In the past five months, Cassius had spent his time in the Bokara Forest, searching everywhere for more powerful beasts. The Red Dragon had both transformed them into his growth sustenance and his leveling experience.
Appropriate caution was necessary. Before being fully confident, Cassius would not attempt to challenge those formidable creatures.
Now, Cassius had already risen to level 2, learned the "Magic Powered Fountain" ability, and gained sorcery power.
After this period of hunting, this young Red Dragon in his growth phase had grown significantly larger, now measuring a full six meters from head to tail.
His scales had become brighter in color, and slightly protruding bone spurs grew along his spine, though they had not yet formed a complete dorsal fin. It was evident that he was about to enter the next stage.
His raised head had become more ferocious, his forehead horns had elongated and hardened, and new horn rings had appeared. Short keratinous spikes grew on his chin, and his pupils were now several shades lighter than before.
Of course, the Red Dragon still had the disproportionally large head and small body characteristic of a juvenile dragon.
His proportions still appeared somewhat comical.
Cassius swallowed a piece of meat whole and then looked up at the panel.
"Choose to level up the sorcerer class."
[Your sorcerer level has increased to level 3]
[The magic power suppressed within your body, mind, and soul has been released. You can now use strong willpower to twist your spells to achieve the desired effects, gaining the [Metamagic] ability]
[You can choose two metamagic effects]
[You have gained [Metamagic: Instantaneous Spell] [Metamagic: Twin Spell]]
[Metamagic: Instantaneous Spell]
You expend a certain amount of sorcery power to twist a spell with strong sorcerer willpower. Your spell can be cast instantly, without preparation.
[Metamagic: Twin Spell]
You expend the corresponding amount of sorcery power to duplicate a prepared spell, allowing it to affect multiple targets simultaneously.
Cassius directly chose the most straightforward metamagic combination.
Although sorcerers did not need to construct spell prototypes like mages, they still needed to use willpower to feel the Magic Web and prepare for magic.
However, the instantaneous metamagic allowed for direct casting, making spells as easy to control as moving an arm.
The Twin Spell was even more notable; in battle, an additional spell, even a fraction of one, could change the course of the conflict.
[You have gained the first-tier spells [Charm Person] [Thunderwave]]
[You have gained the second-tier spells [Invisibility Technique] [Enhanced Attributes]]
In terms of spells, Cassius chose those that were more functional rather than directly damaging.
After all, being a Red Dragon, most low-tier spells in the early stages did not inflict as much damage as his sharp teeth and Flame Breath. Besides, he had the once-a-day Searing Ray.
Being invisible or charming others provided much more utility than minor damage.
Upon making his choices, the Red Dragon slowly closed his eyes.
Vast sorcery power was unlocked from the depths of his body, rolling out like a fountain, forcefully attaching to his will.
There was no need to calculate parameters, nor to construct models. One only needed to use that power and twist the magic illogically as required by the spellcaster.
This was the Magic Web, a system that simultaneously harbored both order and chaos.
Several spells emerged from deep within his mind, deeply inscribed into the Red Dragon's consciousness. He had finally touched a higher layer of the Magic Web and gained a more profound understanding of this world's Magic Web.
"It's about time to leave here."
"The next destination will be Stormy Ridge."
The Red Dragon gorged himself, leaving behind several abandoned nests in the forest without a second thought, and soared into the sky.
The sky was clear, with not a single cloud in sight.
He gazed down at the earth; below him was a dense forest teeming with trees, with deer darting through the woods.
Further out lay a vast, desolate plateau where the outlines of several cities could be vaguely seen. Beyond his line of sight were endless, snow-covered mountains that seemed to stretch to infinity...
This was the Anzeta Great Wilderness, located in the northwest of the Elzegai West Continent, surrounded by the imposing Ancytica Mountains. Due to its perpetually cold climate, it was known as the "Land of Eternal Winter."
The indomitable Skandar People had established dozens of cities here over a millennium, gradually forming the Northern United Kingdom led by Duke Boske. Many diverse creatures, including orcs, giants, goblins, and even giant dragons, coexisted in this vast region.
The strong wind in the sky brushed across the Red Dragon's scales, drying the bloodstains at the corners of his mouth.
All these real, vivid sensations were clearly reminding Cassius, or rather Lin Kai:
He was alive.
Truly alive under this sky.
This was not some virtual game.
The Red Dragon looked down at the vast land, mumbling to himself:
"I am Cassius…"
But his latter half of the sentence was lost in the high-altitude howling hurricane—"I was also Lin Kai."
...
Deep in the mountains, in the coldest part of Anzeta, stood a black tower.
No one knew its origin, and no one dared to visit.
Unknown beastly howls often emanated from the tower, leading people to call it the Polar Night Demon Tower.
At the top of the tower, a man clad in a black cloak, his face obscured, was waiting for something.
An old, rusty badge on his chest depicted a blazing flame with eyes growing on dragon claws.
Soon after, a portal appeared out of thin air, and a grotesque creature slowly wriggled and crawled out of it, kneeling peculiarly before the man.
The creature was over three meters tall, and even kneeling, it was considerably taller than the man.
Its body was twisted, a misshapen assemblage of disordered flesh.
It was covered in many white scales, but large patches of raw flesh remained exposed, with a thick mat of hair on its head, giving it a disgusting and grotesque appearance.
The creature spoke with great difficulty: "Mas...ter, it is... it is a Red Dragon."
With that, it extended its bloodied, twisted limb, presenting a charred bone that still bore the outline of a Terror Wolf's skull.
"A powerful Red Dragon?"
"Excellent, excellent!"
The man's tone was unusually excited.
"It is... very cunning. I have not yet found its lair."
"Hahaha, don't be hasty. I know these Red Dragons too well—proud, greedy, furious, prone to violence, and lazy to think…"
"Once these creatures obtain enough power, they will mark their territory and flaunt their power like a dog in heat."
The man laughed maniacally, his voice filled with fanaticism and obsession.
"When that time comes, that power will be mine to control."
"Yes... master..."
The creature slowly lowered its head, its thick hair covering its ghostly blue eyes.
The man stepped forward, gently stroking the creature's head, unfazed by the unknown slime covering his hands. He softly said:
"I will not fail again, absolutely not..."
These words seemed to be meant for the creature, but also for himself.