“We caught him attempting to steal a keg of ale from your reserves. He seems to be very complacent, almost waiting for you.”

We approach the captive. He has his hands bound by the spider silk, on first glance I know it isn't enough to hold his hands.

“I didn't expect to see a bugbear in this part of the world. I thought you bugbears only lived in the central continent.”

“We normally do, hard times have struck my village and many of us strong fighters have left the village to look for work… One less mouth to feed for them, adventures for me.”

He was speaking in goblin. I had heard that bugbears are from the same family as goblins. Goblins can't change into them but they sometimes lead larger groups of goblins. There are female bugbears but I look at him closer.

He is covered in fur, everywhere but his face. A feral like face, similar to that of a shaved bear with its nose punched in… Him and Zergnar look very similar. Even bigger than him though, he is one of my bigger generals too. I would say he is the same size as Brick if I had to compare him to anyone. I'm surprised my kobolds were able to capture him.

“So… What should I do with you then?… I could kill you if you wish… You did try to steal from me. What is your name?”

“Bugger sir. No need to kill me… I've just come to speak. I could have done much more damage then I had, the kobolds living area was so different than normal kobold villages that it piqued my curiosity.”

This time speaking in common… Under his rough, strong body is a surprisingly sharp mind. Nothing I've read about bugbears have said anything about higher thought processes.

“Do you speak any other languages? You're brains could help more than your strength as a combatant if you can translate for me.”

“I speak common, a little kobold and I also speak goblin.”

As he says each different language, he speaks it in that language.

“Is that it?”

“Heh, I guess you don't know this but… Three languages is normally beyond most people. Even the elder of this village could barely speak two.”

“I speak… common, dwarven, elven, goblin, lizard men, orcish and giant. I also know parts of the fairy language and satyr language. I can also communicate with dragons and nature through magic.”

He looks shocked by that, then a smile forms across his face, then he starts laughing.

“Hahahaha! If you're going to lie, make it more believable. I don't care who you are, to know that many languages. Especially if what they say about you is true… I've lived almost 50 years… I've never heard of a dragon forming an army... Especially one comprised of different races… Are you tricking these kobolds into thinking your a dragon for free beer?”

I give a little chuckle out now. He said that last line in goblin so they wouldn't hear him. Most likely under the premise of exposing me to them if I don't help him out. I guess I'll have to prove myself.

“How can I prove I know all the languages I've said… Well I guess I could continue to change through the languages as I speak… Not stopping on a single one for too long… Letting you see that I can speak these languages in the process… That would be one way… I could also just change into a dragon… I'm starting to get bored of doing that though… Maybe because I'm speaking so many languages he thinks I'm making them up on the spot… I doubt that though, he knows three languages, so he can probably tell if they're made up or not...”

He looks shocked again. I'm starting to enjoy shocking people with my abilities. I continue to speak.

“So you were saying?”

“I… I can't believe it… You might know that many languages but there is no way you are a dragon.”

“Fine… I didn't want to have to do this but I'll change for you to see.”

I change into dragon form in front of him. His expression doesn't change. He just says.

“This could be an illusion, how do I know you're real? Can you use your drag-.”

I turn away from him. Breaking a vial in my mouth and taking out two wind scrolls to help me. Casting a flame breath attack the opposite way. I turn back towards him and he had been charging at me with a blade in his hand. His other hand up to his face. Easily breaking the grips that were holding him. I get struck with a dart, he pulls the blowgun from his lips and yells.

“Your corpse is worth over 100 gold!”

That dart had an extremely strong poison on it… He's come here to kill a dragon. All I can do is smile now that I have a test subject for my skills. He's in for a rude awakening once he realizes this poison didn't work. I drop out of dragon form and activate all of my buffs. Even Aegis' stat boost, this is a fight to the death, I can't hold back or be careless. I yell in my head.

“Aegis! Lust! Triple trap combination attack!”

Casting shadow wings on the shadow clone Aegis is controlling. The bugbear is beyond confused now. Confusion doesn't show in his eyes though. Only fear at how easily I shrugged off that poison. I charge into range of him. His eyes widen in more fear as he clumsily swings his sword at me. I activate my new and improved combination combo. Consisting of goblin combination attack, flurry strikes and shadow punches with my finger tips to apply numbing poison. Almost every single attack hits… He's defeated… WHAT!? I yell at him.

“REALLY!? THAT'S IT!? That is all you have? That was my weakest new signature move and I didn't even get to the ending combination where my shadow clones help me… I'm beyond annoyed and disappointed! You thought you could take down a fucking dragon with that measly poison!?”

He can barely speak. Let alone move. It takes much of his effort to get the next few words out.

“T-that poison cost ten gold. It… It could take down an elephant. I-I didn't except it to not effect you at all.”

