Anger.

Rage.

Hate.

The Draco felt an avalanche of heavy and negative emotions. This monstrous creature has felt them before but not to this degree and never to this point.

Not to the point of breakdown.

Not to the point of helplessness.

Not to the point of despair.

The Draco tried to escape its bonds but the hundreds of strong ropes prevented it from moving. It turns its eyes toward the murderer of its family.

It glared at Michael with immense hate but somewhere between these emotions, the Draco felt familiarity. It knew who Michael was.

Its anger and rage skyrocketed as it realizes that the one who slayed its family was a previous enemy who survived it. Then it saw Michael’s expression. For the Draco, the superhuman in front of him looked disappointed.

The Draco wasn’t sure but it knew that Michael didn’t enjoy killing it. Did Michael pity it?

This angered the Draco.

How dare this creature pity it, the tyrant of the forest?

How dare this creature slay its mate and children then have the audacity to pity it?

How dare this creature dare to delay its death?

The Draco tried to show its defiance by roaring but its jaws were clamped shut. Unable to showcase its defiance, its anger continued to rise.

It desperately tried to move its limbs but it was firmly restrained. Its desperate actions caused blood to flow from its open wounds. Despite that, the Draco’s body only continued to become hotter as if a fire was coursing through its veins.

It abhorred and hated everything about its current situation.

It watched Michael unsheathe a shiny blade. The metal weapon reminded him of the arrows Evelyn used to pierce its strong body, albeit larger.

The Draco’s eyes widen as it feels its demise approach. It didn’t want to die here, at least not before it has avenged its family.

It struggled once more against its restraints but only to find them getting tighter with each movement.

The Draco sees Michael move his mouth in an attempt to speak but the superhuman immediately stops. The Draco knew that he wanted to offer a few words, maybe words of condolences.

Unable to open its mouth, the Draco internally roared.

DIE! DIE! HOW DARE YOU PITY ME!?!

The Draco continued to roar in its mind, waiting for Michael to make the next move but the superhuman suddenly stopped.

Michael stared at the Draco and the restrained beast glared back. The two most dangerous and powerful creatures on the planet silently stare at each other.

After a bit more pity, Michael makes his move.

The Draco watches the metallic object move through the air with great speed. Unlike Evelyn, Michael’s attack was going to be a killing blow and the Draco knew this.

Time seemed to slow down as the Draco watched Michael deliver the killing blow.

But as the knife got closer, the familiarity that the Draco felt started to become stronger. Michael wasn’t just his previous enemy.

The Draco’s eyes widen as it realizes who Michael is.

He was also the cause of its evolution.

The Draco’s mind suddenly moved at an incredibly fast rate. The processes within its body suddenly accelerated.

Unaware of what’s happening within the Draco, Michael continued to deliver his killing blow.

The Draco’s first evolution was triggered by almost dying due to Michael’s indirect intervention.

Over time, the Draco’s body kept growing stronger due to its desire to expand its territory. It gained multiple mini-evolutions due to this desire.

Earlier, it was challenged by Ximi. Despite easily winning in the beginning, the Draco felt something build up inside it. This was a form of energy that it wasn’t entirely familiar with.

Then Evelyn entered the fray by supporting Ximi with a volley of arrows. This caused the energy to grow even more as the Draco endured their combined assault. This collected energy was almost released during its fight with Evelyn but the call of its mate stopped the energy’s advance.

It desperately flew back home, only to be assailed by the stubborn Evelyn who clung to its body. This caused the stored energy to grow even more but it didn’t attempt advancing due to the Draco’s focus on returning to its mate and offspring.

Then it fell from the skies and struck the ground with immense force, greatly increasing the stored energy. After knocking away Evelyn, the beast charged back home only to hear the death of its children and see its mate’s life snuffed away. The dormant stored energy within it was suddenly ignited.

And the catalyst of this ignition was none other than Michael, the human who indirectly caused it to evolve in the beginning. But even then, the Draco was defeated. It lost its mate and offspring. It entered a depressive state which caused the burning energy to become cold again, destined to dissipate when the Draco’s life force was snuffed out by Michael.

