-Zhuryo City. 3RD POV-

After the near-death experience in one of the ponds within the Divine nesting area in the Dragon Wind Clan, the green-scaled hatchling hid inside the cave waiting for one of his parents to return, but almost two hours later, there were no signs of anyone approaching. Having healed the internal injuries caused by his older brother, little Alkalis walked up to the entrance slowly and peeked outside inspecting the enclosed area in 10-meter tall walls and a smaller one by the street-like paved road.

*Shuvaahhhh~!* A warm summer breeze swayed the 20-meter tall trees in the enclosures and rustled their leaves while muffled sounds of distant dragons indicated the calm of the morning had returned.

The scaly beast took small, silent steps and ventured outside cautiously until he was convinced that the place was vacant. He then looked around for something to do, and his eyes rested on the two ponds, but the water no longer felt as safe and fun to play in. There weren't any fish anymore and he wasn't thirsty yet, so the little dragon snorted and went back into the cave where his mother used to lay down.

The Divine Chief of the Wind Clan continued bringing different creatures and their food for the enclosures expanding in size along the southern wall neighboring the Darkness Clan. The different animals and humanoids were placed in separate divisions according to their capabilities and left to acclimate. Meanwhile, his newborn son who was getting increasingly hungry resorted to eating grass and rocks as instructed.

Three days later, on the first morning quarter when the sun cast shadows from the stone dome, the hatchling lied sprawled in the middle of the paved road while his stomach complained from the lack of food. However, at this time his Divine father soared through the skies after having eaten some prey himself and returned to the nesting area.

*Fwooh-whosh! Whoosh--Thump! Thump!* The green-scaled Dragon slowed down and landed over the hatchling.

"...!! Gwuawa!" Alkalis perked his elongated ears and lifted his head calling out. "Fooood!" He demanded and got up reaching past half a meter.

*Zuak! Shuruk!* The large beast folded his wings and looked below him with his long tail resting over the wall.

"Well, I don't have any food... Unless you want to eat me." Heinken leered.

"Gyururumuu!" The little green dragon grumbled looking up in the direction of the nesting cave.

"Aww... That's too bad. You can't chew flesh harder than rocks~" The Divine said with a smug expression.

"Gyuu... Baad...fauder..." The hatchling grumbled.

"Hou... You are a thousand years too young to be talking back at me. Mister." The father asserted and mobilized two strands of magic.

*WhooOOossshhh~!!* The Wind user shaped compressed air into two meter-tall Lion-like constructs with a robust appearance in front and behind the little beastie.

"Gwuawa!!?" The hatchling called out intimidated while looking back and forth alarmed.

However, the Father had set his mind on punishment already.

""Grishaa!"" The transparent beasts hissed and pounced at the young dragon simultaneously.

"Gyah!" The hatchling shrieked and dodged to the right.

*Whop! Whoosh! BAM!!* The two Wind beasts slammed their paws on the stone road producing a Shockwave and slowly turned to the green creature running in the grass.

""Griasshh!!"" The two beasts roared and gave chase in a straight line.

*Basha Basha Basha!* The three sprinted on the grass toward a pond. But how could a newborn outrun the weightless creatures? They immediately reached his sides before swiping their left and right paws respectively. *Swisshh!!* The claws of compressed air spinning at high speed severed the grass blades without any resistance as if they had been disintegrated instead and moved towards Alkalis hind legs. *BAM!!* The Wind claws impacted the green legs and pushed the dragon forward.

"Gyau!" Alkalis cried out in pain while sliding on the grass as the green blades flew into the air.

*Krrsshh... Thup Thup!* The green beastie came to a stop near the pond and turned around trembling.

Despite the throbbing pain on his rear, however, there wasn't a scratch on the scales. Instead, the Divine was inducing pain inside Alkalis' body to simulate injuries.

"You can't rely on your scales. If you get hit, you take damage." The Divine paused the constructs to instruct and continued the practice.

""Gwruoohh!!"" The two Wind beasts roared and dashed once more.

These aren't Elemental beasts though. Only Demigods can program Elementals to make autonomous constructs. But this way, he won't hate me Kufufu... The puppeteer affirmed enjoying himself.

*Whosh! Whosh!* The two creatures approached opening their jaws.

"Gyap!" Alkalis shrieked and ducked.

*Whooosh~!* The two maws passed above his horns and continued past him.

