"From Therion to Ildriss... and from Kogath to Valgoth. By passing on your legacy to future generations, you have prolonged the war for other hundreds, perhaps thousands of years!" Yoichi thundered as if to scold the Dragon Demon King.

"The war can never end until one prevails over the other forever, Yoichi!" Therion loudly exclaimed, grabbing both of the blond-haired warrior's shoulders in his hands. "The one named Emperor Gonshiro has been using the primordial power of Kogath for hundreds of years and has increased its magnitude."

​​

"Are you saying that... Valgoth is stronger than Kogath, the dark lord of ancient demons?" - The mere utterance of that name and its epithets filled Yoichi's mouth with disgust.

"Correct," the dragon in human form replied. "The more time passes, the more Valgoth's evil increases, drawing other evil to himself. Sooner or later, his army will be so large and powerful that it will be unchallengeable! Our goal is to prevent this from happening. Ildriss is the answer! You are the answer, Yoichi!" - the flames burning within the reptilian pupils of the long-haired black ruler increased their intensity, burning his desire for revenge.

Yoichi's lips trembled as if, for a few moments, his brain prevented his mouth from uttering a word. The young warrior, who until recently had been just a Bronzeforest countryman unaware of his fate, looked frightened.

On the one hand, Valgoth and his master had had hundreds of years to prepare for the ultimate battle that would bring Tentochu to its knees. On the other hand, Ildriss had not even reached its second evolutionary stage, and the tamer who had inherited it was a young man who had awakened in another body and a world unknown to him.

Although Therion's words seemed to conceal strong selfishness within them, what the Dragon King truly desired was Lumya's peace. The ardor of his words and his spirit as a Dragon, the noblest and most intelligent of the demonic beasts, made his speech full of anger and ferocity.

Any ruler would have reacted that way knowing that his kingdom, over which past generations had overseen, was in danger of being indelibly torn apart by pure wickedness.

Yoichi's fear necessarily had to turn into a desire for revenge. Just as he shared his psychic and physical sensations with Kenji, his Oracle, the bond between him and Therion was just as strong.

The young tamer could sense the truth of his words and shared his ideals, but knowing that he could not face Gonshiro and Valgoth put him in a particularly disadvantageous mental condition.

"My lord," Yoichi stammered. His lips as dry as the arid soil of a desert. "Do you really believe that by cultivating my draconic powers, I will be able to achieve the strength necessary to defeat Gonshiro and save Tentochu and all of Lumya?"

"Believe it or not, my boy...this is the only hope we have. I have thought of a way that will allow you to reach an incredible level of strength. It will take some time, but with patience and perseverance, Ildriss' power will surpass even mine, son," Therion replied, turning on a new light of hope in Yoichi's soul.

"Tell me then, Supreme Dragon King of Lumya. In what does the cultivation of my magical powers consist?" he inquired, remembering that he was within the vision of the Tear for a particular purpose.

Therion sketched a slight smile. The ruler of the Dragons seemed happy that despite being loaded with bad news, Yoichi was trying to respond proactively.

"As you already know, we Dragons are unique demons. Our strength is superior to that of other demons. However, even for us, the same laws apply as for everyone else: the dragon 'type' is effective against many elements and not very strong against others. In any case, a brief explanation is necessary for you to understand your next vital mission fully," he explained.

"I am ready," Yoichi nodded.

"We dragons are knowledgeable and wise creatures. Yet, competitiveness is part of our selfish egos," Therion smiled, revealing something Yoichi could never have known except from a real dragon. "Contrary to what the legends tell about me, I did not win the role of Dragon King but inherited it from my father. His name was Luceros, Protector of the Weak."

Yoichi was visibly stunned by that statement. Is he saying that he is not the strongest of the Dragons that once inhabited the skies of Lumya? He thought, eagerly awaiting the rest of the tale.

"Because of the great responsibility my father left me, I learned to fight before I could even fly. This has made me highly regarded among my trusted warriors, and never has anyone in my army ever opposed my orders," Therion remarked, letting his haughty side prevail for a moment.

"Do you know how many 'types' of demons there are, boy?" he asked, switching into interrogation mode.

The young tamer connected that question to the book he had been reading the night before. Without doing so on purpose, his attention had lingered on that very information, as if his brain had already anticipated that it would come in handy.

"Thirteen, if I'm not mistaken," he replied after a moment's hesitation.

"Fire, water, earth, grass, spark, ice, fighting, poison, psychic, ghost, dark, steel, and fairy. Thirteen elements, a supreme dragon for each of them," Therion spoke again.

"A supreme Dragon? I thought the only Supreme Dragon was you," Yoichi answered.

"The Supreme Dragons are the twelve strongest and most loyal warriors of the King. They are responsible for the protection of the world: for this specific reason, since the beginning of time, they have been known as Guardians of the Whole."

"Guardians of the Whole," Yoichi repeated. As they resonated, those words seemed more and more mystical and important.

Despite the stories told to him by Enatsu and passed on to the young merchant by his grandfather Yanatsu, the truth about dragons included stories unknown to all humankind. Stories of which he was the only knower.