The draconic-lizard stood up and gazed at Krall with a look of disgust.

“He’s with me, don’t attack him.” Noah scrambled to his feet. “Are you also one of those reptiles?”

“I am not a reptile!” the lizard stepped forward.

Noah flinched. I need to placate him, make him a “friend” if I can. He’d be a perfect meat shield for my safety during the tutorial.

Noah was under no false illusion about friends in this place, to him, they were but a means to an end. If they truly had undying loyalty, that was one thing, but such thinking was naive and irresponsible. Here, there was always a risk of betrayal–it was just a matter of when. He wouldn’t succumb to such a pitiful existence, although dealing with a lizardman was a bit different.

The lizard took a breath.

“I am a Dragonborn,” the lizard said. He bashed his fist against his chest. “My name is Thraz Thakik! Proud warrior of the Odar tribe, descendant of dragons!”

“Keep your voice down, please,” Noah warned. “You look like a rep–”

The lizard raised his eye.

“Nothing,” Noah said.

He turned his head to the Krall, he was still on guard–blade at the ready. He motioned to him to calm down, but he refused, he had glued his eyes to Thraz. Noah could feel… jealousy?

“What mission did you take?” Noah said. He had to change the subject and try to get the Dragonborn on his side. It would greatly improve his chances of living. It was also something he needed to know, depending on the answer, he could be an enemy.

“Kobolds, my chief said that they are corrupted and need to be purged from our land,” Thraz said without hesitation, then he laughed, “you must have thought I picked the human mission!”

Good, it means he’s from the System, just like me. Noah thought with relief.

“Alright, watch your voice, Thraz.” Noah’s eyes twitched at his booming voice.

“How do I watch my voice?” Thraz tilted his head. “I do not have eyesight in my throat, or could you be–a throat watcher?”

“You–it means be quiet.” Noah gazed at the dragonborn's pure eyes for a second before sighing. What the hell was a throat watcher, anyway? “We should get somewhere safer.”

“It is safe, I cleared it out from any pesky corrupted.”

“Kobolds,” Noah corrected.

“That’s what I said.”

Noah sighed. Great, I’m talking to a damned Dragonborn. He glanced at Krall.

“How many did you kill?” Noah said, “and have you gotten any Pathstones yet?”

“Around twelve?” Thraz said. “The alien screen gave me a lot of words that I didn’t read, I have two Strength stones and one Cons–whatever that word is!”

“twelve?” Noah said, but it was a silly question. He glanced at his razor sharp claws, powerful legs, and the glistening teeth that had almost ripped him to shreds not two minutes ago.

Two strength and one Constitution… That gives him the Berserker Path, or something alone those lines, anyway. Makes sense considering his monstrous strength and no doubt his natural body helps a bunch.

Noah glanced at Krall, and he looked back.

When is he going to get to that stage, damn. It would make life a hell of a lot easier with two steroid dragons by my side.

“Krall, go scout the area.” Noah ordered.

He was feeling uncomfortable with the noise they were making. Krall listened. As he left, he often turned his head back toward Thraz until he disappeared from sight.

“The alien screen gave me more words,” Thraz announced.

“It did?” Noah faced the enormous lizard again. “What is it?”

The dragonborn broke out into a wild laughter. He flexed his arms with his fists into the air.

“The dragon king, Bor, personally sponsored me.” Thraz pointed at Noah. “In your face human!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Noah continued. “What did he give you?”

After a second, a huge axe fell to the ground. A small brown leather bag aside it.

Thraz first took hold of a small clinking bag, his long scaly fingers dipped into the bag and brought out with two red potions. He looked at it for a millisecond before popping open the cork and swallowing the contents within.

“Thraz!” Noah shouted before lowering his voice. “Was that a rare health potion?”

“Do not shout, for I am louder, human!” Thraz shouted.

“Noise Thraz,” Noah warned. “Unless you want every damned kobold in the area to know we are here.”

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“I relish the challenge.” Thraz clicked his tongue, then scraped it with his claws. Thankfully, he seemed to listen.

“Don't drink the second one, they are incredibly rare," Noah sighed, lamenting at the fact his sponsor wasn't so gracious. "What does it taste like?”

“It is very bitter, like an infected horned-bison penis.”

“That's suspiciously specific.” Noah grimaced. “You’ve eaten–know what, I don't need to know.”

Thraz ignored the human's sour expression and picked up the hulking axe. He gazed at it as if it was his own child. It was engraved with a dragon and its long tail trailed along the wooden shaft.

“Why do you trust me, Thraz?” Noah asked. To Noah, the hulking dragonborn in front of him seemed rather simple. Naive maybe? Noah himself wasn’t as trusting, and Krall seemed to be of the same mind as him. His small scaly head popped out from the trees now and then. Or maybe they were telepathically joined together?

He wasn’t sure, it’s not like there was a manual for monster taming. Theories were crafted by fellow enthusiasts over the internet, and from his team, but that was all. They were like doomsday preppers. They had helped him plan for his arrival, so he was eternally thankful to his friends.

“My tribe has a good relationship with you humans,” Thraz said, his voice started loud, but quickly lowered it as he seemed to remember Noah’s words. “They provide us with grain, and we cover their caravan routes throughout the marshes.”

“I see,” Noah said with a hint of hopelessness in his voice. “How old are you?”

