Reawakening: Primordial Dragon with Limitless Mana-Chapter 57: Another attempt

’System...show me my progress.’

{Ding!}

{Status:}

Strength: 84

Speed: 81

Endurance: 90

MP: 5000 / 5000

HP: 150 / 150

Hades was sitting inside the bathing pool, washing away the blood and grime from his body as his mind churned with unease.

’You said I have endless mana... then why can’t I use a skill more than once?’

He clenched his fist underwater. ’When I activated *Featherless Flight*, I thought I’d be able to do it again. But I couldn’t.’

No matter how much mana he had, there wasn’t a single spell in his arsenal that truly let him unleash it.

His recent battle with the Duke-ranked dragon had been a brutal wake-up call. The way the monster swatted at him—it was as if death had reached out its hand, brushing his cheek to remind him how small he still was.

He had felt hopeless before, yes. But this time, he had tasted it. And it burned.

The distance he had to cover... it was endless.

And he needed to run.

[As I mentioned before, once you awaken the core, you’ll tap into the limitless energy that flows through you. And regarding spellcasting—you’ve already acquired a new one.]

[You simply need more practice.]

Hades sighed and raised a hand lazily out of the water.

"Do you think I’ll be ready in ten years?"

[I can’t say for sure. Your progress depends not only on your own effort but also on your mates. Your first mate will help you unravel your core. So you must choose wisely. And even if you gather the right partners... you’ll have to hunt like a madman to awaken your second core. Only then will you become a deterrent.]

Mate, huh...

Hades stared at the ceiling of the chamber.

How the hell was he supposed to convince a female dragon to become his mate?

And now that he was with Luna... things had become even more tangled.

What if she were reluctant?

What would he do then?

{Host, a new skill has been added to the index. Would you like to see it?}

The system’s timely interruption felt suspiciously well-placed.

’Yeah, show me.’

{Active Skill: • Crimson Fangs

Your fingers are the teeth of a hunter. They can scratch and pierce the toughest material, and the magma of the fangs leaves lasting damage on the enemy.}

{Usage limit: 30 minutes}

{Note: The time limitation will increase as your endurance stat grows.}

Hades raised a brow. ’So, if I activate it but don’t use it for more than a minute... is that it?’

{No, host. The skill may be used for a total of thirty minutes in fragments. Its timer resets with each night’s rest. The poison your body secretes during its activation is harmful to you as well. That is why the time limit exists—to protect the host.}

"Huh... smart."

He lifted his hand slightly. The water rippled as if expecting a command.

"Crimson Fangs, activate."

Suddenly, the pool began to boil.

Startled, Hades yanked his hand from the water.

His eyes widened.

His fingers had transformed—thinner, longer, unnaturally sharp—and glowed a molten red like they had been dipped in the blood of a volcano.

Each fingertip radiated heat, enough to steam the air around them.

They weren’t hands anymore.

They were fangs.

A hunter’s fangs.

*Knock*

"Are you alright inside, Hades?" came a gentle, feminine voice.

Hades responded quickly, "Ah, yes. Just finishing up."

He rose from the water and reached for a towel, wiping down his body in a hurry. After pulling on a shirt and shorts, he stepped out of the steamy bathroom. Luna was setting the table.

It had been three days since the incident—and this morning would be the first he’d be eating a proper meal again.

"How did it feel?" Luna asked with a smile, walking over to take the towel from his hand.

"Refreshing. I really needed that." He sat down on the bed, eyes drifting toward the food laid out.

They were staying at a modest motel on the outskirts of Bavech. Hades still hadn’t fully recovered, so they’d decided to stay two more days before resuming their journey.

He had received a promise from the Sage: once he was strong enough to defeat thirty Elder-ranks on his own, she would guide him to the other side.

She would help him reunite with his real family.

Hades still didn’t know how he’d react upon meeting his true parents. But the curiosity—that part was undeniable.

"Shall we begin?" Luna asked, catching the eager glint in his eyes.

Just as he was about to nod—

*Knock*

"Hm?" Luna tilted her head. "I didn’t order anything else."

She rose and walked toward the door.

Meanwhile, Hades, ignoring the interruption, picked up a good-sized piece of meat and stuffed it into his mouth.

When Luna opened the door, she found a woman standing outside, balancing several neatly folded towels stacked in her arms. Her face was unfamiliar, and her smile held a strange stiffness—almost too polite.

"Here are your towels," the woman said with a friendly tone.

But Luna blinked and replied with a polite smile, "I didn’t ask for any."

The lady froze for a second, then quickly corrected herself, "Oh! I’m so sorry. It was meant for room 302, not 202. Really, I apologize—ah!"

As she attempted a bow, a few towels slipped from her grip and fell to the floor.

"Wait, I’ll get them," Luna offered, crouching down to help gather the fallen towels.

The woman’s expression subtly shifted. As Luna bent forward, the woman’s fingers slipped between the stack, retrieving a slim, hidden pipe from the folds. Without hesitation, she aimed at Hades, who was sitting just a few steps away, directly across from the open door.

She blew into it.

*Fwip!*

A dart cut through the air, whistling toward his face.

But Hades—despite appearing casual and relaxed—never lost sight of his surroundings.

*Spit!*

He sharply spat out a small bone—leftover from the meat—and it collided with the dart in midair, shattering its path mere inches from his eyes.

The dart tumbled and landed harmlessly on the bed.

The woman’s eyes widened in shock. She turned to flee.

"Aahh!" she cried as something yanked her ankle.

Before she could take a step, she was lifted into the air, dangling upside down—her captor was the silver-haired girl, her grip unshakable.

"Not so fast, lady." Luna’s voice was sugar-sweet, but her smile carried a hint of menace. "Why don’t we have breakfast together?"

She calmly stepped back inside the room, dragging the upside-down woman with her, and shut the door.

To make sure their upcoming ’conversation’ didn’t disturb the neighbors, Luna raised a soundproof barrier with a soft chant.

They just can’t catch a break.

°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading.