Summary: Everyone had always thought that Zeno would be the last one alive in case the worst happens. However, Shin-Ah was shocked to discover, why was it him instead? In despair because of Kouka's fall and his loss, the heavens decided to grant him another chance. This time, Shin-Ah swears that he will save everyone and stop the war from happening again, no matter what. (Time Travel, Mature!Shin-Ah, Smart!Shin-Ah)

Many years have passed since the anime and the manga's timeline, so everyone is in their twenties or thirties now. Because of that, it makes sense that Shin-Ah had grown serious, smarter, more vocal, and more mature. Please keep that in mind if you spot anything that doesn't sound like something Shin-Ah would say. Age and never-ending wars can drastically change a person, but don't worry. You'll still see traces of the old, awkward Shin-Ah we all know and love.

Chapter One: The Last Dragon

...

Dull golden eyes stared half-lidded in the distance, sword slick with the blood of his enemies remaining firmly in his grip, its tip turned towards the ground.

It was over.

The greying clouds overtook the bright sky, thunder rumbling forebodingly in the distance. It wasn't long before the heavy clouds began releasing drops of water, the soft pitter patter of the droplets quickly becoming a sheen of rain that began cascading towards the rocky ground, as if doing its best to scrub it free of the blood that came from the limp bodies that littered the previously raging battlefield.

Only one lone man stood amongst the lifeless bodies, his clothes ripped and sticky with both his blood and the blood of those he killed. It seemed anywhere he looked there was red everywhere, the rain not doing such a great job in ridding it off the hard ground.

He exhaled, watching his breath turn into mist, and shifted. In doing so, his foot gently bumped into what felt like soft flesh. He paused and slowly turned his gaze down; ignoring the bloody massacre around him until it finally rested on a serene face framed with previously vibrant red hair.

The spell broke, his vision suddenly cleared, and his firm grip on his sword slackened until it slipped to the ground in a harsh clang! His now focused gaze frantically swept over the body of his master, his princess, his first friend.

It didn't escape his attention that her lifeless hand still held on tightly onto the horned mask he had given to her a long time ago.

Yo… na…

His body seized and his legs suddenly lost all strength, and he proceeded to tumble like a broken doll towards the bloody ground, his head landing right beside the still face of Yona. With his body paralyzed, the only thing he could do was stare in horror at the closed eyes of his friend, her face the epitome of peace after battle.

His own face crumbled in anguish and he finally released a heart-wrenching scream.

Yona!

His vision blurred, and tears of grief began cascading down his face. He sobbed and screamed, ignoring the pain in his underused throat. It was the most sound he ever created in his whole life, the heart-wrenching sound echoing amongst the dead silence of the battlefield. He didn't care if their enemies are still alive, he only cared about his dearest Yona.

Without glancing around him, he knew the bodies of his brothers and Hak are near. He had watched all of them die one by one, each moment feeling like he had been the one receiving their fatal wounds. The sheer number of the army had overwhelmed them and they had fallen, but not before taking out whole legions of soldiers with them in the afterlife. He was the last one left simply because anyone he looked at swiftly had their hearts crushed by his powerful gaze and their bodies butchered by his mighty blade.

His brothers all died just the way they would have liked it: by protecting their master and friend to the very end.

He just wished he could say the same.

He tried forcing his stiff fingers to close in on her wrist, disregarding the horrible pain as bone ripped through skin and muscle from the force. He was desperate to feel the warm and kind hands that always cups his face whenever he uses his curse. Thinking back, his past all seemed so trivial now.

Only Yona is important. Only her.

His tear-filled gaze swept over her back, and at the precious blood pooling from under her. He saw her get stabbed through the back by an unknown soldier, to everyone's horror. Being the nearest, he had swiftly returned the favor; brutally cutting his head and limbs off as well as crushing his heart under his powerful gaze, but it wasn't enough. Yona isn't coming back.

"Yo… na…" He tried to say, but his hoarse throat merely croaked. He sobbed, "P-Please… wake up…"

Please… say my name… one last time…

The harsh rain quickly drowned out any response he might have gotten.

He didn't know how long he just laid there, quietly staring at the peaceful face of Yona who is slowly turning stiff as rigor mortis finally sets in. Even in death, she looked beautiful and ethereal; her closed eyes making it look like she was just sleeping and this was just any other day. His paralysis has long since gone, but he doesn't have the strength to get up anymore. He would be content to just lay here amongst the bodies of his friends and family. At least then they would all still be together.

