C3 He Had Messed up in the First Battle!

About a week later.

"Igrel, you need to learn how to deal with dragons," Carrick said.

Igrel, barely reaching a meter in height, was dwarfed by Carrick's imposing twenty-meter frame. He could do nothing but stare up at Carrick, feeling utterly lost and waiting for what would come next.

"Normally, a brood of dragon eggs hatches all at once. It's unclear why you've emerged while your siblings haven't yet, but it's time for you to begin your education regardless. The first lesson is combat," Carrick explained, his slender snout curling into a smile, revealing a row of sharp teeth.

"I was the first to hatch?" Igrel echoed, a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Is it my soul, or some other reason, that caused me to hatch early?" Igrel wouldn't consider the possibility that there was something wrong with his unborn siblings, who would surely be normal, formidable dragons. It was clear to him that he was the one who was different.

"Your mother needs to stay in the hatching chamber in case your siblings need her when they arrive. So for today, it's my job to teach you how to survive," Carrick announced. He then reached out with a claw, grabbed Igrel by the tail, and with a powerful beat of his wings, soared into the sky.

"Why this way..." Igrel wondered, hanging upside down in the air, deep in thought.

...

"I think I get it now; the father of this body isn't quite right in the head," Igrel muttered to himself in the forest, eyeing a tiger-like creature drooling in front of him. He swallowed hard and looked up to see Carrick observing from above. The dragon's overwhelming magical power generated a formidable presence known as 'dragon's might,' which could scare off prey. To prevent that, Carrick had to keep a distance.

"But seriously, who pits a young dragon against such a massive creature for their first battle? Shouldn't it be something smaller, like insects? Taro worms would be far more appropriate," Igrel complained quietly, thinking of the worm-like creatures that were a much more suitable first challenge for a young dragon.

"This giant dragon is clueless about teaching. Is he trying to get me killed?"

As Igrel watched the fearsome creature prepare to pounce, he silently cursed this so-called father figure.

"Roar!"

But contemplation had to wait; the beast known as the Giant Claw Tiger was already charging at him.

"What kind of battle is this? It's like a death wish!"

Igrel instinctively crouched, shielded his head, and folded his wings, curling into a tight ball with the grace of a practiced acrobat. The Giant Claw Tiger lunged, soaring over him and missing by mere inches.

"Killing intent!" Igrel's Dragon Clan instincts surged while he remained balled up, sensing the hostility creeping up from behind. With a swift roll, he widened the gap between himself and the Giant Claw Tiger.

"I know this looks pathetic, but who's really at fault here? It's ridiculous for a young dragon to face such an opponent, isn't it?!" Stretching out from his defensive ball, Igrel caught the mocking gaze from above and felt a headache brewing from the other's blatant disregard.

"Unhappy as I am, I refuse to lose my first real battle. What resources do I have at my disposal right now?" Igrel matched the Giant Claw Tiger's pace as it turned and began its slow approach, simultaneously combing through his ancestral memories for any hint of combat knowledge.

"My body isn't ready for this level of combat; I can't outmatch it in a physical fight, so my only option is to rely on... magic." Igrel's golden slit pupils reflected the Giant Claw Tiger's tense form. He was aware that Carrick wouldn't let him die, but even the thought of a disgraceful defeat was too much to bear.

"This sink-or-swim approach to learning is a tall order, even for a strong dragon. Couldn't we start with some structured training?" Heeding the guidance ingrained in his memory, Igrel drew the magic flowing within him to his mouth, his cheeks bulging ever so slightly.

"Roar!"

The Giant Claw Tiger pounced, aiming for Igrel's exposed form. Knowing his dragon scales were insufficient defense, Igrel cleverly retreated, tumbling backward and lying flat to dodge the deadly swipe.

"Boom!"

In a flash, the tiger was upon him. Seizing the opportunity, Igrel released the pent-up magic in his mouth. The Dragon Clan's hallmark, the dragon breath, blasted the tiger's underbelly with full intensity.

