The term *Hatchling* typically referred to the newly hatched offspring of dragons. However, over time, it had come to mean the young of high-ranking dragon species.

The "Hatchling’s Lair," which Black Snow discovered, was indeed such a place—a lair that once housed a hatchling of an ancient, intelligent dragon species known for its magical prowess.

A hatchling may be young, but a dragon is still a dragon, and even a young one held terrifying intelligence and magical strength far beyond what a mere human could manage. And considering the natural tendency of dragonkind to fiercely guard their young, hunting a hatchling was akin to inviting disaster upon oneself. Even finding a hatchling was difficult, and anyone who did had little chance of survival.

Given that Ragnar was rumored to be of draconic blood, it was natural that they held such creatures in reverence and exercised caution around them.

Yet, there was something odd about the Hatchling’s Lair.

‘But there weren’t any adult dragons in that lair, strangely enough.’

When Black Snow first found the lair, they had been on high alert, wary of disturbing unknown territories. But after a thorough search, they found no traces of adult dragons—only the hatchling itself. That’s when greed began to take root in Black Snow.

—Dragons are drawn to treasure.

An ancient legend proved to be accurate here as well; the deeper sections of the lair contained a trove of gold, silver, and jewels, as well as historical artifacts thought to have vanished long ago.

‘Among the treasures, however, Black Snow coveted one in particular.’

—*Grimoire of Amon.*

Why a book related to Amon, a demon at odds with dragonkind, lay there was a mystery, but it was more than enough to spark Black Snow’s interest.

Amon, an ancient entity known as the "King of Old Gods," was legendary, and any relic bearing its name would significantly enhance Ragnar’s power. So, they killed the hatchling and took the grimoire. What became of it afterward, Theo didn’t know; he had only heard rumors that one of Ragnar’s heirs might possess it.

But now, Theo’s goal was clear: he needed to retrieve this *Grimoire of Amon* before others, such as Aksion or the Dragon Hunter Society, caught wind of its existence and made a move.

‘The only problem is figuring out how to descend down there…’

Theo narrowed his gaze, looking down into the gorge where the faint blue light glowed from below. It was too far, and descending carelessly would be dangerous. Adding to the peril, the storm raged on, severely limiting visibility and making it hard to maintain balance.

‘I’ll need a different approach.’

He considered how Black Snow had managed to descend in his previous life, and then his hand moved to the large *Zweihander* strapped to his back, still resonating faintly with the blue light below.

“But first, it seems I have some pests to deal with,” he murmured, turning his head slightly.

*Whoosh…*

Only the sound of the wind brushing across the white snow was audible, but Theo’s enhanced senses, thanks to the Dragon’s Heart, told him otherwise.

Three. Three people were watching him.

*Flash!*

With a swift twist of his body, Theo drew the Zweihander. His mana surged toward it, heating his core, and igniting the energy from his *Dragon’s Heart*.

—Mana Resonance!

In an instant, his surroundings were flooded with blinding light.

*Dragon Claw.*

*Slash!*

*BOOM!*

The brilliant energy shot across the snow, instantly obliterating a boulder in the distance. The snowfield melted away from the intense friction, while the snowstorm’s currents wavered, momentarily dispersing. On the shattered remnants of the boulder, three figures landed, each standing in a separate spot.

“What… What power…?”

“What’s going on? He wasn’t like this just three days ago!”

“This might be more than we bargained for…”

Though startled by Theo’s immense increase in power, their expressions revealed more than fear—they showed excitement.

They were like hunters who had found prey worth chasing.

“Hide, Kao, Rune. What brings you here?”

Theo glanced at each of their faces, narrowing his eyes.

“Well, well! Would you look at this! Hey, Kao, Rune! Our esteemed first-ranked candidate remembers our names. How gracious of him,” said Hyde, the leader of the group, breaking into laughter.

The other two joined in, snickering along with him, while Theo’s gaze grew colder.

This was Hyde and his crew, known infamously as the "Three Tyrants of Book Mountain."

They were notorious for being completely amoral in their pursuit of power. Even as mere students, they did not hesitate to burn and pillage as long as they considered their target an “enemy.”

Theo recalled the massacre they had committed in the village of Book Mountain, a crime so heinous it left an indelible mark on Ragnar’s reputation.

‘The death toll was officially recorded as 761, with over 220 missing. An entire mountain village was wiped out. There was no shortage of outcry.’

Theo knew firsthand the horror they had left behind, as he had been tasked with the cleanup. These three had left a trail of devastation, and he’d always thought he might eliminate them himself if an opportunity arose.

So why were they now shadowing him?

“Is this Aksion’s doing?” he asked.

“Hmm? Why would he come up here?” Hyde asked, feigning innocence before breaking into laughter. “Oh, so you think that idiot Aksion sent us? Honestly, seeing him strut around like he owns the place gets on my nerves.”

As Hyde laughed, Theo recalled Aksion’s hostile gaze when they had arrived at the Winter Mountains. He had anticipated that Aksion might pull something like this, but perhaps not?

