"That… that is a Wyrmling Dark Dragon", they muttered.
When their feet were about to turn cold, the group saw the Dragon open its black eyes as it looked at them with tediousnessness, as if they were nothing but an ant in its eyes.
Out of their surprise, the landscape changed as the quicksands turned into solid ground, seemingly welcoming its invaders for a fight.
Revealing arrogant looks as the Dragon opened its mouth with a yawn, it taunted the group of players.
"This monster!", Hiraya uttered in annoyance as it was clear that the Dragon mocked them.
Taking the chance that the monster still underestimated them, Hiraya sent her tamed monsters rushing forward.
"Attack! Kill that bithc!", she exclaimed as 20 SS-grade monsters pounced on the Dragon. With the ground being solid, it took them no time before they confront the Dragon.
ROARRR
SHRIEEK
ROARR
Seeing that the Dragon didn't evade the onslaught, Hiraya commanded her monsters to use their powerful attacks as they retreated far enough to avoid the incoming collisions.
Taking advantage of the momentum, Hiraya shouted at Alab.
"Now!", she shouted as Alab, though reluctant as to how easy this fight had turned out, still used his skill.
"Stack!"
An azure beam of light carrying damage of 23,908 came hurling towards the Dragon who remained in its place as it appeared to underestimate them.
BOOM!
A deafening sound then resounded as the beam of light made contact with the black scales of the Dragon, leaving a blur of smoke that blocked their sight.
"Did we kill it?", Hiraya asked as she propelled the smoke.
"We—- it failed"
It took them no time to get the answer as with a single sneeze, the surrounding smoke was dispersed, revealing a massive Dragon that stood in its place, unscathed.
"Th--this, how?!", Hiraya stuttered as she felt sweat drip down her head.
They were dumbfounded.
"J–just how strong is an SSS-grade monster?", Althea asked as she fidgeted with her dress. Her body trembling from fear once more.
Whoosh
Leaving them no time to recollect themselves, the Dragon flapped its wings as it flew to the sky, looking down at the reckless invaders below it.
"How?! Those SS-grade monsters clearly died from 10,000+ damage! How can you survive the damage of 20,000+? You should have died!", Hiraya shouted as she lost her sanity.
'This power couldn't exist in this Tutorial', she thought as they were total newbies and this monster should not be placed on the Tutorial floor that was supposed to tutor them.
'And this power, is this the common sense in the Tower?!', she thought as she heard that there were a lot of SSS-grade awakened at the Tower.
"This can't be, we should run!", Hiraya shouted as she called the [Nightmare Skull] to bring them away from this monster.
"Alab, hop on!", Althea uttered as Alab was now on his knees from exhausting his mana on using the skill.
She extended her hand as the [Nightmare Skull] lowered its head.
But, how could a mighty monster let its invaders escape its territory alive? It was to no avail that the monster descended on the sky as it flapped its wings.
DASHH
Dashing towards them, Hiraya clicked her tongue as she glanced at Alab that was yet to climb on the head of the skull.
Looking at the Dragon that was gliding at the speed of light, she decided to use her only attack skill to stall for time as her tamed monsters blocked the incoming Dragon.
"Ulgram's Breath!"
With her words, a Dragon's breath that was 100 meters in diameter came hurling toward the Dragon that was in the sky.
It hit the Dragon as the Dragon's breath continued to descend, creating a large pit in the ground.
And it was at this moment that Hiray finally lost her composure.
Levitating on the air, the Dragon remained unscathed as it flapped its wings. Releasing a domineering look, it gazed at the three players and then…
It laughed.
"GROGROGROGRO that tickles!", uttered the Dragon as its voice dominated the area.
It was a domineering voice that could send one its knee in submission.
"Y---you can talk?!", Hiray stuttered as she felt her body tensing up from hearing its voice.
Monsters were known to have little to no intelligence. Only a few selected species were granted the ability to think, much more the ability to speak which was so rare.
Even among dragons, only a few individuals were gifted with this ability.
Hearing Hiraya's question, the Dragon pointed to its head as it muttered.
"Don't count me in with those ugly creatures. I, the benevolent Dragon Kislap, am a genius even in our village", it uttered as it raised its head, seemingly proud of itself.
If the Dragon had a human version, it would definitely be Hiraya.
"You, what do you want?!", Hiraya asked as she was on her knee. Apparently, her attack skill had cost her so much mana.
"What do I want? It was you who invaded my territory!", Kislap, the Dragon opened its jaw.
It then glided downwards as in the blink of an eye, it now stood in front of the group.
"Shit!", Hiraya shouted in surprise.
Althea was about to use her [Life Drain] skill only to be stopped by the Dragon's words.
"Don't even bother, your skill won't affect me.", it uttered as it then looked at Hiraya.
"That Dragon Breath… Was it Ulgram's? What is your relationship with him?", the Dragon asked as it looked at Hiraya. Its black eyes flashed curiosity as it waited for a reply.
Hiraya knew that lying would be futile, besides, she didn't know anything about Ulgram anyways.
"N--no, it was my skill. I am not related to Ulgram, I do not even know him", she muttered as she watched her words. Behind her, Alab just climbed on the head of the skull as he shortly lay down. He was beyond worn out.
"W--why?", she added as she evaded to look at Dragon directly to its eyes.
The Dragon Kislap, however, didn't answer him. As if it was talking to itself, the monster looked at nowhere as its expressions changed regularly.
"What?! I will be tamed by her?! Not in this lifetime!"
"What do you mean meeting Ulgram? She just said she doesn't know him"
"Ehhh?! She is the Empress?! This fragile little kid?!"
The Dragon mumbled for a while as it appeared to be talking to a ghost. Its interest was instantly piqued as it learned that Hiraya was the Taming Empress.
"Hey, is that right? Are you the Taming Empress?", Dragon Kislap uttered as it looked at Hiraya, its lizard head getting closer to the latter.
Shiver
Feeling her body tensing up from seeing the Dragon's eyes and scales up close, Hiraya remembered her U-grade title [Taming Empress].
She then nodded her head.
'How did he learn of it?!', Hiraya pondered.
Retreating its head, Dragon Kislap nodded its head as it seemed to agree with whatever voice it was hearing. It took it a while before it finally revealed a grin as it uttered.
"Hey you, girl. Tame me", the SSS-grade Dragon Kislap expressed…
"Okay… w---wait, wait, huh?!", dumbfounded by the turn out of events, Hiraya exclaimed.