The silver eye stared into the abyss.
Ancient.
Endless.
Watching Zeal silently beneath the collapsing prison.
And for the first time since entering the Black Archive—
Zeal felt fear.
Not because the First Dragon felt dangerous.
Because he felt familiar.
The moment their eyes met—
another memory surfaced.
A massive silver dragon flying beneath golden skies while a small child laughed on its back.
That child—
was him.
The memory shattered instantly.
Zeal staggered backward slightly.
"…What…"
The dragons beneath the abyss trembled harder.
Even the Devourer remained silent now.
Because the First Dragon had awakened.
White chains continued rising slowly through the darkness while silver light flooded the prison beneath Eryndor Academy.
The pressure alone warped reality around the crater.
Far above—
the storm itself had begun rotating around the academy like a gigantic vortex.
Cain's expression darkened.
"…He woke up too early."
Kyle blinked.
"There was a RIGHT time for that thing to wake up?!"
Lucius never took his eyes off the abyss.
Lightning crackled violently around him as he instinctively prepared for battle.
Even though deep down—
he already understood.
If the First Dragon became hostile—
nothing at the academy could stop it.
Not even Cain.
Then—
the abyss moved.
BOOOOOOOOOOM.
Silver chains snapped apart one after another.
Not violently.
Slowly.
Like the prison itself was willingly releasing something ancient.
The dragons lowered themselves completely against the ground.
The black dragon spoke quietly.
"The Father awakens."
Silence spread instantly afterward.
Then—
a gigantic silver claw emerged from the darkness.
Massive.
Ancient scales covered in glowing runes reflected silver light across the abyss walls.
The pressure became overwhelming immediately.
Kyle nearly collapsed again.
"…I need a new school."
The claw slowly gripped the edge of the abyss.
Then another emerged.
And finally—
the First Dragon rose from beneath the prison.
The world beneath the academy shook violently.
Silver scales covered a body larger than mountains.
Ancient white chains still wrapped around parts of him while enormous wings folded behind his back like collapsing heavens.
His silver eyes glowed softly within the darkness.
Unlike the Devourer—
the First Dragon carried no hatred.
No rage.
Only exhaustion.
And sadness.
The moment he fully appeared—
every dragon in the abyss bowed completely.
Not out of fear.
Out of reverence.
Even Seraphine lowered her head slightly.
The First Dragon ignored everyone.
His eyes remained fixed on Zeal.
Then quietly—
he spoke.
"You grew smaller."
Kyle stared blankly.
"…What kind of greeting is that?"
But Zeal couldn't speak.
Because more memories kept flooding back.
The First Dragon teaching him how to control dragon authority.
Training beneath silver mountains.
Laughing together during the First Age before the war began.
And then—
the final memory.
The Monarch standing before the prison while the First Dragon lowered his head.
"If I fail…"
Then the First Dragon answered.
"Then I will guard the world until your return."
The memory vanished.
Zeal's chest tightened painfully.
The First Dragon slowly lowered his massive head closer toward him.
The pressure alone cracked the surrounding ruins.
Yet somehow—
it never harmed Zeal.
"…You remember me," Zeal whispered.
The First Dragon's silver eyes softened.
"I remember the child I raised."
Silence.
Even the Devourer looked disturbed now.
Lucius stared toward Zeal sharply.
"…Raised?"
The First Dragon continued quietly.
"Before the Monarch became king… he was simply a lonely child."
Zeal froze.
The abyss became completely still.
Because for the first time—
someone was speaking about the Monarch as a person.
Not a legend.
Not a calamity.
A child.
The First Dragon slowly closed his eyes briefly.
"Humans feared his power before he even understood it."
A pause.
"So I taught him how to live."
Fragments surfaced inside Zeal again.
The First Dragon shielding him from angry crowds.
Teaching him restraint.
Teaching him mercy.
Teaching him how to carry power without becoming consumed by it.
The memories hurt more than the war ones somehow.
Because they felt real.
Warm.
The Devourer suddenly laughed darkly.
"And look what your teachings created."
Black flames erupted around its body.
The abyss trembled violently.
"A king who betrayed his own kind for creatures that feared him."
The First Dragon slowly turned toward the Devourer.
And for the first time—
the silver dragon's eyes became cold.
Not angry.
Disappointed.
"You still understand nothing."
The Devourer's smile widened.
"Then explain it to me."
BOOOOOOOOM.
Darkness exploded through the prison.
Black flames spread across the abyss walls while broken chains shattered apart completely.
The dragons recoiled instantly.
Cain immediately raised his sword.
"Everyone back!"
Lucius grabbed Kyle and pulled him backward just as black fire exploded across the ruins nearby.
Chloe dragged Zeal away from the edge while smoke spiraled protectively around them.
The Devourer rose higher into the abyss.
Its gigantic black body towered against the First Dragon now.
Darkness against silver light.
Calamity against origin.
The pressure from both monsters alone split the prison floor further apart.
Then the Devourer spoke.
"You protected humans."
Black flames spread wider.
"And they repaid you with chains."
Silence.
The First Dragon looked downward quietly at the ancient restraints still wrapped around his body.
Then softly—
he answered.
"No."
Silver light pulsed gently around him.
"I chained myself."
The entire abyss froze.
Even the Devourer narrowed its eyes.
The First Dragon looked toward Zeal again.
And his next words changed everything.
"Because the Monarch asked me to."
Kyle blinked slowly.
"…Hold on."
Lucius' eyes widened slightly.
Even Cain looked shocked.
The First Dragon continued.
"After sealing the prison… the Monarch feared what would happen if the Devourer ever awakened again."
Silver chains glowed brighter across his body.
"So I remained behind to keep the world stable."
Zeal stared silently.
Because deep inside—
he remembered.
The Monarch crying silently while placing the chains around the First Dragon.
Not as punishment.
As sacrifice.
Then the First Dragon suddenly lowered his head closer toward Zeal again.
The silver dragon's voice softened.
"But now the balance is breaking."
The whispers inside Zeal's mind stirred violently.
The black pulse reacted instantly.
THUMP.
The abyss shook.
The First Dragon's eyes darkened slightly.
"…The Monarch is returning too quickly."
Zeal clenched his fists.
"I'm still me."
The First Dragon remained silent for several seconds.
Then quietly—
he answered.
"That is what frightens me."
Silence.
The words hit harder than anything else.
Because the First Dragon wasn't afraid of the Monarch.
He was afraid of Zeal becoming him again.
The Devourer smiled darkly.
"At last… even you see the truth."
BOOOOOOOOOOM.
Black flames erupted violently upward.
The prison cracked further.
And deep beneath the abyss—
something shattered.
A final seal.
Seraphine's eyes widened instantly.
"No…"
The Devourer laughed louder now.
The sound echoed through the academy like the end of the world itself.
Then slowly—
the ancient monster looked directly at Zeal.
And spoke the words that froze everyone in place.
"The other Monarchs have awakened."
END OF CHAPTER 22Next Time on Path of the Calamity Monarch…The hidden rulers of the First Age begin returning.
Zeal learns the terrifying truth about the Monarchs.
Lucius confronts Cain about the kingdom's secrets.
And somewhere beyond Astravia… an ancient enemy opens their eyes.