Drahon was momentarily stunned. He couldn't voice a word.
He had just awakened a Second Rank Dragon, and a Tier SSS at that. An SSS-ranked dragon was literally the highest rank in the game, if one did not consider the unknown rank with the question mark (???).
And a Fire Dragon, that was also the highest dragon rank for now, if you didn't add the Golden Dragon, which players couldn't activate at the start of the game.
Drahon couldn't believe his eyes. All his life, he had always wanted to see a dragon. He thought they weren't real, and one time when he was younger, he had mistaken them for dinosaurs and thought they had gone extinct.
And now facing one, large and massive as this, was a dream come true. For some reason, he also thought dragons were harmful if they didn't like you. He had read stories of them killing villains with just a roar.
But this was his dragon, and he was certain it wouldn't harm him.
Suddenly, the runes in front of him rearranged and multiplied in number, and then he heard a saw:
---
[Dragon Profile:]
• Name: Not yet named
• Type: Fire Dragon
• Rank: SSS (Mythical Tier)
• Level: 1
• Age: Primordial
• Dragon Rank: Fire Dragon
• Core Element: Infernal Flame
• Size: Large
---
[Stats]
• Strength: 85
• Agility: 60
• Endurance: 90
• Fire Resistance: 100%
• Other Elemental Resistance: Low
• Bond Loyalty: 14% (Pretty low. Upgrade by making the dragon see you as its owner)
• Evolution Potential: High
---
[Passive Abilities]
• Scorching Presence – Surrounds itself with searing heat that weakens nearby enemies' defense and agility.
---
[Active Skills]
• Fire Breath (Tier A) – Unleashes a blazing cone of fire that melts armor and causes burn damage over time.
• Blazing Wingbeat (Tier B) – Flaps wings to release a fiery shockwave, knocking back enemies and igniting the area.
• Draconic Roar (Tier B) – Emits a terrifying roar that lowers enemy morale and temporarily boosts Drahon's physical stats.
---
[Special Trait]
• Unhatched Potential – As an SSS-Rank Dragon, this creature may evolve into a higher legendary form after bonding fully and reaching a specific milestone.
• Note: Naming the dragon may unlock a hidden title or skill.
---
The dragon, although seeming fierce in appearance, stared at Drahon with childlike eyes.
Drahon noticed that perhaps it was a bit nervous, as it stood with its head bent low, gazing at him.
[Name your dragon to awaken your system]
Drahon looked nervous himself. He wasn't so great at naming things, and now the rune stuff wanted him to name his dragon?
Just then, he heard loud voices, certainly the voices of excited players.
"I just awakened a Tier D Winterer Dragon!"
"Yippee! I just awakened a Tier B Winterer Dragon!"
Drahon furrowed an eyebrow. Firstly, he couldn't get all the fuss about them shouting about the dragons they got. Secondly, why did two players simultaneously get a Winterer Dragon?
More players were shouting in excitement.
"I got a Tier F Ploxer! Damn! I'm cooked!"
Drahon couldn't help but chuckle at that. A Ploxer was bad alright, but Tier F? The player was truly cooked.
This seemed dumb to Drahon. You get the lowest-ranked dragon and you shout about it?
It sounded crazy, to be honest, like something someone dumb would do.
"I got a Tier B Bronzer!" another player shouted. "Certainly what I wanted. The dragon rank might look pretty low, but then, I got a higher tier, a Tier B!"
"I got a Tier A Ploxer!" a player shouted. "Normally I would be sad that I got the lowest-ranked dragon, but then, it's high in rank, a fuckin' Tier A!"
Again, this didn't seem realistic. Drahon couldn't understand why the players were this childish, to the point of announcing their dragons and their ranks to everyone.
But then, it wasn't all players that were shouting their dragons and tiers to everyone, but simply childish players. That was what Drahon addressed them as.
He didn't know their life outside the game, so perhaps he wouldn't be so quick in judging them.
Maybe they grew up being so excited about everything and brought that attitude into the game.
Or they grew up being sad, and now just couldn't hide their happiness. Maybe this was the first time they were being this happy.
Or they loved dragons so much, and seeing one for the first time—then owning it—was dream-like. Like a dream come true. Something they never expected would happen.
"I'll name you Flappy!" Drahon heard.
"I'll name you…, um…, ah…, eh… Flappy!" he heard again.
"I'll name mine Soundblast!"
"I'll name mine Shriekker!"
Drahon still found it weird that he could hear what other players were saying far away. Even though they were shouting, it wouldn't be as audible as it was now.
He could hear everything loud and clear.
He now focused on the dragon. It was still gazing at him, a weird look on its face, like it was trying to figure out what Drahon was thinking. It was seemingly studying its next move.
To Drahon, the dragon looked cute. In his mind, he could picture the resemblance of its face to that of a cute dog.
That cute face a dog made.
[The dragon must actually like you to upgrade your bonding]
Drahon nodded. He didn't actually need to nod, but it was just an act that bolstered him. Like he was motivating himself. He was like,
C'mon man, let's do this.
He looked at the dragon keenly. He was a bit nervous, as this was a defining moment for him.
If he couldn't make the dragon like him, see him as its owner, he was surely cooked.
And so he slowly walked closer to the dragon, who had its head bent. For something that was newly hatched, it was very big.
It looked as though it wasn't the one in the egg, and that was because if an egg hatched in the Dragon Game, it didn't necessarily mean it came as a child.
The egg was merely just a way to distribute it, as the dragons weren't newborns. They were actually ancient and primitive, and had been in existence for a long time.
The dragon watched Drahon approach it, and before Drahon could take another step, it dashed closer and embraced him.
It growled softly with a smile as it rested its head on Drahon's chest, bending very low in order to be at that level.
Drahon was surprised. He embraced the dragon, stroking it softly on the head.
Just then, he heard a soft voice, deep and layered with authority:
[You have successfully bonded with your dragon]
[Bond Loyalty: 68%]