Like a seasoned hunter, Saron waited with patience. Within the caravan, two formidable Level 9 casters stood guard, and he'd noticed them pocketing some treasures on the sly, overlooked by the soldiers nearby. Additionally, there were several robust warriors equipped with massive crossbows, clearly on high alert for a potential counterattack from the Dragon Mother. With his current power, Saron knew a direct confrontation was out of the question. Thus, he decided to opt for a more cunning approach.

After all, black dragons were notorious across the continent for their devious and sly nature, stopping at nothing in their pursuit of prey or treasure.

As night began to fall, the caravan had yet to leave the treacherous confines of the Bone-Eating Marsh. The carts were too heavy, and the path they trudged through was far from navigable. Despite the horses being bred from strains with dragon lineage, hence much stronger than ordinary horses, they struggled to navigate the mire.

"Let's take a break. This damned place is a nightmare," complained Rod, one of the Level 9 mages specialized in wood magic, wiping sweat from his brow.

"But this swamp is too dangerous, especially at night. We should at least try to get out of these woods first," argued Bran, the water mage, shaking his head.

"Do the soldiers look like they have the strength to go on?" Rod said with a wry smile, gesturing towards the caravan.

Looking over, Bran could see all the warriors were exhausted, panting heavily. Some of the carts had sunk into the mud, with soldiers striving desperately to free them. The heavy armor and weapons they bore now only served to encumber them further.

"Alright then," Bran sighed.

"Everyone, set up camp right here and rest!" Rod called out loudly.

A collective sigh of relief spread among the group. They were at their limit, more drained than if they had been through several battles. Yet as they gathered firewood and prepared their meal, they remained oblivious to the pair of crimson eyes observing them from the thicket.

Watching the worn-out group, Saron knew his moment had come.

Just as a soldier had shed his cumbersome armor, preparing to rest, a claw reached out from the darkness and crushed his skull in an instant. Saron, employing the same method, dispatched the remaining guards and approached the last cart.

He expelled the ring-shaped magic device, fashioned after Rawel's, from his mouth. While Rawel's device didn't contain anything special, it had a spatial capacity of about a dozen cubic feet. Under the influence of his psychic power, the items atop the cart were transferred into the magic device.

Stolen novel; please report.

However, just as Saron secured his loot, an angry shout echoed in the distance: "Who's there?" It seemed he had triggered an alarm spell on the cart.

But his objective was already achieved.

The rest of the treasure was inconsequential. Before anyone could arrive, Saron unleashed a breath of acidic mist that enveloped seven or eight carts, and then disappeared into the night.

By the time the two mages and their warriors arrived, they found nothing but chaos.

...

Carrying his spoils, Saron moved further away from the Bone-Eating Marsh and continued northward. The region was densely forested and sparsely populated—a perfect environment for his development.

He searched for the two younger dragon sisters, Emily and Hannah, but to no avail. They had vanished. Wishing them luck, Saron entered a cave on a cliffside. It seemed to have been previously inhabited by some bird, judging by the scattered feathers. Finding a clean spot, he began to inventory his haul for the day. The magic device released a pile of items before him.

Among the loot of gold and silver coins, the item of greatest interest was the enormous battle-axe. Saron had previously eyed it covetously in the Dragon Mother's den, but, intimidated by her presence, had abandoned the thought. Now, it was his.

The coins, weapons, and the formidable axe should suffice for his next feast. Nonetheless, more was always better. Saron decided to hunt some magical beasts to supplement his ingredients.

Action followed thought. With a powerful flap of his wings, he soared out of the cave in search of nearby magical beasts. These beasts often emitted a daunting presence to mark their territories—clear targets for Saron.

Without much effort, he captured a Gale Wolf and a Scorpio-Tailed Lion, apex predators within their realms. But in this domain, with scarcely a natural enemy, Saron was the undisputed king.

At the pinnacle of the food chain, he stood!

Saron's crimson eyes sparkled with anticipation as he surveyed the magical beast carcasses, the coins, and the weapons before him. "Let the feast begin!"

He devoured the beasts, flesh, bone, and all. Then came the axe. Despite its likely high quality, it was no match for his unnaturally sharp teeth, enhanced by the power of the feast; he chewed it down bit by bit. As an appetizer, he interspersed his meal with the ingested gold and silver coins, which seemed, to his senses, to complement the magical beast meat perfectly for the feast.

Eating weaponry and treasure, it was indeed a grand banquet of its own kind. When he had consumed all the ingredients, the feast finally came to an end. In that dark expanse of space, Saron witnessed his own growth anew. This time, the transformation felt focused on his teeth and claws.

He observed his dragon claws growing thicker, the metallic sheen on them becoming ever more pronounced. The muscles in his jaw and arms bulged visibly, and his entire body swelled in size. Muscle was power, after all!

Finally, at nine meters, his expansion ceased.

- Saron: Health Points 210

- Feast Layers: 6

- Feast Cooldown Time: 7 Days

- Talent 1: Flesh Eater - You can recover health and energy by slaying enemies, with the amount restored based on their life force.

- Talent 2: Earth Magic Affinity - You possess a strong natural talent for earth magic.

- Talent 3: Fire Magic Affinity - You have a strong natural talent for fire magic.

- Talent 4: Armor Breaker - Your claws and teeth will now cause even more damage to enemies.

The properties of the unknown weapon were likely related to armor penetration, and the feast had integrated this trait into his very being. With a single swipe of his claw, he effortlessly cleaved the adjacent stone walls as if cutting through tofu.

Before the feast, slicing through rock would have been easy, but now it was effortless!

Rising on his powerful wings, Saron exited the makeshift cave. The world below—petty underbrush and small wild beasts—seemed trivial. A surge of boldness filled him. Now, in this world, he finally had the power to defend himself.

"This world, I am here!" he thought. Elves, fairies—all should wait in anticipation.

With a mighty spread of his wings, Saron took to the skies, leaving his temporary abode behind, aiming for the heights unknown.