The battlefield had become a nightmare.
Dragons filled the skies. Massive warships hovered above shattered mountains, while countless beast tamers descended from portals surrounding the sealed battlefield.
Every faction had arrived.
The Dragon Council.
The Ancient Beast Alliance.
The Heavenly Tamer Association.
The Void Dragon Empire.
And several mysterious organizations whose names had disappeared from recorded history.
They all shared one objective.
Capture Lin Z.
And obtain Scrappy.
Standing at the center of the battlefield, Lin Z looked at the enormous execution-class beast tamer approaching him.
The man wore black armor decorated with golden dragon symbols. A massive crimson lion stood behind him, its mane burning with dark flames.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Target Identified: Darius Vorn.
Rank: SSS Beast Tamer.
Contracted Beast: Infernal Emperor Lion.
Threat Assessment: Extremely Dangerous.
Lin Z raised an eyebrow.
"SSS rank? Didn't we skip a few levels?"
Scrappy sat beside him.
"Snee."
A tiny flame escaped his nose.
Lin Z glanced down.
"Not now."
The Infernal Emperor Lion stepped forward.
Its roar shook the battlefield.
Darius pointed his weapon toward Lin Z.
"By authority of the World Hunt, you are ordered to surrender the Sovereign Fragment."
Lin Z scratched his cheek.
"And if I refuse?"
"Then you will be captured."
Lin Z sighed.
"Why does everyone keep giving me the same offer?"
Darius frowned.
"Enough talking!"
He raised his weapon.
"Emperor Lion! Infernal Domain!"
BOOOOOOM!
A massive domain spread across the battlefield.
The surrounding air turned red.
Lakes evaporated, mountains became surrounded by flames, and countless smaller beasts retreated instinctively.
The Infernal Emperor Lion grew larger.
Its body became covered in blazing armor.
SYSTEM WARNING
Enemy Domain Activated
Infernal Domain: Level 8
Environmental Suppression: Active.
Lin Z looked around.
"Well, that's inconvenient."
Scrappy stepped forward.
His golden-black scales began glowing.
Inside Lin Z's mind, his familiar voice appeared.
Allow me.
Lin Z smiled.
"Go ahead."
Scrappy opened his mouth.
VOID FLAME.
A small black-and-gold flame appeared.
It looked almost insignificant compared with the enormous infernal domain.
However, the moment it touched the ground, something extraordinary happened.
The flames surrounding them stopped spreading.
Then they began disappearing.
Not extinguished.
Absorbed.
The Infernal Emperor Lion suddenly stepped backward.
Darius's expression changed.
"What?"
Scrappy tilted his head.
The little dragon sneezed.
"SNEE!"
A wave of golden-black energy spread across the battlefield.
The Infernal Domain shattered.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Enemy Domain Neutralized.
Scrappy's Ability Activated:
Void Flame.
Additional Effect Discovered: Domain Consumption.
Lin Z stared at the notification.
"Domain consumption?"
Scrappy nodded.
It tasted strange.
Lin Z looked at the little dragon.
"You're telling me you just ate someone's domain?"
Scrappy blinked.
It wasn't particularly delicious.
Lin Z covered his face.
"Unbelievable."
Across the battlefield, Darius stared at his beast.
His previously confident expression had disappeared.
"Impossible! My Infernal Domain was developed over thousands of years!"
Lin Z shrugged.
"Maybe you should have developed something tastier."
Darius clenched his fists.
"All units! Attack!"
Hundreds of beast tamers moved simultaneously.
Their contracted beasts charged from every direction.
A thunderous dragon descended from above.
A giant stone titan emerged from beneath the battlefield.
Several shadow wolves surrounded Lin Z from behind.
The coordinated assault was impressive.
Unfortunately, Lin Z had already noticed something.
"They're all following the same formation."
Scrappy looked at him.
You noticed?
"Of course."
Lin Z opened his System interface.
BEAST TAMER SYSTEM
New Function Available
Combat Analysis: Active.
Enemy Formation Analysis: Complete.
Detected Weaknesses:
Shared command network.
Centralized beast coordination.
Reliance on synchronized attacks.
Lin Z smiled.
