Re-Awakened :I Ascend as an SSS-Ranked Dragon Summoner

Noah braced himself as Sophie approached, expecting a barrage of questions, maybe even a little anger. But instead, she surprised him.

Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a firm, warm hug.

”I was worried about you all night,” she murmured against his shoulder. ”You said it was just going to be a retaliation for what they did and you’d be back. I waited up at my place for you all night!”

For a second, Noah stood frozen, caught off guard. He had been so focused on Lila’s mind games that he hadn’t prepared for this—Sophie’s quiet concern, her genuine relief at seeing him okay.

Slowly, he let out a breath and returned the hug, his arms tightening around her. ”I’m fine,” he assured her. ”You know me. I always land on my feet.”

She pulled back just enough to look at him, her lips curving into a teasing smile. Then, without warning, she punched his arm—not hard, but enough to make a point.

”Idiot,” she said, shaking her head. ”I heard you took out their number two. How the hell is that even possible?”

Noah smirked, rubbing the spot where she hit him. ”You’d be surprised what one can do when pressed,” he said, lowering his voice just enough to make the words carry weight.

Then he added, with a lopsided grin, ”Literally.”

Sophie rolled her eyes, but there was something searching in her gaze, like she knew he wasn’t telling her the whole story. But for now, she let it slide.

”Come on,” she said, linking her arm through his. ”You owe me breakfast.”

Noah huffed a laugh but didn’t resist as she tugged him along.

For a moment, Lila and her unsettling words faded from his mind. But only for a moment.

They made their way to a small coffee shop at the east wing of the academy. Repairs had been made from Jayden and his clique’s assault and normal activities had since resumed.

The scent of roasted coffee and freshly baked pastries filled the small café as Noah and Sophie took a seat by the window. The place was a known spot for students and soldiers from the barracks, a mix of uniforms and casual clothes scattered throughout. It was safe, familiar.

Their order arrived—two steaming cups of coffee, a slice of rich chocolate cake for Sophie, and a plate of buttered toast for Noah. He was halfway through a bite when she casually dropped a bombshell.

”My dad wants to talk to you,” she said, cutting into her cake. ”He’s proposing dinner. Whenever you’re free.”

Noah paused mid-chew, staring at her as if she had just grown a second head. He slowly swallowed, setting his toast down. ”…Minister Reign? The Defense Minister of the Eastern Cardinal wants dinner with me?”

Sophie didn’t even blink. ”Yeah. I mean, he’s been meaning to. Just a matter of timing. He says whenever you’re free,”

Whenever he was free?

This was the guy who controlled the military academy’s entire funding. He could make him all available if he wanted.

His mind flashed back to their first real interaction—him, naked, in her apartment.

He choked on air. ”You’re joking.”

”Not at all.” Sophie sipped her coffee, her expression unreadable. ”I’m twenty, Noah. Soon, I’ll be graduating. Whether I get deployed or stuck behind a desk, I’m starting a new chapter. What better way to do that than with you in my life?”

Noah just stared, utterly dumbfounded.

A sudden shift in the café’s atmosphere pulled his attention away. The background murmur had hushed, replaced by a tense, growing buzz.

All eyes turned to the screen mounted on the far wall.

||- Breaking News—A strange energy disturbance was recorded last night around the vicinity of School 8. Reports suggest a beast is roaming the area. From early analysis, it is classified as something beyond a Category 5 threat -||

The café erupted.

”A beast worse than a Category 5?”

”That’s impossible. Category 5 is the highest tier we’ve seen!”

”If it’s real, what the hell was it doing near a school?”

”Should we be evacuating? If that thing moves closer—”

The murmurs swelled into outright discussion. Soldiers at the counter exchanged uneasy looks, and even some of the older students, those who had seen actual field deployments, looked rattled.

Noah shifted uncomfortably. He didn’t need to watch the screen to know exactly what they were talking about.

Sophie’s gaze was glued to the broadcast, her fingers drumming absently against the table. Then she exhaled, shaking her head.

”My dad’s gonna have a field day at the office dealing with that today,” she muttered.

Noah forced a chuckle, reaching for his coffee. ”Yeah… bet he is.”

But deep down, he wasn’t laughing.

Because that thing they were all worried about?

Yeah. He had a very bad feeling about it.

Noah tapped his fingers against the ceramic of his coffee mug, his expression unreadable as he listened to the murmurs around him. The café was buzzing with anxiety, speculation running wild about the so-called beast that had emerged at School 8.

He exhaled slowly.

’They’re worried about Nyx… but they don’t even know what they’re worried about.’

His dragon was still in his domain—an interdimensional space disconnected from reality. Unlike some pocket dimensions that allowed their owners to feel and access their contents freely, Noah’s domain didn’t work that way. Once outside, he had no link to it. Nyx was beyond his senses now, locked away until he summoned him again.

