"The first incident happened during a training exercise. Kaito was sparring with some of the clan's warriors,older, more experienced fighters. By all accounts, it was going well. Kaito was holding his own, showing real promise."He paused."And then one of the warriors landed a particularly hard hit. Knocked Kaito down in front of everyone watching. Embarrassed him."Old Man Kael's voice dropped lower."Kaito got angry. Really angry. And that's when Ragnar struck."Asta found himself gripping the armrests of his chair."The dragon took over?" He asked quietly."Completely. One moment, Kaito was on the ground. The next, his eyes had changed color,turned this bright, burning gold and flames erupted from his body. Not normal flames. Dragon flame. The kind that burns so hot it turns stone to glass."Old Man Kael shook his head, the memory clearly disturbing even in retelling."Three warriors died before they could even react. Burned to ash in seconds. Five more were critically injured. A

Finally, he lowered the cup."Tomorrow."The word dropped like a bomb."Next tomorrow." Old Man Kael clarified, as if that made it better. "First thing in the morning, actually. Bright and early."Asta stared at him."Next... tomorrow..." He repeated the words slowly, like they might make more sense if he said them out loud. "Uhmm. Okay then."He stood up from his chair, his movements slightly jerky."I should probably head to bed. Get some rest. So I can watch the match tomorrow."He was already turning toward the door when Old Man Kael's voice stopped him."You're not watching the match, Asta."Something in the headmaster's tone made Asta freeze mid-step.He turned back slowly."What?"Old Man Kael was looking at him with an expression that might have been sympathy. Or possibly pity."You're participating in it."The world seemed to tilt sideways for a moment."I'm... what?""You, Mira, Brick, and Matthias,Brick's brother, who will be taking Jabber's place, I heard he fought with

"Mm-hmm." Asta nodded. "He's actually the one who saved me, too. Back when I first got here. I was... losing control. About to seriously hurt some elite students. He stepped in, helped me get a grip on things."The memory was still vivid,the rage, the fear, the feeling of the Emperor Dragon pushing against his consciousness."Old Man Kael talked me down. Explained what was happening. Helped me understand what I was."Kaito was listening intently, his expression thoughtful."That's... that's really nice." He said quietly. "I mean, that he was there for you like that."A pause."I guess that means Old Man Kael really is who they say he is."Now it was Asta's turn to look curious. "Do you know him too?""Who doesn't?" Kaito's response came immediately. "He's one of the five greatest flame masters in the entire nation. Everyone in Hoshido knows about him. We study his techniques in our academies, learn about his battles, his strategies..."He trailed off, looking almost embarrassed

"Hold my hand. Let our dragons touch,aura to aura. When vessels make physical contact like that, the dragons can sense each other more clearly. See each other."His hand remained extended, steady and waiting."If you're telling the truth, Ragnar will recognize the Sixth Dragon's presence. And we'll both know you're being honest."‘DON'T DO IT.’The Emperor Dragon's voice was urgent again.‘Asta, do NOT take his hand. If our auras connect directly, Ragnar will know immediately. He'll recognize me. This whole deception will collapse.’But Kaito's hand was still there, extended between them.And his eyes,those calm, patient eyes,were watching Asta's face.Waiting for him to either take the hand or refuse.Either choice would tell Kaito everything he needed to know.‘ASTA…’Asta's hand began to move.Slowly and hesitantly.His fingers trembled slightly as they lifted from his lap and started reaching toward Kaito's waiting palm.‘I have to. If I don't, he'll know I'm lying anyway. At leas

Asta blinked, and the world shifted.One moment he was standing in the corridor outside his dorm, the Emperor Dragon's words still echoing in his mind.The next, he was somewhere else entirely.A white room.Not just white,everything was white. The floor beneath his feet, the walls stretching up into infinity, even the air itself seemed to glow with a pale, colorless light that came from everywhere and nowhere at once.It was disorienting. Like standing inside a cloud.And in the center of this endless white space stood the cage.Massive. Ancient. Constructed from bars that looked like they'd been forged from pure darkness,so black they seemed to absorb the surrounding light, creating a void in the middle of all that whiteness.And inside the cage...The Emperor Dragon.Asta had seen him before in these mental spaces, but it never stopped being impressive.The dragon was enormous,easily the size of a small building. His scales were deep gold that shifted to crimson along his spine, ea