Another day.
Another sunrise over lava and bad decisions.
Mia stood in the center of the training arena in her dragon form, wings tense, claws digging lightly into the cracked stone.
Across from her—
the red dragon.
The smug one.
The professional hater.
It stood there with that same irritating confidence, tail flicking lazily like it had personally invented disrespect.
Its red scales gleamed under the abyss light, and its golden eyes locked onto hers with open amusement.
Mia narrowed her eyes.
(If annoyance could kill, this would be over.)
Kael stood outside the arena, arms folded.
Varkryth watched from higher stone steps like an emperor attending gladiator entertainment.
Absolutely no emotional support in sight.
The red dragon glanced toward Kael and gave a lazy grin.
"Are you certain, sir?"
Its voice carried just enough arrogance to be legally offensive.
"I am not sure I can hold myself back from killing her."
Silence.
Mia's eye twitched.
"…Cool. Great attitude. Love that for you."
The red dragon smirked wider.
"You should. It may be the last thing you love."
"Oh, I'm going to bite you."
Kael did not react.
"If you kill her…"
He looked at the red dragon.
"…I will break every bone in your body."
The red dragon immediately straightened.
"…Understood."
Mia blinked.
"…That was surprisingly comforting."
Kael looked at her next.
"If you lose too quickly, I may do the same."
"…There it is."
Balance restored.
Varkryth finally spoke from above.
"No pride. No hesitation."
His purple eyes rested on Mia.
"If it stands before you…"
"Break it."
The red dragon grinned.
Mia inhaled slowly.
Fear. Pain. Anger.
All there.
But beneath it—
something steadier.
She remembered the first day.
Being thrown down. Being helpless.
Not today.
She lowered her body, wings spreading slightly.
Her dark mana began to gather.
The red dragon mirrored her stance.
Its smile sharpened.
Kael raised one hand.
The barrier sealed.
Silence.
Then—
"Begin."
The red dragon exploded forward.
And this time, Mia lunged first.
Fast. Sharp. Determined.
For approximately three seconds.
The red dragon tilted its head, dodged cleanly, and with the kind of casual disrespect that should be illegal—
WHAM.
Its tail slammed straight into her side.
Pain exploded through her ribs.
Before she could recover—
STOMP.
A claw smashed her head into the stone.
Dust burst upward.
Her vision blurred.
Then—
CRUNCH.
Teeth locked around her neck scales.
Not enough to kill.
Just enough to remind her exactly how easily it could.
Humiliation included free of charge.
Mia snarled, struggling—
"Enough."
Kael's voice cracked across the arena.
Instantly, the red dragon released her and stepped back, looking annoyingly pleased with itself.
Mia pushed herself up, breathing hard, blood on the stone beneath her.
Kael stared at her with the emotional warmth of a tax document.
"And you."
He pointed.
"Stop fighting like a weakling."
Mia glared.
"Very motivating. Thank you."
"You should be ashamed of yourself."
That one hit harder than the tail.
Because part of her was.
She was frustrated.
Not just because she was losing—
but because she could feel it.
She was hesitating.
Thinking too much. Reacting too late.
Fighting like someone trying not to get hurt.
Not like a dragon trying to win.
Kael stepped closer.
"You enter battle already preparing to lose."
His voice was low.
"That is why you do."
Mia's claws dug into the ground.
He pointed back toward the red dragon.
"Again."
She exhaled sharply.
"…I hate this place."
"No," Kael replied.
"You will hate seeing yourself weak."
Silence.
Because unfortunately—
that one was true.
The red dragon smirked.
"Oh good. Another round of disappointment."
Mia bared her teeth.
"I am going to make boots out of your ego."
Kael raised his hand.
"Again."
And of course—
she lost.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Every time she attacked, the red dragon punished hesitation.
Every mistake was immediate.
Every opening was exploited.
She got faster.
Still lost.
She got angrier.
Still lost.
She tried magic.
Still lost.
At one point she was fairly certain her dignity filed for resignation.
By sunset or.. she doesn't know what time., she was lying on the arena floor once more, wings trembling, too tired to even complain properly.
The red dragon stood nearby, breathing heavier now.
Still smug.
But less smug.
Progress.
Kael folded his arms.
"Better."
Mia groaned into the stone.
"…That felt like an insult somehow."
Another day.
And another.
And another.
At this point, Mia was starting to suspect the Abyss ran on a strict schedule of:
wake up → suffer → sleep → repeat
Very efficient civilization.
She stood once again in the arena, facing the red dragon.
This time, though…
something was different.
She still lost.
Absolutely.
Spectacularly, even.
But now—
she was learning.
The first few days had been pure survival.
Pain. Panic. Getting folded like laundry.
Now she started seeing things.
Patterns.
The red dragon always shifted its left shoulder before a tail strike.
Its wings twitched before a feint.
It preferred forcing her right side because of her weaker balance there.
Its arrogance made it predictable.
