My Alter Ego's Path to Greatness

A livestreamer.

A recently popular profession, also known as a one-person content creator, thanks to the rise of video platforms and the information age. A market becoming increasingly saturated as more and more people, drawn by the lucrative potential, jumped on the bandwagon.

"…That restaurant wasn't as good as I expected. Looked good, but too much MSG. 4 out of 10! It didn't live up to the hype."

Hong Doosik, a young man talking to his smartphone attached to a selfie stick, was one of them. His main content was exploring hidden restaurants. He knew nothing about fine dining, but he was confident in his ability to talk, so he jumped in, full of ambition…

'…Why aren't more people tuning in? Should I go for something more sensational?'

…but his average viewership barely broke double digits, and the views on his poorly edited videos were abysmal, despite using all his family accounts and enlisting his friends' help to game the algorithm.

"Next up, dessert! I'm going to try this crepe stall that's been getting some buzz on social media. Let's see…"

It was another ordinary day, so uneventful that he was considering giving up and getting a part-time job.

Yes.

Until it happened.

Crackle—!

A spark, like a high-voltage current.

"Huh…?"

A tingling sensation ran through his body. Goosebumps rose on his skin, and he stopped walking involuntarily. He wasn't the only one who reacted. Those around him also stopped and looked up at the sky, towards the source of the sound. He followed their gaze.

Crack—!

A bolt from the blue, literally. A bright spark flickered in the clear sky.

'Wait, is that…!'

A chill ran down his spine, and his mind raced. It was clearly a supernatural phenomenon. A large-scale manifestation of ability without any prior warning! Which meant…

'An Awakened terror attack!'

Panic surged through him. Thanks to the recent activities of so-called vigilantes like Hahoe Mask and Phantom, public order in Seoul had greatly improved. That was one of the reasons he chose outdoor activities as his main content, but…!

Crack! Crackle—!

The spark in the sky grew larger. While he was an ordinary person with no connection to the supernatural, he instinctively knew.

If 'that' energy erupted, he would be vaporized at this distance.

'I haven't even had a girlfriend yet!'

His life flashed before his eyes. He instinctively turned the camera, capturing the anomaly unfolding in the sky. He didn't know if it was a journalist's instinct or a desperate attempt to document his final moments.

Fwoosh—

A blinding golden light erupted from the center of the spark.

And then—

[*ROAR—!]

—along with the appearance of that being—

—a terrifying roar echoed through the surroundings.

Rumble—

"Uwaaaah!"

"Kyaaa!"

"Whatwhatwhat? What is that?!"

A violent wind howled, and the surroundings descended into chaos. And the chaos wasn't localized. Everyone who saw the massive figure, everyone who heard the roar, was affected.

Hong Doosik stared at the sky, his body trembling under the oppressive presence. A massive creature, dozens of meters long, its body covered in gold, flapping its wings and soaring through the sky.

"A dragon…?"

He had never seen one in real life, but the name came to him naturally. It was a familiar creature, frequently featured in games, movies, and other media. But there was one thing that bothered him.

'What's that?'

A large orb held in the golden dragon's mouth. He had never seen it before, but he knew its name.

"…A Yeouiju?"

Another wave of confusion washed over him. It looked like a Western dragon, but it had a Yeouiju, an item associated with Eastern dragons. What a strange hybrid.

'Hmm, no, that's just my preconceived notion…'

What did he know about dragons, having never seen one before? Now that the real thing had appeared…

He had been blinded by the information from the media. As he was lost in thought…

"A r-real d-dragon?! For real?!"

…his mind finally caught up with the situation.

A dragon had appeared.

In the sky above Seoul.

For real.

-???

-Is this real?

-Holy crap, it's real! It's chaos outside!

-What the…?!

His smartphone's chat window was also in chaos. Messages flew by, and his viewership soared. Everyone was in awe of the dragon in his video.

'…This is a good spot.'

