As I walked beside the four humans, my eyes scanned the forest. I was looking for the smallest sign of trouble a sound, an odd color, or the feeling of being watched. I couldn't say why, but I had a feeling of dread. Something was about to happen.
"I'm telling you, there aren't any dragons in this forest," said a young woman with bright blonde hair and a bow slung over her back. The young woman was one of the two humans I'd rescued from a group of bandits just yesterday. The other was a middle-aged man with graying hair, who walked beside her.
"Dragons are rare and solitary creatures. They wouldn't bother with a little village like ours."
"But they're dangerous," said an older man, his hands were trembling with a sweat coming down his face his breath hitched.
"W-what if it was one of the dragons that killed my daughter?"
The young woman frowned.
"We don't know what happened to your daughter, sir, and I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for it. You said yourself that her body was found in a burned field."
"There's no reasonable explanation for murder," the older man snapped.
"You're too young to understand. You don't know how terrible dragons can be."
"Well, if we do see one, I'm not afraid to defend myself."
The young woman lifted her bow. "And neither is Avery."
The man nodded. "I can shoot a bow too, sir. We've both got a few years of practice on our side."
The older man's lips turned into a thin line well he narrowed his eyes with his jaws clenching. He looked at the middle-aged man, who nodded.
"It's true, sir. I'm a pretty good shot myself. And so are the rest of the men from our village."
The older man didn't respond. He just continued walking. His lips were still pressed together, and he was frowning.
"Hey is the Dragnof Royal family declaring anything new" The young man said breaking the silence.
The young woman rolled her eyes with a exaggerated sigh clearly feed up with this man.
"I told you, there aren't any dragons anywhere near us. We live hundreds of miles from the nearest one, and they're not exactly social creatures."
The older man grunted. He was silent for a moment before speaking.
"If there aren't any dragons around, then why have there been so many sightings lately? Why do so many villages report seeing dragons?"
The younger woman's mouth dropped open, and her eyebrows furrowed.
"You're the only person who's said anything about seeing a dragon. You're the only person who's claimed a dragon attacked a village."
"You're saying I'm a liar?" The older man's voice was rising, and his hands clenched into fists.
"I'm saying you've got a wild imagination, sir."
"It wasn't my imagination! It really happened!"
"Then where are the bodies? Where are the scorch marks?" The young woman's voice rose in volume.
"All we've seen is a few burned fields, which could easily be explained by lightning or something."
"The Dragnof Royal Family have reported about it if what you say happened, but there's no way a dragon would attack near here"
"A dragon really did attack," the older man shouted. His hands were shaking again.
"My daughter was killed by a dragon, and now I have nothing left! My life is ruined."
"Sir, we're going to find out what happened to your daughter," the young woman said. Her voice was calm and steady.
"But we need you to be patient. We can't help if you get angry and lose control."
This was taking place around the outskirts border of Dragnof Kindom with a tall gate and many guards surrounding the area. With these golden symbols on the wall showing off the power and might of the kingdom, the royal family is very wealthy and powerful and has control over most of the continent. The kingdom of Dragnof has been in power for nearly three hundred years and has been ruled by several different kings and queens.
***
What I saw when I went with the humans was a carriage. This carriage was a extravagant work of art with sliver welded to the wheels and gold to the sides.
I had never seen a carriage like this. The wheels were larger than I had ever seen. The body was made of solid gold and silver. It was so shiny and new-looking, I wondered if anyone had ever even sat in it before.
'The wheels alone was as big a me and I'm as big as an adult wolf. Why would you ever need a carriage as big this'
'at this point it's not a carriage this looks more like a bedroom. the magic these humans use is incredible to pull this off as just the weight alone. was more than 10 times my own and I weighed around half a ton.'
'Which to me didn't make senseas the horses were still able to pull this weight with no problem either these horses are magical or there's a magic system in this carriage to allow it to be easier for the horses.'
A large symbol was etched into the door. The symbol was a picture of a dragon with its wings outstretched and its head thrown back.
The door was opened by a man in a long, flowing cloak. The man's face was hidden in shadow.
"Hello," the man said.
"I am a royal messenger sent by the Dragnof Royal Family."
"Why would the royal family want to send a message to us?"
"Young Miss Lina you are told to return to the royal palace, as you father has told me to esscort you back"
The man in the cloak stepped forward, revealing himself. His hair was blond, and his eyes were a bright blue. His skin was tan. He was tall and muscular.
