The Black Hatchling Emerges
Beyond the crumbled black rock lay a dragon hatchling.
A black dragon hatchling, its entire body cloaked in scales that gleamed like they had devoured the darkness itself. It stood about as tall as an adult man's waist—not particularly large in size. Yet the overwhelming presence emanating from that tiny frame choked the breath out of everyone there.
Krrrarrr! The hatchling thrashed about, clearly furious. In that brief motion, Han Ji-woo and his companions instinctively sensed inescapable death rushing toward them.
They never stood a chance against this thing from the start. No—fighting it wasn't even a concept that made sense. There are beings born into a league far above other lifeforms, naturally enthroned as absolutes. Dragons. Was there any creature more fitting for that description?
Krrrh! The hatchling snarled, spreading its wings wide. They were pitifully small for a dragon's—more like a bat's—but that didn't diminish their intimidating power in the slightest.
Plop. As its wing brushed the black rock, fragments cracked off from the fissures.
Witnessing this, Han Ji-woo finally realized.
'This... was an egg.'
The indestructible black rock of immense strength had, in fact, been a black dragon's egg. Meaning the unhatched hatchling seed had been sealed inside.
The hatchling still needed much more time to hatch naturally. But Han Ji-woo's Growth Acceleration had affected it too, dramatically advancing the hatching process.
'Those who live by the sword die by the sword, huh!'
Han Ji-woo, who had thrived thanks to Growth Acceleration, now faced his grave because of it.
But.
"Everyone, snap out of it!"
Han Ji-woo spat the words like a scream, gripping his single-horned steel sword tightly. He couldn't just die without putting up a fight, right? If you didn't thrash around until your last breath, what could be more unjust?
"That's right! That's the spirit of a warrior! We're all gonna die someday anyway! Going down to a dragon makes for the ultimate tale of valor! Krahahaha!"
Stimulated by Han Ji-woo, Osgeelro Haiban hefted his axe high.
Nya~aah!
Lucy, perched on Han Ji-woo's shoulder and head, bared her sharp claws.
'Ouch!'
It stabbed into his scalp with excruciating pain, but Han Ji-woo gritted his teeth and endured, not wanting to ruin the morale-boosting moment.
As the three steeled themselves for a suicidal last stand, one outsider to the vibe was trembling.
"S-scary."
It was Pao.
Dragons innately possessed a skill called Dragon Fear. A passive ability triggered by their roar. Lower-grade monsters hit by it would faint in terror or submit unconditionally, their minds and bodies weakened.
Han Ji-woo didn't know the details, but he understood dragons' greatness well enough to sympathize with Pao's reaction. No scolding here.
No time for that anyway. Figuring out how to survive this hatchling was challenge enough.
But the hatchling gave them no such luxury.
Krrrh!
With another low, throat-scraping growl, it lunged.
"U-uaaaah!"
Startled, Pao panicked with a scream.
"Pao, run!"
Han Ji-woo yelled before Pao's mind broke completely.
"Come at me, you lizard pup!"
Haaak!
Osgeelro and Lucy braced against the hatchling closing in instantly.
Its jaws gaped wide, revealing razor fangs aimed to rip Han Ji-woo apart.
But then—Pao leaped in front, blocking his master.
"Scared... but protect! My master, I protect!"
"Pao!"
Trembling in all four limbs, Pao still shielded Han Ji-woo with desperate resolve.
"You idiot!"
Shocked, Han Ji-woo reached to yank Pao back—but the hatchling was faster.
'Damn it!'
He could already picture Pao's body splitting in two.
He wanted to save him somehow, but no way out. Crushing despair swallowed Han Ji-woo whole.
Then.
Lick.
"...?"
Something warm, soft, and wet touched his cheek.
'What the—?'
It was the hatchling's tongue.
Stunned, Han Ji-woo's body froze while his mind raced. Checking the liver before a full meal? Toying with him since it could eat him anytime?
A barrage of thoughts flashed in an instant.
But this absurd situation wasn't over.
Lick. Lick. Lick.
Now the hatchling was full-on licking his cheek.
Nya~aah!Hiss!
Lucy, displeased, fearlessly swiped at the hatchling's face like a kitten challenging a tiger.
But the hatchling felt no pain, merely wagging its tongue busily.
At first, Han Ji-woo thought it mistook him for candy. He even debated begging it to chew instead of lick if it was gonna eat him anyway.
Osgeelro looked baffled at the bizarre scene.
Brave Pao had already fainted, sprawled out.
Lick. Lick. Lick.
