The Fiery Crown Cycle: A Dragon's Rebirth

Chapter 31

So heavy. Something is pressing down on my back. It must be those two.

Heavy, crimson-scaled eyelids lifted. Aiden raised his head, twisting to look at his own back. A blue and a white dragon were sprawled bonelessly across him, fast asleep. A trail of silvery saliva trickled from Bianca's open maw onto his clean red scales.

That Bianca…

Aiden pushed himself up on all fours and crawled forward a few steps. The weight on his back vanished. The living mattress had walked away, and the two dragons sleeping on top of it tumbled unceremoniously to the ground. Their heads hit the stone floor with a dull thud.

In the same instant, one blue head and one white head shot up. The grogginess in their vertical pupils quickly sharpened into focus. Azure, recovering from her deep slumber, silently pushed herself to her feet.

“Aoww~ Aiden,” Bianca whined. “We only just fell asleep. You're not tired?”

Aiden, who had just finished a satisfying stretch with his front claws, glanced back at her. She was still lying on the ground, her heavy eyelids blinking slowly. She looked like she hadn't gotten nearly enough sleep.

“We're moving the food back to our cave first. You can sleep all you want when we get back.” This was the Sand-Wyrm's territory. The cave itself was carved from soft earth, not rock. He didn't know if the Sand-Wyrm might suddenly decide to burst through the floor. If that happened, there would be nowhere to run.

“But…”

“No ‘buts',” Aiden cut her off. “You can choose to stay here by yourself.”

Leaving her with that, Aiden began to walk. He knew that if he could figure out the danger, Azure's sharp mind would have already done the same. As long as Azure followed, Bianca would certainly choose to tag along.

Watching Aiden's retreating form, Bianca turned her gaze to Azure. Azure, who was also staring after Aiden, had a thoughtful look in her eyes.

He's very cautious.

She glanced at Bianca. The simpleton was indeed staring at her, waiting for her cue. Withdrawing her gaze, Azure began to walk, following the red dragon's path.

Seeing Azure also choose to leave, Bianca snorted in frustration. Damn it all, Azure is a terrible ally. I've decided. From this day forward, she is no longer my ally.

The two figures ahead were already growing small.

“Hey, wait for me!” she shouted, scrambling to her feet and chasing after them.

…

Hearing her cries echo through the cavern, Aiden, walking at the front, allowed his maw to crack into a grin. Handling that simpleton Bianca is still so easy.

After a short walk, the faint scent of blood reached his nostrils. He lifted his head slightly. The site of yesterday's battle must be just ahead. Soon enough, the corpses of the Aridfell appeared on the ground before them. Each body was coated in a thick layer of white frost.

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He walked over to one of the bodies and nudged it with his right claw. It was hard as a rock.

So the temperature difference at night is this extreme? No wonder Bianca and Azure had piled onto my back last night. The desert night is no different from a freezer.

Aiden did a quick count. One, two, three… ten. No more, no less. There were still ten Aridfell corpses lying on the ground. They definitely couldn't carry all ten back in one trip.

He looked at the frozen carcasses. Should we eat some?

Perhaps because he had eaten so much yesterday, he felt no desire to eat at all. His gaze drifted to Bianca. Her claws were scraping at an Aridfell body, occasionally raking her sharp talons across it. The frozen meat flaked away like shaved ice. Her white eyes held no trace of appetite. She was just playing.

Next meal, she'll be eating the one she's playing with, Aiden decided.

Since they couldn't eat any more, they would have to make two trips. Having made up his mind, Aiden looked at the other two.

“Bianca. Azure.”

“We can't carry all ten of these back at once. We'll make two trips. You two will take four back first, then return for the second run.”

After hearing Aiden's command, Azure just stared at him, saying nothing.

He met her gaze without flinching. She was clever, yes. But without strength, she still had to obey.

And just as he expected, after a few seconds of silent confrontation, Azure gave a slight nod. She consented to his command.

“And what about you?” Bianca challenged, her white eyes burning with defiance.

Seeing Bianca bristling with indignation again, Aiden's maw split into a grin.

“Me? I'm standing guard, of course. What if someone steals our food while we're all gone?”

Hearing this, Bianca was having none of it. “That's not fair! Why do I have to make two trips?”

Aiden looked at her. She's trying to break the rules again. The first time, I let it slide. This time…

He lowered his body, and his red, slitted pupils began to focus.

Feeling the pressure radiating from Aiden, Bianca instinctively shrank back. But then, as if feeling that such a retreat was a disgrace to all dragons, she also lowered her body into a pounce, her maw cracking open to bare her sharp, white teeth.

Looking at the fierce expression on her face, Aiden thought, Give this stupid sister an inch and she'll take a mile. It seems a beating is in order.

“Then we'll fight. The stronger one stays to guard.”

“Fine, let's fight!” Bianca shot back without hesitation, though her voice lacked a certain degree of confidence.

Seeing Bianca preparing to fight… no, preparing to be beaten, Azure silently began to back away. A look of pity filled her blue eyes. The fool. She can't even defeat a high-tier magical beast. What makes her think she can challenge Aiden, who can hunt one-star beasts?

“Then let's begin,” Aiden said, his gaze turning cold. I need to teach this girl a proper lesson.

With no further warning, he lunged.

The moment he attacked, the unease swirling in Bianca's eyes vanished, replaced by an icy coldness—the innate indifference of all chromatic dragons. With a powerful push from her hind legs, she met his charge head-on.

“Bianca, you idiot,” Azure muttered, already knowing the outcome.

The two hatchlings collided.

There was no suspense. It was a battle of complete and utter domination.

Pinned to the ground in an instant, Bianca was stunned. How is he so strong?!

His body weighing her down completely, Aiden looked at the dazed creature beneath him. She looked rather cute with that stupefied expression, but trying to be cute wouldn't work this time. Today, he had to give her a lesson she would never forget.

He raised a claw and began to beat her.

AOWW!

The pain in her head snapped Bianca back to her senses. She raised a claw to block. He slapped it aside and continued the thrashing.

AOWW!

It hurts so much! I'll fight him to the death!

Her jaws opened wide as she lunged for Aiden's neck. He batted her head aside with a single swipe. This time, Aiden used his full strength. The immense force of the blow made Bianca see stars. Her white head slumped to the ground, and dragon blood trickled from her maw.

Aiden raised his claw to continue the beating, but paused. He changed direction, bringing his claw down on her body instead.

She's already stupid enough. No sense in hitting her head and making her a complete moron.