The hatchling looked back expecting them to fall into the water and his eyes opened wide. To his surprise, the Wind beasts slid on the water surface approaching the opposite shore.

"Heeh~ Using your weaknesses against your enemies, huh?" Heinken mused.

"Gyuu..." Alkalis whined with an expression of consternation and realized nothing was working.

The Wind beasts reached land and walked around the pond towards the scaly creature slowly.

There was no escape and he was afraid to get harmed. There were only a few things left to do, but he was reluctant to get in the water after what happened last time in this very spot, and there was no guarantee that Diving would keep him safe from the relentless creatures. But then again, he didn't have a better option.

The young dragon decided to confront his fears and jump into the water. He lifted the right forepaw and left hind leg before the opposite limbs a few times while smashing the grass, but...his body remained rooted in place. Although that was for only a moment since the approaching danger urged him to take that step and lower the right paw onto the water surface near the ground level.

However, to his dismay, the scaly paw wouldn't sink into the water no matter how hard he pressed, not even with the claws. The most he could do was create small ripples as if the surface had a thin yet sturdy protective film.

"Wuoh?!" Alkalis sounded quizzical while tilting his head nervously.

"You aren't a water dragon. Water is for drinking only." The Divine reproved realizing his intentions.

Meanwhile, the Wind beasts were upon the hatchling as he stared back at their menacing open jaws. But he suddenly recalled how they took time to turn earlier, and immediately realized their weaknesses. It was a small accomplishment, but he was proud for a short moment nonetheless.

""Gwruoohh!!"" The two Wind beasts roared and dashed at the green beastie turning around.

*Whop! Whoosh!!* The hatchling kicked the ground and the mass of air in the shape of Lions missed their bite and turned left to give chase. *Ta-rash! Ta-rash!* The 11-day old dragon ran towards his father's paws and circled around them escaping from the magic constructs.

Around 5 Km South-west from the edge of the urban area of the Darkness Clan, a 1.5- meter tall black dragoness undergoes a different trial on a rocky zone at the edge of the desert. She had asked permission to venture into the real desert and fight the brown-carapace scorpions which had a low level of difficulty compared to more dangerous creatures deeper in. The father answering her request dragged out two types of beasts that reside in the area using his willpower and turned invisible 30 meters behind his 2-month-old daughter.

"Kweee!" A 3-meter tall armored quadruple similar to an armadillo squealed while approaching from the south after being driven out of his lair.

The enraged beast saw the dragoness and charged wanting to vent his anger without detecting the 15-meter tall obsidian Dragon riddled with spikes and a long pointy tail emanating toxic gases behind her. The dragoness, however, only saw a tough prey, so she focused her great eyesight judging the weak points and took a pouncing stance ready to deal with the creature clearly stronger than herself.

*Trururu...* The brown desert armored beast reached the rocky terrain and pounced while opening his jaws. *Swishh!* The sharp and sturdy fangs designed to break armors and scales whistled through the air closing the gap to the unmoving dragon's head.

Seeing that in slow motion as his perception was greater than mortals, the Divine felt like sweating anxiously.

But Drumakaria was waiting until the beast was in the air and close enough to dodge with enough room to attack yet without enough time to let it react.

*Whop! Whoosh!! Kluap!* The dragoness inclined her body and pushed the ground dodging to the left just before the large maw closed in her previous spot. *Thu-rump!!* The two beasts landed creating deep paw prints, sending rocks flying and lifting dust clouds before twisting their bodies.

The armored creature turned his head right to take aim with his tail, but she was faster. The dragoness sank the obsidian claws to anchor her body and whipped the thin tail at his right eye.

*Showoosh--Chiak!* The elongated and slightly curved stinger pierced deep into the eyeball before the venom rushed out a channel on the side.

However, the armored beast had experience with the scorpions and the stingers of the Dragons in the Darkness clan prioritized toughness and penetration power over a fast venom delivery looking similar to a medical needle.

"KWEEE!" The armadillo-lookalike wailed and pulled back his head by reflex dislodging the stinger.

*Pssshh!* The toxic substance spilled on the eye socket and started dissolving the hide while leaving a smoke trail.

"Kweeeee..." The wounded creature shrieked and whipped his tail towards the dragoness head.

*Showoosh!* The robust scaled limb approached the distracted black dragon with tremendous momentum.

The father felt worried while observing the brown tail nearing his daughter's head in slow motion and was ready to intercept before it caused brain trauma, but her eyes looked confident without an ounce of fear.

