The dragon spread its wings so wide that they covered the sky. Its body was as large as a mountain.
Seeing such a terrifying figure, everyone didn't dare look directly at it. They were terrified.
The dragon boasted. Seeing the trembling humans, it seemed so happy.
The dragon slightly shrank to the size of the cave so it could speak more easily.
Why had the dragon come here? Didn't it live in the Forest of Darkness?
According to the agreement a thousand years ago, by providing food to the dragon in the Forest of Darkness all creatures including the dragon, would no longer threaten the outside world.
Would the dragon break the agreement?
Of course.
For a creature that could destroy anything it wished, that wasn't important. What would the black dragon bear if it broke the agreement?
The reason the black dragon left the Forest of Darkness was because it was bored.
A thousand years wasn't a short time, even for a dragon. Therefore, it decided to come out and scare the humans directly for its own amusement.
"Calm down, humans, I won't eat you... Or perhaps I should change my mind?!" The dragon spoke in a playful tone.
He opened his mouth and revealed his large, sharp teeth.
"We apologize... we didn't mean to disturb you, great dragon. Please forgive us." The village chief spoke for everyone.
The dragon snorted.
"Bow to me and I will accept your request." The dragon said in a haughty tone.
"Of course... Of course we will bow to you." Their faces improved slightly.
"Thank you. Thank you, great dragon." The village chief and the others expressed their gratitude.
The black dragon allowed the twelve people to return to their village unharmed. The villagers breathed a sigh of relief. Their pale faces had recovered.
"But will we really be okay, village chief?" A villager asked.
"I don't know either." The village chief couldn't feel completely relieved.
"Should we just move out of this village?"
"The village has just recovered from an earthquake. We can't just leave."
"The earthquake must have been caused by the black dragon, right?"
"Most likely."
"Tomorrow I will go and inform the Serenia kingdom and ask for help." Said the village chief.
The villagers reassured themselves and prayed that they would be well.
The next day, after the village chief met with one of the Serenia kingdom's nobles, he was taken to a meeting with the king.
After telling everything, the village chief returned to the village.
King Erwin ordered all the nobles to gather and hold an emergency meeting. They all debated whether or not to meet the dragon.
Of course, none of them wanted to meet the dragon. That would be tantamount to suicide. But what if the black dragon suddenly went on a rampage and destroyed the country?
Of course, none of them wanted that to happen.
"I will go too." Said King Erwin.
"No, Your Majesty. It's too dangerous." Said one of the nobles.
"I know that. But as king, I cannot allow this to happen."
"Then I will follow Your Majesty."
"Me too."
"Me too."
And so the decision was made. King Erwin would go along with six other nobles and their troops.
Two days later, they arrived at the village. The village chief and two villagers guided them to where the black dragon was.
The ominous aura hadn't changed. They arrived at a cave.
King Erwin and his followers immediately shivered with fear. They were no different from the villagers who had arrived yesterday.
The dragon opened its eyes and raised its head proudly.
King Erwin Von Serenith immediately fell to his knees. His status as king was meaningless before the terrifying creature that had nearly destroyed the entire continent.
The king wasn't the only one who immediately prostrated himself. The other nobles and soldiers did the same. Their eyes and bodies trembled violently. They wanted to flee, but they couldn't.
"Oh, judging by your attire, you seem to have quite a high status, human."
"Please forgive me for the disturbance, great dragon."
Hearing the terrifying voice, the king spoke with a trembling voice. But the king mustered up courage.
"Let me introduce myself, I am the king of the kingdom of Serenia. Erwin Von Serenith." The king introduced himself with a bow.
"Ah, so the king also came here because he fears me?" The dragon laughed.
"If you submit to me, I will grant your wish."
"So, king... What do you wish?"
King Erwin's eyes trembled at that. There was indeed something else he wanted besides begging the dragon not to cause disaster.
But he couldn't say it yet. Not in front of so many people.
"I beg you to spare our lives."
"Is that all? Boring." The dragon snorted.
"Go away, don't disturb my sleep."
Everyone immediately bowed and slowly retreated. Only after returning to the village could they breathe.
"T-that was... Very scary." Some people were still trembling.
"Your Majesty, are you alright?" Asked the king's secretary.
"For now." King Erwin gathered his thoughts.
After a while, the king spoke to the village chief.
"I will order some troops to stand guard in the area. Reports will reach me more quickly. If the dragon requests anything, please convey it to the troops immediately. And if it's urgent, just comply with its request." Said King Erwin.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
After that, the king and his entourage returned to the kingdom of Serenia.
Inside the king's study.
"Can I ask that directly?" King Erwin thought about his wish for immortality from the black dragon.
"But I must avoid being discovered by others. Otherwise, they will want it too." Erwin wanted immortality for himself.
"It seems I'll have to use the village chief and the villagers."
Inside his office, Erwin was contemplating a plan.
"Devan, come in." King Erwin called his secretary.
"You summoned me, Your Majesty?" A man with gold-rimmed glasses and graying hair spoke.
"Give this and also convey my orders directly to the village chief."
The king's trusted right-hand man. After working for the king for so long, there was no way he wouldn't know what his king wanted.
"And also keep their mouths shut, including the troops stationed there, so that the other nobles don't find out."
"Understood, Your Majesty." Devan left the room.