The forest was alive with the sounds of morning—birds chirping, leaves rustling, and the distant calls of unseen creatures. Liam stretched his new Wyvern form, his wings unfurling for the first time. They were leathery and strong, with a faint golden sheen that caught the sunlight. He flexed them experimentally, feeling the power in each movement.
"Flight," he muttered, a grin spreading across his serpentine face. "This changes everything."
He checked his system interface, a habit that was becoming second nature.
Host: Liam
Current Form: Wyvern (High-level Beast)
Evolution Points: 0/500
Skills: [Venomous Bite], [Petrifying Gaze], [Flight]
Talents: None
"Five hundred points," Liam thought. "This is going to take some work."
But he was ready. With his new wings, he could hunt faster and more efficiently. The forest was no longer a place of danger—it was his domain.
Liam climbed to the top of a rocky outcrop, his wings spread wide. The wind tugged at his scales, and he could feel the thrill of anticipation. He took a deep breath, then leaped into the air.
For a moment, he plummeted, his heart racing. But then his wings caught the air, and he soared upward, the ground falling away beneath him. The forest stretched out below, a sea of green and brown, and Liam felt a surge of exhilaration.
"This is amazing!" he thought, banking sharply to avoid a tree.
But his joy was short-lived. Flying was harder than he had expected. His wings ached, and his stamina drained quickly. After a few minutes, he was forced to land, panting heavily.
"Ding! Skill [Flight] has leveled up. Current level: 1. Stamina increased."
"Good," Liam muttered. "I'll need to practice."
Liam decided to use his new skill to hunt. He took to the air again, this time more cautiously. From above, the forest looked different—smaller, more manageable. He could see creatures moving through the underbrush, their movements clear and predictable.
His first target was a Level 4 Forest Stag, grazing in a small clearing. Liam circled above, his golden eyes fixed on his prey. When the moment was right, he dove, his wings folded tightly against his body.
The stag looked up too late. Liam struck like a bolt of lightning, his fangs sinking into the stag's neck. The creature thrashed wildly, but Liam held on, his venom coursing through its veins.
"Ding! Host has defeated a Level 4 Forest Stag. Gained 20 Evolution Points. Current progress: 20/500."
Liam released his grip, panting slightly. The stag's body dissolved into glowing energy, which flowed into him. He could feel himself growing stronger, his wings becoming more powerful.
"This is working," he thought. "But I need bigger prey."
As Liam continued his hunt, he heard a piercing cry above him. He looked up to see a massive Level 5 Sky Eagle circling overhead. The eagle's wingspan was enormous, and its talons gleamed in the sunlight.
"Ding! Host has encountered a Level 5 Sky Eagle. Proceed with extreme caution."
Liam's heart raced. The eagle was a formidable opponent, but he couldn't back down. He activated [Petrifying Gaze], his eyes glowing faintly as he focused on the eagle. The creature froze momentarily, its muscles locking up. Liam struck quickly, his fangs sinking into the eagle's leg. The paralysis wore off almost immediately, and the eagle thrashed wildly, but Liam held on, his venom coursing through the creature's veins.
The battle was fierce, but Liam's agility and venom gave him the edge. Finally, the eagle collapsed, its body twitching as the venom took its toll.
"Ding! Host has defeated a Level 5 Sky Eagle. Gained 30 Evolution Points. Current progress: 50/500."
Liam felt a surge of energy as the eagle's essence flowed into him. He could feel himself growing stronger, his wings becoming slightly tougher, his movements more agile.
"This is working," he thought. "But I need to be careful. That eagle was tough."
As Liam continued his hunt, he noticed something unusual—a faint, glowing light emanating from a hidden grove. The entrance was partially hidden by vines and moss, but the light was unmistakable. Curiosity piqued, Liam slithered closer.
"Ding! Host has discovered a hidden location: Spirit Grove. Proceed with caution."
Liam hesitated. The grove looked ominous, but the promise of something valuable was too tempting to ignore. He activated [Petrifying Gaze] and [Venomous Bite], ready for anything.
Inside, the grove was dark and damp, but the glowing light guided him. The walls were covered in strange carvings—symbols and images that seemed to tell a story. Liam couldn't decipher them, but they gave him an uneasy feeling.
As he ventured deeper, he heard a low growl. His senses went on high alert, and he coiled his body, ready to strike. Emerging from the shadows was a creature he hadn't seen before—a Level 6 Spirit Wolf, its fur matted and its eyes glowing with a faint, unnatural light.
"Ding! Host has encountered a Level 6 Spirit Wolf. Proceed with extreme caution."
The wolf roared, its massive paws slamming into the ground as it charged. Liam dodged, but barely. He activated [Petrifying Gaze], but the wolf shook off the effect almost immediately.
"Not strong enough," Liam realized. He needed a new strategy.
He struck quickly, his fangs sinking into the wolf's leg. The wolf roared in pain, thrashing wildly, but Liam held on. His venom coursed through the wolf's body, weakening it with every passing second.
The battle was fierce, but Liam's agility and venom gave him the edge. Finally, the wolf collapsed, its body twitching as the venom took its toll.
"Ding! Host has defeated a Level 6 Spirit Wolf. Gained 40 Evolution Points. Current progress: 90/500."
