The name echoed through the abyss.
"The First Dragon…"
And the moment Seraphine spoke it—
the entire prison shook.
BOOOOOOOOOOM.
Ancient chains trembled violently across the darkness below while cracks spread through the abyss walls like fractures across glass.
Every dragon beneath the academy lowered itself further.
Terrified.
The Devourer's smile faded slightly for the first time.
Even it looked uneasy now.
Rain crashed harder above the ruined academy while black lightning spiraled endlessly around the crater.
Students and instructors watched from far away in complete silence.
Because everyone could feel it.
Something worse than the Devourer was waking up.
Zeal stared into the darkness beneath the prison while the Monarch's final words echoed inside his head.
Protect them better than we did.
The black pulse inside his chest had calmed slightly.
Not gone.
Waiting.
Lucius stepped beside him carefully, lightning still crackling around his body.
"…You alive?"
Zeal blinked once.
"…I think so."
Kyle immediately pointed at him.
"Bro said 'I think so' after talking to his ancient dragon king reincarnation self inside a soul dimension."
Chloe exhaled softly in relief anyway.
Because despite the scales and glowing eyes—
Zeal sounded like himself again.
At least for now.
Then—
CRAAAAACK.
Another white chain snapped deep below the abyss.
The prison trembled violently.
Seraphine's silver eyes widened.
"No…"
The Devourer slowly looked downward into the darkness beneath it.
For the first time since awakening—
real caution entered its expression.
Cain immediately stepped forward.
"Explain."
Seraphine remained silent for several seconds.
Then quietly—
she spoke.
"The First Dragon was never sealed with the others."
Zeal frowned.
"…What does that mean?"
The black dragon beneath the abyss answered instead.
Its deep voice trembled slightly.
"He sealed himself."
Silence spread instantly.
Kyle blinked slowly.
"…That somehow sounds worse."
The black dragon continued.
"When the First Age collapsed… the First Dragon used his own existence to stabilize the prison."
The Devourer growled deeply.
"That fool chose humanity over his own kind."
Seraphine's gaze sharpened.
"He chose survival."
The Devourer's black flames erupted violently around its body.
BOOOOOOM.
Dark pressure flooded the abyss again.
"Survival without freedom is meaningless."
The dragons recoiled instantly.
But before the pressure could spread further—
silver light erupted from Seraphine's chains.
The darkness stopped immediately.
The Devourer's eyes narrowed.
And Zeal finally understood something important.
Even imprisoned—
Seraphine was strong enough to suppress the Devourer.
That realization alone was terrifying.
Then suddenly—
the black-scaled book Chloe carried began glowing again.
The pages flipped wildly.
Faster than before.
Smoke spiraled around Chloe instinctively as ancient symbols burned themselves into the paper.
The book finally stopped on a single page.
A massive dragon covered in silver scales stared back from the illustration.
Larger than mountains.
Its wings covered the sky itself.
And beneath the image—
words slowly appeared.
The Origin of All Dragonkind.
The abyss trembled harder.
Zeal stared at the image.
And instantly—
another memory surfaced.
The First Dragon.
Not as a monster.
As a king.
A being older than the Monarch himself.
Zeal remembered standing beside him beneath silver skies while dragons filled the heavens above.
Then the memory shifted.
The First Dragon placing one massive claw against Zeal's chest.
And speaking quietly.
"If darkness returns… you must become stronger than me."
The vision vanished.
Zeal's chest tightened.
Because unlike the fragmented memories before—
this one felt warm.
Trusting.
Then the abyss below moved.
BOOOOOOOOOOM.
Something enormous shifted beneath the prison.
The pressure that followed made the Devourer itself step backward slightly.
Kyle immediately pointed downward.
"NOPE. NOPE. ABSOLUTELY NOT."
Lucius' lightning surged harder instinctively.
Even Cain tightened his grip on his sword.
Because now—
everyone could feel it clearly.
The First Dragon was waking up.
And the entire prison was reacting.
White chains rose slowly from the darkness one after another.
Ancient symbols glowed across them brighter than before.
The Devourer growled deeply.
"If he awakens fully… the prison will collapse."
Cain's eyes sharpened instantly.
"…Can it be stopped?"
Silence.
Then Seraphine answered softly.
"No."
The single word crushed the remaining hope in the abyss.
The black dragon lowered its head.
"The First Dragon's awakening signals the end of the seal cycle."
Zeal stared downward.
"…Meaning?"
Cain answered this time.
"The First Age is returning."
Rain hammered the crater harder.
Far above the academy—
massive alarm bells began ringing across the capital defense towers.
One after another.
The kingdom had noticed.
Whatever slept beneath Eryndor Academy was no longer hidden.
And somewhere far away—
other things were beginning to wake up too.
Back inside the abyss—
the Devourer suddenly laughed.
Not mockingly.
Excited.
"At last."
Black flames exploded around its body.
The chains restraining it shattered further.
The dragons beneath the prison recoiled again.
Then the Devourer looked directly at Zeal.
"Do you understand now?"
Its smile widened.
"This world cannot survive without the Monarch."
The whispers inside Zeal's mind stirred again.
The throne.
The war.
The power.
The temptation.
But before the whispers could consume him—
Lucius stepped forward.
Lightning erupted violently.
CRACK—BOOOOOOM.
"Stop talking like he already belongs to you."
The abyss shook from the force of Lucius' authority.
The Devourer slowly turned toward him.
Then smiled.
"You still resist fate."
Lucius' eyes narrowed.
"I resist idiots who think destiny excuses destroying the world."
Kyle stared at him.
"…That was actually kinda cold."
Even Zeal looked surprised slightly.
Because Lucius never hesitated.
Not against monsters.
Not against ancient kings.
Not even against fate itself.
The Devourer noticed too.
Its expression darkened.
"You sound just like him."
Lucius frowned.
"…What?"
The Devourer's gaze slowly shifted back toward Zeal.
"The Monarch once said the same thing."
Silence.
Then suddenly—
BOOOOOOOOOOM.
The entire abyss exploded with silver light.
Everyone froze instantly.
The white chains began rising rapidly from below the prison.
One after another.
The pressure became overwhelming.
Ancient.
Endless.
The dragons lowered themselves completely flat against the ground.
Seraphine closed her eyes slowly.
And deep beneath the abyss—
something opened its eyes.
Silver light flooded the prison.
Then a voice echoed upward through the darkness.
Not violent.
Not angry.
Ancient beyond comprehension.
"So… the child finally returned."
Zeal's breathing stopped.
Because unlike the Devourer—
unlike the Monarch—
that voice felt familiar.
Safe.
And somehow—
sad.
Then the abyss split apart completely.
And a gigantic silver eye finally appeared beneath the prison.
Watching Zeal silently.
Watching the reincarnated Monarch.
Watching the boy it once raised.
END OF CHAPTER 21Next Time on Path of the Calamity Monarch…Zeal finally meets the legendary First Dragon.
The hidden relationship between the Monarch and dragonkind is revealed.
Cain prepares for the kingdom's arrival at Eryndor Academy.
And the Devourer makes its first true move against Zeal.