I Received System to Become Dragonborn

Erend wasn't afraid of the decision to restart the Magic experiment. In fact, he knew deep down it was the only real step they could take if they wanted to be ready for the kind of threat he'd just witnessed.

When facing something that could twist a Dragonborn into a god-killer, waiting and using normal weaponry wasn't an option.

But he also knew it couldn't be left unchecked. Magic was not a power humans were meant to wield recklessly. Without oversight, without someone who understood its scale, it would spiral into disaster.

He and his friends had to supervise it. Closely.

The barrier stakes placed at specific convergence points across the globe—designed to block intrusions from the Chaos Realm—were still holding. Nothing could break through the way it had before, not unless those barriers were destroyed or weakened again. That part of the problem, at least, was handled.

But it wasn't just about external threats.

Erend's gaze drifted toward the ground for a moment. His thoughts weighed heavier than before.

The real fear that gnawed at him was what his people—this world's governments—might do with Magic if given the chance.

If the experiment succeeded and the energy became something reproducible, it wouldn't stay in one lab. It would become a tool and weapon.

If another war broke out it wouldn't be fought with guns or bombs but it would be fought with Magic and the destruction it brought might even higher thatn what he had seen in other worlds.

He clenched his jaw slightly. If that happened, he would have only helped bring about another era of annihilation for this world.

As though sensing the weight of Erend's thoughts, General Lennard broke the silence.

"That's why I want you to supervise the experiment personally before you even say it," he said with calm but firm voice. "You've seen what that power can do. You know what's at stake. The power of Magic is just too great for any of us to control blindly. We're just not ready without someone who's already touched it."

Erend looked at him, grateful. "I'm glad you think that way, sir. I wouldn't want this to turn into a weapon race. That's exactly what I feared."

General Lennard gave a small nod. He said, "I've seen what power does to people. When should we begin?"

Erend didn't hesitate. "Soon. As soon as possible. We don't know how much time we have."

Lennard nodded thoughtfully.

"It'll take time. Most of the old infrastructure, all of it was destroyed. By you, if I remember correctly."

Erend gave a dry chuckle. "Yeah. I had to do it back then. There was no guarantee it wouldn't turn into a war engine. It was already going that direction."

Adrien leaned forward slightly. "If we're starting this again, we need to be careful about who gets access. The candidates for this experiment should be chosen properly. We can't afford to give this kind of potential to someone unstable or worse, someone already looking to abuse it."

"I agree about that," Lennard said without hesitation. "I was already thinking the same thing."

Then his eyes returned to Erend. "You'll help choose them, then. You'll know better than any of us who should carry this kind of power."

Erend nodded. "Yes, sir. I'll take full responsibility."

There was a brief pause. The atmosphere in the room no longer felt heavy with dread, but tense with resolve.

General Lennard turned back to his desk and reached for his secured tablet.

"I'll begin the preparations now. I will call back the internal science division, reassemble the security team. Then I'll contact Conrad and Thomas. They'll be happy to hear the project's starting again."

A small smile tugged at Erend's lips. "Yes, sir."

Lennard smirked. "He's been begging me for months. Now he'll get his wish."

With that, the conversation drew to a close. Adrien and Erend stood up, their chairs sliding back on the polished floor. They saluted one more time.

"Thank you, sir," Adrien said.

General Lennard nodded, already tapping instructions onto the tablet.

"We don't have the luxury of delay anymore," he said.

Erend and Adrien turned, walking out the door and into the corridor beyond.

The long hall stretched before them again, quiet but full of motion. Officers passed them with papers, reports, or data drives. The usual hum of the base had returned.

As they walked side by side, Erend knew this was the beginning of another battle.

---

On the far end of the country, nestled in a quiet little county surrounded by sleepy fields and low hills, Conrad sat hunched in front of his computer.

The curtains were half drawn, letting in faint sunlight that streaked across the mess of snack wrappers and empty mugs on his desk.

His monitor glowed with the vibrant colors of another fantasy RPG, sword-clashing and orchestral soundtrack blaring softly from his headphones.

Magic had once been the center of his world. The core of his research. His obsession.

And then it was shut down.

After that, he needed something to pull his mind away from it all—especially from the Elf woman he'd fallen in love with. Someone he could never truly reach again. The portal had closed. The project died. So had that dream.

Now, he drowned himself in video games.

He had already finished half a dozen in the past month alone. Anything with Dragons, wizards, or strange worlds. He devoured them all. It wasn't real but it helped. It kept the ache at bay.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed and vibrated across the desk.

He didn't even flinch. Eyes still fixed on the glowing screen, he muttered, "Not now…"

The phone buzzed again, insistent.

He finally glanced at the screen and froze.

General Lennard.

"Shit."

He hesitated only a moment before reaching for it. He couldn't afford to ignore that name.

He tapped the screen and brought the phone to his ear. "Conrad speaking."

"Conrad," came Lennard's voice. "We're restarting the experiment."

Conrad blinked. "Wait, what?"

"It's real. Get your gear ready. You're being called in."

For a second, Conrad didn't respond. He just stared at his paused game, the hero on screen mid-swing against some impossible boss.

Then the words hit. The experiment. Magic. It was back.

His mouth went dry. "You're not joking?"

"You think I have time to joke?" Lennard said flatly. "Erend and Adrien were just in my office. The situation is evolving. You and Thomas will be briefed properly when you arrive."

Conrad sat up straighter, blood pumping in his veins. "Understood, sir."

"Report to base within forty-eight hours. Bring only what you need. That includes your notes and your brain."

Click.

The line went dead.

Conrad slowly lowered the phone, his heart hammering in his chest. Then, suddenly, a wild grin broke across his face.

---