Liam felt a surge of energy as the wolf's essence flowed into him. He could feel himself growing stronger, his wings becoming slightly tougher, his movements more agile.
"This is working," he thought. "But I need to be careful. That wolf was tough."
As Liam caught his breath, he noticed something glinting in the corner of the grove. He slithered closer, his golden eyes narrowing. It was a small, glowing crystal, embedded in the wall. The light he had seen earlier was coming from it.
"Ding! Host has discovered a rare item: Spirit Crystal. Absorb to gain additional Evolution Points."
Liam didn't hesitate. He focused on the crystal, and it dissolved into a stream of glowing energy that flowed into him.
"Ding! Host has absorbed a Spirit Crystal. Gained 50 Evolution Points. Current progress: 140/500."
"Almost there," Liam thought, his excitement growing. "Just a little more, and I'll evolve again."
Liam left the grove, his mind racing with possibilities. He was so close to his next evolution, and he couldn't afford to waste time. He slithered through the forest, his senses on high alert, searching for his next target.
He didn't have to wait long. A Level 4 Forest Panther emerged from the shadows, its eyes locked on Liam. The panther was sleek and powerful, its muscles rippling as it moved.
"Ding! Host has encountered a Level 4 Forest Panther. Proceed with caution."
Liam activated [Petrifying Gaze], his eyes glowing faintly as he focused on the panther. The creature froze momentarily, its muscles locking up. Liam struck quickly, his fangs sinking into the panther's neck. The paralysis wore off almost immediately, and the panther thrashed wildly, but Liam held on, his venom coursing through the creature's veins.
The battle was intense, but Liam's new form gave him the strength to endure. Finally, the panther collapsed, its body twitching as the venom took its toll.
"Ding! Host has defeated a Level 4 Forest Panther. Gained 25 Evolution Points. Current progress: 165/500."
Liam released his grip, panting slightly. The panther's body dissolved into glowing energy, which flowed into him. He could feel himself growing stronger, his scales becoming slightly tougher, his movements more agile.
"Almost there," he thought. "Just one more."
Liam's final target was a Level 3 Forest Boar, grazing peacefully in a small clearing. He circled the clearing, staying hidden in the shadows, his golden eyes fixed on his prey.
"Ding! Host has encountered a Level 3 Forest Boar. Proceed with caution."
Liam activated [Petrifying Gaze], his eyes glowing faintly as he focused on the boar. The creature froze momentarily, its muscles locking up. Liam struck quickly, his fangs sinking into the boar's neck. The paralysis wore off almost immediately, and the boar thrashed wildly, but Liam held on, his venom coursing through the creature's veins.
The battle was intense, but Liam's new form gave him the strength to endure. Finally, the boar collapsed, its body twitching as the venom took its toll.
"Ding! Host has defeated a Level 3 Forest Boar. Gained 15 Evolution Points. Current progress: 180/500."
Liam released his grip, panting slightly. The boar's body dissolved into glowing energy, which flowed into him. He could feel himself growing stronger, his scales becoming slightly tougher, his movements more agile.
"Just a little more," he thought.
He continued his hunt, taking down a few more small creatures. Each kill brought him closer to his goal, and he could feel the changes in his body. His movements were faster, his strikes more precise, and his venom more potent.
Finally, after taking down a Level 2 Forest Lizard, he heard the system's voice.
"Ding! Host has reached 200 Evolution Points. Evolution available. Proceed with evolution?"
"Yes!" Liam hissed, his excitement barely contained.
A warm, tingling sensation spread through his body as the evolution began. His scales shimmered, growing thicker and more pronounced. His body elongated, becoming more muscular and powerful. His fangs grew longer, and his venom glands expanded.
When the process was complete, Liam looked at himself in a nearby puddle of water. He was no longer a Wyvern. His body was larger, his scales a darker shade of green with hints of gold. His eyes glowed with a faint, golden light.
"Ding! Evolution complete. Host's new form: Drake (Elite-level Beast).
New Skill unlocked: [Fire Breath]
Evolution Points reset: 0/1000"
"Drake," Liam muttered, testing the word. "Not bad. And a new skill, too."
He focused on his new skill, [Fire Breath]. The description appeared in his mind.
[Fire Breath]: Allows the host to breathe a stream of fire. Range and intensity depend on the host's level and stamina.
"Now we're talking," Liam said with a grin. "This could be a game-changer."
As the stars began to appear in the night sky, Liam found a new hiding spot—a hollow tree trunk. He coiled up inside, his mind racing with thoughts of what lay ahead.
"If I can keep defeating stronger creatures, I'll evolve quickly," he mused. "But I need to be careful. One mistake, and I'm done for."
He opened the system interface, checking his progress.
Host: Liam
Current Form: Drake (Elite-level Beast)
Evolution Points: 0/1000
Skills: [Venomous Bite], [Petrifying Gaze], [Flight], [Fire Breath]
Talents: None
"Not bad for a fourth day," he said with a hint of pride. "But I've got a long way to go."
As he drifted off to sleep, Liam dreamed of the future—of soaring through the skies as a mighty dragon, his enemies trembling at his feet. It was a distant dream, but one he was determined to make real.