[Skill Fragment acquired...]
[Stone Hide.]
Noir stood motionless for several seconds. His gaze was fixed on the system window, while the aftermath of the fight he’d just had still stung.
He could feel his beautiful, powerful body growing stronger; his mana reserves had expanded a little more than before.
But... that wasn’t the important part. He’d just gained a new skill!
’...Does that mean what I think it means?’
The little dragon wagged his tail excitedly. He didn’t need to think about it too much.
’Status Window.’
[Devourer System]
Host: Noir Nocturnus
Race: True Dragon
Title: None
Energy Source: Mana
Unique Skill: [Devourer]
Magic: [Dragon Language]
Racial Skills: [Dragon Breath], [Draconic Claws], [Draconic Senses], [Night Vision]
Skills (New): [Stone Hide (New).]
’It’s really there!’
Noir looked at the new part of the system section that hadn’t been there before. He wagged his tail back and forth, excited. He hadn’t expected the system to lie, but seeing it in writing was different.
It was real.
He had obtained a skill.
Noir’s dragon heart began to race; with his unique skill, he could acquire endless skills and become ridiculously overpowered.
’Thank you to the god who gave me this second chance and this incredible skill... if I ever find you, I promise I won’t devour you completely.’
Excitedly, he tries to activate his new skill, but at first, nothing happens. Noir frowns: Did they rip him off?
’Huh? Why isn’t it working?’
He tried again; there shouldn’t be any problem; after all, this skill was his now, right? Right!
This time, he felt the mana in his body slowly move toward his scales, and a sensation of pressure spread across his skin.
Noir lowered his head. His black scales seemed to have hardened slightly, and in some areas of his legs, a stony gray hue appeared.
His eyes sparkled with excitement.
’Kakaka...! It works!’
He lifted a paw and tapped a nearby rock.
Tok!
It shattered into several pieces that scattered in different directions, striking his body in the process.
He blinked, looked at his paw, and then struck harder.
TOK!
The impact barely fazed him. Noir opened his mouth in surprise; he hadn’t expected his blow to be so powerful with this skill.
’This will come in handy when I face other monsters.’
The sensation disappeared a few seconds later, and the scales returned to normal. It seemed to be consuming mana, but in a very small amount compared to what it consumed when trying to use Dragon Language.
Just by uttering a single letter, Noir fainted until his mana reserves were fully restored.
***
As the small, plump dragon examined his new ability, something soft brushed against one of his horns.
"!!!"
Noir tensed instantly and whipped his head around.
The golden orb was there.
Much closer than before.
The little spirit floated slowly around him, tracing gentle circles in the air. Its light was soft and warm, a far cry from the aloofness it had shown earlier.
Noir watched him in silence.
And then he remembered.
The tunnel.
The smell of blood.
The jaws that had nearly torn his neck apart.
A slight irritation flared up in his chest.
’...Wait a second.’
His eyes narrowed.
That thing had led him straight to that monster.
Yes, he’d gained a new skill, and the outcome had turned out well, but that didn’t change the fact that he’d almost ended up as a meal.
And the more he thought about it... the more annoyed he felt.
Without warning, Noir lashed out.
Whoosh!
The sphere dodged it easily, moving aside just a few centimeters.
He didn’t stop.
He leaped forward and attacked again with both legs, even flapping his tiny wings in sheer frustration.
The golden sphere dodged him once more, floating lightly between his attacks.
But it didn’t strike back.
It didn’t give off an aggressive vibe.
Nor did it show any hostility.
It just... kept dodging.
’What a slippery bastard!’
Noir finally came to a stop, breathing heavily as he watched his with obvious suspicion.
The little spirit hovered in front of him. It didn’t seem scared or arrogant, but rather... curious, as if it were watching and studying him.
Noir tilted his head slightly.
’...So now you want to socialize?’
The sphere slowly circled him and glowed a little brighter. For a moment, Noir had the absurd impression that it looked satisfied.
Before he could think about it any further, the spirit descended and gently brushed his cheek with its glowing surface.
Noir froze.
"..."
He looked down at that tiny thing pressed against his face and slowly opened his mouth.
CLACK!
The bite missed completely.
The sphere shot backward and began fluttering around his head with frantic, almost indignant flashes.
Noir turned his head with absolute dignity.
’I don’t know what you’re complaining about. I would only devour you just a little bit.’
The sphere kept circling him, clearly annoyed.
He pushed it aside with his paw and didn’t give it another thought.
The little dragon continued toward the depths.
And the golden sphere fluttered around his head a couple of times before settling on him, like a bright, bold crown.
’...Don’t get used to it.’
***
It had been 10 days since he gained his first ability after devouring his first monster.
The little dragon kept walking through the tunnel as his paws echoed against the damp stone.
He was getting tired of seeing the same thing for so long; the only thing that had kept him entertained was the little spirit he had tried to devour.
Then, Noir finally noticed... The surroundings were changing.
The walls were no longer just bare rock. Mineral veins ran through the cave like crystallized roots, casting faint bluish glows. Some areas even gave off a faint warmth.
His Draconic Senses remained on high alert. After that fight, Noir had learned something important.
This place wasn’t safe.
And, honestly... That excited him.
’Monsters, skills, magic...’
He wagged his tail contentedly.
’Now that’s a decent reincarnation.’
The golden orb descended once more and hovered in front of him, as if trying to get his attention.
Noir narrowed his eyes.
’What’s going on now?’
The light moved a few feet forward and stopped again.
Waiting for him.
He let out a small snort through his nose.
’You’re definitely using me for your own amusement.’
But he ended up following it.
After all, the little spirit seemed to know the cave better than he did.
The tunnel began to slope downward again, and the air grew heavier. Noir sensed something strange.
His vertical pupils narrowed.
The sphere also stopped moving.
In front of them, beyond a bend in the tunnel, a faint reddish glow illuminated the darkness.