"ROOOAAARRR!"

After the overwhelming roar burst from Max’s dragon form and shook Orion along with the surrounding star realms, he soared through the skies of Dragon Death Valley for several minutes.

In his true dragon body, movement felt entirely different from anything he had experienced before. The winds bent around him as if welcoming their ruler. Each beat of his massive wings sent storms rolling across the heavens. Mountains beneath him looked small, and the clouds were scattered wherever he passed.

For a brief time, Max simply enjoyed the sensation.

Strength.

Freedom.

Dominance.

Flying in the body of a true black dragon awakened instincts buried deep within his bloodline, and even someone as experienced as Max could not deny the exhilaration of it.

Then, just as he was circling high above the valley, a scene from his clone caused him to halt midair.

His enormous wings slowed.

Golden-black eyes narrowed.

"The black dragon egg has started hatching?" Max muttered in clear surprise.

That egg had remained dormant for countless years. Even after being brought into his possession and nourished within the Dimension of Spirit, it had shown little more than faint life fluctuations.

Yet now it was finally awakening.

Max’s thoughts moved quickly.

Could his own transformation into a true black dragon have triggered something?

Could the roar, the bloodline resonance, or the ancient draconic aura he had devoured have stimulated the sleeping life within the egg?

He did not know for certain.

Still, a grin spread across his dragon face.

"Hehe... this is good."

His eyes gleamed with anticipation.

"I might soon have a true black dragon as my companion."

----

Inside the Dimension of Spirit, all attention was focused on a single object.

The black dragon egg.

Max’s clone stood nearby with a serious expression, while Lily, Blob, Tian, and many spirits had gathered around it in a wide circle. Even the usually playful spirits had become unusually quiet, sensing that something extraordinary was about to happen.

The egg rested upon a nest of spiritual crystals and dragon essence stones that had long been prepared for it. Its shell was dark as midnight, marked with natural patterns that resembled scales forged from ancient metal.

At first, it only trembled lightly.

Then it shook again.

A faint cracking sound echoed through the space.

Everyone’s eyes widened.

A thin line appeared across the shell, glowing briefly from within before spreading wider.

Another crack followed.

Then another.

The life aura hidden inside the egg, once weak and distant, was now rising steadily with every passing second.

Blob bounced excitedly in circles.

"It is hatching! It is really hatching!"

Lily’s expression softened with rare excitement, while Tian folded his arms and stared closely, unwilling to miss a single detail.

The shell continued to fracture.

Tiny fragments broke away and fell to the ground, revealing flashes of darkness moving inside.

Then, slowly but steadily, the top portion of the egg split apart.

A small claw pushed through first.

It was tiny compared to Max’s monstrous dragon form, but perfectly shaped, covered in glossy black scales that shimmered faintly under the spiritual light.

Soon after, a small head forced its way out.

Two little curved horns rested atop its skull. Bright golden eyes blinked repeatedly in confusion as the newborn creature looked around at the many figures surrounding it.

The tiny dragon let out a soft, hoarse sound.

"Rrrr..."

Then with clumsy determination, it wriggled free from the shell and stumbled onto the nest.

A small black dragon had been born.

Its wings were still folded tightly to its sides, its tail swayed awkwardly, and it looked more adorable than fearsome at the moment. Yet the purity of the aura around it made everyone understand the truth instantly.

This was no ordinary hatchling.

This was a genuine true black dragon.

The little creature tilted its head, sniffed the air, then looked directly toward Max’s clone.

Its eyes brightened.

Without hesitation, it waddled forward with tiny unsteady steps and pounced onto him.

Blob burst into laughter.

Lily covered her mouth to hide a smile.

Even Tian’s stern expression cracked slightly.

The newborn dragon curled itself comfortably against Max’s clone and closed its eyes as if it had already chosen its family.

And somewhere far away, the true Max, still in dragon form above Dragon Death Valley, could not help but laugh when he sensed it.

"Haha, nice," Max muttered with satisfaction.

The connection with his clone allowed him to experience everything happening inside the Dimension of Spirit while continuing his own actions elsewhere. He could remain in Dragon Death Valley, continue cultivating, and at the same time share moments with Lily and the others.

"Having a clone is truly a blessing," he said with a grin. "I can be with Lily and everyone there while still handling my own matters here."

At that very moment, within the Dimension of Spirit, his clone was fully occupied with the newly hatched dragon.

The little black dragon was overflowing with energy.

It had only just broken free from its shell, yet it was already darting around the area with surprising speed. Its tiny wings beat rapidly as it circled above everyone’s heads, sometimes wobbling in the air before correcting itself at the last second. Every now and then it would let out proud little growls as though convinced it was already a mighty ruler of the skies.

"Little dragon, stop flying around and come here!" Max’s clone called out with laughter.

The hatchling ignored him completely.

Instead, it swooped low over Blob’s head, causing the spirit to bounce wildly in alarm, then climbed upward again in a crooked spiral.

"I want to play with him too!" Lily said as she kept running behind the little dragon.

Eventually, after another few circles, the tiny dragon landed clumsily on Max’s clone’s shoulder. It adjusted its footing with exaggerated seriousness before folding its wings and lifting its chin proudly.

Max’s clone reached up and gently rubbed the little creature beneath the jaw.

"You really are lively," he said. Then his expression turned thoughtful. "Tell me, little one... what should we call you? What is your name?"