The walk back to Count Edward's manor took twice as long as the journey in. I was no longer a passenger in Elena's sling. I walked beside her, my new body—one and a half meters of bronze‑scaled, horn‑ridged, golden‑eyed draconic newt—crunching through the forest floor with each step. The others gave me a wide berth at first, but by the time we reached the edge of the woods, Larren was patting my flank and Kellan was muttering about how my new claws could easily tear through iron like a scrap of paper. I also felt the same about my new form, so I didn't disagree.
The Count met us in his study, his tired eyes going wide the moment I stepped through the door.
"That is not the lizard you left with," he said. His eyes lingered on my draconic newt form.
Elena slumped into a chair, exhausted. "He evolved after eating that mutated mantis core and fighting a corrupted chimera."
The Count's eyes widened. "Fighting a chimera? You must have been out of your minds. Did I not say you were only responsible for finding the anomaly and that mutated iron mantis?" He ran a hand through his graying hair, exhaling sharply. "At least you're all in one piece. Damn that accursed mage." He cursed under his breath, then looked at Elena, his expression shifting from anger to grim curiosity.
"What grade was that chimera?" the Count asked.
Elena exchanged a glance with Mira, then answered. "Low Elite, at least. Maybe mid-Elite. Its body was stitched together from at least four different beasts—lion body, serpent tail, wolf and eagle heads, and a horned lizard as the main head, with iron talons and vestigial wings." She paused. "And it had been down there for twenty years. Kept alive by a forbidden array to guard that forbidden lab."
The Count asked for details about what exactly happened. Elena patiently explained the events that had occurred.
Count Edward was silent for a long moment. Then he poured himself another glass of wine, drained it in one gulp, and set the glass down with a sharp click.
"I'm raising your payment to triple," he said. "And I'm writing a personal commendation to the Academy. You've earned it."
He poured glasses of wine for the humans and, after a pause, set out a bowl of fresh meat for me. I ate gratefully. A small panel notification appeared: [Boar meat consumed - Obtained 2.6 Gene Points.] It filled my stomach.
Later that evening, Elena and I sat on a balcony overlooking the Count's gardens. The moon was full, and my new eyes drank in every detail of the night—the heat signatures of birds in the trees, the slow pulse of mana rising from the soil.
«You've been quiet,» I said through the link.
She replied with a light sigh. "My father is Viscount Aurenshade, from House Aurenshade—one of the four great Mage families in the royal capital," she said. "He governs a coastal territory called Seabreak, on the shores of the Serpentine Gulf. Fishing, trade, some salt mines. Nothing exciting."
«And you?»
"I am Elena Aurenshade, studying second year in the Magical Research branch. Publishing our research results to the Academy—if it produces a decent benefit—we can get a chance to go to the Central Continent, where all the mana in the world is concentrated. It's a dream of everyone in this subcontinent."
She let out a bitter laugh. "But my father wants to finalize my engagement. To a nephew of Duchess Seraphine. A spoiled, arrogant boy who thinks magic is for show and adventure squads are 'beneath his station.'" She spat the words like poison. "I don't want that life, Vritra. I want to learn new spells, lead my squad, explore ruins. Not sit in some manor pouring tea for entitled nobles."
«Elena, how about we help each other? I can help you with your research and other things. You can help me find food, hunt magical beasts, etc.»
Elena asked, "It sounds good. But how can you help me?"
«You know that I am not a normal beast but a special and unique one. Just get me a large catch of fish in your Seabreak town tomorrow, and I will show you why I am called Vritra,» I told her with a smug tone.
She immediately laughed, reached for my head, and started rubbing her cheeks against my head.
«Thank you, Vritra. I believe in you, my lizard partner.»
After Elena fell asleep, I curled up on the balcony and opened my panel. The familiar translucent screen flickered to life, now tinged with a faint orange glow—a reflection of my draconic core.
Gene Upgrade Panel
[Name: Ren / Vritra]
[Species: Draconic Newt (Grade D)]
[Available Gene Points: 11.4]
[Length: 1.5 meters (including tail)]
[Abilities:]
- Draconic Rend (upgraded from Clawed Strike)
- Dragon's Lockjaw (upgraded from Grip Jaw)
- Ember Sense (thermal and mana flow detection; upgraded from Mana Perception)
- Amphibious Surge (water mobility and burst speed)
- Scale Regrowth (passive/active regeneration)
- Additional minor abilities not shown
[Next Evolution Threshold: 500 Gene Points]
[Required additional material: Fire Beast Core]
[Available Evolution Paths:]
Fire Salamander (500 GP + Fire Beast Core)
- Unlocks: Fire Breath (cone of flame), Heat Resistance (immune to non‑magical fire, resistant to magical fire), Magma Claws (claws ignite on command)
- Size increase: 2.5 meters
- Grade upgrade: D → C
Two‑Headed Wyrm (600 GP + Elite Beast Core + Hydra Gene [available])
- Unlocks: Dual Elements (fire + water breath), Parallel Thinking (both heads operate independently, doubling perception and spellcasting), Elemental Switching (switch between fire and water affinity mid‑combat), Regeneration (minor, can regrow a lost head over time)
- Size increase: 2.8 meters
- Grade upgrade: D → C
- Warning: Dual consciousness may cause personality fragmentation. Requires strong will.
??? (Locked – requires draconic bloodline material and 1,000+ GP)
I stared at the panel for a long time.
Fire Salamander was straightforward. Fire breath, heat immunity, bigger claws. A classic dragon‑lite path.
But Two‑Headed Wyrm… that was something else. Parallel thinking. Two elements. Regeneration. The hydra gene I had gotten from the Count's shed skin made it possible. The cost was higher—600 GP instead of 500, plus an Elite Beast Core instead of a regular Fire Beast Core—but the potential was enormous.
Two heads, two breath weapons, two independent minds working together. I thought of the chimera's three heads, each tracking a different target. That kind of awareness could make me nearly impossible to ambush.
Personality fragmentation?
I wasn't worried. My human mind was stable. If anyone could handle two perspectives at once, it was me.
The real problem was the cost. I had just over 11 GP. I needed either 500 or 600, plus a core. That meant a lot of hunting—and probably relying on Elena's connections to find elite beasts.
I need to know her better. Her world. Her contacts. And I need to keep her safe. She's not just a handler anymore.
I looked over at her sleeping form, curled in a chair, her breathing slow and peaceful. My old, jaded human heart felt warm. After months of running and fighting, her presence was the first thing that felt like home.
I closed the panel and looked out at the moonlit forest.
I wonder what is special about that Central Continent…
I fell asleep to the rhythm of my own mana core, pulsing softly in my chest like a second heart.