Rayder had never been a fan of overly ornate sword techniques. While he had seen plenty of them in his previous life, he understood that flashy moves were often impractical in real combat. Instead, he devoted himself to mastering the basics—thrusts, slashes, and upward cuts—movements grounded in brutal efficiency.
After half an hour of intense sword training atop Fire Peak, Rayder was soaked in sweat, his chest rising and falling with each breath. He finally lowered his sword and looked out across the horizon. The setting sun dyed the wasteland in shades of crimson and gold, its fading light casting long shadows over the ash-covered land of Valyria.
A surreal emotion stirred inside him. It all felt like a dream.
Almost half a year had passed since he arrived in this world. He had survived the chaos, tamed a dragon, and now stood as a dominant force, riding a creature feared by all. From a mere assassin in another life, he had risen to command one of the most powerful beings on the continent.
And yet, despite all his power, Rayder felt a strange emptiness—a sense of being lost.
Tomorrow, if everything went as expected, he would complete the system's primary task: hatching King Ghidorah. That goal, which had driven him since day one, was within reach. But then what?
Would he become a conqueror, rebuilding the lost kingdom of Valyria from ashes? Or perhaps sail west to Westeros and dive headfirst into the familiar tale of lords and thrones? Should he raise Kidora to maturity before making any decisions?
These questions haunted him, swirling through his mind like restless spirits. He lay down, hoping sleep would silence them.
Darkness fell. The dragon's lair turned pitch black, broken only by the deep breaths of Rayder and his dragon companion, Black Dragon Im. The night was calm, seemingly peaceful.
But unseen to Rayder, shadows began to stir.
Phantom-like figures emerged from the depths of the darkness. Ethereal and twisted, these illusory forms drifted through the air like spirits born of hatred. Each one radiated a chilling aura, their black resentment clinging to the very atmosphere around them.
Drawn by some invisible force, the shadows slowly floated toward Rayder and Im, targeting them as if summoned by fate.
Yet, as the shadows neared Rayder, something strange happened—they dissolved. One after another, they disintegrated into thin wisps of smoke the moment they approached him, vanishing like mist under the morning sun. It was as if an unseen force shielded him, offering absolute protection.
Rayder, fast asleep, remained unaware of the spectral danger that had nearly consumed him.
Realizing their efforts were futile against Rayder, the shadows shifted focus—toward Black Dragon Im.
They glided toward the dragon, their movements like oily tendrils slithering through the air. Unlike Rayder, Im was not completely protected. Some shadows that touched its black scales dissipated instantly, but others managed to breach its defenses.
One by one, the weaker shadows faded, but a handful succeeded. The last remnants of the cursed specters found their way into the dragon's body, merging silently with the beast.
Im trembled slightly. A shiver rippled through its massive form, a subtle reaction to the foreign presence now lodged deep inside it. But the disturbance lasted only a moment. Soon, Im lay still again, as if nothing had happened.
The night passed without further incident.
---
As the sun rose over Fire Peak, the golden light spilled into the lair. Rayder stirred from his slumber, stretched, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. A fresh day had begun, and he felt reinvigorated. His first thought was of Im.
He walked over to the sleeping dragon, intending to greet it and head out on a new hunt. The sky was clear, and his mood was light. He gave Im's tail a gentle pat.
But then his eyes fell on something that made his heart stop.
There, on the side of Im's thick neck, were several small, fleshy protrusions—bulging lumps that hadn't been there before.
Rayder's breath caught in his throat. His heart raced as cold sweat formed on his forehead.
He knew exactly what this meant.
Just yesterday, he had seen similar growths on the Red Dragon, a terrifying and fatal mutation caused by a mysterious affliction. Now, the same condition had appeared on Black Dragon Im—his dragon!
Panicked, Rayder stepped closer and began to inspect the strange lumps. They were about the size of a pinky finger, soft yet oddly firm. Though much smaller than the massive, child-sized tumors that had overtaken the old Red Dragon, the resemblance was unmistakable.
This was no coincidence.
This was a curse.
Rayder's fingers trembled as he pulled up the system interface, quickly navigating to Im's status panel.
> Black Demon Dragon – Im
Age: 191 years
Length: 130 meters
Wingspan: 370 meters
Status: — Curse
There it was.
The same word that had puzzled him before: Curse.
Now, its meaning was horrifyingly clear.
Rayder stared at the word, his jaw clenched tightly. A sinking feeling dragged at his chest. He clicked on the word repeatedly, hoping the system would offer an explanation.
Nothing.
No pop-ups. No details.
Just silence.
Frustrated, he tapped it again. And again. And again. Dozens of times. He refused to believe that the system wouldn't explain something so critical. He had depended on it for everything—growth, combat, navigation. Surely it couldn't abandon him now.
Suddenly, a small prompt appeared:
> System Permission Insufficient.
Rayder's face darkened.
"You've got to be kidding me," he muttered through gritted teeth. Rage bubbled inside him.
He slammed his fist forward, punching the system interface in fury—only for his hand to pass straight through it. There was no resistance. No impact. Just more humiliation.
He staggered slightly, barely catching his balance.
"Damn this broken system!" he shouted, kicking a rock across the lair. "Why even show me it's cursed if you won't tell me anything else?!"
He paced furiously, pulling at his hair and cursing under his breath.
And then, a low rumble interrupted his tantrum.
Im stirred.
The great black dragon slowly opened its eyes. A powerful, ancient energy radiated from its golden pupils, as if it had sensed Rayder's distress even in its sleep.
Im's gaze locked onto Rayder—not as a beast looking at its master, but as a creature acknowledging its equal. The connection between them had always been deep, but at that moment, something changed.
Im nudged Rayder gently with its massive snout, then rubbed against him affectionately.
Rayder froze.
The usually proud and aloof dragon was comforting him.
The gesture wasn't subtle. It was deliberate. Empathetic.
And that simple act did more to calm Rayder than a thousand reassuring words could have.
He let out a long, shaky breath and leaned against Im's warm, scaled body.
"Thanks, buddy," he murmured.
The fear still lingered. The mystery of the curse remained unsolved. But Rayder knew one thing: whatever came next, they would face it together.
Man and dragon. Unbreakable.
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