Nightfall.
Atop a mountain within the Red Dragon's territory.
A feast was held, the likes of which had not been seen in ages, in honor of the hefty ox leg Caesar had brought back.
During the day, the sun's glare was punishing; but come nighttime, the moon shone with equal brilliance. Few clouds obscured its gentle luminescence, casting clear shadows on the earth below, calming the once frenzied monsters of the wilderness.
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle.
Atop a large bonfire, the Blazebull's leg roasted and popped, while the human maidens nearby busied themselves with the application of various condiments.
There was the sweet scent of honey.
And the spicy bite of inferno herb, initially discovered by a fire-elemental shaping mage, which added an intense, spicy pleasure when mixed into meals.
A common find in the wild.
And other fragrant plants that, under Caesar's watchful eye, the young women, led by Diana, had managed to collect quite a bounty of.
A spellcaster—
Particularly one of middle rank—was sure to be broad in knowledge.
And indeed, under the sizzle of intense flames, the spices melded magically with the meat, releasing an irresistible aroma that made even the most reserved salivate.
Many creatures within the Red Dragon's lands grew restless,
The rich elemental essence within the meat of the Blazebull, coupled with that intoxicating scent, made the beasts yearn to rush forward and indulge in the delicacy.
But none dared approach.
The majesty of the dragon caused all to tremble; the animals wise enough to survive the wilds knew better than to provoke such a formidable adversary. To do so was to invite one's demise.
Hoof!
The red dragon seated before the bonfire let out a breath of fire, hastening the roasting of the ox leg.
Caesar rubbed his scaled claws together.
Even having eaten his fill by day, he still craved this perfectly seasoned feast.
After some contemplation,
The words of a spell were rapidly recited, and before their eyes, the large dragonic form began to shrink. As red magical light pulsated, the visage of a stunningly handsome youth with crimson hair emerged once again.
Shapechanging magic.
While dragons were mighty in size, at times, such girth could prove cumbersome.
For instance, in his true form, Caesar might easily devour the entire ox leg before long, but as a human, he could savor the treat for much longer, making the meal all the more satisfying.
Although the end result was the same,
It allowed him to fully gratify his draconic taste buds.
Beyond meat,
There were an abundance of wild mushrooms, vegetables, and fishes of every color, simmering on a smaller bonfire nearby. The bubbling broth, now a creamy white hue, looked delicate and delicious, and the wafting aroma was enough to make one's appetite surge.
Seeing the food was ready,
Caesar gestured grandly, "Let us all begin our feast!"
At his command, a human child shot forth like a cannonball towards the roasting leg, tearing into the meat with fervor, devoid of any ladylike decorum.
"Mira!"
Diana watched her impolite daughter with a mix of exasperation and indulgence.
Mira Diana.
A name Caesar had chosen, for while dragon names were bestowed through draconic heritage automatically, humans needed not carry the surname of dragons. Thus, Caesar had allowed her to take Diana's name as her surname.
For future distinction.
Having many progeny after all, it was better to identify them by their mothers.
As the atmosphere grew lively, the human maidens began to shed their fear of the dragon, singing and dancing around the bonfire in celebration.
A dragon youth in human form—
No human could resist his extraordinary allure, and some particularly charming maidens even endeavored to entice Caesar with alluring gestures.
Rather than resistance,
It was better to partake in the joy.
To become a red dragon's consort, like Diana, would substantially elevate their quality of life, a notion not devoid of appeal to many a shy damsel.
But Caesar himself paid them no heed, instead focusing on feasting with Mira. The flame-grilled beef was tough rather than tender, filling one's stomach with a sensation akin to being enveloped in warm fire.
Like a competition,
Flesh of beef followed by a gulp of fish broth.
The red dragon and his offspring tore into the feast, food vanishing at a rapid pace.
The stomach of the Red Dragon, known also as the Extradimensional Stomach,
The robust Red Dragons could digest nearly anything—plant, meat, metal, mineral, magical gear—hardly anything material exists that dragons cannot assimilate. Even when sated, they could devour items many times larger than themselves, though most would not choose such overabundance for sheer gluttony's sake.
Mira shared in Caesar's dragon bloodline,
Showing an astounding progress barely a month after her birth, learning the universal language of the continent and achieving the strength of a first-rank individual—a near miraculous feat for the human race, where supernaturals are rare.
Such are the dragonborn.
Offspring with dragon blood coursing through their veins.
Yet dragons could crossbreed with other beings without reproductive barriers, the chance of siring a dragonborn remained slim. Otherwise, they would not be such rarified beings.
First-generation dragonborn,
Boasting a bloodline majority of dragon essence, they exhibit dragon-like traits and can temporarily transform into dragons.
These specific dragonborn,
Referred to in human texts as Dragonblood Warriors, excel at the highest caliber of their profession, their transformation being not merely cosmetic but one that endows the might of a dragon.
According to the system's evaluation,
Mira's talent was quite remarkable. Both her warrior and magic talents reached the Gold Rank, and such dual Gold Rank potential brought great fortune to Caesar.
Caesar learned of the various levels of offspring during this time:
Iron Rank—
The most common of the progeny, devoid of any supernatural talent.
Bronze Rank—
Promising descendants with some extraordinary talent, though their potential was generally capped at the lower echelons without external intervention.
Silver Rank—
Exceptional progeny with impressive talents, capable of attaining mid-tier status with proper nurturing, with a small chance of reaching even higher realms.
Gold Rank—
Progeny with immense talents, together with training would likely achieve high-tier status, blessed with luck beyond the average, as heroes among humanity, and within a small chance, they may even enter the realms of legend.