Dragon's Awakening: The Duke's Son Is Changing The Plot-Chapter 370 - 369 - “Where’s the old man?”

The silence in the room lingered like mist. Raven’s question, ’Where’s Crisaius?’ still hung in the air, unanswered.

Lia’s fingers twisted around the hem of her sleeve. Argon’s eyes stayed fixed on the fading sunlight through the window. Both looked like they’d rather fight a dragon than continue that conversation.

Before Raven could press further, a wild, unhinged laugh rolled through the castle halls.

It wasn’t the kind of laughter that came from joy.

It was the kind that made furniture consider retirement.

Jessy groaned. "...Why does that sound like someone who drank chaos for breakfast?"

The next second, footsteps were heard before the heavy doors of the chamber were swung open with a dramatic thud.

And a young man, who seemed to be in his early twenties, hair as white as snowfall, eyes glowing crimson, and a smirk that could make the gods themselves file restraining orders, walked in.

Beside him was a woman in her early thirties, elegant and breathtaking, looking like she was deeply regretting every decision that had led her here.

She clearly didn’t seem to have come to the chamber willingly.

It was then—

"Ahh!" The man spread his arms, his voice echoing with theatrical delight. "Someone was remembering me! I could feel my legend being whispered in the winds of nostalgia!"

Everyone blinked.

Graye leaned toward Jessy. "...Who invited the lunatic peacock?"

Jessy whispered back, "No idea. But he’s either drunk or reincarnated from a stand-up comedian."

Selena’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Wait. Did he say ’Remembered him’? What is he even talking about?"

The white-haired man, on the other hand, grinned wider, his teeth flashing like divine mischief. "What, no hugs? No tears? Not even a fainting maiden? I must be losing my touch."

Alex squinted. "Who the hell are you supposed to be? Some wandering pretty boy?"

That earned him a snap of fingers and a dramatic hair flip from the man. "Pretty boy? My dear lad, I am art. Living, breathing, excessively charming art."

"...And insufferable," Clara muttered under her breath.

Even Jake, who had been standing silently in a corner, nodded.

Meanwhile, Raven, who was rubbing his temples, suddenly frowned. "...Wait a second."

His eyes locked on the red glow in the man’s pupils.

The tone. The madness. The absolute nonsense.

"...Old man?"

The white-haired man froze mid-pose, then grinned. "Ah! Finally! The one who remembers!"

The room collectively went silent.

Jessy’s jaw dropped. "That’s him?!"

Graye blinked. "But... But where’s the beard? The wrinkles? Where’s the old man sass?"

"Hah..." Crisaius sighed as he heard her words. "Gone. All gone. Like tears in the rain and hairlines in midlife."

Raven slowly turned toward Lia and Argon. Both sighed in perfect, weary synchronization.

That told him everything.

He understood why they weren’t talking about the old man when he asked before.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Of course. It had to be something absurd."

The rest of the group caught on and collectively decided not to ask questions.

That was the best way to avoid Crisaius’s brain-eating ranting.

Unfortunately, Alex never learned that part of survival.

"So, uh... why are you in this form? Did you get bored with your old look?"

Every hand in the room smacked a forehead at once.

Crisaius’s eyes sparkled with delight. "Aha! Good, and here I was wondering if none of you were curious about that!"

"We actually aren’t—" Jessy tried to speak up, but Crisaius simply clapped his hand loud enough to silence her before he leaned forward, his voice dropping into a mock whisper.

"During my battle with that demon, I unleashed such monumental, mind-melting, world-splitting energy that my body said, ’nope,’ and rebooted itself into this form—young and energetic."

Siris deadpanned. "So... you ran out of mana and got younger?"

Crisaius grinned wider. "Precisely! No mana, no old-man mode. Tragic, really. I can’t even transform into my ’grumpy grandpa of annihilation’ self for a while."

Jessy muttered, "He’s basically a magical power bank that hit factory reset."

Crisaius pointed at her proudly. "Exactly! Except this form is charming as well. I guess it’s just me who is handsome no matter what form I take."

Raven buried his face in his palms. "I should’ve stayed dead."

"Too bad, though," Crisaius sighed again, shaking his head. "I can’t impart wisdom like an old man in this form."

"Thank the gods he can’t," whispered almost all of them simultaneously.

Almost.

Because one of them wasn’t done yet.

It was Alex who raised his hand, asking, "Okay, then who’s she?"

Every head turned toward the beautiful woman standing beside Crisaius. She blinked once, clearly wishing she were invisible.

She even lip-synced for Raven, saying, ’I was dragged here.’

Crisaius, on the other hand, smirked. "Ah, her! She is one of the unfortunate souls who could not survive the sheer gravity of my young face’s charm."

Everyone groaned.

He continued dramatically, hand on his chest. "I’m keeping her around to show her that even in my true old-man form, my handsomeness transcends time itself! Beauty evolves, you see!"

Then he turned toward Raven with a grin. "Who knows, boy? She might become your great-grandmother!"

The woman on the back, however, violently shook her head. The expression on her face made it clear that she hadn’t expected to walk into a lunatic whom she thought to be a gentleman. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Raven stared at her, then back at Crisaius, who was still grinning.

Then, he slowly dragged a hand down his face. "...I’d rather face the black dragon again."

"Understandable," Clara sighed.