"Scrappy, let's break their formation."
The dragon nodded.
Lin Z raised his hand.
"Star Chain Authority."
Black-gold chains appeared throughout the battlefield.
They didn't attack the enemy beasts.
Instead, they surrounded the space between them.
The chains connected to one another, creating an enormous network.
STAR CHAIN AUTHORITY: DOMAIN NETWORK
Activation Successful.
The enemy formation suddenly became disorganized.
Commands stopped reaching several contracted beasts.
Others received delayed instructions.
Some simply stood still, confused.
Darius immediately understood.
"He's interfering with our coordination!"
Lin Z casually placed his hands in his pockets.
"You're welcome."
Scrappy flew upward.
His tiny body released a powerful golden-black aura.
SOVEREIGN AURA.
The entire battlefield trembled.
Thousands of beasts instinctively lowered their heads.
Some retreated.
Others refused to move.
Even several S-Rank creatures struggled to remain standing.
The beast tamers stared in disbelief.
"What is that pressure?"
"Why are my beasts refusing to attack?"
"That's not ordinary dragon intimidation!"
High above the battlefield, Kael Draven watched silently.
His six-winged serpent-dragon hovered behind him.
For several seconds, he didn't speak.
Then he muttered:
"His authority is growing faster than expected."
Lyra Noctis stood nearby.
"Can your dragon defeat him?"
Kael didn't immediately answer.
His eyes remained fixed on Scrappy.
"Before today, I would have said yes."
"And now?"
Kael's expression became serious.
"Now I'm not sure."
Meanwhile, Lin Z noticed something unusual.
Not every faction was attacking.
One particular group had remained outside the main battlefield.
Their uniforms were white and silver.
A dragon symbol decorated their armor.
Unlike the other factions, their beasts weren't preparing to attack.
Instead, they were protecting several wounded students from the collapsing platforms.
Lin Z narrowed his eyes.
"Who are those people?"
Scrappy looked toward them.
His golden eyes flickered.
They aren't here to capture me.
"How do you know?"
Their beasts are afraid, but they aren't hostile.
Lin Z considered that.
Then he noticed a familiar face.
Lyra Noctis.
She stood beside her crystal wolf-dragon, watching the battle.
Her expression was complicated.
Eventually, she stepped forward.
"Lin Z!"
He turned.
"What?"
"I need to speak with you."
Lin Z looked at the hundreds of enemies surrounding them.
"Now?"
"Yes. Before the next wave arrives."
He sighed.
"Fine. Make it quick."
Lyra glanced at Scrappy.
"The Dragon Apex Academy wasn't the only organization that knew about the Sovereign Fragment."
Lin Z's expression became more serious.
"Continue."
"Several ancient organizations have been searching for him for millions of years."
Scrappy became unusually quiet.
Lyra continued.
"But there's something you don't know."
She looked directly at Lin Z.
"The First Error isn't the only existence outside the original System."
Lin Z frowned.
"Meaning?"
"Something called the Primordial Beast King."
The moment she spoke those words, Scrappy froze.
A system notification appeared.
SYSTEM ALERT
Unknown Memory Resonance Detected.
Entity: Primordial Beast King.
Connection to Lost Sovereign: CONFIRMED.
Memory Recovery: 0.3%.
Scrappy slowly lowered his head.
Inside Lin Z's mind, his voice sounded different.
I remember that name.
Lin Z looked at him.
"You do?"
He was there before the Council existed.
Lyra stepped backward.
"Your dragon remembers?"
Lin Z nodded.
"Apparently."
Scrappy continued.
He wasn't my enemy.
A pause.
He was the one who taught me how to fly.
Lin Z blinked.
For a moment, even he didn't know what to say.
Then Scrappy added:
He also used to steal my food.
Lin Z stared at him.
"That's what you remember?"
Scrappy nodded.
Lyra looked completely confused.
Before anyone could continue their conversation, the battlefield suddenly went silent.
Every warship stopped moving.
Every dragon turned toward the eastern sky.
Even the most powerful beast tamers lowered their weapons.
A massive golden portal appeared.
Its size dwarfed the surrounding fleets.
From within emerged an enormous white dragon.
