Five Years

After the battle with Kazan, life for the young dragons under the family's watch returned to its routine, marked by limited freedom and repetitive days. While the duels initially sparked interest, they soon became monotonous, with many dragons choosing not to participate. The hierarchy within the dragon group stabilized, with Kazan and Yongrong unmistakably at the top. Yongrong's intense duel earned him a title akin to Kazan's "Flame Prison"—"Thunder Prison." The dragons privately referred to them as the "Twin Kings," acknowledging their future leadership.

Their undisputed strength meant that no one could defeat them when they were fully committed to a fight. The battles between Yongrong and Kazan were evenly matched, making it difficult to determine who was stronger.

Apart from these two, there were several other powerful dragons in the group: "Emerald Green" Aisaria, "Mountainous" Oser, and "Bone Splitter" Posa. Their rankings fluctuated due to their varying growth stages. Sometimes Aisaria dominated, other times Oser and Posa seemed stronger, but overall, they were considered the second tier in the dragon group. Many young dragons believed they could challenge the "Twin Kings," but they knew they stood no chance.

The gap between the Twin Kings and the rest seemed to widen over time. Below them were the more formidable young dragons, including Yongrong's companions Hel and Belron, and even Kaiso, who once opposed him. Their competition was fierce, with daily battles that often ended in stalemates, spawning new conflicts and alliances.

With rigorous training, Yongrong's appetite grew immensely, almost matching the excessively obese "Mountainous" Oser. His size increased without falling behind the naturally gifted Kazan.

But rapid growth had its downsides. Yongrong frequently had to excavate new caves, as his original nest became too small. Once, after digging himself out, he encountered Kazan drinking water outside. Kazan, covered in mud like Yongrong, showed a look of shared misery, understanding his struggles.

Yongrong's physical growth also brought increases in speed and strength. Quis, the dragon feeder, often expressed his astonishment at Yongrong's progress, which seemed to surpass that of other dragons by years.

Yongrong's training routine remained the same, focusing on meditation and Galak-Su martial techniques. Over time, these practices greatly enhanced his abilities. He discovered new spells like "Lightning Chain" and "Sandstone Wall," and learned to disconnect pain and seal wounds in combat.

His relentless pursuit of improvement, especially in challenging the dragon feeders like Quis for guidance, stemmed from his sense of urgency provoked by Kazan. Initially, Quis enjoyed demonstrating his superiority, but as Yongrong became increasingly challenging, Quis lost interest, finding it unrewarding to exert effort without gain.

Kazan, despite his seemingly lazy habits of eating, sleeping, and occasionally fighting other young dragons, continued to grow impressively. His strength and agility, typically weaker points for red and blue dragons, improved significantly. Yongrong attributed this to Kazan's bloodline, which Hel and Belron jokingly referred to as "favored by the Dragon Mother." However, Kazan's faith lay in "Abyssal Death Omen" Xyron Satox, an ancient entity known for consuming demons, mirroring his own ferocity.

The young dragons tended to favor Yongrong over Kazan, despite both exuding an emperor-like aura. While Yongrong's draconic presence was calm and sharp, akin to a wise sovereign, Kazan's was nakedly ferocious, resembling a crazed tyrant.

When Yongrong began using spells like "Lightning Chain," Kazan countered with "Flame Surge," a powerful offensive spell he awakened during his youth. Among the dragons, only Aisaria could cast magic of similar caliber.

Speaking of Aisaria, she grew more beautiful with age, her form becoming slender and her scales shimmering. Quis even dubbed her a "gem above the wilderness." Many young dragons sought her company, finding joy in her presence in their otherwise dull and confined environment.

"Bone Splitter" Posa, the sole formidable black dragon, distanced himself from weaker dragons of his kind due to his reclusive nature. He gradually integrated into Yongrong's group, spending time with Hel and Belron.

Despite his diligent training, Posa couldn't match the Twin Kings or even overpower Aisaria and Oser. His black dragon bloodline limited his potential, demanding him to work harder than others to maintain his position.

Hel and Belron remained much the same. Hel, after trying Galak-Su martial techniques, focused on meditation, awakening some basic spells. Belron, epitomizing the typical blue dragon's laziness, quickly lost interest in training, relying on his pure-blooded lineage and innate talents to keep up.