That would be far too lonely

Yuya was not surprised that dragonkin existed in the world of Naruto.

Naruto already incorporated so many Chinese elements.

Kinkaku and Ginkaku, the Hyuga clan's Eight Trigrams Palm,

Yin and yang and the Six Paths, Tenten's qipao,

and even Rock Lee, wielding nunchaku and burning with youthful passion-

who could say he was not a tribute to that world-famous martial arts superstar?

In his previous life, Yuya had loved the Naruto anime

not only because of its unforgettable stories.

There were no absolute villains in it.

Even most of its antagonists pursued their ideals for the sake of eventual world peace.

Except for a certain devoted son, Black Zetsu-but was he really wrong to want nothing more than to bring his mother back?

Every character could be said to embody an epic saga, magnificent and steeped in tragedy.

Bonds and obsessions ran through the story from beginning to end,

while its dramatic tension gave every character flesh and blood.

Likewise, the Chinese elements lent it a sense of historical weight,

completing its worldbuilding and helping make the work what it was.

It was precisely those familiar, comforting elements

that had made Yuya love the anime.

And from the practical perspective of having come to this world,

the Wood Dragon Technique, Fire Dragon Flame Bullet, Water Dragon Bullet, and Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole Technique-

some ninjutsu had been created based on the forms of dragons.

Traces of dragons must have appeared in this world long ago.

He had previously suspected that there had been a staggering break in its history.

Now, a surviving dragonkin had appeared, possibly from another era.

Yuya thought it could hardly have been more natural...

And this one... might be the last.

If the Silver Dragon remained in the Wind-Snow Realm,

he would never truly become a dragon in his lifetime.

Yuya's expression grew complicated.

At that moment,

he sensed hostility and rejection from the Silver Dragon.

It was an aversion that went beyond having his territory invaded.

And given the dragonkin's already considerable strength,

if he resisted as well, there would be no way to awaken him.

A thoughtful gleam crossed Yuya's eyes.

A moment later, an endless sense of ancient vicissitudes and the weight of ages emanated from him,

as though he had returned from a distant era.

His expression also became more detached at that moment.

And sure enough, after he activated Sage Mode,

the dragonkin's resistance weakened considerably.

Still, he made no attempt to hide his aversion.

"Could it be chakra?"

Yuya furrowed his brow.

The next moment, he began dispersing his Truth-Seeking Orbs

and deactivated Six Paths Mode.

A rich aura of nature

began spreading from his body.

Every beast that sensed this aura expressed joy and affection.

The dragonkin closest to him was no exception; his hostility and rejection vanished.

Instead, he looked at Yuya with some puzzlement.

Seeing this, Yuya considered for a moment, then slowly floated over,

positioning himself above the Silver Dragon's head.

The dense natural energy surged even further,

bringing a hint of affection to the Silver Dragon's eyes.

Yuya slowly extended a hand

toward the Silver Dragon's extraordinarily majestic head.

The Silver Dragon did not resist.

He did not dislike this human, nor did he sense any danger from him.

A strange light flashed in Yuya's eyes.

The next moment, an indescribably mysterious aura

gathered in his palm

as he reached toward the scale at the very center of the Silver Dragon's forehead.

When Yuya's palm touched the Silver Dragon's scale,

ripples spread in an instant, like waves across water.

Ring after ring radiated outward from that silver scale.

The Silver Dragon's silver eyes shone with heightened intelligence.

An aura of supreme power began emerging from his body.

He closed his eyes, seemingly immersed in some profound realization.

A moment later, the Silver Dragon opened his eyes, an incomparably brilliant golden radiance glimmering within them.

He soared out of the marsh.

His silver body, dozens of meters long, floated fully exposed high in the air.

He was slender and extraordinarily majestic,

his silver scales gleaming brilliantly in the light.

He was still a juvenile, and by the standards of his kind, his body was far, far too small.

Yet at that moment, he let out a thunderous roar,

as though roaring at the heavens.

In an instant, dark clouds rolled in and the earth shook.

A mere wisp of the aura he casually released

sent every other living creature in the Wind-Snow Realm prostrating itself on the ground, trembling.

They seemed to be worshipping him.

It was suppression born of bloodline, along with instinctive reverence and fear.

The Silver Dragon circled through the air a few times before coming to Yuya's side,

affectionately rubbing his enormous head against him.

At the same time, a special connection formed between them.

