18 Ryuu's resolve.

While Ryuu was slowly entering the depths of meditation, his senses slowly dimmed until it became completely silent. He didn't hear his sister or father anymore, neither did he hear little dragon, let alone hear - he couldn't even feel her existence. It felt like everything was gone, just the emptiness left.

Asura Ryuu: "Where is this? Why is everything so empty?", he thought.

Asura Ryuu: "I couldn't have died, could I? What a joke. If I really died like that, then I'm completely worthless."

He was trying to feel something, but it was like his brain was not there - he couldn't control anything, he couldn't feel, hear, smell, see, touch or taste anything. Not even his Spirit Sense could help him get out of this situation.

Asura Ryuu: "Calm down, let's analyze everything first..."

Asura Ryuu: "Maybe I just entered a peculiar state, like in novels I've read back on Earth."

He thought about his past life, all kinds of memories flashing through the darkness as he remembered about it.

Asura Ryuu: "There's a change? Why do surroundings change when I think about my past? Wait I can think now? What's going on??"

As he panicked a bit, everything returned to the darkness from before. He was slowly observing the darkness and suddenly remembered something from little dragon's memories.

As his thoughts reached there, his surroundings changed again while he was floating in that world like an observer who didn't actually exist there.

Asura Ryuu: "This feeling is interesting, but ... that really took a good six years of my life here. Not that I regret it though, it's just ... it feels kind of strange when you find out that the closest ones to you were an illusion...."

Ryuu's thoughts drifted as he reminisced about the six years since he came here. All those years and everything that happened - Tenko, Akashiro, his mother and father, the forest, the knowledge, those events. Everything that occurred in those years was only an illusion which was used to test him thoroughly. People say that only by knowing someone for a long time, you can truly see his real self.

Asura Ryuu: "For me, that's certainly a long six years. But considering that my master's actually a million-year-old dragon from the past... I don't know how to describe that short period. It's like a sneeze or a yawn for her."

Asura Ryuu: "But anyway, I don't feel resentment because she trapped me in that illusion for six years, nor do I hate her for taking away those near me while in it. My only regret is that Tenko is gone now... Hmm, wait ---"

Asura Ryuu: "Could that illusion actually be a reality far away from this world?"

Ryuu's thoughts reached this moment, and then ... he began thinking of something which would be considered fantasy in his past life.

Asura Ryuu: "Then, If every illusion is actually a separate real world, does that mean ..... they still exist?"

He couldn't help but reach this point, after all for a human who had a short lifespan, six years is a long time and Ryuu still didn't adapt to the new environment.

Asura Ryuu: "Actually, when I think about it right now ... it seemed strange from the start. Why were their names from my world? Why did it have to be a house near a forest? Were not those my wishes in the past life? And a fox that transforms to human, that's obviously from my past.... I was so stupid to not notice anything for those whole six years..."

Asura Ryuu: "And Tenko ..."

Asura Ryuu: "Was actually just my past wish taking its place."

As he realized what occurred, somehow he felt sadness.

Asura Ryuu: "Sadness? So I can actually feel something in here. Haha, It's kind of silly when you realize that you've lived in your own illusion all this time."

As Ryuu reached this point, his ethereal form observing the occurrences that were happening already had tears slowly sliding down his cheeks.

Asura Ryuu: "It is true, as they say, only those observing have the clear picture."

As Ryuu said that, he glanced once more below him, where the Ryuu from illusion was holding Tenko in his embrace as they were enjoying that moment and tears rushed out of his eyes like a broken dam because he felt a heavy sadness crushing his heart because he lost someone whom he loved four years. Emotions are strange, they can be easily stirred but hardly controlled. And Ryuu found this the hard way. Having his expectations crushed and his feelings betrayed as everything became blurry while he slowly drifted towards despair, Ryuu thought about his life once again.

Asura Ryuu: "Why does my life have to be this damn hard? Even in the past, the only thing I wanted is love, I wanted to be loved more than anything. I wanted friends, to have lots of friends to laugh with, to have a family and enjoy my life. Why did it have to disappear right after it began? I don't want to be alone anymore."

As his mind became clouded, Ryuu forgot a lot of things and didn't even pay attention to the surroundings. Even though everything was dark, in front of his eyes memories were flashing uncontrollably pulling him to the pit of despair. But right at the end~

Asura Ryuu: "HAHAHAHA! Fate, it's you!! You were the one who did this to me, just you wait! Once I become strong enough to control my own life, I'll come to you for my revenge!!! Do not think that I, Asura Ryuu, am easy to bully and be played with!!! I may not be able to even keep myself alive as weak as I am now, but I'll definitely become strong enough to control you and take everything back that you took away! I swear on my life, right here, right now!!!"

Anger, regret, despair, and sadness mixing with each other made him laugh like a crazed man with a broken-down mind.

Asura Ryuu: "So this is how it feels when emotions reach extreme? Laughing even though it hurts, hahahahaha, this is so fucking hilarious. I even forgot myself for a moment there, good job Ryuu ... you actually did it again. You gave fate the control over yourself... what a failure I am, aren't I?"

