Reawakening: Primordial Dragon with Limitless Mana-Chapter 24: Sin

In the common hall, dinner was underway.

But Hades barely touched his food. His mind kept drifting back to the morning—to that moment when he lost control.

It was the first time he’d truly felt it: the fear of losing himself.

That overwhelming urge he’d experienced—right up until he butchered that bear—had been terrifying. Raw. Primal.

He still couldn’t grasp exactly what had happened. The voice inside him had brushed past it briefly, offering little clarity. But one thing was certain—he never wanted to feel that again.

He’d been told mana could suppress those urges. But it couldn’t erase them.

To keep himself from going into a frenzy again, there were only two things he could do: keep killing regularly... and find a mate.

Great.

Never thought I’d start relating to those creatures...

He sighed, stabbing a fork into a lonely bean and raising it to his lips. But the bland taste triggered an unwelcome memory—of what he had eaten for breakfast.

His stomach turned.

Step Step

The sound of footsteps drew his attention to the entrance. A few students walked in—including Rinne.

Their eyes met.

In that brief moment, his thoughts betrayed him, flashing back to the morning... when he thought of a potential mate.

He quickly averted his gaze, heat rising to his ears.

Across the hall, Rinne’s brow furrowed, her heart sinking.

What was that? Did I do something wrong?

She was about to walk over when—

"May I have your attention, students?"

The headmaster’s voice rang out from the front podium.

Normally, the teachers shared meals with students—but the headmaster’s presence was rare. Clearly, this wasn’t a casual visit.

Conversations died down. Every student took their seat.

The old man stood tall, hands clasped behind his back. "This morning, a presence was detected in the forest to the west," he said solemnly. "It was the presence of a dragon."

...!!

Gasps erupted throughout the hall.

Hades’s eyes widened.

A dragon? They sensed it? But how?

He’d been on the cliff. Did they have sensors up there, too?

He knew how they worked. Bloodstones—infused with dragon blood and layered with sorcery—reacted to the unique heat dragons emitted. Not perfectly accurate, but reliable enough.

The headmaster went on. "We searched the area and found several corpses. They were identified as lost tourists."

Hades’s gaze darkened.

Tourists, huh? Nice cover-up.

"But," the headmaster continued, "the killings were unlike a dragon’s usual behavior. These were more... deliberate. Like a human’s hunt."

Hades wasn’t surprised. Of course, they could tell the difference.

Around him, murmurs rippled through the hall—students whispering, eyes darting. The idea of a shape shifter among them sparked nervous speculation.

The headmaster raised his voice again. "We’ve increased security and are investigating thoroughly. But for your own safety—do not leave your dorms at night. And when moving around campus, stay in groups."

The hall was silent now—tension tightening the air.

And Hades... just sat there, his heart pounding quietly behind his still expression.

.....

Back in his room, Hades sat on the edge of his bed, deep in thought.

He had to change his training spot.

After this morning’s commotion, there was no doubt the academy would tighten surveillance around the western forest. If they had sensed a dragon’s presence near the cliffs, they’d be watching that area closely.

And worst of all—someone might’ve already suspected him.

Those men Cedric sent... if they reported back honestly, they would’ve said no one else was there—only Hades.

This is getting complicated. I need to be smarter with how I use my powers.

[And slow down your progress?]

The familiar voice echoed in his mind.

Hades clenched his jaw. Do you want me to get kicked out of this place?

[Sooner or later, you’ll have to leave anyway,] the voice replied. [This academy limits you. You’ll never find anyone here who can push you to your limits.]

He didn’t answer.

The dream he once had—to become a dragon hunter—felt like a joke now. That dream had turned to ash the moment he realized he himself was a dragon.

Rubbing the back of his head, he muttered, "What’s my status now?"

A soft chime echoed in his mind.

{Ding!}

{Status:}

Strength: 41

Speed: 48

Endurance: 50

MP: 1000 / 1000

HP: 150 / 150}

His eyes widened. "I had a feeling... but my magic really did shoot through the roof."

The last time he checked, his mana pool was barely over four hundred.

[The more you use your magic, the more your body adapts. It stretches. Builds.]

So it’s like I’m slowly widening the storage space... making more room for magic to pour in?

He had been told that his mana would grow endlessly. But still—seeing it in real time like this made it feel surreal.

He stared at his hands for a moment.

What even am I becoming...?

Shaking his head, Hades decided to work on his endurance for the time being. Training is the best method of forgetting everything.

....

Not so far away from where Hades was having an existential crisis, a man could be seen leaning against the window, looking outside.

The room was dark, barely anything visible.

It was then, something subtly shifted in the shadows, before a voice was heard, "It was confirmed. The Pope had left for the capital."

The man hummed, "Make sure he doesn’t reach his destination." With his teeth clenched, he added, "With that old man alive, Rinne is reigning dominance. I can’t have that."

"Understood. He will be taken care of." The kneeling man responded.

After a brief pause, the man asked, "What about the foolish prince?"

"Still hiring men to send after Hades." An answer soon arrived.

The man smirked, "Aggressive fool is digging his own grave," but then his face morphed into a frown, "I am concerned about the draconic presence. Did you find anything?"

The spy subtly shifted, "I was there, my Lord...however, the wave was too strong for me to keep searching for the source."

"The Gaze ...only strong Elder or Duke-ranked could awaken their Gaze." The man was now feeling troubled by this anomaly, which had suddenly sprung.

After a brief moment of contemplation, he said, "Focus on the Pope for the time being. Make sure that the old guy pays for his sins."

°°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading.

This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