Dragon's Awakening: The Duke's Son Is Changing The Plot-Chapter 368 - 367 - “Press F for survival chances.”

Chapter 368: Chapter 367 - “Press F for survival chances.”

Back in the present.

The air was filled with panic.

Argon’s grip tightened around Raven’s limp form as he plunged through the portal—his jaw clenched, his other arm clutching the still-beating heart of the black dragon that pulsed like molten thunder.

The light swallowed them both.

For a moment, everything was silent, as Raven had stopped breathing in Argon’s hand.

The man, however, hadn’t noticed it in a hurry. He kept rushing his magic, wanting to reach the capital soon.

But then—

Raven’s eyes snapped open.

A sharp gasp tore through his lungs as his vision blurred with streaks of white and gold.

The rush of space twisting around them pressed against his body, each pulse of the teleportation like a hammer to his nerves.

He blinked once—then twice.

He could see Argon’s back, his father’s arm wrapped tightly around him, muscles taut, aura flickering from exhaustion and raw fury.

"Hold on, Raven. Don’t you dare—" Argon’s voice was harsh, almost breaking.

Hearing it, Raven wanted to answer. He desired to tell him he was fine, that he’d made it, and that somehow, impossibly, he’d come back.

But—

Nothing came out.

His lips didn’t move. His throat didn’t work. His body wouldn’t respond.

It wasn’t numbness—it was emptiness. He could feel the blood in his veins crawling, the mana refusing to circulate, and his heartbeat weak but present.

It turned out that although alive... he was still broken.

His body’s condition was so bad that even breathing felt strenuous, making him realize that even if Arietta had saved his soul and made it return to his body, she hadn’t been able to help his body.

His body was still in a condition that he could die anytime if he weren’t treated.

Still, he tried to speak. ’I’m here.’

However, those words could only echo inside his skull, unheard by Argon, who was still trying his best to reach the capital.

His eyes drifted to Argon’s hand—the one still clutching the dragon’s heart. It pulsed faintly in rhythm with his own heartbeats.

The portal’s light, on the other hand, twisted one last time—

—And they were out of it in an instant.

They were now in the capital city.

Without a second’s delay, Argon rushed to the castle, its great hall exploding into chaos.

Guards shouted, and healers rushed forward the moment their eyes fell on Raven and Argon.

The air, already filled with panic, was now loaded with heat and a sense of panic. The sound of a heart that wasn’t human beat like war drums in Argon’s grip.

"MAKE WAY!" Argon’s voice boomed, raw and commanding. "HE’S STILL BREATHING!"

Raven’s vision blurred as he caught flickers of faces—soldiers stumbling back, maids gasping, and nobles frozen mid-step.

To them, Raven seemed dead, as they all failed to perceive his faint breathing.

That was when—

"Raven?!"

Lia’s voice echoed through the corridor.

She appeared at the end of the hall, her staff clattering from her hands as her eyes locked onto him. Her breath hitched, and color drained from her face.

For a heartbeat, she couldn’t move.

Her mind refused to believe what she saw—the blood, the burns, the faint rise and fall of his chest.

Raven wanted to smile, to tell her not to cry.

But all he could do was stare back as Argon’s footsteps thundered against the marble floor.

"LIA!" Argon barked. His voice cracked, a command and plea at once. "Heal him. NOW!"

That snapped her out of it.

Mana flared instantly—emerald and gold, bursting around her like a storm of spring light.

The scent of life magic filled the air as she sprinted forward, dropping to her knees beside a blood-soaked couch where Argon had laid Raven down.

Her trembling hands hovered over his chest, glowing with healing light. "He’s alive," she whispered, voice breaking with relief. "He’s... alive..."

"Then don’t stop!" Argon yelled again, his tone hard, but his hands were shaking.

After that, as he saw Lia’s hand glow green, Raven could barely make out her words anymore.

His vision was tunneling—the sounds of people shouting, mana crackling, and footsteps rushing in every direction, all blending into a soft hum.

His gaze drifted up—past the ceiling, past the light, and past the chaos.

Slowly, everything began to fade again.

But this time... he wasn’t afraid.

He knew this wasn’t death.

It was exhaustion.

With how much pain his body was in until now, the relief from Lia’s healing felt like the warmest blanket.

His eyelids grew heavy, the faint touch of Lia’s healing warmth wrapping around him like silk.

’Just... a little rest,’ he thought, his heartbeat steady but soft.

He could still hear Argon’s voice somewhere far away and still feel the faint warmth of Lia’s magic soaking into his skin.

But the chaos around him dulled, the shouting turning into distant echoes.

’They’re safe,’ he thought faintly. ’It’s fine now.’

His chest rose one last time before stilling into the rhythm of deep sleep.

For once, however, a thought passed through his head.

’Am I forgetting something?’ He wondered.

But no matter how hard he tried to recall it, he couldn’t think of anything.

Poor Omni, who had always had his place as a tattoo on Raven’s hand, was forgotten in the Ashen Expanse.

And worst of all, Raven couldn’t remember it.

"Was I abandoned? Am I worthless now?" These were the only thoughts the sword was left with as it remained pierced into the ground.

No one had noticed it, as it was deep inside a crater, but even if someone did see it, they wouldn’t be able to bring it back. After all, no one other than Raven could pick it up.

The only thing it could do now was count the cracks on the ground, hoping Raven would be back soon to pick it up.

................

A few hours later.

The sun was sinking into the horizon, casting orange light across the capital, pouring into the chamber where Raven was.

