"Zaroth, please do not resist," a sick, malnourished woman spoke. Her calm voice, pleasant as a melody.

"I can't! There is no way I am ever giving up, mother! I prefer to die here and right now!" her son snapped back, trying to suppress his tears.

Due to the boy's white hair, he had often been made fun of by the other kids…

Not that he was a kid anymore. He had recently turned 18, making him an adult, but due to the lack of food, his body didn't resemble that of an adult.

"Our empire has lost the nearby battle, so as a result, the Crimson Sun Empire will soon invade these lands. I want you to surrender."

"And what? Become a slave? Death seems like a better option!"

"Zaroth!" the mother screamed, scaring the boy for a moment.

"I… I want you to live. I know it's selfish, but I couldn't give you a good childhood or education. Still, I want proof… proof that your father and I have lived in this world. You are that proof. I don't want our bloodline to end."

Zaroth couldn't respond; all he could do was stare at his dying mother.

"I know it would be hard, but I have faith that you will survive."

"FAITH?" Zaroth snapped.

"I had faith once too! When I awakened, I was supposed to be a Beast Master, but the gods had other plans for me! No one gave me their blessing. I couldn't tame even the rats that were eating the last of our provisions! After the life I have lived… how could I have faith?!"

"What reason do I even have to live?!" Tears began to fall from his brown eyes.

"I know, son." She put her trembling hand on his white hair.

"I remember when your father died, when we had to eat rats so we wouldn't die from starvation, how not a single god gave you their blessing."

"But that's why I have faith, because despite all that, you survived. You will live no matter what disaster strikes you."

Her breathing was getting shallower, but she didn't stop talking.

"You want a reason to live? I will give you one." She turned his chin, forcing him to look into her crying eyes.

"Prove them wrong. It has been taken from you for too long. It's time you take back what is yours, and then more. Forget morals and any kind of lie the gods have fed us. Live for your desires."

"I…" Zaroth couldn't find the words to respond to his mother.

"Promise me… that you will live… that you will not give up."

Casting aside all doubts, he grasped the pale hand of his mother.

"I swear it."

Hearing him say that, her cracked mouth curved slightly into a smile—the most beautiful smile Zaroth had ever seen.

"Thank you… now go. Forget about me, you shall not be burdened by me any longer."

"I love you." With these words, he parted with his mother, leaving the small hut they had been living in.

"I love you too," were the last words he heard before he closed the door, never to see his mother again.

Soon after, a horn was blown, announcing the arrival of the approaching army. Zaroth and the few dozen residents of the village came out and knelt on the ground with their hands on their heads, announcing their surrender.

As the soldiers got closer, Zaroth was able to see their black armor decorated with red armaments.

Soon after, he and the others were put in chains and escorted to a carriage, where they were being transported to some location—most likely to be sold off as slaves.

"These bastards, I swear I will kill every single one of them," he muttered.

The chains were too tight, pressing into his skin and causing him pain, but he was too angry to care. The only thing he was thinking about was his escape and his mother.

"She is probably dead, isn't she?"

His mother had been sick for a few years with muscle rot disease, making her unable to walk… A slave that is unable to move is useless, so…

They probably got rid of her.

"Live for my desires, huh?" he muttered under his breath.

"If that is your wish, mother, then I have to grant it."

A few hours passed, and his lips were starting to get dry. Of course, no one had given them any water. Why would they? They were just slaves now.

Suddenly, the carriage stopped, and a rough-looking soldier entered.

"Outside, now!" His voice was harsh and commanding. Left with no choice, the prisoners exited one by one.

As Zaroth's pupils adjusted to the difference in light, he saw that they were in some kind of camp… the enemy war camp.

If they were going to be sold as slaves, why were they here?

Glancing around, his eyes caught a glimpse of something, and then he froze…

In the middle of the camp, there was something dead…

It had been there for a long time, so its flesh had long since fallen off. But looking at its bones and massive head… it was clear.

It was the corpse of a long-slain dragon.

He was placed in a row of inmates facing the dragon. Before them stood a man with a massive build and red armor.

"REJOICE, SCUM!" he shouted, making everyone freeze in place.

"Today, your worthless lives have meaning! A decade ago, the great hero Starfyr slayed this magnificent creature!"

"BUT!" He raised his voice and pointed to the ground. "Since then, the land around this area has been unable to grow any food. It must have been a curse cast by the dragon before he was slain."

Unleashing his sword from its sheath, he continued, "So today, a brave individual will volunteer to sacrifice his life in the name of the gods, so they may lift this terrible curse! May the one who wishes to volunteer step forward!"

Unsurprisingly, no one stepped forward.

"I will be forced to pick someone if no one volunteers!" the man warned.

Not wanting to be exposed to danger, the prisoners looked around until they saw a weak, malnourished boy with white hair. Without hesitation, they kicked Zaroth, making him stagger forward.

"AH, YOU!" The soldier clad in red said with a smile, as he apprehended Zaroth. "Such a brave individual to sacrifice yourself in the name of the gods!"

"No! This is a mistake!" Zaroth screamed.

Ignoring him, the soldier picked up his weak body and threw him in front of the dragon.

"Mistake? NO! The gods must have planned this; there can't possibly be a mistake!"

"You and your blind obsession with the useless gods!" Zaroth cried out.

"Useless?!" The man shouted, offended by Zaroth's words.

He approached him in an instant and hit him in the stomach.

"I can't allow you to insult the gods on this holy land! You must repent!"

Zaroth was taken aback by the hit and staggered to the ground.

"I would never take back those words! You are all blind to—"

Not giving him time to continue, the soldier hit him again.

"REPENT!"

Zaroth's rib broke.

"REPENT!"

As did his arm.

"REPENT!"

And his other arm

"REPENT!"

'Somehow… there has to be a way to survive.' He could barely think as he was losing too much blood.

"REPENT!"

He was hit again and sent flying, colliding with the head of the dragon.

"Why must I have such shit luck? Why must I suffer so much?" He grunted as he stood up.

"I even awakened as a Beast Tamer. It might not be the best class, but I thought I would be able to make some money and help my mother. But the gods!

When I went to receive my blessing, not even one! Not a single one of the countless gods granted me their blessing!

I wasn't able to tame anything without a blessing!"

He was using the head of the dragon as support, painting it with his blood.

Upon seeing that, the soldier shouted, "Not only have you insulted the gods, but you've even dirtied the sacred bones! So be it! There will be no forgiveness for your sins!"

Gripping his sword tighter, he approached Zaroth with the intention to kill.

"Forgiveness?!" Zaroth shouted angrily at the man.

"What have the gods done for me? They have taken everything I loved! They are the ones who should beg for my forgiveness!"

"Shut your mouth, sinner!" The soldier screamed, getting closer.

Seeing his inevitable death, Zaroth was terrified, but he didn't stop shouting.

"I will kill you!"

The prisoners were looking at him with distant expressions. They were the ones who had put him in this situation. The ones he was supposed to relate to had doomed him from the start.

"All of you… I will kill all of you! Your army, your empire, your gods, I will massacre you like the dogs you all are!"

As his blood spread around the skull of the dragon, he heard a voice.

[Ah… it's not too late. There is another one… so be it, you can have it.]

[My blessing]

Zaroth sensed a change within him, something he couldn't quite explain.

[Luna responds to your call]

[Luna forms a pact with you]

[You have formed a contract with Luna]

[Protecting master]

The soldier who was approaching Zaroth froze, as did everyone watching the spectacle. Not because Zaroth's eyes shined green,

but because the dragon's skull shined as well and then…

It moved.