Chapter 432: The Little Black Dragon's Life at the Dragon Academy

Sunlight pierced the thick mist, scattering golden beams across the swamp. The verdant aquatic plants along the shore grew greener, slowly straightening their stalks in the light.

Amid the ethereal mist, the black dragon Zamek exposed only his eyes above the water like a crocodile. From a distance, he looked like a harmless piece of dry driftwood. He was lurking in ambush, waiting to hunt.

Zamek was a black dragon Wyrmling. Not long ago, he had lived under the protection of his dragon mother. But with the descent of the Five-Headed Dragon Queen's oracle, his life had undergone an earth-shattering change.

The oracle commanded the Dragon Race to send their young dragons to designated territories overseen by the Dragon Queen's priests, where they would be collectively teleported to the Dragon Academy on the Luoduoluo Plane.

Just like the young dragons, the black dragon mother had no idea what the hell this Dragon Academy was, but she was more than happy to follow the Five-Headed Dragon Queen's decree and get rid of these little troublemakers.

The Dragon Mother joyfully delivered her recently hatched cubs to the priest's territory. After a flurry of activity from the Dragon Queen's priest, Zamek and his siblings were teleported to an entirely unfamiliar high tower.

Zamek could swear that even within the vast, boundless Dragon Inheritance, such a majestic tower was rarely seen.

Inside the tower, Zamek saw many of his kin, as well as adult dragons who claimed to be teachers of the Dragon Academy. Zamek and his siblings were assigned under the command of an adult black dragon, Tasdinmo Losamia.

Through Teacher Tasdinmo's explanations, Zamek gained a basic understanding of the Dragon Academy.

The Dragon Academy was a safe haven built specifically for young dragons by the great Abomination Rank White Dragon, Amos Aldrich. Possessing the Dragon Inheritance, Zamek knew very well that in a few years, he would have to leave his Dragon Mother's protection and face the dangerous world alone.

But now, he didn't need to worry about being hunted by Transcendent Beasts during his weak Childhood Stage, or being captured by intelligent races to serve as a familiar, a mount, or even dismembered for magical materials. His heart was full of gratitude toward the founder of the Dragon Academy.

Teacher Tasdinmo took the black dragon Wyrmlings to another Magic Tower and explained the Dragon Academy's rules in even greater detail. The major living zones, knowledge exchanges, treasure scrambles, and the trials of Amos—all of it filled Zamek with immense curiosity about this academy.

The area he now lived in was the habitat for black dragon Wyrmlings: the Black Water Swamp. There were no Transcendent Beasts in the Black Water Swamp; the most dangerous threats were large predators like tigers and bears.

For the Wyrmlings, these large carnivores still posed a certain threat, but as long as they were careful, there wouldn't be any major problems. Besides, the Wyrmlings didn't have to provoke the dangerous predators; they could hunt other prey, like antelopes and sika deer.

The wind carried the scent of prey. Zamek heard a rustling sound drawing closer—an animal brushing against leaves as it walked through the forest. He made sure to retract his dragon might, blending perfectly into the environment.

A sika deer approached the edge of the swamp. It vigilantly scanned the water, ears pricked up to catch any surrounding sounds. Finding nothing unusual, it splayed its forelegs and bent down to drink.

Zamek circled to the deer's flank, approaching silently beneath the surface.

Finally, he entered striking range. The prey spotted the black shadow under the water, but it was too late. Immature dragon might erupted, throwing the deer into a panic. The little black dragon leaped out from beneath the surface, his powerful hind legs kicking off the water as he flapped his wings to glide forward.

The five-meter gap was closed in the blink of an eye. The little black dragon clamped his jaws around the deer's snout, using his weight and strength to drag it into the water. The prey struggled violently, sending up massive splashes, but it was all in vain. It soon suffocated and went still.

Zamek dragged his delicious meal over to a small patch of land in the water to eat.

He had learned from past mistakes. Once, he had hunted a honey badger and joyfully dragged it to the shore to feast, only for a sneaking tiger to steal his prize.

The little black dragon tore into the prey's tender flesh, swallowing large mouthfuls of food.

Ordinarily, black dragon habits dictated that prey was best buried in the mud for a while, as it was most delicious when it rotted and bred maggots. But Zamek was starving and couldn't care less.

The wind carried the scent of blood far away, attracting a forest overlord—a prime-aged tiger. The tiger's body was a full two times larger than the Wyrmling's. The claws hidden within its paw pads were like daggers, sharp enough to tear right through a Wyrmling's tender scales.

Stepping out of the forest, the tiger saw the black dragon feeding in the swamp, and a flash of predatory greed swept through its eyes.