But then, it saw something that reinvigorated its hate.

Pity.

It was being pitied by its enemy.

For the first time in its rule, the Draco was pitied. Due to this, it wanted nothing more than to erase Michael from Teremarae. It wanted to expunge him off the face of the planet. It wanted to absolutely obliterate him.

How dare Michael pity it, a creature of unassailable physical strength. It evolved to be peerless. It had endless stamina and unparalleled strength. It believed that it was at the top of the world. To slay it, one shouldn’t feel pity. They should feel pride but Michael only showed pity to the most powerful creature on the planet.

Pity shattered the invisible barrier that prevented the Draco’s stored energy from advancing.

It was at this moment that Michael’s steel knife connected with the Draco’s scales. At the same time, the Draco’s stored energy exploded outward.

In an unbelievable coincidence, the steel knife strikes the Draco's scales at the same moment the energy explodes outward. The steel knife is a tough weapon but it couldn't take even a fraction of the exploding energy, causing it to shatter like glass.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

The Draco's body suddenly undulated with great force. Its flesh seemed to deform as muscle and sinew started to rip itself apart. Its fore and hind limbs seemed to snap as its bones were being remade.

Then the Draco felt pulsing power within its trapped maw. With a single twitch, the Draco snaps the ropes restraining its jaws then it roars, releasing an immensely powerful shockwave around it.

The shockwave was the sound of nightmares as the energy built within the Draco manifested in a way that not even Michael could have imagined.

Hellfire came from the Draco's maw.

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The moment the knife shattered, Michael was immediately gone.

He wasn’t the type to watch his enemy become stronger or risk attacking them only to be struck first.

When the steel dagger shattered on impact, Michael quickly dashed towards the ultra reptile’s dead body.

Without any hesitation, he took the spear. Turning around, he saw the Draco slowly break its bonds.

Unfortunately for Michael, the entrance was behind the Draco.

It easily ripped through the restraints that shut its mouth close.

Then it roared.

Michael watched in horror as the unimaginable happened. As the Draco roared, hellfire spills out of the Draco’s gaping maw.

It was common sense that fire is the great devourer. Some would argue that fire is the antithesis of living creatures. There were very few creatures able to survive in places with immense heat. But to see the life-destroying flame come out of a living creature’s maw, Michael felt dread.

The fire wasn’t burning the Draco and Michael couldn’t imagine what physical evolution it went through to be able to breathe fire.

Then the Draco turns its maw toward Michael

Michael’s vision was blanketed by a wall of heat but he quickly reacts. He jumps backward and uses the ultra reptile’s large body as a wall to protect himself.

Despite the ultra reptile’s massive corpse, Michael was still affected by the blistering heat. He grits his teeth in pain as bits of the fire burn his skin.

The breath of fire only lasts for a few seconds but it felt like an eternity for Michael. The fire quickly dies down and the roar was replaced by silence.

Michael clutched his spear. He waited for another plume of flames but when none comes, he immediately stands up and runs toward the Draco.

It was ripping apart its restraints with its jaws but its eyes never left Michael.

Once it sees Michael, the Draco rears its head back.

Michael knew what was coming. As the Draco pushes its head forward to release another cone of fire, Michael immediately pulls out a clay pot from his supply bag.

He throws it toward the Draco’s maw. The Draco suffers an explosion as the fire it spews out ignites the flour inside of the clay pot.

Pulling away from the smoke, the Draco shakes off the slight concussion. The explosion wasn’t strong enough to deal any real damage but it managed to concuss the Draco and prevent it from breathing hellfire.

When the smoke clears, Michael was nowhere to be found.

The Draco roars in anger as its enemy managed to elude it once more despite its new evolution. Angry and vengeful, the Draco focuses on ripping apart the restraints holding it in place. It had no intention of letting Michael go, not this time.