Still annoying.
But predictable.
Kael's voice echoed in her head:
Stop reacting. Start reading.
Varkryth's cold advice:
Force movement. Own space.
Nythera's softer warning:
Do not let anger narrow your vision.
For the first time—
she was actually fighting.
Not just surviving.
The red dragon lunged.
Mia stepped left before the strike came.
Its eyes widened slightly.
Small.
But there.
A hit.
She slammed her tail low—
it blocked, but had to move.
Good.
She pushed forward.
Not retreating.
Not freezing.
For three glorious seconds—
she almost looked competent.
Then—
WHAM.
Tail to the ribs.
Back to reality.
Mia hit the ground.
Again.
She lay there for a second, staring at the red dragon.
"…I had him."
The red dragon snorted.
"You had delusion."
She pointed weakly from the floor.
"Your confidence is annoying ."
Kael folded his arms.
"…Better."
Mia blinked.
She sat up.
"Wait. Was that praise?"
"No."
"…I'm taking it anyway."
Even the red dragon looked annoyed by that.
Varkryth stood above, watching silently.
This time, he noticed something else.
"She made him step back."
Kael nodded.
"Yes."
The red dragon immediately protested.
"That was tactical repositioning."
"That," Mia said from the floor,
"was fear."
"It was not."
"It smelled like fear."
Red dragon ready his stance
"I will bite you."
Mia ready her stance as well
"Get in line.red bag"
Kael raised a hand.
"Enough."
He looked at Mia.
"You are still losing."
"Deeply aware, thank you."
"But now…"
He paused.
"…you are forcing him to work."
That mattered.
Because before?
She was prey.
Now?
She was becoming a problem.
A smaller victory.
But a real one.
The red dragon clicked its tongue.
Annoyed.
Perfect.
Mia slowly stood again, bruised, exhausted, furious—
and smiling.
Because now she knew something.
She could lose a hundred times.
But eventually—
eventually—
she was going to wipe that smug look off his stupid red snout.
And when that day came…
it would be art.
Another day.
Another duel.
Another legally questionable amount of violence.
Mia stood across from the red dragon again, dark scales tense, eyes locked.
This time, though—
she wasn't just angry.
She was ready.
The red dragon smirked, pacing slowly.
"You still return. I gonna enjoy breaking your paw this time"
Mia lowered her stance.
"Yeah."
She bared her teeth.
"Spite is a powerful motivator."
Kael stood outside the barrier.
"Begin."
The red dragon launched first—
fast.
But this time—
Mia saw it.
The shift in the shoulder. The wing twitch. The angle.
She moved before it happened.
SWOOSH.
The attack missed.
For the first time—
the red dragon's eyes widened.
Mia didn't hesitate.
"Got you."
She surged forward and—
WHAM.
Headbutted him straight in the red dragon head
A proper dragon move.
No elegance. Only violence.
The red dragon stumbled back two full steps.
Silence.
From above, Varkryth's eyes narrowed slightly.
The red dragon stood there.
Still.
Processing.
Slowly…
it turned its head back toward her.
Its expression had changed.
The smugness?
Gone.
Now it looked offended on a spiritual level.
Mia grinned.
"Oh no."
"Did I damage your personality?"
It said nothing.
Which was terrifying.
Then—
it walked forward.
Very calmly.
Too calmly.
Mia's confidence immediately filed for divorce.
"…That's a concerning amount of silence."
The red dragon lowered its head.
And then—
it headbutted her back.
Harder.
Much harder.
WHAM.
Mia's entire ancestry rattled.
She flew backward and hit the ground flat.
Dust exploded upward.
Silence.
She stared at the sky.
The sky stared back.
Her soul briefly left for lunch.
The red dragon stood over her.
Calm again.
Balance restored.
"…There," it said.
"Now we are even."
Mia, still on the ground, lifted one claw weakly.
"…I regret everything."
Kael folded his arms.
"…Good."
Mia blinked.
"Excuse me?"
Kael pointed at her.
"You predicted."
"You acted."
"You committed."
He gave one small nod.
"That was correct."
She sat up slowly, dizzy.
"Did… did I just receive actual approval?"
"Do not make it strange."
"Too late. I'm framing this moment
Another day
Another duel.
Another appointment with destiny and possible concussion.
Mia stepped into the arena, dragon form steady, wings low, eyes locked on the red dragon.
But today—
something was different.
The red dragon noticed it too.
No frustration. No panic. No desperate anger.
Just focus.
It narrowed its eyes.
"…You changed."
Mia rolled her shoulders.
"Yeah."
She smirked.
"I got tired of losing."
The red dragon snorted.
"Good. I was getting bored."
Kael stood outside the barrier, arms folded like disappointment made flesh.
"Begin."
The red dragon lunged first—
as always.
Fast. Aggressive.
But Mia moved.
Not barely.
Not desperately.
Cleanly.
She dodged.
