The girl looked shocked.
Arashio stood between them.
"Leave her alone."
One boy laughed.
"Who are you?"
Arashio pointed toward the girl.
"Someone who doesn't like bullies."
The first boy cracked his neck.
"Big mistake."
Suddenly—
BOOM!
Black-and-orange energy exploded around his body.
His muscles grew larger.
Tiger stripes appeared across his skin.
His eyes became golden.
"Tiger Transformation!"
The second boy transformed as well.
Two terrifying tiger souls appeared behind them.
The girl screamed.
"Run!"
Arashio didn't move.
Siya shouted from behind him.
"Arashio!"
The first boy charged.
"TIGER CLAW!"
His massive claws swung toward Arashio.
Arashio ducked.
WHOOSH!
The claws missed by inches.
The second boy attacked from behind.
Arashio jumped.
The two attacks collided.
BOOOOM!
The alley shook.
Arashio landed on a wall and pushed himself forward.
He didn't use his mysterious red-and-blue power.
He didn't want to reveal it.
Instead—
He clenched his fist.
BAM!
His punch struck the first boy directly in the stomach.
The boy flew backward.
"Impossible!"
The second boy roared.
"You're dead!"
He transformed further.
A giant tiger aura appeared behind him.
"TIGER KING SMASH!"
The massive attack rushed toward Arashio.
Arashio closed his eyes.
For a moment...
He heard two familiar voices.
James.
"Left."
Saku.
"Jump!"
Arashio instantly moved.
The attack missed.
Arashio appeared directly in front of the boy.
BAM!
One punch.
The tiger aura shattered.
The boy crashed into the ground.
Silence.
The two bullies were defeated.
Arashio looked at his fist.
"Thanks."
James laughed.
"Don't mention it."
Saku smiled.
"That's what friends are for."
Arashio froze.
For a second, he remembered the past.
James.
Saku.
The promise they had made.
His expression softened.
Then—
"Are you okay?"
Arashio turned around.
The girl stood before him.
She had long light-colored hair and gentle eyes.
She bowed.
"My name is Alya."
"Thank you for saving me."
Arashio scratched his head.
"Don't worry about it."
Alya smiled.
"I've just transferred here."
Arashio blinked.
"Really?"
Alya nodded.
"Yes."
Siya suddenly appeared beside Arashio.
"Then you're coming to our school?"
Alya smiled.
"Yes."
Arashio looked at Siya.
Siya looked at Arashio.
Then both looked at Alya.
James suddenly whispered.
"Interesting..."
Saku laughed.
"Oh, this is going to be fun."
Arashio's face turned serious.
"Don't start."
But somewhere deep inside...
A strange feeling began to awaken.
Meanwhile...
Far beyond Earth.
Beyond the stars.
Beyond the boundaries of ordinary space...
A massive shadow moved through the darkness.
Planets trembled.
Stars disappeared behind its enormous silhouette.
A colossal figure slowly emerged from a dimensional rift.
Two golden eyes opened.
The Dragon King had arrived.
His voice echoed across the cosmos.
"At last..."
"I have found him."
A terrifying pressure spread throughout space.
The Dragon King's gaze turned toward Earth.
"Arashio."
A sinister smile appeared.
"The boy carrying the power of two opposing forces..."
"Blue..."
"And Red..."
He raised his hand.
A massive dragon-shaped energy wave surrounded him.
"But you still don't understand..."
"Your awakening was not the beginning of your story."
The Dragon King stepped forward.
It felt as if the entire universe shook.
"It was the beginning of your hunt."
Back on Earth...
Arashio suddenly stopped walking.
His eyes widened.
For just one second—
His blue eye glowed.
His red eye followed.
He looked toward the sky.
Something was coming.
Something powerful.
Something ancient.
James became completely silent.
Saku whispered—
"Arashio..."
Arashio clenched his fist.
"Yeah."
"I feel it too."
Above the clouds...
A gigantic shadow slowly covered the sunlight.
And somewhere in the heavens...
The Dragon King smiled.
"Let's see if the legendary boy can survive his first true enemy."
TO BE CONTINUED...