A Dragon Idol's Reincarnation Tale

Fire Ice Fusion Core: A unique skill made with the influence of [Split Soul Autonomy] and [Ruby Star]’s [Solar Core], requiring both skills, or their advanced or derivative form, to activate. Acting as an emergency cooling process by transforming nutrients and minerals within a solar dragon’s core to create an ice-aligned state, this skill temporarily transforms all fire-related skills, Abilities, spells, and other mana-reliant empowerment effects into ice as long as the skill is maintained with solar energy. Under the influence of the Nordoramsul lineage, it awakens or further empowers the abilities and metabolism of a Nordoramsul dragon, enabling advanced mineral diffusion and synthesis. While this skill is in effect, all ice-aligned usage will cost 50% more mana, but will apply all sub-effects of their original fire-aligned state

As the description of the skill stated, everything related to my fire abilities started to undergo metamorphosis when my blade dug into the mandril’s arm. [Sun, Consume All] turned from a bright white-yellow to a white-blue sun, blasting an icicle gale with feather-like snowflakes to heal and defend people. [Quartz Regen] was still in its crystalline quartz state, but instead of blasting fire around the crystals, they started freezing the ground with their quartz, spreading the venomous touch of corrosive obsidian around.

Speaking of corrosive obsidian, [Panzer] was still in its dark-purple state, although I probably couldn’t turn it back to fire. In fact, [Corrosive Fire] had lost its fiery, gaseous state entirely, only able to assume a viscous liquid or solid state now. The same applied to [White Flames]. Although… maybe… maybe there was something I was missing. It felt like a clue was dangling right in front of my head, but I couldn’t figure it out.

… Yet, it was obvious why I couldn’t think, right now. [Battle Frenzy (Major)] was still giving me a headache, and Hestia was rampaging around inside our mental world like a rabid dog. I couldn’t think straight. I was running on adrenaline at this point.

[Adrenaline (Minor)] [Gazing Upon The Ruby Star (Owner) (Moderate)] inflicted on [Young Sunfang Dragon, Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor]

It is considered a debuff, after all. “All fire-related skills, Abilities, spells, and other mana-reliant empowerment effects” was the exact wording. Furthermore, it only changed all fire-aligned attacks into ice. For example, [Sun, Consume All] was now a hybrid ice-holy spell that still absorbed solar energy. As such, everything else about my skill set was the same, outside of the fact that I wasn’t burning people, but freezing them through [Hellblade Edge] now.

Though [Dragon Fire] wasn’t at fault for my inability to cut through the mandril’s arm. While it did weaken the ice coating my tail, what actually made my tail sharper wasn’t the ice, but the fact that my body now produced silver powder instead of scale-dust. The same silver powder Yorshka, Mother, and every other Nordor dragonkin used to harden their scales and make them as sharp as the finest blades, claws, and fangs. The powder coated my body in this cooling armor, making me shine like a gem.

Not all the scale-dust had been replaced yet, as I could still see some of them burst into flames, only to be quickly extinguished by this strange gas escaping my scales. The production of silver powder was draining my body’s nutrients, though, and since I had [Solar Overdrive] active, most of my solar energy was being gathered around my core until I released it. I couldn’t dedicate much solar energy to feed myself. I didn’t have much time.

Hestia, it’s time to wake up. Sloth! Sloth! Sloth! Remember the people you need to protect! Remember what is keeping you from walking over the line of being human and dragon!

Until you wake up, let me take care of this for you, my ideal self. I’m not as good when it comes to fighting with our body, but I’ll try my best!

[“Beth! Get away from me, now! Help your brother or get to safety, but get out of the cave! I’ll handle this!”] I ordered as the wyvern ran away, as flying away with only one wing wasn’t possible.

Activating [Drakonian Sunlight Edge], I poured the agitated solar energy from my core towards my tail, searing into the slowly freezing cut arm of the mandril. Sadly, the momentum was already used. I couldn’t push my tail through his bones. Muscles, nerves, and blood were severed with this attack, at least, but I couldn’t deal any more damage at this point.

Sadly, I realized this fact far slower than I should have when my skills activated, warning me of an incoming attack. As I tried to respond, the mandril grabbed me by the throat and held me close to him, even willing to continue sacrificing his arm to choke me. As I tried to slash at him, the mandril body checked me, freeing himself before landing a punch to my face as flames burst from his fur.

Urrrgh!

Gritting my teeth, I had expected to simply shrug the attack off, at worst, take some damage to my mana due to the momentum. Yet, the fire burned me! I felt the hair-singeing heat sear my nose as bits of my scales reacted negatively to what should have been a “slightly less comfortable fire”. [True Draconic Barrier] was pierced, draining mana, stamina, and health as the flames of his punch left a scar of pain on my face.