"Relatable," Selena agreed.

Even Argon snorted. "He’s got a point. I’d take a flaming dragon over my grandfather hitting on a woman who is decades younger."

Crisaius blinked innocently. "Why not both?"

Argon smirked. "Because one of them breathes fire, and the other is you."

Jessy laughed. "There it is—the dad joke bloodline in full force."

Siris nodded solemnly. "It’s hereditary. Tragic, really."

The room burst into laughter—light, chaotic, and warm.

Fluffy squeaked proudly from the corner, her two squirrel babies trying to climb Nibbles’s helmet, while the imperial squirrel guards saluted in confusion.

Crisaius laughed too—loud, unrestrained, and ridiculous. "Ah, how I missed this noise! My glorious, dysfunctional, dragon-slaying family!"

Raven, on the other hand, leaned back, exhaling. ’Man, maybe I jinxed it when I said that it was peaceful.’

But then he frowned. ’Right?’

Still no reply.

’Omni?’ He called out again, and when he got no reply, he finally looked at his arm and noticed something.

"Ah..."

Realization hit him as he saw that the tribal sword tattoo on his hand was missing. Which meant Omni wasn’t here.

Sighing, he turned toward Argon, who noticed his gaze and turned to him, tilting his head.

"Can you take me to Ashen Expanse, right where I fought the black dragon?"

Everyone froze.

Selena blinked. "...I’m sorry, what?"

Graye tilted her head. "Is this, like, one of those post-trauma adventure things?"

Jessy squinted. "Dude, you just woke up from nearly dying. You want to go back to the place where your lungs probably signed a resignation letter?"

Even Argon frowned. "What’s gotten into you now?"

Crisaius stepped forward with a grin so smug it was practically illegal.

"Ah, I see!" He declared, pointing dramatically at Raven. "He’s just overwhelmed at the idea of having a new great-grandmother! Happens to everyone. Don’t worry, boy, she’ll grow on you! Love and trauma both take time!"

The woman beside him facepalmed. "For the record," she muttered, "I am not his great-grandmother."

Raven rubbed his temple. "That’s not why I want to go."

"Then why?" Clara asked gently.

Raven sighed and raised his right hand. The faint trace of burned skin was still visible—but what wasn’t there was the intricate black tattoo that usually shimmered faintly under his skin.

"Omni," he said. "I left him there."

The room fell quiet.

Siris blinked. "No wonder I couldn’t hear that annoying gangster drawl for some time."

Nibbles raised a sign, ’Omni’s the real boss.’

Fluffy and her kids squeaked in agreement.

Crisaius tilted his head, his red eyes gleaming with curiosity. "So? Send Argon to fetch it. The old man can pick up a stick without you, can’t he?"

Argon crossed his arms at the word ’old man.’ "Excuse me?"

Raven, however, shook his head. "No one else can touch it. Not even you. Omni only responds to me. Anyone else tries, they won’t even make it budge."

That did it.

Both Argon and Crisaius exchanged a long, dangerous look—the kind that screamed "male ego loading."

Argon’s brow twitched. "So, you’re saying that sword thinks I’m unworthy?"

Crisaius grinned. "Sounds like a challenge to me."

Jessy muttered, "Oh no. It’s happening. The pride war between ancient men."

Selena sighed. "We’re about to watch stupidity at a divine level."

Graye pumped her fist. "I love this already!"

With a resigned groan, Argon lifted his hand, summoning a shimmering golden portal that hummed like a heartbeat. "Fine. Let’s settle this. Everyone in."

One by one, the group stepped through.

The light warped, and in the next instant, the warm glow of the castle was replaced by the ashen-gray expanse of scorched land. The wind howled softly over the endless blackened plains.

A massive crater yawned before them—the very spot where Raven had nearly died.

And there, at its heart, embedded deep into the cracked earth, was Omni—the black sword pulsing faintly with dark violet light, as if it were alive (well, it was alive).

The air around it shimmered faintly with residual voidfire. Even standing close made the hair on everyone’s arms stand on end.

"Damn," Graye whispered. "Omni looks... angry."

Jessy crossed her arms. "Right now, that’s not a sword. That’s a mood."

Fluffy’s imperial squirrel guards saluted toward it for some reason, their toothpick lances trembling in reverence.

Crisaius stepped forward, smirking. "So, that’s your sword? The blade that doesn’t like anyone but its master."

Argon cracked his neck. "Looks ordinary enough to me."

Selena crossed her arms, unimpressed. "Don’t say that. You’ll regret it."

Crisaius ignored her entirely, brushing his hair back like a model preparing for a disaster. "Now, Raven, step aside. Let me show you how a true master handles such arrogance."

Raven sighed. "You’re really doing this, huh?"

Crisaius grinned wider. "Of course! Watch closely, boy."

He winked at the woman, who still didn’t understand why she was here. Heck, she didn’t even know why she had been following Crisaius.

The old man, on the other hand, raised one hand toward the crater. Energy began to stir around his palm—wild, radiant, and far too theatrical for what was clearly a terrible idea.

The ground trembled lightly.

The air thickened with ancient pressure.

Raven took a step back. "Oh, this is gonna be good."

Siris leaned close to Clara. "Should we stop him?"

Clara shook her head. "No. Let him learn."

With that, the old man was ready for a failure, or maybe... a success.