The three legendary skills had surprisingly similar conditions applied to them generally.

Each could be leveled up to a maximum of fifty, and with every increase in level, their effects grew exponentially.

Great Ice Wall and Ice Armour gained fifty points of defense per level, while Frost Assault received fifty points of attack.

It was a simple pattern, but the numbers were terrifying once stacked to their limits.

Axton immediately poured his remaining experience points into them. He had millions of Exp stored up, but even that massive pool began to shrink rapidly under the constant flood of upgrades.

When he was done, he let out a long exhale.

The results were… absurd.

The Great Ice Wall alone now boosted his defense by over three thousand points, and Ice Armour was nearly just as strong as well.

Frost Assault had transformed from a powerful attack skill into a devastating weapon of pure destruction.

The difference was night and day.

With his mana reserves and the efficiency of his build, Axton's overall combat power was now beyond anything he could have imagined just a few days ago.

His defenses were nigh impenetrable, and his attacks could level entire zones if used recklessly.

Still, he wasn't done.

He switched his attention to [Chaotic Hammering] — one of his signature offensive skills. After maxing that out as well, the range of his strikes extended to over two and a half kilometers, and while this was good was due to the fact that [Chaotic Hammering] did not cost as much mana as his new legendary skills.

Now, he was more than just strong.

He was unstoppable.

Axton grinned faintly, scrolling through his updated stats. His defensive and offensive capabilities had both skyrocketed, and for the first time since entering Atlas City, he felt truly invincible.

Even if his experience points were running low now, the trade-off was worth it. He had gained so much power that he doubted anyone in Atlas could even touch him.

Despite being only level thirty, Axton could confidently stand toe-to-toe with players far above his level. Maybe even crush them.

A wild thought suddenly crossed his mind — a crazy, reckless idea that made his lips twitch.

'Could I defeat Guja if we fought one-on-one now?' he thought.

For a brief moment, the thought lingered. And to his surprise, he didn't dismiss it out of fear or doubt. Instead, he found himself calmly analyzing the odds and realizing they weren't bad at all.

He chuckled softly.

'No… not yet. But maybe soon.'

Axton turned to leave the area, satisfied with his progress and ready to test out his new power in the field. But before he could take a single step, a voice echoed from behind him.

"Was that a dragon?"

The voice was unfamiliar.

It was calm, steady, and oddly casual. There was no hostility in the tone, but Axton's body still reacted instantly.

He spun around in a heartbeat, mana flaring as he prepared for a fight.

The source of the voice stood a few meters away — a lone man with hair tied loosely at the back and a faint grin tugging at his lips. His armor looked worn but well-kept, and a small insignia glimmered faintly on his chestplate — one Axton didn't recognize.

The stranger blinked at Axton's reaction, then raised both hands in a nonthreatening gesture.

"Whoa, easy there," he said, smiling with a hint of amusement. "I'm not here to fight you. Relax. I just thought I saw a dragon flying overhead, so I followed it here."

Axton didn't lower his guard immediately. He glanced up at the sky out of reflex, then back at the man.

"Who are you?" he asked curtly.

"Drake," the man replied simply. "Name's Drake."

Axton's eyes narrowed as he activated his basic [Appraise] skill. A translucent window appeared briefly in front of his eyes, and the results almost made him laugh.

[Name: Drake]

[Level: 20]

That was it.

Axton suppressed a chuckle. He could probably snap this guy like a twig if he wanted to. But he didn't sense any malicious intent — just a kind of casual curiosity.

"Khan," Axton introduced himself shortly.

At that, Drake's eyes widened slightly in realization before he let out a hearty laugh.

"So you're the Khan," he said, grinning broadly. "Well, this is a nice surprise. I didn't expect to run into the Great Khan himself out here."

Axton's expression remained neutral, but he was silently analyzing every word.

"If I'd known it was you," Drake continued with a chuckle, "I wouldn't have been so surprised about the dragon. Makes sense now."

"Dragon?" Axton echoed.

