"From now on, the two of you can go out to hunt alone as well," Kael said.
"Carlos, you'll be responsible for the eastern side of the bushland; there's a herd of boars over there."
"Nora, you'll be responsible for the stream on the west; there are fish and giant turtles."
"Also, if you want to enter the forest to hunt, you must discuss it with me beforehand. You can't go in alone."
"Finally, and most importantly, if you spot any other intelligent races scouting the bushland, you must report the news to everyone immediately."
"If you run into someone you can't beat, don't stay to fight—just run."
Kael couldn't help adding that last sentence.
He thought for a moment.
He felt his plan was sufficient to cope with the current situation; if unforeseen changes occurred, they would just have to adapt to the circumstances when the time came.
He didn't know how much of these plans the two little fellows in front of him had actually taken in.
"Phew! We can finally go out hunting by ourselves!" Carlos flicked his tail excitedly.
"Then... what about you?" Nora asked, feeling a little nervous.
"I'll be responsible for patrolling and hunting across the entire hunting grounds," Kael said.
"When I'm not around, stay in your own area. Whatever you do, do not run into the depths of the forest!"
Days passed peacefully like this.
It seemed this year would become the most peaceful and fulfilling year Kael had lived since his reincarnation.
"Oh! The last stretch of good days was just last year, wasn't it?! Then let's make it the two most peaceful and fulfilling years, haha!" Having thought that, Kael bounded off toward his "gym" and his "basalt buffet area."
During this year.
Every day, Kael took Carlos and Nora to hunt at the edge of the forest, honing their hunting skills and helping them get familiar with their powerful strength as red dragons—especially Nora.
Of course, he didn't forget to take them along to exercise at the cliffside and eat rocks, explicitly bringing little Nora with them this time as well.
At night, Kael lay down to rest under the starlight. His wingspan had reached nearly six meters, his dragon scales grew harder, and his dragon breath became even more fierce.
Kael was not the only one making progress.
Carlos had grown quite a bit bulkier too.
He had spent a full year learning to hunt from Kael, and his claw strikes, pounces, bites, and tail whips were all gradually taking proper shape, even if he still couldn't beat Kael.
However, when facing certain Second-Tier magical beasts in the forest, he could already handle them with ease.
His draconic mouth still babbled about being the "future Red Dragon Emperor" every day as before, but he no longer challenged Kael much.
Perhaps this shift occurred after Kael made it clear that he intended to travel the world in the future and wouldn't compete with Carlos for that "supreme and majestic" throne.
Nora remained the quietest among the three wyrmlings.
Although she was forcibly dragged by Kael to exercise her body and feast on the basalt buffet after each day's hunt, she still loved Draconic magic.
Every day from afternoon to evening, she would lie at the entrance of the cave, dragon eyes tightly closed, browsing through her draconic heritage and practicing the incantations and gestures of Draconic magic.
Perhaps she truly would be able to master Draconic magic proficiently right as she entered the young dragon stage.
Over on Grok's side, he also came to the small riverbank every ten days as agreed.
The first few times, he was still a bit restrained, stuttering slightly when reporting information:
"Reporting to My Lord, several human hunters passed by the eastern forest edge. They headed south and didn't come inside..."
"Reporting to My Lord, a pack of red-toothed hyenas came from the south—about forty or so—and migrated north..."
"Reporting to My Lord, to the west—two hills away from here—a new boar den appeared..."
After listening, Kael nodded. "Mm, understood. If there's nothing else, head back. Be careful on the road."
Later, as the visits mounted, Grok gradually relaxed. When reporting information, he would even chat a bit more: a few new little cubs were added to the tribe, the old priest's legs and feet were becoming increasingly clumsy, the neighboring kobold tribe seemed to have changed leaders...
Kael listened, occasionally responding with a sentence or two.
Having clawed his way up from the bottom in his past life as well, he knew that truly useful information was often hidden within these scraps of gossip.
On one occasion, Grok finally brought a piece of news that made Kael take extra notice:
"My Lord, a few days ago, several people wearing leather armor paused for a long time on the gravel road outside the forest, pointing over in our direction. Judging by their accents, they seemed to be adventurers from Emberfire City."
"Did they come inside?" Kael narrowed his dragon pupils slightly.
"No. They rested on that road for a bit, then left," Grok said.
"It seemed like... they were discussing whether to enter."
"Mm." Kael pondered for a moment. "If you see them next time, tail them and see what they're up to. Don't alert the enemy."
"Yes, My Lord."
Kael watched Grok's departing back, the string in his heart tightening once more.
"Adventurers from Emberfire City... I hope they don't stretch out their claws too fast."
Five days later, Grok indeed brought new news about that team of adventurers.
The day before yesterday, they barged into the territory of the kobolds to the north and never came back out.
Looking below the dragon lair, where the entire bushland had been dressed in winter's exclusive attire by ice and snow, another year was coming to an end.
In the evening, Kael was lying at the cave mouth gnawing on a hunted elk leg when suddenly a strange sensation surged from deep within his body.
It wasn't hunger, nor exhaustion, but a familiar... overflowing, as if the energy inside his body had accumulated to a critical point, where just a bit more would spill over.
His draconic heritage told him that this was a sign of a dragon's advancement, urging him to fall into slumber.
Kael put down the elk leg and lowered his head to feel the changes inside his body, his heart filled with both surprise and joy.
He turned to look at Carlos and Nora inside the cave: Carlos was sound asleep, while Nora lay at the entrance looking at the stars.
The breathing of both was steady, and both had been growing steadily during this time, but they were still a considerable distance away from the critical point of advancement.
"Looks like I'll be taking a step ahead," Kael said to himself, though he wasn't particularly surprised in his heart.
His talent, appetite, and amount of training far surpassed those of his two companions, so advancing quickly was hardly anything strange.
The next morning.
"What?! You're going into slumber again?! How long has it even been?!" Carlos's pair of dragon eyes looked at Kael in shock.
Just now, Kael had informed the two little fellows of the news that he was about to enter a slumber to advance.
"Mm, the feeling is here. When I wake up this time, I should be able to step into the young dragon stage." Looking at the two incredulous little faces, Kael continued.
"The young dragon stage?" This time, even Nora widened her eyes. "But we haven't even caught a shadow of advancing yet."
"Being one step behind me is just right," Kael made a rare joke. "When I wake up, I'll teach you magic."
"And you, Carlos, I'll teach you new combat techniques then too." Kael turned to look at the little fellow beside him who still looked somewhat indignant.
"Little fellows, start hunting. I'll go inspect the territory first." With that, Kael walked to the cave entrance and flapped his wings, flying straight out.
At noon, through his draconic bond, he summoned Grok and had him get acquainted with the two wyrmlings. Because of the language barrier, he once again explained the specific reporting and handling methods for emergencies.
In the evening, Kael returned to the dragon lair, found that spot bathed in starlight once more, lay down, and began to close his eyes.
"Kael, then... when will you wake up?" Nora asked her final question.
"I don't know." Kael's breathing gradually slowed down. "Maybe two or three months, maybe longer. You two must... be careful, don't go... deep into the forest..."
Before he could finish his sentence, the red dragon in front of them had fallen fast asleep.
That night, the starlight was extraordinarily bright, and the phenomenon of illuminating Kael's draconic body was no longer hidden from the two wyrmlings.
Late at night, in the cave of the extinct volcano, the three wyrmlings each fell asleep.
Beneath the starlight, the extinct volcano returned to silence once more.
When he opened his eyes again, he would step into the young dragon stage—and the story belonging to him was only just beginning.
Rate on N.U.
