Chapter 19: True Harmony Dragon Form & The Power of the Spiral of Eternity

—-

With the special eye that had opened in my chest while in dragon form, I gazed at my father as tears of happiness and sorrow mingled on his face. Through that eye, I could “see” straight into his heart and glimpse a fragment of his past.

I saw him as a child, brimming with dreams and hope. I watched him approach the altar, enduring agony to awaken his power. I witnessed how desperately he tried, pushing himself to the limit, only to fail at summoning any magical ability or dragon form.

He was utterly devoid of draconic power. Aside from the small golden horns on his head, nothing about him marked him as a dragon.

The disappointment from his family was crushing. It shocked me. The kindhearted dragon people I had met were ruthless toward him. Though they had apologized since then, I now realized not everyone was as gentle as they appeared.

He pushed himself so hard he collapsed in a pool of his own blood, only to awaken in the hospital with Benladra and Gustaf at his side.

“Louis! You’re awake… please don’t overexert yourself, all right?”

“Mama… I couldn’t do it… I’m sorry… I’m sorry… Haaa… I disappointed everyone… I’m sorry… Uuugh… I just… wanted to be a dragon like everyone else… why… just why can’t I do it? Uuuh…”

Shaken by her son’s repeated apologies, my grandmother shook her head and wept, hugging him tightly and stroking his small head.

“T-There’s nothing to apologize for, my dear son… it’s not your fault… it’s fine… Mom and Dad love you no matter what, even if you cannot turn into a dragon. Right, Gustaf?”

“Yes… of course we do.”

And yet, despite their words, he kept apologizing. My father apologized to the parents he clearly loved so much for letting them down.

It made me realize perhaps their greatest mistake had been placing such heavy expectations on their child.

Because when a child cannot meet every hope laid upon them, disappointment follows—especially when they are raised believing they are extraordinary.

Above all, my father ended up disappointing himself most of all. That wounded his pride more deeply than anything else.

Perhaps that is why my parents have always been so protective of me. Honestly, they have never demanded anything from me.

Despite their authority and power, they never once told me I must excel, must become the strongest, or must be the greatest.

I think… they are simply happy that I am here, alive, and healthy, right by their side.

And that… that is something every parent should feel.

I know society imposes expectations on all of us, and it is wrong to be lazy and do nothing. But there are always better ways to guide a child toward a brighter future.

First and foremost, you must always tell them—truly make them feel—that you love them unconditionally, no matter what.

That unconditional love is not weakness; it becomes strength. It forms a pillar in their heart so they never give up.

Because they know there is a family that loves them, that will always cheer for them, that will always support them.

That… I believe… is what it truly means to have a family.

“Dad!”

I ran toward him and gently rubbed my snout against his.

“Elizabeth…”

He smiled through his tears and quickly shifted into his dragon form as well.

I leaped into his embrace. He caught me in his large arms, and we nuzzled each other’s faces and noses together.

“I love you, Dad! Please don’t cry?”

“I won’t, don’t worry… I was just so happy. You’re my pride and joy, Elizabeth… thank you for being here… for me, for us.”

“Hm!”

I nodded and licked his cheek. He laughed softly and petted my head.

“Look at you—you’re truly amazing!”

He held me up like a kitten, gripping me under my arms while the rest of my long body dangled down, making me look like an oversized cat.

“Dad, don’t hold me like a cat!”

“Hahaha, sorry.”

He set me gently back on the floor and gave my head one last affectionate pat before turning to the crowd.

“And with this, this year’s Dragon Awakening Ceremony concludes!”

“OOOOHHHHHHH!!!”

Nobles and dragons erupted in celebration, raising their voices to the skies. I heard my name called from every direction. I looked around, feeling a little overwhelmed but no longer as shy as before.

Perhaps now that I was so large, I didn’t have to fear people anymore…

Ding!

“Huh?”

As I admired my long claws and massive new body, a small, mechanical chime rang constantly behind my ear.

At first I thought it was my smartwatch, the modern communication device I had received as a birthday gift today and hadn’t explored much yet.

But it wasn’t that.

“Eh?”

When I glanced to my left, I saw exactly what I had noticed awakening in some of the other children.

“Wait, that’s…!”

My eyes widened.

A system.

A status.

Numbers.

Skills.

Stats!

“Ooohh! So this is the Andromeda system?!”