"Yeah. Don't play dumb," Drake teased. "I saw one earlier circling above the clouds. Pretty rare sight, you know? And seeing you standing here after that… well, it doesn't take a genius to connect the dots."

He wasn't wrong. The dragon he mentioned could only have been Axton's newly acquired beast companion.

Drake looked him up and down, whistling under his breath. "Man, to think someone already has a dragon at this stage of the game. That's insane."

Axton folded his arms. "What do you want with me, Drake?"

"Tch. Easy, easy," Drake said, pretending to flinch back. "You're wound tighter than a crossbow string, you know that?"

His tone was playful, but as he cleared his throat, his expression subtly shifted — the lightheartedness fading just enough to reveal a trace of seriousness.

"I'm a Dragon Keeper," Drake said calmly. "Or, if you prefer the old title… a Dragon Knight."

The words made Axton's eyes flicker with interest.

Dragon Knight?

Seeing his reaction, Drake laughed again. "Judging by that face, I take it you haven't heard of us yet, huh?"

"Can't say I have," Axton admitted.

"Well, that's fair. We're not exactly easy to find," Drake replied, crossing his arms with a smirk. "We usually stay hidden unless we sense the presence of a dragon nearby. Only then do we show ourselves."

That explained how he had found Axton so easily. Frostbane's energy must have acted as a beacon.

Axton's gaze softened a little, curiosity overtaking suspicion.

"And what's a Dragon Knight's purpose?" he asked.

Drake lifted a finger, his expression suddenly proud. "We only have one job, Mr. Khan. One sacred duty passed down for generations. Our task is to ensure that the dragons of this world reach their maximum growth and potential."

There was something almost noble about the way he said it. Not arrogant, but filled with conviction.

Axton stayed silent for a moment, studying the man.

Despite his playful tone, Drake didn't seem like a liar.

"So you're saying you help dragons grow stronger?" Axton asked, still skeptical.

"Exactly. I train them, guide them, and sometimes even their masters, if they're lucky enough to earn the dragon's loyalty," Drake explained with a grin. "Think of me as… a mentor for dragon riders."

"Interesting."

Drake shrugged casually. "And from the looks of it, you're going to need one. You've bonded with a dragon far earlier than anyone should've been able to. That's both impressive and dangerous."

"Dangerous how?"

"Well," Drake said with a grin, "because every dragon that appears in this world draws attention. Not just from people like me, but from those who'd rather capture them."

Axton's brow furrowed slightly. "You mean—"

"Yeah," Drake interrupted, nodding. "Hunters. Poachers. Some guilds. Even factions that think dragons are too powerful to be left alone. The moment you bonded with one, you painted a massive target on your back."

Axton's eyes narrowed as he processed that.

"So, what you're saying is…"

Drake smiled, stepping forward and extending his hand. "I'm saying you could use an ally. And since I'm a Dragon Knight, helping you is kind of my job description."

Axton looked at the extended hand, then up at the man's cheerful expression.

For some reason, he didn't sense deceit.

"…You're a strange one," Axton finally said.

"Thanks. I get that a lot." Drake chuckled. "But hey, between the two of us, you're the one walking around with a dragon. I'm just the guy who helps dragons grow up without destroying cities."

Axton couldn't help but smirk faintly at that.

The tension between them eased a little. For the first time since hearing that voice, Axton lowered his guard… though only slightly.

"Fine," he said. "You can tag along. But if you get in my way—"

"Nah. I will pass," Drake said quickly, waving both hands. "That's for you to do. My job is kinda to point your in that direction, not go with you."

"Really?" Axton asked.

Drake bobbed his head a few times. "Yes."

Axton turned to walk ahead, while Drake stayed behind with an easy grin, whistling softly.

"Man," Drake muttered, glancing at the sky, "I knew today was going to be a good day. Didn't think I'd end up meeting the Great Khan and his dragon."

Axton said nothing, but deep down, he had a feeling this man might end up being both a headache and an asset.

For now, though, he'd take his chances.

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