"I still don't understand, Supreme Therion," Yoichi interrupted. "How can I increase my powers to match those of Emperor Gonshiro and his immortal Oracle?" he asked, trying to get straight to the point.

"My Tear allows you to travel within your mind, through time and space. Thanks to the deep blood pact that binds us, I will always be here when you want me to be. There will never be a need to request my presence," Therion explained as if to make a few things clear.

​​

"Ildriss possesses only a small portion of my powers and, alas, the rest of me was lost forever when I died, boy. However, right now you are in the Lumya of the past and, with a little concentration, you can meet all the Guardians of the Whole."

Meet them? Why in the world would I meet them? Can they increase my powers? Yoichi thought inwardly.

"Every time you defeat one of my most valiant warriors, you will receive a piece of draconic power. Besides me, twelve supreme dragons are waiting for you, Yoichi," the Dragon King stated. "This will be the cultivation of your spirit," he added.

Did I hear that right?! I have to defeat twelve dragons just to match the power of Tentochu's enemy?! the young warrior thundered in his mind, unable to believe his ears.

"How... how can I defeat a dragon of your size and with your level of strength? This is madness, supreme Therion!" he quaked, hoping that there was an easier and faster way to achieve his goals.

Therion turned his back, looking at the part of the forest he had destroyed with his huge dragon-like bulk. "The mind and body are always closely connected. If you are going to cultivate the draconic power you have inherited, you must make your body worthy of handling such a power," he spoke, his hands crossed behind his back.

Yoichi rubbed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. "Okay, so... let's assume that, hypothetically, I train my body every day with Takamori-Sensei. I think in a couple of weeks, I should already start to notice the first signs of improvement, right? Fine. Let's pretend that I can even defeat one of the Guardians of the Whole... how long will it take me to defeat all twelve of them? That's crazy!" the young warrior remarked.

"During that process, Gonshiro's Void Summoners will have already invaded the nation, and most of the population will have been exterminated!" he added.

"Calm down, son" - Therion turned around, crossing his gaze with Yoichi. "You clearly don't know that inside my Tear, time flows very differently."

Yoichi looked at him, confused. Judging by the confidence in the Dragon King's voice, he seemed to have thought of everything, as if, since ancient times, he had been waiting for that moment.

"Every hour spent in the visions created by your mind corresponds to one minute in your present reality, Yoichi."

"Huh?! From one hour to one minute?! How the hell is that possible?"

"I told you. We dragon demons are capable of things you humans can't even imagine. Without going into too much detail, let's say that my Tear, gathering a tiny part of my power, can manipulate time," Therion affirmed. "As I was trying to explain to you earlier, the timeline you are experiencing now, as you speak with me, belongs to the Lumya of the past. In no way can it interfere with your present. If it did, it would create gaps between the two dimensions, and the boundary between past and present would be swept away."

Oh, crap. Shape-shifting, manipulating time... I still can't understand how such a powerful being could have lost the battle against Kogath. Yoichi pondered, trying not to get too immersed in his thoughts.

"I think I got it, Supreme Dragon King," Yoichi spoke, nodding his head. "Tell me, what do you want me to do?" he asked.

"Devote three days to physical training and meditation. Practice your draconic skills and eat your fill, nourishing your muscles and raising your morale. Immediately after, return here to me, and I will bring you before your first opponent," Therion stated confidently, already being ready to answer that question.

Therion also knows Kenji's skill, Scorching Breath. It's as if the Dragon King has been living inside my mind all this time, and I never knew it... the young, blonde-haired warrior reflected.

"And remember, boy: unlike the other enemies you have encountered so far, the Guardians of the Whole are on another level. While they may not be able to fight at their full strength because their bodies have left the world of the living, they are supreme beings whose claws are stained with the blood of thousands of enemies," the man-dragon pointed out.

"I will not underestimate them, Supreme Therion. If the lives of all others depend on me and my choices, I will not back down. I will defeat the twelve Guardians of the Whole and increase my powers to face my ultimate enemy, Gonshiro" - uttering those hopeful and determined words, Yoichi sank a fist into his palm and leaned forward, showing respect to the supreme being before him.

"Nice to hear that, boy. Make me proud of you," the Dragon Demon King smiled. "Now go, your Sensei and companions are waiting for you." Therion raised an arm in the direction of his follower and opened his hand. His strong fingers ended in long black claws, very similar to the ones Yoichi could get by enhancing his upper limbs.

"Just a moment, Supreme Therion! I still have many things to ask you and... aargh!"

A giant blaze was shot in Yoichi's direction from Therion's palm, enveloping his body and blinding him. The young warrior covered his face with his arms and, as if by magic, felt the ground disappear beneath his feet.

...

Suddenly, the slight burning from the dragon fire disappeared, and he moved his arms away from his eyes, focusing on his surroundings.

Both of his hands were wet, and his feet were in front of the sink of Therion's Tear. Although he had just experienced a vision, the heat he felt on his exposed arms and the rest of his body was real.