Surprised by this sensation of pain, I once again failed to react in time when the mandril kicked me back before grasping his hands together, landing a scale-shattering hammer punch to my throat as the flames and lightning on his arms started to form into gauntlets. I croaked as the air escaped my mouth before they could enter my lungs, dazed by the heavy blow, unable to recover when the mandril punched me once again, sending me landing on my back.

Kramps!

Yet, before I could continue complaining to my dragon grandfather backseating me from the heavens, I was finally able to move my body the moment [Danger Perception] and [Foresight] activated. The mandril tried to slam his arms on me like a rampaging gorilla, but I was able to roll to the side, using [Wind Blast] to accelerate me.

When the mandril started throwing punches like a street brawler, I had already cast [Hammerfist Bellow] over us as I cast [Air Shield] to protect myself. As the green magic circle materialized, a powerful wind blast hammered the mandril and my wind barrier, causing him to crash on the ground. In a way, the spell was similar to a “gravity”-type spell from games that suddenly increased the gravitational pull in the area, only that it was meant to deal damage, and unless you activate it with [Continuous Cast], the spell would only cast it once.

Though I only wanted the spell to buy me time to think.

The fire pierced my barrier, but I didn’t feel anything about the lightning. Well, the amount of damage isn’t close to what Vifi could output. Is something wrong with my resistances?

Kramps said, causing me to slap my mental face as I overlooked that part.

So it’s a complete reversal?

Since a Territory attack was an aura attack—a release of mana that required skills like [Terror Aura] or [Benevolent Aura] to express an emotion or intent—that required elemental mana to activate, I needed fire mana for [Maestro des Karmesinen Stern]. If I couldn’t produce any fire mana due to a shift of my elemental alignment, then I was essentially Territory-less, right now.

I probably could try to make a Territory with my ice mana, but doing that on the spot while I wasn’t as proficient in moving our body as Hestia sounded a bit too risky. Fortunately, while Vifi was focusing on defending herself from the elementals, her Territory still reached down here. She might not be able to repulse or attract the mandril, right now. Her Territory had protected me from the shooting fire and lightning.

Spell buffs reactivated. [Dragon Fire] gets cut. Let’s mold this arena a bit! [Terra Wall]. [Banishment Beam]!

As focusing on using [Aerokinesis] while moving my body and casting spell was a bit too much for me to handle solo, I decided to cut the second spell song entirely. Only [The Heir of Hope] was playing due to the high-value stats it gave.

In addition, I also deactivated [Quartz Regen] to reduce mana strain, as [Fire Ice Fusion Core] was increasing the mana cost of every ice spell by 50%. Since every fire Ability, skill, and spell was now ice-aligned, that also included the majority of my custom spells. [Sun, Consume All] was high value as it acted as healing and offensive attacks, while [Hydra] was an extra body to defend Vifi and the twins.

With my eleven spell casting slots, I used half of them for [Terra Wall] to terraform the arena, while the other half was used on [Banishment Beam] to push the mandril back and to drill the arena, creating more space for me to fight around. Once [Hammerfist Bellow] stopped, the fight area started to morph, once again pushing the mandril away from me.

I turned around before he could start lunging at me, dodging his attack as I flew over to [Providence’s Will], still lying on the same spot it was when I rescued it from the mandril. I grabbed it and my subspace runes, closing the portal as Gravy was still streaming everything up until now. Did the entirety of Frozen Nest see me turn into a silver dragon? Well… Hestia had a lot to explain later on.

[“U-Usurper, you’re still alive?”] [Providence’s Will] said, sounding rattled.

[“It’s Hikari this time, and stop calling Hestia ‘Usurper!’ She already explained that nothing like that had happened!”] I snapped. [“And, yes, we are still alive! No thanks to you, you little worthless junk! For a catalyst made by a Goddess, you sure are bloody useless! Hestia could have sustained far worse damage if the spear had managed to pierce our armor, you know? Just because you couldn’t try to listen to her for once. You’ve spent multiple months with us now, but despite everything we’ve shown you, you still act like this defiant child!”]

I paused as I had to continue dodging the mandril and recast my spells, creating some space for me to continue my catharsis.

