Reincarnation of Nikola Tesla in another world-Chapter 30: Ego at its peak

The courtyard of the Demon King's castle was vast, lined with crimson banners that fluttered in the ever-present wind. The ground was darkened stone, cracked from past battles, and at the very center stood the dragon.

Lilith stopped mid-step the moment she saw it.

Its body was massive, with a presence that was impossible to ignore. Thick, scarred scales covered half of its form, a dull-black skin that still carried faint traces of the majesty it once had.

But the other half—

It was broken.

Its ribs were exposed, the flesh long decayed, leaving only hardened bone that pulsed faintly with necrotic energy. One of its wings was torn, tattered like a war banner left too long in the wind. Its jaw, the most striking part, was split between two states—one side remained intact, its dark scales smooth and strong, but the other was stripped bare, revealing a raw, exposed red skeletal structure, lined with jagged, razor-sharp teeth.

Despite its half-ruined state, the dragon held itself with eerie grace. Its single remaining eye glowed dimly, flickering like the last ember of a dying fire.

Lilith took a step forward, her usual excitement tempered by caution.

Grogar, who had been watching from the steps, chuckled. "Fascinating, isn't it?"

Lilith didn't respond immediately. She stared at the beast for a long moment before finally speaking.

"...It's calm," she noted.

Unlike other necrotic creatures she had seen—ones that snarled and shuddered under their unnatural bindings—this dragon stood still, unmoving, as if choosing to be here.

She turned to Grogar. "Can I pet it?"

Grogar's skeletal grin widened. "As long as you are respectful."

Lilith scoffed but stepped forward carefully, moving toward the dragon's massive head. As she approached, she took a closer look at its face—the contrast between its two sides was almost unsettling.

She raised a hand, reaching toward the intact side of its jaw.

The dragon shifted suddenly, pulling its head away in a slow, deliberate motion.

Lilith tensed, startled.

"...It doesn't like that?" she muttered, lowering her hand slightly.

Grogar let out a dry chuckle. "Dragons are creatures of supreme arrogance. Even in death, they refuse to be treated as mere pets."

Lilith frowned. "I thought you could control all undead?"

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Grogar shook his head. "Dragons are different."

He stepped forward, his voice carrying an edge of respect. "Unlike other creatures, dragons have an ego edged into their very souls. It does not matter if they are alive or dead—their will remains. Even in death, they refuse to be controlled."

Lilith turned back to the dragon, her curiosity deepening.

"...Then why is it here?"

"It chooses to be here," Grogar said simply. "It does not obey me, nor does it fear me. It has merely accepted that this is its reality now."

Lilith nodded slowly, letting the information settle.

She crossed her arms, tilting her head slightly. "So how long will it stay? Most of your undead fall apart the moment you walk too far."

Grogar let out a thoughtful hum. "A fair question."

"This one is different," he continued. "It assimilates mana from its surroundings—not just from me. As long as there is mana to consume, it will remain."

Lilith raised an eyebrow. "So, what? It's like a plant now? Soaking in magic instead of sunlight?"

Grogar laughed, a hollow, rattling sound. "A crude comparison, but not inaccurate."

Lilith grinned. "Cool."

Her eyes flicked back to the dragon. "Can it still breathe fire? Or snow? Or whatever terrifying breath attack it had before?"

Grogar exhaled, shaking his head. "Unfortunately, it refuses to cooperate when it comes to power displays."

Lilith blinked. "Wait. You mean... you tried?"

"Of course," Grogar said. "Wouldn't you?"

She couldn't argue with that.

"So? What happened?"

"It ignored me."

Lilith raised an eyebrow. "Ignored you? Like, it pretended not to hear?"

"Precisely."

Lilith laughed. "Wow. It really does have an ego."

Grogar nodded. "Dragons prefer peace when given the option. Even in undeath, it does not see the need to prove its strength. And I... respect that."

Lilith sighed dramatically. "So no fire, no destruction, no thrilling battle demonstrations?"

Grogar smirked. "Not unless you anger it."

Lilith grinned. "Noted."

She looked back at the half-decomposed dragon, studying it with new eyes.

The dragon's single eye lingered on Lilith as if listening, its tail barely shifting against the cracked stone of the courtyard.

Lilith crossed her arms, tilting her head slightly. "It really does have an attitude."

Grogar let out a dry chuckle. "Did you expect anything less?"

She glanced back at her uncle. "So? How is this supposed to be my gift? It's half-rotten."

Grogar's skeletal grin widened. "How is the gift?"

Lilith exhaled through her nose, staring at the creature for a long moment.

"...It's ugly," she admitted. Then, with a small smirk, she added, "I like it."

A faint breath rumbled from the dragon's throat, not quite a growl, not quite a sigh.

---

Deep beneath the Demon King's castle, where molten rivers flowed beneath stone walkways and the heat of the forge never died, a creature of fire and metal stood before the Demon King.

His massive frame was sculpted from dark iron, his body crackling with ember veins that pulsed like a living forge. His long fingers, thick and clawed, curled around the parchment handed to him, his molten eyes scanning the strange schematic.

The Demon King stood before him, arms crossed, watching.

"Make sure it is well replicated," he instructed. "And the symbols—"

He gestured toward the torn edge of the parchment, where faded markings trailed off into nothingness.

"Figure them out," the Demon King ordered.

The blacksmith's clawed fingers tightened slightly around the paper. The embers within his body flared just a little brighter.

A slow, heavy breath escaped him, smoke curling between his teeth.

"...Let's see what it is."