The First Legendary Dragon Tamer

Silence fell over the battlefield.

The Plant Dragon stared, vines slowly retracting, her eyes wide in disbelief. "You… we really did it. We beat it."

Draco slid down from the beast's neck, his knees buckling beneath him. He panted, every breath ragged, but his gaze was fixed firmly on the creature before him.

A notification shimmered faintly before his vision.

[You have tamed: Rank 3 Aquarius Solamis Champion.]

[You have Leveled Up]

"Level… twelve, huh?" Draco's lips curved faintly, though the exhaustion was clear in his voice.

But as the glow of the system faded, a grim realization followed.

It had taken everything—his will, his strength, his strategy—just to push past this single battle. The effort needed now to rise even one level was far beyond what it had been before. The ease of growth within the Tutorial was gone.

This was the real world now, and advancement would no longer come cheap.

'Even though I have encountered three Dragons are Rank 3, I didn't expect such a gap in strength between all three of them.' From his experience, Preto was the weakest.

Nightcrawlers weren't exactly known as the strongest Land Dragons. In fact, they were considered some of the weakest. As such, the Nightcrawler Champion would naturally have very little strength compared to other Champions from other Species.

'The second strongest is the Plant Dragon. I still don't know the species she belongs to, and as for the Water Dragon Champion… it is undoubtedly my strongest opponent yet. I have also never seen or heard of Water Dragons that can control water so freely before.' Draco was exhausted, but that didn't stop him from thinking about many things while panting heavily.

His eyes focused on the obedient Water Dragon Champion whose head was bowed to him, and he began to rub its snout with mild understanding.

The Water Dragon Champion purred with satisfaction, causing Draco to laugh mildly.

It was a strange scene, with man and beast acting so cordially with each other—as if they hadn't just tried to kill each other moments before.

Naturally, the Plant Dragon noticed this and found it incredibly strange. She tilted her head, her cautious gaze lingering on Draco with a mixture of suspicion and admiration.

"Tell me, Draco… what are you?"

Draco didn't answer.

His eyes remained on the Water Dragon Champion, now kneeling quietly beside him, its massive form casting an almost reverent shadow across the battlefield.

"What did you do to that guy? How come he's suddenly compliant and amiable? Don't tell me that you're actually controlling him."

"...." Once again, he said nothing.

The Plant Dragon couldn't help but shudder at the thought that her words were actually true.

If she hadn't witnessed Draco commanding Water Dragons—who should have been the subordinates of the Champion—earlier, she wouldn't have believed it. This human child… could he actually control Dragons?

But how? Why? At first, she suspected he was a Dragon in disguise.

However, that didn't make any sense to her.

Dragons were prideful creatures, so why would one disguise themselves as a human of all things? Especially when they were interacting with their fellow Dragons… it made almost no sense.

Also, Dragons generally had one path of power which was usually determined by their species.

The Plant Dragon controlled vines, so she belonged to the wood path. The Water Dragon was in the water path. A Dragon's natural ability was confined to the path they were in, and their Breath was very specific.

As a general rule, Dragons only had one Breath they could use.

That Breath came from their Dragonheart, and no matter how strong the Dragon was… they could not exceed this limit as long as they possessed a single heart.

This was one of the things that made humans terrifying—Dragon Hunters in particular.

Dragon Hunters could use more than one Dragonheart. They could use as many as possible, as long as they could control the Essence and activate the [Breaths] locked away within the D-H. It was one of the only advantages they had over Dragons.

Unfortunately, the tough body of Dragons and the host of natural abilities independent from Breaths that they possessed easily made up the difference.

In essence, no matter how versatile humans could get with D-H, they still couldn't match the overwhelming strength of Dragons. They could only try to get as close as possible, yet statistics showed that the trend still favored Dragons.

Unless something drastic happened, this would always be the case.

'Then, could he be… a dragon-human hybrid? But how is that possible? No… how is it not?'

The Plant Dragon had seen Draco use more than a single [Breath], and he was not using any D-H to achieve this feat. It was his own strength!

Plus, he could even command the lesser Dragons with ease.

And, after the tough battle… it also took control of the Rank 3 Water Dragon Champion.

That was scary! Truly scary!

'This human… is dangerous!' The Rank 3 Plant Dragon told herself. 'I can't take him lightly.'

The Plant Dragon said nothing more to Draco, and the cavern echoed only with the quiet drip of water. The storm finally stilled, creating a serene atmosphere that they both occupied with a brief moment of silence.

*************

[Moments Later]

The lake shimmered with an otherworldly glow, rippling softly as the Plant Dragon eased herself into its depths.

The waters, thick with Essence, pulsed like a living thing.

Draco remained at the bank, his dark eyes narrowing as he watched the dragon submerge, her emerald scales gleaming under the light. The once-frenzied battlefield had quieted, leaving only the faint crackle of energy in the air—the remnants of the great clash with the Water Dragon Champion.

At Draco's side, the subdued form of that very Champion lay, eyes dulled, body weakened but still radiating an aura of overwhelming might.

The dragon's chest rose and fell heavily, its massive gills flexing with every strained breath. Yet, it was no longer his enemy.

With a flicker of thought, Draco willed open the translucent golden panel of his System.

He was observing his growth.