[“You have no right to call either of us ‘usurpers’ when you don’t even listen to the one person you should be listening to—Goddess Andira! Under her wish, you have become my catalyst, yet you show none of that wish. You are supposedly the remaining thoughts of the Light Elemental Primarch, yet you act ungrateful and petulant. Hestia chose to preserve your ‘life’ when she had the chance to free herself from an annoying ‘child’ to gain a dependable catalyst for her holy spells. She decided to do it despite your rebellion, yet you show nothing but spite for a situation she didn’t even control!”] I continued, remembering why Hestia decided against killing the slime A.I. [“I don’t care what you think of us at this point, but beware that you will not endanger my ideal self! You will not kill my ambition, my dream, and my hero. Hestia will become the star that I could never become, and I will not allow that dream of ours to die again!”]

I shoved [Providence’s Will] into my storage, not waiting for its response. I didn’t have any time for any of this. I had to start working on a plan to defeat this thing and then help out my friends above me. For now, it would just be better to keep myself away from the mandril’s attacks to think.

As I tried to create some distance between us, going deeper into the mountain, I also learned that this gas I was releasing from underneath my scales was both flammable and pretty effective to propel me forward. It wasn’t as fast as my rocket boosters, but it was enough. In addition, the expulsion of the gas was fast enough that even if it were to be set on fire, it wouldn’t reach me in time.

To test my theory, I slightly slowed down, prompting the mandril to slam his fist in the ground, sending out a blast of flames at me. At the last second possible, I released the gases from my wings, sending me flying to the side while the colorless gas cloud exploded into flames.

Colorless and flammable gas. Gosh, there are too many to even note down. [Fire Ice Fusion Core] sounds like a clue to what that gas is, but it isn’t like my chemistry lessons got to that part. Honestly, what exactly was so ‘fire ice’ about all of this? What the heck is fire ice? … Oh, wait. Mana Eyes.

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Solar Ice Gas: A flammable methane gas created within the body of a [Sunfang Dragon] with the [Fire Ice Fusion Core] skill. Using solar energy to maintain the dragon’s body temperature, methane gas is created as a byproduct of the fusion within the body. Highly mana conductive with a high concentration of ice mana, this solar-agitated methane gas quickly bonds with water upon contact, creating a crystalline structure similar to ice called Fire Ice. Quick to freeze anything upon contact due to the lingering dragon energy and ice mana, but highly flammable the moment the crystalline bonds disperse … It had been a loooong time since Hestia last appraised something that wasn’t a monster, an item, or an opponent. I almost forgot it myself if I didn’t remember how often our parallel minds would appraise random things around us for more information.

Yet, unlike Hestia and her parallel minds, I was painfully too focused on the details. The mandril quickly reached me as it threw shattered boulders at me, created by [Banishment Beam] and [Terra Wall], smoothening the entire area. Whenever a projectile managed to hit me due to the mandril predicting my flight path, I would get pummeled by the ape, forced to go on the defensive to heal myself.

Then again, all I did was fly around, avoiding every attack as I kept digging deeper and deeper. I didn’t care about fighting this monster; I only cared about defeating it. It was certainly useful that he didn’t have any more anti-dragon blood and that my silver powder wasn’t weak to fire. The moment I hardened myself with them, even a fire punch would just be a “punch.” My vitality and wisdom, boosted by over 100% due to [The Heir of Hope], [Battle Frenzy (Major)], [Terra Protection], [Sylphid’s Cloak], and—

Prayer!

[Blessing of the Goddess of Light (Major)] inflicted on [Young Sunfang Dragon, Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor]—the 30% stat increase from a successful [Prayer]. Most of my stats were either almost double of my base stats or they were over 100%. With my silver powder, I was a tank that also had a 10% boost to holy spells and a 25% boost in all healing sources due to [Gazing Upon The Ruby Star (Moderate)].

Who cared if I couldn’t fight as well as Hestia, at this point? Who cared about dodging every single attack, when I could use that time to continue understanding this silver dragon body of mine?

Methane gas? Is this something similar to liquid hydrogen or what, but flammable since it has methane in it?

This little description allowed me to understand my new biology, including the fact that I was constantly producing this [Solar Ice Gas]. In other words, it could be used for more than a jet engine. I wasn’t sure what would happen if I were to activate [Hellflame Breath], since I still didn’t understand how much my body had changed, but this I understood. I appraised it, after all.

Hellflame Breath!

Channeling the solar ice gas towards my throat, the gas immediately burst out of my mouth before I could gather a large amount, as I was used to. Mixed with my mana, the gas immediately froze mid-flight, creating an icy mist around it as the breath attack struck the mandril head-on, igniting the flames and lightning on the ape’s body. Thoug, due to how the gas worked, the stream of mist was immediately set on fire, forcing me to stop the attack.

