The Dragon's Shield

Kaelron merely smiled in response to the words of his trusted advisor and closest friend.

"It seems you're not worried at all about that girl?" his friend asked, his voice tinged with suspicion.

"We'll see soon enough what she can do for me," Kaelron replied, his tone dripping with confidence.

Meanwhile, at the competition site, from a distance, Lynaria spotted a sword embedded in a stone, its presence almost ominous.

"If this sword is truly valuable, why is there no guard? And why has it remained untouched for so long? Something's off," she murmured to herself.

Cautiously, she approached the sword. But just as she reached it, an attacker from outside the competition struck. With swift reflexes, Lynaria dodged the masked figure's strikes, narrowly avoiding them. With a single retaliatory strike, the attacker was sent flying backward, accidentally brushing against the Sacred Dragon Sword.

To Lynaria's shock, the sword immediately began to absorb the attacker's blood, draining it until he crumbled into dust. She froze, her blood running cold as she finally understood why no other competitors had shown up at the site.

"So, this sword absorbs blood... no wonder it's so peaceful here. But how can I get close to it?" Lynaria whispered to herself, her mind racing.

After a moment of contemplation, she came up with a plan. Reaching into her pocket, she retrieved a translucent white pill and swallowed it.

"I'm sure this soul protection pill will help me free the sword," Lynaria said, her voice steady with determination.

With renewed resolve, she walked up to the Sacred Dragon Sword and began pulling it from the stone. The air around her began to shift as the environment warped, a strange whirlwind of heat and energy surrounding her and the sword. Finally, after a tense struggle, the sword came free, and the energy from the surroundings surged into her body.

As the power coursed through her, Lynaria felt her body lift off the ground, glowing brightly. Strength surged within her, a power unlike anything she had felt before.

"I didn't expect this sword to be so powerful. No wonder it's one of the dragon's magical treasures," she said, feeling the new energy thrumming inside her.

Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath her feet. Lynaria steadied herself, ready to act. Just as she prepared to leave, a deafening roar filled the air, the sound so sharp it seemed to pierce her ears. Lynaria instinctively dropped into a defensive stance.

Moments later, a massive white dragon erupted from the ground, its roar echoing in fury. Lynaria tensed, preparing for a fight.

But as soon as the dragon saw the Sacred Dragon Sword in her hand, its angry stance shifted to one of calm. The dragon lowered its head, offering a sign of respect. Lynaria blinked in surprise at the sudden change.

"Why... why did you change your attitude after seeing me?" Lynaria asked, her voice laced with confusion.

"You are the chosen one, sent to the dragon realm to bring peace and protect our kind," the dragon's voice boomed, vibrating the air around her.

Lynaria frowned, struggling to comprehend.

"What does that have to do with you or the Sacred Dragon Sword?" she asked, more confused than ever.

"I am the ancestral guardian of the Sacred Dragon Sword. My appearance is a sign of my respect and my service to you. May I accompany you?" the dragon asked humbly.

Lynaria stared, stunned. How could such a massive creature follow her?

"With your size, there's no way I can carry you along with me. I don't want the other dragons to respect me because of your presence," Lynaria replied, trying to reason with the dragon.

The dragon explained how it could conceal its form, and once Lynaria understood, she reluctantly agreed to its request.

"I can hide within the Sacred Dragon Sword, if you allow me," the dragon offered.

"Inside the sword? Fine, you can stay there, but don't come out without my permission," Lynaria instructed firmly.

The dragon agreed and transformed into mist, disappearing into the sword Lynaria held. With the dragon now a part of the sword, Lynaria continued her journey toward the next sacred artifact.

As she traveled, the dragon spoke from within the sword, as if it were standing beside her.

"What is it that you seek now, my lady?" the dragon inquired.

"A diamond eye from a rare beast," Lynaria replied, keeping her focus ahead.

"And what will you do with these three magical items? Will you create a weapon that determines the fate of all?" the dragon speculated.

"I'm not sure. They just want the winner of the competition to collect the three magical items. Beyond that, they haven't explained much. But how did you know there were three items?" Lynaria asked, intrigued.

"I am their ancestor. The magical items are interconnected. If one is taken, the others must follow, or the balance in the dragon realm will be disrupted. I can sense where the three items are. You can take a shortcut to get there faster," the dragon explained.

With the dragon's guidance, Lynaria navigated through the quickest path. Following its instructions, she reached her destination before the other competitors. She found herself at a beautiful lake, its waters shimmering with colors and a sweet, intoxicating scent filling the air.

"Don't breathe in the scent, my lady! The lake's fumes are poisonous!" the dragon warned urgently.

Lynaria quickly held her breath and tore a piece of fabric from her clothes to cover her nose. Cautiously, she moved around the lake, which, despite its beauty, exuded danger.

"Where is the beast? How do I make it appear?" Lynaria asked, searching the area.

The dragon quickly outlined a plan. But as Lynaria prepared to act, the two other competitors arrived at the scene. They began to stir up trouble.

"You actually got the Sacred Dragon Sword? I didn't expect you to be so capable, unlike other human girls," one competitor remarked.

"She doesn't seem so tough. She's been sitting quietly this whole time. I bet she's scared of the monster," the other competitor sneered.

"How about we help her get the diamond from the beast? We could eat its heart to gain more power," suggested one, grinning wickedly.

"Sounds good. Let's do it!" the other agreed.

Without thinking, they began striking the water's surface, completely disregarding the consequences. Lynaria, furious at their recklessness, shouted at them.

"No! What are you doing?" she demanded.

They ignored her warning and continued to pound the water. In an instant, the water turned pitch black, and violent waves began to churn. A massive vortex formed in the center of the lake, and a gigantic creature resembling an octopus with dragon legs emerged from the depths. It roared, breathing fire as it lashed out.

The creature was far larger than any ordinary dragon. It attacked relentlessly, targeting anyone in its path. One of the competitors arrogantly shifted into a dragon form and attacked, confident in his strength. But the creature opened its massive mouth and swallowed him whole in one swift motion.

The beast continued its rampage, and Lynaria, sensing the danger, shouted to the others.

"Run!" she cried.