Chapter 2: Great Jura Forest 【Re-edited】

As he scanned the landscape that surrounded him, he was able to detect a peculiar and strange concentration of magicules to the northern direction. The potent amount of magicules present indicated the presence of a True Dragon, one that was similar to himself. Eager to uncover the unknown mysteries that lay beyond, he decided to face away from the wooded area and march towards the north, keen to discover the secrets that awaited there.

During his quick progression towards the source of the magic he sensed, his eyes were briefly drawn towards something else, a sprawling civilization resting off to the western direction. While the sight of the kingdom was initially intriguing, he grew disinterested rather quickly, choosing to focus his efforts and attention upon the energy that he had been seeking. Thus, he continued to charge towards his goal, reaching it in an unbelievably quick manner, only taking a measly thirty seconds to complete his task.

With the help of both Wisest One and Natural Genius constantly assisting him in his search, he was left unable to find the source of the mysterious energy that emanated from within the cavern.

Time and time again, he inspected the cave in its entirety, performing a painstaking and thorough evaluation in an attempt to locate the source of the magic he sensed. But no matter how many times he checked, he still came up empty-handed. His patience was beginning to wear thin and he questioned whether or not the magic he originally felt was perhaps nothing more than a delusion.

—「Five Days Later」—

While moving through the ever-expanding and bizarre forest, he heard the loud noise of combat coming from not too far ahead of him. Upon looking in that direction, he saw a group of adventurers who were engaged in a furious battle, fighting around an unassuming tree.

The band was made up of an elf, two humans, and a gigantic red ant, the battle-hardened warriors fighting with fierce determination as they sought to emerge as the victors.

To him, the appearance of the group of adventurers was quite pitiful, with their apparent inability to conquer the puny giant red ant. However, as he reflected upon the knowledge he had been imparted by the Wisest One, he recognized and acknowledged the fact that humans were not inherently the strongest creatures in the world.

On the verge of moving on from the fight in front of him, as the battle was of little concern or interest to him, something truly unexpected occurred. With little to no warning, an errant icicle lance came hurtling towards his face. With a swift and rapid response, he easily removed the icicle lance out of the air without any trouble, destroying it quite easily. The event only took a few short moments to transpire. However, it caught his attention all the same.

Without any sort of warning, or even a sound to alert them of his impending presence, he casually approached the trio, appearing before them as if he had simply stepped out of thin air. The three adventurers were all struck with a sense of astonishment and great surprise by his calm demeanor and unexpected entrance, forcing them to pause their conflict in the midst of an ongoing battle.

Yet, even the gigantic red ant was momentarily taken aback by his sudden appearance, coming to a halt. Nevertheless, once it had regained its bearings, the creature wasted no time in fleeing into the dense forest, swiftly retreating from the scene of its recent conflict with the three adventurers.

Disregarding the red ant's departure, he turned his focus towards the three adventurers, activating his Analytical Appraisal ability in order to analyze them for a short yet comprehensive period of time. Upon doing so, he was swiftly and precisely able to determine that the adventurers were poised to achieve their maximum potential and optimal strength at some point in the near future.

It was evident by the analysis done by him that the three adventurers were not slated for great potential, with their growth capped at a certain threshold. This meant that they would not reach the heights of power or prominence that other, more exceptional beings had reached.

Putting aside that knowledge for now, he returned the focus of his thoughts to the moment that had nearly lead to him receiving an uninvited icicle lance to his face. It may not have caused any harm to his form, but it was nonetheless a notable display of attack by those two humans and their elf friend.

Instead of retaliating with force, he summoned the errant icicle lance back into his open hand and returned it to the trio as an act of courtesy. It was his way of demonstrating an attitude of civility and tolerance towards their attack instead of using his tremendous power to exact retribution in a more violent fashion.

Speaking in a relaxed and collected manner, he directed a simple question to them, asking, "Is this yours?" while holding the ice lance in his hand, perfectly aware of the fact that it belonged to them. The icicle was cold but sturdy, and he wanted them to acknowledge that their errant attack had almost struck him.

The elf's expression was one of happiness and joy, having just been saved from the tough and challenging battle they faced. But as she saw the icicle lance within his grasp, she felt a sense of embarrassment and awkwardness, expressing her apologies in a lightened tone, saying, "Ah, sorry about that..."

Now that the intense battle had passed, and the rush of adrenaline that propelled them through it had faded, the two human individuals in the group decided to take a brief moment to pause and relax, choosing to sit upon the nearby floor. They were exhausted from the fight they had just endured and needed a moment to catch their breath and regain their composure.

"We don't know how you managed to drive off that monster, but we are extremely grateful for your aid!" One of the exhausted human individuals in the group expressed their sincere thanks and appreciation in a thankful manner. They had both broke into a sweat from the battle they had recently partaken in and required a moment to replenish their energy and recoup their composure.

In unison, they each inquired, "How can we repay you?" They all recognized how fortunate they were to have been aided by him, and wished to demonstrate their appreciation in some form or another.