Ryuu asked as he opened his own eyes, which were now completely different from before.

Vertical dragon pupils with red irises surrounded by shining light resembling the stars, which pierced the darkness and that same pair of bloody-red dragon's eyes had a vicious glow in their deepest parts. As they say, eyes are the window to the soul, so it seems like that also was true.

Asura Ryuu: "But thanks to this, a failure that I am finally did something. Thanks to that surge of emotions, I found you all, didn't I?"

Ryuu asked while staring at the darkness.

His eyes suddenly turned from red to ten-colored and numerous dragon roars reverberated.

As a pair of ten-colored eyes looked on in the darkness, one by one, nine dragons manifested from the darkness in front of himself, with one dark-green dragon in the human form appearing slightly behind him.

The first one to appear was a pure blood-colored crimson dragon with red eyes. His scales were sharp and big, extremely overbearing. When Ryuu looked at that dragon, his soul moved and all kinds of emotions appeared at once, but they did not have any influence on Ryuu because all of them had their own counter - happiness and sadness, anger and joy, despair and relief. Like Yin and Yang, they kept each other in balance and thus, Ryuu wasn't influenced by them at all.

Asura Ryuu: "So you were the one responsible for making me feel other's emotions, eh?", Ryuu asked while slowly moving his hand on the crimson dragon's scales. The dragon did not answer, whether it couldn't or it just didn't want to was unknown to Ryuu. What he was sure of, however, is that his Crimson Dragon Soul Spirit is the one responsible for making him feel emotions of others, as well as his, with clarity.

He then glanced at the other eight dragons each having different color, but to his disappointment, Ryuu didn't feel anything from them except that those dragons were part of him and he was sure that he would one day understand what each of them represented. Ryuu could only smile at them, and then slowly turn around as the nine vanished into the darkness.

Asura Ryuu: "Little master, sorry for losing myself back there. It isn't easy to control your own emotions like a human, you know. I hope my master can forgive me.", Ryuu said while he fell down on his knees and bowed with head lowered all the way down.

Little Dragon: "Humph! You have some nerve to doubt your own master. What? Am I not good enough compared to your imaginary Tenko? HMPH! You really have some nerve to forget about me, and what about your new family, isn't your surname Long in this world? You don't want to be alone, yet you forget about the ones closest to you. You little.... you're really a pain in the ass to deal with!!"

Ryuu looked at this little girl which pretended to be angry on purpose and couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

Asura Ryuu: "Sorry that I doubted you and accused you. That's why I swear I'll take my revenge against those that want to control me and make my life harder even if it is Fate herself. Having once experienced it, I definitely don't want to go back to that feeling of helplessness."

Ryuu said apologetically, while he slowly stood up ...

Asura Ryuu: "I hope master will forgive this foolish disciple because disciple understood himself better because of this incident, so it can be taken as Master giving me my first lecture."

Ryuu slowly came in front of her and hugged her tightly: "Little master, thank you for helping me understand what is truly important. Thank you for showing me the way ..."

After Ryuu said that last part, his expression became awkward because ... he remembered about something from his past life.

----

"Protect the queen, she will show us the way!"

Numerous *cluck*-ing noises resounded one after another with that one sentence falling while small red figures not higher than half a meter began running in the same direction like a tide.

----

Asura Ryuu: "Wtf is wrong with me? Why did I remember Ugandan knuckles at this time????", Ryuu thought for a while then sighed and melancholic feeling took over again.

Meanwhile ...

Little Dragon: "..."

Little Dragon felt Ryuu's warmth while he slowly strengthened his grip as if afraid that she would disappear any moment if he lets her go. She felt how much she means to Ryuu, and couldn't help with her eyes becoming moist. After all, neither of them had any attention since the beginning. Both of them were shunned away, forgotten, made fun of or just simply ignored because they were different. Ryuu's little trial also reminded her how he is the only family she had, and she suddenly understood why Ryuu felt so happy when he got a sister and father in this world. "So this is how it feels to have a family? .... -- Didn't Ryuu also say this line? How foolish he is ... and me too. Both of us are fools."

Little Dragon: "Hah, you are really a handful, you know? But that's exactly why I love you, my fool..."

And then ... their love took over.

-----

Ryuu slowly opened his green eyes and took a look around. He didn't see his sister nor his father.

Asura Ryuu: "Where did they go? Actually, how long did I remain in that state?"

Ryuu didn't even have the time to think about anything else before he felt something hard pressing on his body. He turned his head to the side and saw a little girl's head lying on his shoulder. There was a puddle formed from the saliva coming out from her slightly agape mouth. Her hair was totally messed up and she had a happy smile plastered on her little face. He couldn't help himself and let out a hushed smile. But because he was slightly shaking while smiling, his sister woke up.

Long Xingyue: "Um? Where am I?", she said while slowly opening her sleepy eyes and let out a yawn.

