The journey to Seabreak took three days. Count Edward provided a carriage—a sturdy, enclosed wagon pulled by two draft horses. I rode inside with Elena, my draconic newt body taking up most of the floor space. Kellan and Larren rode up front with the driver, while Mira traveled separately on horseback.
When the carriage crested the final hill, I saw Seabreak for the first time.
The town sprawled along a crescent-shaped bay, its white stone buildings gleaming in the afternoon sun. Fishing boats dotted the harbor like scattered seeds. The sea stretched beyond—endless, blue, and shimmering with mana so dense I could see it from here, a soft turquoise glow rising from the waves.
«The mana here is strong,» I said through the link.
Elena nodded. "The Serpentine Gulf sits on a ley line intersection. That's why the fish are so abundant. And why my family settled here."
The carriage rolled through the town gates and up a winding road to the Aurenshade estate—a modest castle compared to Count Edward's manor, but still imposing, with weathered stone walls and a single tower overlooking the sea.
As we stepped down from the carriage, a tall, thin man in a formal black coat approached. His hair was silver at the temples, and a thin, meticulously trimmed mustache adorned his upper lip. His eyes, sharp and kind, settled on me with polite curiosity.
"Good to see you, Miss Elena," he said with a slight bow. "Lord Viscount will be happy that you're finally willing to come home."
"Good to see you too, Mr. Oswin," Elena replied. "Is Father still angry at me?"
"No, Miss Elena, it's quite alright. His anger will fade the moment he sees you." Oswin's gaze drifted to me. "I see you've brought an unusual lizard pet this time."
"Yes, Oswin. Vritra, say hello to Mr. Oswin." Elena waved her hand toward me.
I raised my tail and gave a slow, deliberate wag—like a dog greeting a stranger, but more dignified.
Oswin's eyes widened. "Oh my goodness. It's an intelligent creature you've brought, Miss Elena."
Oswin led us through the castle halls, past tapestries depicting sea battles and ancestral portraits. At the end of a long corridor, double doors opened into a spacious study.
Viscount Aldric Aurenshade sat behind a heavy oak desk, a quill in his hand, signing documents with practiced strokes. He was a handsome man in his late forties, with Elena's dark hair and sharp cheekbones, but his eyes held a weary depth that spoke of responsibility and loss.
He stopped writing the moment Elena entered. His gaze softened.
"Look who finally decided to come home," he said, his voice warm.
"I'm sorry, Dad," Elena said, stepping forward. "I got busy at the Academy."
Aldric's eyes shifted to me. "And you've brought an unusual creature. I thought my daughter would keep a cat or a rabbit as a pet. A big lizard is an… unexpected choice." He set down his quill and rose from his chair, circling around the desk to get a better look. "A magical beast, perhaps. It has a common core, I see."
Elena crouched beside me, placing her hand on my left foreleg—the dragon‑like claw with obsidian talons.
"Father, meet Vritra, my bonded partner. Vritra, this is my father, Aldric Aurenshade."
Aldric's eyebrows rose. "Partner? Not a tamed beast? That's unusual, Elena. Why would you keep a lizard as a partner beast rather than a tamed one? You know beasts can become aggressive. And why introduce it to me as if it understands what I'm saying?"
Elena's smile turned smug and cheerful. "Oh, Father, you'll be surprised by how special he is. He isn't just a beast—he's intelligent and fully capable of conversing with humans. And he has draconic lineage."
Aldric circled me slowly, observing every scale, every horn ridge. He stopped in front of my face, studying my golden eyes.
"You can understand what I'm saying?" he asked.
I gave a slight, deliberate nod.
He stepped back, visibly shocked. After a long pause, he turned to Elena. "I am… willing to accept Vritra as your bonded beast. But first—what about the decision regarding the engagement with Duchess Seraphine's nephew? You said you would agree if you didn't reach the two‑circle mage core in two years. A year and a half has already passed. They are asking for confirmation."
He began pacing. "You know, if you marry into their family, they can take you to the Central Continent. They have connections there. I, your father, am only a viscount. Our Aurenshade House is equal to House Seraphine in status, but the mainline family in the capital won't help us. We are just a branch family."
Elena's expression grew serious. "I know, Dad. There are still six months left until the agreed date. Let me try for the next three months. If I don't attain the second‑circle mage core in three months, then I will do as you say."
Aldric stopped pacing. His tone turned firm. "You said it. Keep your word. I'll manage the rest."
Elena nodded, then added, "One more thing, Dad. I promised Vritra I would help him hunt magic beasts and feed him fish at the seashore."
Aldric laughed—a genuine, warm sound. "Anything for my sweet daughter. Oswin, make sure to fulfill Elena's requests. And perhaps arrange a nest for Vritra to live in."
Oswin bowed. "Yes, my lord."
Elena spent the rest of the afternoon with her father, catching up on family matters. Oswin, ever efficient, led me through the castle's back gates and down a stone path to the harbor.
The sea air was crisp and salty. Seagulls wheeled overhead. Oswin spoke briefly with a group of laborers, who then loaded a carriage with three large bamboo baskets, each overflowing with freshly caught fish.
