My SSS-Rank Clone Talent: I Level Up Endlessly! novel Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Preparation for the Tournament (1)

'Performance!?' Drayken's dragon head turned toward the group. He could feel it—these people were far, far stronger than him.

The sheer difference in power was overwhelming. It felt as though they could crush him with just a finger. This sensation didn't just weigh on him—it permeated his entire being, as if it reached into the very essence of his soul.

It was suffocating.

But, strangely, Drayken sensed that he could control the pressure they exerted on him.

Is this the effect of the title?

The thought crossed his mind, but outwardly, he remained as calm as a rock, his expression utterly unfazed.

Eleanor still wore a smile, but it seemed forced and cramped. Her left brow twitched ever so slightly as she spoke in a chilling tone:

"You guys have gotten a lot bolder, huh?"

Silence.

The pressure on Drayken vanished instantly, disappearing without a trace. No one dared to speak.

"It seems I need to clean the house again."

She was still smiling, but now, that smile felt like the devil's.

For a moment, the atmosphere grew heavy and suffocating. Unlike before, however, this weight wasn't the overwhelming pressure of a higher-bloodline dragon suppressing a lower one. This was something else entirely: pure, undeniable power.

'So, this is the power of a Rank-7 Dragon, huh?' Drayken thought. 'I don't know the purity of her Dragon bloodline, but it must be high if she holds such a title.'

As he observed her, Eleanor examined his dragon form with amusement.

"So, you're a Golden Dragon?"

"It seems so." Drayken raised a claw, studying the golden scales that covered him.

"You look rather beautiful," she mused before frowning. "But at the same time, ugly. Your pitiful height and wingspan are disgusting to see."

"I see."

Drayken's body glowed brightly, and in the next moment, he had already reverted to his human form.

This time, however, things were different. Scales appeared at the corners of his cheeks, covering more of his body. His wings had also grown slightly larger. And he was...

Completely naked!

Lilia hurriedly flew down, handing him a ring. Without hesitation, Drayken retrieved clothes from it and dressed himself.

A black robe draped over him, paired with simple black pants. It was a plain outfit, but he preferred simplicity.

"So, what's this about me going to the Academy for a tournament?" Drayken asked with a shrug.

"There is an Academy where our dragon seedlings receive basic education in magic and other subjects," Lilia explained. "This place is crucial for the future of our kind, so all resources are concentrated there. However, competition is fierce."

"Every ten years, it is decided that each Dragon Lord will send a candidate to compete against the Academy's students. If their candidate wins, they earn additional resources."

Silence filled the air.

"I see," Drayken nodded thoughtfully. Then, after a brief pause, he asked, "What will I get if I win?"

The moment those words left his mouth, the ground trembled violently. A suffocating pressure crashed down on him, this time, it was different.

Lilia followed behind him, and as the door shut, silence filled the room.

"Milord, why allow such an insect to represent us?"

"He may be a dragon now, but he was human before, and..."

Disdain dripped from every word as the Dragon's presented their opinion one by one.

Hearing it, Eleanor felt only disappointment.

'We, dragons are too consumed by our own pride and arrogance, refusing to listen to out weakness.'

...

Drayken sat cross-legged on the ground, deep in meditation. A glowing circle surrounded him, forming a strange spherical domain in the air. Within this domain, the surrounding energy was rapidly absorbed, increasing his absorption rate by at least five times.

Time passed in the blink of an eye, six days had already gone by.

Drayken's eyes snapped open as he sensed his core. A satisfied smile crossed his lips.

"I finally filled my mana completely."

He looked at his trembling hands.

"Without mana control and the title's effect, accumulating this much would've been nearly impossible."

The more mana one stored in their core, the harder it became to gather more. As a mere Rank One Dragon, Drayken's absorption would have been severely hindered under normal circumstances.

"Now, it's time to choose my second spell."