Zamek turned his head, his snout stained with blood and shreds of meat hanging between his sharp fangs. He let out a provocative roar at the tiger.

I'll finish you off sooner or later!

Looking at the swamp before it, the tiger silently turned and stalked back into the forest. On land, it was confident it could slay a Wyrmling less than half its size, but in the water, that was another story entirely—or rather, a fatal accident waiting to happen.

Zamek enjoyed a hearty meal and was just planning to return to his temporary nest in the swamp to rest when he suddenly saw a dazzling pillar of light rise from the distant forest. A flash of greed crossed the little black dragon's eyes—a greed for treasure.

"Has another treasure appeared?"

A hint of hesitation flashed through Zamek's eyes. He knew these treasures were dropped by the teachers. The drop locations were random and always accompanied by huge commotions. The goal was to attract a multitude of black dragon Wyrmlings to fight over them, thereby training their combat prowess and teamwork.

There were strong and weak Wyrmlings, and Zamek, who had hatched less than three months ago, was undoubtedly at the bottom of the barrel.

Even if I can't snatch it, taking a look wouldn't hurt.

The little black dragon flapped his wings, took to the sky, and flew toward the pillar of light.

With a broad view from the sky, Zamek spotted many of his kin. Some were newborns roughly his size, while others were much larger, though they still fell within the Wyrmling category.

The treasure's location this time was at the border between the Wyrmling district and the Very Young Dragon district. Zamek flew for over half an hour before reaching the pillar of light.

By now, numerous Wyrmlings had gathered around the pillar of light, but no dragon dared approach it. First, because the pillar had not yet disappeared, and getting closer wouldn't allow them to break through the outer magical defenses to get the item. Second, approaching right now would undoubtedly make them a target for everyone else.

Flying closer, Zamek saw the item inside the light pillar, and his eyes lit up. It was a pile of glittering gold coins. If the pillar had contained a piece of magical jewelry, the little black dragon wouldn't have dared entertain any ideas, but with gold coins, he could fish in troubled waters and snatch one or two for himself.

Zamek scanned the flock of dragons, searching for his siblings.

Under these circumstances, they were undoubtedly natural allies. It wasn't just Zamek; the other Wyrmlings were also forming factions to seize a bigger piece of the pie. As for internal distribution, that could be decided after they actually had the coins.

The little black dragon quickly found his allies, but their plan failed. A few groups that usually fought tooth and nail against each other had united to jointly guard the prize.

The members of these groups were all veteran Wyrmlings about to step into the Very Young Dragon Stage. These veterans occupied the best territories in the Black Water Swamp, and some of them had even undergone several rounds of professional training. These Wyrmlings could take on multiple opponents at once.

Thinking of that professional training, Zamek felt a pang of regret. He regretted not taking the teacher's advice to choose a combat class initially. That professional knowledge cost money; although they could issue an IOU, it eventually had to be repaid.

Zamek's short-sightedness had taught him a lesson. In a recent turf war, he had been defeated by a black dragon Wyrmling a month younger than him. The reason was that his opponent had undergone Warrior professional training. Zamek had been humiliatingly forced to abandon the territory he had just acquired.

Fortunately, he still had a chance. On the first day of the new year, the teachers would unlock access permissions to the Magic Tower, allowing the Wyrmlings inside. At that time, they would be able to acquire professional knowledge.

The veteran Wyrmlings teaming up to bully the newcomers caused most of the others to give up on their plans to fish in troubled waters.

Zamek looked around and noticed several very young black dragons at the border of the Wyrmling living area, watching the commotion. Spotting a familiar face, he flew over to the dragon.

"Hey! Big Brother Pudley! How's your new life in the Very Young Dragon district?"

The very young black dragon saw his former lackey and sighed. "How else could it be? Back in the Wyrmling district, I was a local overlord, but over in the Very Young Dragon district, I'm at the bottom of the barrel again. Anyway, don't mention it..."

Although the two dragons could chat, they couldn't physically interact, because an invisible Magic Barrier stood between the Wyrmling living area and the Very Young Dragon living area.

Rumor had it that this Magic Barrier was personally set up by the headmaster of the Dragon Academy, Amos Aldrich. Only the Legendary Rank teachers could ignore the barrier while flying; underage dragons could not.

Through Pudley, the little black dragon obtained some intelligence about the Very Young Dragon district.

In the Very Young Dragon district, there was no more ordinary prey. The Very Young Dragons had to hunt Transcendent Beasts, which posed a certain level of danger. Dragons that had just stepped into the Childhood Stage were easily injured, but they would be fine after adapting for a while.