"Roar!"

The tiger's eyes widened in shock as it let out an anguished cry. Lacking magical defenses, the creature was helpless against the magic, and Igrel's dragon breath proved to be a formidable first display of his strength.

"Boom!"

With a single leap, the Sabertooth Tiger aimed its massive front paws at Igrel's still-vulnerable body. His dragon scales, though hard, wouldn't withstand a direct hit—it would be over in an instant. Wisely, Igrel chose to retreat. He fell backward, lying flat on the ground to dodge the sharp claws.

"Roarrrr!!!"

The tiger's fierce eyes widened in shock as it let out a pained cry. Devoid of magic, the beast had no resistance to the spell, becoming the first to experience the full brunt of Igrel's power.

"Boom!"

Uncertain of his Dragon Breath's strength, Igrel released all his magic in one go, causing a massive explosion at his location.

"Hmm... Using Dragon Breath in your first battle? You've got impressive learning skills. But the power... it might be a bit too much."

Carrick, hovering in the sky, flapped his wings to stay aloft, watching his son's first battle. The outcome was unexpected; Igrel's magical strength far exceeded that of an average young dragon, enhancing the power of his Dragon Breath.

"Thud!"

On the battlefield, the Sabertooth Tiger, struck by the Torrent of Magic, collided with a giant tree trunk. Nearby, Igrel stood up, panting. He looked around at the land, now cleared in a several-meter radius, with only a slightly indented, barren ground left from the explosion.

"Did I cause this?" Igrel thought, dazed.

"Still, it looks like I've won."

He turned his gaze to the Sabertooth Tiger, its body severely damaged by the Dragon Breath, and let out a small sigh of relief.

"Congratulations on your first victory, my son."

Carrick descended slowly, his massive frame crushing many trees. He lowered his head to Igrel and said,

"For a moment, I thought you were trying to kill me, Father..."

Igrel tried to steady his breathing, feeling unwell from the significant depletion of his magic.

"Aren't young dragons' first battles and foraging lessons supposed to involve fighting insects and catching fish? Why am I up against this creature right away?"

Igrel looked up, questioning Carrick.

"Uh..."

Carrick froze at his son's question.

"Damn, it's my first time taking my son out, and I was so excited I completely forgot about that. What have I done!?"

Carrick's thoughts raced as he realized his mistake.

"What's wrong? Father, why are you silent?"

Igrel, sensing Carrick's discomfort, pressed for an answer.

"Er, listen, Igrel, when we get back, just tell your mother we went bug hunting, okay?"

Carrick quickly bowed his head, speaking to Igrel.

Carrick's gaze grew distant as he finally grasped what he had unwittingly put Igrel through. "I just grabbed the nearest creature without a second thought. As a father, I've really failed," he lamented, a myriad of thoughts suddenly flooding his mind, leaving him standing there, frozen.

"What's wrong, Father? Why aren't you speaking?" Igrel noticed Carrick's unusual behavior and inquired.

"No, no, that's not it. How could I make such a mistake? It's just... I don't want your mother to worry too much, that's all," Carrick stammered.

"Father, you didn't mistakenly choose the wrong first battle for me, did you?" Igrel's response was immediate upon hearing Carrick's words.

"No, of course not, I wouldn't make such a mistake. It's just... I don't want your mother to worry unnecessarily, that's all," Carrick's words came out haltingly.

"...I understand, Father," Igrel said after a moment of silence.

"I knew it. My son always listens to his father. I'll make sure you get an extra helping at dinner," Carrick, relieved by Igrel's understanding, breathed easier and joyfully escorted his son back home.

Yet, that very night, Igrel sought out his mother, Garcia, to tell her everything. When she learned of her son's ordeal, the furious female dragon stormed into the house, fiercely reprimanding her blissfully unaware husband, who was preparing a feast for their son with a goofy grin. As the cave echoed with her roars and his pleas, Igrel learned for the first time that his father was indeed under the strict watch of his mother.

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