Cloud abruptly materialized within an endless white expanse, devoid of any other hue. Snowflakes drifted down from above, landing against his face and prompting him to glance upward in confusion. As if reacting to his awareness, the snowfall suddenly halted. Then, everything reversed. The flakes ascended back into the void, and slowly, three shades of darkness began to form before him, each suspended apart from the others as they hovered within his line of sight.
His eyes shimmered from the radiance emanating off those luminous shadows.
'What's all this?'
Within seconds, the three shades fragmented into countless streams of information, reorganizing themselves into text upon the system interface that appeared before him.
[You are now in the Box Lobby.]
[You have three SSS Dragons in the Box. Would you like to view them and their information?]
Cloud did not hesitate to respond affirmatively.
[Ignivar - The Red Calamity Dragon of Fire.
Description: The legendary draconic God of fire and conquest among the three Calamity Dragons has soared across the skies, unbound by any master. However, it refuses to bow before a peasant, accepting only one deemed worthy — an individual capable of defeating it in a battle of equalized strength — to claim its reins.]
[Visit?]
His gaze drifted across the displayed information regarding the first dragon, and he was astonished, even though he comprehended only fragments of the text. The most significant detail that captured his attention was the requirement that the Dragon would only acknowledge a master who could defeat it. Naturally, that implied the three dragons remained untamed, and he would have to earn them through his own strength.
'That's a work in progress, then,' he thought, stroking his chin with a faint grin.
That was not something he had failed to anticipate, considering how overwhelmingly powerful the three beasts were. If he had simply been granted dominion over them, Cloud would have immediately concluded that he was the favored child of the gods. However, that no longer seemed plausible. If he were to confront The Red Calamity Dragon in his current state — no different from a powerless child — he would be incinerated within seconds, even if the Dragon's overall strength were adjusted to match his present level.
In short, he was not prepared to gamble his life merely to test that hypothesis. Since that was Ignivar's taming condition, he would have to set that particular Dragon aside for now.
There was no damn need to visit it.
Cloud frowned.
'Or should I? Perhaps I might learn a thing or two? … Nah. There are still two Calamity Dragons left to examine, so I will be setting you aside, Egose … or was it Signify? Ignore? Ugh. Whatever. I did not even complete basic grammar and pronunciation.'
He shifted his gaze to the other two floating screens.
[Nytheris — The Blue Dragon of Void.
Description: The Silence In Between Worlds — the great Calamity Dragon of the Void among the three Legendary Dragons. It does not seek a master, but cherishes endless purity. The Draconic God of the Void wishes to accept whoever can demonstrate endurance while traversing their most painful moments in silence. A simple - minded draconic God.]
[Visit?]
[Aethernox — The White Dragon of Endless.
Description: The Unfinished Horizon has no description and will only converse with whoever piques its interest. You are unworthy now.]
Cloud's eyes drifted to the bottom of the screen, and he noticed there was no Visit option, unlike the other two Dragons.
He scowled.
Of course, considering that the three beasts were gods within their own dominion, they would undoubtedly look down upon an unremarkable mortal such as himself. However, he had no intention of allowing that to persist. The immediate priority was to tame one of the two Dragons that at least permitted a visit before he departed the Box. If he succeeded, he would likely return with a Skill or Trait, something substantial enough to prepare him for the Academy.
Cloud was already confident that he would secure admission into one of the Academies. From this point onward, it was up to him to forge his own path and overcome his Flaw, the very Flaw whose nature remained unknown to him.
Just as he was about to select Nytheris, fully aware that The Red Calamity Dragon of Fire was an absolute no-go in his current state, the three screens abruptly vanished. In their place, a single interface emerged, glowing with a crimson hue.
[Due to your Flaw, Predator's Mark, which falsifies your presence as absolute and as a threat to all powerful entities, you have been forcefully summoned by Ignivar, who seeks to battle you.]
His eyes widened in sheer horror. So this was his Flaw. Predator's Mark was a curse that distorted his aura into that of an overwhelming predator in the eyes of powerful beings. Rather than causing them to retreat, it provoked them and ignited an instinctive urge to eliminate him as a perceived threat.
And this was a catastrophically terrible way to be introduced to such a Flaw.
"What the fuck!? Not that Dragon! Holy cow!"
Cloud was given no time to prepare as the white expanse beneath his feet began to tremble and shift. The smooth, endless surface fractured into widening fissures that spread across the ground and climbed into the pale sky above.
The light dimmed abruptly, and the pristine horizon folded inward as though compressed by an invisible force. The floor split apart and descended, reforming into jagged stone veined with molten cracks. Walls of rugged rock rose from nothing and arched overhead, sealing him within an immense cavern whose ceiling stretched so high it vanished into shadow. The temperature surged dramatically, dry heat pressing against his skin and drawing sweat from his pores before he could fully comprehend what was unfolding.
Cloud's breathing grew uneven as the transformation concluded within seconds. His heart hammered against his ribs, and every instinct urged him to move, yet his legs remained rooted for a fraction too long.
He lifted his gaze forward, and that was when he saw it.
Ignivar was already there.
The dragon stood across from him, its colossal body occupying much of the cavern floor. Crimson scales reflected the glow of molten fissures beneath the stone, casting a fiery sheen across its armored frame. Massive horns curved backward from its skull, and its wings were partially unfurled in restrained dominance. Two pairs of golden, slit eyes remained locked onto him without blinking, devoid of curiosity or restraint.
It was the unmistakable gaze of a predator assessing its prey.
'That damn dragon just called me… a peasant? Even though I am one, this is beyond… shit!'
Cloud immediately felt the scale difference. He was no more than a speck before it. The heat radiating from Ignivar hit him like a tangible force, forcing him to squint against the intensity. The dragon's chest expanded slowly as it drew a deep breath, and a low, resonant rumble echoed through the cavern, vibrating along the walls.
A glow began to build deep within its throat.
A pool of concentrated fire formed behind its fangs, bright and dense, swirling in layers of molten orange and white at the core. Smoke escaped from the sides of its mouth in steady streams, curling upward and dispersing along the cavern ceiling. The heat intensified sharply, and the air around its jaws shimmered with distortion.
The flames churned with compressed power, as though the dragon contained a furnace within its own body.
Cloud tried to steady himself, attempting to gauge the space, the distance, and the overwhelming presence before him, but Ignivar did not wait.
The dragon lowered its head slightly. Its eyes narrowed further as the fire within its mouth reached full intensity. The ground beneath its claws cracked under the pressure of its stance.
Then it released.
A massive torrent of flame erupted outward in a wide arc, expanding as it surged forward. The fire roared through the cavern with violent force, consuming the space between them in an instant. The heat struck first, followed by the blinding brightness of the inferno racing to engulf him entirely.
Cloud's vision flooded with orange and white as the flames closed in.
"You damned calamity creature. Fuck you! Ahh!"