Because the Very Young Dragon Stage lasted much longer than the Wyrmling stage, the Very Young Dragon district was significantly larger than the Wyrmling district. There were more Very Young Dragons, and the rewards dropped by the teacher dragons were even better. The competition there was far fiercer than in the Wyrmling district.

Moreover, the Very Young Dragon district featured trials left behind by the academy's headmaster. It was a series of tests. Challengers who defeated the gatekeeping golems would earn rewards. Legend said that by passing the final trial, one could meet the avatar left by the Abomination dragon, Amos Aldrich, and obtain the ultimate reward: the Blessing of Amos.

A blessing from a powerhouse often brought tremendous benefits.

The little black dragon imagined a beautiful dream where he passed the final trial, obtained the headmaster's blessing, and emerged to slaughter his way in all directions, reaching the pinnacle of a dragon's life. Unconsciously, drool slipped from his mouth.

...

Inside the distant high tower, the black dragon teacher on duty, Tasdinmo Losamia, was observing the Wyrmlings' scramble through the Magic Tower. Seeing the veteran Wyrmlings team up to drive the other competitors off the field, he nodded in gratification.

"Yes! Just like that! Striking a delicate balance between competition and cooperation! Strength and wisdom hand in hand! This is the true future of the Dragon Race!"

After eliminating most of the competitors from the field, the veteran Wyrmlings began their internal competition. This time, it was a real, no-holds-barred fight, and the scene devolved into utter chaos.

Dragon Breath and magic flew everywhere. Many Wyrmlings were injured, and those with heavier wounds had to withdraw from the struggle.

In such a chaotic environment, no matter how strong an individual's power was, its effectiveness was extremely limited. The Wyrmlings had to learn to find allies, ensuring their own safety through cooperation while securing the greatest benefits.

That didn't mean individual martial prowess was useless; a powerful leader was also an important prerequisite for victory.

How to select allies, how to reasonably arrange a lineup of professionals, and how to create a synergy where one plus one equaled more than two.

How to secure the treasure for their side without becoming the target of public ire.

All of this severely tested the Wyrmlings' wisdom. In his heart, Tasdinmo Losamia grew ever more deeply respectful of the White Dragon Lord's intellect. He watched the battle until it ended.

"Not bad. There are a few good seedlings. Looks like my reward is secured."

The injured Wyrmlings left the battlefield and returned to their respective nests to lick their wounds, while the seed of desire for power sprouted in their hearts.

"Ding—Todmerk is requesting a communication link."

The Tower Spirit transmitted the message, causing the black dragon teacher, Tasdinmo Losamia, to pause slightly.

Didn't I just communicate with this guy a month ago? What does he want now?

With that thought, Tasdinmo accepted the communication request. A black dragon's projection appeared before him; it was his colleague, a teacher from another black dragon Wyrmling district.

"Hey! Tasdinmo! Are there any good seedlings in the district you're in charge of?"

"Hmph! Did you come specifically to scout out the enemy?"

"Oh! Old friend! It breaks my heart that you'd think of me that way..." the black dragon projection babbled on and on.

Tasdinmo's already exceptionally dark face grew even darker. "Spit it out! Spit it out! What do you want from me? I'm busy!"

The black dragon dropped his grinning expression. "I wanted to talk to you about having the Wyrmlings from our two districts hold a friendly match, so the little guys can familiarize themselves with the Wyrmling tournament's procedures ahead of time."

The Wyrmling tournament was an important competition established by the White Dragon Lord to select underage dragon talents. The goal was to gather the strongest Wyrmlings from every district, choose the best of the best, and select rising stars of the Dragon Race worthy of extensive cultivation.

The competition was divided into internal matches for each dragon race. The internal victors of each dragon species would then participate in a higher-level mixed tournament. The strongest Wyrmlings of the Chromatic Dragons and Metallic Dragons would compete on the same stage under the watchful eyes of numerous adult dragons.

Besides the Wyrmling tournament, there was a Very Young Dragon tournament, a Young Dragon tournament, a second Young Dragon tournament, and finally, the Adult Dragon legendary tournament. The venue for the legendary tournament was in the Yafeiawei Empire, held under the White Dragon Lord's gaze.

The results of this series of matches were an important factor in evaluating the dragon teachers' teaching achievements, as well as an important metric for determining their rewards. Therefore, the dragon teachers took this tournament extremely seriously.

Tasdinmo thought about it. Indeed, he should let the Wyrmlings understand the tournament's conditions in advance.

"Alright, let's set the location at my Black Water Tower. I will prepare the venue."