Satoru kept moving forward through the cave, cautiously exploring its depths. At one point, he slipped and fell into an underground lake. The cool water surrounded him as he floated there for a moment, staring at the shimmering surface.
"Great Sage," he called out, "this lake feels... weird. Can I gain anything useful here?"
Satoru felt a familiar tingling sensation as he absorbed the lake's essence. Moments later, Great Sage spoke again.
"Not bad!" Satoru grinned. "These should come in handy."
He was about to leave the lake when a deep, booming voice echoed through the cavern.
"Oi, oi! Hey, little one, can you hear me?"
Startled, Satoru immediately spun around. "Who's there?!" He scanned the cavern, but there was no one in sight. Feeling uneasy, he asked, "Great Sage, what was that? Was I imagining things?"
Before Satoru could process the information, the voice rang out again, louder this time. "Oi! Don't ignore me! I know you can hear me!"
"What the…?" Satoru muttered, turning toward the direction of the sound. His gaze landed on a massive glowing barrier at the far end of the cavern. Inside, he saw a colossal dragon with gleaming black scales, golden eyes, and an intimidating aura.
"What the heck is that?!" Satoru exclaimed. "Great Sage, explain!"
The dragon let out a booming laugh, its echo reverberating through the cavern. "Hahaha! That's right! I am Veldora, the mighty Storm Dragon! Are you impressed, little one?"
Satoru blinked in disbelief. "Uh… yeah, sure. Very impressive," he said sarcastically, still trying to make sense of the situation. "But why are you talking to me?"
Veldora huffed. "Why wouldn't I? You're the first creature to survive this far into my domain in centuries! Most who come here are weaklings and run away before they even reach me. But you… you've got guts."
Satoru tilted his head. "I mean, I've been getting stronger, I guess. But you're, like, a super-powerful dragon, right? Why are you stuck here?"
The dragon's golden eyes narrowed in frustration. "Tch. It's infuriating! A mere human—yes, a human!—used Unlimited Imprisonment to seal me here centuries ago. Me! A dragon! Can you believe it? I've been stuck here, bored out of my mind, with no one to talk to!"
Satoru scratched his nonexistent head. "Centuries, huh? That does sound rough." He paused. "So, what do you want from me? I'm just a slime."
Veldora's eyes gleamed with excitement. "You're far more interesting than the others who've wandered in here! I want… companionship! Someone to talk to. And maybe… you could help me with this pesky seal?"
Satoru held up his slimy hands. "Whoa, slow down there! I'm not sure I can just bust you out of something like that. Besides, I don't even know how this seal works."
Veldora smirked. "Hmph. I didn't expect you to solve it immediately. But you're clever—I can tell. Let's talk first. Maybe we can work something out."
Satoru sighed, but he was intrigued. "Alright, fine. I guess I could use some information about this world anyway. You seem like you know a lot."
Veldora chuckled, his voice rumbling through the cave. "Hahaha! Of course I do! I am Veldora, after all! Ask me anything, little slime, and I shall enlighten you!"