Yowai 5000-Nen no Sōshoku Dragon, Iwarenaki Jaryū Nintei #3

Yowai 5000-Nen no Sōshoku Dragon, Iwarenaki Jaryū Nintei, known in English as A Herbivorous Dragon of 5,000 Years Gets Unfairly Villainized, began as a web novel series written by Kaisei Enomoto and illustrated by Shugao. The third volume of the light novel adaptation continues the story of an ancient, peaceful dragon who is mistaken for a powerful dark lord by a young girl offering herself as a sacrifice. This volume was produced as part of the series' transition into a popular fantasy staple under the Kadokawa Shoten label, building upon the lighthearted, subversion-focused tone established in the preceding books.

The character designs and illustrations by Shugao were intended to emphasize the contrast between the dragon's imposing physical appearance and his gentle, weary personality. The series gained significant traction for its comedic approach to the 'misunderstood monster' trope, finding a dedicated audience among readers of Japanese web-novel-to-print transitions. The third volume specifically deepened the world-building, as the reception of the series was bolstered by its quirky character dynamics and the success of the light novel format in the mid-2010s.