Achievement (5,000 words)

Second place surprised Xiluo a little. He had thought it would go to one of the other blue dragons.

Instead, it went to Gordon, that red dragon whelp!

His Breath Weapon was deeper in color and hotter than ordinary flames. With a sustained blast, he could burn objects up extremely quickly.

Only then came the blue dragons.

As a result, Xiluo had actually failed to pull ahead of Gordon, this Dragon Cubs, in the rankings.

Next came the spellcasting contest.

As expected, Alicia took first place.

During her first awakening, the Young She-Dragon had gained three decent spells.

Second place went to Koraman, followed by a string of Green Dragons and Blue Dragons.

Xiluo and Gordon ranked seventh and eighth, respectively.

The cleaning spell Xiluo had awakened was useless, and he had yet to master the Rock and Earth Armor he had learned from Barbara. He had more or less mastered Electric Discharge, but it was his only presentable spell, so naturally his score was not very high.

With three events finished, the results were in.

Xiluo still ranked first overall, followed by Gordon in second, Alicia in third, and Abel in fourth...

The gap between the top four's overall scores was not particularly large.

As long as they performed outstandingly in the final speed event, they had a chance.

Even Abel was not without hope of taking first place.

Of course, that required Xiluo and Gordon to perform badly enough.

The hatchlings began psyching themselves up.

Gordon, this Dragon Cubs, kept his burning gaze fixed on Xiluo.

Meanwhile, Alicia, the Young She-Dragon, gathered several green dragons and Martha together to whisper, seemingly discussing something.

Xiluo frowned, feeling that the Young She-Dragon was up to no good.

"Xiluo! Your plan seems to have run into quite an unexpected problem."

Barbara's voice rang out in Xiluo's mind.

This was the effect of the psychic spell she was using: Mind Link.

Although the Young Green Dragon was still watching everything from the treetops, she felt somewhat anxious.

"It is rather unexpected. An ordinary red dragon's Breath Weapon shouldn't surpass a blue dragon's. There's something strange about Gordon, and it's disrupted my plans a little," Xiluo replied inwardly, unable to resist asking:

"Do you know why, Lady Barbara?"

"There is indeed something strange about Gordon. Perhaps he has Magma Dragon blood. His flames are too thick, and during the earlier strength contest, he also felt stronger to me than an ordinary red dragon."

"Magma Dragon?"

Xiluo froze.

Magma Dragons were a variant of red dragons.

Over their thousands of years of life, dragons would always encounter certain special circumstances.

They would undergo mutations, either passively or deliberately.

Such mutations might weaken them, or they might make them stronger.

Magma Dragons were one powerful mutation.

They generally arose when red dragons spent years consuming magma and certain Fire Attribute crystals to purify their bloodlines and mutate.

They possessed stronger flames, strength, and defenses than red dragons.

At that thought, Xiluo turned to glance at the red dragon whelp, who was still staring at him intently.

Looking closely at his scales, it was easy to spot small patches of dark red on his body, unlike those of an ordinary red dragon.

"To think he's actually a mutant."

Xiluo's eyes flickered.

Not far away, Gordon noticed Xiluo looking at him and immediately snorted, puffing out hot air in a provocative display.

"Rest assured, Lady Barbara. Even if he has Magma Dragon blood, the final victory will still be ours!

I won't disappoint you.

Just get ready to pocket Mr. Cato's fifty gold coins."

Xiluo spoke inwardly.

"It's good that you're confident! But let me make this clear beforehand: if you fail this time, don't blame me for being merciless!" Barbara warned again.

Only after Xiluo repeatedly assured her did the Young Green Dragon sever their Mind Link.

Up in the treetops.

Cato glanced at the female dragon beside him and grinned.

"Barbara, you look quite anxious. It seems Gordon's performance was rather unexpected! Are you regretting making that Wager with me now?"

"I never regret anything I do.

Cato, you don't think you've won already, do you?"

"That little fellow Xiluo owes his good result in the strength contest to those powerful muscles. But for that very reason, he'll suffer a major disadvantage in the speed contest!

Gordon is different. His body is considerably larger than Xiluo's, which naturally gives him an advantage when running.

