Rayder stared into the deep, ancient eyes of Black Dragon Im. To his surprise, he saw something warm and familiar reflected in their depths—an emotion reminiscent of a mother's gentle concern for her child. The sight stirred something strange in Rayder. One of his eyes twitched uncontrollably, and for a moment, he felt like a helpless little boy under the protective gaze of an overbearing parent.
The feeling made him uncomfortable.
But after thinking it through, Rayder came to a more rational conclusion. Considering that Black Dragon Im had lived for nearly two centuries, and he himself was only eleven, it wasn't unreasonable for the mighty dragon to regard him with such affection. To Im, he must appear young and fragile—just a child, after all.
Understanding this, Rayder gradually calmed his emotions. He offered a small, appreciative smile and reached out to gently pat Im's head, signaling that he was fine, that he didn't need comfort, and that he could carry on.
Then, without wasting another moment, Rayder summoned his personal system panel and carefully reviewed the data.
---
Personal Data Panel
Name: Rayder
Gender: Male
Age: 11
Bloodline Talent: Ancient Valyrian Dragon King Bloodline, Dragon Rider, Dragon King's Pressure
Status: Healthy
---
What relieved him most was the system's confirmation of his "Healthy" status. It meant he was, for now at least, free from the curse that had infected both the Red Dragon and now, tragically, Black Dragon Im. He had seen with his own eyes how terrifying the curse could be—how it disfigured and consumed its host. Yet, the system claimed he remained unaffected.
Was he truly immune?
Rayder considered the possibility. Those shadowy figures that appeared in the night—ghost-like entities twisted with black resentment—had tried to approach him. But each time they got close, they vanished like mist under the morning sun. It was as though something within him naturally repelled the curse.
Still, he couldn't be entirely certain. He had no one else to compare himself to, no other human subject in this strange, ancient world filled with ruins and dragons. Perhaps it was just luck. Or maybe it was something deeper in his bloodline that set him apart.
Whatever the reason, he would take the victory for now.
Rayder closed the system panel, feeling a wave of mixed emotions. The limitations of his current system access irritated him. He couldn't even unlock detailed descriptions of certain status effects, nor access detailed info on his bonded dragon. It was clear: he needed to level up his permissions. And the only way to do that was to complete the system's assigned task.
With renewed focus, Rayder decided that today would be the day he fulfilled that mission.
Climbing skillfully onto Black Dragon Im's broad back, he settled into position and gave a gentle pat to the dragon's scales. The gesture was a silent signal. Immediately, Im took off, launching into the sky with a powerful beat of her massive wings. Their coordination had long since reached an instinctual level—they didn't need words to understand each other.
The volcanic winds rushed past him, the air hot and dry, filled with the ancient scent of stone, ash, and fire.
But just as they had traveled several dozen miles away from their lair, Black Dragon Im suddenly let out a deep, rumbling roar that echoed across the mountains like thunder. Rayder immediately knew what that roar meant.
She wanted to land.
Without hesitation, Rayder tightened his grip on the bone ridges along her spine. He trusted her judgment. In this wasteland, few things could threaten a full-grown dragon—only the mysterious sand worms, hiding deep underground, were potentially dangerous.
Black Dragon Im slowed her flight, circling down toward a familiar target: an ancient, partially dormant volcano.
As they descended into the massive crater, a wave of sulfurous air rushed up to meet them. The smell burned Rayder's nose and throat, making him wince in discomfort. His eyes watered, and the heat felt like it might peel the skin from his bones.
Still, he gritted his teeth and endured it.
The inside of the volcano was vast—astonishingly so. Even with Im's enormous hundred-meter-long frame, she could move freely inside. Jagged volcanic rocks protruded in twisted formations like claws of a sleeping beast. The ground shimmered with heat, and the air shimmered with mirages.
Cracks and crevices spiderwebbed across the surface, some spewing thin plumes of black smoke. Most of the lava had cooled, and no flowing magma could be seen—it was clear this volcano was on the verge of becoming dormant.
Rayder glanced around, curious why Im had brought them here.
Then, he saw it.
Without warning, Im reared her massive head and let loose a torrent of Dragon Flame, unleashing it directly into one of the deep fissures that had no visible smoke.
The flames were blisteringly hot, flowing down the crevice like liquid wrath. Almost immediately, the ground trembled—and from within the depths, something began to emerge.
Worms.
Dozens—hundreds—of black-red worms, each the size of a washbasin, squirmed out from the rocks, forced out by the heat. Some were scorched by the Dragon Flame as they surfaced, letting out horrible, screeching noises as their bodies charred and curled.
The smell was unbearable—a mix of burnt flesh, sulfur, and rot.
Despite their appearance, the worms were tenacious. They flailed and twisted even as their outer layers burned, struggling against death with feral instinct.
But Black Dragon Im was unmoved. Her eyes glinted with primal hunger. She lunged, jaws snapping down to seize the nearest worm. The bite produced a loud crunch, and the worm's innards sprayed out like molten lava—thick, red, and steaming. It painted the rocks with viscous gore.
Rayder grimaced, struggling to suppress the urge to gag.
Im, however, was ecstatic.
She devoured the worms one after another with horrifying efficiency. The more she ate, the more energetic she seemed to become. Rayder could feel her strength surging with every bite.
And yet, he couldn't help but shiver. These creatures, disgusting as they were, were alive with magical energy—he could feel it now. As they died, their essence seemed to fade into the air like smoke.
Curious, Rayder quickly brought up his system panel again and focused on Kidora's hatching progress.
---
Kidora – Incubation Progress:
97% → 98% → 99%...
---
His heart leapt with joy.
These worms weren't just disgusting pests—they were a key ingredient in awakening King Ghidorah. The system had been absorbing their magical energy all along.
The realization invigorated him. No longer disgusted, he stood back and let Im feast undisturbed. Every bite she took brought him closer to his goal. Every worm that died fueled the monstrous life stirring in the egg below the mountain.
While Im gorged herself, Rayder returned to studying the system, trying to understand its hierarchy.
He soon confirmed what he'd suspected: while his own personal information panel was accessible and detailed, that of Black Dragon Im remained locked or restricted. Most of her data was superficial—name, age, size, and a general health status.
He couldn't even read the details of the curse affecting her.
This further convinced Rayder that unlocking more system features would only be possible after completing the task at hand.
And now, he was almost there.
Minutes passed, then half an hour. Rayder stood quietly while Im consumed the last of the wriggling, steaming worms. When she finally stopped, her belly visibly full, she let out a low, contented growl and slowly lay down near the mouth of a still-warm vent.
The scent of charred flesh hung in the air. The volcano had gone quiet once again.
Rayder exhaled slowly.
He opened the panel once more.
---
Kidora – Incubation Progress: 100%
[Task Complete – Awakening Sequence Initiated]
---
A glowing prompt flashed across his vision.
Rayder's hands trembled.
He had done it.
The system buzzed with unseen power, and deep beneath the mountain, something ancient, terrible, and hungry was about to awaken.
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