A snapping noise suddenly split the eerie silence and he froze. Turning his gaze, he watched as a very familiar butchered golden-haired body began twitching and spasming. His eyes widened when he abruptly realized that it was his immortal brother, the Yellow Dragon, attempting to regenerate.

"Ze… no…" He murmured in shock. He watched and waited, and quickly realized that while Zeno was trying his best to regenerate, the process is very slow this time. And he knew why.

They are so far away from Kouka Kingdom – from Hiryuu Castle – for the regeneration to be as quick as before. He can see every bone slowly snapping into place, every skin and muscle stitching itself back at a painstakingly snail-like pace. At the rate he was going, it would take him possibly a whole day before he gets back to his normal self. And by the time he does, he thought grimly, Shin-Ah would be long gone.

"I-I'm sorry… Zeno."

He closed his eyes, the horrible sound of bones and skin mending themselves slowly fading away from his mind. Yona's skin had gone ice cold, but he didn't let go.

It was very strange. He had always felt the presences of three colorful lights in his mind ever since he could remember. Now, the white and green lights are gone, and the yellow light was flickering weakly, as if it could go out at any moment. It made him feel extremely cold and alone, especially since he realized that there might never be any Dragons to be born in the world anymore. Their master is dead; they have failed to protect her.

The gods must hate their very existence now.

"That is not true, my dear child."

He quickly froze, and that is when he finally felt the presence of another. His neck protested in pain as his head turned abruptly, wild eyes frantically searching for the source of the new voice; ready to activate his curse the very moment they met his gaze. If someone had come to desecrate Yona or his family's bodies, he will absolutely destroy them.

As if sensing his murderous thoughts, the presence immediately spoke. "Calm, Seiryuu."

The voice radiated authority, but at the same time, it also sounded very kind and warm. It comforted him, and he reluctantly relaxed. Oddly enough, it felt almost familiar. Almost like…

"Shin-Ah."

Shocked tears came unbidden to his wide golden eyes and trailed down his cheeks. He slowly turned, his curse dissipating into nothing as golden eyes met violet.

The solemn but kind face of a red-haired man gazed back at him, and Shin-Ah instantly knew without a shadow of a doubt that this is his original master… King Hiryuu.

Yona…

He tried to form words, but his mouth only parted uselessly. His stunned eyes couldn't comprehend the image of this man standing before him. The one whose face and legacy he could only picture using the stories Zeno and Kija used to tell sometimes. He didn't even know how he knew. It just felt… right.

The original crimson dragon closed his eyes and slowly opened them again to gaze out the bloody battlefield, his violet eyes slowly becoming solemn and sad. The sight oddly wrenched his heart. To his confusion, he didn't want to see this man feel sad at all.

"Man has truly gone too far this time." He whispered before turning to him with regret in his eyes. "I never listened to my brothers then; since I loved everything about humanity. In fact, I loved them so much I even became one of them. However, it is now I only realized that I should never have let them be."

His gaze followed the King as he slowly walked towards the still twitching body of Zeno. It was then that the sound of the snapping bones and mending skin came back as loud as ever and he internally flinched. He watched as King Hiryuu knelt on the bloody ground before slowly reaching forward and closed Zeno's eyes. Slowly, the Yellow Dragon's body stopped moving and he released his last breath.

Shin-Ah's eyes immediately blazed in fury and he quickly sat up, ignoring as every wound and part of his body burned in pain. "W-What did you do to him?"

The King merely gazed forlornly at the Yellow Dragon's still form before slowly meeting Shin-Ah's deadly gaze. To his shock, the power of the Seiryuu quietly washed over him with no effect, rendering the paralysis ineffective as well.

This development did not deter Shin-Ah however, and he quickly grabbed his sword with his broken fingers and stood up firmly on his feet. The pain and everything else was moved to the back of his mind. Now, the only thing that mattered is if that man just murdered his brother.

"What did you do?!" He roared in fury. The only person he had left… and this man just killed him!

This couldn't be Yona. Yona would never do anything like that!

"YOU KILLED MY BROTHER!"

"Calm yourself, Shin-Ah." The King's tone brooked no argument, and Shin-Ah wavered. "I did not kill Zeno," he stated gravely. "Instead, I granted what he has wished and begged for after all these years. I failed to give it to him in my first life; it would be beyond cruel of me to ignore it in this life.

"Death."

Shin-Ah's eyes widened, and he unconsciously took a step back before looking back at Zeno's now lifeless body. The Yellow Dragon looked – dare he say it – happy and contented. He released a shuddering breath before collapsing to his knees beside his brother's body. He knew immortality is a curse far worse than the power of his eyes, but he never imagined cheerful and wise Zeno would wish for death so much.

