Re-Awakened :I Ascend as an SSS-Ranked Dragon Summoner

The shift was seamless. One moment, they were in the cold, dimly lit corridors of the Nexus Arena. The next, they stood in a vast, open grassland. The air smelled fresh, clean—untouched by pollution or the usual hum of technology. A soft breeze rustled the knee-high grass, stretching endlessly in all directions, interrupted only by two massive dens carved into the landscape.

One was silent, shadowed, with a deep, cavernous opening. The other had a faint, flickering glow near its entrance—a fire, crackling steadily in the distance.

Lila turned in a slow circle, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Where… are we?"

Noah shoved his hands into his hoodie pocket, watching her reaction carefully. "My domain."

"Your what?" She whirled toward him, her blonde hair catching the wind. "How? You're a first-generation! Your ability is Perfect Echo—you mimic sounds! You can't do this!"

He shrugged. "I can explain all that later."

Lila took a deep breath, clearly overwhelmed, before her gaze landed on the flickering flames near the cave entrance. She pointed. "What is that?"

Noah didn't even hesitate. "Oh, that's Nyx."

She blinked. "Nyx?"

"My dragon."

Lila stared at him as if he'd lost his mind.

"You have a dragon?"

"Yeah."

She turned back to the den, suddenly far more cautious. "And… it's just there? You don't have it locked up or something?"

Noah smirked. "Nyx is guarding Storm. He's my wyvern. Still evolving."

Lila looked between him and the den, then back to him. Her lips parted like she wanted to say something, but then—she stopped.

Her expression changed.

Slowly, she brought a hand to her chest.

No more shaking.

No tightness in her skull.

No block.

"I…" She swallowed, her blue eyes widening. "It's gone."

Noah tilted his head. "What is?"

"The suppression." She looked down at her hands, flexing her fingers, as if expecting them to tremble—but they didn't. "I don't feel them anymore. It's like… they can't reach me here."

Noah gave her a knowing look. "So?"

Lila took a deep breath.

She crossed her arms, eyes darting toward the flickering fire in the distance as if she needed the warmth to ground herself. Then, finally, she spoke.

"I am in a program," she said quietly. "Not this one. Not the military program we're in now. But a different one."

Noah narrowed his eyes. "What kind of program?"

She exhaled slowly, watching the grass sway at her feet. "One that trained me before I even set foot in this academy."

Noah's mind flashed back to their first expedition together. He remembered how she had taken point without hesitation. A natural leader. Unshaken. Back then, he had even suspected she was using him—manipulating his skills for her own goals. But now… now he wasn't so sure.

"What is their goal?" he asked carefully.

She lifted her head, meeting his gaze. "Systematic dismantling of the Earth's Defense Force."

A heavy silence settled between them. The distant crackle of flames and the occasional rustling of the wind were the only sounds.

Noah blinked. "What?"

She turned away. "My program… The Purge… they believe—I believed—that the Earth's Defense Force was the only thing standing between us and the true realization of humanity's potential."

Noah's pulse kicked up a notch. "You're telling me you were sent here to destroy the defense force? Why?"

Lila's expression darkened. "Because, to them, the EDF isn't protecting humanity—it's limiting it. Holding people back from what they could truly become."

Noah could only stare.

This was exactly what Sophie had talked about a few weeks back.

Sophie's mother had abandoned her family to join a group that believed powered humans were evil. That the Harbingers—Earth's deadliest threat—were not an enemy, but divine judgment, sent to purge the unworthy.

Now Lila stood in front of him, speaking of a different ideology, but with the same underlying theme—Earth's forces were the problem.

And here he was, training to be a soldier, to protect everyone—not just the strong, not just those with abilities, but everyone. That was the point of the EDF. They fought for Earth. For the civilians who had no way to fight back. For those who couldn't defend themselves.

Did Lila really believe what she was saying?

He swallowed his irritation, forcing his voice to stay even. "So what, you came to me to convert me? Have a debate?"

Lila shook her head. "I didn't come to you for that."

"Then why?"

She hesitated. Then, voice barely above a whisper, she said, "Something has already been set in motion. By me."

Noah stiffened.

"But I'm not the only one," she continued. "The Purge sent me here to deliver something. I don't know what exactly—I never reached a high enough clearance level to be told. But what I do know…" She turned to face him fully. "...is that on the day of the arena combat finals, something big is going to happen."

Noah inhaled deeply, processing her words.

