I’m a Young God, Won’t You Raise Me?

A column of smoke continued to rise from the Fire Dragon’s completely charred body.

I grabbed one of its blackened scales with my hand and, suppressing a groan, managed to tear it off.

The pain caused by the intense heat was the least of my concerns.

The dragon’s body was still incredibly tough, so there wasn’t much I could do with my strength.

“Lieutenant Colonel Je Hyuno! Captains!”

I turned toward them.

“Help me! We have to cut open its stomach! The twins were just devoured…!”

The blood streaming from my eyes blurred my vision.

I couldn’t make out the expressions on their faces as they looked at me.

I could only see them approaching.

“Move.”

Mo Haein grabbed my shoulder and pulled me aside.

Then she placed one foot on the Fire Dragon’s abdomen.

She drove the Black Moon Blade into the lower part of its belly, right where we had previously torn away its scales, and opened the wound.

The dragon’s flesh split apart.

But its body was so enormous that even if we climbed into its stomach, it would take us a very long time to find the twins.

How could we rescue them faster?

As I desperately searched for a solution and tried to widen the wound even further.

A hand emerged from inside.

It wasn’t a child’s hand.

It belonged to an adult.

A hand completely unfamiliar to me.

And yet.

I grabbed it without thinking.

It was a completely instinctive reaction.

The moment our skin touched, a scorching warmth spread throughout my entire body.

That warmth, so clearly inhuman, brought me immense relief.

I gripped that hand tightly.

I planted my feet firmly and pulled back with all my strength.

A figure completely soaked in a viscous liquid slowly emerged.

A man with long crimson hair like flames stared directly at me.

When our eyes met.

For an instant, I thought of Infernum.

But he was completely different.

Those red eyes, with their gently drooping corners, contained not a trace of the ravenous hunger with which Infernum had looked at me.

And besides.

The man looked at me for a few moments before completely climbing out of the dragon’s stomach.

His clothes were in tatters, barely covering his body.

But he didn’t even try to adjust them.

Instead, he immediately reached back into the opening and pulled at something.

A moment later.

A woman with the same long crimson hair poked her head out from inside.

With the man’s help, she climbed out as well.

And then.

The two of them threw themselves at me.

“Ugh…!”

They hugged me with all their strength from both sides.

They even spread their wings to completely cover me.

The Fire Dragon Clan twins.

Now fully grown adults.

Looked down at me.

They were now well over two meters tall.

I was completely stunned.

“Lamb!”

Ella shouted at the top of her lungs.

“You… you…! You’re an idiot! A complete fool!”

Ellun rested his head against me as he murmured.

“Why are you in such terrible shape…? You’re covered in wounds…”

Only then did I notice my own condition.

I certainly looked miserable.

I had suffered frostbite and burns at the same time.

And in the end, I had cried blood as well.

But it didn’t hurt that much.

The ones who must have truly suffered were the twins, who had slowly been melting inside the Fire Dragon’s stomach.

Just as the Fire Dragon had ultimately been scorched by the thermal explosion caused by the Ice Dragon’s horn.

The twins had also been left covered in burn scars.

All over their bodies.

Even on their faces.

And yet.

Those scars, which seemed to connect them together, were shaped like flames.

I smiled faintly.

“Lady Ella. Sir Ellun. You’re adults now. I almost didn’t recognize you.”

“We simply digested Infernum’s flames.”

Ella replied as though it were nothing.

Though she took a small step back so I could get a better look at her new appearance.

Ellun also gently let go of me and stepped back a few paces.

They hadn’t just grown physically.

Their horns were now much larger and sturdier.

Their wings and tails had grown as well.

Even Ellun’s injured wing had healed completely, transforming into an entirely new pair of wings.

What I liked most were the new horns that had appeared atop their heads.

They were shaped like elegant crowns.

They were infinitely more beautiful and majestic than the horns Infernum had grown during his Frenzy state.

I had played Slay to Plate countless times.

