Agony. Worse than before.

A raw, searing wave tore through me. Every nerve was aflame. Eyes—burned, warped. Like needles threaded behind them, twisting. Swollen, bulging, splitting. Reforming. Every blink brought another knife.

Bones snapped. Claws dug from within, breaking free. Segments shifted. Ground. Grew. Flesh stretched over scales. New layers. Rough. Rigid. Tearing, stitching. Tearing again. Each rip was sharp, each regrowth unbearable. Skin seared, blistered, stretched tight over jagged edges.

Inside—a furnace. Burning. A gland swelled in my throat. Chest tightened, boiled. Fire. Every breath came as a searing gasp, molten heat coursing through my veins. Muscles twisted, shredded, rebuilt.

I writhed. But I held.

Just a little longer. It had to end.

But the pain? It never left.

Inside—twisting. Clawing. Remaking. Every cell torn apart, every sinew stretched to breaking.

Splitting, fusing. A beast in my belly. Devouring. Reforming.

I choked on the fire, gasped. Flesh bubbled. Seared.

No more. Couldn't.

But still, I held.

A sudden scurrying on my wrist. Not agony, but something familiar. Oh, blast it all, Barn was back! Barn—AHH, WHAT IN THE NAME OF ALL THINGS HOLY WAS HAPPENING?! It felt like someone had jammed a knife right up my rear! AHHH, WHAT WAS EVEN MUTATING DOWN THERE?!

The indignity! And in front of Barn, no less! My one witness to this horrific transformation. How thoroughly undignified. Thankfully, the pain subsided quickly enough. I slumped over in that sticky tunnel of sap. Only the second mutation—just three more to endure. Thalador save me, I couldn’t bear the thought of going through it again. NO, NO, NO!

But before the next round of torture, I needed to give Barn his orders.

“BARN! FETCH THE MOST WRETCHED BEASTIE YOU CAN FIND!”

Barn, gleeful little serpent, slithered over my claws with a sinister sound of bone-knitting affirmation, then floated away with alarming cheerfulness. I nodded, satisfied. So helpful. He’d be leaving soon, so I sent him off to find something strong enough for my practice. I needed to level up my skills against a higher-tier monster. After all, the greater the power gap, the faster I’d level.

This was the last thing I needed before commencing my evolution.

Would you like to use 43 Morphogens to upgrade your eyes, claws, scales, fire gland, and macro-trophic sac?

Third mutation down. Two to go. Then—advancement. I’d grow stronger. More powerful. Yes. Motivation surged, and I braced myself.

And then—Sod it, I was ready!

BRING IT ON!

***

Name: Jade

Level: 10

Species: Hungerborn Hatchling (Draconis) (II) (+)

Attributes:

* Strength: 15

* Durability: 32

* Intelligence: 40

* Will: 27

* Mana Points: 0/0

* Stamina Points: 24/29

Species Skills:

* Controlled Claw Swipe: Level 1 (II)

* Tail Whip: Level 1 (I)

* Roar: Level 1 (I)

* Scale Harden: Level 3 (I)

* Stealth: Level 3 (I)

* Crushing Crunch: Level 1 (II)

* Quick Dash: Level 2 (I)

* Flight: Level 1 (I)

* Deep Breathing: Level 1 (I)

* Air Sense: Level 1 (I)

* Climb: Level 1 (I)

* Crush Claw: Level 1 (I)

Exclusive Skills:

* Transformation: Level 1 (I)

Mutations:

* Eyes - Focusing Lenses (II): +5 (+)

* Claws - Claw Flexibility (II): +5 (+)

* Scales - Colour Adaptation (II): +5 (+)

* Wings - Hollow Bones (II): +0

* Legs - Joint Flexibility (II): +0

* Fire Gland - Mana Reservoir (II): +5 (+)

* Macro-Trophic Sac: +5 (+)

Resources:

* Skill Points: 4

* Morphogens: 1

Ha! I fixed my gaze on the stat screen. Made it. FINALLY! Yet, beneath the surface, the triumph felt oddly lacklustre. More relief than victory, but even that felt… hollow. I slumped against the tunnel wall, phantom pains gnawing at me like a stray cat with a grudge.

Heh, not the first time for this sort of thing, now, is it?

My body completed its transformation, but my mind? Still felt raw. I could sense it—as though I'd been completely rewired. These phantom sensations… were they merely echoes of the physical pain I endured? I doubted it. Perhaps they were my brain's way of coping with the shock. A defence mechanism, perhaps. Pain is the body's way of keeping itself in check, after all. When your nerves scream, it's because they're trying to tell you something: you're breaking.

And now? Ha! My nerves still believed I was breaking. Foolish things.

Logically, I knew the pain wasn’t real anymore. But my body wasn't ready to let it go just yet. My mind was a chaotic mess of terms, strange phrases reverberating within. Once again, those whispers from my dreamscape. Neurological fallout from the rapid mutation? Unnatural? My brain, lagging behind, still trying to reconcile this new reality with the old neural pathways? Synaptic misfire?

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Not the first time this happened. So, I simply ignored it. Too much nonsense to untangle, anyway.

