Chapter 5: The Elder of The Dragons

"Remove your filthy feet from our domain, or I shall reduce you to dust with my fiery breath, insignificant human!" The dragon roared, releasing white steam from its nostrils as it spoke.

Kasai stared intently at the speaking dragon, a speck of fear gnawing at his heart. He could sense the immense power radiating from the dragon and had witnessed firsthand how effortlessly it had dispelled his jutsu earlier. The odds of defeating such a colossal creature were slim, and Kasai knew he would likely meet a swift demise.

The dragon's entire body was adorned with blood-red scales that glistened brilliantly under the blazing yellow sun. It stood as massive as an adult sperm whale from Earth, with wings spanning twice the width of an airplane. Rows of razor-sharp teeth lined its slightly parted jaws, capable of slicing through or crushing diamonds with ease.

"Can you not comprehend my words, human!?" the dragon demanded, landing gracefully on the grassy field. It regarded Kasai with disdain, its two bloodshot, dark-red eyes sending shivers down Kasai's spine at the mere thought of being vanquished by their gaze.

"I bear no ill will toward your territory, believe me," Kasai pleaded, his hope dwindling as he maintained his battle stance. He couldn't help but think, 'As if posturing like this will aid my survival in this dire situation.'

The dragon snorted with anger, infuriated by Kasai's presumption of equality. It opened its maw to deliver a scathing retort when, at that very moment, a small white dragon appeared on the scene, disrupting the red dragon's intentions.

"Speak--" began Solos but was swiftly interrupted.

"Solos, cease intimidating this human and escort him to the Drakko Palace," the white dragon commanded.

"But--" Solos attempted to protest.

"That's enough, Solos," the white dragon warned firmly.

Solos, the red dragon, lowered its head obediently and addressed the newcomer with respect, "Understood, elder." It then turned its gaze towards Kasai, who was utterly bewildered by the turn of events. He remained silent during the dragons' exchange, listening intently to their conversation.

'Elder?' Kasai pondered; his curiosity piqued as he observed the white dragon. He couldn't fathom why the red dragon referred to it as an elder. Lost in thought, Kasai noticed the white dragon glance in his direction and nod. In response, he bowed down in gratitude, but before he could utter his thanks, an unknown force lifted him off the ground and into the skies.

.........................

DRAKKO PALACE

Lush greenery, towering trees, and unfamiliar flora surrounded him. The ground was strewn with dried leaves and twigs, creating a natural carpet leading up to the castle. The air was incredibly dry, yet the calming sounds of flowing water and the gentle rustling of the wind made it an ideal location for solitude.

Kasai landed on his feet at the center of the castle's hall, encircled by dragons of diverse sizes and colors, each of them fixating their intense gaze upon him.

For these dragons, humans were considered filthy intruders, and this was their first encounter with one who had infiltrated their cherished land. Their collective curiosity was tinged with a simmering anger toward the diminutive human.

At the far end of the castle, the white dragon, now identified as Leondro, took his place upon an exceedingly extravagant seat, surrounded by an assortment of exotic fruits.

As Leondro settled in, a hush fell over the entire hall. He cleared his throat and addressed Kasai, "I am Leondro, the 37th elder of all dragons, and I extend to you a welcome to our cherished land, little human."

With Leondro's welcoming words, the entire assembly buzzed with hushed conversations.

"Why hasn't the elder dispatched this human yet?"

"Shh, the elder can hear you. He's the one who brought him here. Don't voice your opinions so openly or you'll face consequences."

"I understand, but humans pose a threat to dragons. The elder should eliminate him."

Leondro, who had been silent in his seat, raised his tail and brought it crashing down upon the ground.

THUD!

The silent sound reverberated throughout the hall, quelling the thoughts and voices of the other dragons. As for Kasai, standing at the center, he watched in amazement and felt his heart race, nearly causing him to faint from the immense pressure exerted by the seemingly small tail.

'What incredible power! It may be small, but it's incredibly strong!' Kasai thought to himself, still feeling the wild pounding of his heart.

"Believe it or not, Kasai, this isn't my original size," Leondro stated proudly, making Kasai realize that the dragon could read minds. "If I were to revert to my true size, I'd be larger than all four mountains combined."

Kasai hesitated for a moment, fearful of causing offense, but eventually spoke, "Your Highness, I apologize for my ignorant thoughts."

Leondro chuckled at Kasai's address, waving his claw dismissively as he responded to Kasai's polite words, "Oh, don't be overly formal. Just call me 'Elder'."

"I understand, Elder," Kasai replied, bowing his head slightly.

Leondro straightened his posture and regarded Kasai with a serious expression. "Anyway, I have a question for you."

Kasai raised his head, nodding slightly in anticipation of the query.

Leondro smiled gently and continued, "Do you happen to possess the Dimensional Wishing Pearl?"

"Dimensional Wishing Pearl?" Kasai echoed, perplexed by the unfamiliar term. However, the mention of the blue crystal triggered his memory. "I've never heard of the item, Elder, but there was a tiny blue crystal that I had before I arrived here. It vanished suddenly. Are you referring to that?"

"Yes, that's the one. Now it's clear how you ended up here, and I can sense you harbor no ill intentions toward our land," Leondro replied with a reassuring smile. "The Dimensional Wishing Pearl is an artifact created by my Ancestor. It appears in the hands of a worthy individual once every millennium. It grants the holder the ability to temporarily open a gateway to the land of dragons and bestows them with ten dragon eggs, which you can then take back to your world."

Kasai, still trying to wrap his head around the revelation, thought, 'Ten dragon eggs!? Is this for real?'

As Kasai remained lost in thought, Leondro continued with his explanation. "In other words, these dragons become tamed beasts, but in your world, I believe they will serve as your summoned creatures. Through the power of the Dimensional Wishing Pearl, a miniature Land of Dragons will be established in your world, creating an independent space for them. Due to the division of its power, these dragons' full strength will be slightly diminished compared to those in our realm."

Kasai nodded in comprehension. "I see. To enable them to exist in my world, a separate space will be created for them."