His Crimson Eyes (Tangtho AU)

Chapter 1

Roars split the air, shattering the silence that had been moments ago. A dragon rose into the sky, snarling as its sharp gaze scanned the forested land below, searching for its attacker.

Etho crouched behind a pile of rocks. His eyes were fixed on the dragon hovering above as he fiddled with his bow. Quickly, he put an arrow on the string and fired it. It hit its mark, tearing a hole in one of the dragon's wings. The beast roared in fury and pain as it began to sink, despite flapping rapidly to try to stay in the air. Etho fired another arrow to hit the other wing, bringing the huge creature crashing down into the forest. 

The ninja put his bow away and pulled out his sword. He sprinted toward the dragon and lunged for its chest. A blow caught him off guard before he could reach it, throwing him backward. He gasped, winded by the sheer force of the dragon's powerful forearms, but he jumped up before the dragon could slash at him again.

A burst of flame hindered him from getting near the chest, however, and Etho figured it was time for a different approach. Ducking under the swinging forelegs, he climbed onto the dragon's back by its injured wings. Unable to reach him with its arms or fire now, the dragon began lashing its tail, swinging it dangerously close to him. But Etho held on despite the thrashing and made his way to the dragon's neck. The creature roared as he stabbed it, but it wasn't as loud as it had been before, and Etho could tell it was beginning to weaken. 

While the dragon was distracted, clutching at its new wound, Etho slid off its shoulder and dropped to the ground in front of it. Now he was able to reach the soft spot on the dragon's chest, plunging his sword deep into its flesh and heart beneath. 

A final, weak roar escaped the dragon before it collapsed, twitching a little longer before it stilled. When Etho was sure it was dead, he let out a breath of relief. He wiped his sword on the grass to clean it before sheathing it and approaching the dragon's corpse. Setting an empty bag on the ground, he pulled out a new blade and collected as many things from the dragon as he could, such as scales, fangs, and vials of blood.

When the bag was full, Etho closed it, securing it tightly with a length of rope, and slung it over his shoulder. Turning away from the dead dragon, he began trekking back through the forest, limping slightly. Full sunlight soon enveloped him as he walked into a plain. It was uninhabited for a long way, but in the distance lay dotted houses and the castle. Setting his sights on the large fortress, he continued walking.

After a couple of hours, the castle towered above Etho as he made his way through its gates. He navigated the halls easily, and soon he entered a decent-sized office room. The black-haired and monotone-dressed man behind the desk raised his eyes to meet Etho's as he set the bag on the desk.

"So you killed one?" The man asked, peering into the bag.

"In record time, too, correct?" Etho returned.

"Indeed. I'm genuinely impressed, Challenger Etho. You show much potential," the man said.

"Thank you, Director Cub," Etho replied.

Cub gave a nod. "You have completed the trials, and will now move on to the semi-finals. Go rest. The next part of the tournament will take place in three days, and you will need all your strength." 

Etho left the office and headed to his room in the castle. He pulled off his equipment and put it away, slipped off his boots, and collapsed on his bed with a sigh. Running a hand through his spiky white hair, he reflected on how far he'd come. 

A week ago, he'd been living his normal life. Then he was chosen to be part of the annual tournament that provided entertainment for the king, and now here he was in the castle, having passed all the trials. In three days, he'd be moving on from fighting monsters and beasts to other people, and he didn't know what to think.