I turned my attention back to the screen. Time for those juicy advancements. Barn would be a while yet, off gathering a lovely bounty of skill upgrades. In the meantime, I could advance my organs.

I mean, despite my mutations feeling like an eternity of torment, it was what—ten minutes? Maybe a little longer, for all five upgrades? Funny how time seemed to stretch when you were in pain.

I shook my head. Ahh, yiss—bring on the advancement options, system!

Focusing on the resource options, they began to appear one by one.

First up: the eyes.

[Eyes(II) +5: Focusing Lenses Advancement Options]

• Thermal Vision: Eyes detect heat signatures, enabling visualization of living entities and recently disturbed objects through thin walls or dense vegetation.

• Long-Range Focus: Vision enhanced for long-distance precision targeting without compromising short-range clarity. Effective for miles.

• Night Mastery: Optimal adaptation to low-light environments. Night vision perfected with no blindness during light-to-dark transitions.

• Peripheral Optimization: Field of view expanded significantly. Motion and threats detected from wider angles without head movement.

I took a deep breath as I sifted through the options. Bloody hell, these were in a league of their own compared to what I’d seen earlier. Right then, time to go through them and figure out which was the most efficient choice.

First up, Thermal Vision. The ability to detect heat signatures? The term was new, but once again, echoes from my dreamscape filled in the gaps, and I understood. That would do. Quite the nifty upgrade, really. Being able to spot living creatures, or even trace the warmth left on recently disturbed objects—through walls, no less! If I were hunting or hiding in areas full of cover, like dense forests or these cramped tunnels around me, it’d be perfect. Locked in for now.

Next was Long-Range Focus. The ability to zero in on distant targets without losing close-range clarity? Good grief, the precision! To spot threats or objectives long before they became an issue—that was a good upgrade.

Then came Night Mastery, and oh boy. I now realised my vision wasn’t perfect. After a venture aboveground, it became clear that the hues brightening my sight were only present in the dungeon. Up there, the shadows were downright eerie. If my eyes could pierce through those dark corners? Yes, please. No more stumbling around in creepy shadows, squinting and hoping for the best. Also, no blinding transition between dark and light—certainly a bonus.

Yet, considering I’d spend most of my time in the dungeon where the hues already illuminated everything, it wasn’t really necessary. I moved on.

Peripheral Optimisation. Now this one expanded my field of vision, allowing me to spot threats from all sides without turning my head. A more perception-focused choice, it would synergise well with all my flexibility upgrades, like dodging attacks or spotting sneaky enemies. Very useful in close combat too. I wouldn’t have eyes in the back of my head, but it’d come close.

Arghhh!!! I wanted them all! Every single one of them sounded brilliant. Why, system? WHY? Just let me have the lot! I knew I was being a greedy dragon, but these options were just too good to pass up!

I cocked my head to the side. "Right, then, Peripheral Optimization it is!" It was neck and neck with Thermal Vision, and, blimey, did I want both. But this one had the edge, efficiency-wise. I mean, in a proper scrap, awareness is everything, isn't it? Spotting threats from all sides without having to swivel my noggin? YES, PLEASE! I’d be quicker, sharper, and a nightmare to sneak up on. Not as snazzy as Thermal Vision, of course, but in terms of pay-off, this one took the biscuit.

GAAH! I wanted both so badly. But I shut my eyes and made my peace with it, bracing for the next wave of agony.

And agony it was—two minutes of cursing every deity under the sun, along with myself. But once it passed, I pulled up the next upgrade with a satisfied sigh.

Ah, Claws!

[Claws(II) +5: Claw Flexibility Advancement Options]

• Reinforced Talons: Claws reinforced for penetration through materials such as metal or stone, increasing lethality and defensive-breaking capabilities.

• Razor-Edge Claws: Claws sharpened for surgical precision, optimized for slicing through armor and delicate structures.

• Vibration Sense: Claws now sensitive to ground and air vibrations, enabling detection of movements and hidden entities via tremors and subtle shifts.

Ah, only three choices this time.

Reinforced Talons. Straightforward enough. Stronger claws capable of ripping through metal and stone? Serious brute strength, that. They could tear through defences. A solid upgrade, no doubt.

Razor-Edge Claws. Sharper claws. Perfect for slicing through armour or finer structures. All about precision rather than brute force. Ideal for picking apart defences rather than smashing through them. Finesse can be just as deadly, if not more so. And the thought of making these elegant claws of mine even sharper? Oh yes, absolutely.

Hmm, and the last option…

Vibration Sense. Heightened sensitivity in the claws. Designed to detect vibrations in the earth or air. It could pick up on hidden enemies or subtle tremors. Advanced warning of danger. Invaluable for ambushes or dealing with stealthy foes. Another excellent option, really.

Crikey, these decisions weren’t getting any easier. Not a single dud in the lot. Each would come in handy, depending on the situation.

But which to go for? Hehe, well, why not go with the one that set the heart a-flutter?

Razor-Edge Claws it was! Couldn't resist the thought of sharper, deadlier claws, cutting through anything daft enough to get in my way.

