There were two official types of dragon race; Traditional Roster and Royale Rush.

The first was a single long track, where riders would compete and choose between different lanes until they reached the finish line.

There were no laps or rounds, only a few stops along the way. This race focused on speed and tested riders' quick thinking in choosing the best-suited lanes for them.

The second one was often compared to an all-out battle, where riders and their dragons would fight against their competitors inside a dome until they reached the finish line at its center.

The path to the dome’s center would be blocked, the barriers lowering as they passed. Rather than a race, Royale Rush was more about endurance and knowing how to pick the right battles.

However, there was another type of race. The unofficial one—done only in the underground.

I liked to think it was a fun mix of the previous two.

The cities below the slums were almost like abandoned industrial complexes. Tall and medium buildings, narrow streets and alleys, as well as constricted spaces.

It was a location bad enough to walk and live on, let alone race with raging animals.

Which was why underground races were so incredibly fun to watch.

“Beru is closing in, Emrys. Go for the left buildings.” I spoke over the wooden radio without taking my eyes off the screen.

After working with Emrys for so long I didn’t need to detail my instructions as much—the kid got the idea with only a few words.

The yellow wingless dragon dove right into the empty building, breaking its large windows with ease.

Through another orb I saw as Emrys flew and broke from one building to the next with insane speed, going up and down their floors.

It did not take long for me to spot Beru in another orb.

“Five o’clock.” It was all I said to the kid and all he needed to know.

Not even two seconds later I saw the serpent-like dragon coming from inside one of the buildings, charging and wrapping his body on the two-legged red dragon Beru rode.

Emrys’ dragon spun the other five times before unwrapping himself like a spring coil, using his sturdy tail to throw the red dragon into a random house below.

Sorry, Beru. Emrys needs to win this one.

A big investor had placed a very generous bet on this race’s first place, and I had received a kind commission to make sure said investor won his earnings.

That was not at all uncommon. Quite often, as a ringleader, I would receive “offers” to make sure certain outcomes would take place.

In these situations, if the offer was good enough, I would instruct the riders to ensure I got the most desired results.

And there was another fixed bet for this race.

“King, there are five other riders in your street. Fly with Ranger three blocks to the right, have him climb the roofs and jump in the houses instead of flying over them.”

She did as I told her.

Ranger was also a two-legged dragon, his body quite sleek and flexible. Since his scales were a mix of faded brass and copper, he was able to mix well with the muted, dead earthy tones of the buildings—especially considering the underground’s poor light.

The dragon moved like a lizard chasing its prey, his movements precise and quick.

“Jump into the fifth house in front of you and take down Pachu. Ranger will have to pick up his pace if you don’t want to miss them.”

King was a rookie I had discovered a few months ago. She was rising in the ranks fast, and Ranger was a great match for her. According to King, she had raised Ranger since he was three years old so their synergy was great.

Someone wanted King and Ranger in the top three—

And I was going to comply with their wishes.

Ranger was not the fastest, and they both knew that. So before Pachu could pass them King’s dragon opened his mouth, flames pouring out with hunger and rage, blasting the house’s wall with a destructive force.

The wall fell right on top Pachu and his dragon, the animal using their wings to protect their rider as both descended to the ground, fighting and trying to claw their way out of the wreckage.

But by then, King and Ranger had already passed them by, flying away in a rush.

I smiled, taking a few sips of my tea.

She can be Jackal’s next favorite pet…

My new shining treasure.

My focus shifted to Emrys once again, not taking even one second to spot him and his dragon. The yellow wingless animal was called Blue due to his cobalt mane and piercing eyes.

They flew through the streets with the speed of a hurricane and broke into buildings like turmoiled waves, avoiding riders with ease.

When a chance presented itself, Blue would use his body to either break his rival’s balance or send them off course.

Blue was not an impressive dragon in terms of power and speed—there were dragons far superior to him. However, Emrys’ talent was unmatched. And together with Blue’s agility and quick maneuvers, it was almost impossible to catch up to them.

Yet I often wondered what it would be like if Emrys had a better dragon.

The first run ended after eleven minutes, its course going from Block 53 to Block 55. There would be a ten-minute break, as we prepared Block 64 for a quick six-minute course. Then the final long run would go from Block 56 back to Block 53.

“Boss, the riders already got to 64. We are finishing things up here.”

“Perfect. You can close the bets three minutes before the run starts.”

As the firefly turned red and the radio went silent, I turned my attention to the black crystal ball tied to my wrist in a leather bracelet.

It kept blinking and glowing rapidly, blue numbers being displayed in the crystal one after the other, being accompanied by short codenames.

Those were deposits from my dear investors.

I grinned and laughed, my heart filled with joy.

