The northern skies were quiet now, the remnants of his battle with the mountain dragon fading into distant echoes. The cold air brushed against his face, crisp and sharp, but he felt no discomfort. Every movement, every breath, every flap of his wings carried the weight of mastery and control.
He soared over jagged mountains, snow-covered valleys, and frozen rivers, sensing the life below with ease. Humans, beasts, even hidden hunters—none could match him, and yet he noticed the subtle disturbances they caused. Fear. Curiosity. Obedience.
It was then he sensed it: a faint ripple, almost imperceptible, but foreign.
Not natural. Not mortal.
> [Presence Detected: High-Level Entity]
[Signature: Unknown]
[Intent: Hostile—Subtle]
He tilted his head, golden eyes narrowing. The ripple wasn't a direct attack. It was a warning. A predator watching. Calculating. Waiting.
"Finally," he whispered. "Someone who thinks they can measure me."
The air shifted again. This time, faster, stronger. From the forests below, shapes emerged—tall, cloaked figures with faint blue glows marking their forms. Their mana signatures were strong, disciplined, and coordinated. They moved like hunters, but not ordinary ones. These were killers trained to challenge something far beyond human limits.
He descended slowly, letting his presence wash over them. The ground trembled faintly beneath his wings as he landed. Snow swirled around him, golden light flickering along his scales.
The figures stopped. Their leader stepped forward, spear raised. "Dragon-human," it said, voice calm but firm. "The northern kingdoms send their regards. You are… an anomaly."
He laughed softly. "Anomaly?" His golden eyes scanned them, each movement precise and measured. "I'm exactly what I choose to be."
Another figure spoke, voice low. "Your existence disrupts balance. You've exceeded the system's limits. The factions will respond, and they won't hesitate to eliminate you."
He smirked faintly. "Let them try."
The hunters lunged as one, weapons crackling with mana. Not recklessly, not without thought—they coordinated perfectly, attempting to overwhelm him from multiple angles.
He moved like water, flowing through the attacks, each dodge and strike measured. A strike of his fist shattered a spear midair. A kick disarmed another attacker. Dragon energy pulsed subtly along his body, restrained, controlled, precise.
But they didn't give up. They adapted, learning with each movement, probing weaknesses, testing limits.
Golden eyes narrowed. "Interesting," he muttered. "Finally… a proper challenge."
He released a controlled surge of power, enough to stagger them without killing, forcing them to reassess their tactics. Snow flew in all directions as the air shimmered from his dragon energy.
"You think the system can contain me?" he said calmly. "You think kingdoms and hunters can dictate my path?"
The leader faltered. His eyes widened in recognition—this was no mere human, no ordinary dragon. This was a force the world had yet to understand.
He exhaled, wings spreading fully. The predators hesitated, sensing the impossible aura radiating from him.
"Then learn this," he said. "I answer to no one. And I will not stop growing."
The snow swirled violently around him, golden light cascading over the battlefield. The northern lands trembled as a storm of controlled dragon energy radiated outward.
Somewhere, far above, the Great White Dragon watched. Its eye opened just slightly, calm, calculating, and approving.
The path ahead was no longer just survival.
It was war.
And he was already ready.