Once enough restraints were gone, the Draco flexes its body, ripping apart some of the remaining ones and causing its wounds to spray blood outward. It then angrily slams its body on a nearby wall in a faster attempt to get rid of all the remaining restraints. The walls shook as the nails hammered to the walls were being removed.

It roars, promising to chase Evelyn and Michael to the ends of Teremarae if need be.

Once again, it slams its body on the wall, removing more of its restraints. It roars as its actions cause some of the arrows to embed themselves deeper into the Draco’s body. It ignores the pain just so it could remove the final restraints.

With a final flap of its wings and strong shake, the Draco removes all the bonds that restrained its body.

Without any hesitation, the Draco immediately runs out of the cave despite its wounds.

Once outside, it releases an immensely powerful roar.

Today, it would feast on the flesh of man.

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Michael ran outside of the cave.

Looking around, he doesn’t see any signs of Bob or Evelyn. He didn’t stop moving.

He then hears the Draco’s roar within the cave.

Can’t wait.

Praying that Bob and Evelyn were safe, Michael runs down.

He sprints at full speed while focusing his attention around him.

Evelyn… Bob… no sign of the two of them…

Michael didn’t know if his two companions were alive but if he waited near the cave, the Draco would surely kill him. If he died, he wasn’t confident that Bob and Evelyn would survive.

Once he was halfway down, Michael heard a triumphant roar from the nest but he continues to run. He knew that the Draco escaped its restraints. As if to confirm his fears, Michael hears the flap of the Draco’s wings.

Slightly slowing down, Michael immediately hides.

He looked around from his hiding spot but couldn’t see the Draco. Michael makes use of a trick that he learned in Teremarae. He slows down his breathing to the point that he almost fuses with the world around him.

His presence almost completely disappears.

Despite not sensing Michael, the Draco didn’t care.

A plume of fire descends from the skies and engulfs a nearby tree, almost knocking Michael out of his hidden state.

The Draco makes a destructive entrance as it lands on its own fire. Its new evolution transformed its body to be able to resist high temperatures.

That pissed off Michael. Not only did the Draco gain an immensely powerful form of attack, but its body also became stronger again.

Michael did his best to erase his presence while keeping an eye on the Draco. Despite being hidden, Michael makes eye contact with the Draco as it suddenly turns its maw toward him.

Shit!

Time slows down for Michael as the Draco opens its jaws.

Michael immediately moves as he sees fire build up within the Draco’s mouth.

The ball of fire within the Draco’s mouth quickly expands into a large wave of flames.

Michael quickly hides behind the tree, protecting himself with its wide trunk.

Time seems to resume its normal pace as fire strikes the front part of the tree. Michael feels the fire’s heat through the tree. Unfortunately for him, the Draco was too near and some of the fire managed to devour Michael’s shoulders, burning his skin.

Michael grits his teeth as a phantom scream passes through his mind. Unbelievable pain sears his skin but Michael lives. The Draco’s fire would have completely melted a normal human into molten flesh but Michael’s superhuman body is far more resistant than the norm. What would kill a normal person is a minor if not a severe wound for Michael.

He violently coughs and retches to get rid of the smoke particles and irritants he inhaled. After a few seconds, Michael’s senses scream at him. He quickly rolls forward.

The tree behind him snaps as the rage-induced strength of the Draco rips it in half.

Michael dodges the falling trunk and rolls away. He uses the momentum to stand up.

Can’t stay on the floor.

The Draco growled, fire and smoke coming out of its nostrils.

Watching the Draco, Michael still didn’t understand how it could suddenly exhale fire. He didn’t understand how such an evolution came to be.

After he gets a moment of rest, he promised to figure it out.

Log, you better have some ideas as to how this is happening.

Michael feels the log respond in his mind. It was a comforting thing during this terrifying change. Michael clutched his spear, doing his best to ignore the building-up pain. His grip was so tight that his hand was becoming pale.

Despite telling himself not to worry, Michael kept thinking of Evelyn and Bob.

