While Sarlon was undergoing his transformation during the third stage of his 'Feast', a band of mercenaries quietly made their way to the outskirts of the Bone-Eroding Swamp, settling at the edge of a forest. The group of five moved with caution, their eyes scanning the surroundings.

"Delia, are you sure that Rift Bear made it here?" asked a burly, blond warrior with a massive black shield strapped to his back.

"Sotos, I'm certain. That Rift Bear has one of my magic arrows lodged in it. The tracker points right here," replied a young woman in a tight green tunic, an arrow quiver strapped to her back. The pointed ears and dark green hair peeking out from under her hood revealed she was not human.

"Can't believe that bear could run this far," yawned another young man in the group.

"And what if it doesn't have a magic crystal?" inquired another man, almost identical to the yawning one. Both were swordsmen, unlike their leader Sotos, who was a shield warrior.

"That bear definitely has a magic crystal. It's not fully grown yet but proved to be more challenging than any Level 5 beast we've faced," Delia argued. "Its use of the Delay Spell, which requires mastery of gravity, suggests it possesses considerable innate talent."

The group's only mage, a young man dressed in a stately white robe, weighed in. "Bill's right. We'll get the magic crystal for his advancement to a Level 5 mage. And the bear's materials should fetch us a fair sum."

"Thanks, everyone," Bill said, touched by the support.

"No need for thanks, we're all brothers here," proclaimed Sotos with a hearty laugh.

Delia watched the exchange with a sense of contentment. This camaraderie was what she had always desired.

"But according to reports, there might be a mature black dragon in the Bone-Eroding Swamp!" Delia suddenly added.

"A mature black dragon? We're not here to slay dragons. We won't be venturing deep into the swamp, and the outskirts should be safe. Besides, haven't there been mercenary groups who entered and returned unscathed?" Sotos reassured after some thought.

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"Boss, I think once we get stronger, we could take on a dragon. Imagine the glory of being dragon slayers! Ha!" One of the twins, Laurie, said with a glint in his eye.

"Laurie, never underestimate a dragon. They're not something we can deal with. Only a legendary band of mercenaries could take on a dragon," Sotos warned seriously.

As the leader, he had the responsibility to keep his team safe, since one wrong decision could doom them all.

"Don't worry, boss, I was just joking," Laurie replied.

With that, the group continued through the forest.

Meanwhile, Sarlon finally completed his metamorphosis.

[Sarlon: Health Points 120]

[Feast Level: 3]

[Feast Cooldown: 5 days]

[Talent 1: Carnivore – You can recover health and energy by killing enemies, with the amount restored depending on the life energy of your foes.]

[Talent 2: Earth Magic Affinity – You possess a strong innate talent for earth magic.]

The new talent, Earth Magic Affinity, wasn't too shabby, but Sarlon wondered just how potent this affinity was. Indeed, he could sense countless earthy yellow specks of elemental energy floating in the air, a surprising find in the Bone-Eroding Swamp. However, his inherited memories contained little about earth magic; after all, he was a black dragon, and true dragons typically did not deliberately learn spells.

Who would bother with training if lying down and sleeping could make you incredibly strong?

Sarlon approached the water to check his reflection, his body now stretching over four meters in length. His frame had bulked up, leaving behind the delicate appearance typical of the five-colored dragons. His neck had grown shorter and thicker, supporting a more massive head and muscular face, equipped to deliver powerful bites. Atop his head, two imposing horns jutted out as if trying to pierce the sky, with two smaller ones budding underneath, reaching towards the back of his skull.

"I'm starting to look more like Deathwing himself, no, even better!" Sarlon observed himself with satisfaction. He felt that without any tricks or tactics, he could now easily defeat that Rift Bear if it came to a direct confrontation. He wondered how Hanna was faring.

Back in the dim shrubbery, Sotos and his group absorbed the scene with a mix of astonishment, fear, and exhilaration. They had followed the Rift Bear's trail and stumbled upon something extraordinary. They had discovered a black dragon whelp!

The sight of the unsuspecting whelp feasting on the carcass had the twin swordsmen's eyes shining with greed.

"Captain, we must remain calm. The Rift Bear wasn't killed by this whelp; a mature black dragon must be around. We should leave immediately," the elven huntress advised coolly.

"But Captain, this is a rare chance! The value of a black dragon whelp is beyond words; this could be our ticket to changing our fates," Laurie said, almost sparkling at the thought of capturing the dragon. To them, it was like a meal delivered to their doorstep. Whether they sold it to nobility or raised it themselves, Laurie could envision his rise to a dragon rider, a status promising a lifespan far beyond a human's.

Filled with visions of riding atop a fearsome dragon, Laurie was already basking in future glory.

Sotos' face was torn between choices as he looked at his team. Laurie and his brother wore faces of excitement, while Delia seemed opposed, and Bill remained silent, head bowed.

"Let's put it to a vote, to be fair. Who's in favor of making a move?" Sotos finally said.

The Laurie brothers immediately raised their hands, while Delia remained silent, clutching her bow and arrows.

"I'm against it too. The risk is too high. I must think of..." Sotos began to sigh in relief when Bill suddenly raised his hand as well!

"Bill, you..." Delia looked at him incredulously, her previous impression of Bill was that he was not one to make rash decisions.

"Delia, and boss, I understand the value of a dragon whelp better than anyone here. Laurie is right; this kind of opportunity might never come again in our lifetime. If we capture the whelp and leave immediately, no one can do anything about it!" Bill spoke with deliberate emphasis on every word.

After a moment of internal conflict, Sotos gritted his teeth and declared decisively, "Then let's do it!"