3. Elf_Rise of the Astral Dragon - [An OP Harem LitRPG]

Chapter 3 | Elf

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It was a hot day. Very hot.

Usually, dragons could withstand the scorching heat and frosty chill alike, but in this human body, the weather conditions irritated me to no end. Hours of wandering later, sweat glistened on my body. My clothes were already soaked, and worse yet, I still couldn't make out a single trace of civilization!

"Damn this damn weather! Fuck the heat, and fuck the sweat! How did humans ever survive like this?" I cursed, flicking off beads of wetness. The forest wasn't getting any better, and it only felt like I was going deeper into its dense cover. Noticing a flowing river, I remembered that one of the princesses told me that they'd take baths when they were dirty. Which, considering my state, was pretty accurate.

The crystalline water sparkled invitingly, so I waded through the tall grass. Its surface rippled gently under the gentle breeze. I stepped closer and leaned over to gaze down at my reflection. "I guess I look pretty good for a human."

I dipped one finger into the stream, causing the image of myself to break apart. A pleasant chill spread across my hand. "Hm. Not too bad."

And with that, I stripped off my clothes, placing them beside a rock before sinking into the refreshing coolness. The current was strong but not overwhelming, and the bottom was smooth sand and pebbles. I let out a sigh, relishing in the sensation.

"Ahh, much better."

I floated around, enjoying the soothing caress of the water against my skin. After a while, though, boredom started creeping up. There wasn't much to do except swim or lie in the sun. It was like lying on a pile of gold, except that there was no pile of gold, and it was boring. But then again, maybe there was something I could accomplish while relaxing.

"Hmmm... what did I do when I was bored?" I wondered aloud. "Kill something? Fight something? Sleep for a decade? No, no, no, that doesn't work here."

As far as I knew, humans couldn't just go and start slaying people left and right. They'd be sent to prison or something. Which, I admit, would suck if I couldn't break out.

My attention was drawn by a loud crashing sound. In the distance, I could see a dainty figure - an elf sprinting toward me, her eyes wide with panic. Not far behind her galloped a beast, a towering, hairy bear, one that I hadn't seen before. Its fur was a ruddy brown, and its paws were larger than human skulls.

"Run!" she shouted, her voice rising over the sound of the rushing water. "It's a monster! Run, or you'll die!"

"Me? Run?! Hah! I'd rather die standing." I vaulted out of the river, dripping wet, buck naked, and charged towards the bear. It snarled, baring its formidable teeth, and raised its paw in preparation for a strike.

"Too slow, beast."

With a single slash, my Astral Claw pierced its chest as a pressure rippled outward in a spiral arc. It staggered back, roaring in pain, and I immediately positioned my foot next to the bear's and launched a sledgehammer punch at its jaw. Its eyes rolled back, and its body slumped backward, lifeless.

- [ Notice ] -

You have slain a Grizzlethorn Ironpaw. You gain 450 exp.

You've reached level 4!

Experience Points: 280/320

You've gained 40 Stat Points

Oh, I was so caught up in my two skill points that I forgot about my stat points. Guess I'll ask the elf about it.

"Hey, you. What is your name?" I called out, turning to the elf. She was actually quite pretty. Her blue hair fell loose around her shoulders, framing a pair of large blue eyes. The soft curves on her hips stood out among her vixen body, and her lips curved like a delicate rose in full bloom. They had a soft, inviting pink that seemed to catch the light.

She covered her face, peeking slightly between her slender fingers. "P-please, mister, cover yourself."

"What? Why?"

"You're indecent."

"Indecent?"

"Please, mister, cover yourself," she repeated.

I shrugged. "Fine."

I shook off the water and pulled on my pants, returning to the girl. "Better?"

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

"Thank you. Now, as for my name... it's Nyla. And who might you be, sir?"

"Astralos Aeternalis, the mightiest drag—ahem, human to walk this world. How can I help you?"

Nyla blinked several times before replying. "Oh, really?" she answered, attempting to sound surprised despite doubting my words. "Well, thank you for saving me from that horrible monster. I was on a journey, you see, but I lost my wand. I'm a sorcerer, so I can't do very much on my own, haha. I'll be on my way now, and sorry to disturb your bath."

She gave a slight bow, turned around, and walked away.

I tilted my head. She seemed oddly like one of the other elven princesses I kidnapped a few centuries ago. The color of her hair and her facial shape was the same. Even her eyes had the same exact spark. What was her name again? I forgot.

"Hey, hold on!" I called after her. "Are you like royalty or something?"

Nyla froze mid-step and glanced back. "What do you mean?"

"Like a princess of an elven kingdom, perhaps?"

"No... H-how do you know? Who told you?"

"Told me what?"

"That I'm a princess! N-no, wait, I'm not! I mean, who..."

I sat down on a rock and propped my head up with my fist. "You just answered that question yourself, didn't you?"

"But—but... no, I'm not. I'm just a humble sorceress. That's all. Sometimes words just slip out of my tongue, and I... say weird things."

"Hmm, well, if you say so. You seem familiar, though. Just a little."

Nyla shook her head. "No, no, no, no. You're mistaken. You must be mistaken!"

I raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Just a coincidence. Erm, a lot of people look alike."

"If you say so."

She gave me a nervous smile. "Anyway, thank you for helping me. Goodbye!"

She scurried off with her face flushed bright red.

I scratched my head. "What a strange girl. Wait, I forgot to ask her about the stat points! Oh, whatever. She seemed nice, though. And pretty cute," I mumbled. "I guess I have a thing for elves now?"

Enough of that. Now, how should I allocate my stat points?

- [ Attributes ] -

- [Profile] -

- [Stats] -

Name

Astralos Aeternalis.

100%

96%

Level

Vitality

Strength

Experience

280/320

Sorcery

Defense

Species

Human-Dragon Hybrid

Agility

Dexterity

Class

None

Unused Stat Points

Skill Points

A bunch of them were self-explanatory. Strength must be used for strength-related stuff, and agility probably increases speed and coordination. Dexterity was the only one I wasn't so sure of. What did that even mean? That my fingers worked better?

Well, I figured the best course of action would be to increase everything. I didn't want to look at that pathetic '5' anymore. I put 10 into each stat and saved the remaining 30 points.