This life, it was certainly the best.

----------------------------------------

When the final run came to an end, I read the final rankings with a smirk.

Emrys had placed first, of course.

King followed in second place and I was quite surprised to see Beru ranked third. He would usually fall between 6th and 7th place, so that was a nice twist. The investors were also quite happy with the results.

Which made me happy.

And even after distributing the bets, separating all payments and commissions for third parties, riders, and the city’s “big bosses”, I was still left with quite the large sum.

That was likely due to the fact this had been Emrys' last race.

There was a knock on the door, followed by a quiet voice.

“It’s me. You called.”

I already had my mask in hands, taking not even three seconds for me to put it on.

“Come in.”

A fourteen-year-old boy entered the room, his worn-out uniform still dusty and dirty from the previous race. His dark green hair was a bit wet from sweat, his cheeks flushed. It seemed he had run all the way here as soon as the last run ended.

Emrys had his mask tied on his waist—a white mask with a long beak, its form resembling feathers and symbolizing a phoenix, red and orange shades mixing and decorating the piece.

In the underground, all riders, dragons, and leaders hid their faces. We dealt with an illegal business, after all.

“Did you call me here to say goodbye?” The boy’s voice was low, as if he was uncomfortable. However, his gray eyes revealed nothing, his true emotions buried deep in his gaze.

I chuckled. “I called you here to give your share of today’s race.”

The boy furrowed, his voice firmer. “You never call anyone here—you never called me here.”

“I never had to. But today is your last day, and Emrys will always be one of Jackal’s treasures.”

I sent the money using my black crystal, Emrys’ blinking not two seconds later. However, he didn’t even glance at his wrist, his eyes averting my gaze.

“The great Jackal will probably find other treasures, ones that are shinier and more precious than me.”

His voice was neither too cold nor too sad. In fact, it lacked emotion and will. I shrugged, the jackal mask concealing my smile.

“Still, you have been my champion for three years now. That alone was worthy of a meeting.”

The boy shifted in his place, both hands behind his back as if I was a general and he a foot-soldier.

“I guess…”

It took me a few moments to speak again. “I already sent someone to bring all your belongings to the address the buyer sent us. You will live there until classes start, before you can move to the dorms. I also hired a carrier to handle Blue.”

Emrys nodded once. “Ok. Thanks.”

“Your seat at the academy is already guaranteed, however you will need to participate in their admission exam. A boring formality, yet I believe you won’t have any problems with that.”

The boy scoffed, his eyes showing some glimpse of annoyance.

“Of course not.”

I smiled, resting my face in my hand. “Great. I believe this was everything I had to tell you. Do you have any last words before we finally part ways?”

He replied faster than I anticipated, his eyes as expressionless as his face.

“Your real voice fits you better.”

Amusement filled my voice as I asked, “Why is that?”

“The real Jackal’s body is too small and frail. The other voice doesn’t match you at all, now that I finally saw you.”

I laughed out loud, not being able to hold it in. There was a built-in voice modifier on my radio; it made my voice sound deeper and lower.

The only instructions I gave were done either by message or through the radio—there was no need to meet with people.

I was only meeting Emrys like this because we would likely never see each other again, and I was certain he would never betray the Jackal.

“Anything else?”

He curled a lock of his hair in his finger, and for the first time, I noticed a hint of genuine warmth in his voice.

“I wanted to thank you…for taking care of me. I had fun with your races.”

I blinked a few times, not expecting that at all. Before I could answer, Emrys rubbed his neck and took a few steps back, going for the door.

“If you have nothing more to say, I’ll be going now.”

Right before he could disappear behind that door, however, I called out his name. Not his rider codename but his real name.

The boy turned to face me with some surprise reflected in his eyes, and in that moment I was happy he could not see the face behind the jackal mask.

“Good luck.”

It was all I said, yet it was enough to make Emrys hold his breath and freeze for a couple of seconds. He gave one final bow before closing the door, leaving me alone once again.

I removed the mask with a sigh, staring at its pointy ears and long nose. There were no decorations or fancy colors; it was a simple black mask.

Emrys was young, which meant he had a future. I never got attached to my riders, yet somehow Emrys had grown on me a bit.

And though I hated to admit it, I would probably miss him a little. I had never taken such a young rider, and to watch him grow over the past years…it almost made me feel proud.

At that moment, I received a message.

I glanced at the black crystal, reading its content with furrowed brows.

It was a dinner invitation, from an unlikely person.

The moment I read the message, there was this feeling that grew inside me. Something unsettling and inconvenient, like a faint echo inside my mind.

Yet I accepted the invitation and forgot to pay closer attention to the feeling.

And that was my first mistake.