"Listen up, brave warriors of Te'rah!"
It was nearing dusk, and the deep voice of the Chief Proctor rang loudly in the ears of all who listened. Just as the large ship, capable of containing over a hundred crewmates, ebbed and flowed in the dark orange sea, so did the hearts of the people who stood in rows and columns waver.
… Especially the hearts of the young ones.
The Proctors stood right behind Dustan Kirklane, both hands behind their backs in complete uniformity as they listened to their superior. As for the newly passed students of the Dragon Hunter Academy, they were far less uniform.
Many had very tired expressions, while others depicted fear and worry.
Only a few, like Draco and Jet Ashborne maintained a calm and stoic face, completely unfazed by the imminent disaster to come.
"You have no reason to fear!" Dustan continued with a strict voice. "Even though it is a wave of Dragons, they're nothing but Rank 1 Sea Dragons… easy to handle. They're being led by a Rank 2, which is why they're a wave."
There was relief on everyone's faces since their enemies weren't Sky Dragons.
Those were the most difficult to handle.
'It makes very little sense, though. Normally, the size of our ship and draconic appearance should ward off most Dragons, unless they're of a very high rank.' Dustan frowned slightly, keeping his thoughts to himself despite how displeasing the thought was to him.
'Did they sense a threat, or… are they drawn to something else?'
There wasn't enough time to answer those questions—even in his own mind.
"The problem right now is their number." He continued addressing everyone. "A wave isn't as serious as a Tide, but it's still not to be underestimated."
There were still at least a hundred Sea Dragons charging right at them. Even Rank 1 Sea Dragons had a higher attack potency when compared to Nightcrawlers, and since they were currently at sea, it only made the situation more dire.
'We also can't shoot them down from afar since that might attract even stronger Dragons. The best option at sea is to endure or outpace the enemy, but since these are relatively easy targets, the situation offers a unique chance for a learning opportunity.'
A smile formed on Dustan's face.
"Each of you will be given Rank 1 D-H, and you'll use them to ward off the Dragons. Think of this as a chance for you to get accustomed to the power you'll be very reliant on once you become Dragon Hunters." He declared.
At this point, a sense of assurance washed over the students.
Most of them had gone through hell in the Cave of Trials and expended all of their physical energy. Man had his limits, and they were only human in the end.
However, the introduction of D-H changed the entire story.
D-H, also known by its more popular name DragonHeart, was the Essence Heart of a Dragon and also the source of their Breaths. After several millennia of running from Dragons, humanity finally found a way to fight back against their cruel overlords.
By using the Breaths hidden away in a DragonHeart, fueling it with Essence gotten from Essence Stones.
With this power, even a weak man could kill a Dragon.
Unfortunately, not all humans were compatible with D-H, and even among those who were very few had the skill and courage to challenge Dragons. This was why the Cave of Trials and several other tests in the Academy existed.
They would thin out the weak and useless, leaving only the cream of the crop.
Only the ones remaining could become Dragon Hunters.
"Proctors, distribute the D-H quickly!" Dustan commanded, instantly causing the still adults to rush forward with boxes they brought out of seemingly nowhere. They went to each of the twenty-two students, allowing them to pick one of the many glowing stones in the box.
The gray stones had smooth surfaces, with something akin to a bright white rune written at their epicenter. The runes of each stone were of similar appearance and color, and that was because they were all gotten from the same race of Rank 1 Dragons.
—Firelizards.
"They've all been properly refined, so you don't have to worry about Corruption or Breath Failure." Dustan continued, already aware that D-H of this level had very little possibility of these things happening. "They've also been filled with sufficient Essence beforehand, so they should be more than enough for this round. Still, we'll pass around Essence vials in case you run out during battle."
Once more, the Proctors brought a box out and allowed the students to each pick out one vial—as small as an index finger—from the collection. The glassy surface of the tube was transparent, and it had golden-like liquid sloshing inside.
This was Liquid Essence, a concentration of refined energy found in Essence Stones.
It was also the easiest way to refill D-H with Essence.
"The Sea Dragons we're dealing with are the Grayscale Candiru. Candiru Dragons of higher Ranks are usually dangerous, but these are only Grayscales and are simply Rank 1, with the exception of their leader. They have very low defenses but can be swift and agile. They also shoot out slime that can blind targets and impede movements…."
Everyone nodded as they kept listening to the debriefing.
"... Also, make sure not to let them get you in the water. Their slime solidifies in the water, which would completely paralyze you if you're covered in it." Dustan's expression turned serious. "That's why you have the Rank 1 Firelizard D-H. It allows your body to heat up, so the slime will evaporate upon contact, and it'll cause additional damage on the enemy since they're averse to heat-based attacks."
After speaking to them for a few more seconds, Dustan concluded his speech.
"We'll be watching your performance and will also judge you based on how many you kill. If any of you are in critical danger, one of the Proctors will rush in to save you, so please… fight fearlessly to your heart's content."
"Yes, sir!"
Draco's voice was one of the loudest, suppressed only by Jet Ashborne's, the latter evidently determined to outdo his only competition.
Despite noticing this, Draco paid it no mind since his mind was on a more pertinent issue.
'I can't use my Dragon Tamer Privileges in this Quest, so does that mean the Limitations will also not apply?' Draco highly doubted that, which made him even more worried.
After all, that meant he wouldn't be able to fight the Dragons unless they attacked him first.
'How am I expected to fight like this?'