The only reason anyone even suspected something had happened was because of the red mist—Nyx’s signature. But even then…

’No one actually saw him.’

Not even Diana.

She was School 8’s number two, a fierce competitor, and someone who should have been sharp enough to notice something. But what could she even say?

That a Year 1 student, a so-called non-combatant whose only known ability was his Perfect Echo, had summoned a beast that broke the known power scale of humanity?

Yeah. Right.

His lips twitched as he took a sip of his coffee, letting the warmth spread through his chest. It was laughable. Even if she did suspect something, she had no evidence. No one had seen Nyx. The dragon had never stepped out of the portal, and the entire area had been swallowed by the mist before anyone could piece things together.

There was no direct link to him.

Which meant, for now, he was safe.

He glanced at Sophie, who was still watching the news screen with mild curiosity before shaking her head and sighing.

But his mind was already shifting to the real problem.

The upcoming tournament.

’If I participate, it puts me under more scrutiny. But if I don’t, Lucas will keep pushing for me to take that spot in the top 25. It’s an opening left behind by the Harbinger attack on Cannadah, and seeing what happens with rival schools, I now know it’s important that someone fills it.’

It was an opportunity. A huge one.

But it also meant stepping further into the spotlight.

’If I keep my head down, I stay out of trouble. But if I take that spot, I get more resources, better training, and more influence. The question is, how much risk am I willing to take?’

The problem with power was that the moment people knew you had it, they started watching. Expecting. And the last thing he needed was anyone expecting this.

For now, he had time.

For now, he could sit here, enjoy his coffee, and pretend he was just a normal student having a normal date with his upperclassman girlfriend.

But sooner or later…

He was going to have to decide.

---

As they stepped out of the café, the fresh air hit Noah’s face, carrying with it the hum of the city—hovering cars gliding by, students chatting in groups, and the distant mechanical whir of drones patrolling the skies.

And then—

”Noah!”

A familiar voice rang out, filled with that usual upbeat energy.

Kelvin.

Noah turned his head just in time to see his best friend striding toward him, his tab in hand as always. Beside him, walking at a more measured pace, was Cora—expression as sharp as ever, like she was scanning the surroundings for something to fight.

Kelvin, however, was grinning ear to ear. Not because of the news, not because of his latest gadget—

But because of Sophie.

That same damn proud smile every time he caught Noah walking with Sophie Reign.

Noah rolled his eyes.

”Yo, my guy!” Kelvin greeted, dapping him up immediately. ”Did you see the news? Bro, it’s all over the place!” He turned his tab around, showing a live feed of a panel discussion—some so-called experts debating the existence of a creature beyond Category 5.

Kelvin leaned in a little, lowering his voice. ”Not going to lie, if that thing shows up anywhere near here, my scanners will pick it up easy.”

Noah smirked. ”That so?”

Kelvin nodded confidently. ”You act like you don’t know,”

Cora snorted, folding her arms. ”That’s assuming your toys don’t get fried the moment it releases some weird energy field.”

Kelvin gasped in mock offense. ”How dare you disrespect KelTech Industries like that?”

”Because I’ve seen you fry your own gear more times in one trip than I can count.”

”Okay, first of all—”

Noah chuckled, shaking his head. ”Alright, alright, we’re gonna head out. Catch you guys later.”

Kelvin gave him a knowing grin before glancing at Sophie. ”You two have fun now.”

Noah just shook his head and shook him one more time before moving along with Sophie.

As they walked, she tilted her head slightly. ”So… is Cora Kelvin’s?”

Noah immediately cut in, shaking his head. ”I really don’t think so.”

Sophie raised an eyebrow.

”Kelvin is the loud, nerdy technopath who could spend days talking about code, circuits, and tracking algorithms. Cora? She’s a battle freak. She doesn’t care about anything except smashing things into the dirt.” He shrugged. ”I just don’t see how that works.”

Sophie hummed in amusement. ”Kinda like how no one saw us working?”

That actually made Noah pause for a second.

He glanced back briefly, watching as Kelvin animatedly explained something to Cora—who, to his surprise, was actually listening.

’Huh… would the crash test dummy really have a heart? And would Kelvin actually not bore her to death with all his theories?’

That remained to be seen.

Soon, they arrived at Sophie’s Clexus. It was luxury. Because of course it was.

As they climbed in, Noah leaned back into the passenger seat and glanced at her. ”So… your apartment?”

Sophie smirked, pressing the ignition. The Clexus hummed to life.

”Nope,” she said smoothly. ”Somewhere I’ve been missing out on a lot lately.”

Noah raised an eyebrow. ”And that is?”

She flicked a few controls, guiding the Clexus upward. ”The senior training facility.”

Noah blinked.

Sophie threw him a knowing glance. ”You did say you wanted me to teach you a few moves, right?”

His stomach sank.

She grinned. ”Well, today’s your lucky day.”