♢♢♢♢

[Name]: [Elizabeth Loumirayael Drakeheart Yggdrasil]
[Species]: [Divine Dragon – Tier 5: Level 0/500] [Chaos Demon – Tier 3: Level 0/300] [Human – Tier 1: Level 0/100] [???]
[Classes]: [Available Options]
[Dragon Soul]: [Rank 2: Evolving Soul Realm]
[Dragon Heart]: [Rank 8: Great Goddess Realm]
[Divinities]: [Dormant]
[Fantasy Heart]: [Divine Spiral of Eternity – Tier 9: Star Child]

[Vitality]: [800,000]
[Mana]: [5,000,000]
[Spirit]: [1,000,000]
[Soul]: [300,000]
[Strength]: [700,000]
[Endurance]: [600,000]
[Intelligence]: [700,000]
[Dexterity]: [900,000]
[Resistance]: [600,000]
[Agility]: [900,000]
[Fantasium]: [10,000,000]
[Fantasium Affinity]: [50%]

[Free Stat Points]: [100,000] (Small Gift from Andromeda)
[System Points]: [1,000,000] (Small Allowance from Great Grandpa)

[Bonded Familiars]:

[Incarnation of the Spiral of Eternity: Paragon – Rank 3: Level 0/300]
[Nightmare Vestige Spirit: Mongrel – Rank 1: Level 0/100]

[Spirit Soul Treasures]:

[Sorrowful Winter Lily – Rank 2]

<Species Skill Tree>

[Divine Dragon – Tier 5]:

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

[Dragon Form Manifestation – Tier 1: Level 0/10]
[Small Divine Presence – Tier 1: Level 0/10]
[Baby Dragon Breath – Tier 1: Level 0/10]
[Young Dragon Scales – Tier 1: Level 0/10]
[Newborn Draconic Vitality – Tier 1: Level 0/10]

[Chaos Demon – Tier 3]:

[Miasma Veins – Tier 1: Level 0/10]
[Lesser Demonic Aura – Tier 1: Level 0/10]
[Small Corruption Touch – Tier 1: Level 0/10]

[Human – Tier 1]:

[Tool Mastery – Tier 1: Level 0/10]

<Elemental Magic Affinity Skill Trees>

[Harmony – SSS Rank]:

[Harmonious Restoration – Tier 1: Level 0/10]
[Light of Harmony – Tier 1: Level 0/10]

[Chaos – SSS Rank]:

[Disrupting Chaos – Tier 1: Level 0/10]
[Chaotic Miasma – Tier 1: Level 0/10]

[Ice – S Rank]:

[Sorrowful Ice Garden – Tier 1: Level 0/10]
[Icicle Formation – Tier 1: Level 0/10]

[Fire – S Rank]:

[Origin Flames – Tier 1: Level 0/10]

[Water – S Rank]:

[Spirit Soul Sea – Tier 1: Level 0/10]

[Spiralwalker Abilities]:

[Nebula of Memories – Spiral Tier 9: Level 0/10]

[Cultivation Methods]:

[Dragon Soul Refining Method – Rank 2]
[Ascendancy Law Divinity Refinement Method – Rank 8] (Gift from Great Grandpa)

♢♢♢♢

“Woah…”

I stared at my System Status in silence for a long moment. There was so much information, so much of it incredibly useful. It finally revealed exactly what lay within me and so much more.

These Skills felt like powerful amplifications of my natural abilities, capable of helping me evolve them further.

They weren’t as detached or game-like as I had imagined. They were deeply connected to my body, soul, and very existence.

Unlike in the game, where skills could be discarded or replaced, these seemed to define core parts of who I was. They could not simply disappear.

What surprised me most, aside from the staggering stats, which were as high as my max level character in the game, but now with a new even higher level cap, was how closely it resembled the game system. Skill trees branched by elemental affinity and by species.

Class skill trees would likely unlock once I obtained classes, but for now they remained unavailable.

Yet the most unique feature, something absent from the game entirely, was…

Spiralwalker Abilities!

What was this?

Let me check.

—–

[Nebula of Memories – Tier 9: Level 0/10]

Replays a small fragment of the traumatic past of a target (person, object, or yourself) and “eats” the damage, converting it into healing vitality for the target, making them feel better and stronger.

Every time a memory’s traumatic pain is eaten, a star is woven into the Fantasy Sea, slowly forming a Nebula. You can replay these scenes or recreate them within the Nebula of Memories, creating illusory and dream-like worlds.

More abilities will unlock as more Memory Stars are woven and the Nebula grows, increasing the Level of the Ability and your Spiral Tier.

—–

Huh… so that’s what just happened with my father? And with Hrymdra back then! No way, so my Spiral abilities were already manifesting even then.

Wait… so the Spiral of Eternity grows this way?

And I can weave entire worlds from memories… that’s so strange.

Well, my mother and father did say that Spiral abilities are often weird, sometimes seemingly pointless or nonsensical compared to general skills.

They also have strange ways of growing and developing. Perhaps this is exactly what they meant.

Honestly, though? I really like it! It sounds fascinating. And maybe… there are so many people out there carrying painful pasts.

I want to help them, even if only a little.

But anyway, what the hell is up with these stats?! They’re absurdly high, and all my species are still Level 0?!

I thought I was weaker, but… every year that passed, my stats only increased.

Right now, I have almost the same stats I had at endgame in the game?!

Wait… so the power ceiling in this real world is dramatically higher than in the game, huh?

That makes sense, considering everything here is actually real.

So right now… I’m as strong as my max-level game character—but I can keep growing.

Back then, those were roughly my stats at Level 500!

And that was with tons of buffs and equipment…

It almost feels like many of my powers and familiar skills transferred directly.