The Silver Dragon had not fully transformed into a true dragon just then.

But the trace of a dragon's aura within him had clearly grown stronger.

Yuya stroked his head.

Through their bond, he seemed to sense the heavy past of the Silver Dragon's kind.

"This place is too small to hold you."

"Once things here are settled, come with me and see the outside world."

Yuya spoke softly.

The Silver Dragon nodded with an almost human air.

Then he plunged into the water.

Space rippled, and Yuya arrived in the Far North of this realm.

Here lay Abe Seimei's ruins.

He tried to extend his perception inside,

only to discover that the place seemed to be enclosed by a strange barrier.

It prevented him from penetrating even the slightest distance.

That also meant he could not enter using Space-Time Ninjutsu.

Helpless, he appeared before Abe Kiyuki the next moment,

only to find her under attack by a group of beasts.

Her elaborate, antiquated Onmyōji robes were covered in claw marks.

Bright red blood flowed down her tattered clothes.

Her figure was graceful, and her face had always been exquisite,

but now her hairpin had loosened and her hair hung down, leaving her looking forlorn.

Yet she stood resolutely in front of a beast.

It was her fox, that Celestial Fox,

who had grown enormous

but lay on the ground, covered in horrifying wounds,

barely clinging to life.

Several beasts watched the girl standing firmly before them with predatory eyes,

seemingly ready to rush her at any moment.

After Yuya arrived,

the beasts began trembling with fear.

They exchanged a few almost human glances, then scattered in an instant.

A flash of scarlet crossed Yuya's eyes.

He merely cast an indifferent glance at the beasts.

The next moment, before the fleeing beasts could get far,

Black Flames ignited on every one of their bodies.

The flames clung to them as some plunged into water and others burrowed into the earth.

They struggled relentlessly, but the flames seemed as though they would never go out.

In the end, they were burned to ashes in despair.

Yuya landed on the ground and was just about to say something.

"Where on earth did you run off to?"

Abe Kiyuki's eyes reddened.

A trail of tears ran down her cheek.

She had not cried when Granny died.

She had not cried when the shikigami drove her out.

When she learned that the Onmyōji in this world had died one after another, leaving only her,

she had not cried then, either.

But now, she cried.

Her world was very simple.

Before, she had been with Granny; now, she was with Little White.

She had left this world hoping to find other Onmyōji.

Instead, she had fallen into what was practically a trap designed by Yuya.

She appeared to have put forward three wishes,

but the only one that truly represented her own small desire was finding other Onmyōji.

Even the Yin-Yang Pearl... was only meant to help Yuya open those ruins.

She had chattered and grumbled throughout their journey, but that was because she had gone far too long without speaking.

After the last person in the world who treated her kindly died... the only one she could talk to was a little fox.

"I'm helping you, and you still think you can order me around whenever you like?"

"Are all you outsiders like this? So high and mighty?"

Abe Kiyuki flung a pearl and a small notebook down in front of Yuya,

then turned and picked up the little fox, who had shrunk back down and was covered in wounds.

Dragging her exhausted body along, she staggered away.

Her leg was already injured, and claw wounds covered her body.

As she walked, blood streamed from her wounds.

She had been driven out of the Wind-Snow Realm by the shikigami and already faced hostility here.

When she learned that the entrance to the Wind-Snow Realm would close forever, it meant she would no longer be able to open it or escape this place.

She would once again face the endless threat of the Shikigami, yet she had still come with Yuya.

But as soon as Yuya arrived, he left on his own, abandoning her.

Almost instantly, he had left her in a desperate situation.

She walked forward with Fox in her arms, her frail figure looking forlorn in the wind.

But she said nothing more.

That was her pride as the last Onmyōji in the world.

The last shred of it.

The pearl was the Yin-Yang Pearl, the wish the girl had asked to have granted.

In truth, it was only the key needed to open the ruins.

The words "Strategy Guide" were scrawled in large, crooked letters on the black notebook.

The girl's handwriting was not pretty, because the person who had taught her to write was an elderly woman.

Most of it she had learned by figuring things out herself.

Yuya found her troublesome, and after entering this place, he had even considered bypassing her and entering the ruins alone.

But she truly wanted to help Yuya, and she had stayed up all night writing this notebook.

She hoped it would be useful to him...

After all, he was the first person she had gotten to know.

Once the old woman was gone, if she did not even have someone to talk to,

That would be far too lonely...

Even though... she had always been alone...