Transparent Dragon, You're Mine!!
Invisible Dragon, You're Mine!!
I picked up the cell phone that had fallen to the floor.
The screen was cracked like a spiderweb, but thankfully, it turned on. I even had one bar of signal.
Alarms were blaring all around.
Stone dust was falling little by little from the collapsed ceiling.
Obviously, I had to get out quickly.
But there was something I had to do first.
Hunter Gallery verification.
'Since I've awakened, I have to go straight to verification.'
Almost dying was one thing, but verification was verification.
I posted immediately.
[WillTreatChickenIfAwakened : Actually awakened]
Job: Dragon Master.
I even have an EX-rank skill.
Taking questions.
Anon : Dibs
ㄴ WillTreatChickenIfAwakened : Congratulate me first
ㄴ Anon : I'll do it when I get the chicken
Active F-Rank : Status window verification
Resign-When-Awakened : If you're a Dragon Master, then I'm a Sword Master
Please-Give-Me-Allowance : Hyung-nim, are you finally protecting the Republic of Korea?
ㄴ WillTreatChickenIfAwakened : Leave it to me
Anon : What do we say if there's no proof?
Comments were posted in an instant.
I turned on the camera while keeping the Status Window up.
I adjusted the angle so the blue window was in the center of the screen and pressed the capture button.
Click.
But the photo only showed the cracked concrete floor.
"Ah."
Come to think of it, didn't they say the Status Window doesn't show up in photos?
I knew that well because I'd seen it in various media.
I definitely knew, but I was just too excited and forgot for a moment.
'Then I just have to show my ability.'
If I'm a Dragon Master, I just need to bring out the dragon.
It was much more definitive proof than a Status Window.
I pressed the first skill.
[There is a target available for contract.]
[Would you like to proceed with the Soul Contract?]
There was no reason to hesitate.
When I pressed Yes, silver lines stretched out from the floor.
The lines intertwined to create a massive magic circle. Broken stone fragments floated into the air, and the rebar vibrated low.
"Oh...."
With this kind of production, it must be a dragon worthy of at least S-rank, right?
I hurriedly turned on video recording.
'If I upload the contract scene, no one will be able to say it's fake.'
Pure white light surged from the center of the magic circle.
Space cracked black, and a low cry spread out.
The light exploded.
I covered my eyes with my arms and then slowly lowered them.
"......Huh?"
And in the spot where the light had exploded, there was nothing.
No giant dragon, no wings, no egg.
The camera screen only captured the flash of light.
'Did I fail?'
Just then, I heard a small sound from under my feet.
"Kya."
A tiny dragon was sitting between the wrinkles of my work clothes.
A body a little longer than my forearm.
Translucent scales with a silvery sheen.
Short horns and wings that still looked too big for its body.
Turquoise eyes similar to mine.
As our eyes met, a small Status Window popped up.
[Contract Target]
Name : TBD
Species : Invisible Dragon
Growth Stage : Hatchling
Attribute : Unidentified
Ability : Unidentified
"Invisible Dragon?"
I examined it from top to bottom.
"Hmm..., it's not transparent at all."
The dragon's eyes narrowed.
[The contract target feels displeased.]
"I'm not saying you're weird, I'm just saying that's the situation."
It turned its head, looking like it didn't believe me.
Still, it was cute.
It was small because it was still a baby, but it might get huge later.
I reached out my hand.
"Come here."
The dragon spread its wings and flew up.
It flew quite decently, then crashed head-on into my face.
Thwack.
"Ouch!"
It stepped on my cheek, climbed up, and settled on my shoulder. It even wrapped its thin tail around my neck.
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
"Kya."
The emotion that it wasn't was conveyed through the skill.
Still, I didn't feel any sense of apology, so it didn't seem sorry.
"Shameless."
It pushed my cheek with its front paw.
Then a new notification popped up.
[Soul Contract complete.]
[Please give the contract target a name.]
"A name?"
A strong sense of anticipation was conveyed from the dragon.
Right, I shouldn't just name it anything.
It was a dragon that would become the strongest in the world.
The name I gave such a dragon had to be strong, cool, and unforgettable once heard.
I thought about it seriously.
Dragons are strong.
This guy will get stronger in the future.
And as the skill said, it wouldn't just be strong, it would be super-duper strong.
"Jjangryong."
Since you're going to be the strongest in this world, your name is Jjangryong from now on.
"Because you're a super-duper strong dragon, Jjangryong."
It slowly shook its head.
[The contract target rejects the proposed name.]
"Why? It's cool."
It shook its head faster.
"It's short, so it's easy to call, too."
This time, it shook its head like it was going to fall off.
I don't get it...
Jjangryong, attack.
Jjangryong, save the world.
Jjangryong, let's eat.
It fits well anywhere.
'It's perfect.'
Thinking about it again, my naming sense was perfect.
"I've decided. You are Jjangryong."
"Kyaaaak!"
It grabbed my hair.
"Ugh...! Hey!! If you don't like it, you say something!"
"Kya!"
"That's just a cry!"
It tried to block my hand in a hurry, but it was too late.
[The contract target's name has been decided as 'Jjangryong'.]
[The contract target is in great shock.]
Jjangryong-i lay flat on my shoulder and hung its head low.
