Zain got goosebumps when he saw the cracked egg. A terrifying aura emanated from it, filling the room with a palpable sense of foreboding. Through the crack, a baby dragon could be seen inside, struggling to break free from the eggshell, its tiny form writhing against the confining shell.

  After breaking the shell, the dragon struggled due to pieces sticking to its body from the viscous fluids. It started eating the eggshell, and one by one, the huge chunks of the shell disappeared into its mouth with a crunch. The sound of cracking echoed through the room, each piece vanishing into the dragon's maw, its hunger seemingly insatiable.

  Finally, after licking off the fluids from its body with a long, serpentine tongue, the dragon revealed its full form. It had black scales all over its body that shimmered like polished onyx under the dim light, red eyes that glowed with an inner fire, dagger-like claws, sharp teeth that glinted menacingly, and blade-like scales that ran down its back and tail. Standing over two meters tall on all four limbs, it looked quite alarming, its presence dominating the room.

  The dragon looked straight into Zain's eyes, its gaze intense and unyielding. Zain remained on guard, uncertain about what the baby dragon might do. If it decided to pounce, Zain knew he would be torn apart before making a sound. The tension in the room was thick, a standoff between two beings just beginning to understand each other.

  The dragon moved towards Zain, each step deliberate and measured. Then, to Zain's surprise, it began rubbing its big head against his chest, a gesture of unexpected affection. Realizing the dragon was not hostile but rather affectionate, Zain finally calmed down. His heart, which had been pounding like a war drum, began to settle into a more regular rhythm. However, just as he was starting to feel at ease, another event occurred.

  "Thaaaak!" The sound of shattering wood and splintering door frame filled the room as someone broke through his room's door. It was Izark, covered in a destructive aura that crackled like wild lightning around him, clearly sensing the dragon's powerful presence. His eyes, sharp and searching, first looked for Zain to ensure he was alright. The dragon, however, jumped between them, seemingly trying to protect Zain from Izark.

  "Stop, Father!" Zain shouted, his voice tinged with urgency.

  Izark had veins popping out on his forehead, clearly very angry. "Where the hell did you find this small ass dragon?" he demanded, his tone a mix of incredulity and fury.

  Yes, he said 'small'. When someone thought about a dragon, it was at least a hundred times bigger than them if not a thousand. But this dragon was clearly a baby, though no less intimidating.

  "Dad, calm down." Zain implored, sensing the tension escalating.

  "CALM? That lizard is at the same Realm as me. It's at Apex Realm. It could easily flatten this palace, including the hundreds of people in it. How do you expect me to calm down?" Izark's voice was nearly a roar, the sheer intensity of his emotions causing the air to vibrate.

  Zain was shocked by this revelation. He knew how terrifying an Apex being could be. Forget about this palace—even the surrounding city wouldn't survive an attack from an Apex. But then he noticed something as he looked at the dragon's back with a smile. It was as if the dragon’s overwhelming presence was tempered by a strange, almost innocent connection to him.

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  He walked up to the dragon and patted its shoulder. As he did, the dragon turned into a docile animal, curling around Zain and rubbing its head against his body. It was a magnificent sight, as if the dragon was acting like a child seeking comfort.

  Izark didn't expect to see this scene. He calmed down a bit but still kept his guard up in case the dragon tried anything. He walked up to the dragon, which remained hostile toward him, a low growl rumbling from its throat.

  "So, where did you get him from?" Izark asked while still observing the dragon with wary eyes.

  "From the egg my mother left for me." Zain replied, his voice tinged with both pride and sadness.

  After making sure the man was not hostile towards him and Zain, the dragon left Zain's side and curled up to sleep in a corner. Izark felt a little sad hearing Zain mention his mother. Memories of her surfaced, mingling with his sorrow.

  "Father!" Zain's voice pulled him from his reverie.

  "Ah... Yes, your mother. She... she would always have crazy things with her. Haha... she never misses surprising me, even when she's not here." Izark's laugh was hollow, filled with a longing for the past.

  Zain could feel the sorrow in Izark's words. It was a sorrow that resonated with his own feelings, a shared pain that seemed to bind them even closer.

  After talking some more about all the things Zain had gone through—about speaking to his mother, the technique he received, and the dragon—Zain finally asked a question that had been burning in his mind.

  "Father, can you tell me more about my mother?"

  "Yes..." Izark began, his voice softening. He recounted how he met her during an accident, her vibrant spirit and relentless energy, and many other things that painted a vivid picture of the woman she was.

  "So, you don't know where she is?" Zain's voice was tinged with hope and despair.

  "Yes, I know that her plane is much stronger than ours. And I think she would have broken through to Nova by now. I don't know exactly, but she always said she was in a tricky situation."

  "She never liked to talk about her family, except her mother. She never gave me the coordinates of her plane. She said that you are the one who could find her." Izark's words hung in the air, a heavy reminder of the responsibility that lay on Zain's shoulders.

  Zain felt a deep sadness after hearing about his mother. He really wished she could be there with him, guiding him through these tumultuous times.

  "And yes, about that dragon. Take care of him. If he is an Abyssal dragon, he could easily take down a Nova. But to reach that stage, he would need a lot of energy resources. And as you know, they only feed on destructive and chaotic energy, which are difficult to find."

  "They are also very aggressive. There hasn't been a single case where an Abyssal dragon was tamed. So, good luck with that. And now that you have a training technique, you can start training." Izark said this while looking at the dragon snoring peacefully in the corner, its form looking deceptively harmless in sleep.

  "Doesn't it..." Zain began, but trailed off as he and Izark saw an unexpected sight. The black scales on the dragon were shrinking. The dragon's whole body started shrinking. Its claws and teeth all became smaller. Finally, it turned into a small boy.

  He had long black hair and an almond skin tone. His face had beautiful features, delicate and ethereal. He slowly opened his eyes, which were a striking red, and looked around curiously. He got up, still naked, and looked at Zain, running into his arms and hugging him tightly.

  He looked up into Zain's eyes with puppy eyes. A loud growl came from his stomach, breaking the silence with a rumble.

  Zain couldn't help but laugh. "So, you're hungry. I will call you... Draig. Let's go find you something to eat."

  Izark didn't want to intervene anymore. He knew the dragon wouldn't do anything, at least for now. But still, he warned Zain to be careful. Zain also knew how terrifying an Apex Realm being could be, which is why he was trying to calm Draig.

  "I will have someone send food for him." Izark said before leaving the room, his voice carrying a hint of lingering concern.

  "Make sure it's a lot. After all, he is a dragon." Zain reminded him, a smile playing on his lips as he looked at Draig, who now seemed more like an innocent child than a fearsome beast.