Wilhelm continued watching the small creatures for a moment longer.

  The Grave Moles moved busily through the cave floor, digging small tunnels and searching through the loose soil.

  According to the faint fragments of bloodline knowledge surfacing in his mind, these creatures were omnivores.

  They ate almost anything.

  Roots.

  Insects.

  Small animals.

  And when possible…

  Carrion.

  They were also known to dig up shallow graves and consume whatever remained beneath the soil.

  That was, in fact, the origin of their name.

  Grave Moles.

  Wilhelm flicked one ear slightly.

  It was an unpleasant habit, but from a survival perspective, it made sense.

  A creature that could eat almost anything rarely starved.

  Still…

  For now, he decided to leave them alone.

  Before deciding whether to capture them or ignore them entirely, there was something far more important he needed to do.

  He needed to know where he was living.

  If the cave turned out to be dangerous…

  If a stronger creature already claimed the territory…

  Then staying here would be foolish.

  And transporting a group of Grave Moles somewhere else would be more trouble than it was worth.

  Not to mention another potential problem.

  Those creatures could produce surprisingly loud squeaks and shrill cries when frightened.

  If something dangerous lurked nearby, such noises could easily attract unwanted attention.

  So Wilhelm made a simple decision.

  He would first explore the entire cave.

  Then he would inspect the surroundings outside.

  Only after understanding the area would he decide what to do with the moles.

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  Wilhelm slowly continued moving forward along the wall.

  His movements had become noticeably smoother compared to earlier.

  Step.

  Pause.

  Listen.

  Observe.

  Then move again.

  The flames dancing along his feathers flickered softly.

  But with a small effort of concentration, Wilhelm discovered that he could suppress them.

  The green, white, and golden fire dimmed…

  Then faded almost completely.

  The flames did not disappear entirely, but their light vanished.

  Now they produced no illumination at all.

  In the darkness of the cave, his body became far less noticeable.

  "Useful."

  Being able to move without emitting light made stealth far easier.

  Especially in an environment like this.

  Wilhelm continued his slow exploration.

  The cave stretched farther than he initially expected.

  Several narrow passages branched away from the main chamber, some twisting deeper into the stone before looping back again.

  Yet despite the size of the cave…

  There was very little inside.

  Aside from the Grave Moles and a handful of small insects crawling between cracks in the rock…

  Wilhelm found nothing else.

  No large predators.

  No strange creatures.

  No hidden dangers.

  Just stone.

  Dust.

  And silence.

  For now, at least.

  But Wilhelm did not relax his guard.

  He simply continued moving forward through the darkness.

  Wilhelm eventually reached the outer section of the cave.

  A faint light appeared ahead.

  The exit.

  He slowed down even more.

  Step.

  Pause.

  Listen.

  The young Dragonphoenix approached carefully until he reached the final bend of stone that hid the cave entrance.

  Then he stopped.

  From there, he could clearly see the outside.

  Bright light filled the world beyond the cave.

  It was still daytime.

  Wilhelm remained motionless for a few seconds, quietly observing the entrance while staying hidden inside the shadows of the cave.

  His tail moved slightly as he thought.

  Going outside right now would not be the best idea.

  During the day, visibility was high.

  Any creature flying above or wandering nearby might easily notice a strange creature like him leaving the cave.

  And while Wilhelm possessed the bloodline of two legendary races…

  He had just been born.

  Strength, experience, and control over his abilities were still lacking.

  Taking unnecessary risks now would simply be foolish.

  So Wilhelm made another simple decision.

  He would wait until nightfall.

  Once darkness covered the land, exploring the surroundings would become much safer.

  Fortunately, waiting did not bother him.

  Thanks to his bloodlines, patience came naturally.

  Wilhelm quietly settled down near the entrance of the cave, remaining hidden behind a large stone formation that blocked direct view from outside.

  As he waited, he became more aware of his senses.

  And once again, bloodline knowledge surfaced within his mind.

  Both dragons and phoenixes possessed extremely sharp senses.

  Their hearing could detect distant sounds.

  Their sense of smell was sensitive enough to notice subtle changes in the air.

  And their eyes…

  Their eyes were particularly remarkable.

  Wilhelm blinked slowly.

  He noticed something strange happening with his vision.

  The shape of his pupils was changing.

  At one moment, they were round, like those of a phoenix.

  At another moment, they narrowed into vertical slits, similar to a dragon’s.

  The transition was smooth and natural.

  Almost instinctive.

  In truth, the difference between the two forms did not matter very much.

  Both types of eyes were extraordinary.

  Whether his pupils were round or slit-shaped, Wilhelm could see perfectly well in both bright light and deep darkness.

  Distance was also not a problem.

  Even from the shadows of the cave, he could clearly observe rocks, distant terrain, and small movements far outside.

  Much farther than any normal human could hope to see.

  Wilhelm quietly looked toward the outside world.

  The wind carried faint scents into the cave.

  Dry earth.

  Stone.

  And the distant smell of wild land.

  His feathers moved slightly as the breeze touched them.

  He remained still.

  Silent.

  Waiting patiently for the sun to fall below the horizon.

  When night finally came…

  He would begin exploring the world beyond the cave.