“I am–” Thraz said as he counted his fingers for a good while. “Sixteen.”

It was clear to him now. The enormous dragonborn was nothing but a naive child. He must have never experienced life, battle, or proper human bloodlust before. Either that, or he truly was simple minded. But that suited Noah perfectly.

From what he remembered of dragonborn, they grew up very quickly. Their bodies were practically made for war, although they usually kept within their swamps. Those without tails and only stubs, were viewed as sub-human, nothing better than mere peasants and slaves. Although it might be different throughout the many galaxies and planets. Thraz could be from somewhere else. Somewhere where his limited knowledge of the races was irrelevant.

Thraz also called the kobolds corrupted, which didn’t line up with what Noah could remember. But, Noah wasn’t the smartest and it took a few painstaking years to try and remember the details. Some things were bound to get lost through time.

Despite that, he made a strong mental note to not mention his lack of tail.

A twig snapped from the other direction.

Noah spun his head and four kobolds walked into view. They were moving in the direction of the watering hole when their vision snapped onto Noah and Thraz. Well, rather than Noah, they were all looking at the lizard-man.

It was clear they viewed him more of a threat, and perhaps they were right.

Noah brandished his spear and shield. He was going to shout on Krall as with the increased damage he dealt with the title, he was a big part of his overall strength. But he saw him skulk within the tree-line. His tiny body was crouched down, reducing the noise he would make.

Good boy, Krall. Noah thought and placed his attention on the taller kobold of them all.

It snarled and hefted its axe, it was ready for a fight.

“A fight!” Thraz sauntered forward. “I will show Bor that I will be stronger than all of his descendants combined.”

At least he knows who his sponsor is. I wonder what his sponsored weapon is like. Noah stopped thinking as the kobolds made a move.

Two of them had slings. They wound them up and fired stone projectiles forward.

Noah quickly hid behind his shield as the rock held a surprising amount of force. He felt his shield skill activate as one clashed against the metallic-like bark shield, then bounced off, falling to the floor amongst the dirt and leaves.

A loud thwack was heard from Thraz. He relied purely on the strength of his body. He had crossed his arms and lowered his head as he tanked the shot. It didn’t seem to faze him very much. The benefits of a more physically powerful race were on display.

“Weak, so weak!--” Thraz shouted and another rock smashed against his face.

Thraz scowled as blood dripped above his eye. It seemed to be the only soft piece of flesh on his scaly head. A perfect shot, by all accounts.

The kobold must have used a skill as the strong force surprised Noah.

Noah charged forward. As long as they could get closer, he was more than confident that Thraz could deal with the largest while he dealt with the smaller ones. He would take the force of the hits with his shield.

As they approached, the lead kobold said something in its own language, then they turned tail and ran.

Just as they passed a tree, Krall appeared. He swung his club in a wide arc and it struck one of the kobolds accurately in the head. It fell to the floor and Krall quickly finished it off with another strike. The lead kobold seemed to be incensed as it roared. Krall roared back as he took cover behind the thick tree. Noah rapidly approached.

The kobold leader dashed for Krall, but Noah activated thrust and his arm snapped forward. Noah was unable to fully control the high speed spear as it missed its mark and impaled the monster's shoulder. It crushed through the kobolds collar bone. Noah didn’t stop. He instantly let go of the spear and smashed his shoulder into the kobold. Noah reached down, held it behind its knees and slammed it to the ground.

Thankfully, while Noah was wrestling the larger kobold, Thraz cleaved his axe into the smaller ones. With his superior strength and weaponry, he made quick work of the lesser equipped kobolds.

Noah took out his knife and stabbed it towards its chest. The kobold was quick to grab his arm. Noah partially got to his feet, and used all his weight as the knife slowly descended to the monster's chest.

Krall leapt forward again and slammed his club to the kobolds head. Suddenly, Noah felt the strength in its arms disappear as the knife struck its bony chest. It couldn’t get through.

Noah swore at the useless knife and thrust it upward instead. It disappeared within the soft tissue of its throat. The kobold gargled on its own blood, before finally losing all strength. Its death rattle rang, and the monster's eyes turned to an eerie dull.

Noah crawled off the kobold and took a breath. Damned stat difference. The kobold this time didn’t feel much stronger than the other one with the axe, and the system confirmed it.

You defeated a - Level 6 Kobold.

| You defeated a - Level 3 Kobold.

| …

| Grace Coins awarded!

The air crackled and sizzled. A hexagonal skill essence flashed into existence. Green veins pulsated throughout as excitement filled Noah.

But it was an image he had never seen before. It depicted a man riding a giant, quadrupedal furry beast. He reached his hand and touched the essence–he had to see what it was first.

The buzzing heat travelled through his hand, arm, and into his mind.

You have obtained the Uncommon Skill Essence - Mounted Combat. Do you wish to accept it? Y/N

As Noah thought further about the skill essence, more information entered his mind.

Dexterity based Skill - Mounted Combat: A mount is a brutal instrument of war that can turn the tide of any battlefield if used properly. You and your mount are considered as one. Your mount gains a small increase to dexterity, strength, and constitution while mounted. Rider gains a small increase to strength and constitution.

But I don’t have a–mount. Noah glanced at Krall as a peculiar thought flashed within his mind.