Dragon Raja: I started out as Erii's older brother

Is this how I am in your eyes? (^▽^)

Seeing Su Mo staring blankly at the painting, Erii turned to the next page on the canvas.

The illustrations on this page are much grander.

In the center of the painting is still that little girl in the red dress.

But the stick figure protecting her had changed.

He grew very tall and strong, with a golden halo around his body, looking like... like Ultraman transforming.

And all around them were countless, large, and strangely shaped black shadows.

Those dark shadows emerged from the ground, from the sky, from every corner, baring their fangs and claws, as if they wanted to devour everything.

Erii stretched out her slender finger and tapped the glowing stick figure, then looked up at Su Mo with her clean eyes.

At the very bottom of the painting, she wrote a line of words in her delicate handwriting.

"Brother, it's going to turn out like this."

That's not a question.

It is a declarative sentence.

It is an unquestionable, 100% trust.

Looking into Erii's expectant eyes, Su Mo felt as if her heart was being soaked in warm water.

He nodded solemnly.

An unprecedented idea, like a seed breaking through the soil, took root wildly in his heart.

To hell with bloodlines.

Fuck you, you piece of trash.

For this trust, for this girl who would draw an entire starry sky because of his intention to stand up for her.

I must become stronger.

. . . .

With a change in mindset, Su Mo's perspective on the world also changed.

He was no longer passively receiving information, but began to actively absorb everything around him, like a sponge.

A few days later, one afternoon.

As usual, Su Mo accompanied Erii on a walk in the courtyard.

Erii squatted by the pond, watching the koi swimming around curiously.

Su Mo pretended to be bored and admired the maple trees in the yard, but his ears were like radar, picking up any movement not far away.

Two guards responsible for perimeter security were leaning against a tree, talking in hushed tones.

Their voices were soft, but Su Mo still managed to pick up a few key words.

"...There are more and more rats outside..."

"Yes, they've already infiltrated. Their movements are very strange."

"The target... seems to still be the White King..."

"It's those lunatics from Bronze and Fire... They're really persistent."

The conversation was short and ended quickly.

The two guards disappeared around the corner.

Su Mo's expression remained unchanged, still looking relaxed and carefree.

He even bent down, picked up a pebble, and threw it into the pond, making Erii giggle.

But inside, he was in an uproar.

[Rat... Infiltration... Target: White King... The madman of bronze and fire.]

For the first time, those cold, impersonal terms in the book became a living, breathing threat right before our eyes.

The cage of the Snake Clan, while confining him, also kept him out of danger.

But now, the cage seems to have developed cracks.

Whether it's disdain from within the family or spying from outside, they're all telling him in an unreasonable way.

You don't have time.

Su Mo's breathing became a little rapid.

He looked at Erii, who was squatting by the pool, oblivious to everything, still innocent and carefree.

A real storm is coming.

Su Mo picked up a pebble without changing his expression and skipped it across the water beautifully.

The koi in the pond were so frightened that they scattered and fled.

Erii giggled at the sudden chaos and clapped her hands happily.

Su Mo laughed along, but her laughter looked even worse than crying.

His brain was working at a frantic speed of 800,000 revolutions per second, and the roar of the CPU fan was almost piercing the top of his head.

[Help! My stomach hurts! This is hilarious!!!]

[Were these elite guards from the Snake Clan trained using scripts from comedy manga?!]

[Discussing top-secret intelligence that an assassin has infiltrated the area in front of the family of a key protected individual?]

Did you write your confidentiality rules with your toes?!

I'm cracked!

While mentally ranting, Su Mo kept his eyes glued to the direction where the two guards had disappeared.

A madman of bronze and fire.

Target: White King.

These words were like a red-hot branding iron, sizzling white smoke in his mind.

Who is the White King?

Isn't that obvious?

In this courtyard, who else could be associated with the name "White King" besides the little ancestor next to him who is intently studying the structure of a koi's butt?

So... the enemy has already reached the fountain entrance?

And me, the fountain commander, I haven't even bought all my starting items, let alone a full set of six items!

Su Mo felt a sudden toothache.

He looked down at Erii.

The little girl was happily poking at a fallen leaf on the water's surface with a single finger, completely unaware of the impending carnage around her.

[My goodness...]

[Young lady, the assassins are already on their way to take your head, and you're still worried about whether this leaf can learn to swim?]

How big is your heart?! Could it even run an aircraft carrier?!

For the first time, Su Mo had a clear understanding of her own position.

Meat shield.

A pure super soldier with no defense or health bonuses, relying entirely on thick skin to withstand damage.

No, they're not even as good as super soldiers.

I'm at best a mobile eye position, and even then, it's only a seven-day trial period.

Once the assassins charge, her only purpose might be to shout at Erii with all her might in her dying moments, "Fire!"

And then... that was it.

No!

This script is so frustrating!

How could I, a proud young person of the 21st century, die in such an unoriginal way!

Su Mo's eyes sharpened.

He must save himself.

But how can we save him?

Looking for help? Of all the Snake Clan members, the one he probably finds most agreeable is the watchdog at the gate.

Cultivate on his own? The concentration of his dragon blood is so diluted it's like tap water diluted three times. He could cultivate for a lifetime and still not produce a single fart.

Their only trump card is Erii, who is right beside them.

But this trump card is a nuclear bomb; he has no idea how to dismantle it, let alone how to use it.

Wait a minute...

【use?】

A bold idea, like moss after a rain, popped into Su Mo's mind.

It seems he... doesn't need to "use" it himself.

He can threaten others to "use" him!

Su Mo's eyes lit up instantly.

He pulled Erii, who was still struggling with the falling leaves, to her feet.

"Let's go, let's go home for dinner."

Erii, bewildered, was pulled along by him, a big question mark appearing on her little head.

Su Mo didn't have time to explain to her right now.

He is about to conduct a business negotiation that concerns his life and fortune.

He wanted to teach those arrogant guys from the Snake Clan a lesson.

Even this tranquilizer has a temper!

Su Mo pulled Erii along and headed straight for Sakurai, the housekeeper in charge of managing the daily affairs of this area.

Sakurai was directing the maids to prune the flowers when she saw Su Mo walking over aggressively, and a professional smile appeared on her face.

"Lord Uesugi, is there anything I can do for you?"