Wilhelm remained still for a long moment.

  The cave was silent, the only sound being the faint echo of dripping water somewhere deeper inside.

  He slowly inhaled.

  The air was dry, filled with the smell of stone and dust.

  This was the first time he truly paid attention to the world around him.

  Until now, everything had happened too quickly.

  Birth.

  Hunger.

  Memories.

  Knowledge.

  But now…

  Now he needed to act.

  Wilhelm slowly moved one of his forelegs forward.

  His claws touched the ground carefully.

  Then another step.

  Despite his large body, he moved surprisingly quietly.

  Still, he did not rush.

  A creature that had just been born wandering recklessly into the unknown was simply asking for trouble.

  So instead of heading straight toward the exit of the cave…

  Wilhelm chose a safer option.

  He began moving along the wall.

  Slowly.

  Carefully.

  His body stayed close to the stone surface as he advanced step by step.

  First, he would explore the interior of the cave.

  Only a fool would rush outside without knowing what might be hiding behind him.

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  His tail swayed slightly as he moved.

  Each step became a little more natural.

  Walking.

  Balancing.

  Controlling wings that were far too large for such a young body.

  Everything was new.

  But the instincts of both dragon and phoenix made the process much easier.

  As he walked, Wilhelm focused on something else.

  The strange energies inside his body.

  He could feel them.

  Two different flows.

  Two different sensations.

  One was cold.

  Heavy.

  Silent.

  The other was warm.

  Gentle.

  Almost soothing.

  Wilhelm concentrated on the colder one first.

  The moment he did, something strange happened.

  A faint black aura appeared around his claws.

  It wasn't very visible.

  Just a thin layer of dark energy clinging to the edges of his talons.

  Wilhelm blinked.

  "...Oh."

  He lifted his paw slightly.

  The energy followed his claws like liquid shadow.

  It felt natural.

  Almost instinctive.

  Immediately, the answer surfaced from his bloodline knowledge.

  Death attribute energy.

  Among the many elemental affinities that dragons could possess, death was one of the most feared.

  Not because it was flashy.

  But because it was dangerous in a very quiet way.

  Death energy was extremely corrosive to life.

  When it touched living tissue, it slowly devoured vitality.

  Like poison.

  But worse.

  It caused necrosis.

  Cells would die.

  Flesh would rot.

  Life would fade away little by little.

  Even a small wound inflicted by death energy could become lethal if left untreated.

  Wilhelm slowly flexed his claws.

  The dark energy coated them like invisible venom.

  "So my claws and fangs can become corrosive…"

  That was useful.

  Very useful.

  But also something he would need to control carefully.

  After all, he was not immune to his own stupidity.

  He let the energy fade away for now.

  Then he focused on the second sensation inside his body.

  The warm one.

  It was softer.

  More peaceful.

  Almost comforting.

  When he concentrated on it, a faint glow flickered between the feathers on his body.

  Green.

  White.

  Gold.

  Wilhelm tilted his head.

  "...What is that?"

  Unlike the death attribute, he did not immediately understand what this energy could do.

  However, the answer still partially existed in his bloodline knowledge.

  The Life attribute.

  Among all elemental forces, life was one of the rarest.

  It represented vitality itself.

  Growth.

  Recovery.

  Healing.

  Life energy could restore wounds, accelerate regeneration, and strengthen living beings.

  At least…

  That was what Wilhelm assumed.

  Given what he knew about life phoenixes, healing seemed like the most logical conclusion.

  Still, he could not yet control it properly.

  The energy simply flickered faintly around his feathers before disappearing again.

  Wilhelm frowned slightly.

  "Hm."

  He would need practice.

  A lot of practice.

  But that could come later.

  Right now, his priority remained the same.

  Explore the cave.

  Carefully.

  He continued moving along the wall, his body staying low and cautious.

  Each step was quiet.

  Each movement controlled.

  His golden-green-white flames flickered softly among his feathers as he advanced through the darkness.

  The cave stretched deeper and deeper ahead of him.

  Wilhelm did not rush.

  He simply moved forward.

  Slowly.

  Silently.

  And very, very carefully.