[STATUS WINDOW]

- Name: Draco (Lvl: 12)

- Race: Human

- Class: Legendary Dragon Tamer

- Integrity: 12

- Physique: 12

- Aptitude: 12 (100% Essence)

- S Points: 0

- Quest Completion Rate: 80%

[Current Quest Information]

Primary Quest: Assist the Plant Dragon in hatching her eggs (Incomplete)

Secondary Quest: Eliminate all Water Dragons occupying the Underground Oasis (Complete)

Hidden Quest: Tame at least ten Dragons (Complete)

[Current Synchronization Rate: 11%]

He went ahead to check additional information, specifically regarding the number of Captured Dragons he could have in his possession.

Much to his satisfaction, the number had jumped from 6 to 7.

A smirk tugged at Draco's lips.

Seven slots… that meant one additional spaces to fill. His gaze flickered toward the Champion at his side.

Without hesitation, he reached out and touched its serpentile body. The Champion's body convulsed slightly as the invisible tether locked into place.

It took longer than an instant, but the Water Dragon Champion vanished almost immediately after the link was fully established. The colossal creature dissolved into streams of azure light, vanishing into the depths of Draco's being.

A shiver coursed through him—immense power, the raw might of a Rank 3 Champion, settling like a coiled serpent inside his soul-space.

He inhaled sharply, his chest expanding with pride.

Draco felt a bit of bloating after consuming the Champion, but a strange feeling still assailed him.

He was still hungry.

'I've just had a hefty meal. And yet, my greed is not sated.' His eyes flicked to the smaller Water Dragon he had managed to tame earlier—a sleek female, her pale-blue fins trembling under his command.

She had submitted easily in comparison, and with a thought, he absorbed her as well.

Draco's mind expanded, stretching to accommodate the flood of power he received. His soul throbbed with their weight, yet he bore it with a calm expression.

'I now have five Dragons: Lumina, Preto, Nyx, Water Dragon Champion, and a Rank 2 female Water Dragon.'

He still had two more spaces to fill.

'Of course…' His gaze trailed to the glowing lake before him, and a sharp glint appeared within his eyes. 'She's already included in my list.'

He exhaled, steady, but inside, his thoughts churned.

"Still not enough…"

The waters stirred as the Plant Dragon's head broke the surface. Her serpentine eyes glowed with a faint maternal gentleness, but also steel—unyielding resolve.

She rose higher, Essence dripping from her body like jewels, and her gaze fell on Draco.

"You have claimed your spoils, human," she said, her voice a low rumble that vibrated through the ground. "And you have not hindered me from entering the pool. For this, I acknowledge your strength. Let us enter into an Ally pact. Together, we will not only fend off those who threaten us but prosper."

Draco tilted his head.

Her tone was almost diplomatic, but beneath it, he sensed calculation.

'Seems she's already very wary of me. Why else would she choose to lower her pride and enter an agreement with me?' He smiled faintly, that same infuriating curve of lips that made both men and monsters question whether he was mocking them.

"An ally relationship?" he repeated, as though tasting the word.

His hand tightened around his blade, and the glow of his System interface reflected in his eyes.

"That's… generous of you."

The Plant Dragon's eyes narrowed, waiting.

"But I don't need generosity." His voice dropped into something sharper. "You see, I already have what I came for. Power. Dragons. A new Champion in my soul. Yet I'm not the type to stop halfway."

The Dragon stiffened, her scales shifting with a faint rustle like wind through leaves.

"What are you implying?"

Draco's smile widened, his gaze piercing into hers. "Submit to me. Completely. Become mine, as the others have. Only then will I consider this relationship worth pursuing."

The air thickened instantly. The pool, once calm, rippled violently as the Plant Dragon's essence flared.

"WHAT?!" Her eyes blazed emerald fire, her vines coiling with agitation.

"You dare," she hissed, the water around her bubbling with her rising energy. "I offered you an alliance out of respect, and you respond with arrogance? I am not some hatchling to be bent under your will, human!"

"Wrong," Draco murmured, stepping forward, each word carrying iron weight. "You're not just some dragon. You're pregnant. Vulnerable. Desperate for this pool, for the chance to hatch your eggs. Which means…"

He spread his hands, smirk sharp as a blade. "I hold the advantage. And you just admitted it."

"WATCH YOUR WORDS, HUMAN!"

Her roar split the air, shaking the cavern walls.

Massive vines burst from the waters, lashing at the ground, tearing boulders like paper.

The glow of Essence surged into her body, flooding her frame with brilliance. Draco shielded his face from the blinding radiance, his smirk never fading.

Her silhouette grew sharper, her aura thickening, and he realized the truth—she was absorbing the pool's Essence, weaving it into her flesh and blood, reinforcing her already formidable strength.

"You shouldn't have done that," Draco whispered, lowering his stance, his sword humming with restrained light.

The Plant Dragon's eyes flared as her tail lashed the waters, sending waves crashing against the cavern walls. "You will regret underestimating me, human. Pregnant or not, I will show you why my kind is feared!"

Draco chuckled darkly, his hand tightening around the hilt of his weapon, his other palm glowing faintly with condensed energy. His shadow stretched long across the cavern floor, swallowing the ripples of light.

"Perfect," he murmured, lifting his gaze to hers. "Let's see which of us is greedier."