But I had never seen the twins grow into adults.

Not even in the True Ending, when they drove Infernum away and became the new rulers of the dungeon.

There, they remained children.

But now.

They had become true adult Fire Dragons.

A presence worthy of the title of sovereigns.

I praised them sincerely.

“You both look far more magnificent now.”

I wished I could find much more impressive words to describe them.

But that was all I could manage.

As I regretted my lack of eloquence.

Ellun asked.

“Why did you come to save us? It was very dangerous.”

I looked around.

Without realizing it.

Everything had disappeared.

Only the twins, the Fire Dragon’s enormous corpse, and I remained.

It was the sign that the ending was very close.

Only then, when our farewell had become inevitable.

Did I answer honestly.

“Because… for a very long time… I’ve wanted to do this.”

Even though I had achieved the True Ending and a happy ending in the game.

I never stopped thinking about that Bad Ending where I failed to save them.

I knew a player couldn’t change a game’s predetermined ending.

And yet.

I desperately searched for any possibility.

Any hope.

At last, I felt that I had reached the true True Ending.

Ella and Ellun looked at me silently.

Their blade-like pupils remained fixed on me without blinking.

Then the two of them raised their hands to their own heads.

I watched them without thinking much of it.

Until I realized what they were about to do.

“Lady Ella! Sir Ellun!”

Crack!

Each of them tore off one of their own horns.

Then they took my hand and placed the horns in my palm.

The two pieces became enveloped in flames.

And finally transformed into two large red gemstones.

Unable to pull my hand away from theirs, I watched the scene as I checked the item’s description.

Fire Dragon’s Red Horn: A horn that a Fire Dragon tore off with his own hands to give to someone truly important to him. Through the Fire Dragon’s will, it has taken the form of a beautiful gemstone. If you gaze at it for too long, you will eventually be overcome by a deep sense of nostalgia.

I was completely speechless.

I couldn’t think of a single thing to say.

I stared at those gemstones that looked like flames.

Then suddenly I looked up in alarm.

I was afraid that, once again.

We would part without even saying goodbye.

Fortunately.

The twins were still there.

Ella and Ellun looked at me with puzzled expressions.

“What’s wrong? You look so pale.”

“Ah… it’s nothing.”

I smiled gently.

“Thank you for the gift. I’ll treasure it more than anything.”

The twins smiled with satisfaction and let go of my hand.

Then they began speaking excitedly.

“Listen, Lamb. We’re the rulers of the Fire Dragons now. We can do whatever we want.”

“We’ll be able to visit Lamb’s restaurant whenever we want.”

“That’s right! We won’t even charge you rent for the restaurant anymore! Run it however you like. No… even better. We’ll give it to you outright!”

They started telling me everything they wanted to do now that they had become the new rulers of the Fire Dragons.

I held the gemstones in my hand as I listened to their plans.

Then I remembered that I still had food stored in my inventory.

I wanted to give it to them.

There should still be some Phoenix Meringue Cookies left.

They loved them.

If I gave them as a gift.

“……”

I was just about to open my inventory.

But a bitter smile appeared on my face.

The only thing left before me.

Was the system window.

Completed!

— Ending: Immortal Flame Ending.

…Ending.

Before I knew it.

My shoulders slumped.

The warmth radiating from the gemstones in my palm only made the emptiness in my chest feel even greater.

Even so.

This time, it was easier to bear.

At least I had managed to thank them properly.

has made his name known in Akasha!

■■ ■■■ Bursts with excitement. As your most devoted fan, he focuses all of his attention on you.

I carefully read Mr. Black Blocks’ message.

Since it mentioned that he was my fan.

There was no longer any doubt.

The extraterrestrial had been him.

And besides.

My Notoriety.

Current Notoriety: 1%

I stared at that number in disbelief.

It had increased by 0.8%.

The last time, when I completed Call of the Void, I had already thought the increase was enormous.

But now.

I had finally surpassed 1%.