He lay motionless on the bed, chest rising and falling slowly, his skin pale but steady in rhythm.

A faint shimmer of green still lingered over his body—Lia’s healing magic continuing its quiet work.

Beside him, Argon sat slouched in a chair that looked far too small for his towering frame.

His hands were clasped together, head bowed, his hair disheveled and streaked with dust. For the first time in decades, the dragon duke looked... tired.

On the other side, Lia sat on another chair—her head resting gently on the edge of Raven’s bed.

She hadn’t moved for some time now, her hands still faintly glowing where they touched his wrist.

Her breathing was soft and even, though her eyes had long since fluttered closed in exhaustion. Even asleep, her fingers refused to let go of him.

The room was quiet, save for the crackle of a dim lantern and Raven’s steady breathing.

Then—

"They’re here," Argon muttered as he sensed some presences.

The next second, hurried footsteps echoed from the other side of the door.

The door burst open, and a gust of warm evening air followed the group that stormed in.

"RAVEN!"

Selena’s voice came first—sharp, regal, and trembling at the same time. She moved fast, her cloak fluttering behind her, followed by Clara and Siris.

Jake and Jessy entered next, with Alex barely squeezing in through the door because Nibbles had decided to perch dramatically on his head, waving a tiny stick like a flag.

Graye came in last, her armor dented and scorched, and her eyes searching for Raven.

It was then that they all saw Raven, lying peacefully on the bed with Lia beside him.

Seeing his chest rising and falling, they could tell that he was alive, so they all breathed a sigh of relief.

Argon, on the other hand, looked up slowly, eyes faint but focused.

"Report," he said. His tone was low but commanding.

Selena took a deep breath and stepped forward. "The wave in the Ashen Expanse... It’s nearly over. The Vaise family is still purging the remnants, but only the lesser corrupt beasts remain. Graye, Siris, and I confirmed the last major cluster was destroyed an hour ago."

Graye nodded quickly. "They were all burned, stabbed, and vaporized. They’re not getting back up anytime soon."

Siris crossed her arms, her voice sharp but shaken. "We only came back when the line stabilized. Everyone’s alive. Barely."

Argon nodded slowly, tension leaving his shoulders. "Good. Then the kingdom is secure for now."

Jessy leaned against the wall, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Yeah, well, secure is a strong word. The ground still smells like barbecue and death." She looked toward Raven and softened. "But... worth it, huh?"

That question lingered.

Lia stirred then, her lashes fluttering as the noise reached her.

Her eyes opened halfway, and the moment she saw everyone—Selena, Clara, Siris, and Graye—her lips parted in relief.

"You’re... all here..." she whispered.

Clara smiled gently and crouched beside her. "We are. And you did amazing, Lia. You saved him."

Lia’s eyes trembled. "He—he’s stable now. His body was..." she stopped herself, shaking her head. "He’s fine now."

"Fine, huh?" Siris muttered, folding her arms. "Then why is he still lying there like he’s taking a nap after scaring us half to death?"

Jake exhaled softly, looking at Raven. "At least he’s breathing."

Then, suddenly—

Raven’s eyelids twitched.

Everyone froze.

A faint groan escaped his lips as his head shifted slightly on the pillow. "Why is it so noisy?" His brow furrowed, and his hand flexed weakly before falling limp again.

"Raven?" Lia’s voice was a whisper, her eyes wide.

He groaned again—low, strained, but alive. Then, slowly, his eyes fluttered open, unfocused and hazy.

For a moment, no one breathed.

Then—

"RAVEN!!!"

Siris lunged first, practically throwing herself onto him, followed by Graye, who dove like a missile.

"WAIT—" Raven tried to protest—too late.

"OW—!!"

The bed creaked under the combined weight of two very curvy, very emotional women.

Raven wheezed, pinned beneath them as Siris hugged his neck like she was trying to strangle life into him while Graye buried her face in his shoulder.

"You idiot!" Siris yelled, tears running down her cheeks. "You made us think you died!"

Graye sniffed, her voice cracking. "Don’t do that again, dummy! I’ll punch you back to life next time!"

Clara chuckled softly from beside the bed, her eyes glimmering with tears she refused to let fall. "Welcome back, Raven."

Selena crossed her arms, her regal composure cracking as relief colored her voice. "You’re lucky, you know. You’ve got more women crying for you than most emperors."

Jessy snorted. "Yeah, and half of them are about to kill him from affection."

Alex let out a dramatic sigh. "Bro really woke up to the ultimate boss fight: emotionally unstable girlfriends."

Nibbles raised a sign that read, "Press F for survival chances."

Even Argon chuckled under his breath, the rare sound easing the tension in the room.

Raven blinked up at them, confused, tired, but smiling weakly. "...I’m guessing I missed a lot?"

Clara leaned closer, brushing his hair gently. "You missed everything—and scared us to death."

"Sorry," he murmured, his voice rough but soft. "Guess I owe everyone... an apology."

Siris wiped her tears and sniffed. "You owe us five apologies, a date, and at least three hugs."

Graye grinned. "And maybe a spar. When you’re not dying, of course."

The room filled with laughter—soft, tired, but real.

Outside, the first light of dawn crept across the horizon, cutting through the remnants of the night.

For the first time in what felt like forever, the storm had passed.

And amidst the laughter, the tears, and the warmth, Raven smiled.

Because he was alive, and everything was fine.

...For now, at least.

After all, he still didn’t know how the dragon heart he had asked to bring back housed more secrets than he had expected, and how three overwhelmingly powerful entities had now decided to give him a visit.