"For this reason, I applied a prophecy to my inheritance: the egg of Ildriss would hatch only when the human predestined to restore the balance of Lumya opened his eyes for the first time," Therion stated, unveiling the mystery.

Yoichi gasped at the news. Did that mean that the real predestined to save Lumya from Gonshiro's Blackblood was the Bronzeforest farmer in the body of whom he had reincarnated?

​​

Despite his infinite wisdom, Therion could not know that Yoichi actually belonged to another world, perhaps even another timeline.

"And that person would be me?" he asked, pointing to himself with a hand on his chest.

The Dragon King nodded, "I knew that my brothers and I would not be able to defeat Kogath's army, but my powers allowed me to save your race. All the Dragons of Lumya were exterminated during the Battle of the Last Flame," he explained. "From first to last, my warriors fought with tenacity and strength, defeating thousands of ancient demons and sacrificing their own lives. By the time Kogath faced me for supremacy, my strength was exhausted."

Therion's voice grew increasingly sad and wistful. Talking about the day when all the dragons were exterminated caused him unbearable pain. His eyes expressed pure strength, releasing the heat of the primordial flame that burned in his chest. However, the power of Kogath and the ancient demons, so strong as to wipe out the dragon demons, must have been inconceivable.

"The Battle of the Last Flame..." Yoichi whispered, repeating those words. "No one ever told me about that," he added, trying to collect his thoughts.

"Because you're the first human being to know that name, Yoichi," Therion remarked. A happy smile reappeared on his human face, and his red eyes squinted.

"I'm the first? Does that mean that no one has ever listened to this story?!"

"Correct. In that remote time, you humans were still in the early evolutionary stages of your history. Your abilities were limited compared to those of the present, and I'm not sure you were able to write yet," the Dragon King confirmed. "The tales of our last battle have been passed down from generation to generation, but the details have been lost forever."

Yoichi lowered his gaze to the ground. His eyes followed the movement of his hands very slowly, which, with their palms open and facing upward, lifted.

"How can I talk to you? How can I be sure that this isn't all a hallucination created by my mind?" he asked, looking down at his hands. "I've been under a lot of mental and physical stress lately, and a lot of people have started to rely on me, so..."

"Do you really think it was your mind that made up this whole story? Do you think it was the story you wanted to hear, boy? Oh, please. Don't be so... 'human'," Therion replied promptly, stepping closer to his adept and waiting patiently for him to look up and realize that everything he had learned was the truth.

An unexpected tear fell on one of Yoichi's hands. The young tamer looked up and rubbed his eyes, noticing that he couldn't hold back a liberating cry. "Why... why am I crying?" he thought aloud. His first intention was to stop showing weakness in front of the being who had granted him his powers.

Therion rested his hand on his chosen one's shoulder and inevitably drew his gaze. "Because our hearts are united by the same flame, my boy. Ildriss is what binds us," the Dragon King affirmed in a low voice, glad to have finally met Yoichi in person.

"I'm sorry for sharing those painful memories with you, but for you to grow, you must know how much suffering my kind endured to save yours," he added, pulling his hand away from his shoulder.

Yoichi wiped away his tears for the umpteenth time and inhaled sharply through his nose, managing to hold back his cry. If Kenji's incredible powers are just a sliver of Therion's... how strong is he? He thought, looking at the long-haired black man as if he were a god.

"The burden you carry on your shoulders is heavy, but I can see into your soul, boy. What I see is an incredible strength of will and a constant desire for redemption, as if you've been waiting your whole life for the right moment to shine," the Dragon King spoke, once again trying to lift Yoichi's spirits.

"Supreme Therion, my lord," Yoichi whispered, holding back more tears that pressed against his eyelids. "The power that threatens Tentochu is very strong, and I fear that I will not be able to counter it with my only strength," he confessed, hoping that the dragon would be able to answer that dilemma.

"Well, what you think is right, boy. With your current level of strength, you wouldn't be able to defeat your opponent in the slightest. Yet, just know that I'm not the only one who bequeathed his power," Therion commented, trying to make his protégé understand something.

"What, oh... oh, no," Yoichi trembled. The innermost fears of his subconscious took shape, and the tales of Gonshiro and the Oracle that made him immortal returned to his mind like flaming lapilli. "Valgoth..." he stammered.

"Well done, boy. Once again, you have anticipated my words" - with a nod of his head, Therion confirmed the young tamer's doubts. The Dragon King took a long breath, then began speaking again, "After the Battle of the Last Flame, Kogath's army was almost completely wiped out. However, before dying for eternity, the dark lord of ancient demons managed to expel the evil energy from his body. It travelled beneath the earth and across the oceans, reaching the farthest and most hidden recesses of the planet, taking refuge from light and justice."

"Unlike my power transmitted to Ildriss, Kogath's took far less time to find a worthy successor. Evil is pure temptation, my boy. No one can resist it," Therion explained, making the one who hung on his lips shudder. "The true heir to the throne of Kamakiri was the best candidate to receive the powers of Kogath, who, at his birth, reincarnated as the demon known as Valgoth."