The dragoness predicted the actions and simply lowered her head and lower body. Seeing this, the father relaxed.

*Whooosh!* The tail more powerful than her own passed over the horns slightly wobbling the head with the air pressure and slowed down some distance away to retract when she lashed out. *WHAP! Krak! Krak! Krak! Krarak!* The black dragon bit down on the retreating limb with all the strength her jaws could produce and the fangs broke through the tough scales before injecting her venom.

"KWEEAAAHH!" The brown beast wailed agonizingly as his tail started decaying around the bite and spreading closer to the body.

*SHUK!* The armored beast felt an impending danger and yanked the rotting limb in desperation. *Krrrrcchh...* The dragonnes paws carved the sand and rocks for a meter getting dragged closer to the rear of the desert beast.

"GRrrRRrr..." The dragoness snarled with her eyes closed unwilling to let go of the limb turning dark.

"KWEE!" The desert beast squealed furiously and bent his body before lashing out at the lizard biting his tail.

*Swoooh!* The brown beast's jaws opened up wide enough to swallow most of the dragon muzzle and slobber sprayed in the hot air.

"HAAP!" The Divine gasped nervously once more watching danger approach his daughter's head.

Drumakaria was only waiting until the last moment to move the head and raised her rump.

*WHAP! Krrrarak!* The powerful jaws bit chomped on the black scales that started crunching until he realized it was his own tail. The desert beast was unable to feel pain in the rotting limb anymore, and simply opened his mouth to lash again, but his enemy wasn't just standing still waiting for him to be slowly poisoned. *Showoosh--Chiak!* The slender black tail whipped more prepared than before and pierced the right beady eye before injecting her venom successfully.

"KWEAA--!" The brown beast wailed agonizingly and suddenly stopped when the toxic substance reached his brain.

*THOOM! Wuak! Bam!* The desert beast toppled and the dragoness released the blackened tail that fell on the sandy ground.

"Huff! Huff!" Drumakaria panted while looking at the sand.

"...Very good. But you have to be more careful with your head. I can save you from almost any injury, but the brain is too complex, and even immortals like me can't prevent a Soul from disappearing once it loses the minimum Life-force required to bind it... Furthermore, even if I restore your body afterward, another Soul will form in it, and acquire some of your memories...which could fool mortals, but not your Mother. And you haven't seen her furious yet. You don't want to be near..." The Divine reviewed and warned sternly.

"Yes, Father. I don't want an impostor running around with my body either." She affirmed with pride.

"Good. Now, the last opponent is even stronger and more dangerous." He revealed and sent in the next predator.

*Chaka chaka chaka~!* A brown scorpion standing a meter tall and three long crawled on the sand dunes towards the dragon whelp.

The dragoness looked at the rushing creature almost three times bigger than herself and prepare for the inevitable confrontation. But she saw no way to attack from the front without a high risk of taking damage and taking damage from non-magical beasts like that one would make her look bad. Her pride wouldn't allow it.

"Kiiishaaa!" The arachnid shrilled and launched his pincers while inclining his body forward with the stinger ready.

*Whop! Klak! Klarak! Srash! Thu-rum! Thu-rum!* The dragoness dodged backward and to the right before sprinting in a clockwise circle around the beast. *Klak! Klak! Klak!* He continued snapping his pincers trying to grab the black lizard as she tried to find an opening.

However, after a couple of rotations, the dragoness realized her enemy was able to keep up with her just fine and she was risking getting caught with every passing moment, so she would create the opening herself. Suddenly, the black scaled-beast slammed her paws to change direction.

*Krrrrcchh--!* The dragonnes paws carved the ground for almost a meter as her body rotates while coming to a stop before turning in the other direction.

The scorpion, adapted to the constant rotation didn't anticipate the abrupt change and was confused for a moment before stopping.

*Srash! Thu-rum! Thu-rum!* The black dragon dashed counterclockwise toward the back legs of the scorpion while opening her jaws. *Whakk!* She latched onto the last leg right before the half-a-foot joint and twisted her head. *PraRAK!* Drumakaria broke off half the scorpion's leg successfully... But she shouldn't have stayed stay still for so long.

"KiiiSHHiii!" The arachnid hissed in pain while turning around and twisted his body before aiming at the beast on his left.

