Jack and Aeris, along with the knights who maintained their firm hold on Jack, found themselves frozen in place as they witnessed the seal consumed by blue flames.
For about ten minutes, it burned little by little until it turned to ash as the fire began to dim.
Everyone sighed in disappointment except Jack, who was still waiting for the fire to stop completely. He knew best not to believe something was dead just because it appeared dead. Even a little fire could cause a catastrophe.
Aeris motioned for the knights to escort Jack out, but before they could act, Jack smiled and told them to wait. When they turned to see what he was watching, the flames had found the magic circle. What began as a slow burn from the middle exploded outward through the scattered ashes, sending everyone diving for cover as the fire scorched the ceiling.
"How?" Aeris whispered, her gaze darting between Jack and the roaring flames. The fact that Jack remained unfazed by the inferno was more unsettling than the fire's brutal intensity—and she'd never witnessed a magic circle erupt with such ferocity.
Hell isn't all that hot… but where is the familiar?— Jack mused as fire consumed the structure around them, yet nothing else materialized from the flames.
Out of nowhere, the flames turned dark and blazed even more fiercely, as if something else had been added to make them burn hotter. This time, it was too much even for Jack, forcing him to block his face from the searing heat.
"Dark flames?!" Aeris gasped, her voice joining the knights' horrified chorus as terror painted their faces.
Jack turned slightly toward them, confused by their terrified reactions. In that instant, the flames stopped abruptly. Given their fierce intensity just seconds before, the abrupt stop was unsettling.
They all turned toward the magic circle as charred fragments of the ceiling crashed to the floor. Within the circle sat a little white dragon, barely a year old.
Aeris slapped her forehead in frustration and disbelief as the knights groaned in unison.
Jack freed himself without resistance and approached the dragon, but the small creature beat him to it, scampering over to rub affectionately against him.
It continued to widen its big blue eyes and flap its baby wings, wearing what seemed like a faint smile.
Suddenly, a voice resonated in his mind—cold but tender, unmistakably inhuman.
Jack's eyes darted around in confusion, completely baffled by the sound.
[ALERT]
[SUMMONING COMPLETE.]
[+50 XP]
[CURRENT STATUS: NUMBER 9: LEVEL- 50/100 XP.
MANA CONTROL: 10
MANA POOL: 20/ 5000
PHYSICAL STRENGTH: 15
STAMINA: 10
AURA: 0
SKILL PROFICIENCY: NONE
FAMILIAR TRUST: 32%
—LINKED FAMILIAR: WHITE DRAGON
CONTRACTS: ACTIVE 1.
—NAME: [?]
—Bond Type: Sealed Pact.
NEW ABILITIES: LOCKED.]
"Really?" Jack's lips curved into a smirk.
"I don't know what you are, but we're going to have quite the journey ahead." He knelt down and ran his hand along the dragon's back.
The knights, however, still maintained their grip on Jack, and the little dragon merely climbed onto his shoulder to perch there as they led him away.
Since the training room was now a disaster, another group of guards and knights passed them in the corridor, heading in to survey the destruction.
Jack's irritation mounted with each repeated journey to the courtroom as Aeris's guards escorted him once again.
He could already guess what awaited him. Aeris had clearly betrayed him to either the elders or Captain Kai—why else would she have brought knights instead of regular guards?
Before long, they arrived at the courtroom and placed Jack in the center of the room while Aeris took her position beside Captain Kai near the entrance. His eyes darted around in confusion—this time, the elders wore red robes instead of black.
The room was deathly quiet, but Jack was ready for anything. He was getting closer to his goal of returning, and he wouldn't back down even if it meant killing everyone present.
"Who are you?" an elder's voice cut through the quiet. Jack was already thinking three steps ahead. He knew his play, so he paused and put on a mask of bewilderment.
"Answer!" the elder demanded.
"Raiden Night?" Jack replied with obvious sarcasm.
"You are an assassin masquerading as Raiden Night to steal the Book of Ashes. Speak the truth!"
Jack's face grew dark with understanding. Aeris might be greedy, but he hadn't expected her to fabricate something like this. He was indeed an assassin—just not the one they were talking about. The truth hit him suddenly, his expression turning grimmer still.
"Is this hell's final judgment?"
The question hit the elders' pride with the force of a thunderbolt. Hushed whispers broke out among them as Jack remained in place, his confusion real now, waiting to see how they would respond.
"Pardon me, your honors and great elders." The mumbling ceased as they turned their attention to him. "It has just come to my attention that not only is this person impersonating Raiden, but his summoning took longer than usual—and even worse, his blue flames turned dark."
Fear swept through the room like wildfire, striking terror into every face present—including King Hannes himself. Kai locked eyes with Jack, wearing a triumphant smirk, then turned and walked back to where he'd been standing.
