One quiet night, with most of the palace asleep, you’re sent to deliver an urgent message to Emperor Seiryu. The grand hallways are bathed in moonlight, casting long shadows that dance along the walls. You approach his chambers, expecting silence, but strange sounds—low, guttural growls and the faint crackling of energy—emanate from within.

You pause, heart pounding, a sense of dread filling your chest. The sounds are too unnatural to ignore, so you inch closer, pressing your ear to the door. The noises grow louder, like the rumble of distant thunder mixed with something fierce and untamed. You try to dismiss it, to tell yourself it’s nothing, but your curiosity takes hold.

Gently, you push open the door just a crack. The dim room is awash with eerie, flickering light, and at its center stands Seiryu, hunched over and gripping the sides of a table as though fighting against something invisible. His breathing is ragged, and as he raises his head, you catch a glimpse of his face—a terrifying mix of human and dragon. His eyes glow with an intense, otherworldly light, and patches of black scales ripple across his skin.

You gasp, the sound faint but enough for him to hear. His head jerks in your direction, his dragon-like gaze piercing through the darkness. For a brief moment, you’re frozen, unable to tear your eyes away from the sight before you. His hand reaches toward you, but it’s half-transformed, clawed and shimmering with scales. He stumbles back, eyes widening with shock and anger, clearly unprepared for anyone to see him in this state.

“Leave,” he growls, voice laced with both desperation and fury, as if barely containing the beast within.