*Swoosh!* The sturdy tail tip descended on the scaly beast as she moved out of the way but it wasn't fast enough. *Shrrrakk!* The large stinger impacted the black scales at an angle and scratched their surface before piercing the sand for nearly a feet deep.

"Grrr..." Drumakaria growled angered and dropped the severed limb aiming for the other back leg.

*Wuak Thud! Whakk! PraRAK...!* She latched onto the back right leg and tore it the same way as before, then whipped her tail at the gaps in the underside plates.

"KiiiSHHiii!" The arachnid shrieked and could only think of turning around to retaliate.

*WhooOOSHH! BAM!* The large scorpion frame rotated clockwise and smacked the dragon's right cheek with his right pincer which stopped her attack. *Krrrrcchh--!* The dragonnes held her head firmly taking the hit and her paws skid on the sand for a half a meter before slowing down.

"GRRR..." The unranked dragon snarled furiously while blood trickles above her eye narrowed into a sharp murdering glare.

*Swip! Tap!* She lodged three legs in the sandy ground firmly and lifted the right forepaw to grip the half-a-meter thick claw before pushing it away which was difficult as dragons are lighter than other beasts for their size.

The two beasts trembled while doing a contest of strength, but the brown arachnid had his strength reduced after losing two legs and was prevented from turning any further. However, it wasn't just going to give up either and immediately attempted to sting her.

*Swoop! Chrak! Chrak! Swoop! Chrak!* The desert beast continued lashing out with his stinger at high speed, and the dragoness dodged moving her neck or pulling her body while receiving deep scratches that were starting to look more like channels. *Creak! Kraka!* The dragoness tough scales reached their limit and started cracking under the forces with the risk of getting them uprooted and being stung which would slow her down because of insufficient poison resistance.

"Grrrr--Pah!" Drumakaria growled angered gathering bloody saliva from her injuries and spit at the arachnid's eyes while watching the brown tail descend once more.

*Swoop! Chrak!* The stinger pierced the sand and retracted as the poisonous blood that painted the sand started corroding the beast's eyes.

"KiiiSHHiii!" The arachnid shrieked feeling a burning pain blinding his eyes and slightly retreated.

"Grrrr--GRWAR!" She growled fiercely and released the pincer before leaping at the scorpion's back.

*Thamp! Tak Tak Tak!* The black dragon landed on the carapace and ran over the scorpion before he could shake her off, then pounced at the mid-section of the tail. *WHUAP! BAM!* She latched onto the foot-thick brown tail and coiled hers around it before twisting her head. *Krakk! Prak! PraRAK!* Cracks appeared on the sturdy material and the poisonous fangs approached the flesh below.

"Kishii! Kishii! Kishiiiiii!" The helpless creature could only turn around on the spot while swinging his tail back and forth in a panic.

*KA-PRAK!* The black dragon broke the arachnid tail to the side and left it dangling.

"KiSHiiiii!" The scorpion screeched and convulsed for a moment before he finally stopped moving.

The dragoness used the opportunity and pushed the rigid tail to leap backward while twisting her upper body. *Swoop... PAM! Krrach Krrach! Zuku!* She landed on the scorpion's back and slid on the side, then used her right wing to stop falling.

However, the desert beast started crawling away searching for a soft sand dune to dig into.

*Swuap! Zuak!* The dragoness got up while folding her wing back and reached for the carapace before drooling a toxic substance on it while gripping the scorpion's back strongly. *Swiss--Shrakk! CHRAK!* She lifted the left paw with claws oriented forward and repeatedly slammed the gap between the carapace and the first plate as a black goo that was forming seeped into the head.

"KiiiiiSHH--!" The desert beast shrieked one last time before it stopped running.

*Thoom!* The scorpion fell while twitching and the dragoness turned around to feed on the tail.

"Very good. Eat the stinger to strengthen your scales and assimilate the venom..." The father appraised and instructed.

Extraordinary... A combat prodigy... We didn't teach her that much... It's as if she's been fighting enemies for hundreds of years... Braquion praised with his jaw hanging. Souls blessed by the world are precious treasures. Although her magic talent seems average for a Bloodline... He asserted watching his daughter grimace as she chewed on the arachnid.

"You can hunt in this zone now, but don't exterminate them, and avoid the Magical beasts until you learn Magic..." Braquion approved with conditions.

"Yes! Thank you, father." Drumakaria expressed her gratitude wagging her tail and resumed munching on the carcass.

