Noir finished his feast after several minutes.
All that remained scattered on the ground were bloodstains; the little dragon hadn’t left a single bone behind.
Looking at the aftermath, which consisted of churned-up earth and a few trees charred by his Dragon’s Breath.
’I’m much stronger.’
Noir sank onto his hind legs and let out a satisfied sigh as the intense scent of blood flooded his senses.
The exhaustion from the battle was still there. His muscles ached, and several of his scales were covered in dirt and ash. However, beneath all that lay another sensation.
Something different.
A strange sense of fulfillment.
The mana flowed through his body with a fluidity he had never felt before. It was as if every vein, every muscle, and every scale had become more receptive to that invisible energy.
Noir flexed one of his claws; the strength responded immediately, with greater speed and naturalness. It was a difference that was hard to explain, but he could feel it.
It was as if his body was finally beginning to adapt to the enormous amount of power he harbored within.
Then he spread his wings slightly; his red pupils flickered.
Something had changed.
He opened them wide again and looked at the dark membranes unfolding on either side of his body.
They were bigger... not by much, just a few centimeters. But for a creature so small, that difference was impossible to ignore.
Noir took a couple of steps and flapped his wings several times.
The sensation was strange, as if they were slowly approaching the point where they could keep him aloft.
The little dragon’s heart began to race because that meant only one thing.
He was growing.
And for the first time since he had been reincarnated into this world, he could truly feel it.
His body was evolving, gradually transforming him into the creature that would one day rule the skies.
A smile slowly spread across the little black dragon’s face.
’Heh... Maybe this whole devouring things thing really is the best system in the world.’
The golden sphere spun around him, leaving tiny trails of light in its wake.
The little black dragon puffed out his chest proudly.
’Yeah, yeah, I know I’m amazing; you don’t have to remind me so often.’
The sphere flashed mockingly.
Noir narrowed his eyes.
’Don’t make that face. If it weren’t for me, you’d be a shiny toy for a pack of giant dogs right now.’
The sphere spun faster. That only made the little dragon frown even more.
’You know what? I definitely need to figure out how to get you to talk.’
Of course, he got no answer. The orb slowly drifted away among the trees.
Noir watched it go and sighed.
’Not again.’
He knows full well that the treacherous golden sphere wants to lead him once more... and right now, he wants to rest after a hearty meal.
However, the sphere stopped a few meters ahead and emitted another small flash, waiting for him.
The little dragon looked up at the sky. The column of smoke rising from the goblin village was barely visible above the treetops.
Even so, it was still there, reminding him of everything that had happened.
Noir looked away. Thinking too much wouldn’t change anything, nor would it bring anyone back to life... Nor would it answer the questions that kept piling up in his head.
He needed to move on.
Maybe that was what Chrysola had meant.
The world didn’t stop because of one person’s pain, not even because of the destruction of an entire village.
Life went on... And so must he.
’All right, damn floating lamp. I’ll follow you.’
The sphere spun excitedly and shot off among the trees.
Noir followed him at a brisk pace.
The forest was different from anything he had seen since leaving the cave and coming across the goblin village; here, every corner seemed to hide something new.
Giant trees whose canopies blocked out the sunlight, with enormous roots covered in moss. Blue flowers that glowed faintly and tiny creatures that fled as soon as they sensed his presence.
His Draconic Senses remained active, registering every sound and every scent.
The song of unfamiliar birds, the distant murmur of a stream, the movement of small animals underground.
For the first time since the village’s destruction, Noir felt the weight on his chest lift slightly.
The golden sphere continued to make its way through the vegetation, taking impossible paths and passing through areas where the forest grew increasingly dense.
Noir had to push aside several branches with his wings.
’I hope this is worth it.’
The sphere responded with an especially bright flash, as if to tell him to trust it and that everything would be perfectly fine.
This didn’t inspire much confidence in the little black dragon, who even imagined the golden sphere giving him the thumbs-up.
Several hours passed, and the terrain began to rise little by little. The trees grew older and taller.
The air had changed, too.
It was colder and more humid... and there was something else as well, something his draconic senses detected before he could see it.
Mana.
Countless streams of mana.
’Is this real...? Isn’t mana supposed to be like air—something you can’t see?’
Noir slowed down, not quite believing what he was seeing with his own eyes. Was this a special ability of dragons? Or was this place just very special?
The golden sphere floated a few meters ahead, completely still and radiating a proud glow.
The little dragon cautiously made his way to the edge of a huge cliff hidden among the vegetation.
And then he saw it.
His red pupils dilated. Before him lay a vast valley shrouded in bluish mist.
Giant trees grew everywhere; crystal-clear rivers flowed through the landscape. And scattered throughout the area, dozens of magical creatures roamed freely.
Some flew.
Others ran through the grass.
And several were so large that, even from that distance, he could make them out clearly.
The golden sphere spun slowly, proud of its discovery.
Noir remained silent for several seconds. Then, a smile appeared on his face—a genuine smile.
It was his first smile since he left the goblin village.
’Wow...’
The little black dragon’s eyes sparkled with excitement, and his tail wagged enthusiastically, just like a dog’s.
’I guess the outside world still has some interesting surprises in store.’