Dragon Raja: Reboot

"How about giving it a try?" the young man suddenly spoke up. "I know a few editors; I can have them revise it for you and see how it goes."

Akira Sakurai, clutching his diary, looked at him nervously.

To be honest, Akira Sakurai never thought his book would actually be published. He himself knew it was too childish, and the book was full of the most fantastical scenarios he could imagine.

If I take a book like this out... people will laugh at me, won't they?

But Sakurai Akira's mind was filled with the deafening voice from before.

...If you lose even hope, what do you have left...?

He silently handed over the diary he treasured, but at the last moment, he withdrew his hand as if he had been electrocuted.

He dared not look into the young man's eyes, afraid to see disappointment in them.

He said in a low voice, "I don't mean to refuse... I just want to revise and polish it a bit more."

The young man smiled and said, "Of course, you can contact this number anytime, and they will arrange everything for you."

Akira Sakurai took the business card from the other party and carefully put it into the inside pocket of his clothes.

He looked up and said earnestly, "Thank you for your kindness. So, what exactly do you want me to do next?"

At that moment, they made a pact.

Although it seemed like nothing had happened, Akira Sakurai could sense that a mysterious power had surged into his body with the signing of the contract!

Every cell in his body was awakened, and his previously cooled blood boiled again, surging through his veins with power far exceeding what it had been before!

He stood by the window, looking at the iron bars that he used to be unable to budge, and felt that he could twist them with a flick of his wrist.

He gained the power he had always dreamed of, and a new life was destined for him!

And the one who gave all of this is the person right in front of you.

Sakurai clearly understands that what he gains will be lost, and that this is an equal exchange. He does not reject this; on the contrary, he deeply accepts it.

"Let me introduce myself first. My name is Lu Mingfei," the young man said slowly. "You don't need to do anything right now. Just hide here, familiarize yourself with the stable bloodline, the newborn power, and hone your martial arts skills as much as possible."

"When I need you, I will summon you. Have you seen Fate? You are the 'Heroic Spirit' I have chosen, though only one of them. We must achieve final victory in the Holy Grail War to save a girl."

"A girl?" Sakurai Akira was taken aback.

The person before me has given me such great power, just to save a girl?

"Yes, a girl just like you," Lu Mingfei said quietly. "If you are a ghost, then she is the most wicked ghost. You only need to live to forty to enter society, while she was born to be a sacrifice offered to God."

Sakurai Akira felt a chill run down his spine; his blood was boiling, yet he still felt an icy coldness.

"...God?" He said calmly.

He never imagined that his enemy would be such a great being.

Lu Mingfei said coldly:

"Of course he's not a real god, just a traitor whom your ancestors crowned as a god!"

"The so-called ghosts refer to hybrids whose bloodline concentration exceeds the bloodline threshold. Your bloodline is not bad; it's just that it's inherently unstable and you may lose your mind at any time, turning into bloodthirsty half-dead servants."

Sakurai Akira's eyes widened, and he said tremblingly, "Our bloodline isn't bad, it's just unstable?"

"Of course, your bloodline far surpasses that of the so-called law enforcers, but you are also in danger. If you are allowed to grow freely, one day you may wake up from your sleep to find yourself lying in a pool of blood, with the corpses of your parents lying next to you."

Lu Mingfei's calm words made Sakurai Akira retreat in fear.

He still remembers the days he spent with his parents before he was five years old.

Those were warm and beautiful years, one of the few beautiful times he had.

For the first time in his life, Akira Sakurai felt a sense of relief.

I'm so glad I was sent to this caring school.

He simply couldn't imagine the scene the other person described to him; it was more than just a pool of blood, it was hell within hell!

"You just said that if I wanted to, I could change everything!" Sakurai Akira suddenly exclaimed excitedly, as if he had grasped at a lifeline.

Lu Mingfei smiled and said, "It has changed. Can't you feel the burning blood in your veins? I have rewritten your bloodline. From today onwards, you are no longer a ghost, but a warrior honing your skills in the darkness, waiting to step onto the battlefield."

"Am I... a warrior?" Akira Sakurai murmured.

"Do you still remember the novel you wrote?" Lu Mingfei patted his shoulder and said softly, "The Child of Light and Darkness, Sakurai Akira, constantly honed his martial arts and defeated the God of War, Fain Ming. I hope you can be like him, help me defeat all enemies, and save that girl."

Sakurai Akira slowly lowered his head and knelt on one knee before Lu Mingfei, like a knight in a novel paying homage to his monarch:

"On this path, as long as you do not abandon me, I will always await your call."

Lu Mingfei helped him up and smiled, "Great, now we're partners!"

Sakurai Akira hesitated for a moment, then asked in a low voice, "That girl... can I become her partner too?"

He didn't mean anything by it; he just felt a complex mix of emotions when he heard the other person say that the girl was an extremely evil ghost.

There is recognition, sympathy... and also a final longing, a longing for friendship.

"Of course! Monsters have monster friends too, and so do ghosts. You two will become great friends. Perhaps I can recommend your novel to her first; she loves anime and novels," Lu Mingfei said with a bright smile.

Sakurai Akira blushed and said, "I...I'd like to revise it some more, and then you can give it to her."

"OK! I'm ready to wait for you anytime!" Lu Mingfei snapped his fingers. "Then I'll be going now. I still need to add some members to our team. Hmm, maybe I should think of a name for our team..."

He thought about it for a while, but couldn't come up with a good name, so he had to put it aside for the time being.

Lu Mingfei waved goodbye to Sakurai Akira and walked out the door.

He disappeared through the doorway under Sakurai Akira's gaze, then suddenly peeked out again.

"By the way, is Leila G. Nami, the spirit summoner in your novel, the girl you like in real life?"

Amidst the man's mischievous smile, Sakurai Akira blushed and nodded stiffly.

"Oh! So Sakurai, you have a girl you like too. Then remember to tell her you like her. You must tell her who you like, even if she doesn't like you back. At least you expressed your love and won't have any regrets."

Akira Sakurai shook his head frantically, like a rattle-drum.

He has rewritten his bloodline, gained power, and acquired unprecedented confidence, yet he remains as stubborn as the former Akira Sakurai in this matter.

Lu Mingfei patted his head and said helplessly, "It really is true... everyone is such a brat."