: Power Link Quest

A few days passed since Kaelan and Kuro defeated the monster together.

Their bond grew stronger each day as they hunted, played, and trained side by side.

Kuro's white eyes glowed with trust

whenever he looked at Kaelan, and Kaelan felt proud to see the little dragon becoming braver and stronger and meanwhile he planned to visit a nearby kingdom to get the information on kuro and this world.

One morning, as Kaelan sat on a rock watching Kuro try to catch a butterfly with his small claws, the familiar screen appeared before him.

System: "New quest unlocked: Power Link. Strengthen bond to unlock shared power. Failure to complete will result in death."

Kaelan frowned, staring at the words. "What? Wait, what do you mean failure means death? How am I supposed to do that?!"

System: "Quest details locked. Figure it out yourself."

Kaelan groaned. "You stupid system! At least give me a hint! How do I even start?!"

But the system stayed silent. Kaelan looked at Kuro, who tilted his head cutely. "Papa…?"

Kaelan forced a smile. "It's nothing, buddy. We just have to get stronger together, I guess."

Determined, Kaelan decided to focus on strengthening their bond.

From that day, they trained together every morning. Kaelan taught Kuro to control his fire breath, aiming at rocks instead of trees. Sometimes Kuro burned the grass by accident, and Kaelan had to stomp out the flames, but he never got angry.

Instead, he patted Kuro's head and said, "It's okay, just keep trying."

They also hunted together. Kaelan set traps, while Kuro scared animals toward them with little growls and puffs of smoke.

Every time they caught something, Kaelan praised Kuro. "Good job! You're really helping Papa."

At night, Kaelan would clean Kuro's scales gently, brushing away dirt and leaves.

Kuro purred softly, eyes half-closed with comfort. Sometimes they played simple games—Kaelan hiding behind trees, and Kuro finding him by sniffing the air.

 System: "Bond increased. Current bond: 10%."

Kaelan stared at the message, expecting something more. "That's it? Nothing happened?"

The system stayed silent.

Kaelan sat down, sighing. "We did everything… trained, hunted, bathed… What else am I missing?"

He looked at Kuro, who climbed onto his lap and looked worried curled up, his warm body comforting Kaelan.

Kaelan hugged him gently. "Don't worry, buddy. We'll figure this out."

But deep inside, Kaelan felt worried. The system had clearly said failure meant death, and he had no idea what exactly he needed to do.

"Maybe… maybe someone else knows about this power," Kaelan thought aloud. "Maybe I should visit a kingdom as soon as possible and ask around.

There might be people who know about dragons but deep down he was worried for the dangers he can get in to."

He glanced at Kuro. "Do you want to go on a little adventure, buddy?"

Kuro lifted his head, white eyes sparkling. "Papa!"

Kaelan smiled. "Alright, then. Let's get ready."

Far from the peaceful forest, in a stone building lit by torches, a group of officials in dark robes gathered around a large wooden table.

A hunter captain stood before them, his leather armor scratched and scarred.

One of the officials spoke with a grave voice.

"A prophecy has been revealed. A calamity dragon will grow to destroy the world.

The only way to stop this is to find it now, while it's still small… and kill it."

The hunter captain nodded. "Understood. We hunters can handle it. Do you know where this dragon is?"

The official shook his head. "Not yet. But we've received reports of unusual fire damage deep in the northern forest.

Go there, find the creature, and kill it before it becomes unstoppable."

The captain grinned confidently. "Leave it to us. We are pretty capable of handling such a task.

A small dragon won't stand a chance."

The officials exchanged worried glances but stayed silent. The decision was made.

Back in the forest, Kaelan packed what little he had: some dried meat, berries, a wooden cup, and a blanket.

"We'll need food on the road, Kuro. And maybe we can buy more in the city if I can trade something."

Kuro watched curiously, sniffing each item Kaelan placed in the small bag.

Kaelan tied the bag to his belt. "Alright, buddy. Ready?"

"Papa!" Kuro chirped, wagging his tail.

Kaelan smiled, feeling a mix of hope and worry. "Let's go find some answers. And maybe meet some people too… though I hope they won't see you as a monster."

They walked side by side, leaving the small clearing they had called home for weeks.

Birds sang overhead, and the sun felt warm on Kaelan's face.

System: "Reminder: Quest failure will result in death. Find a way to unlock Power Link before it's too late."

Kaelan scowled. "Yeah, yeah. I heard you the first time."

The road was long, and the city was still a day's walk away. Kaelan and Kuro stopped to rest under a tree.

Kuro sleeping against Kaelan's side, his scales warm.

Kaelan looked at the horizon. "I hope this city has someone who understands dragons… or at least someone kind."

His thoughts were heavy. What if someone wanted to harm Kuro? Would he be able to protect him?

Kaelan gently stroked Kuro's back. "I won't let them hurt you. Even if it costs me everything."

In the city, the hunter captain gathered his team. They checked their weapons: swords, bows, and traps.

"Remember," the captain said, "we're not dealing with an ordinary beast. It's a dragon, even if it's small. Be ready for anything."

One hunter laughed. "A baby dragon? Easy."

The captain frowned. "Don't underestimate it. The prophecy wouldn't warn us if it was truly harmless."

They prepared to set out as soon as possible.

As the sun began to set, Kaelan and Kuro reached a small hill. From the top, Kaelan could see the city walls in the distance.

Torches lit the gates, and small figures moved around.

Kuro sat beside him, tail curled neatly. "Papa…"

Kaelan smiled, though his heart was uneasy. "That's the city, buddy. Tomorrow, we'll go in and ask for help."

He pulled the blanket around them as the night breeze grew colder. Kuro snuggled close, his warmth comforting.

Kaelan closed his eyes, whispering, "No matter what happens… we stay together."