The Sacred Wildness devoured dragons for an entire month.
Ancient forests stained by blood.
Mountains split by draconic flames.
Rivers poisoned by corpses.
The succession competition became hell itself.
The thirteen heirs entered proudly beneath burning crimson skies.
Only one emerged alive enough to claim the throne.
And throughout the Dragon Realm—
The heavens watched silently.
Mana storms ravaged the Sacred Wildness endlessly during that month. Ancient beasts awakened from slumber beneath forgotten valleys while ruined civilizations swallowed dragon heirs into labyrinths filled with death and madness.
Alliances formed.
Betrayals followed.
Bloodlines exterminated one another beneath moonlit forests.
Some heirs died screaming.
Some vanished completely.
Some were devoured alive by ancient predators hidden beneath the wildness.
And among all thirteen—
One name slowly became feared by survivors.
Velor.
The Crimson Heir.
The dragon abandoned by nobles.
The dragon mocked publicly.
The dragon everyone initially targeted first.
Yet somehow—
He survived everything.
No.
He dominated it.
Because the Velor who entered the Sacred Wildness no longer resembled the broken dragon nobles once humiliated publicly.
Now—
He moved like controlled flame.
Precise.
Patient.
Merciless.
Kel's teachings had reshaped him completely.
Hatred no longer controlled him.
It obeyed him.
Within the wildness—
Velor hunted those who attempted hunting him first.
Entire alliances collapsed mysteriously beneath crimson fire.
Several heirs disappeared overnight without even leaving corpses behind.
Ancient beasts fell beneath controlled draconic slaughter.
And slowly—
Fear spread.
Not toward the Crimson Bloodline.
Toward Velor himself.
Because the deeper the competition continued—
The more the surviving heirs realized something horrifying.
The Crimson Heir was becoming exactly like his father.
The shadow of the Almighty Crimson Flame Dragon slowly returned to the realm once more.
At the end of the month—
Only one figure emerged from the Sacred Wildness alive.
Velor.
The crimson-haired dragon walked alone from the ancient forests beneath burning skies stained dark red by sunset. Blood covered portions of his armor while crimson flames still flickered faintly around his body.
His eyes no longer resembled those of a wounded heir.
They resembled a king.
The entire Dragon Realm gathered afterward.
The coronation took place within the Valley of Kings.
An enormous volcanic basin surrounded by ancient dragon statues towering high enough to touch crimson clouds themselves. Rivers of molten magma flowed around the ceremonial grounds while countless dragons filled the elevated stone terraces stretching endlessly across the valley.
Noble dragons.
Ancient bloodlines.
Military commanders.
Draconic scholars.
All had come.
Because today—
A new Dragon King would ascend.
The King's Heart floated above the center altar.
A massive crimson crystal pulsing like a living heart beneath ancient draconic runes.
The source of draconic sovereignty itself.
And before it—
Velor stood silently.
Crimson royal robes flowed behind him beneath volcanic winds while ancient flames reflected within his eyes.
The entire realm watched.
Vistara stood nearby among the Crimson retainers.
Her expression remained calm.
Yet internally—
Pride and fear mixed together.
Because she knew.
The Dragon Realm had not created a ruler today.
It had awakened something far more dangerous.
Meanwhile—
Far above the ceremonial grounds—
Kel quietly observed everything from the highest obsidian balcony.
Still disguised as the Demonic Black Dragon.
Still hidden beneath illusionary scales and golden draconic eyes.
Sairen softly whispered through the soul-link.
"…History is changing."
Kel silently watched Velor approach the King's Heart below.
"No."
The guardian paused slightly.
Then Kel quietly continued.
"History already changed the moment he stopped being alone."
The coronation ritual began afterward.
Ancient draconic chants echoed throughout the valley while crimson mana erupted from the King's Heart like burning sunlight. The skies themselves darkened while dragons instinctively lowered their heads before the ancient sovereignty awakening once more.
Velor slowly placed one hand upon the King's Heart.
BOOOOOOM.
Crimson fire exploded upward toward the heavens.
Ancient dragon mana surged across the valley violently while volcanic mountains trembled throughout the realm itself.