I really can't imagine how Xiluo could beat Gordon."

"If you can't imagine it, just watch closely. Xiluo, this Dragon Cubs, isn't so simple." As the two Young Green Dragons talked, things moved along below.

The contest beneath the trees was about to begin.

Over a dozen Dragon Cubs gathered behind a long black line.

Each lowered their body, eyes fixed intently ahead.

Once the Lizardfolk referee beside them let out a shout, they moved.

All the Dragon Cubs shot forward like mad dogs!

Dragons were fast.

Despite their wings, necks, and long tails, their anatomy did not quite conform to the laws of nature.

But if dragons had to be compared to some animal in the real world, there was one answer.

They would have to be cats! Members of the panther subfamily!

Although many were enormous, their bodies were nowhere near as heavy as they looked. On the contrary, they were disproportionately light for their size.

Even as hatchlings, they were swift.

They could even rival hounds in speed.

Three little black dragons led the pack. Their skeletal frames gave them extremely light bodies, and with every swing of their limbs, they kept pulling away from the dragons behind them.

Gordon came next.

He was the largest dragon, and his longer strides naturally made him fast.

After him came the Green Dragons, Blue Dragons, and White Dragons.

The differences between this group of dragons were actually quite small.

Yet, much to the other dragons' surprise, Xiluo was running at the very back.

The expressions of the two Young Dragons watching from afar changed dramatically.

"Barbara, is this what you meant by not underestimating Xiluo? Unless I'm mistaken, he's in last place right now, while Gordon is fourth?"

Watching the hatchlings sprint, Cato was in an excellent mood.

Barbara frowned and could not help establishing another Mind Link with Xiluo to roar:

"Xiluo! What exactly are you doing? Is this the guaranteed victory you promised me?

Look at where you are! You're second to last!

Only the three black dragons are ahead of Gordon! How are you going to win at this rate?

You little brat! Are you trying to make a fool of me?"

"Lady Barbara, please don't worry. This speed contest covers a whole kilometer.

The earlier strength, Breath Weapon, and spellcasting contests also consumed quite a lot of their mana and stamina. If they don't pace themselves properly, they might not last to the finish. Rest assured."

Xiluo quickly explained inwardly.

Just then, something happened.

A sudden change swept through the running pack.

The three black dragons in front, along with the Blue Dragons and White Dragons, all fell! Some unlucky ones even tumbled into trees, crying out in pain.

Only Gordon managed to steady himself after stumbling and nearly falling.

A green vine was flung off his hind leg!

The green dragons seized the opportunity to join the leading group, drawing level with Gordon.

Only Xiluo and the lame white dragon Allen escaped unscathed.

He watched the green dragons overtake the others, somewhat dumbfounded.

"Damn green dragons! Damn you, Koraman! Have you gone mad? Attacking us during the contest? Lady Barbara is watching right there!"

"Bastards! Despicable! I'll beat you flat!"

The overtaken dragons roared. Some got back up and chased with all their might, while others opened their mouths to attack the Green Dragons with their Breath Weapons.

For a moment, the race descended into confusion.

Then a resounding roar rang out overhead.

Cato descended and swept out his claws, snatching up the two green hatchlings who had just cast spells and holding them in midair. Only then did the disturbance end.

"Keep running, all of you! The race isn't stopping!

You will settle who's the winner! If anyone dares cause trouble like that again, I'll throw them into the Lizardfolk's cesspit!"

Cato's roar silenced the hatchlings. They struggled to their feet and rejoined the race.

But thanks to the green dragons' interference, the lead had changed.

Only Alicia, Gordon, and Martha, the little black dragon who had been pacing herself all along, remained at the front.

Xiluo came after them.

As he ran, he could not help glancing at Cato and Barbara, who had descended after him.

The two dragons wore different expressions.

Amid his anger, Cato looked somewhat relieved, while Barbara's face was full of regret.

If Gordon had been tripped too, Xiluo would practically have secured first place overall...

"Barbara! You incompetent fool! Look at how you've raised these little things!

They even dare pull tricks like that right in front of us!"

Cato looked at the female dragon beside him and berated her in considerable displeasure.

"Then let's cancel the Wager," Barbara said expressionlessly.

