Ocean closed his eyes then reached out and touched his earstud gently removing it from his earlobe. The mana layer that maintained Ocean’s disguise glowed radiantly before it shimmered away revealing the true form beneath.

Eric’s eyes widened as he saw the man before him transform into a young woman. The blue hair replaced by long white hair, the tall, athletic body melting into the frail looking ivory doll-like body.

The person opened their eyes revealing the same pair of eyes that Eric had seen just a few seconds ago.

His voice was stuck in his throat as he saw Reina standing in front of him instead of Ocean now.

"Re-Reina?" He gasped and Reina inhaled and exhaled deeply.

"Yes," she answered.

"But how... Wait, Master, do you have Reina’s disguise?" Eric asked with bewildered eyes and Reina’s eyes softened a little bit her expression remained neutral.

"It’s the other way around." She told him.

"What?" Eric blinked as if his mind wasn’t ready to process this.

"Ocean is my disguise." Reina clarified and Eric stared at her with eyes wide and face paler than sheet.

"What?" He chuckled, "How is that possible? Master is... Master is a man and-and older than Reina... How could this..."

He laughed shaking his head, "It’s impossible."

Reina lifted her hand and created a water ball before turning it into ice and then back into water before the ball dispersed into icy bits and disintegrated.

"It’s the truth. I’ve been maintaining Ocean’s identity to make sure my family remains safe while I do what’s necessary." Reina said before she used telekinesis to drag an armchair close and took a seat.

Eric watched with wide, disbelieving eyes as Reina sat in the exact same posture as Ocean and spoke in the same tone as him.

"But... How... Why?" He asked trying to put his thoughts into words.

"It’s a long story... I can’t explain now... I had to tell you the truth now because the demons have reached all the way here." Reina said.

Eric cradled his head as if it was splitting in two before he looked at Reina’s impassive face. Even though it was unlikely, he could see Ocean through her. Even though the room was brightly lit, her eyes glowed the way Ocean’s did sometimes and her hair seemed to have the strands of pale blue in them.

"So... You chose me as the King and used Master Ocean’s disguise to put it all together?" Eric asked and Reina nodded.

"Precisely,"

Eric was at a loss for words, he always looked up to Ocean and saw Reina as his little sister but to think they were the same...

He had no idea what to think of it. Everything that had happened today seemed like an absurd dream. First, Carlos was possessed by a demon and now he’s seeing Reina who claimed that she was Ocean’s reality.

He didn’t know what to believe anymore. He just wanted to wake up from this dream.

"I know it’s too much to take at once," Reina spoke, her voice sounded a little softer.

Eric gathered his thoughts slowly making himself believe that it was all the truth.

"Does... my mother know about this?" He asked.

Reina nodded, "Yes."

Eric chuckled, "I don’t know... I don’t know what to think anymore..."

Reina’s eyes softened a little before she stood up and placed her hand over his head, ruffling his hair softly.

"I understand," she spoke, "but there’s a reason why I told you this secret now."

Eric remained silent for a while, feeling the soft touch over his head which felt more like Ocean’s usual, parental headpat.

"Why?" Eric asked softly.

"Because you will be facing a demon from hence on. I can’t kill Carlos right away and there is still the Third Trial."

Eric glanced up and Reina simply stood there with her hand still over his head.

"So... what should I do?" Eric asked.

Reina saw the spark in his eyes and smiled.

"A mother has cursed her son," she said, "so, you shall need a blessing to counter that."

Eric blinked and Reina asked, "Would you like to receive a Dragon’s blessing, Prince Eric?"

Eric was taken aback, for a moment, he had forgotten that Ocean was a Dragon. But if Ocean wasn’t the real Dragon then it was Reina. She was the real Aqua Dragon.

He gulped, "... Yes."

Reina nodded before Eric’s eyes widened as he felt the mana around converging towards him.

The notification popped before Reina’s eyes.

[You are blessing your candidate.

What blessing would you bestow on him?]

Reina closed her eyes and spoke, "I, Reina Minerva Aurelius, Scion of Supreme Aqua Dragon bless Eric Delle Ferin Marismus. You shall receive my protection when faced with the dark forces, and a demon’s curse or possession shall never work on you."

Eric felt the blue glowing light radiate from his being as if he was glowing like a radiant blue stone in the sunlight. He glanced at Reina and sensed the vast amount of her mana flowing into him.

His heart started beating with a newfound vitality and he felt as if the mana within him had suddenly grown ten times stronger.

Reina removed her hand once she was done blessing him and the glow faded, Eric touched his chest and his body which was now healed of all the injuries. He felt refreshed and rejuvenized.

