I headed back to the guild to pick up a few requests and there I saw someone who made me feel immediate fear from his presence alone.
"What are you doing here, Climond?"
Mammon walked out of the office and walked over to the terrifying man.
"Mammon, I heard that Saliad was killed in a tournament. I wanted to meet the one who did it."
"That's no reason for you to release your aura in my guild hall."
"Sorry, I just wanted to spook whoever it is."
"Succeeded there."
They turned and saw me.
"You killed Saliad?"
"Yep."
"Hah, the idiot was killed by a catkin of all things? I knew he was too weak to be put in S class."
"Saliad was definitely strong. I am just stronger."
Climond released his aura directly aiming at me. It was strong enough that even Mammon started sweating, but my fear was gone from his blatant disrespect of someone strong.
I released mine back. It was on par with his.
He looked at me with an odd fascination.
"A hottie and a powerful fighter. Wanna join my party?"
I then noticed that he was a dragonkin. As they were close to dragons, they were feared, but they were treated as actual people, due to their closer resemblance to humans.
"No thank you."
"Ah come on. I betcha I could treat you well."
He glanced to my chest making me feel gross.
"I already refused."
"Tell ya what, we duel. I win, you join. You win, I leave you alone."
"I'm not an idiot. An S rank challenging a B rank is lunacy."
"Not when said B rank is responsible for another S ranks death."
As expected, he was intelligent as well as strong.
"Fair, but I still declined so move off."
The adventurers around me looked at me as though I'd lost my mind. Few even talked back to an S rank, and I was telling him to mess off.
"Fun, then how about som-"
"I said no. Now if you'll excuse me, I came to get some requests solved."
"What if I hel-"
"Don't need it."
He was getting ticked off.
"Listen here, girl. I made a wonderful offer; you should be thankful."
"And yet I'm not. How odd."
He struck at me. Foolish move. I caught his blade with my bare hand. He released powerful magic, and I matched it not even looking at him.
I started laughing.
"You were making fun of Saliad, but the only thing you have is an aura that scares those it catches off guard."
The Dragonkin started sweating as I showed absolute superiority.
"So, you going to leave, or should I add a second S rank to my list."
Climond glared at me before leaving in a huff.
"Girly?"
I looked at Mammon.
"Ye have a massive backbone."
He started giggling at his own lame pun as I rolled my eyes and got a dungeon subjugation request, along with requests for materials that I'd find inside.
"Hey, Rose."
"Yes?"
"I got a few new adventurers going to that dungeon to train. Could you go with them?"
"Sure."
"Thanks."
_
"You seem a bit smaller than I imagined."
A couple humans were waiting outside the gate for me.
"My name is Rose, what about you four?"
"Daniel, this is my sister Clara."
"I'm Monty and that's Gabe."
We set out on foot as the dungeon isn't far.
"I heard you took on a dragon."
"Yep."
"Cool, why are you helping low ranks like us?"
"Also going to dungeon."
"Why?"
"Requests, besides haven't been with guild for long."
"I see."
We moved on and all of the sudden I sensed something.
"Stop."
"What?"
They understood my senses were better than theirs. They froze and a massive Whilder emerged from the woods.
"What are you doing so far from the enchanted woods?"
"A-a-a WHILDERBEAST!"
They started panicking and the Whilder attacked me as it knew my nature. I held it back with my strength.
"Run!"
They began fleeing as the Whilder tried to throw me. A mythic beast was pushing against me. Usually, a Whilder was only a legendary, but this one was a mythic. It managed to throw me due to my small stature and I slammed into a tree next to the fleeing humans.
At that moment, another mythic Whilder blocked their exit.
"Get behind me!"
We were surrounded. I knew of only one way for all of us to get out alive, but they may attack me afterwards.
"Can you keep a secret?"
"Why are you asking us now?"
"Just tell me."
"Ok. Fine we'll keep whatever secret you're going to tell us, just help us."
They all nodded, then the contract was made. I would protect them here in return for them hiding my identity.
I looked at the Whilders and smiled, then I roared and shifted back to my true form.
"D-D-D-D-DRAGON?!"
"SHE'S A DRAGON?!"
I bashed the head of one of the Whilders as the other tackled me, I roared and breathed arcane, causing one of them to cringe back.
I stood over the party and roared at the Whilders who struck at me with full strength.
I bit one of their throats and used it to block the other before crushing it and throwing the corpse.
The other roared in anger and used summoning magic to summon an army of Whildorcs, the followers of the Whilders.
"Run now!"
I yelled at the party who took off. As the Whildorcs grappled me, I turned my scales into flames. I burned the orcs and charged the Whilder, who I grappled and clawed. It was double my size, so it tried to throw me.
I latched on and began tearing into its belly, causing it to roar in outrage.
It grappled with me and threw me against a tree causing it to shatter. I roared and suddenly felt a presence. I dodged and a crater opened up where I just was.
"Crap."
"Ha ha ha! Very rare for a beast to dodge my attack."
It was a human with so much magic radiating off of him that I would've assumed him one of my kin if I didn't know better.
"Beast? Please, at least aid me against the Whilder before you try to claim my head."
"Dragons can talk? Incredible. I shall aid you."
"Thanks."
The fighter struck the Whilder with immense strength, and the beast yelped before slamming him into a rock.
I backed him up by leaping and slashing at the Whilder, causing it to back up.
The man leapt onto my back as I twisted and he, using my momentum, launched at the Whilder, slashing its throat.
It roared again and made one last attempt to bite down on me, but I took the opportunity and ripped its throat out.
It made one last cry before bleeding out and falling. As it fell, me and the warrior regrouped.
"Hey, dragon, you don't seem as bad as the legends say."
"Dragons aren't as ferocious as you think. Most of us are rather friendly if you treat us right."
"Well, the name's Asura. S rank adventurer, what's yours?"
"That would be a secret for now, but perhaps we can spar if we meet again."
"Fun! Well, have a wonderful day!"
"Thank you."
I flew off to find my party. When I finally found them, hiding in a field, they screamed at the sight of me.
I then transformed into a catkin again.
"Y-y-y-y-you are a d-d-d-d-d-dragon?"
Clara was standing in front of the group with her bow aimed at me.
"Why are you aiming at me?"
"Dragon!"
"Yes, and I saved your ungrateful behinds. We still need to conquer that dungeon so come on."
The arrow broke on my hand.
"Come on now. I'll forget your attempted assassination."
They clamored after me frightened.
_
"Ogres. Why are there so many ogres."
"SCREW THE OGRES THERE'S A BASILISK!"
"I THOUGHT THIS WAS A LOW-LEVEL DUNGEON!"
"WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!"
"WILL YOU ALL SHUT UP?!"
That last one was me. I had already killed the ogres and basilisk.
They stopped and looked around in shock before screaming again, but this time looking at me.
"AAH, WE TICKED HER OFF, SHE'S GONNA EAT US!"
I facepalmed and simply walked off.
"If you guys want to cower then cower, but I'm beating the dungeon and I'll tell Mammon you just hid the whole time screaming."
"You are evil!"
"You are cowards."
I moved to the new room, and I saw the boss.
It was Callel.