Quick to gather and easy to stop, the solar ice gas proved to be extremely similar to my usual [Hellflame Breath]. Weakened the speed of the gas and it could be spread around the area, allowing me to freeze anything it touched, while a concentrated blast was similar to my laser beams. While none of these variations actually damaged the mandril substantially, it brought me enough time with how much I was using it. In addition, even [Dread Burn] kept being reapplied on the mandril, although it was unnecessary as I had destroyed all the potions he had on his belt.

Now, come on! Let’s go! I know the time is now!

[Symphonie des Feuergottes (Adagio)] inflicted on [Young Sunfang Dragon, Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor]Timing it perfectly with [Symphonie des Feuergottes]’s transition to adagio, granting me 50% more strength and intelligence, I cast two [Purple Flash] as I cast both [Omnictus] and [Heaven’s Sword].

“Gruuh?” The mandril stared up, finally noticing that the arena had been terraformed into a perfectly smooth cylinder.

I pulled out [Providence’s Will], grasping it tightly in my hand as I activated its enchantments and skills to empower my holy spells.

[Omnictus] couldn’t do any damage to non-organic, meaning it was useless against the elementals inside their icy body and anything that protected themselves under a house or cave. However, with nowhere to hide, [Omnictus] was unobstructed. [Terra Wall] made sure to harden the entire cylindrical hole, and as it was so smooth, it made it hard to grab onto.

I might be less skilled than Hestia in physical combat, but magic was my forte.

Obey my commands, [Providence’s Will]! Goddess Andira, I pray to you with your catalyst in hand, grant me this honor to extinguish those who obstruct the Goddess’s plan! [Sun, Consume All], pour down all the ice you can! Kill this rank A and give me his levels!

As an incandescent light lit up the hole, a woman’s arm was created from light as she grasped a blade of holy mana. As [Sun, Consume All] started to drown the hole with bright, blue icicles, I gathered all the silver powder my body had been able to produce, hardening my body up like any other Nordor Dragonkin.

As the light descended into the hole, the mandril roared out loud as it tried to absorb the spell, but unlike its fire, lightning, and ice resistance, this was an attack from a holy dragon. Without the damn true ice spear to threaten me, the mandril tried to push himself through [Omnictus]’s oppressive sky laser, but was quickly humbled when [Heaven’s Sword] struck the ground, shattering the hole even further.

… Done. Gloria Ascendence.

The initial landing of the holy sword did hit me, but with all my resistances and defenses, it barely hurt me at all. Instead, this [Gloria Ascendance] was there to help me regenerate some of my lost health from all the damage the mandril did to me, while also putting my armor back on.

As the light slowly dissipated and my [Gloria Ascendence] vanished, I started materializing another spell when the mandril suddenly lunged at me. He managed to topple me, mounting me as it started striking me with hammerfists, pounding scales off my body and even cracking my horns.

His body was completely bare, having lost all his fur from my spells. Blood seeped out of his body here and there, but they were quickly staunch as ice and fire seeped out of his pores. To be honest, if it wasn’t for his charred body, I probably would have recognized the fact his skin was ripped apart and some of his muscles had been melted off by the holy spells.

Seems like he avoided getting directly hit by the sword. Okay, you’re resourceful but… maybe don’t go berserk when you don’t know how to kill a person. I’m still healing!

White-glowing icy mist escaped my head as [White Flames] started to heal me, while I glared into the sky above the hole and activated my next spell.

Spatial Rend!

I twisted my neck to dodge an attack before I swung my tail to the side to move my body weight around to push it up, nearly freeing me from the mount. The mandril stomped his feet on me, keeping me grounded, but it still gave me enough time to open the [Spatial Rend] behind the mandril.

As the ape turned around due to the tearing sound happening behind him, I kicked the ape through the portal, teleporting him into the sky above the hole where my party was fighting the elementals. The mandril roared as the portal closed, causing me to smirk at how ridiculous this spell was, yet I didn’t let that glee get to me for long.

I jumped up and activated another spatial rend to fly through it, appearing right above the mandril as I activated the [Dhuinn Rune: Fearless Defense] on my armor, turning 3080 vitality and 3090 wisdom into strength and intelligence respectively. With the additional stats, it just made my near doubling of all my stats even more impactful.

[“Vifi! Bring them all to me!”] I shouted to Vifi as I molted a layer of scales, sending them flying to Vifi to harden her body with the silver powdered-scales.

Why? Well, her Territory, [Magnetic Storm], didn’t make others magnetic, it made her even more magnetic. She couldn’t suddenly turn me into a magnet and have everybody pulled towards me, she had to be within the eye of the storm, so to speak. And Vifi knew this the moment I gave her an extra set of armor.

[“Shay! Get your sister out of here, now!”] I yelled to warn them what my plan was.

