Elsie finds a badly injured dragon whose core has been ripped out, rendering it useless and likely to die. Despite warnings from Mr. Gill to abandon the dragon because the mountain is dangerous, Elsie refuses to give up. The dragon, surprised to be alive, receives a mysterious system just as a toxic toad attacks. Elsie rescues the dragon, realizing she must bind with it to survive the upcoming exam and obtain rare reward pills to cure her sister. After forming the contract, the dragon immediately confronts threats and begins evolving to grow stronger, setting up a tense fight ahead.