The perfect distance, not too close, not too far, with no obstructions, allowing him to capture the entire creature on camera. His initial fear was replaced by a growing excitement, perhaps emboldened by the adrenaline.

'This… could be my chance.'

The first footage of a dragon appearing in the modern world! The scoop of a lifetime! He gulped and tightened his grip on his smartphone. Logically, he should be running away, but he was blinded by ambition.

'This is my big break!'

'A scoop! I have to capture this!'

'Jackpot! If I post this on social media…!'

And he wasn't the only one in Seoul thinking that. Ignoring their safety, people stopped running and started filming the historic event amidst the chaos.

And thanks to the information age, the news quickly spread throughout Korea… no…

…throughout the entire world.

Carried by the majestic image of Horus.

'Very effective.'

Sending Horus out like that was a bit impulsive. Especially unleashing his full power with 「Elder Dragon's Heart」.

'But it was the most effective method.'

Shock and awe. Any high-level Awakened would sense it the moment they saw the dragon soaring through the sky.

This creature didn't belong here. It couldn't. It wasn't a near-human creature like a vampire, werewolf, or undead, but a completely different species.

That was the position of dragons, the apex predators of most dimensions.

'Harris would have been a good alternative, but Horus is visually more impactful.'

A slender, humanoid elf couldn't compare to a massive dragon, dozens of meters long. He had achieved his objective.

But there was a minor… insignificant… problem.

In the room where Heinrich had been meeting with the others…

"…"

"…Sigh."

The group, who had been expressing their awe at the sudden appearance of the Gold Dragon, now had weary expressions, rubbing their eyes. Unlike before, there were more people in the room. Twice as many. And their gazes were mostly focused on a single point in the corner of the room.

Munch, munch.

A small, childish munching sound echoed through the heavy atmosphere. A small boy—Horus, the Gold Dragon—sat on a high chair, his small legs dangling, happily munching on snacks, oblivious to the stares. He was the true star of the show, eclipsing even Heinrich.

"…I apologize again. I caused a commotion with my hasty actions."

Heinrich bowed his head apologetically, everyone's attention on Horus. A giant dragon appearing in the sky above a city couldn't be ignored.

"Ha, haha…"

"…It's alright. It's over now."

"Heh, it can't be helped. We should have informed you sooner."

It had been chaotic. Sirens wailing, magic barriers activating, Awakened combat units swarming the area… Even Yoon Jiyoon, one of Korea's top three Awakened, had rushed to the scene, her body crackling with lightning.

Of course, Horus had suppressed his aura while using 「Polymorph」 and 「Elder Dragon's Heart」. This was Seoul, the capital of South Korea. If he unleashed his full power, it would have been a disaster! Most civilians had low resistance to supernatural powers; it could have been a catastrophe.

'My goal was to cause a scene and make it global news… but I was careful, and with Saint Heinrich here, nothing serious happened.'

While there were some damages, they weren't significant. Although those present, and many others, would have to work hard to clean up the mess.

"That child… was the dragon…?"

"To think a creature from another world would come to Earth. Another Great Change, perhaps."

"I can't believe it. If it weren't for the immense magic power within that small body, I wouldn't believe it even now."

"…Cute."

Everything went according to plan.

No one doubted Heinrich's claim of being an otherworlder anymore. Not those present, nor anyone who had witnessed the event.

Pantheon US Headquarters.

"Pfft—!"

The Scribe, enjoying her tea, spat it out, her eyes wide with shock.

"…What is that?"

A breaking news report from the other side of the world flashed on a large monitor in the break room. A massive, beautiful creature, holding a mystical orb in its mouth, flapped its wings, displaying its majestic form.

"A dragon…? Why is it on Earth…?"

And it happened in Seoul, Korea. At the exact location where Heinrich, the Saint of Auterica, and the Pantheon's investigation team were supposed to meet!

A sense of unease washed over her. Her heightened intuition, a trait of Transcendents, told her…

'…Wait, this…'

…something was terribly wrong.