This was a total disaster. Hattori had heard many legends, ancient myths whispered through generations, one of the mighty dragon that ruled these lands. For centuries, long before the reign of Emperor Yuan Liu, the Empire of Aldaria had waged countless battles to drive dragons from its borders. The wars were brutal, and though many dragons fell, a few elusive ones remained—hidden deep within the wilderness, beyond the Empire’s reach.

Emperor Yuan Liu, determined to end the threat once and for all, had entrusted Hattori, a seasoned general known for his discipline and honor, with a perilous task: capture the dragon that had been sighted near the edge of the empire. With only a worn map, limited supplies, and a loyal squadron of elite soldiers, Hattori ventured into the untamed regions. For weeks they traveled, enduring harsh terrain, unpredictable weather, and sleepless nights as they tracked faint signs and whispers of the creature's passage.

“General! Over here!”

The urgent voice of Hoyomi Desu, one of his sharp-eyed scouts, broke the silence of the morning. Hattori turned sharply toward the call, eyes narrowing as he rushed forward. Hoyomi stood on the edge of a shallow, mist-covered pond nestled in a grove of ancient trees. There, at the water’s edge, stood a figure, graceful, still, and unexpected.

A young woman, or so she appeared at first glance, gazed out across the water, her long silver hair cascading down her back like a river of moonlight. But even from a distance, something was clearly... otherworldly. Subtle scales shimmered beneath her skin, and a faint, ethereal glow clung to her presence. She turned, and her eyes, slitted, golden, and ageless, met Hattori’s.

The men came to a halt, breathless and stunned. Dragons were known as towering beasts of fire and fury. No one in Aldaria had ever mentioned this, a human form, a second shape. A truth buried in myth, now standing before them in flesh and blood.

Hattori gripped the hilt of his sword, not out of fear, but uncertainty. The mission had changed and so had everything he thought he knew about dragons.