I still didn’t fully understand how it worked.

Though I imagined defeating the Fire Dragon had contributed to the increase in my Notoriety.

The Trial has ended.

The Trial will be permanently closed in 80 seconds.

You are the greatest contributor to .

You may take 2 items.

Although I thought two items were a rather meager reward considering everything we had been through, I chose my rewards carefully.

One was, of course, the Fire Dragon’s Red Horn, which had transformed into a gemstone.

After thinking it over for a moment, I chose the Phoenix Meringue Cookies as my second item.

Since they were a health recovery item, they would surely prove useful in many situations.

The item selection has ended.

Just as I was expecting the Trial to end.

I heard a low laugh.

The moment that elegant deep voice reached my ears.

I remembered something I had completely forgotten.

The Trial has ended?Ended?FiFiFinishedNotYetNotYetItIsn’tOverYetDon’tCloseItStopOpenItOpenItOpenItAgain.

The Trial will be permanently closed in ????????? seconds. Closed. Closed. Closed. CCCCCClosed. Whenever He desires.

A universe filled with stars spread out before my eyes.

***

“…?”

I blinked.

I stared into empty space for a moment before noticing something strange and checking the clothes I was wearing.

I was dressed in an elegant suit.

A suit I never would have worn in Slay to Plate.

‘Where’s my chef’s uniform?’

As I adjusted the suit, perfectly tailored to fit my body, I looked up at the person beside me.

“It suits you very well, Mr. Gunbam.”

A three-meter-tall man, also dressed in an impeccable suit, looked at me as he praised me.

I.

The moment I saw those blue eyes.

“Are you surprised to see me like this again?”

A huge hand rested gently against my back.

All the unnecessary emotions and thoughts slowly faded away.

My body, which had been trembling as though shivering, instantly calmed down.

Dominic smiled as he looked at me.

“It seems you only like small things.”

I felt the warm kindness of his hand.

His calm voice soothed me even more.

“Don’t worry. You’ll get used to it soon.”

He was right.

I truly stopped feeling uncomfortable.

With my heart at peace.

I began walking alongside Dominic.

The place we were heading to was, surprisingly.

My restaurant.

It was undoubtedly the same restaurant I had worked so hard to run in Slay to Plate.

But its exterior had changed tremendously.

It was no longer crammed with the outrageously expensive decorations I had bought solely to increase its Reputation.

Now it gave off a far more refined atmosphere.

Its appearance, both elegant and luxurious, perfectly reflected the distinguished taste of its owner.

The owner?

But the owner of the restaurant.

I had defeated the Fire Dragon Infernum.

And the new owners had become the twins.

Just as that question crossed my mind.

I saw something gigantic behind the building.

That enormous mass, completely blackened as though consumed by flames, was still giving off smoke.

It was much larger than the restaurant.

It looked like a small mountain.

However.

It had completely lost its original shape.

It had been torn apart.

As if someone had ripped it to pieces with their bare hands like a simple toy.

As I stared at those shattered remains.

A strange thought crossed my mind.

As though it were.

“Since I had to prepare everything in such a hurry, quite a few things were left unfinished. I should have gotten rid of it beforehand.”

Dominic made a slight gesture with his hand.

The black hill was dyed in a blue radiance.

It shone like a galaxy filled with stars.

And in the very next instant.

It disappeared completely.

As though it had been swallowed by a black hole.

“Even so, I’m certain you’ll enjoy the meal.”

Hearing those words, I looked toward the now completely cleared backyard.

What had been there just a moment ago?

Even though I had just seen it.

I couldn’t remember.

As I tried to recover that memory.

Dominic guided me once more.

“Shall we go inside? I’ve prepared a delicious meal especially for you, Mr. Gunbam.”

If it was that difficult to remember.

Then it probably wasn’t anything important.

And besides.

At that moment, the most important thing was having dinner with Dominic.

“Yes, Mr. Dominic.”

I answered obediently.

And entered the restaurant together with him.