Blue Valley slowly quieted beneath the moon.
The chaos of competition gradually faded as both draconic factions completed their counting beneath the pale silver skies. The glowing White Lilies had become fewer now, their sacred fields partially harvested beneath countless clawed hands and ambitious eyes.
Cold winds drifted through the valley.
The rivers shimmered softly.
And above—
The moon watched silently.
The final results had not even been fully announced yet, yet neither side appeared satisfied.
Because pride never allowed satisfaction.
Only temporary victory.
Or resentment.
The Ashfang Clan loudly celebrated their apparent superiority while Moonscale warriors maintained cold elegant silence despite obvious irritation.
Arguments still occasionally erupted over counting accuracy.
Some accused hidden flowers.
Others accused intentional miscalculation.
Meanwhile—
Kel quietly walked away from the valley.
No one stopped him.
No one truly noticed him.
Because both clans remained too obsessed with defeating each other.
Exactly as he intended from the beginning.
The black-haired man moved through the silver forest surrounding Blue Valley while moonlight filtered softly through ancient branches above him. The illusionary black dragon disguise still covered his body naturally while the pouch hidden beneath his coat carried enough White Lilies to alter the future of an entire noble household.
And yet—
His thoughts were elsewhere now.
Far beyond flowers.
Far beyond clan rivalry.
Toward the future Dragon King.
Sairen's voice echoed softly through the soul-link.
"…You're thinking deeply again."
Kel stepped across glowing roots beneath the moonlit forest calmly.
"Yes."
The guardian quietly waited.
Because by now—
She understood something.
Whenever Kel became this silent—
Something dangerous usually followed.
Finally—
Kel spoke softly.
"The next Dragon King…"
A faint pause followed.
"…I know who will win."
Silence.
Sairen immediately understood the implication.
"…Because of the game."
Kel nodded slightly while continuing through the ancient forest.
"Yes."
His dark eyes reflected silver moonlight faintly beneath the illusionary draconic appearance.
Out of all the countless rounds he played in Destiny…
Out of all the timelines he experienced…
One truth never changed.
The victor of the Dragon King Competition.
No matter how many hidden variables shifted…
No matter how many candidates rose and fell…
One draconic human always eventually ascended the throne.
The being who would later become known across worlds as—
The Crimson Dragon Emperor.
Kel still remembered that title clearly.
Because during the game—
That character had been absurdly important.
A conqueror.
A ruler.
A draconic genius feared even by divine species later in the storyline.
And now—
That future emperor still had not ascended yet.
Not king.
Not emperor.
Not untouchable.
Still vulnerable.
Still human enough to bind.
Sairen suddenly sounded uneasy.
"…Kel."
"Hm?"
"…You are planning something terrifying."
The black-haired man smiled faintly beneath the moonlight.
"I'm planning efficiently."
The guardian sighed deeply.
"…Those words always mean danger."
Kel calmly placed one hand inside his coat while walking through the glowing forest.
During the game—
One mythical-level hidden quest existed within the Dragon Realm.
Almost impossible to achieve.
The conditions were absurd.
Form a true master-servant contract with the future Dragon Emperor before ascension.
Not slavery.
Not forced domination.
A recognized draconic oath acknowledged by dragon laws themselves.
And if completed—
The reward granted one legendary title.
Dragon Emperor.
One of the rarest titles in Destiny.
Not merely symbolic.
The title itself granted terrifying influence over draconic races, ancient bloodline compatibility, resistance against dragon fear pressure, and access to hidden draconic political systems later in the game.
Even among mythical rewards—
It ranked absurdly high.
Because normally—
No player could realistically achieve it.
Finding the future Dragon Emperor before ascension already bordered impossible.
Earning trust enough for such a contract?
Even harder.
Yet Kel—
Already knew the future.
And because of that—
The opportunity standing before him now felt almost unreal.
How could he ignore it?
Sairen quietly asked—
"…You intend to bind the future Dragon King as your subordinate?"
Kel answered calmly.
"No."
The guardian blinked internally.
Kel's voice remained steady beneath the moonlit forest.
"A proper master-servant contract is mutual."
A faint cold wind passed between the silver trees.
"The servant gains protection."
"The master gains loyalty."
Sairen remained silent briefly.
Then softly replied—
"…That sounds dangerously close to how kings create empires."
Kel quietly smiled.
"Exactly."
The forest gradually opened beyond the valley region while distant draconic settlements became visible far across the mountains.
Ancient towers.
Floating firelights.
Massive structures carved directly into cliffs and volcanic stone.
The civilization of draconic humans stretched far beyond what humanity knew.
And somewhere within that vast realm—
The future Dragon Emperor currently lived.
Perhaps still competing.
Still climbing.
Still underestimated.
Which meant—
This was the best moment.
Before ascension.
Before power centralized around him.
Before the entire Dragon Realm bowed beneath his wings.
Kel's footsteps slowed slightly.
Because another thought surfaced quietly inside his mind.
The future Dragon Emperor…
Had once been one of his favorite characters while playing Destiny.
Not because of strength alone.
But because unlike most rulers—
That being possessed terrifying ambition mixed with genuine vision.
A dragon capable of reshaping civilizations.
And now—
Kel intended meeting him personally.
Sairen softly muttered—
"…Sometimes I genuinely forget you were once merely a player."
Kel looked upward toward the moonlit heavens beyond the forest canopy.
"I was never merely a player."
The guardian quietly listened.
Because the way he spoke those words felt strangely heavy.
Like someone carrying countless lives inside forgotten memories.
Meanwhile—
Far behind him—
The Ashfang and Moonscale Clans finally began returning toward their respective territories.
Large groups of draconic warriors departed beneath moonlight while carrying gathered White Lilies and lingering resentment toward each other.
The rivalry only deepened tonight.
And hidden amidst that rivalry—
A human had stolen far more than flowers.
He had stolen opportunity itself.
Kel quietly stepped onto another mountain path leading away from Blue Valley entirely.
A different route.
A different destination.
Because now—
The White Lilies no longer mattered most.
The true prize waiting somewhere within the Dragon Realm…
Was the throne itself.