He gently cupped Zeno's cheeks with trembling hands before closing his eyes in respect. If this was truly what Zeno had wished for after all these years, then it would be presumptuous of Shin-Ah to deny him his happiness. "Rest… brother."

Zeno didn't respond – he didn't expect him to – but Shin-Ah still felt that hint of gratitude coming from the small smile decorating Zeno's serene face. It was truly only him left.

The Last Dragon.

"Not quite." Shin-Ah looked at the man in confusion, and the King smiled sadly. "This world has descended into chaos now that the Four Dragons and my reincarnation is gone. No amount of Dragons or prophecies can save it now." He closed his eyes in grief. "Humanity is lost."

It made him feel like a horrible monster, but Shin-Ah doesn't care about humanity or anything else. The only people he ever cared about now lay lifeless at his feet, never to return. He now understood and found himself wishing for a quick death just like his brother. It's no use to live in a world devoid of Yona, the Four Dragons, Hak, and Yoon. He would sooner wish to kill himself.

"However," the King opened his eyes, and Shin-Ah was stunned to see Yona's own blazing violet eyes gazing back at his, alive and full of determination. "While humanity has no hope of recovering, you still do."

W-Wha…? Shin-Ah stared at the crimson dragon king in confusion.

"Do you want to see your family again, Shin-Ah?" He asked solemnly.

"Yes." The answer came out without hesitation. Shin-Ah had straightened himself, his eyes narrowed in slight suspicion. "What do you intend to do?"

"Right now, there are two paths that lay before you, young Seiryuu. Your decision will ultimately decide the future of this kingdom. If you choose the first, you may see your family again. The Four Dragons, the Thunder Beast, the Healer, and their Master would be together again in the heavens and live the rest of their lives peacefully, as it is what you deserve. However, the devastation in this world will remain, and the kingdom will eventually fall into ruins. The second path, and the one I hope you would choose, is to relive your journey. While this is definitely the hardest choice, as it will give you nothing but pain and suffering, it would give you a chance to right all the wrongs, to save those you wished you could have saved, and to fulfill my and Yona's greatest wish: to save the Kingdom of Kouka."

Shin-ah was frozen in shock. Relive their whole journey? That seemed too good to be true.

Right now, the only thing he wants is to see everyone again. He wished he could rest and live peacefully with them for the rest of his life. No more wars, no more fighting, no more threat of death. Just them and eternal peace. However, it seems in both paths, he could see and be together with his family again, but he knows if he chose the first path, Yona will forever regret failing to save the kingdom deep in her heart.

Only one path would truly make Yona happy. The question is, should he make that choice?

"It is entirely your decision. After all, you deserve it after doing your best in protecting your family and what remains of the kingdom. Whatever your choice, know that I will guide you in every step of the way."

"W-Will I still remember everything?" He asked carefully.

"Everything." King Hiryuu agreed gravely.

To relive everything… it means that he will have to go through every war, every fight, and every death all over again. He might even go back to the time when Ao was still alive. And not only that, but he would have to go and try to change everything in order to save everyone. To live through that again… was he ready?

Why him? Why not Zeno, who was still alive when this happened? Why not Yona, who was the prophesied King reincarnated? Why not the other Dragons or Yoon, who would most likely do a better job? Why choose a useless monster like him?

He could feel the burden of his decision pressing down on him, suffocating him with its massive weight. He didn't know how Yona had done it; to have the future of the entire kingdom and its people resting on her small shoulders… how could he have been so oblivious to her pain and suffering?

Shin-Ah…

He froze and gazed down on Yona's body, and he could just see her giving him a warm and understanding smile.

I trust you…

He smiled sadly and squeezed her hand, decision made. "The second path…" He turned and stared straight into the King's solemn eyes. "I choose the second path."

For Yona.

The crimson dragon nodded in understanding, his eyes kind and proud. "Very well."

The battlefield suddenly blazed with a holy red light, and Shin-Ah took a shocked step back. He watched as the sky turned red – the color of dawn – before glowing with different colors as well. Green, White, Yellow, and Blue colors writhed in the skies, looking almost like Dragons taking flight around the clouds. King Hiryuu's red hair now burned like fire, flying behind him in a red-hot blaze. His violet eyes remained on his, however, filling him with strength he didn't know he lacked. "I pray for your safe journey, Child of Moonlight, the Seiryuu's chosen. Protect this Kingdom with your powerful gaze, and know that I will always be by your side."

And with those final words, everything exploded with the burning red light, and he knew no more.