At the edge of a wooden pier, Oswin gestured to the laborers. They tipped the first basket, pouring a cascade of silver and gold scales onto the weathered planks.
"Please, have your fill, Mr. Vritra," Oswin said. "Tomorrow, I will arrange for magic beast meat to be brought to you."
I didn't need a second invitation.
The fish were still fresh—eyes clear, gills red, bodies slick with seawater. I grabbed a fat carp in my jaws, bit down, and crunched. The spine snapped. Flesh and scales ground between my teeth. Within ten seconds, the entire fish was gone.
A notification flashed:
[Common Carp consumed - Obtained 0.8 Gene Points.]
I moved to the next—a black mackerel with oily, rich flesh.
[Black Mackerel consumed - Obtained 0.9 Gene Points.]
Then a trout, its pink meat sweet and tender.
[Trout consumed - Obtained 1.1 Gene Points.]
I ate methodically, like a machine designed to convert fish into power. Oswin watched in stunned silence as I devoured fish after fish, my jaws never slowing.
By the time the first basket was empty, my stomach bulged. The panel showed:
[Total Available Gene Points: 56.3]
«That's fifty‑six from just one basket,» I thought, amazed. «If I finish all three…»
But my digestive system was already working overtime. A warm, drowsy feeling spread through my body. My scales tingled. My bones ached faintly—a familiar sensation.
Growth.
Oswin led me to a wooden shelter near the harbor, a simple structure with a straw bed and a roof to block the rain. I curled up and fell asleep within minutes.
I woke the next morning to find myself changed.
My body had stretched. My legs were thicker. My tail, longer. I pushed myself up and examined my reflection in a puddle of rainwater.
Length: 2.3 meters (including tail) – up from 1.5 meters.
Weight: Approximately 18 kilograms – up from 8 kilograms.
My scales had darkened slightly, the bronze edges becoming more pronounced. The tiny horn ridge along my spine had grown sharper. I flexed my dragon claw; the obsidian talons had lengthened by a centimeter.
«Not bad for one meal.»
I left the shelter and found the remaining two baskets still waiting, covered with wet cloth to keep the fish fresh. Oswin was nowhere in sight—probably still asleep.
I resumed eating.
This time, I was more deliberate. I savored each fish, noting the differences. A red snapper gave me 1.0 GP. A sea bass gave 1.2 GP. A small shark, no bigger than my forearm, gave 2.4 GP—its flesh denser, richer in mana.
By the time I had finished one and a half baskets, I could eat no more. My stomach felt like a drum stretched tight.
I checked the panel:
[Total Available Gene Points: 129.7]
One hundred and thirty. Less than a third of the way to the Two‑Headed Wyrm, but far more than I had ever held at once.
I dragged myself back to the shelter and collapsed into a deep, regenerative sleep.
When Oswin returned in the evening, he found me unconscious. Later, he told me he had stood at the door for a full minute, unable to speak.
I had grown again.
Length: 2.5 meters.
Weight: Approximately 35 kilograms.
My scales had darkened to a deep bronze, almost brown, with crimson edges that caught the lantern light. The horn ridges on my head had begun to form tiny spikes—not yet horns, but the promise of them. My muscles felt like steel cables under my hide.
Oswin simply bowed and left a fresh bucket of water. I drank, then slept again.
The next afternoon, Elena came to see me.
She stopped at the entrance of the shelter, her mouth hanging open.
"Vritra? Is that… still you?"
I uncurled slowly, rising to my full height. My head reached her waist. My body, from snout to tail tip, now stretched 2.5 meters—long and sinuous like a serpent, but thick with muscle. My body width had grown to nearly one meter at the shoulders.
Weight: 53 kilograms.
My scales were now a deep, burnished bronze, each one the size of a coin, overlapping like armor. The tiny horn nubs on my head had grown into proper spikes—three on each side, curving backward. My golden eyes glowed faintly in the dim light.
«Still me,» I thought. «Just… more.»
Elena laughed, a sound of pure wonder. "You're as big as a calf! What happened?"
«Fish,» I said simply. «Lots and lots of fish.»
I opened my panel to show her—not the screen, but the results.
Gene Upgrade Panel (Chapter 11 Update)
[Name: Ren / Vritra]
[Species: Draconic Newt (Grade D – nearing Grade C)]
[Available Gene Points: 129.7]
[Length: 2.5 meters (including tail)]
[Weight: 53 kilograms]
[Body width: 0.9 meters at shoulders]
[Notable physical changes:]
- Scales thickened; now equivalent to boiled leather armor
- Horn spikes on head (3 per side, 3 cm each)
- Dragon claw (left foreleg) talons now 5 cm long
- Jaw strength increased by 40%
- Muscle density doubled
«I'm getting closer,» I told Elena. «To the next evolution. But I need more than fish. I need magic beasts. Cores.»
She nodded, her expression determined. "Then we start tomorrow. Oswin is already arranging for a hunt in the coastal cliffs. There's a Fire Salamander den reported nearby—perfect for your Fire Beast Core."
I felt a surge of anticipation.
«Then let's not keep them waiting.»