A moment passed and the Divine recalled the favor of the neighbor Wind dragon.

"Daughter, there will be a meeting soon of younglings and you will assist as well." He called out and announced.

"Hm? What's the objective?" She stopped eating and asked thinking of preparations.

"To see if you'll like a dragon welp from the Wind Clan." The Divine replied flatly.

"So, whoever likes him the most gets to eat him whole or do I have to fight--?" The dragoness inquired selfishly.

"It's not that kind of like! You can't kill him. He's the offspring of a friend of mine. We are hoping you two can become friends..." Braquion rebuked and added.

"Yes, Father. Can I eat the others then?" She acknowledged and asked innocently with her beady eyes pleading.

"NO! The meeting is to make friends or rivals... You aren't going there to eat. Much less other Dragons... What's wrong with you?" The father lectured sternly and pointed with a claw questioning.

"Hrrrmm... What are friends for?" She pondered for a moment and asked.

"This... You...can...hunt together? Among other things..." He replied feeling unsure what it could be for her.

"Ah, of course! I can use him as a distraction..." She insinuated reflecting on the fight with the scorpion while shaking his head slightly.

"Haah... Daughter of mine, that's the opposite of what we want." Braquion sighed troubled and reproved.

"Eeeh... But doesn't Mother say that weaklings that can't take care of themselves will die off when you aren't looking? It sounds like a huUUuuge waste of time." She reminded and grumbled.

"Argh... W-well, the thing is... Alkalis' Soul feels like a calm and profound ocean with a bottomless talent for magic, but, unfortunately, he's...less wild than other dragons. Souls are still mysterious things to us, so we can only nurture them hoping it meets our expectations. But his parents can't spoil him too much..." The Divine elaborated.

"Ah, of course...Magic." The dragoness affirmed feeling a little envious and realized something crucial. "B-but Father, how can I be responsible for a dragon barely younger than myself? I-I don't know anything about that..." She reasoned unsure of how to accomplish the task.

Haahh This is hopeless... She has the intelligence of a human but the empathy of a scorpion... The Divine sighed in his mind troubled for more than one reason.

Back on the Wind Clan territory, the little green dragon had enough of being chased around his father's paws and stopped on the left hind paw before turning around.

"GrrrUAA!" Alkalis roared and rushed to the air constructs.

*Swiss! Swiss! Shriakk!* The little beastie clawed at the Wind beasts on each side with his forepaws and injured their flanks. *Thump! BANG!!* He landed and turned around as the Wind beasts stopped moving and exploded with a shockwave blew the grass.

"Ha-huff! Ha-huff!" The hatchling panted heavily at the edge of the paved road exhausted.

"See? All you had to do was fight back. You can't always know the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent just by looking. Such a convenient thing does not exist. And you can't solve anything asking mercy from the strong or just hoping things will get better." Heinken lectured having accomplished his task.

"Huuuuuff..." Alkalis sighed deeply disheartened.

*Gruuuul~!* The little dragon's stomach protested from starvation.

"You can go hunt your own food now." The father revealed with a smug expression.

"Gyu? Food?" The beastie perked his ears sharply and questioned while wagging his tail slowly.

"Yes. Can't you smell it?" The Divine asserted and added.

"Hunff! Hunf!" Alkalis sniffed and looked at the 2-meter wall left of the giant scaly tail.

"You just need to get over that wall," Heinken affirmed pointing with a claw on the right forepaw.

"Gyu..." The little dragon looked at the wall up and down, then sounded disappointed.

"You can't? Aww... That's too bad." The Divine mocked.

The pale green beastie shook his head feeling unsettled and walked up to the stone wall while picking up speed.

*Thu-rush! Thu-rush! Whoop!* The hatchling sprinted and leaped through the air approaching the tip of the wall, but his momentum ended and started descending. He opened his eyes realizing the failure and could only think of clawing his way up after the impact. *WHAM! Krrchh! Krrchh! Krrchhhhh...* He slammed onto the solid stone and scratched the smooth wall trying to climb but even that failed and separated as his view shifted. *Swiss--BAM! Kruk! Kree...* The beastie fell on the grass but the landing wasn't so smooth and his feeble wings creaked.

"Gyau! Ha-huff! Ha-huff!" Alkalis cried out in pain and panted with the head laid back while blowing the grass.

"Did you forget you have wings? How are you going to fly if you injure your wings?" The father retorted with a blank look.