“So, if not him, then who?”

“Ha, someone way above your league,” Hyde sneered.

Theo’s eyes darkened.

“The Council Chairman, then.”

“…What?”

For a split second, Hyde flinched.

“I knew it.”

“How… How the hell did you figure that out?”

“Just a guess. But your reaction gave it away.”

“You little…!”

Red-faced, Hyde seethed with anger at being played by a lowly bastard like Theo.

“The chairman has never liked me. As a purist, he’s probably infuriated that someone of low birth has taken the top spot.”

The purists were fanatics who believed only those of pure lineage should bear the name Ragnar, and they had long rotted Ragnar’s core from within, with Chairman Wolfgang at the helm. Theo had struggled against them repeatedly in his previous life.

And it seemed that even in this life, little had changed.

“It seems there are people among the examiners colluding with you as well.”

“Huh. Look at that—sharper than expected, eh? Yeah, pretty tough talk, kid.”

“So you’re not even trying to hide it anymore?”

“What’s the point? You’ll be dead soon enough, anyway.”

Hyde’s mind was now racing; if Theo had figured out their backing, then Theo’s death here was a necessity.

‘They got away with the massacre at Book Mountain thanks to Wolfgang’s influence. They’ve clearly been connected all along.’

These three were the Council’s hounds.

The question now was, how many more like them were lurking in Ragnar’s ranks?

If Theo was to collect all the relics, he would eventually have to face off against Black Snow, Dragon Hunter Society, and even the purists. It was more than he had anticipated.

“While it’s unpleasant for lowborn blood to stain the sacred Winter Mountains…”

*Shing…*

Hyde slowly drew his sword.

“…I suppose it’ll disappear beneath the snow anyway if we toss you off that cliff.”

As Hyde advanced, Kao and Rune shifted to block Theo’s escape routes.

“Should’ve known your place, bastard. Could’ve saved your skin by keeping your head down.”

“Acting high and mighty after winning first place. And thinking you could learn swordsmanship from Lady Plum Blossom? The audacity.”

“Still, we should be grateful. He’s even got a nice little gift for us,” Hyde said, his gaze drawn to Theo’s Zweihander.

It was a treasured sword crafted by Grandmaster Kirson herself. Rumor had spread throughout Winterer that Kirson had presented Theo with a mighty two-handed sword.

Kao and Rune licked their lips in anticipation as well.

“Well, why don’t we put him out of his misery?”

“Hey, let’s show some kindness here. Let him live just a bit longer.”

“Oh, already planning your little torture games, are you?”

“Who, me? Caught red-handed!” Hyde chuckled, his tone dripping with cruelty.

They laughed, already treating Theo’s life as if it were theirs to take—a sign that they had done this many times before.

And they were only fifteen.

‘Indeed, letting them live would be a mistake.’

Their words were becoming unbearable, and Theo finally decided enough was enough, drawing the Zweihander from his back.

---

**[Drake’s Fang]**

- Type: Zweihander, Relic Component
- Attack Power: 30–50 to 80–115
- Requirement: Strength 90, Agility 30

---

With its description alone, the blade crafted from Lesser Drake’s claws and teeth and reinforced with high-grade adamantine was impressive. Its effects not only increased critical hit probability but also weakened an enemy’s defense.

But the attribute that interested Theo most was one at the end of the description:

- Wound Ag

gravation Effect: 50%

Drakes were feared not only for their immense power but also for the venom that coated their teeth and claws. A mere scratch would cause flesh to fester. This very toxin was imbued into the Zweihander as well.

In their final meeting, Kirson had even warned Theo as she handed him the weapon.

“You’re still a fledgling, but I’ve given you something reckless,” she said.

Kirson, always one to see potential, still regarded Theo as inexperienced. And for her to worry meant this weapon was truly potent.

“Hey, are you even able to lift that thing?” Hyde sneered, eyeing Theo’s slight build.

“It’s heavy, yes. But…”

[Strength: 101]

“…it’s not too heavy to handle *you.*”

*Crunch…*

Theo’s muscles surged, subtly enhancing his body.

All seventeen of his skill points gained in the past three days had been invested entirely into [Strength].

[Strength has surpassed 100. A new ability has awakened: *Savage Strength.*]

---

**[Savage Strength]**

- Type: Special Ability
- Effect: Increases the destructive power of wielded weapons, enhancing damage by 5% with each successful hit for 5 seconds.

---

Theo felt the Zweihander grow lighter as his strength surged.

A fiery aura exploded from him, reverberating outward.

*BOOM!*

[Skill Activated: *Lesser Drake’s Fear.*]

*Thump, thump, thump…*

The ground beneath him began to tremble, his heartbeat thundering even in the ears of his opponents.

“What… What’s happening?”

Hyde felt something dark and menacing and froze in place.

“Too late.”

Without giving them a chance to respond, Theo lunged forward, the blade of his Zweihander humming in the freezing air.

*Swiisssh!*