The SSS Legendary Dragon Chose Me On Rebirth

After the city was back to its former state... somewhat, Vacuse finally decided to host the tournament.

He called all the one hundred to his castle.

The one hundred filled the front of the courtyard facing the castle, most of them filled with anticipation and some were expressionless while others looked on with dark eyes.

New Dawn members were stationed around the place, and atop the castle, coiled around the battlement, was a dragon construct made of steel, and atop it sat the Captain of the guards, Amros.

"We've been waiting here for almost an hour! Is he really going to keep us waiting again? This is the same as the useless cleaning!"

"Hush! You remember we were ninety-nine before they found one more person to join us? If this continues, we might just reduce again before the event starts!"

"You all are just so afraid of him! What's so special about him? The only thing he can use to bully others is his guards! Why doesn't he come here and let's fight it out!"

Whispers like that continued to spread throughout the courtyard, and the mood was growing intense.

Just then, the thick wooden door of the castle opened and two men stepped through. One was thin and tall with a smirk on his lips, and the other was short and stocky like a stubborn tree root. They wore black and red robes with purple dragon patterns and a rising sun.

Another thing they had in common was their eyes. They were a deep red.

Their appearance caused whispers to ripple again.

"This... these are the members of the so-called Dragon family!"

"See the red eyes! They actually have red eyes! I thought it was just a rumor, but to think it's actually true!"

"Of course they do, and now the red eyes rule this place!"

"That guy is surely lucky! Imagine the amount of potions, pills, and treasures he has on him now!"

More and more whispers spread.

But then the stocky one stepped forward and clapped, waiting for the courtyard to return to silence before he nodded. "All hail! The Dragon heir!"

Rustling sounds spread throughout the courtyard and everyone bent into a bow, even the guards and the man standing on the steel dragon construct.

When they raised their heads, they saw the Dragon heir standing in front of them.

He was dressed in a red robe that matched the color of his eyes. His hair was like a mass of darkness around his head, almost covering the dangling earrings on his ears. His fingers were fitted with shining rings of golden jewelry.

He looked at the gathered candidates and smiled. He wasn't the most handsome person and probably wouldn't make girls faint, but he was pleasing to the eyes.

And he looked like how a noble should. Rich and arrogant.

Immediately Vacuse saw them, the hundred, his eyes picked out the five strongest among them. His smile brightened.

From the information that was given to him by Kagerou after the first hundred were known, Vacuse knew that there was a massive sabotage of his tournament.

And the first one was the fact that there was a suppression from somewhere that caused most of the talented people from the nobility not to participate.

Most of the nobles present were from the local Lords. They were not that important. The Lords of the Western Regions, those that were not under any Dukes—some of them were powerful in their own right—and yet none of their sons and daughters were present.

Someone made them not come.

Vacuse could only think of one person.

Drenvar Vorrakyn.

He didn't want too many powerful people to be under him.

The second sabotage was that even the independent Soulbearers, someone stopped most of them from coming to Burnis City.

So most of the hundred there were already trash.

"Welcome to my abode, Soulbearers. I call this a tournament, but sadly, it's going to be a selection."

His words caused ripples of surprise and confusion to spread. What was he talking about now? After wasting almost a month of their time, there wouldn't be any tournament?

Vacuse simply didn't see the need to.

His plan to kill two Dragons with one arrow had fallen short.

He wanted to recruit people with potential throughout the Western Region, but it was not possible anymore. His only goal now was to reap as much benefit as he could in the Great Dungeon.

So he had already decided not to waste any more time.

"Those of you in the third stage, congratulations. You have been picked to accompany me to the Great Dungeon."

Eh?

Eh?

This time their shock was turning to annoyance as the first three of the one hundred stood up and moved to the side.

Those in the third stage were not impressive as far as Vacuse was concerned. They won the top three simply because they were in the third stage.

Then again, anyone who could climb the stage of advancement to the third was not that simple. But when compared with someone like Vacuse, they were not impressive.

Those who caught Vacuse's attention were the ones that filled the ranks from fourth place to eighth place. They were in the second stage like him, and they looked impressive enough that he wanted to fight them... no, not seriously of course.

More like for a spar.

Vacuse raised his hand, his palm facing outward. "Five. That is the number of people I will be accepting next from you ninety-seven. I will now only accept five people. The rest of you can make your way to Kragthar or Sevrix territory. You will be allowed automatic entry to the New Dawn."

This time his words caused visible reactions from them. Most of their faces turned ugly and rage filled them.

"Wait... what? Just five people? What the fuck?"

"This pampered brat! How can you do such a thing when we have wasted so much time already? We even had to clean the shitty city!"

More and more vile words were spoken, uncaring that he was the Dragon Lord.

Vacuse looked at them thoughtfully and then he sighed.