They reacted the same way to the dark flames before… but there's nothing in Raiden's memories about this. What the hell is happening?—Jack's thoughts raced as he watched their terrified faces.
"Silence!" King Hannes's voice boomed through the chamber.
"Show me your crest," he commanded Jack, who turned to his left side and displayed it without hesitation. The fear in their eyes began to fade at once.
"Your crest remains blue, so how do you explain this?"
"My lord, I suspect he is a black crest assassin employing advanced illusion magic—level 4 or below—to deceive us all," Captain Kai declared smugly.
Jack searched his mind for any explanation of the dark flames, but came up empty. If he was going to defend himself properly, he had to understand what he was being accused of.
"If I may ask, what exactly do dark flames signify?"
"How dare you speak to the king so casually?!" one of the elders demanded, his voice filled with rage.
To Jack, that was the most polite thing he had ever said, so for it to be dismissed as disrespectful revealed just how rude he had always been.
King Hannes instantly extended his hand in a calming gesture toward the elder. "When those with blue crests perform summoning, their flames stay blue due to their blue mana core…"
He hesitated briefly. "Dark flames, however, are the mark of black crest bearers. One acquires a black crest by ingesting devil milk to enhance their advancement through the numerical system.
When this enhancement fails, it corrupts into crests like black. Three corrupt variants exist—Grey, Silver, and Black—each carrying unique properties."
The little dragon on Jack's shoulder began licking his face as he raised his hand to touch his crest.
King Hannes smiled reassuringly. "I believe we have a misunderstanding here, or perhaps your summoning ritual was flawed. Your crest is still blue, and your familiar is a white dragon—the gentlest and most peaceful of all dragon breeds. Those with black crests invariably summon demonic creatures."
Jack's face fell. "Wait—you're saying they aren't powerful?" He glanced down at the dragon with new eyes.
The king's smile grew wider. "Exactly. White dragons are purely companions. They spend their time playing and nurturing their summoners, but they possess neither physical strength nor magical power."
At that moment, what was supposed to be Jack's execution transformed into something else entirely—almost like a father-and-son conversation between the two of them. But it didn't last long before King Hannes' expression and tone shifted, growing cold.
"This still doesn't change the fact that you aren't the Raiden Night we all know. Tell us who you are!"
Jack's calm demeanor cracked, his eyes turning fierce as they darted to the floor. His thoughts spiraled rapidly. If he admitted to being Jack, he'd face prosecution as an assassin.
If this really was hell, they were likely testing his loyalty to his profession. No matter the scenario, revealing his true identity would almost certainly destroy his chances of getting home. Fortunately, he had plenty of false identities at his disposal.
I must become Raiden—prove I am him. For now, it's my only option.
He drew in a steadying breath and lifted his chin. "Tell me what I need to do to prove I'm Raiden."
Tension thickened in the room. "I know I've changed dramatically, but it's been necessary for my duty… After that day, after facing someone whose power far exceeded mine, I couldn't afford to remain a coward."
His voice thickened with sudden intensity. "I will grow stronger… stronger… stronger. So that nothing I hold dear can be torn from me… and I mean nothing! I don't care what I must become."
His voice dripped with such icy terror that the mere sound paralyzed everyone around him. But this wasn't Raiden speaking—this was Jack, raw and unfiltered, and he meant every single syllable.
His expression eased just a fraction, still carrying an edge of unrest. "So what can I do to prove my identity?"
King Hannes leaned forward, his tone dropping to an unusually deep register. "Tell me something only you and I would know."
Jack froze, desperately sifting through Raiden's fragmented memories. Beyond King Hannes stepping into a father's role after Raiden lost his own father four years prior, the memories felt frustratingly sparse. Still, he had to try.
He inhaled slowly and let out a weighted breath. "The day after my father's death, when they made me the new bookkeeper, I was sitting in the library's corner behind the shelves, crying. You came in then."
King Hannes smiled, but his expectant look told Jack he wanted more. Jack immediately knew he was on the right track. "You found me in the darkness without any trouble.
You approached me, and I tried to get to my feet to pay my respects, but you made me promise not to be formal with you—to treat you like I had treated my father. We sat together and spoke."
King Hannes' expression became increasingly convinced. "I think I've heard enough."
He stood slowly. "He is Raiden Night… this court is adjourned." He stepped away from the bench, and one by one, the elders departed as well.
The dragon became more playful, showering Jack with licks, but as soon as it began, Jack felt annoyance surge through him. The creature was pathetically weak!
Turning around, he saw both Aeris and Captain Kai standing there. The question burned in his mind—would Aeris still act as his tutor after trying to trade him for money?
As he walked past them, Aeris avoided his gaze entirely, though it didn't bother him. His mind was already shifting, preparing to become Raiden rather than Jack.
For now!