He bowed. To the fiery haired woman
"My name is Marcus. I am here to escort you back to the royal palace."
"Okay, but my friends and pet are coming along," the young woman replied. She gestured to the rest of the group.
'Hey when did I become a pet at the minimum, I'm a divine beast that should be praised and worshiped for coming along'
I jumped at Lina but as I was to big I didn't want to knock her over and instead I just gave her a lick in the face and she tried to wipe it off
'Hmpf, Lina must be annoyed now'
Marcus' eyes widened as he looked at me.
"I-is that a dragon?"
Lina laughed.
"Don't worry, he's harmless."
"That's a dragon!" Marcus exclaimed. "It's not safe for you to be here. I'll take you to the castle, but the dragon stays behind."
Lina put her hands on her hips and glared at him.
"He's not going anywhere. If you want me to come, you have to let him come."
"But...it's a dragon."
"It's also my friend, and if he can't come, then I won't go."
Marcus sighed.
"All right, but the dragon has to stay with you at all times."
"No problem." Lina smiled.
The journey started and we were inside the carriage.the view was very nice.
'I had never ridden in a carriage before, so this was a new experience for me. I didn't know they could be this comfortable. The seats were soft, and there was plenty of room for everyone. There was a window, too, which allowed me to look outside. It was a beautiful day.'
'The carriage was being pulled by a team of horses, and they were moving fast. The scenery was passing by in a blur, but it was still possible to tell where we were going. We were on a dirt road, surrounded by trees. Every once in a while, I would see a clearing or a field.'
'After a while, we came to a fork in the road. One path went straight ahead, while the other veered off to the right.
'"Which way do we go?" Lina asked.
'"We'll take the road to the right," Marcus replied.
'"That's the one we were on earlier. Why are we going back?"
'"This will take us to a shorter route. It will be less bumpy."'
"That's not the real reason, is it?" Lina asked.
Marcus sighed.
"If we go through the forest, we'll run into a lot of bandits. I think it would be safer if we stayed on the road."
"I'm not scared of bandits," Lina said.
"I still think it would be better to stay on the road."
"But I want to go through the forest," Lina insisted.
'"You're the princess. We'll do whatever you say."
"Great!"
Lina smiled.
I yawned, stretched out, and put my head in Lina's lap.
"Are you tired, little guy?" she asked.
I nodded.
"I'll wake you up when we get to the castle."
'Thanks.'
With a contented sigh, I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.
The journey started and we were inside the carriage the view was very nice. Our carriage came to a stop as there was a tree blocking our way.
'Ah there's bandits around'
'There was nothing but a barren land with a road traveling in one direction and with the multiple heat signal around here its mostlikly bandits'
Marcus stood up.
"What's wrong?" Lina asked.
"I don't know. Let's see what's going on."
He opened the door and stepped outside.
"Hello, there," a rough voice said.
Lina peeked out the window.
"Who are you?" Marcus asked.
"It's a bandit." Lina whispered.
'The bandit had a thick black beard, and his clothes were dirty and ragged. He was carrying a sword, and he was surrounded by a dozen or so other bandits. They all had swords and were wearing armor.'
"We're bandits," the bandit replied.
"That much is obvious," Marcus said.
"Well, if you give us all your valuables, we'll let you go.
"And if we don't?"
"Then we'll kill you and take them anyway."
Marcus pulled a knife from his belt and threw it at the bandit. The knife hit the bandit in the chest and knocked him to the ground.
the bandit dodge leaping towards Marcus.
"I don't want any trouble," Marcus said.
'He drew a sword and parried the bandit's attack. The two began fighting, with Marcus having the upper hand. He managed to knock the bandit to the ground and pin him there.'
[Ding]
[Quest :Kill the surrounding bandits +50exp]
'I'm not really getting anything out of this. This quest was given to me and I have no choice in the matter. If I refuse then the quest will remain active until I do complete it.'
'I wonder how would the humans react when they see me killing them?'
'If they attack me, then I will kill them. If they run, I'll chase after them and finish them off.'
'I'm curious what type of expression Lina would make seeing me kill the bandits. Would she be scared, sad, or maybe shocked. Would she even care?'
'It doesn't matter, I'm doing this because the system is telling me to.'
[You Have Used The Skill: Scorching Touch]
I used Scorching Touch on my claws as I wanted to get this over with as fast as possible,I want to go back and take my nap.
"Gyaaaaahhhh!"
