The cave remained heavy with tension.
Cold air drifted through the gigantic cavern while faint crimson light from the crystal formations painted the black stone walls in eerie shades of red. The massive nest rested at the center like the throne of a predator king, surrounded by shattered bones and deep claw marks carved into the earth itself.
And within that nest—
Five drake eggs quietly rested.
No one could look away from them.
The eggs themselves radiated faint mana pressure beneath the dim crystal light. Dark crimson shells pulsed softly with living warmth while black vein-like patterns moved slowly across their surfaces like breathing shadows.
Alive.
Ancient.
Dangerous.
Several explorers unconsciously stepped backward from the nest.
Not because of the eggs themselves.
But because everyone understood what their existence meant.
The Wild Drake would return.
And when it discovered its eggs missing—
The entire mountain range might become a slaughter field.
One mercenary immediately cursed beneath his breath.
"This is insanity…"
Another explorer tightened his grip around his spear nervously while staring toward the cave entrance.
"We should leave now while we still can."
"Yes!"
A younger mage whispered urgently.
"That thing will tear us apart if it catches us here!"
Fear spread quickly through the cavern.
Not cowardice.
Reasonable fear.
Because unlike ordinary monsters—
A Wild Drake stood near the top of wilderness predators.
Fast.
Armored.
Capable of flight.
Possessing enough destructive power to massacre entire caravans alone.
And now—
They stood inside its nest.
The atmosphere became increasingly unstable as explorers began speaking over each other.
"We already gained enough resources!"
"No treasure is worth provoking that creature!"
"If it tracks us back toward the council routes—"
"We'll all die!"
Even several veteran mercenaries looked visibly pale.
Meanwhile—
Kel remained calm.
Standing near the shadows of the giant stone pillar while staring toward the eggs silently.
The crimson crystal light reflected faintly across his face while cold cave wind moved softly through his black coat.
Sairen sighed deeply through the soul-link.
"…You're definitely not leaving those eggs behind."
Kel quietly answered internally.
"No."
The guardian immediately groaned.
"…Of course."
Then finally—
Kel stepped forward.
His boots echoed softly across the cavern floor.
The growing panic gradually quieted as explorers turned toward him instinctively.
Kel calmly looked across the gathered expedition members.
Then spoke.
"Now is the time."
The cave became silent.
"To send the second batch back."
Several explorers blinked in confusion.
Kel slowly turned toward the nest.
"They will carry everything we gathered until now."
Then—
His gaze rested upon the eggs.
"And these five eggs as well."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Then suddenly—
The cavern erupted.
"ARE YOU INSANE?!"
"That thing will hunt us endlessly!"
"We can't transport drake eggs safely!"
"This is suicide!"
Even disciplined explorers lost composure now.
Because the idea itself sounded absurd.
Steal drake eggs?
From a living mountain drake?
One older mercenary stepped forward visibly agitated.
"Heral!"
His voice echoed sharply across the cave.
"Those aren't ordinary monster materials!"
The mercenary pointed toward the eggs furiously.
"That creature will tear apart forests searching for them!"
Several others immediately agreed.
"We'll bring disaster to the South!"
"This risk is too high!"
The atmosphere grew increasingly chaotic.
Yet amidst all the fear—
Kel never raised his voice once.
Instead—
He calmly looked at them.
Then quietly asked—
"Does our life matter?"
The cave fell silent instantly.
Several explorers visibly froze.
Kel slowly walked toward the gigantic nest while speaking calmly beneath the crimson crystal light.
"If humanity gains even one drake…"
A faint pause followed.
"…our chances of survival increase."
The atmosphere shifted subtly afterward.
Kel's dark eyes reflected the five eggs silently.
"One flying predator alone can alter battlefields."
His calm voice echoed softly through the cavern.
"Defense."
"Attack."
"Transportation."
"Air superiority."
The explorers slowly listened despite themselves.
Kel continued calmly.
"I am willingly risking myself…"
His gaze remained fixed upon the eggs.
"…to secure these for the Southern Council."
The cave wind moved softly through the chamber.
"Because the future value of these creatures…"
A faint pause followed.
"…surpasses our fear today."
Several explorers quietly fell silent now.
Because despite the danger—
They understood.
Drakes were not ordinary monsters.
They were strategic assets.
Living weapons.
Entire kingdoms fought wars over dragon-related species.
And the South—
A fragmented territory mocked by the rest of the Empire—
Now had the opportunity to raise aerial units impossible for ordinary nobles to obtain.
Kel slowly turned toward them again.
"Imagine it."
The crimson crystal light flickered across his calm expression.
"The next generation of the South…"
A faint pause followed.
"…riding through the skies upon drakes and wyverns."
Silence spread through the cavern.
The image surfaced naturally inside everyone's mind.
Flying cavalry crossing the southern skies.
Armored riders mounted atop monstrous winged predators.
The South no longer appearing weak or barbaric before the Empire.
Power.
Real power.
Even several previously panicked mercenaries visibly hesitated now.
Because ambition had begun battling fear.
Sairen softly murmured through the soul-link.
"…You're manipulating them again."
Kel answered calmly.
"No."
A faint pause followed.
"I'm showing them possibility."
Meanwhile—
One scholar slowly stepped closer toward the nest.
His eyes remained fixed upon the eggs.
"…Can drakes truly be domesticated?"
Kel immediately answered.
"Yes."
Several explorers turned sharply toward him.
The black-haired man calmly continued.
"Not easily."
His gaze darkened faintly.
"But creatures hatched near humans imprint more naturally."
This time—
The atmosphere changed completely.
Because suddenly—
The eggs no longer resembled mere danger.
They resembled future military foundations.
One younger mercenary quietly swallowed.
"If this succeeds…"
Another finished the thought unconsciously.
"…the South could become untouchable."
Kel remained silent.
But deep within—
His thoughts had already advanced much further.
Drakes.
Wyverns.
Flying units.
Future aerial superiority.
The Southern Council was only the beginning.
Because Kel understood something the others still did not.
The coming future of Aurelia would not be won merely through knights and walls.
The world itself was changing.
Ancient civilizations.
Dimensional creatures.
Dragons.
Unknown races.
Humanity would eventually require power beyond conventional armies.
And these eggs—
Were the first step.
Then finally—
Kel calmly looked across the expedition again.
"So."
The cave grew silent once more.
"Who will return with the second batch?"
This time—
No one answered immediately.
Because now—
The decision no longer felt simple.
Returning with the eggs meant danger.
Extreme danger.
But simultaneously—
It meant becoming part of something historic.
The crimson crystal light flickered softly across nervous faces while distant echoes from deep within the mountain tunnels reminded everyone of the predator that would eventually return.
And somewhere beyond the cave—
The Wild Drake still hunted beneath the endless wilderness sky.
Unaware—
That humans had already begun deciding the future of its offspring.