"You'll like it if you keep hearing it."
Its tail moved and slapped my cheek.
"Ouch."
Give it up, I have no intention of changing it even if you protest.
It was a name I thought about really hard, no way I'm swapping it for another.
Just then, stone dust fell from the ceiling in heaps.
I heard someone shouting from afar.
"Are there any survivors!"
I really had to get out now.
But I hadn't verified it yet...
'Just one photo.'
I put Jjangryong-i on my palm and turned on the camera.
"Look cool."
Even while sulking because of its name, Jjangryong-i puffed out its chest and spread its wings.
Yeah, it's good to have a pretty picture.
Click.
I checked the photo I had thought about the most in my life.
...What, only my palm is in it?
"......Huh?"
Jjangryong-i was clearly in front of my eyes.
But nothing was visible on the camera screen.
It was the same when I took it again.
Then the species name written on the Status Window came to mind.
Invisible Dragon.
"Don't tell me, it doesn't even show up in photos?"
Jjangryong-i tilted its head while looking at the screen, as if it was the first time it knew, too.
'How am I supposed to verify it like this.'
The Status Window doesn't show up, and the dragon doesn't show up, so how am I supposed to verify it?
I got an EX-rank skill, but I was still an unawakened person on the Hunter Gallery.
I uploaded the empty-handed photo first.
[WillTreatChickenIfAwakened : Dragon verification]
It's on my hand.
I guess because the species is a Invisible Dragon, it doesn't show up in the photo.
Anon : Wow, it's really transparent
ㄴ WillTreatChickenIfAwakened : Right?
ㄴ Anon : Things that aren't there are invisible to begin with
Active F-Rank : 'Invisible Dragon' my ass lololol
Resign-When-Awakened : You were a Liar Master
Please-Give-Me-Allowance : What is the dragon's name
ㄴ WillTreatChickenIfAwakened : Jjangryong
ㄴ Please-Give-Me-Allowance : I feel bad for the dragon
"What's so pitiful about it."
Jjangryong-i nodded its head slightly.
"Don't you nod."
I picked up a bolt that had fallen nearby and handed it to it.
"Hold this and fly."
Jjangryong-i grabbed the bolt with its front paws and flew up.
In the camera screen, the bolt was floating around by itself.
"It worked!"
This time it was perfect.
If the bolt moves by itself in the air, people will believe it.
I immediately recorded and uploaded the video.
[WillTreatChickenIfAwakened : Real verification this time]
The Invisible Dragon is holding a bolt.
Anon : If it looks like a fishing line to anyone, upvote
ㄴ Anon : I'll start with me lol
Active F-Rank : You can tell it's edited
Resign-When-Awakened : Why are you at a construction site instead of working
"It's not a fishing line!"
I shouted at the cell phone without realizing it.
Jjangryong-i's eyes narrowed.
A sense of injustice and anger surged from it all at once.
It seemed it didn't like being treated like a mere fishing line.
"Then you should just show them properly."
Jjangryong-i turned its head.
There was a large concrete wall blocking the collapsed passage.
If we just cleared that, it looked like the path out would open.
It spread its wings and flew into the air.
Silver light gathered at the corner of its mouth.
"Wait. Don't tell me you're going to break that?"
Jjangryong-i nodded confidently.
"Then camera first."
I hurriedly pressed the record button.
They'll believe this.
"Okay. Do it!"
Jjangryong-i puffed up its cheeks.
A light the size of a fingernail shot out of its mouth.
The moment the light touched the concrete.
Fwoosh.
There wasn't even an explosion.
The huge wall crumbled like sand.
Faint sunlight came in from beyond the blocked passage.
"Whoa."
Jjangryong-i did a lap in the air and returned to my shoulder.
A sense of pride flooded into my head.
"Good job! You're really super-duper strong."
Its tail wagged excitedly.
I uploaded the video I just took to the gallery.
[WillTreatChickenIfAwakened : Final verification]
Jjangryong-i cleared the wall that was blocking the way.
Not edited, for real.
Anon : Isn't this just a video of a wall being demolished at a construction site?
Active F-Rank : So where is the dragon?
Resign-When-Awakened : You did your daily wage's worth today
Anon : Dibs
"Why is this person only calling dibs!"
The verification was perfect.
It was just that the Hunter Gallery people were weird.
At that moment, the floor shook violently.
Cracks spread rapidly on one side of the wall.
Crack.
Concrete fragments fell.
Jjangryong-i returned to my shoulder and cried urgently.
"I know. We have to leave now."
It's a bit sad that the verification post was treated as fake, but since I verified it, I should survive first, right?
I put my cell phone in my pocket and stood up.
Then my loose work pants slid down to my ankles.
"Ah...."
I hurriedly grabbed my waist.
I held my pants with one hand and leaned against the wall with the other.
Jjangryong-i grabbed my hair with its front paws on my shoulder.
I heard voices from afar again.
"Are there any survivors! There's a magic reaction!"
"I'm here!"
The high, thin voice I let out echoed through the ruins.
I walked toward the passage Jjangryong-i had cleared while holding my pants.
I've awakened and signed a contract with a dragon, so once I get out, I'm a Hunter too.
An S-rank Hunter I've dreamed of since I was young?
I can do it— if it's me!