Chapter 12: Growth

“Perhaps, but he’s still far from the ancestral dragons. He might be stronger than his siblings, but not by much,” the dragon father concluded. He hoped for his offspring to achieve greatness and spread their names throughout the world, but sometimes reality needed to be acknowledged, and unrealistic expectations had to be avoided.

Dragons were already creatures at the top of the food chain, so for their nature to undergo a transformation—such as bloodline advancement that could shape the course of history—was an exceedingly difficult feat, especially with such a high starting point.

“As long as they can grow up healthy and reach adulthood, I’ll be content,” the dragon mother said, her gaze full of love as she looked at the playful hatchlings.

“Yes, their birth has taught me the greatest meaning of a dragon’s life.”

The male bronze dragon’s expression also showed satisfaction.

With their innate sharp perception, dragons could easily pick up on subtle sounds, and Emperor Ryel faintly overheard the conversation between his parents. He cast a fleeting glance at the two massive bronze dragons, which resembled small bronze mountains.

Although bronze dragons were among the most caring and nurturing of all dragons when it came to their offspring, this care only extended up until their young dragons reached adolescence. Once their hatchlings grew strong enough to protect themselves, they could no longer remain in the dragon’s lair. Long before their parents grew impatient, they would leave the lair on their own to explore the world.

“Instead of wasting time asking me questions, why not eat more during your meals? Only by eating more can you grow strong, like me.”

Although he knew the source of his more robust physique compared to his siblings, it was a secret he couldn’t reveal. Thus, Emperor Ryel could only attribute it to his eating habits. In a sense, it wasn’t entirely untrue.

During the growth period, the more one ate, and the better the food, the stronger their physique would become. As a member of the metal dragon clan, they didn’t need to worry about the quality or source of food—they could simply eat their fill. 

High-quality meats and processed metal minerals provided more than enough nutrition for the hatchlings’ growth and development.

This was an environment the color dragons could scarcely imagine—having parents who didn’t abandon them was already a stroke of unimaginable fortune. As for the food they received, it was often leftovers from the evil dragons once they had eaten their fill, though sometimes they got fresh food.

More often than not, however, they had to nibble on trees, dirt, and rocks to fill their bellies—food that led to poor development in many evil dragon offspring, reducing their competitiveness for survival, and often resulting in premature death.

Dragons were not simple carnivores. The growth of their scales and bones required a sufficient intake of metals, and as beings capable of controlling the elements by nature, they needed to consume rare resources during critical growth periods.

“Eat!” 

Elena said thoughtfully, as the other hatchlings began shouting, their eyes turning toward the two adult dragons.

“Roar, I want meat!”

“Eat, eat, eat!”

The bronze dragons, of course, wouldn’t let their offspring go hungry. They had already prepared the food well in advance, anticipating that the hatchlings would soon awaken. When the hatchlings made their demands, the adult dragons began distributing the prepared food. As for the previous sea dragon, it had already been devoured, leaving only the bones behind.

What was given to Emperor Ryel was a ferocious sea shark, its sleek, dark-blue skin and serrated teeth making it appear particularly terrifying. However, for the hatchling, it was nothing more than a meal.

As all the hatchlings began eating, the cave became quiet, the sounds of chewing on flesh and the occasional crunch of metal echoed through the space.

At this moment, Emperor Ryel still stood out from the other hatchlings. His eating speed was faster, and he consumed much more food, yet this was within the acceptable range for his parents.

While devouring meat and occasionally biting into metal ore, Emperor Ryel casually glanced at his parents. Neither of them showed any particular reaction to the changes occurring in him.

Since there was no concern from them, there was no need for him to take any unnecessary actions. Trying to hide or downplay these changes would be foolish, as it would only hinder his growth by suppressing his appetite.

Among the metal dragons, bronze dragons were not particularly known for their size or strength. They didn’t have much of an advantage in this area. However, compared to non-dragon creatures, they still held a crushing superiority.

A larger size directly meant more power. For dragons, especially those with strong elemental resistances, a robust body was indispensable. Without these traits, one could no longer be considered a true dragon.

As time passed, Emperor Ryel’s small abnormalities were quickly accepted by the dragons. No one saw anything wrong with it—eating more meant growing bigger, and there was nothing problematic about that.

The growth process for metal dragon hatchlings was long and monotonous, without any particular excitement. As long as conditions allowed, the adult dragons rarely left the dragon’s nest. Even when one went hunting, another would stay behind to ensure the safety of the hatchlings.

For the young dragons, the presence of their parents gave them immense security. This constant supervision provided a sense of safety, which was comforting—even for Emperor Ryel.

However, the constant presence of the adults also became a source of frustration for him. He needed an opportunity to venture into the Void Floating Land, but that required a time when no adult dragon was around. He didn’t want his secrets to be exposed.

Initially, Emperor Ryel felt restless, impatient for the chance to sneak away. However, as time went on, he gradually calmed down. His mind became clearer, and the growing patience allowed him to wait for the perfect opportunity to reveal his hidden abilities without raising suspicion.

As a long-lived being, Emperor Ryel had the patience that matched his nature. He knew that with enough patience, the opportunity he was waiting for would eventually come. 

In fact, the two adult dragons wouldn’t remain in the dragon’s nest forever. The ancient gold dragon and the blue dragon family, who were still embroiled in war, were eager for battle, as dragons, particularly those of the warrior variety, could hardly resist the call to fight.

Thus, just as the hatchlings were about to enter their first long slumber and transition into their juvenile stage, the two adult dragons were summoned once again by the ancient gold dragon and left the nest, heading to the battlefield.

At this time, the hatchlings, including Emperor Ryel, had noticeably grown compared to when they first hatched. Among them, Emperor Ryel was the most remarkable. When comparing him to the human-made weapons and armor stored in the dragon’s nest, he now had a body size comparable to that of an adult warhorse. Without counting his tail, he had already reached nearly three meters in length. With his tail included, his overall length doubled, clearly showing the rapid growth he had experienced.