C17 He Had to Decide for Himself What Was the Reason for Survival!

"Iger, after all the training we've been through, do you hate me?"

High above, Renafam and Igrel cut through the sky, the two dragons enveloped in a tense silence. Suddenly, Renafam broke the quiet with his question.

"Hmm!"

Igrel was instantly on alert at the sound of Renafam's voice.

"What's this now? A trap? Asking such a question out of the blue, are you fishing for a reason to be upset with me?"

Igrel's body stiffened, his eyes locked on Renafam with suspicion as he mentally scrambled for the right words.

"To be honest, I'm somewhat annoyed, but it's not quite hatred."

After a pause for thought, Igrel spoke.

"Oh? I half-expected you to either suppress your true feelings with some hollow words or to completely unleash your anger at me. This answer, I must say, was unexpected," Renafam replied with a smile, observing Igrel's calm demeanor.

"So you're actually conscious of how excessive your actions have been, Grandfather," Igrel retorted, shifting his gaze.

"Alright, I hear you, Iger. You're entering a new phase of life. We've still got some distance before our destination, so why not have a good, long talk? It's been too long," Renafam said, surprisingly composed as he nodded at Igrel.

"It seems I've had my fill of conversations with you over the years, seeing as you're the only one I've had to talk to," Igrel sighed in response.

"You're making it sound like I've been abusing you..."

"Stare~"

"Fine, fine, perhaps I was a bit too much at times..."

"Stare~"

"Let's change the subject. Iger, can you promise not to speak out of turn when we meet my old friend?"

"I'll think about it."

"One day off."

"That's hardly enough. Five days."

"No way, three days."

"Deal."

Igrel nodded with satisfaction, pleased to have negotiated some time off, but then it hit him. He had grown into a young dragon and no longer needed the same physical training. Instead, his focus should be on refining his magical power—a task that could be accomplished even in his sleep.

"Wait a minute!"

Igrel quickly turned and called out.

"As a dragon worth his scales, you can't go back on a promise," Renafam said with a chuckle, giving Igrel a conspiratorial wink.

"This scheming old codger of a grandfather..."

Igrel glared at Renafam, fuming, but resigned to his fate.

"Alright, enough teasing. Igrel, you may have had some tough times, but trust me, your efforts are worthwhile. It might sound odd, given that dragons are typically seen as lazy creatures, but with our innate talents, the rewards for your hard work will far surpass those of other races," Renafam explained with serious intent.

"I know. That's why I only dislike how you've forced me, not you personally, Grandfather," Igrel replied, tilting his head slightly.

"I was clueless at first, never really thinking about power. Like you said, Grandfather, I preferred a quiet life, like my father. But you took me from my parents with such force, making me do this and that. Please consider that I'm still just a young dragon!"

"On that point, I am truly sorry, Igrel. My methods may have been too forceful, but it was the best way of teaching I could think of. After all, it's been nearly three hundred years since I've had to mentor any young dragons other than my own children."

"Huh?" Igrel turned, staring in disbelief.

"Grandfather, you..."

"Don't look at me like that. It's been a long time since I've instructed a young dragon, but I am a father of three. Have some confidence in my experience with education!"

"And then there's my father..."

"That was an exception, an accident! Don't dwell on that mistake; it was a youthful error."

"Oh."

"You seem to have grown less respectful towards me over the years."

"Not at all, Grandfather. I have great respect for you."

"Do you really believe that?" Igrel asked with a hint of skepticism.

"Why wouldn't I? If I can't believe in myself, how can I expect others to?" Renafam countered.

"You really are something..." Igrel, with an air of indifference, left Renafam at a loss for words.

"I say that, but I'm also very grateful to you, Grandfather. You've taught me so much. Although I have my reservations about some of your actions, there's no point in bringing them up now. Let's just let bygones be bygones. At the very least, I've indeed become much stronger—not just a little, but significantly. When Vira came to see me, I realized this after comparing our strengths," Igrel said, glancing at his robust biceps.

"Speaking of which, Grandfather..." Igrel paused thoughtfully before continuing.

"What is it?" Renafam turned to him, inquiring.

"This training, it's meant to make me stronger, but what does it mean to be strong?" Igrel asked earnestly. In his previous life, he was just an ordinary human with no magic and average physical fitness. The concept of formidable strength was foreign to him. Even now, he simply followed Renafam's directives, never pondering his own reasons for seeking strength.

"That's something I can't answer for you," Renafam replied.

"From my perspective, I want you to become a Dragon King in the future, to revitalize the elite power of the dragons. It's been centuries since a new Dragon King emerged, leaving a gap at the pinnacle of our kind. A lack of succession is detrimental to any race."

"As for you, how you use your newfound power is up to you, not me. If you did everything I said, you'd be no different from a puppet," Renafam explained, looking at Igrel, who hovered beside him, as if seeing a glimmer of hope.

"Just as each young dragon must find their own reason for being, through their growth and experiences, they develop their own values and decide their future path."

"All I've done is give you power. What you choose to do with it is for you to consider. Having power and not needing it for now is far better than needing it and not having it when the time comes."

Renafam offered some wisdom to Igrel.

"Concerns about maturity are typically reserved for teen dragons. There's no need for you to rush—you have decades before you reach that stage. Take your time to ponder; we dragons may not have much, but we are blessed with long lives. Philosophical musings are often the privilege of our elder years."

"I understand. I'll take your advice to heart, Grandfather," Igrel responded with a nod.

"By the way, Grandfather..."

"We're nearly there."

As Igrel was about to pose another question, Renafam lifted his chin, gesturing for Igrel to look ahead.

"What is that?"

Following Renafam's gaze, Igrel saw it—a towering peak piercing the clouds, standing majestic and distinct from the surrounding mountains.

"That, my boy, is our destination: the heart of 'Lad Grant'—Sleeping Dragon Peak," Renafam declared, his voice filled with a quiet reverence.

Just as every young dragon must determine the reason for its own birth, so too do they carve out their unique path in life. As they grow, they encounter a myriad of experiences that shape their personal values and help them decide what they will do in the future.