The whole process seemed very slow to Eugene.

The tail, adorned with a formidable array of sharp and rugged scales, made the initial descent. Subsequently, the dragon's head emerged, gradually rising upward. With a marked sluggishness, the dragon reclined, fixing its gaze skyward in a deliberate and measured manner.

His eyes remained closed, veiled in darkness. Slowly, very slowly, his eyelids began to part. Like a delicate curtain unfurling, the white veil lifted, revealing the eyes beneath that had been inverted but now found their proper alignment.

The pupils were vertically slitted, reminiscent of the serpentine gaze of a colossal snake. Those intense, menacing eyes fixated upon Eugene, radiating an aura of primal danger. Yet, it was not a mere meeting of gazes; instead, it felt as if the dragon's vast, all-encompassing eyes were ensnaring Eugene, capturing his very essence within their powerful gaze.

It was Dragon Fear.

Mer lost consciousness inside the cloak, and similarly overwhelmed by a profound sense of fear, Raimira's voice erupted in a piercing scream.

Eugene yearned to succumb to the same urges — to lose consciousness or release a primal scream — yet he quelled those impulses. He couldn't afford to yield. How could he allow himself to become a blathering fool after merely glimpsing the Black Dragon? Gritting his teeth, Eugene summoned every ounce of his willpower and activated the White Flame Formula. Its purpose was to withstand the relentless, intangible pressure that threatened to pulverize his very bones and organs.

Eugene had once experienced Dragon Fear from Ariartel, the Red Dragon. However, it could not compare to what he was feeling now. It was a matter of course. Although Ariartel had been quite mature compared to the child, Raimira, the Red Dragon had...