'A bandit screamed as my claws raked across his chest, leaving a deep gash. And scorching white flames on the area of the wound that I caused, Blood poured from the wound, staining his shirt red.
He was slowly but surely getting cloaked in Scorching white flames spreading from the area of the wound where I scratched. staring from the diganial scar these white flames started to cover his body starting from the scar it travelled to the closest body part it went from the hands, legs, head, and all. his body was slowly getting cooked and roasted by the flames surrounding his whole body.'
"H-help M-me!"
[Ding]
[You Have Killed A ManaLess Human +10exp]
'I quickly turned to another bandit, using my claws to slice him open. I moved on to the next bandit, slashing him across the chest. Blood sprayed everywhere, and he fell to the ground. I could hear my heart pounding in my chest at paces that I couldn't register. Each breath coming faster and faster. I was like a steam engine looking for fuel. with scent of blood filling my nostrils.
[Ding]
[You Have Killed A ManaLess Human+20 exp]
[Ding]
[Quest Compeleted]
'I could see the fear and confusion in their eyes, but it didn't stop me. I didn't care about them. They were just obstacles in my path. They were an obstacle that needed to be removed.'
"What's happening out there?" Lina asked.
'She was probably scared, or worried, or both. I didn't care. As long as she didn't get in my way, I would leave her alone.'
"Is everything okay?"
"Just stay inside," Marcus said.
'His voice was shaky. He was probably scared, too. Good. That made things easier for me.'
'Another bandit charged at me, swinging his sword wildly. I easily avoided the attack, and used my tail to sweep his feet out from under him. He fell to the ground, and I pounced on him, slashing him across the face.
'Blood and bits of flesh flew everywhere, and the bandit's screams were cut short. His body lay limp on the ground, lifeless.'
[You Have Killed A ManaLess Human +10exp]
"Aaaaaaarrrrrgggghhhhh!"
'I heard another scream. I turned and saw a bandit with an axe in his chest. The bandit who had killed him was standing next to him, covered in blood. The bandit's eyes were wide, and his breathing was labored.
"Help!"
'Another bandit cried out.
'I could hear the fear in his voice. He was probably terrified. Good. That would make him easier to kill.'
"P-please I-ill do anything just don't kill me!"
'I walked up to him, and without hesitation, slashed him across the throat. Blood gushed from the wound, and he collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
[Ding]
[You Have Killed A ManaLess Human +10exp]
'I looked around and saw that most of the bandits had been killed or incapacitated. There were only a few left, and they were running away as fast as they could.
'I chased after them, using my claws and tail to kill them.
'The last one was injured and couldn't run anymore. He was begging for mercy, but I didn't care. I ended his life with a quick slash to the throat.
'After killing the last bandit, I looked around and saw that all the bodies were piled up. The scene was gruesome, and the scent of blood was strong.
'I felt nothing. These people meant nothing to me. They were just obstacles that needed to be removed. I didn't feel anything when I killed them. They were just another task for me to complete.
[Ding]
[You Have Leveled Up]
My status screen then appeared infront of me showing my stats.
- [current level: 14]
- [Experience Points: 0/100]
- [Health: 305/305]
- [Mana: 100/100]
Strength 28
Agility 30
Vitality 29
Intelligence 29
Magic power 28
Sense 25
Stamina 26
14 unassigned stat points
[Skills :]
- Flame Breath (Basic) level 2
- Scorching Touch level 2 (Active Skill)
-Description: Channel fire energy into your claws or an object you are physically touching and strike an enemy.
Effect: Deals 12 fire damage and applies a burn status for 6 seconds. This skill can be used in melee attacks. Applies a small area-of-effect (AoE) burn, dealing 4 fire damage to enemies within 1 meter of the target.
Scorched Earth (Active Skill)
• Description: Set the ground ablaze, creating a hazardous terrain that damages and burns enemies who step on it.
• Effect: Deals 5 fire damage per second to enemies standing on the affected area for 8 seconds. Enemies entering the area also take 10 fire damage.
• Duration: Lasts for 8 seconds.
• Cooldown: 30 seconds.
• Usage: Excellent for controlling battlefield positioning and forcing enemies to avoid certain areas, making it a strategic skill for both offense and defense.
- Dash (Active)
- Sprint (Active)
- Enhanced Strength (Passive)
- Agility (Passive)
- Reflexes (Passive)
- Endurance (Passive)
- Stealth (Passive)
Stealth (Passive Skill)
-Allows the user to move silently and avoid detection by enemies. This skill enhances the user's ability to perform stealthy maneuvers during combat.