Long Xingyue: "Eh? Brother, you woke up!"

Asura Ryuu: "Yeah, did you miss your brother?" Ryuu asked while slightly pulling her soft cheek. "So soft!" - he thought.

Little Dragon's voice instantly reprimanded: "Oy! Don't forget she's your sister, you pervert!"

Asura Ryuu: "Who's the pervert here, I wonder. Me, a six-year-old little boy or a million-year-old dragon falling in love with a kid? Hahaha.", Ryuu defended himself.

Little Dragon: "Hmph! You little ... You know your way with words, alright. But don't you dare forget who I am to you. Your master shall give you very harsh training, MUHAHAHAHA. Don't mess with an old lady like me, you're too young to win."

Ryuu could only grit his teeth and remain silent. He knew all too well that what she said was completely true. "Just you wait, I'll find your weakness, master. Your little fool does not give up that easily."

Long Xingyue: "Brother? Why are you silent? Are you not feeling well? And why are you pulling my cheek, it hurts!"

Ryuu awkwardly scratched the back of his head: "Sorry, you are too cute, I just couldn't help myself after seeing you ..."

Long Xingyue: "Humph! Brother is a bully! I want to pull your cheeks too!"

Long Xingyue retorted while repeating the same action Ryuu did, but unlike him, she became absent-minded when she saw Ryuu's eyes. Ryuu wasn't actually surprised by seeing his absent-minded sister staring at him because this already happened several times during the dinner, so he got used to it.

"Damn, she asks a lot of questions. Is this how troublesome I was when I was little as well? Now I feel the need to apologize to my parents from the past life even if they don't deserve it.", Ryuu thought.

"HA HA HA HA HA!!! You kids are so energetic as soon as you wake up, worthily your father's children." Long Haoran's thunderous voice rumbled through the room while he entered the room with vigorous look brimming with life and happiness.

Long Haoran: "Ryuu, how was your meditation? Feeling any different?"

Asura Ryuu: "Um, I think my second Soul Spirit awoke."

Ryuu then released his second Soul Spirit - the Crimson Dragon, as the top of his fingers got covered in faint scales from the tip of the finger, all the way to the hand, making his fingers transform into blood-colored claws. Ryuu's eyes also became bloody red with vertical pupils inside.

Seeing Ryuu's claws, Long Haoran's pupils widened to the extreme and he felt a little fear staring at them, while Long Xingyue's mouth turned to the 'O' shape.

Long Haoran: "D-D-D-Dragon type Soul Spirit? Dual Spirits?? Are you kidding me???"

Long Xingyue: "Wow, brother is so cool ... and handsome too ... and strong ..... I think I want to marry brother when I grow up."

Long Haoran and Ryuu looked at each other and couldn't help but begin laughing loudly while holding their stomach. Ryuu fell back in the bed while Long Haoran had to take the chair to sit down, otherwise he would faint - a little from the shock his daughter's words caused and a little from the shock Ryuu caused, but nevertheless, he was still laughing out of happiness. What he didn't know is that seeing Ryuu's martial spirit which controls the emotions automatically raised his prevailing emotion to the peak so he appeared even happier than before, but this also occurred to Long Xingyue and it was much more effective on a kid than on a guy who is almost forty years old.

Long Haoran: "Hahaha, you shouldn't say irresponsible words. He's your brother now, you know?"

Long Xingyue: "But he's so cool, I wanna be like him. I'll definitely marry him when I grow up!!"

Long Haoran: "...", he silently looked at his daughter staring at Ryuu in a daze and smile crept on his face while feeling of satisfaction overflowed in his heart, but regardless of anything he couldn't resist sighing after seeing his daughter's firm resolve. "This may turn out a bit troublesome in the future for Ryuu. Well whatever, I'll leave it all up to youngsters to decide."

Long Haoran then laughed again and then glanced at Ryuu. He didn't know why, but when he looked at Ryuu, he couldn't bring himself to see him as a little kid no matter what. What he saw in this boy is a monster even bigger than those old saints living for a thousand years. There was not an ounce of a childish air around him.

Long Haoran: "I'm thinking of giving you two the training in order to prepare you for the academy entrance exam next year, what are your opinions?"

When Ryuu heard this, his eyes immediately became filled with excitement as he intently stared at his father. He thought: "Finally! Little master, how will you fit in with teaching me? Father will steal your role if you don't give your student any pointers, you know?"

Little Dragon: "Heh, don't you underestimate your master. I will guide you along with your father, so don't worry too much and just go along with it."

Ryuu smiled at Little Dragon's response and then resolutely replied: "I agree, father. Give me the harshest training there is because I want to get stronger as soon as possible."

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Long Xingyue observed Ryuu's serious look and copied it as she said: "Me too, father! I won't lose out to my younger brother!!", but she couldn't copy it completely because there was still a childish aura around her, unlike Ryuu.

Long Haoran glanced at the two and burst laughing again: "Good, I like it! Your attitude is good, the only thing that's left is to show me your resolve and .... endure the suffering."