The trees towered around me, their bark rough and as jagged as an old sailor’s beard. I clung to one of the branches, claws sunk in like a cat that bit off more than it could chew. Landing after a flight—well, let’s just say I wasn’t exactly the picture of grace. Bit of a blunder, really. Maybe I was a bit too round for this sort of lark. At least at this stage.

I squinted through the tangled mess of branches, the leaves all knotted into a thick green quilt that stretched as far as the eye could see. The sun was still rubbing the sleep from its eyes, low on the horizon, but its rays barely made a dent in the gloom under this canopy. Whatever breed these trees were, they’d done a cracking job of keeping the sun out, casting the whole forest into a sort of eternal twilight.

I closed my eyes and took a long breath. The air was thick with the heady scent of wet earth, rotting leaves, and moss clinging to anything it could. But there was something else. Something off. My eyes snapped open, my attention drawn away.

In the distance, the forest simply... ended.

Where once mighty trees had stood, proud as old kings, there was only desolation. A scar, raw and ugly, slashed across the landscape where life had been snuffed out. Blackened earth stretched for miles, a great gaping wound in the heart of the forest.

Yet the elven fortress still stood, untouched as ever. I’d told Barn to give it a wide berth, and clearly, they kept up their end. That place must’ve had some sort of magical defences. One of Queen’s ruinous beams had carved its way right up to it, only to fizzle out just before it reached. Likely some kind of protective barrier. Typical elves.

Suddenly, a grey flake drifted down onto my snout—ash. It fell softly, like the ghost of a snowfall, the quiet echo of the battle’s end. A titanic clash, contained but deadly, leaving what was once a lush, green world now swallowed by shadow.

I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it all.

This was my first time seeing such destruction on this scale. My experience before... well, it was limited to school’s mock battles amongst fledgling mages, or instructors teaching via demonstration, nothing more than child’s play. I’d never even dreamed of witnessing something like this.

But instead of fear, something else bubbled up inside me.

A fire ignited in my chest, burning hotter with every beat of my heart. This devastation, this ruin—it stirred something deep, something primal. My pulse quickened, a strange pleasure washing over me as I gazed upon the wreckage. The sight of this destruction... it thrilled me. Pleased me.

I wanted more.

This power.

And I knew the path to get it.

Images from the battle flashed in my mind—Barn and Queen’s titanic struggle, the world splintering like a shattered mirror, Queen dancing through the cracks as the forest dissolved into pools of shadow and ruin. That image burned itself into my soul.

I craved it.

The power to claim my place, to be the dragon who roared with pride and meant it.

I closed my eyes and breathed in once more. Ah, yes. It was time to press on. With that, I spread my wings, fluttered briefly over the treetops, then dropped down to the clearing. There’d be no grand flying down those tunnels, after all.

But deeper I would go. I had to see what kind of Biome this dungeon would reveal further in. Yet before that, oh, there would be preparations to make.

A great many.

***

Name: Jade

Level: 10

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

Attributes:

* Strength: 15

* Durability: 32

* Intelligence: 40

* Will: 27

* Mana Points: 0/0

* Stamina Points: 19/29

Species Skills:

* Controlled Claw Swipe: Level 10 (II) (+)

* Tail Whip: Level 5 (I) (+)

* Roar: Level 5 (I) (+)

* Scale Harden: Level 5 (I) (+)

* Stealth: Level 5 (I) (+)

* Crushing Crunch: Level 10 (II) (+)

* Quick Dash: Level 5 (I) (+)

* Flight: Level 5 (I) (+)

* Deep Breathing: Level 5 (I) (+)

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* Air Sense: Level 5 (I) (+)

* Climb: Level 5 (I) (+)

* Crush Claw: Level 5 (I) (+)

Exclusive Skills:

* Transformation: Level 1 (I)

Mutations:

* Eyes - Focusing Lenses, Peripheral Optimization (III): +0

* Claws - Claw Flexibility, Razor-Edge Claws (III): +0

* Scales - Colour Adaptation, Shock-Absorbent Scales (III): +0

* Wings - Hollow Bones (II): +0

* Legs - Joint Flexibility (II): +0

* Fire Gland - Mana Reservoir, Mana Conservation (III): +0

* Macro-Trophic Sac: +5 (+)

Resources:

* Skill Points: 4

* Morphogens: 1

I found myself once more in the sticky confines of the sap tunnel, glaring at my stat screen. Time wasn’t on my side, and I needed to delve deeper—and quickly too. The chaos had passed, but it wouldn’t be long before curious eyes came poking around. I had no intention of lingering like a fool caught in the rain.

Soon, I’d be ready—ready to descend further into the proper entrance of this place, to reach the main biome of the dungeon. But first, a little preparation was in order. I needed to boost the skills that were ripe for a second advancement, the ones on the very cusp of a breakthrough. Second-tier upgrades had given me a nice jolt of power, but the tantalizing prospect of a third-tier boost had me grinning like a cat in the cream. Perhaps advancing these skills would unlock even more achievements for my evolution. Hehe.

Right, first up—Controlled Claw Swipe.

Controlled Claw Swipe (II): Moderates swipe force, enabling rapid cuts or heavier blows based on the situation.

Advancement Options (Requires 1 SP):

* Echo Claw Swipe (III): Upon executing a swipe, a delayed "echo" of the strike materializes. Target is hit twice in quick succession—once by the physical claws, followed by the force-based echo. Both hits are physical.

