THE DRAGON SOVEREIGN TAMER

Chapter 1 Kin's POV 

The heavy iron door of the shelter cage slammed shut, kicking up a cloud of dust and dried straw.

"Make sure you scrub every inch of that floor, kin," a voice scoffed from the hallway. "The Young Master of the Fire-Tiger Guild is coming by tomorrow to pick up a new pet, and we can’t have the place smelling like trash."

I didn’t bother looking up from my mop. I just wiped the sweat from my forehead with the back of my bruised wrist. "Got it, Manager Vin." I replied feeling a little tired.

"And keep that pathetic baby dragon out of sight," the manager added, pointing a thumb toward a tiny metal cage in the corner. "Bad for business." The manger said sounding annoyed.

The manager’s heavy footsteps faded down the hall as I  set my mop aside and walked over to the corner. Inside the small cage sat a creature no bigger than a pigeon. Its dull grey scales were scuffed, and its left wing hung limply at an odd angle.

It was an E-Rank Dust dragon, the absolute bottom of the dragon hierarchy.

To modern society, where dragon Tamers were treated like rockstars and millionaires, a beast like this was considered worse than useless. It was a waste of a Soul Contract.

Four years ago, during the city Awakening Ceremony, I was tested for my taming talent. While rich kids unlocked S-Rank affinity seals that could bind Fire Dragons and Shadow Panthers, my energy core barely registered a pulse. I was stamped as an F-Rank Talent and tossed into the shelter to clean up after other people’s beasts.

"Hey, Ian," I whispered gently, unlocking the cage door.

The little dragon hopped out, nudging its small head affectionately against my thumb. I smiled, pulling a tiny strip of high-grade dried meat out of my pocket. I  had saved up three days' worth of wages to buy it. "Eat up. You had a rough day, huh?" I asked, running my hands through its head.

As lan happily pecked at the meat, a faint blue light suddenly flickered before my eyes.

SYSTEM INITIALIZING...

Host- kin cancel

Talent- Resonance Eye,, Unranked Ancient Origin

Target- Injured Dust dragon, lan

Status- 

Level- 1 / 10 F-Rank

Health- 12 / 20 Injured Wing

Strength- 3

Agility- - 5

Ancestral Gene Analysis Complete

Current Form- Common Dust dragon 

True Lineage- Dormant Gale-Sovereign Divine Roc 0.01% Awakened

Evolution Requirement- Pure Beast Core F-Rank + Host Blood Bond + True Resonance.

My eyes narrowed as I read the floating blue text. Nobody else in the city could see this panel. For four years, everyone believed I was a talentless nobody. But only I know the truth and I have kept it hidden from the world.

My talent didn't let me force dragons into obedience like other tamers did. I can see their true hidden lineages.

Ian wasn't a piece of trash. Ian was a baby god dragon in disguise. I looked at the text in shock.

Bang!

The shelter’s front doors were kicked open with a loud bang, shattering the quiet evening.

"Manager! Where's the manager?" a harsh, arrogant voice boomed through the hallway.

I quickly tucked Ian  into my jacket pocket and stepped out into the main lobby. Standing there was Chad maryer an 18-year-old high school prodigy from the elite Fire-Tiger Guild, dressed in a sleek, custom tamer uniform. Behind him was his primary companion: a massive, snarling C-Rank Crimson dragon dripping with liquid fire.

The shelter manager came running out, bowing furiously. "Young Master Chad! What a surprise! How can I help you?"

"My dragon needs a warm-up match before the Junior Tournament tomorrow," Chad said, sneering as he looked around the run-down shelter. "Bring out your strongest training dragon." He said in a rude voice.

"Ah... well, our training beasts are resting for the evening….”

"I didn't ask if they were resting," Chad interrupted, his Crimson dragon letting out a low, menacing growl that rattled the glass windows. "If I don't get a sparring partner, I'll just let my dragon tear this whole place apart."

My manager's face paled, turning his eyes toward me standing in the doorway. I could sense the moment a wicked idea hit the manager's mind.

"Kin!" My manager shouted . "Bring out that grey dragon you've been hiding. Let Young Master Chad's dragon use it for target practice. If it dies, I'll cover the loss."

My chest tightened. “What” I said looking down at my jacket where Ian was trembling lightly against my ribs.

"No," I  replied coldly.

The lobby went dead silent.

Chad burst out laughing. "What did you just say, scrub? You're telling me 'no'?" He said he's voice turning cold.

"Ian isn't a training dummy," I said, stepping forward, my voice steady and calm despite my  pounding heart. "And your dragon isn't fit to touch him."

Chad’s smile vanished, replaced by dark fury. "You're a cleaner talking trash to a Guild Heir? Fine. I'll let my dragon burn both you and that useless bird to ashes!"

"Wait! Young Master, don't!" My manager pleaded, shaking away in terror.

Chad snapped his fingers. "Crimson dragon, use Fire Burst! incinerate them!"

The massive dragon roared, a torrent of roaring red fire blasting from its jaws, speeding straight toward me. The heat was so intense it singed the air.

I didn't run. I didn't even flinch.

I reached into my jacket, pulling out an F-Rank Beast Core I had bought with my life savings, and shoved it straight into Ian's beak while slicing my own palm with my pocket knife.

Blood met core. Core met soul.

CONDITIONS MET.

Resonance Triggered- Gale-Sovereign Lineage Stage 1 Unlocked.

Evolution Commencing- Dust dragon rightarrow Storm Harrier.

BOOM!

A blinding sphere of hurricane-force wind exploded from my hand, instantly blowing the oncoming wall of fire into nothingness!

The wind tore through the lobby, shattering the overhead lights and throwing Chad off his feet. The Crimson dragon whimpered, smashed back into the wall by pure atmospheric pressure.

When the dust settled, I stood untouched.

Perched on my arm was no longer a dull grey dragon. Ian had expanded to three feet in size. His scales were now sleek, razor-sharp blades of silver and cyan, swirling with crackling electrical currents. His eyes glowed like two miniaturized suns.

Companion Evolved- Storm Harrier C-Rank Potential

Host Feedback Activated

Agility- +20

Physical Resistance +15

New Ability Unlocked- Wind-Blade Dash

I looked up, my eyes sharp and glowing with a faint blue light as I stared down at the trembling Guild Heir flat on the floor.

"You wanted a warm-up match, right?" I said, a cold, dominant smile playing on my lips. 

“Then you will get a match”.