A brilliant streak of silver light cut through the void, vanishing in an instant.

"Command Center calling Fearless Challenger," Serene's voice sounded again, and I blinked my nictitating membrane, bringing my thoughts back.

"Fearless Challenger here," I replied, checking the correction command that had just been transmitted. "Sorry, I think I saw a comet, got a bit distracted." Or maybe it was just my imagination? I glanced again at the empty deep space.

"The bumpy part is coming up, are you ready?" Her voice was calm, which I took as confidence in me.

"Born for this," I said with a smile, activating the sensors to collect some data before entering the hydrogen layer, the computer beeping binary analyses.



After the analysis was complete, the machine spit out a strip of paper.

"I must say, this is beyond expectations." The oldest-looking dragon pushed up his glasses. "Those exaggerated muscles and bone density, not to mention, how did no one notice his scales earlier?"

"Or perhaps, this was expected," another doctor said, glancing at me. "Considering his... uniqueness."

I tried not to look too smug, but it was difficult, given that the other three candidates were all on the floor, vomiting. It seemed that because of me, the high-G centrifuge's intensity had been cranked up to unprecedented levels.

"Let's not jump to conclusions just yet," the third doctor said with an eager look that was somewhat terrifying. "Let's see how he performs in the wind tunnel." I was used to facing challenges with a smile, so I gave the doctor my most confident grin, and he decided to respond by starting the wind tunnel at full power.



Like being gripped by an invisible giant hand, gravity struck. The pressure suit dutifully operated, and I used every method I’d learned in training to stay conscious and grit my teeth. Some said it was genetics or the conditions of my hatching that made me different.

Outside the cabin, there were constant clangs and clinks as the new ship’s armored coating resisted the debris whirling in the high-speed winds of Zeus, nearly adiabatic in nature, all necessary for colonizing a gas giant. The helium-3 reserves on Zeus alone could make the Asteroid Belt Alliance independent of the Luna and no longer reliant on the Dyson Cloud terms with the Canine Empire, which could backtrack at any time.

After what felt like an eternity, the ship finally broke through the unending storm, contacting the liquid hydrogen ocean and beginning to decelerate. The sudden impact of inertia nearly made me faint, but I held on, the safety straps tightly securing my body probably breaking a few ribs.

I panted heavily, struggling to regulate my breathing. When I finally calmed down, I could hear the static noise in the communication chip. They were all waiting, waiting for my response.

"Successful docking," I said weakly, avoiding any large movements. The next moment, the command center erupted in thunderous cheers, and I quickly lowered the volume.

My vision was still a bit blurry, but I knew now that I had earned my third name. They say that when you qualify, you'll know. And I knew they were all listening. I would not only speak for myself but also define a new era.

It might be different eye colors, scale patterns, or even mocking those who had lost their song. I wouldn't be the first to be treated as an outcast, nor the last to suffer from such ostracism. Others deeply mired in loneliness might not be as lucky as I was, to gain support and recognition and finally be seen for their true worth.

To prove to other dragons that I could be just as excellent, to show those in the same situation that there is hope for the future, and most importantly, to let myself know—I could do it—this me.

I lifted my head, took a deep breath, and felt the never-ceasing rhythm in my consciousness. I began to sing, expressing my truest feelings and deepest hopes.

"Soaring in the storm, transcending hesitation. Embarking on a journey to the unknown frontier, seeking unseen vistas, and ultimately witnessing the birth of a new world. I am Fearless Challenger, the Wingless!"