There were no mysteries here for Halas. The moment it saw the stone formation, all its secrets were laid bare.

Guardian Dragon

Type: Dragon

Evolution Pattern: Soul Protector Your Calamity potential has increased.

Your Automatic Intuition ability has improved.

Halas did not know what a Soul Protector was. Or a Soul. Or a dragon for that matter. It viewed all these terms with the sort of detatchment and curiosity only a creature desiring knowledge would have.

Halas wanted to dissect this creature and study its internals. In a way, Halas felt pioneering. Daring. The size of the creature did not bother Halas. What could a dragon do to Halas other than prostrate itself before the Calamity and offer tribute?

The four hunters that came with Krimor jumped on the dragon's tail, and set out to do as commanded by their warlord. No one in the world knew how terrifying Taur could be when motivated by existential fear. For that matter, anything could become terrifying when cornered.

They butchered the dragon's tail within several seconds, sending bits of dragon meat and scale flying into the air. The dragon roared, revealing its massive head. With the head visible, the rest of the dragon's body began to make sense. The strange rock formation clearly had wings, a body and limbs, when one could see the head clearly. It was well-camouflaged to the backdrop of the dungeon, but now it seemed as obvious as a nail sticking out.

Krimor stepped forward, and lifted a giant boulder from the floor. It must've weighed half a ton at the very least, but Krimor lifted it as if it was a pebble.

Then the boulder went flying, in a perfectly straight line, and smashed against the dragon's face, shattering the dragon's bones and snapping off one of the dragon's two horns.

The dragon was... pacified. Let's put it that way.

Krimor walked up to the dragon's head which was the size of Krimor himself, and patted the winged lizard on the snout. "Today we only take scales because you behave."

The dragon let loose a lamenting whimper. It was clear that any thought of resistance was beaten out of the dragon by that boulder. It wasn't just the boulder that did it. In that moment, when the boulder was flying towards it, the dragon had seen Halas for what it truly was. Not even the Taur knew what Halas was, but they had an instinctive understanding. The dragon knew. It knew, and it did not dare disobey.

Halas wanted scales? The dragon lifted one of its massive clawed arms, and ripped at its own flesh, raining down a shower of scales, covered in the dragon's black blood. Even the Taur were surprised at that reaction.

Krimor blinked, and then laughed triumphantly. "Even stupid snake know who true master is! Master want scales? Here, have scales! Master want kidney? Have kidney!"

Krimor was a Taur, but he was not stupid. Krimor knew on an instinctual level that when Halas no longer needed the Taur, that their lives would probably come to an end. But if Krimor could play up his loyalty, and tempt Halas with ideas of rulership, power and prestige, then Krimor could possibly find a way out of this maze of death.

At the mention of the kidney, the dragon paused. Its eyes said it all: Kidney? You want my kidney too!?

At this point, Halas began approaching the dragon, causing the lizard to flinch away from the creature that was dozens of times smaller than it.

"I won't tell anyone about you, I swear," the dragon roared as it continued crawling away from Halas.

"The snake can speak!" Krimor shouted in surprise.

Everyone in the dungeon communicated via roars and shouts. It's just how things worked among monsters.

"I'll hibernate like my great ancestor, Zalazar. I won't say a word," the dragon pleaded. "Have mercy on your relative!"

Halas stopped. Relative? They were related?

[Analyzing...]

[Subject matches no known evolution stage.]

"Define relation," Halas emitted coldly. This time, the volume was low. It only raised its volume when it wanted to intimidate. When Halas wanted to kill, it spoke softly.

"Zalazar was a Calamity God like you..." the dragon whimpered. "We calamities must work together and help each other. Does that not make us a family, senior brother?"

"Negative," Halas spoke softly.

Krimor knew that Halas was a Calamity, but the dragon called it a Calamity God. That was not just an ordinary Calamity. The Taur's heart fluttered. At this moment, he realized how thoroughly screwed he was. There was nothing he could offer a Calamity God. His life was forfeit.

And so was the dragon's, by the looks of it.

"Wait!" the dragon insisted. "I can help you reach your full potential. If you let me live, I will teach you everything I was taught by my ancestors."

"Proceed," Halas spoke with a commanding tone.

"It is not that simple," the dragon said.

"Proceed." It didn't sound like the dragon would receive a second opportunity.

"The simplest way," the dragon spoke quickly. "Is to kill adventurers. Potential is like fame. But if you go to the lowest part of the dungeon, you will find the Dungeon Lord. If you ki..."

"I am right here," Halas said.

The dragon nearly swallowed his tongue. "Yes... of course. I meant... the pretender Dungeon Lord is there. If you kill it, your potential would increase considerably."

Halas remained still for several moments before turning away. "Give me more scales."

"Yes, O Great Lord. I'll give you all of them!"

The sounds of ripping and tearing filled the chamber.

No one would've ever imagined that a Guardian Dragon would rip out its own scales out of fear. Guardian Dragons were considered a class of sacred being, not necessarily a monster that adventurers had to slay. In fact, meeting a Guardian Dragon was a sign of great fortune, and such a meeting was always an auspicious thing and a cause for celebration. It meant great luck in the future, and worthy adventures.

For the Taur, the dragon's scales were a last resort to please Halas. They could not imagine just how greedy Halas would be. They already gave him enough treasure to buy a country. And that, apparently, was not enough.

Krimor genuinely regretted being born.

But not as much as the dragon did.