"What-What was that?" Eric breathed.

Reina sat back down in her armchair, "I gave you a Dragon’s blessing. With this you will be protected from the dark forces, curses and demonic possessions."

Eric stared at her for a moment, he still couldn’t believe what his eyes showed him but he believed what he felt. This was indeed Ocean.

"And my identity is a secret." Reina added making Eric nod.

"Yes, Master." He spoke with a smile and Reina smiled back.

She rose to her feet before placing the earstud back on instantly her form transformed into Ocean’s right before Eric’s eyes and he watched in awe.

"Take some rest for now, Your Highness." Ocean told him before he walked towards the door leaving Eric.

Ocean made his way towards Carlos’s room right after, he didn’t bother to put on his mask this time as he knew there was no need.

Ocean opened the door to Carlos’s room finding Enora already inside.

Enora flinched slightly watching Ocean’s bare face and he simply gestured for her to leave. She bowed without any word and left the room.

Ocean walked over and looked out of the window where several eyes were fixed on the figure sleeping on the bed inside the room.

Ocean waved his hand at his guard to wait and then closed the curtains. He then walked back to the bed and took a seat on the armchair crossing his legs one over other. He steepled his fingers resting his elbows against the armrests and watched the young man laying on the bed.

"How long are you going to pretend to be unconscious? The mana in the rain wasn’t that much that would knock you out." Ocean spoke.

The silence followed after his words but then a deep, gravely laughter echoed in the room. Ocean sat unfazed as Carlos’s body sat up, his eyes were pitch black with a cruel smile on his face.

He stretched his arms and then got off the bed stretching her legs as if he had been bedridden for a long, long time and had finally managed to move again.

"Aah!" He groaned twisting his body and grinned widely as if he had woken from a long slumber.

He ran a hand through his hair as his eyes fixed on Ocean.

"Hello, Dragon." He spoke and Ocean’s eyebrows twitched.

"Hello," Ocean spoke maintaining his impassive expression with only his eyes showing his barely concealed hostility.

Carlos chuckled as he stood a couple of feet away from Ocean, his eyes drifted over to the closed curtains before back at Ocean.

Ocean still wasn’t able to sense the dark void-like presence that the demons usually had from Carlos but it was obvious that he was possessed.

"So, who are you?" Ocean asked and the demon chuckled through Carlos.

"Shouldn’t you be giving your name first?" He asked, his voice was gravelly and heavy, unlike the usual. It was as if a middle-aged or older man was speaking, but his voice had the steel that made him seem stronger.

Ocean tilted his head slightly and spoke, "I’m Ocean Ryujin."

Carlos nodded, repeating, "Ocean Ryujin."

Ocean watched Carlos pacing around looking at the room, "I never thought I’d find my way back here."

Carlos chuckled, "It’s quite amusing to see how far this world has come."

"Cut the crap and tell me who you are." Ocean snapped without moving an inch from his place, glaring at Carlos.

Carlos turned his head and looked at Ocean.

"How rude..." He spoke with a smile, "And here I thought you’d know who I am."

Ocean rolled his eyes before he activated his Mana Eyes again checking if he could see something, but all he could see was Carlos’s status and nothing about the demon. What change his status had was that in the place of Current Condition, there was the word Possessed.

Ocean cursed internally before he spoke, "I am a Dragon, but I haven’t gone to the level of being omnipotent yet, the day I do you wouldn’t be here to see it."

Carlos laughed, a low whistling sound escaped his lips as he shook his head and then clapped his hands.

"You..." He laughed, "You are quite an amusing Dragon."

"Get out of that body and we can see how much of a fun I am." Ocean taunted and the demon snorted through Carlos.

"As if," he chuckled, "It’s been centuries since I had a proper body... And now that I do, I’m not leaving so soon."

Ocean’s eyes turned frosty as his Dragon’s Presence whipped out like a predator lunging on its prey.

"Your stay isn’t going to be long."

The Dragon’s Presence curled and pressed upon Carlos’s body making him fall to his knees since though there was a demon possessing it, the body was still quite weak.

Carlos breathed loudly and his eyes switched back to their original hue. He was shocked and Ocean instantly removed his Dragon’s Presence.

Carlos groaned and cried as his wounds hurt and he looked up to see Ocean sitting before him. His eyes grew wide, heart jumped at his throat and blood roared in his eyes as he was hit by two emotions at the same time.

First was terror, the same presence that had nearly crushed him last time had brushed him again and second was awe, the face that had always been hidden behind the mask was suddenly before him.

Ocean Ryujin sat before him without any mask but it was his eyes that still made his blood run cold. They looked like they were hungry for blood. Possibly his.