Upgrade confirmed! And, naturally, I welcomed the pain.

***

[Scales(II) +5: Colour Adaptation Advancement Options]

• Active Camouflage: Scales adapt dynamically to environmental colors in real time, reducing visual detectability while in motion.

• Heat Dissipation: Scales release excess heat, masking thermal signatures and rendering undetectable by heat-sensing technologies or vision.

• Environment Texture Matching: Scales mimic both color and texture of surroundings, enabling near-invisibility against surfaces such as rocks, trees, and urban environments.

• Shock-Absorbent Scales: Scales optimized for impact absorption, dispersing blunt force to increase physical resilience in combat.

I was moving through them at lightning speed. Barn would be here soon, and I wanted to be finished before he arrived.

Right, let’s see what the Scales upgrade had in store for me.

Active Camouflage: the scales shifting colour more fluidly, allowing me to blend into any environment while on the move. A perfect improvement on the original. Brilliant for stealth and ambushes, so it instantly caught my eye.

Heat Dissipation: releasing excess heat to hide my thermal signature. Sounded a bit …sci-fi? Another dream word, but it made sense. It also reminded me that I could upgrade my eyes with thermal vision, so this option would essentially grant me immunity to it. Not all predators in this dungeon relied on sight, after all. Take the creepers, for example—they didn’t have eyes, so they must've used another sense. Thermal vision, perhaps? Though I remembered it hadn’t spotted me or Stephan when it was gorging on those spiders, and we were behind nothing more than a thin wall. Maybe not. Still, I knew I wasn't the only monster that would be offered such an upgrade.

Picking this meant saying ta-ta to thermal vision worries. Less glamorous, but another step closer to becoming the sneakiest dragon in the dungeon. Locked that in for now.

Environment Texture Matching was another enhancement to my base mutation. Not just mimicking colours but textures too. Hmm, what had texture? Rocks, trees—basically everything? Next-level camouflage, though it seemed a bit overkill given my stealth abilities.

Shock-Absorbent Scales, now that was more defence-focused... something I really lacked. They’d cushion impacts from physical attacks and make me more resistant to blunt force. It wasn’t about hiding, but standing my ground. This was a dungeon, after all; not everything would go to plan. If something landed a heavy blow, I’d be the one taking it. I had to remember, every single monster I’d face would be like me—with their own upgrades and all sorts of tricks.

Caution won the day. One-in-ten chance my stealth would fail, so I reckoned it was better to be armed to the teeth with a bit of extra defence.

As much as I fancied the others, Shock-Absorbent Scales it was.

Now then, onto the final bit—the Fire Gland...

[Fire Gland(II) +5: Mana Reservoir Advancement Options]

• Mana Conservation: Enhances mana retention, slowing depletion rates and extending fire mana reserves for prolonged use.

• Overcharge Mode: Fire gland temporarily stores excess mana, enabling high-intensity bursts of flame for short, powerful attacks.

• Overheat Mode: Allows temporary storage of additional mana for intense heat release, increasing attack potency and flame duration.

• Rapid Ignition: Fire gland optimized for instant ignition, reducing delay in flame generation for rapid combat responses.

• Mana Infusion: Fire gland absorbs external mana, enhancing internal reserves for larger and more sustained fire attacks or augmenting abilities.

Oh blimey, I had five whole options this time around! And, once again, I hadn’t the foggiest clue what my fire gland would actually do, but I was beginning to piece it together. Simple, right? I’d be belching flames from, well, somewhere. Oh for the love of Thalador, please let it be from my mouth and not, you know, elsewhere!

I skimmed through the options swiftly because, to be frank, I was flying blind here. Not a sausage of an idea how things would shake out once I unlocked my evolution and tapped into mana. And, of course, every single option sounded splendid.

First one basically implied my mana would naturally deplete from the fire gland at a fixed rate. Lovely. There goes my hope of an endless mana fountain apart from the core I’d be forming. Crikey. I almost wanted to pick this one, if only I had a clue how fast that dratted dissipation would be.

Now that I was beginning to understand, it seemed like the fire gland wasn’t some cosy little storage unit like I’d imagined. No, no, it was more of a... machine! Charging my mana with fire energy as it swirled through, ready to be released.

Aha! It all finally clicked! I’d been dead wrong about it before! I whizzed through the options again, and crikey, it all made too much sense now.

The choices boiled down to this: more fire, bigger fire, hotter fire, quicker fire, or longer-lasting fire. Haha, seems I’ve hit the nail on the head with that lot. Right, which one to pick then? I reckoned I'd settle for Mana Conservation this time.

Nodding to myself, I thought, well, I might be barking up the wrong tree, but it couldn’t be too far off the mark, right? With that, I confirmed my choice and closed my eyes. Mutation initiated once more.

But as my innards were getting rearranged like I’d swallowed a hot poker, I found myself writhing in the tunnel, the disgrace of it all. Then, out of nowhere, a slow, icy dread crept over me, like a chill that briefly dulled the fiery torment.

Soon enough, I felt the familiar skitter on my claws.

Barn was here.

And so was my skill-levelling factory.