The King's Heart accepted him.
The Crimson Dragon King had ascended.
Countless dragons immediately lowered themselves.
"Long live the Dragon King!"
"Glory to the Crimson Throne!"
"Long live His Majesty Velor Von Drakhar!"
The valley thundered endlessly beneath draconic voices.
And then—
Everything changed.
Velor slowly turned around afterward.
His crimson eyes moved across the countless dragons kneeling before him.
Then—
His gaze lifted higher.
Toward the obsidian balcony above.
Toward Kel.
Silence slowly spread.
Because the newly crowned Dragon King suddenly descended the altar steps.
Not toward nobles.
Not toward generals.
Toward the black dragon standing above them all.
The entire valley gradually quieted in confusion.
Velor stopped before Kel afterward beneath burning skies and endless volcanic winds.
Then slowly—
The Dragon King lowered one knee.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Every dragon froze.
Because the ruler of all dragons…
Had just knelt.
Then Velor's voice echoed across the entire valley.
Calm.
Absolute.
"From this moment forward…"
His crimson eyes remained lowered respectfully.
"…I am your personal ride, Master Kel."
The world itself seemed to stop.
Shock spread instantly across the valley.
"What?!"
"Impossible!"
"The Dragon King bowed?!"
"He called a human master?!"
Chaos erupted immediately afterward.
Several noble dragons rose furiously while countless generals released killing intent instinctively.
One elder dragon roared violently—
"A Dragon King bows to no one!"
Another shouted angrily—
"He is unworthy of the throne!"
"The King's Heart must be reclaimed!"
The valley descended into outrage.
Because draconic pride could not tolerate such humiliation.
Yet amidst the chaos—
Velor slowly stood again.
His crimson eyes burned coldly across the entire realm.
Then calmly—
The new Dragon King spoke words that froze countless souls.
"A Dragon King bows to none…"
A faint pause followed.
"…other than a Dragon Emperor."
Silence spread instantly.
Velor slowly turned toward Kel.
"And this human…"
His voice deepened.
"…is worthy of that title."
The atmosphere darkened completely afterward.
Because the title Dragon Emperor existed only in ancient myths.
A being above Dragon Kings themselves.
A ruler acknowledged by dragons willingly.
Then suddenly—
Twelve overwhelming mana signatures erupted throughout the valley.
BOOOOOOM.
The Twelve Divine Generals of the previous Silver Dragon King descended simultaneously.
Ancient dragons clad in war armor forged from draconic bones and volcanic steel.
Monsters who ruled battlefields for centuries.
Their hostility flooded the valley.
One stepped forward coldly.
"No human deserves such authority."
Another unsheathed his massive draconic spear.
"Prove your worth."
The twelve generals surrounded Kel entirely afterward.
The skies themselves darkened beneath their combined pressure.
Meanwhile—
Kel remained calm.
Too calm.
Sairen softly sighed inside the soul-link.
"…And now comes the massacre."
The black-haired man quietly looked toward the twelve generals surrounding him.
Then—
For the first time since entering the Dragon Realm—
He released his aura fully.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM.
The heavens shattered.
Ancient dragon statues cracked instantly.
The volcanic valley collapsed beneath pressure alone while countless dragons were forced onto their knees instinctively.
Fear consumed the realm.
Because standing there—
Was no longer merely a human.
It felt like a divine calamity wearing human skin.
The twelve generals attacked simultaneously.
And vanished simultaneously.
No battle.
No struggle.
Only erasure.
Space itself twisted violently around Kel for a brief moment.
Then—
The Twelve Divine Generals ceased existing entirely.
No ashes.
No corpses.
No souls.
Gone.
Absolute destruction.
Silence consumed the Dragon Realm afterward.
Every dragon stared toward Kel in horror.
Reverence.
Fear.
Meanwhile—
Kel calmly looked toward Velor.
Then quietly spoke.
"Select new generals."
The new Dragon King immediately lowered his head respectfully.
"Yes, Master."
And beneath the burning crimson skies—
The entire Dragon Realm finally acknowledged the existence of its first Dragon Emperor.