* Phantom Claw Swipe (III): Extends the swipe range by manifesting force claws that mirror Jade's movements, enabling short-range strikes. Force claws are physical but less powerful than direct contact.

Okay... what. the. fuck?

What on earth were these options? Up until now, every upgrade had been a simple refinement, a sharpening of technique. Each one brought me closer to mastering the perfect claw swipe. Alright, fair enough, I’d only had one upgrade so far, but still! Tier three, eh? I suppose even muscle memory had its limits.

The echoes of the last battle rang in my mind. Yes, it made sense I’d get something a bit... exotic at this stage.

Excitement bubbled up in my chest. But, a niggling thought—itched like a flea bite—did these upgrades need mana? Not a peep about mana usage anywhere, and I had none to spare at the moment. No matter. I’d be unlocking my mana soon enough, so even if these moves did drink up a bit of the stuff, I’d be ready for it. But something told me they wouldn’t need mana at all.

Hmm.

Time to choose. Which one suited me best? I mulled over the options...

Echo Claw Swipe. Now, that one's clever. A swipe, then—like an echo—another hit follows. First, my claws strike. Then, this echo trails behind, doubling the damage in one clean motion. Both hits are physical. A treat, really. Twice the damage for no extra effort. No ranged attacks yet, so this? Handy. Quite delicious too—two strikes, back to back. Individually, they’re fine. Together? Devastating. A cheeky upgrade compared to everything else.

Then there’s Phantom Claw Swipe. It extends my range, force claws mimicking every movement. Less power, though. A trade-off: range over impact. Great for keeping enemies away, but... not for those heavy hits I’m after.

Argh, the agony. Why must I choose between such tempting options? Cruel system.

Right, Jade. Breathe. Phantom Claw’s reach was appealing, but it was limited—only around my claws. Not like wielding a magic sword, just an extended arm. I'd still need to close the gap eventually. Though, I could see a few clever uses...

On the other hand, Echo Claw—simple. Double the damage in a single swipe. No frills, just power. Efficient. Lethal. I liked getting the most out of my claws. They’d served me well. It only made sense to double down on their sharpness with all these mutations.

Yes. Echo Claw Swipe. Doubling up with each strike? That’s the one. Simple, reliable, lethal. Just what I needed.

Ah, splendid. Choice locked in, the same icy rush of knowledge surged through me. Sharp. Brisk.

But this time... oh, this time it was different.

It didn’t just whisper improvements, didn’t just feed my muscles new ways to slice, to strike. No. This time, something else stirred. Something far more tantalizing.

A manifestation of my strength. But beyond me.

If I had to compare, it felt like Quick Dash. Except, instead of draining stamina in one exhausting burst, it channeled outward. An extension of my very self.

It didn’t sap my mana. Far too practical for that. It fed on stamina. Perfect.

Ripe for testing.

I cast my gaze down the tunnel. Bark walls, bright sap veins slithering through. Ahh, yes. Perfect.

I crouched, claws ready. The pulse of excitement swelled in my chest.

Let’s see what you can really do, then.

I lashed out. Just before my claws met bark—there. A tug. A polite request from the force behind me. I accepted it, and in that moment, my swipe siphoned stamina.

Thunk.

The wall splintered. Bark cracked like brittle bones. And then—there it was—the delayed echo. The air shimmered, and the force from my strike followed. A perfect aftershock, striking the same spot. Another crack. Deeper. Ruthless precision.

I couldn’t help it—a low cackle bubbled up. Raspy. Wicked. Like some ancient crone.

Shivers of delight rippled through my spine.

Ahhh...

That. Was. Perfect.

Not magic. But oh-so-close. The anticipation of my next evolution simmered, even more delicious.

But enough of that.

Focus, Jade.

I slapped myself lightly. Onwards to the next upgrade! Possibility was, with any luck, it’d be just as glorious.

Crushing Crunch (II): Applies targeted pressure with bite, maximizing structural damage to bones or weaker armor.

Advancement Options (Requires 1 SP):

* Crunch Aura (III): Bite now generates a force fang aura extending beyond the physical jaws, enabling short-range attacks without fully closing the distance. Weaker than the physical bite.

* Spectral Crunch (III): A force-based aura of teeth manifests upon biting, enlarging the attack and adding a little ranged effect. Increased damage when the bite fully penetrates the target.

Right then, time to knuckle down and stop gawping at every bit of odd skills as if it’s the first spark of magic I’ve ever seen! Jade! That was only the beginning, ohohoho.

Ahem, let’s have a butcher’s at what we’ve got here. Once again, the choices seemed different at first glance, but their use was as familiar as my claw swipe upgrades. One option offered a bit of extra range for my bite—easy peasy—though it’d cost me a smidge of power in return. The other? Well, it was practically Echo Claw Swipe all over again, except this time with a second, larger force bite tagging along for the ride, doubling the damage and adding a nice bit of aftershock once the bite sank in.

So, the first option gave me a touch of versatility, while the second promised raw, unbridled power—double the damage, maybe more. I was toughening up nicely, and with only one pick, I found myself leaning towards the latter. Simple. Direct. Brutal.

Right-o. Spectral Crunch it was. All that remained was to upgrade my Macro-Trophic Sac. Which I was absolutely not avoiding because of the agony it brought to my, erm, rear regions. Absolutely not!

I gave my head a good shake, mentally clicking on Spectral Crunch, and welcomed the delightful rush of knowledge flooding in. Ahh, lovely stuff, if only my mutations were like this too. Tsk.