The violet pillar of fire finally receded, leaving a scorched circle on the ancient marble altar. I stood in the center of the ruins, but the ground felt... further away.
I looked down at my limbs. My claws were longer, fused with a dark, metallic sheen that pulsed with a faint purple glow. My tail had lengthened, tipped with a blade that looked like it could slice through a mountain. But the biggest change was the weight on my back. I unfurled my wings—massive, leathery sails that felt strong enough to create a hurricane with a single flap.
[Evolution Complete!]
[New Race: Adolescent Void-Ripper Dragon]
[Level: 10 -> 1] (Tier 2 Evolution)
[New Ability Unlocked: 'Humanoid Echo' (Passive/Active)]
Humanoid Echo? I focused on the skill. Images flooded my mind—memories of being Arthur, of having soft skin and two legs. My draconic body began to itch, a strange heat bubbling under my scales.
Slowly, the obsidian armor retracted. My massive wings folded into my shoulder blades, and my snout receded. Within seconds, I was standing on the altar in a human body. I looked about eighteen, with messy black hair and eyes that still held a faint, dangerous violet glow. I was naked, but my skin was covered in faint, black tribal tattoos that followed the lines of my old scales.
[Status: Human Form Active.]
[Note: Your physical stats are reduced by 50% in this form, but you can blend into human civilizations.]
"Finally," I whispered. My voice was clear now, no longer a guttural growl. "I can walk among them."
But the peace didn't last. The sound of heavy, rhythmic thumping echoed from the jungle. A squad of Paladin Knights on armored mounts burst into the clearing, led by a man in shimmering silver plate armor.
"The pillar came from here!" the leader shouted, drawing a sword that glowed with a sickeningly bright yellow light. He stopped when he saw me standing in the ruins, surrounded by the dust of the Solar Chimera. "You! Boy! Where is the beast? We saw a Chaos eruption!"
I looked at the Paladin, then at my own human hands. I could kill them all in my dragon form, but if I wanted to find the Sovereigns' weakness, I needed to play the long game.
I forced my face into an expression of pure terror. "It... it went toward the North!" I pointed toward the deepest part of the jungle. "It killed the Chimera and flew away!"
The Paladin narrowed his eyes, scanning the ruins. He looked at the scorched earth, then back at me. "And how did a peasant like you survive a Chaos Dragon?"
I reached into my [Dimensional Pocket]—a skill I had kept from my inheritance—and pulled out a broken, common iron dagger I'd scavenged earlier. "I hid in the catacombs under the altar," I lied, my voice trembling perfectly.
The leader sighed, sheathing his sword. "Lucky brat. The Sun shines on you today. Come, we must escort him to the Border City. The Inquisitors will want to question anyone who saw the Abomination."
I bowed my head to hide the predatory smirk growing on my lips. Perfect. Take me right to your front door.
[New Quest: The Trojan Dragon.]
[Objective: Infiltrate the City of Oakhaven and locate the 'Great Library'.]
[Reward: Hidden Skill 'Mana Concealment'.]
I climbed onto the back of one of their spare horses, the "Will of Kaelith" humming in my mind. The hunt hadn't ended; it had just changed shape.