Then, he exhaled sharply, shaking his head.

"So what?" he said.

Lila's eyes flickered with surprise.

"This is the Eastern Sector's tournament," he continued. "Do you realize who's here? Over a dozen military academies. Generals. Experts on beast cores. Heavily armed security. And worst of all?" He scoffed. "Angry teenagers like us who will gladly throw hands just to prove they're ready for war."

He took a step closer, eyes sharp. "The Harbingers are humanity's real headache. But if other humans want to start becoming a problem too? No problem."

Lila shook her head, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. "You don't get it, Noah. You have no idea what you're saying, what you're dealing with."

Noah frowned. "Then explain it to me."

She crossed her arms, pacing slightly. "Do you really think they'd make a move without planning everything first? Earlier, I asked you about the weaknesses in the arena's structure. And you, a first-year academy student, managed to come up with multiple ways to infiltrate and exfiltrate just like that."

Noah's mouth opened, but he had no words.

Lila pressed on. "Now imagine my program. The people coming—they're not like the military. They don't train for an unknown threat like the Harbingers. They don't waste time preparing for monsters they might encounter. No, they train for one thing."

She met his gaze, her voice quiet but firm.

"To dismantle forces like the EDF."

Noah stiffened.

She exhaled sharply. "So tell me, what do you think is really making me scared?"

His mind reeled. She had a point.

No matter how secure the arena seemed, no matter how many soldiers were stationed there, the EDF was trained for large-scale planetary defense. Against Harbingers. Not against an enemy that had specifically designed their tactics to tear them apart from the inside.

For the first time since she started talking, Noah felt the weight of it settle in his chest.

Slowly, he asked, "Your parents… are they in this? This Purge?"

Lila sighed. She didn't answer.

Instead, in a quiet, solemn voice, she said, "Take me back. From… wherever this is."

Noah studied her for a moment. She looked drained. Resigned. And yet, she had told him everything.

He sighed. "I'll take you back."

Lila nodded.

"You've done enough," he added. "I'll take it from here."

She gave him a small, tired smile. "And my secret?"

"Safe with me."

Her smile grew just a fraction before she said, "Yours too."

Noah smirked slightly. "Guess that makes us even."

"Domain travel,"

Dark purple energy swirled around them, and in an instant, they vanished from his domain.

As soon as they reappeared at the arena, Lila shivered, her body reacting to the sudden shift back into reality. The night air was colder now, or maybe it just felt colder after leaving that strange domain of his. She quickly pulled her hoodie tight around herself, crossing her arms, pressing her large chest down as if trying to contain something more than just the cold.

Noah barely looked at her as he exhaled sharply. His mind was still spinning from everything she'd just told him.

Lila swallowed hard before asking, "What… what are you going to do?"

Noah ran a hand through his dark hair, sighing. "With your mental block and everything… it's better you don't know." He met her eyes, serious now. "But don't worry. Just go back, sleep, rest. We've got two days before the next match."

Lila hesitated.

"Everything's going to be as usual," Noah continued. "We'll train this chi technique, like we planned."

She studied him carefully, searching for something in his face. But Noah wasn't budging.

"You should be rest assured," he said, turning away. "The Purge, or whatever they call themselves? They won't be touching anyone." He clenched his fist. "Not now that I know."

That was the last thing he said before walking off.

Lila stood there for a few seconds before letting out a shaky breath. Then she turned, disappearing into the opposite direction.

Noah kept walking, his pace even, but inside?

His mind was screaming.

'What the hell?!'

He wanted to yell it out loud, punch a wall, something. His first instinct was to get back to Kelvin.

Kelvin was going to have a field day with this one.

His dorm wasn't too far. If he picked up the pace he'd be there in no time to fill kelvin in on everything.

But then.

In a darkened corner of the arena, out of sight from most, a figure leaned against the wall, bathed in shadow. A blonde-haired boy.

Adrian Albright.

A smirk ghosted his lips as he pulled out his phone and dialed a number. The call connected immediately.

"…Dad," Adrian murmured, keeping his voice low but clear.

The voice on the other end didn't speak, but Adrian knew he was there. Listening.

"I have eyes on Noah Eclipse, just like you said," Adrian continued. "Lost them briefly… but I recovered swiftly, sir." He glanced in the direction Lila had gone.

"Looks like you were right. Miss Rowe hasn't been doing her father and mother proud after all."

A pause.

Then, Adrian smiled slightly before ending the call.