One day, a messenger from the dark elves came to visit the village of the lizardmen, and he brought terrible news. After being invited to dinner with the elder, he told elder Mu about the machinations of the major powers.

[Mu: "So, let me get this straight. The humans of the Yon Empire are planning on slaughtering other candidates to further improve their chance of success in the election? This is not even competition. This is glorified murder."]

[Messenger: "Yes, and so we have come to request assistance in the election from the great Mu."]

Ren made a surprised face at the words of the messenger. He didn't expect Mu to be someone of high standing.

[Mu: "Oh please... My times serving Yukiara are long gone."]

["Messenger: "But having the great frost general Mu on our side would be a huge benefit. Just say the amount, and it's yours!"]

Mu had given up on the life of a warrior. He had sworn to never pick up a weapon again, so this insolence this dark elf showed agitated everyone in the room.

[Ren: "I'm sorry, but who is this Yukiara?"]

[Mu: "She is probably the being closest related to you. She's the Ice Dragon."]

[Messegner: "Who is this brat? How dare he speak when the adults are talking!"]

Mu gave the messenger a chilling glare:

[Mu: "This is my guest. Ren, the descendant of the Dragon Emperor. If you show discourtesy against him, you show it against me."]

[Messenger: "I- I'm sorry, master Mu! I didn't know the Dragon Emperor had descendants! It's just... His mana is so young... He doesn't even seem to be a year old."]

[Ren: "Well, you're not that wrong. You could say This body was born about 6isch weeks ago."]

[...]

In the end, the messenger left in disappointment, promising that no help shall come from the dark elves in their time of need either.

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It was the first time I had ever seen dragon fire. Elder Mu had told us stories of it when we were children, but they seemed to lack in comparison.

It was about two months after the messenger left. A group of crusaders was spotted heading to our village. Elder Mu instructed us to not meet them with violence if they didn't engage in it first, but somewhere in my heart, I knew that this was how it would end when I saw their banner. The banner of the Yon Empire.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Without a word, the crusaders began cutting down the villagers.

When a crusader was just about to strike me down with his sword, elder Mu decapitated him with a strike of his hand and saved me.

[Mu: "JILL! THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO SPACE OUT!!!"]

Elder Mu extended his hand, and after he helped me get up, we were surrounded by crusaders.

[Mu: "Jill, you get Ren! I'll hold them off!"]

["YES!"]

I ran and ran, and when I took a glance behind me, Elder Mu was already amidst the crusaders, punching holes through their armor. Dodging their attacks. Strangling them with his tail and throwing them into each other. Everyone that would have seen his combat powers would have understood why he was the close-aid of a supreme dragon! It was well known that his level eclipsed that of most fighters, but this sight was awe-inspiring!

I ran further in search of Ren until I finally found him.

The ashen-haired youth was surrounded by three crusaders.

["REN! GET OUT OF THERE!"]

As I screamed at him, Ren only smiled at me...

Despite his level being only 9, he had proven himself worthy of the title of warrior. In the sparring lessons with the other lizardmen, he had shown what it means to be a dragon. His stats were so overinflated that he was able to beat opponents whose level was three times that of his own.

Yet those same warriors were killed by the same crusaders that were standing before him...

[Ren: "It's ok, Jill... I'm just gonna kick their asses."]

["What? It's dangerous! They are way stronger than your average warrior!"]

[Ren: "Don't worry, I have something I've always wanted to try, but never got the chance!"]

Jet-black scales grew along the ashen-haired youth and spread to his limbs. A pair of ominous wings grew out of his shoulder blades, and an extension of his spine in the form of a tail sprouted from his back, horns grew to crown his head, and his eyes shone ominously.

The next action he took was to breathe. He took such a deep breath, that his chest puffed out and began to glow in fiery orange.

Then he exhaled. At first, the flame wasn't as big, as expected, but then something clicked inside his throat, and as if fueled by another mana source, the flame expanded explosively.

A closer inspection showed that this was precisely what had happened. A triangular scale on Rens's throat shone in crimson light and supplied the flame with an enormous amount of mana.

It was almost as if a flame that always resides within his stomach was fueled by the scale when they came in contact.

When the fire stopped, only ashes remained of the crusaders. I was so stunned, I couldn't even move. It was his breath weapon. I knew dragons had them, but for some reason, I didn't expect Ren to be able to use his yet... I mean, can you blame me? I mean, he is literally less than a year old!

[Ren: "Hey, Jill.. let's go get Mu and then away from here!"]

I shook my head to get the shock out of me:

["Yeah, Let's!"]

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Amidst a pile of corpses stood a once-proud lizardman.

He never wanted to have to see the lifeless bodies of those close to him ever again. This was the reason why he turned tail from the mighty ice dragon, even though this action would invalidate the relationship the two had built for years and years to come...

Yet... Why had the world to be so cruel?

Afoot the once-mighty warrior lay the corpses of his friends and beloved, but not only those. There also lay those that took them from him, for he had made sure to let them taste his wrath.

In the end, he was only able to protect 3 of his companions, the dragon, and Jill, his niece excluded.

He had forced his fist through so many human soldiers this day but to no avail! The pain in his heart was nowhere near disappearing.

He screamed in agony until Jill and Ren returned to the place the young lizardwoman had left him.