When the vegetation behind the young tamer's back became too thick for him to continue backing away, the dragon put its head closer to him, breathing heavily.

"K... Kenji?! Is that you?!" Yoichi stammered. Inside of him, he knew that everything he was experiencing was just a training vision, but that giant, fierce demon looked terrifying.

​​

"Hmm? Kenji?" - Without any warning, the dragon spoke, answering Yoichi's question.

"Oh, fuck! You... you spoke!" he yelled, panicking. The dagger fell from his right hand, ending up next to his feet in the leaves of the underbrush.

"I'm not Kenji, boy," the giant red-eyed black dragon continued. His appearance was identical to that of his dragon demon, and the colors were very similar. The only significant difference was the size.

"I... I don't... um... I'm not going to fight you!" the young Nightblades warrior exclaimed. To show his determination, Yoichi straightened his hunched back and took a tiny step forward.

"I believe it, little man. You probably wouldn't last a second," the dragon chuckled. Its voice was the most resounding and baritone Yoichi had ever heard.

Every time it uttered a word, its vocal cords made even the ground beneath its neck vibrate. Its two front legs were definitely resting on the ground, but its neck was long enough to hide the rest of its body within the remaining untouched trees.

Seen from above, Yoichi was not even distinguishable among the trees and bushes. In contrast, the giant black dragon had crushed a good portion of the forest with its bulk.

Can this dragon talk? How the hell is that possible? My mind is playing tricks on me! Yoichi thought, trying to buy some time to study his unexpected interlocutor. Ryutaro-Sensei never told me about giant talking dragons!

As soon as he uttered his master's name in his mind, the drawings depicted on the ancient tome of dragon demons began to scroll before his eyes. Ryutaro had explained to him several times that information about dragon demons was so scarce that many humans didn't even believe in their existence.

However, the dragon that was talking to him was the perfect copy of Kenji's latest evolution, but talking and intelligent. That noble scaled being seemed to want to converse with him and had no intention of devouring him.

The answer to his questions struck his mind like a bolt of lightning, making his eyes widen as if he had just made the greatest discovery ever.

Without further ado, Yoichi knelt before the dragon and stretched his arms forward, resting his forehead on the ground and arranging his body as if he were in the presence of a deity.

"Mighty King Therion! I beg your forgiveness for my insolence, but I never thought I would meet you in the flesh!" Yoichi begged loudly, not daring to look up at the Dragon Demon King.

The lipless mouth of the giant winged beast bent on its sides, curving in a fairly 'human' smile despite being expressed by a reptile.

"You already know my name, human" the dragon stated, still standing in the same position. "I'm pleased with that," it added, blinking its huge, flaming eyes.

"Of course I do, my lord! Your name is a legend, and your heroic deeds have saved the world of Lumya. To stand before you is an honor and..."

"Okay, okay... that's enough now," Therion interrupted. The breath emanating from its nostrils lifted Yoichi's hair, and he sat up. "This is only a vision, my boy. Although my spirit lives on, my body died many, many years ago," it explained.

Yoichi stood up, sensing that the majestic Dragon King wanted to tell him something from the height of its wisdom.

"You recognized me, so I guess there's no need to look so big anymore," the dragon spoke. The young tamer looked at it with a questioning expression.

After those words, suddenly, the giant demon's body began to reduce in size, thinning and shrinking. The enormous black scales of its skin became smaller and smaller until they disappeared into its flesh.

The long horns bent down and frayed, turning into long black hair, while the smaller ones remained in place, resting on the forehead of the ancient ruler of Lumya.

At the same time, the dragon's head reentered the dense vegetation, making strange bone sounds as if its entire skeleton was writhing due to the transformation.

"What the f…!" - Yoichi grew speechless, not knowing how to react to that strange event.

At the end of the transformation, a figure decidedly different from the Dragon King emerged from the forest bushes, shrugging off the small shrubs that previously belonged to the tall oaks.

"Aaah, that's better now" - a man with long black hair popped up through the trees, walking briskly towards Yoichi. His eyes were red as fire, and in the center of his forehead, two small black horns.

Therion's black scales had turned into noble black robes with red details. The edges and buttons of the linen shirt, those of the shoes and some details of the pants.

When the Dragon King finished his transformation, he looked at Yoichi, who had never seen anyone change his appearance so quickly except in his dreams.

"How... how did you..."

"Well, shape-shifting powers are only a smidgen of what a dragon demon is capable of, boy," Therion commented. From the tone of his voice, the ruler was haughty but sympathetic, as if he knew he was the strongest demon in the world but showed his more humble side.

Did he say shape-shifting powers? That's so cool! I wonder if Kenji will be capable of that too! Yoichi thought, smiling after that information.

"So, let's get back to us," Therion spoke again. With his hands in his pockets, he began to walk sideways, looking at the ground. "There is something you need to know before you start cultivating your inner power, young Yoichi" he continued. His voice had become a normal human voice, manly but gentle and calm.