Its body was covered in golden scales, and twelve wings stretched across the heavens.
On its back stood an elderly man wearing a white imperial robe.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
ABSOLUTE ENTITY DETECTED
Name: Emperor Tianlong.
Title: Heavenly Beast Emperor.
Classification: Ancient Sovereign.
Contracted Beast: Twelve-Winged Heavenly Dragon.
Threat Rank: UNDEFINED.
Lin Z stared at the notification.
"Another undefined rank?"
Scrappy looked upward.
For the first time since their journey began, his expression showed genuine curiosity.
The elderly emperor slowly descended.
His eyes passed over the battlefield before settling on Scrappy.
Then he smiled.
"So..."
"The little sovereign has finally returned."
The entire battlefield became silent.
Kael Draven immediately knelt.
Lyra lowered her head.
Even Darius Vorn stepped backward.
Lin Z, however, remained standing.
He looked at the elderly emperor.
"Do you know him?"
Emperor Tianlong chuckled.
"Know him?"
He looked at Scrappy again.
"I was once one of his guardians."
Lin Z's eyes widened.
Scrappy floated forward.
His tiny wings moved slowly.
Then he spoke.
"Old man."
Emperor Tianlong froze.
A moment later, he laughed.
"Hahaha! You still remember me!"
Scrappy tilted his head.
"Did you bring food?"
Silence.
Lin Z slowly turned toward his dragon.
"...Seriously?"
Emperor Tianlong laughed even harder.
"Some things never change."
But his expression gradually became serious.
He looked at Lin Z.
"Young tamer, I have come to offer you something."
Lin Z raised an eyebrow.
"Another contract?"
"No."
The emperor shook his head.
"A place."
He raised his hand.
Behind him, the golden portal expanded.
Beyond it was an enormous realm filled with floating mountains, ancient dragon temples, and countless enormous World Trees.
At its center stood a palace larger than an entire city.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Hidden Location Discovered:
The Primordial Dragon Sanctuary.
Access Requirement: Sovereign Recognition.
Special Feature: Ancient Dragon Memory Archive.
Potential Rewards:
Lost Sovereign Memories.
Ancient Evolution Records.
Primordial Dragon Techniques.
Unknown Sovereign Treasure.
Lin Z looked at Scrappy.
Scrappy looked back.
For once, neither of them made a joke.
Emperor Tianlong extended his hand.
"If you wish to understand your dragon's past, come with me."
Lin Z remained silent for several seconds.
Then he asked the obvious question.
"What's the catch?"
The emperor smiled.
"None."
Lin Z narrowed his eyes.
"That's suspicious."
"Hahaha!"
The elderly emperor laughed.
Then his expression changed.
"However, there is one condition."
Lin Z sighed.
"Of course."
Emperor Tianlong looked at Scrappy.
"The Primordial Dragon Sanctuary will only open its deepest chambers if the Sovereign himself wishes to enter."
Scrappy stared at the portal.
Something inside him was stirring.
Memories.
Old friendships.
An ancient home.
And perhaps answers to questions he had carried for millions of years.
He turned toward Lin Z.
What do you think?
Lin Z smiled.
"Well, we've already got the entire world hunting us."
He glanced at the golden portal.
"Might as well visit somewhere interesting."
Scrappy nodded.
"Snee."
A tiny golden flame escaped his nose.
Emperor Tianlong laughed.
"Then welcome home, little Sovereign."
But before they could enter
SYSTEM WARNING
EMERGENCY TRANSMISSION RECEIVED.
Source: Unknown.
Priority: ABOVE WORLD HUNT AUTHORITY.
A new message appeared.
Its text was crimson.
"THE PRIMORDIAL BEAST KING HAS AWAKENED."
A second message followed.
"HE IS LOOKING FOR HIS LITTLE BROTHER."
Scrappy stopped moving.
Lin Z slowly looked down at him.
"Little brother?"
Scrappy's golden eyes widened.
Then, for the first time in a very long while…
He smiled.
I remember him.
Far beyond the known realms, an enormous shadow stirred.
A colossal dragon opened six pairs of ancient eyes.
Its voice echoed through the forgotten depths.
"Little brother..."
"Where have you been?"