"Don't even think about it!" Cato refused with a cold snort.

By now, Gordon had actually overtaken Alicia and Martha again.

The two females had expended a great deal of stamina, and their speed had dropped sharply.

Yet the red dragon whelp displayed extraordinary endurance. Despite his constant sprinting, his speed had barely decreased.

He was only a little over three hundred meters from the finish.

Meanwhile, Xiluo still had roughly four hundred meters to go.

Barbara's somewhat anxious urging rang out in his mind again.

"It's about time... Gordon really is troublesome, but that won't change who takes first."

Xiluo abruptly drew a deep breath.

Brilliant blue Lightning Flash streaked across his body, and the grass beneath him crackled, giving off wisps of smoke.

"Is that Electric Discharge? What does this whelp intend to do, using Electric Discharge now?

Cause trouble? Attack Gordon? But Electric Discharge is clearly a close-range spell.

Using it recklessly now will only drain his stamina and mana faster."

Cato watched Xiluo's unusual behavior in some surprise.

Tiny sparks of lightning danced across the blue hatchling's body before gradually disappearing.

Then light flickered beneath his scales.

Bang!!

The blue hatchling's forelimbs slammed heavily into the ground.

Crackle...

Strange sounds rippled through the air.

Xiluo shot forward like a bolt of lightning!

"So fast!" Cato's pupils contracted as he watched.

At that moment, Xiluo's speed doubled!

Like a cheetah, he covered nearly six or seven meters with every bound.

In an instant, he overtook Alicia.

Under her utterly astonished gaze, he overtook Martha next, trailing a string of tiny lightning arcs!

Then he charged straight toward Gordon!

The pounding drew steadily closer, making Gordon freeze for a moment. He had only two hundred meters left and had been happily preparing to claim first place.

Who's catching up to me? Alicia? Or Martha? Those two idiots still want to overtake me this late?

How stupid! What would overtaking me even accomplish?

By the overall scores, I'll be first no matter what!

He remained calm, even feeling some disdain for the two females.

As he ran, he even had the leisure to turn and glance behind him. But when he did, what he saw shocked him.

Gordon, this Dragon Cubs, got quite a fright!

"Xiluo? Damn it! How could it be him?"

He could hardly believe it. How could someone who had previously been barely faster than that lame dragon burst out with such speed?

Gordon was dumbfounded. Almost within the next breath, Xiluo overtook him, then crossed the finish line in a few quick strides as he watched.

"I... lost..."

Gordon stood blankly in place, no longer running, letting the two Young She-Dragons and the other dragons pass him while he remained where he was.

"Damn it! This is cheating! This Dragon Cubs used a spell! The Wager doesn't count!"

Cato stared at Xiluo beyond the finish line and growled, agitated and furious.

Beside him, Barbara gave him a disdainful glance.

"Cato! The rules I set only prohibited using spells to interfere with other dragons. There was no rule against casting enhancement spells on yourself.

"You didn't study the rules properly, and now you want to welch on the bet? The power of the contract won't let you do that."

"You vile female! You actually schemed against me like this!" Cato was so furious that smoke streamed from his nostrils. The poison gas unique to green dragons mingled with it, poisoning many of the surrounding flowers and plants until they wilted.

He angrily spat out fifty gold coins, turned, and flew away.

First in Breath Weapon, first in speed, and second in strength—even though his performance in spellcasting had not been outstanding, Xiluo still took first place overall.

A group of hatchlings surrounded Xiluo with varied expressions.

Some dragons fawned over him.

"I knew Xiluo was the strongest among us! His strength, speed, and Breath Weapon are all so powerful! He's practically a role model for our generation!"

"Hahahaha! See that? That's us, the Blue Dragon Clan! Besides our Breath Weapon, our strength and speed are top-notch too! Blue dragons are the strongest chromatic dragons!" a blue hatchling cried excitedly.

Alicia wore a slightly odd smile. "Congratulations, Green Forest's Strongest Hatchling..."

"Damn it!"

An angry roar rang out, particularly grating amid the chorus of compliments.

The hatchlings surrounding Xiluo were shoved aside.

Gordon glared at Xiluo, refusing to accept the result.