But as time passed, Han Ji-woo sensed something off. The tongue-lashing felt like a puppy showing affection to its owner.
This vibe wasn't predatory at all.
Gathering courage, Han Ji-woo met the hatchling's eyes.
"...?"
No trace of initial hostility. The chilling killing intent and pressure had vanished like a lie.
Instead, it felt... protectively reassuring?
Just as he wondered why, a system message cleared it up.
The Black Hatchling reacts to the Black Hatchling Shed Armor you equipped.
The Black Hatchling recognizes you as kin.
The Black Hatchling's affinity surges dramatically!
"Ah."
That's right. Han Ji-woo had equipped the Black Hatchling Shed Armor upon entering the salt mine.
Made from a black hatchling's shed skin as it grew into an adult dragon, the hatchling now saw him as family.
After lavishing affection by licking his face for a while, the hatchling cooed.
Kyurruk—
'C-cute!'
The sound tickled his heart, and his hand moved on its own to pet its face. Pleased, the hatchling curled its mouth up, eyes closing blissfully.
The Black Hatchling's affinity reaches maximum!
"...Tame the hatchling as a pet?"
Too shocked, Han Ji-woo went blank.
As the messages faded, numbers appeared above the hatchling's head.
This was the affinity gauge shown when a target could be made a pet. At 100%, he could bind the hatchling.
Gulp.
Swallowing dryly, Han Ji-woo petted its face even more diligently.
Feeling it as kin made even simple pets skyrocket the gauge.
At 70%, it stalled no matter how much he petted.
'Time for something else.'
As Han Ji-woo pondered what, Lucy let out a jealous mewl.
Nya~aah—
Pure envy at her master doting only on the hatchling.
"Aigoo~ Our Lucy's sulking? There, there?"
His hands roamed her body, and she purred contentedly in seconds.
Osgeelro shot him an incredulous look.
"What in the blazes did you do?"
"Do about what?"
"How'd you tame that mad dragon whelp so meek?!"
"Beats me."
"...?"
Han Ji-woo grinned mischievously, teasing by playing dumb.
"Hah! You rascal!"
Now Osgeelro saw him as some enchantress. King goblin as pet? Ogre king buddy in the Dungeon Prison? Now a hatchling fawning over him. No species immune—this yokai was unprecedented.
Reflecting on Han Ji-woo, Osgeelro had a horrifying epiphany.
'Wait. Am I enchanted too?'
He'd unwittingly followed to Hidden Space, crafted tools, and now built mansions for dungeon folk.
"You! Have you ensorcelled me...?!"
As Osgeelro confronted him abruptly—
Grrroooowl!
A massive rumble erupted from the hatchling's belly.
"...Hungry?"
No reply, but it seemed famished. Han Ji-woo tossed a Mad Cow corpse from his Inventory.
The hatchling brightened, chomping it down.
Crunch! Munch! Snap! Gulp! Chomp! Grind! Swallow!
It devoured the whole thing in seconds, burping satisfied.
Kurruk!
Affinity hit 95%.
'What for the last 5%?'
Play like with Lucy? He tried cat games, dog fetch—no dice. Stuck at 95.
"Not that, huh. Then..."
As he puzzled—
Kuuuooooh!
An overwhelming wave of presence crushed the space.
"...Ngh!"
"W-what in the hells?!"
Han Ji-woo and Osgeelro reeled from the body-crushing pressure, minds spinning. Far beyond the hatchling's—a chasm of dignity pressing all in Hidden Space.
Lucy fainted instantly.
Thud.
She tumbled from his shoulder, but he couldn't move. One twitch, and he'd join her. Barely clinging to sanity against the mountain-like weight on every cell.
Then.
Craaaack!
Reality warped with a rift, and out popped a cheese-tabby cat in a cowboy hat and boots.
Ferrofero.
Hidden Space suppresses Ferrofero's presence!
Ferrofero's presence reduced by 30%!
Hidden Space nerfed external forces as expected, dropping Ferrofero's presence 30%—but useless. A tsunami merely halved was still deadly.
Ferrofero sauntered closer on booted feet.
"Time is short, so straight to business! Today, you die here!"
Item-activated, Ferrofero wielded the Creator's Presence for 10 minutes. 30% down or not, it was annihilation.
He fixed Han Ji-woo with a stare, thumb and finger poised.
Normally barred from killing heroes outside the first 10 minutes post-summon—but not now.
"Die for me already!"
One finger snap, and that pestilent human's head explodes.
Snap—!
Before frail humanity perished under amplified authority—
Krawraaah!
A black creature blocked Han Ji-woo, roaring fiercely.