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

I'm beyond frustrated now. I wanted to test out some of my new moves against this assassin but my first one worked so well I didn't need to do anything else… I guess I should look at it as a sign of my strength now. I doubt even Nami would stand a chance against me going all out. I pull out my heirloom sword, I guess I'll chop off his head and absorb a piece of him. Maybe that will be enough to learn any secret skills or classes he has.

I make it as bi-. WHAT THE FUCK!? The sword is easily the size of a great sword now… I guess it has been awhile since I've summoned it… The weight feels off on it… It should be far too heavy to wield single-handedly but I can still do it with ease. Fear shoots through his eyes again, I expect him to start begging but he doesn't. Instead his eyes change to those of resolve, he is ready to die…

“Listen… Killing someone as smart as you would be a waste... You already know how strong I am, even if you attacked me with 4 friends while I slept I could still beat you… I'll give you one chance to explain why you're doing this before I kill you.”

“M-money of course.”

His jaw still hard to move because of my numbing poison.

“No shit! I could gleam that fact when you yelled it out during the fight. I mean why do you need the money? You're a bugbear, what would you need money for?”

He only sits there quietly for a few moments. Wondering if he should tell me. If his life is worth revealing his secret.

“My village is on the outskirts of the northern west continent. We've lived in peace for many years now but recently. The people too the north west having been pushing into our territory trying to expand. I was told that I could buy safe passage for my people. 1 gold per person would save their lives.”

“...I'm sorry to tell you this but… They will not just let you live, even if you give them the money. Your village may already be razed with some men waiting for you to return to kill you and collect the gold. They could be waiting until you get their to kill everyone though...”

He looks far more sad… I think, it's hard to tell because he is still paralyzed by my poison. He can barely get the words out.

“What proof do you have? Why should I believe you?”

“That's just what humans do… They don't care about anything but human affairs… Willing to kill anything that would get in their way… Most of my troops were persecuted by the humans. The demon tribe was pushed to extinction. The goblins and gnolls under my stay, both had subjugation quests against them. Even the elementalists who are human were killed after they served their purpose to the northern army.”

He starts to get a little more control of his hands I spit some more poison onto my fingers and jam them into his neck. Barely scratching his skin but enough to keep him paralyzed. I pick him up, he weighs 500 pounds. It takes a huge majority of my strength to pick him up. Even with indomitable might he is still ridiculously heavy. He won't be able to move for at least a few minutes because of my poison injection.

“I'll take you on a tour of the fortress. You can get an idea of weather you should trust me or the people who are going to kill your entire village at the drop of the hat.”

I take him through the portal at the village. Warping into the fortress with him first then using my teleport scroll so we arrive at around the same time. I don't know how my numbing poison will work with the teleporters, so I don't want to send him first then arrive with him waiting to ambush me. I'll go through the portal later to get my scroll back.

I show him around, periodically reapplying my poison to make sure he can't move. Showing him to the demon tribe and elementalists to let them talk to him. I talk to him after that.

“I'm very busy today, so I can't continue this line of talking. I'm going to lock you in my prison until I can speak with you and ask you more questions. I'll give you a teleport scroll so you can return here once you get to your village… I hope your people will still be alive but if they aren't… You're more than welcome to avenge them… If they are… You're more than welcome to join my army here.”

My numbing poison has started to wear off. Like I had said there is too much going on right now to talk to him. I do want to question him about his classes before he leaves though. Hopefully this will end with me gaining another group of troops to help me fight.

...What else is there to do… I need to teach Trice a class and Zergnar's pet classes… Check on the admantine, I'll be able to make a full set of armor… I probably will use a different method instead, maybe armor reinforced plating for my generals gear instead of a single set of equipment. That is just what my generals have tasked me with.

I would also like to bring all the equipment I had stored on the top floor of the time tree and give it to everyone. I still need to check in with my sensei. Tomorrow is going to be just as busy. I plan on going over my regimen, having all my troops assemble in front of the fortress to do a head count. It will also be the day I talk with the ninja village elders and my generals about the plans for my attack against the pirates.

I get up as I lock the door. I've stripped the bugbear down and handed him a pair of spider silk pants. I know better than to leave someone with their own equipment on them in a cell. He has two guards watching him, he is my only prisoner now. All the pirates have been assimilated into the work force of the fortress.

Unexpectedly, the majority of them get along with us. The bulk have slave collars on to stop them from attacking us but they've grown to the same level of friendship they had with the murine folk. Sort of a situation where there is nothing for them to do but accept it.

I start heading off to where the adamantine is being dug up. It is the quickest thing I'm going to do. The blacksmith in Shienta wanted to craft with this… I don't think I'm going to trust him though. It is also beneficial to have my blacksmiths work with it and learn how to craft it. They'll also be the ones to gain levels from using it and making items with it.