Only I Awaken The Forbidden SSS-Rank Dragons

"Register him as… our son," said an elderly woman to a guard standing just a few feet away. Her voice was calm as she spoke.

The guard frowned for a moment, glancing closely at the pale young man who was bleeding in the back of the carriage. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded and recorded the information.

"Husband, I think we did the right thing by saving him," the woman said, turning to the old man beside her.

The man looked to be in his early fifties. Faint wrinkles lined the corners of his eyes, and his fully grey hair accentuated the weight of his years, lending him a dignified presence. He smiled at his wife, and the lines on his face deepened slightly.

"Indeed, my wife," he replied gently.

After the guard was done recording the couple's information, he gestured to the two other guards ahead who were stationed at the gate.

Seeing the signal, the guards bowed politely to the couple and opened the gate for them to enter.

The old man walked to the back of the carriage and began pushing it forward. Inside lay the unconscious young man, his arm wrapped tightly around a small creature. 

The trio moved slowly until they reached a modestly tarred building adorned with faded but elegant paintings. It looked slightly luxurious, but not enough to classify them as wealthy.

After arriving, the old man opened the covering and carried the young boy, who had a creature wrapped around his arm, into the small home.

"Go ahead and prepare his treatment," he said, turning to his wife just as he was stepping inside. "He should last a while, but without herbs, his condition might worsen."

The woman nodded and quickly dashed into the kitchen. After searching through a few cupboards, she gathered a handful of herbs, and began to prepare them.

Meanwhile, the old man took the boy and his creature to a small guest room just off the main corridor.

They were simple merchants, a couple who sold handcrafted goods and traveled occasionally between villages.

On their way back, they had come across the young man and his dragon, collapsed and bleeding atop a moss-covered boulder. 

Taking pity on them, they decided to bring them back and treat their injuries. It was far better than leaving them in the wild, where all sorts of creatures lurked and preyed upon the weak.

That was how they arrived at this moment.

…

Within minutes, the woman completed her herbal preparations. She returned to the room and carefully fed the boy a portion of the liquid medicine. The rest, meant for external treatment, she applied to the gashes and bruises along his body.

Aleron groaned slightly in his unconscious state but did not wake up.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead with a warm towel, the woman sighed and quietly exited, allowing him to rest.

Time passed slowly, and soon a few hours had gone by. During that time, Aleron's drained origin energy had begun to recover slightly. His body, though battered, was now stable. He was not far from waking.

…

Just then, a little creature nestled beside him stirred slightly. Its body twitched, wings unfurled, and its eyes slowly opened. Its golden irises glinting with curiosity.

The first thought that came to Ashkar's mind was… Where are we? The dragon was mildly curious. Glancing at the sleeping Aleron beside him, the dragon felt relief. Dad? He called out but received no reply.

Ashkar nudged Aleron gently with his snout, trying to wake him. When that failed, he tried again, a little more urgently, but Aleron remained unconscious.

Aleron had not yet recovered enough of his origin energy and remained in a weakened state.

After a few more attempts, the dragon realized Aleron would not wake up anytime soon, so it began glancing around the room. 

Being a newborn dragon, it was curious about many things. 

Ashkar's eyes scanned the room. As his head moved in small, inquisitive arcs, he took in every detail. His wings fluttered slightly as he tried to make sense of the surroundings. The unfamiliar textures and muted scents piqued his curiosity.

Just then, the room door creaked open and an old woman stepped inside.

Ashkar's gaze snapped toward her. His small frame tensed, and a low growl rumbled from his throat. He bared his tiny fangs and flared his wings protectively over Aleron.

Sensing no harmful intent toward itself or Aleron, the dragon did not attack.

"Relax, little one," the woman said gently, her voice soft and maternal. "I'm only here to check on how he's doing."

She pointed toward Aleron.

The dragon blinked and slowly lowered his wings. Her presence... felt safe. Ashkar linked a few thoughts together and realized this was the one who had saved them.

He gave a small nod of acknowledgment.

The woman took that as a sign and slowly approached Aleron. Just then, Aleron jolted awake.

"Ashkar!" his voice rang loudly through the room.

Dad! You're finally awake! I was so worried! Ashkar's voice echoed in his mind, filled with relief and affection.

Hearing the voice, Aleron finally calmed down. For a moment, he had thought he had lost everything. Feeling the sensation of lying on a bed, he even thought he might have been captured again. 

His skin chilled at the thought, and the bed beneath him felt cold and suffocating.

He hated beds. They reminded his physical body, subconsciously, of its previous, despairing emotions.

With that thought, he stood up. That was when he noticed the woman approaching him. Putting the pieces together, Aleron realized she was the one who had most likely saved him from the forest and the horrors of the Genesis Coil.

"Thank you," he said and bowed slightly in gratitude.

"No need for that," the woman replied calmly, then added, "Stay on the bed and rest for a while. You aren't yet fully healed."

However, Aleron shook his head. Crossing his arms over his chest, he replied in a low voice, "No. The bed is... too cold. It reminds me of memories I'd rather forget."

The woman blinked in confusion, clearly concerned, but before she could speak, Aleron walked across the room and sat against the nearby wall, drawing his knees up.

At that moment, the system interface flashed to life.

[Level Up. Level Up. Level Up.]

[Host, your strength has increased significantly.]