After Celine, Billy, Ao, Dinnett, and I had successfully employed our breath attacks, Winters did not immediately lead us back to the Academy.
Instead, she permitted us to roam freely around the clearing within a radius of a few hundred metres.
In Winters' words, our talents were among the finest she had ever witnessed.
In the past, young dragons would attempt it several, or even dozens of times before successfully using their breath.
As a reward, we were specially allowed to play outside for half a day.
Hearing this, we young dragons, who had been listless, immediately perked up.
Inherited memories make no mention of those colorful and ordinary plants, so for Celine and the others, even though we were restricted to an area of little more than a hundred metres.
But this small expanse was still brimming with novelty, even for the taciturn Ao.
Except for me.
Those huge, slightly peculiar plants do indeed attract a dragon's attention, but for me, they were merely so-so.
Although my sire had not bequeathed me any combat experience, he had left me with an entire magical world.
Those strange plants were just plants to me.
Compared to these, I hoped my physical strength would recover as swiftly as possible, so I could then continue my flight training.
Of course, there was also the matter of my breath.
Although my breath was the most powerful among the five of us, it was precisely because of its potency that it was restricted by Winters.
Naturally, I knew that Winters' intentions were benevolent.
However, for me, my breath was tantamount to an uncontrollable power.
And uncontrollable power is almost synonymous with having none at all.
So, I was prepared to train my breath diligently, especially in terms of controlling its power.
Of course, I placed this training plan after flight training.
After all, with my current physical strength and reserves of magical elements, let alone training, even standing after a single exhalation of breath was an exceedingly difficult feat.
In addition, I had not forgotten that I still possessed another kind of breath.
That should be the power my dam had left me.
The Draconic Clan's concept of parents is actually quite tenuous.
At least, I did not observe any particular attachment to parents in Celine and the others.
But I am different.
With the memories of that other world, my parents occupy a lofty position in my heart.
This is also the reason why I yearn for the starry sky.
"Are you not going to play with them?"
Hearing the voice beside me, I looked up and saw Winters regarding me with a gentle expression.
Meeting Winters' gaze, I shook my head.
"There is nothing particularly amusing.
I wish to rest as soon as possible and then resume training."
After a pause, a thought suddenly occurred to me.
"Winters, do you possess any method to rapidly increase my physical strength?
With my current physical capacity, it is difficult to undertake effective training."
Hearing this, Winters sighed with a hint of helplessness.
"Vet, I believe you should be clear that today is merely the second day you have come into this world, and the Young Dragon stage of the True Dragon Species will last approximately one hundred years.
Before you mature to the Youth stage, you are not permitted to leave the Dragon Lair.
And in between, there is an Adolescent Dragon stage of nearly two hundred years.
Regardless of what you wish to accomplish, Vet, in truth, you need not be so anxious.
More than three hundred years is ample time for you to improve your strength."
"Only at the Youth stage can one leave the Dragon Lair?"
"That is correct.
The outside world is fraught with perils, and Young Dragons and Adolescent Dragons are not yet equipped to cope with those dangers."
Hearing this, a hint of disappointment flashed in my eyes.
Looking at my dejected form, Winters could not help but ask, "Is there somewhere you wish to go?
Did your parents instruct you to go there?"
I shook my head, offered no answer, but looked up towards the heavens.
"Winters, what is the starry sky like?"
Winters was momentarily stunned, then a trace of confusion flickered in her eyes.
"I have not been there; I do not know what it looks like.
But I heard Desidero say that beneath the beautiful facade of the starry sky lies a deadly peril.
No air to breathe, endless tempestuous winds, and a cold, silent nothingness."
"Is that so?"
I murmured in a low voice, then lay down on my own, and covered myself with my wings.
Winters shook her head helplessly upon seeing this, then narrowed her eyes.
In the depths of the vacant Dragon's Den, several snores of varying pitches and timbres rose and fell.
I lay in the corner, not sleepy in the slightest.
The aroma of the morning's barbecue still lingered in the air, but the remaining roasted meat had vanished after our return.
The Morse Dragon Beasts and Ball Little Dragons that had disappeared along with it.
I knew not if the barbecue had been consumed by the Morse Dragon Beasts or by the Ball Little Dragons.
Raising my head, I glanced at Celine and the others, who were sleeping soundly, then carefully rose and walked towards the exterior.
A moment later, I squatted at the entrance of the Dragon's Den, a hint of hesitation flashing in my eyes.
I still remembered Winters' previous warning.
Although I did not know what would transpire, I figured it would not be pleasant.
But... there was no sound outside now, and the other dragons should all be asleep.
Just venturing out for a brief look should not cause any trouble, should it?
Thinking this, I first cautiously extended half of my body and looked left and right.
The wide corridor was empty.
Seeing this, I warily stepped out of the Dragon's Den.
Walking to the edge of the stone corridor and looking down, the lively square from our return during the day was now devoid of any dragons.
My heart immediately relaxed, and then a hint of joy flashed in my eyes.
Flexing my wings, I leaped downwards, my body only sinking slightly before stabilizing in mid-air.
Then, I flew upwards.
The True Dragon Academy is divided into nine levels.
My Dragon's Den is on the sixth level, and my current objective is the aperture above the ninth level.
From my angle, I could already see the starlight shining through the opening, and of course, even more moonlight.
Only three levels; it should pose no problem.
I thought to myself.
However, these three levels were much higher than I had initially imagined.
I had only flown two levels before I began to feel a little exhausted.
Looking up at the stone corridor on the ninth floor, I gritted my teeth and flew towards it with desperate effort.
Fortunately, I was lucky enough to land upon the stone corridor on the ninth floor.
But just as I breathed a sigh of relief, a slightly deep and hoarse voice suddenly rang out behind me.
"Behold!
I have caught a young dragon wandering at night!"
My body stiffened, and the sudden sound almost made all the scales on my body stand on end.
Trembling, I turned around and saw a True Dragon emitting a faint cyan light, approximately the same size as Winters, standing not far behind me.
Of course, that was not the crucial point.
The point was, I could see the rock walls of the stone corridor behind me *through* the other dragon's body.
With just that one glance, my mind short-circuited.
"Greetings, you may call me Bo... Co, ah... why has he fainted?"