Level: 1
Effect:
• Noise Reduction: Reduces the sound made while moving, increasing the chance of avoiding detection by enemies.
• Detection Chance: Grants a 30% chance to remain undetected when stationary.
• Duration: Passive; remains active as long as the user is moving quietly.
Cooldown: None (Passive Skill)
Usage:
• Ideal for ambushing enemies or avoiding confrontations.
• Useful in dungeons or areas with strong enemies, allowing for tactical retreats or sneak attacks.
- Jumping Ability (Passive)
[Titles]: Cannibalistic Dragon: increased damage dealt to dragons by 10%
Slayer of many: Increased Damage: When facing multiple opponents or an army, your damage increases by 5%,
'I can see my stats have improved greatly.
'I can't say whether the increase in strength was because of the stat points I put into it, or if it was because I have killed so many people.'
'Either way, I can't complain. More power means less pain.'
'I guess I'll continue leveling up for now. It's the only way to become stronger. I need to keep killing until I reach the max level if there even is one.'
'After that, I can think about what I want to do.
'For now, though, I'll just focus on getting stronger.
'As I thought about this, I got back into the carriage that we came in waiting for Markus and Lina and the group I don't even know the names of to get back inside.'
****
Lina's Pov
"Hey, why was Kamish so weak" Lina scoffed,
"A current royal guard should be able to fight him on even grounds aren't dragons supposed to be strong"
"Young miss as we don't know the age of this dragon but as how he looks it looks like he was born recently "
'So that's why he's weak'
'I'll ask him later'
The carriage continued its travel with nothing interesting happening.
A few hours later they finally arrived at the city gate.
The guard stationed at the gate stopped the carriage. The carriage itself looked like a nobles carriage so it wasn't weird for the guard to stop it.
"State your business" the guard asked.
"We're here to visit the royal family." Lina answered.
The guard's eyes widened when he heard the words "royal family."
"W-wait a minute. I need to get the captain."
The guard quickly ran off, leaving the carriage alone at the gate.
After a few minutes, the guard returned with the captain of the gate. The captain was a tall man with brown hair and a stern expression.
"Who are you and what do you want?"
"My name is Lina Dragnof and I'm here to visit my family."
"Dragnof... you're the daughter of his majesty Dragnof."
The captain seemed surprised to hear that.
"Yes, I am. And this is my personal guard, Markus."
"I see. Well, you may enter. I'll have someone guide you to the palace."
The captain gave a signal to a soldier standing nearby, who ran off immediately.
Lina and the rest entered the city.
"This city is huge" Marcus said.
"Yeah, it is. And it's even bigger on the inside."
The city was bustling with activity. People were walking around, buying and selling goods, and generally enjoying themselves.
It was massive capital. It looked like a capital from a fantasy setting, the people and the buildings all looked medieval, but at the same time, they weren't. The architecture and the clothing were from medieval times, but the technology was not. There were horses, wagons, and people walking everywhere. Some were dressed in simple clothes, while others were wearing fancy dresses and suits. It was a sight to behold.
The carriage traveled through the streets, passing by many different buildings. It finally stopped in front of a large Castle.
The castle itself was huge. It was built with grey bricks and had many towers. There was a moat around the castle, which was filled with water. A drawbridge was lowered over the moat, allowing people to enter the castle. The carriage crossed the bridge and entered the castle grounds.
"We've arrived at the palace."
Markus said.
(Can I get some Power Stones💎)
——————-
Author here.
i don't usually ask for powers stones but I would appreciate it if you gave some and I do appreciate all that have given powerstones thx I also want to say thx for reading this everyone
daily Info dump won't spoil anything. but no matter how hard you try to hide it you are able to sense how much magic someone or something has and are able to make an estimate of how strong they are this happens a lot in the manga. To do this you would have to be qualified and be extremely skilled with magic.
Also the group dose have names we are only telling it from the main Point of view of the MC /Kamish so if it's characters around us and they don't physically have one yet because they haven't been introduced that's why. they do have one but Mc hasn't learned them yet so its blank for you guys
Also I got to stop posting 3000+ word chapters.
y'all will think its the norm around here On a serious note this was a plot and background setting chapter I'll say sorry because it wasnt as action-packed as the last chapters
Anyways sorry for the Yap Thanks for Reading