C19 Strength Determines Status, This Is a Universal Rule!

"Come to think of it, we haven't formally introduced ourselves yet."

Hecarim had a sudden thought and turned to Igrel.

"I'm Hecarim Boernia, of the Fantasy Dragon Seed, on par with the Heavenly Dragon Seed as one of the three great dragon breeds."

Hecarim pointed to himself and then glanced at Renafam.

"And, I might add, a good friend of your grandfather, though we don't get together very often."

"Who'd want to see you, you old relic? Just seeing you makes me feel like I've aged decades, and it instantly sours my mood."

Renafam tilted his head, muttering under his breath.

"Well, I am decades older. To me, it's no more than a brief slumber."

"This old dragon here is brutally honest, which is why he's hardly the life of the party. If Modsart and I didn't feel sorry for him, he'd likely die a lonely old dragon, haha."

Hecarim ribbed Renafam with a laugh.

"That's right, that's right. When we first saw him, his loneliness was palpable. It was enough to tug at your heartstrings just by looking."

Modsart joined in, his laughter infectious.

"You two are insufferable..."

Renafam gritted his teeth, a dangerous gleam in his eyes. His claws gripped tightly, and the overwhelming magical energy he exuded made Igrel think a tantrum was just a second away.

"Grandfather, please, we came here to meet someone, not to fight."

Igrel shouted from a safe distance.

"Tch, consider yourselves lucky. If I didn't want to avoid a spectacle in front of my grandson, you'd both be sprawled out by now."

Renafam huffed loudly, his voice a menacing rumble.

"Oh yes, our generous Dragon King Renafam has mercifully let us off the hook today. We're so touched we could cry."

Hecarim replied with a face that read 'whatever you say.'

"I can't believe this..."

Igrel watched as Renafam's cheeks trembled furiously, as though he were gearing up to unleash his dragon breath. Igrel quietly stepped back even further.

"Let's put the banter aside. I'm Modsart Kent. While I'm not one of the three great dragon breeds, I am, nonetheless, a Dragon King."

Modsart looked down at Igrel and offered a greeting.

"Hello there."

Igrel returned the greeting cautiously.

"And this is my grandson, Dimir."

Modsart turned his attention to the small black dragon he had previously set aside.

"I'm Dimir Kenster. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The young dragon named Dimir locked eyes with Igrel and spoke in a hushed tone.

"...Likewise."

Igrel, catching the scrutinizing look, paused briefly before replying.

"Alright, introductions aside, these are my grandchildren, Albert and Aliya Boernia."

Hecarim cast a glance at the two golden dragonlings beside him.

"Hello, and could you please stop staring like that? Your mental inducement has no effect on me."

Igrel first nodded in a courteous manner, then, addressing the two young dragons fixated on him, he added,

"Eh?"

"It doesn't work?"

Albert and Aliya were momentarily stunned by Igrel's remark, inadvertently speaking out before quickly realizing their slip.

"Though we Heavenly Dragons aren't renowned for our mental strength, we do train in spiritual resistance. I'm quite capable of defending myself."

Igrel explained.

"But if we're using this method as a greeting, am I to take it as a provocation?"

A faint aura of dragon might began to radiate from Igrel as he spoke.

"He can already manipulate magical power..."

"Are all Heavenly Dragons such monsters?"

Feeling the oppressive aura around Igrel, Albert and Aliya instinctively retreated as the atmosphere turned tense.

"Renafam, what's with your grandson's excessive magical power? His aura is raw, suggesting he's newly a young dragon, yet his magic reserves are already at a usable level."

Hecarim, perceiving the change in Igrel, squinted and posed the question to Renafam.

"The result you see is a combination of extraordinary talent and extreme training," Renafam stated, his arms crossed as he watched the three young dragons face off.

"But it's still not enough. He's far from reaching our level..."

Renafam murmured to himself.

"Us? Hold on, you don't mean... the Dragon King?"

Modsart interjected, clearly surprised.

Renafam deftly sidestepped the question with his reply.

"The mere possibility alone is staggering. Listen up, Albert, Aliya, I warned you both before we even arrived, yet you still charged in recklessly. You've hit a tough spot, haven't you? Since you've lost, apologize to me—now."

Hecarim's voice boomed at Albert and Aliya, who showed signs of retreat.

"Ugh, damn it... I'm sorry."

"...My apologies."

Chagrined, Albert and Aliya reluctantly gritted their teeth, offering their apologies in halting phrases under Hecarim's stern reprimand.

"You were the stronger one this time; I admit it. But next time, it won't be so easy for you."

Aliya spoke to Igrel in a restrained tone, barely concealing her frustration.

"I feel the same."

Albert's pale blue eyes locked onto Igrel's figure, studying him intently as if to etch every detail into his memory, and echoed the sentiment.

"There won't be a next time."

Igrel allowed his magical power to subside and replied with a fearless grin.

"Uh, what happened?"

Dimir's gaze wandered between Igrel, Albert, and Aliya. As he wasn't the target of the altercation, he only felt the atmosphere grow tense and looked on, puzzled.

"Dimir, you need to step up your game. Otherwise, you'll be left far behind."

Modsart tapped his grandson with his tail, his voice laden with significance as Dimir turned to him.

"Grandpa Modsart, I..."

Dimir fell silent, the weight of Modsart's words sinking in.

Despite Modsart's rise to Dragon King status with the blood of an ordinary dragon, it didn't necessarily mean his progeny's bloodlines would see a significant transformation. Among the multitude of common giant dragons, only a select few rise above, their innate abilities even surpassing some of those from the 'Three Great Dragon Seeds.' Yet, such dragons are anomalies, for if they were common, the 'Three Great Dragon Seeds' wouldn't be held in such high esteem as the Hyper Dragon Seed.

With the primary criterion of bloodlines set aside, the only way left to earn respect and recognition was through the demonstration of formidable power. This was the lesson Modsart sought to convey.

"It seems this first encounter is off to a rocky start."

Igrel watched as Albert and Aliya approached Hecarim, then turned his attention to Dimir, who was deep in conversation with Modsart. His thought process wasn't entirely that of a traditional dragon's. While he acknowledged the importance of bloodlines, he didn't overemphasize it, despite being a young dragon from a prestigious lineage.

"At the end of the day, if one is powerful enough, all problems simply disappear," he thought.

Silently, Igrel positioned himself next to Renafam, straightening his stance as he braced for what was to come.