[“You lunatic! All right! Let’s do this!”] Vifi reciprocated my madness as she saluted with her rapier, getting into her secondary stance.

Meanwhile, Shay quickly retreated with Beth as the greater elementals lost interest in them. Aside from the mandril’s wild howling, the elementals were probably focused on the fact [Providence’s Will] was in my hand.

They tried to help the mandril retreat as the blizzard raged on, nearly hiding him in the storm of hail, but like the lightning piercing through the darkness, Vifi shot forward with [Voltaic Red: Saunte Thunder], piercing right into the mandril’s back as she clapped her hands, causing a magnetic force to pull the elementals and me towards her.

[“[Providence’s Will]… once again, listen to my commands!”] I solemnly prayed with Andira’s face manifesting in my mind. [“Little crimson star, born from my other self’s birth. Little sapphire star, born from my failures and inability to change. Watch over us, little Light Elemental Emperor. Watch as this ”]

My blue core started to shine, releasing small balls of blue “flames” through it like tiny sparkles. [White Flames] ice started to encase me as I slammed against the mandril, grabbing it as I started to freeze it with the [Solar Ice Gas] released through my scales. Heavily weakened and unable to resist my ice, his Territory vanished, turning his charred skin purple as the Territory clash was won by Vifi.

Territory Dispute completed in favor of individual [Wrath Demonkin, Vifi’Yok] “Liiiiiiiive!” he yelped as the arcane corruption ravaged his body, causing him to squirm in pain as his blood vessels started to explode. His flames, lightning, and ice ceased to pour out of his body, as any mana usage would inevitably accelerate his death. “Stop! Pity! Pity! My kingdom! Pity! Live!”

No. Not after you endangered Tasianna and Vifi. Not after you endangered Hestia!

I quickly managed to freeze the mandril when the greater elementals crashed against us, nearly crushing me. While I was unable to freeze them as their bodies were made from ice, they couldn’t hurt me either as my [Ice Resistance] was probably even higher than my fire resistances in my crimson dragon form.

As such, their only option left was to attempt to kill Vifi to stop the magnetism. Yet, since the mandril couldn’t do anything due to the arcane corruption, and the elementals couldn’t catch Vifi when I held her tightly to protect her from them, they could only watch as I slowly froze the mandril in ice.

Protected by my scales, Vifi didn’t have to suffer the [Solar Ice Gas] freezing, but my scales probably couldn’t save her from experiencing this immeasurable cold expelled from my body. The only warmth that came from me was my solar core, acting like a heat sink as the rest of my body went colder. To generate and maintain cold, warmth and energy had to exist, like the blazing hot back of a refrigerator.

Once my preparations was done, I opened my subspace and pushed Vifi inside before I placed the runes back into my storage. Before the elementals could react, my core released the explosive heat of my gathered solar energy.

Solar Overdrive, release!

My silver scales quickly turned crimson as the solar energy exploded from my body, burning the mandril and the elementals as if they were in the middle of the birth of a star.

Experience for development Jobs has reached multiple breaking points.

[Star Idol]: Lv. 57 -> Lv. 75 | Reset accumulation finished | Prestige 20 Lv. 0

[Lightbearer]: Lv. 14 -> Lv. 65 | Reset accumulation finished | Prestige 20 Lv. 0

[Crimson Inferno Tyrant]: Lv. 58 -> Lv. 70 | Reset accumulation finished | Prestige 8 Lv. 14

Prestige requirement achieved! Job max level has increased. Experienced accumulation and reward quality increased.

[Crimson Inferno Tyrant] Max level -> 80>

‘In other words, when our scales are crimson and we spit fire, it’s Hestia. If our scales are silver and we spit icy gas, it’s me, Hikari. And it’s permanent.’

… I don’t know what the hell is going on, but this sounds like my multiple personality disorder had gotten so bad that I change body type the moment I switch to Hikari. Like in those movies.

Though, I couldn’t really ruminate on things too much as I felt signals approaching me with [Detection Sensor]. Icy bodies were starting to form in the sky, while multiple giant beasts made out of ice peered down into the hole—even more greater elementals had appeared.

I want to sleep, come on… Urgh.

Hikari quickly explained that outside of Shay and Beth who had escaped the explosion of releasing my solar energy, Vifi was sent to the subspace to protect her. As we needed our strongest soldier, I opened the subspace, ready to greet her, only to be saluted by an army of silver-scaled armored dragonewts.

“Princess Hestia! Glory to Clan Nordor!” The dragonewts raised their preferred polearms into the air. “Send us to battle! Your words are our command! Your life is our duty!”

… I-I just want to sleep.