"You won this time! But that's because you used a spell that increases your speed! If we'd competed normally on pure speed, I definitely would've won!"

"The rules didn't prohibit enhancement spells, Gordon... Don't be so angry. I know you're strong, no worse than any other dragon!"

Xiluo rose onto his hind legs and patted the Red Dragon Whelp's right upper arm.

"You don't need to feel discouraged just because you didn't take first place this time. These competitions will be held once every year from now on. I believe that with your abilities, you can definitely take first next time."

He seemed very earnest and sincere.

The Red Dragon Whelp's expression immediately improved considerably, and he snorted proudly.

"Once a year? That's not bad! Just you wait, Xiluo! I'm going to learn spells that increase speed too! First place will definitely be mine next time."

"I think so too." Xiluo continued comforting him and tried to pat his big head, but unfortunately, he dodged it...

The hatchlings chattered away.

Loud footsteps approached.

Barbara, the Young Green Dragon, walked over and regarded the hatchlings solemnly.

"As Xiluo said, taking first place in this year's competition only proves that he's the strongest this year! What about next year? Who will be strongest? We'll only know after another competition.

"Whichever of you wants to take first place next year had better work hard. Now, Xiluo, come with me for a moment."

After encouraging the hatchlings, Barbara led Xiluo away.

The two dragons, one large and one small, gradually walked away into an unoccupied area.

Barbara held out five gold coins to Xiluo.

"As agreed, these are yours."

"Thank you for your generosity, Lady Barbara." Xiluo's expression brightened. He accepted the gold coins and swallowed them straight into the stomach pouch unique to dragons, used for storing treasure, looking thoroughly satisfied.

"Was that last spell an awakened spell you'd kept hidden? What's it called?"

Barbara asked another question.

"It's called Lightning Flash.

"It's a spell in which I draw lightning onto my body to stimulate my limbs, briefly gaining powerful explosive force.

"I developed it by modifying the basics of discharging electricity," Xiluo replied.

"I see. The principle is quite simple, but only you blue dragons can try it easily. Other dragons would suffer severe damage from the stimulation. Though they could also gain a brief burst of power, the gains wouldn't outweigh the losses."

As a level-twelve Young Green Dragon who had lived at least fifty, perhaps even a hundred years, Barbara had extensive magical knowledge. She understood the principle behind Xiluo's spell immediately and nodded lightly.

"Oh, right! Aren't you afraid of Cato retaliating after helping me scheme against him like this?" Barbara asked again, a hint of recollection in her eyes.

She recalled Xiluo approaching her half a month earlier, saying he wanted to help her earn gold coins.

Despite his young age, this Dragon Cubs had already displayed an extreme obsession with and dedication to gold coins.

His meticulous thinking far surpassed that of ordinary hatchlings, which had genuinely surprised her somewhat.

"Afraid? If I were on my own, of course I'd be afraid.

"But I have you looking after me, Lady Barbara," Xiluo replied with a smile.

"Hehe... What a clever Dragon Cubs."

"But I don't dislike that.

"You've earned me quite a few gold coins. I'll take good care of you!

"All right, you can go back and rest. Get a good rest today. Tomorrow, I'll take you to meet the Dragon Mother."

The Young Green Dragon said, then flapped her wings and left.

"If I had a choice, I wouldn't want to offend Cato either... But if I didn't get gold coins from him,

"I could only get them from you. Choosing the lesser of two evils, I could only let Cato suffer."

Xiluo watched her departing figure with a wry smile.

The day's competition had left the hatchlings exhausted, and many went straight to sleep after returning to their lairs.

Xiluo was no exception. He was even a little expectant.

Not long after he closed his eyes,

he returned once again to that mysterious stretch of sea and saw the familiar enormous skeleton.

A string of bold black text appeared before him.

[Green Forest's Strongest Hatchling]: You successfully placed first overall in the four competitions of strength, speed, Breath Weapon, and spellcasting. All the hatchlings acknowledge your strength and consider you the strongest hatchling currently in Green Forest! Reward: 10 achievement points.

[First Pot of Gold]: You obtained the first wealth of your dragon life. Reward: 10 achievement points.

Current Achievements points: 20

(End of chapter)