I Only Tame Dragons

Horizon approached the entrance to his forging studio, ready to start crafting their equipment when he was stopped by an unfamiliar voice.

"Hey, you. Are you the one renting this forging studio?" a player with a silver badge called out.

Horizon glanced at the player, quickly sizing him up. Based on his armor and the large blade strapped to his back, it was obvious he was a warrior. His expression screamed arrogance.

"Who are you?" Horizon asked bluntly, not bothering with pleasantries.

Kael's eyes narrowed in disbelief. He couldn't fathom that there was someone who didn't recognize him.

"You . . . Where did you even come from? You don't know Brother Kael?" another voice chimed in. It was a player standing beside Kael, a monk by the look of his robes and staff.

Horizon remained unimpressed. "No, I don't."

The two exchanged awkward glances. Kael cleared his throat, attempting to regain his composure.

"My name is Kael, leader of this group competing in the current tournament," he said, a hint of pride creeping into his voice. "We're from Martial Union."

He paused as if expecting Horizon to react, but Horizon only stared at them, unphased.

Martial Union? Horizon had no idea who they were, and frankly, he didn't care. Whether they were from a second-rate guild or not, it made no difference to him.

There were plenty of second-rate guilds in Eternia, most of which gained fame only because they had the backing of larger guilds. Only a rare few second-rate guilds were truly strong on their own.

"Is there something you want?" Horizon asked flatly, clearly uninterested in the conversation.

Kael and Thorne exchanged uneasy looks, growing more irritated by the second. Horizon's indifference stung. Was he pretending not to know them? Or was he just that dense?

Thorne growled, his tone growing hostile. "Do you even know who you're talking to? This is one of the guild leaders of Martial Union. Show some respect."

Horizon's expression remained unreadable. "If you have no business with me, I'll be on my way. I've got work to do."

Both Kael and Thorne were momentarily stunned. Anger flashed in their eyes as they realized they were being dismissed. They had never been treated so casually, especially not by a nobody from an independent group who didn't even acknowledge their importance.

Even first-rate guilds showed respect to them, especially since they were part of the Allied Guild Federation, one of the Seven Lords in Eternia. Yet, here was this nobody brushing them off like they were nothing.

Just as Horizon turned to leave, Kael raised his hand, stopping him.

"Wait," Kael said, his voice more commanding now. "I have something to discuss with you."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Horizon raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

Kael took a deep breath, gathering his pride before speaking, but before he could say anything, Thorne interrupted.

"Hand over your studio," Thorne said coldly, stepping forward.

Horizon frowned. "Why would I do that?"

Kael stepped in, placing a hand on Thorne's shoulder, signaling him to back off. He spoke with a smooth, authoritative tone, one laced with arrogance.

"We'll pay you, of course," Kael said, as if the offer was obvious. "And not just any payment. Consider this a chance to serve Martial Union—a second-rate guild with ties to the Allied Guild Federation. You should be honored."

He paused for effect, his eyes locking onto Horizon's. "What we're offering is not just gold. It's influence. Connections. A debt to us is worth far more than anything you could earn."

Kael's voice oozed with arrogance, as if he truly believed he was offering Horizon the opportunity of a lifetime. "If you agree, Martial Union will owe you a favor, and believe me, that's a debt worth its weight in gold."

The unspoken threat lingered in the air, as if refusing such a 'generous' offer would make Horizon their enemy.

Horizon's gaze remained cold and unmoved, his patience wearing thin. "Do you think I'm an idiot?"

"Huh?" Kael and Thorne's jaws dropped, not expecting the sharp response.

Horizon locked eyes with them, his tone icy. "You think I'm stupid? I don't need favors from Martial Union. And tell me, are you the elder or the very boss of your guild?"

Kael hesitated, glancing to the side. "Well . . . no, but—"

"Exactly," Horizon cut him off, his voice edged with finality. "So how can I be sure that Martial Union would ever honor its promises? You're not in charge, and even if you were, I'm not interested. I'm not surrendering my studio. I'm busy, so go bother someone else."

Kael's thinly veiled patience snapped, his lips curling into a snarl. "Are you looking down on me? If you don't hand over your studio, we'll be forced to take matters into our own hands. You won't like it when Martial Union comes after you. Trust me."

Nyx, perched lazily on Horizon's head, let out a quiet, mocking chuckle. "So, if you don't get what you want, you resort to threats? Is that how your guild operates? Pathetic."

Thorne's temper flared. "You little—! I'll teach you a lesson!" He lunged forward, but Kael shot out a hand, stopping him mid-stride.

"Idiot! Do you want to get us in trouble with the guards?" Kael hissed, eyes narrowing at his reckless companion.

Thorne froze, fists clenched inches from Horizon, seething but powerless under the town's strict laws prohibiting violence.

"If you have nothing more to say, excuse me." Horizon's voice was calm yet dismissive, as if they weren't even worth his time. Without another word, he turned his back on them and strode into his studio, the door slamming shut behind him.

Thorne fumed, pacing back and forth. "That little punk! You shouldn't have stopped me, Kael. We could've made him regret messing with us."

Kael rolled his eyes, annoyance simmering. "Fighting in town is prohibited. Do you want to bring the guards down on us?"

"But what are we supposed to do now?" Thorne muttered, frustration simmering. "Every other guild has already locked down forging studios for the competition. Without one, how are we supposed to keep our gear in peak condition? Relying on the town blacksmiths? That's a joke. The costs would be through the roof, and the wait times would kill us.

Besides, we need a studio to forge equipment from the materials we're going to earn in the event. If we don't secure one soon, we're going to get it from the higher ups."

Kael took a deep breath, trying to maintain composure. "We'll find some weaker players and force them to give up their studio. There's bound to be someone less defiant than that guy."

Thorne growled. "You're really just going to let him go after the way he disrespected us?"

Kael shot one last venomous glance at the closed door. "Oh, don't worry. We'll remember this. That arrogant nobody will regret it. We'll repay this debt in full—when the time is right." He turned on his heel, his smirk cold as ice.