Were they fine? Did the other super reptiles manage to get them? Or worse, did the Draco kill Evelyn before it came to save its family?

He didn’t know and it stressed him out. If they were dead, then what was he fighting for?

Despite its brand-new evolution, the Draco felt weak. Its body was still suffering from Evelyn’s abuse. Blood continued to spill out from its wounds but hate drove it forward. No matter what, it would feast on Michael’s flesh.

Forcing its battered body, it moved forward with the smell of brimstone escaping its mouth.

Michael looked around as the fire slowly consumed the lush forest. Most of the nearby trees were scorched, leaving only a few sturdy ones viable to hide in.

With each second, Michael keenly knew that the Draco was getting closer. As the Draco slowly closes the gap between them, it opens its mouth. Fire was already building in its mouth.

Michael heard the roaring fire and made the split decision to climb up. Exerting his body, Michael sprints at full speed toward a nearby tree. The fire escapes the Draco’s maw and chases after him.

He manages to reach a nearby tree before the fire catches him but as he climbs up, the fire manages to lick his legs, causing him to grit in pain. Fortunately, Michael’s tenacity was immense and he simply ignored the pain so he could focus on escaping the situation.

Looking down at the Draco, Michael knew that a single mistake could cause 3rd-degree burns, paralyzed legs, or worse, death.

He couldn’t have that, at least not until he was sure that Evelyn and Bob are safe.

The Draco looked up at Michael. It bares its teeth. Michael frowns when he sees fire slowly exit its mouth.

Will it ever run out of fuel?

The Draco releases another plume of fire but Michael expected that and he jumped down. Landing on the floor with a graceful fall, Michael immediately runs away.

The beast roared and ran forward. The Draco didn’t even try to fly anymore. It simply rushed towards Michael at every single opportunity all the while burning everything around it with abandon.

Slowly but surely, Michael was running out of cover.

He tightly held his spear but the Draco’s new evolution prevented him from being able to make use of his weapon’s length. In addition, the Draco’s scales managed to shatter his steel knife. Was it a new evolution or was it a fluke? Either way, he didn’t want to risk attacking the Draco, only to be turned into charcoal.

But he knew that he had no choice in the matter. He needed to try.

The forest continued to burn down. If this continued, the only safe place would be near the river or the stone caves.

Michael frowned. Both were bad options.

Another option was to kill the Draco and contain the fire. Unfortunately, this option seemed impossible.

Then he remembers the path back home.

In their mission to kill the Draco, Michael and Evelyn created dozens, if not hundreds, of traps ranging from annoying to lethal. These traps might not kill the Draco but they could provide Michael with an opening. Unfortunately, all of these traps were either attached to trees or attached to some form of greenery. And as far as Michael knew, most trees are highly flammable.

Fudge. It’s not like I have any choice.

Michael suddenly turns and stops moving, which causes the Draco to stop moving as well. The Draco glares at Michael with murderous eyes. Michael spits out some blood and glares back at the Draco.

The two superspecies were starting to feel the exhaustion slowly build up. But the two of them were determined to be the sole survivor of this fight. The Draco was fueled by its hatred for Michael. Michael was fueled by his desire to protect his new family.

The two continue to glare at each other then they both act.

The Draco rears its head and breathes fire once more toward Michael.

Michael purposefully stays in place so that the Draco would release a large amount of fire in an already burnt area.

As the fire approached, Michael pushed his body to the limits and moves toward a part of the forest. It wasn’t burning yet but it was the path back home.

Before the Draco could fully exhale all of the fire it stored for Michael, Michael quickly responds by throwing a clay pot full of flour toward its mouth.

The explosion manages to distract the Draco and the fire wasn’t able to reach Michael as he rushes toward the healthy forest.

The Draco roars in anger and chases Michael, completely forgetting about the trapped forest.

But for it, the traps were worthless. After all, what trap could withstand the concentrated heat of hellfire?

Pushing its battered body forward, the Draco chases Michael through the trapped forest.