The strike missed.
Its tail swung—
she ducked.
Claws came—
she shifted inside the attack instead of backing away.
The red dragon's eyes widened.
For the first time—
She was reacting to him.
Mia slammed forward with her shoulder—
WHAM.
Then a tail strike.
Then claws.
Not perfect.
Not elegant.
But relentless.
The red dragon stumbled.
Actually stumbled.
It nearly lost footing.
From above, even Varkryth's gaze sharpened.
Kael said nothing.
Which somehow meant everything.
The red dragon growled now, real irritation replacing smugness.
"Annoying."
Mia grinned.
"Oh, that's my favorite compliment."
It charged harder this time.
No games.
No teasing.
Real force.
Mia met it head-on.
Claw against claw. Fang against fang. Scale against scale.
Stone cracked beneath them.
She remembered Kael:
Stop reacting. Force movement.
She remembered Varkryth:
Break what stands before you.
She remembered Nythera:
Discipline. Not anger.
And finally—
she saw it.
The opening.
That tiny shift.
That same shoulder movement.
The pattern.
She moved first.
She twisted, slammed her weight forward—
and—
BOOM.
The red dragon crashed to the ground.
Pinned.
Its head pressed into the stone beneath Mia's claws.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Dust floated through the air like the world itself needed a second.
Mia was breathing hard.
Heart pounding.
But she was standing.
And he—
was not.
The red dragon stared up at her in complete disbelief.
Like reality itself had betrayed him.
Mia leaned down slightly.
"…Who's emotionally damaged now?"
From outside—
Kael's voice cut through the arena.
"Enough."
The force in that single word froze everything.
Mia stepped back slowly.
Still stunned.
Still processing.
She had done it.
She actually—
did it.
The red dragon rose slowly, brushing dust from his scales with the dignity of a man trying to pretend history had not just happened.
Kael looked at Mia.
Long silence.
Then—
"…Acceptable."
Mia gasped dramatically.
"WRITE THAT DOWN."
"That is not praise."
"It is now."
The red dragon exhaled sharply, then looked at her.
Annoyed.
Respectful.
Still annoyed.
"…I hate this."
Mia smiled.
"Beautiful. Friendship."
"No."
"Too late."
And for the first time—
the red dragon didn't smirk.
He just sighed.
As Mia stepped off the red dragon, trying very hard to look cool and not like she was two seconds away from collapsing dramatically—
Kael folded his arms.
"Well."
A pause.
"I suppose that qualifies as improvement."
Mia blinked.
Was that… praise?
Then he continued.
"Though it took longer than expected."
There it was.
Balance restored.
Mia stared at him.
"Could you be nice for just one moment?"
Kael looked genuinely confused.
"That would be weakness."
She turned to the sky.
"I miss supportive people."
From above, Varkryth replied calmly:
"No, you do not."
"…I absolutely do."
The red dragon, still recovering his dignity nearby, muttered:
"She truly does not."
"Traitor."
Kael snapped his fingers once.
Sharp.
Immediate silence.
"Enough."
He stepped forward into the center of the arena.
"You have learned the basics."
"Movement. Timing. Instinct."
He pointed at Mia.
"Barely."
"Love the confidence boost."
He ignored that with professional dedication.
"Now we move to something more important."
"Mana."
That word alone changed the air.
Even the other dragons nearby straightened.
Kael's voice lowered.
"Most young dragons think mana is for breathing fire and looking impressive."
He glanced at the red dragon.
The red dragon looked personally attacked.
"Wrong."
He walked slowly around Mia like a professor of violence.
"Mana is not a spell."
"It is not decoration."
"It is not some shiny trick for noble dragons to brag about."
He tapped one claw against Mia's chest.
"It is you."
"Your blood."
"Your muscles."
"Your instincts."
"Your wings."
"Your rage."
"Your will."
He stepped back.
"A dragon without mana is a beast."
"A dragon who understands mana…"
He paused.
"…is a calamity."
Even Mia stayed quiet for that one.
Because damn.
That line had rent due.
Kael raised one hand.
Dark energy shimmered around it.
Not wild.
Controlled.
Precise.
"You will learn to move mana through your body."
"To strengthen your claws."
"To harden your scales."
"To sharpen your senses."
"To turn flight into speed."
"To turn strength into force."
He looked directly at her.
"And eventually…"
"…to kill dragons larger than yourself."
Mia slowly raised one hand.
Kael pointed toward the open training field.
"Come."
"First lesson."
"Move your mana to your wings."
Mia frowned.
"…That sounds easy."
Kael gave the kind of look usually reserved for people who say "how hard can it be?"
"It is not."
Behind him, the red dragon smirked.
"Oh, this will be entertaining."
Mia narrowed her eyes.
"If I suffer, I'm dragging you with me."
"That is the spirit."
And so—
just when she thought dragon combat training had reached maximum suffering—
the Abyss introduced
Advanced Suffering.