"I require nothing." The True Dragon spoke those exact words, gesturing with his hand to further demonstrate his disinterest in personal gain or recompense. His low profile and unselfishness caused him to appear quite modest and generous in the eyes of the group, with their respect and adoration being gained despite not needing or desiring it.

However, the elf tried to voice her dissent but was swiftly cut off by the stern and uncompromising expression of the young man. He was not inclined to change his decision and this was a firm choice that would not be overturned. This made it clear to the elf that her attempts were of no use, and she would be unable to convince the True Dragon to accept any sort of gratitude for his benevolent actions.

As he gave the group one final look, he sighed, seemingly frustrated by their persistence at wanting to offer him something despite his insistence that he didn't need anything. He then spoke, now with a hint of annoyance to his tone, "If you wish to repay me in any way, why not become powerful in the foreseeable future instead?"

Even though he was aware of their possible strength, he nevertheless delivered his statement, making it seem as if he had higher aspirations set upon the group rather than the lack thereof he previously displayed. This indicated not only that he did have some modicum of expectations for them, but that the choice of words he utilized in this instance wasn't a coincidence.

In addition to his prior option, the True Dragon then offered them another choice. However, this time his demeanor was calmer compared to just a moment ago, and there was even a slight hint of demand evident behind his words. "Nevertheless, if you are not able to accomplish what I have proposed, I advise you make a pact or alliance with someone of greater strength so you can be shielded or protected by them."

As the group was on the verge of asking about another matter, the True Dragon suddenly vacated the space nearby that they had been in. The disappearance occurred without any indication or forewarning, causing the party to be confused and startled. He was gone in the blink of an eye, leaving the three alone in a world void of his presence.

—「Fifteen Minutes Later」—

While traveling through the dense forest, his discerning vision swiftly caught a glimpse of a small, shiny, insectoid creature resting nearby. The beetle appeared to be resting upon the bark of a nearby tree, its exoskeleton glistening in the subtle rays of sunlight piercing the canopy above it.

When he focused in on the insectoid and paid close attention to its demeanor and movements, he saw that the beetle possessed an unexpectedly high degree of potential that was far more than what was originally believed for such a small and unassuming creature. It was almost unbelievable how this simple bug was able to hold so much untapped potential within itself.

With a sense of trepidation and caution, he slowly and carefully made his way towards the beetle who was resting beside a nearby tree. He realized that the small creature might find his looming presence threatening and therefore, he wanted to approach with care and mindfulness so as not to frighten the small bug in any way.

As he got even closer and was practically right in front of the beetle, he saw that the small bug was afflicted by some sort of wound or injury, most likely caused by an earlier skirmish or conflict.

A quick usage of magic and a wave of his hand provided a swift and effective treatment of the small and injured bug. Not only did it heal the bug from its previous battle, but it also left some of the True Dragon's magic within the beetle's physiology as a consequence. That lingering magic and the healing that it provided would certainly help the beetle in its future efforts, and ensure it survived for many more days to come.

After finally feeling an absence of pain and discomfort, the beetle turned its focus on the generous but formidable figure standing before it. It was evident that the small creature was in need of more help than simply having its injuries healed.

In addition to the injured and wounded small bug before him, the True Dragon became aware of the existence of yet another individual with untapped potential lying nearby.

No time was wasted, and the True Dragon quickly and seamlessly used his magic to heal the other injured entity. Whatever injuries or malady was afflicting the second being were swiftly and effectively addressed by the dragon's powers, and it would once again be able to fulfill its purpose to the best of its abilities.

Instead of leaving after the completion of his healing efforts, the True Dragon decided to prolong his stay and linger for a while longer with the duo. As he stayed, he decided to impart upon a name for each of the creatures, in accordance to their nature and future paths.

He bestowed unto the beetle the name 'Zegion', perhaps in reference to the strength and fortitude it would exhibit in the future, like a mighty warrior. The bee, on the other hand, was granted the name 'Apito', possibly in relation to its potential to become a hive queen, an impressive and influential individual in its own right.

In the eyes of the duo, he was akin to a divine being, having saved them from pain and injury that could have led to unfortunate consequences. The beetle and bee now regarded the True Dragon as a figure of great significance, due to how he had so generously helped them out and provided them with names in line with their future journeys and potential.

"We shall conform to your every command without any hesitation. We will follow your orders until the end of time itself." Zegion uttered the words in a tone of deep, powerful authority, whereas Apito spoke in a more sweet, feminine manner, though they both voiced similar sentiments of loyalty and obedience.

He gave a simple nod to the duo of insects, acknowledging and accepting their offered devotion and loyalty. Promptly thereafter, he placed the two small beings into his stomach, providing them shelter and comfort amidst his internal environment. Inside him, they remained safe and secure from any outside harms and were able to thrive in a protected environment within the belly of the mighty dragon.

He proceeded to head away from that area, only pausing and halting for a brief instant to notice the presence of a yellow substance excreted by Apito. Yet, he quickly determined that it was not of any particular significance. He continued on his journey, leaving the substance in the dust and abandoning it without any further concern. The goo was now lying alone on the ground, discarded and unnoticed by the True Dragon, who was moving further and further away as each second passed.