[Girra, The last Dragon of Morr]

[Type: Familiar]

[Grade: Unknown]

[Level:1]

[Health: 500]

[Magic Attack: 250]

[Magic Defense: 250]

[Strength: 300]

[Mana: 270]

[Intelligence: 250]

[Speed: 300]

[Passive Skill: Fire Immunity Lv. Max]

[Passive Skill: Wind Immunity Lv. Max]

[Passive Skill: Taunt Lv.1]

[Skill: Fire Breath Lv.1]

[Skill: Red Storm Lv.1]

[Skill: Swirling Wind Lv.1]

[Skill: Healing Wind Lv.1]

[Special skill: Darkflame Lv. Max Locked due to low level]

[Recovery Skill: Resurrection Lv. Max Locked due to low level]

[Strength: Fire element, wind element]

[Weakness: Water element (low level)]

Ayah gawked at the numbers displayed. Well, wasn’t that unfair? The numbers were astronomical compared to hers at level 1. Heck, even now, her numbers were inferior to his. How was that possible? She squinted her eyes at the screen. Why were there more stats than earlier?

“What?! Where did all my hard-earned abilities disappear to?” Girra yelled from where he had taken residence, perched on a lower branch over her shoulder.

Ayah paused, her eyes following his line of sight. His eyes were staring at the screen. She wasn’t dreaming. He was indeed staring at the screen. His eyes roamed over the floating words, his brows furrowing in offense at what he found.

“Damn it. I knew that would happen. But I didn’t think it would be this disastrous.”

Could party members also see the system? No. Harith didn’t seem to notice it since their party had been created. Even now, each time she called up the party’s screen, he didn’t blink a single eye at it. It must be because of the pact.

“You… can see it,” Ayah said slowly.

The dragon turned his head to her, his expression relaying the absurdity of her statement. “Of course,” he said. “We did form a partnership, didn’t we?” He turned back to the screen, not waiting for her answer.

Her eyes narrowed. He didn’t seem to be surprised by the system’s existence. It seemed as if it was something natural, expected.

How else could he interact with it, and what features did he have access to?

Girra froze, one of his wings halting mid-stretch. “Last?... Oh… I see…” His expression fell as his eyes lingered on the word. “Are there no more dragons in Morr?” He sounded small, subdued– as if a huge burden had fallen on his small shoulders, crippling him. He shrank over himself, tucking his wings around him like a tiny shield against his brethren’s miserable fate.

“I’m not sure.” She turned to the screen, dreading her next words. “System, are there other dragons in Morr?”

[The system is unaware of the presence of any other dragon.]

Girra was silent for a moment, his eyes unblinking. “I see.”

Ayah felt bad for him. Here he was, awakening after only god knows how much time, only to find that he was the last of his species.

What had happened to the other dragons? She wanted to ask the system but feared for the answer, worried that Girra would see it.

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

Later, she thought. Once she could find some privacy, she would ask the system to shed some light on what had transpired.

She reached her hand towards him, her mind going highwire, searching for words to tell him, for something to ease some of the dragon’s pain. But before she could utter a word, Harith’s voice cut through the uncomfortable silence.

“Lizard-brain, come here for a second,” Harith called the dragon.

“What did you just call me?” Girra snapped, his sadness momentarily forgotten. He flew straight at Harith’s head, who ducked to avoid the tiny creature’s sharp claws. Girra landed on the ground a few feet from Harith, and they both started arguing and snapping at each other.

Ayah watched the duo. Girra spat fire into the wood pile, igniting it, his glaring eyes not leaving Harith’s scowling ones. She snorted, amused by their banter.

The small dragon glanced at her, lifting a querying eyebrow before hissing back at Harith.

They set off at first light, threading through the dense forest, following the path indicated by the system.

“I would rather trust her demon than an enemy,” Harith had said.

Ayah had leveled him with a look, words at the tip of her tongue, ready to spill to clear his ludicrous accusations.

The system wasn’t her demon, nor was it one– a demon– to begin with. But what else could she say? She sighed. Would these annoying restrictions ever be lifted? Or would she ever be known as a demon worshipper?

Ridiculous.

Much like yesterday, Loaye kept clear of Girra’s way. Always a few steps behind. His eyes warily watched the small dragon as its wings kept it afloat beside Ayah.

Ayah sent him a querying look. He opened his mouth as if to say something but shook his head– a subtle, tiny movement that would have gone unnoticed– and looked to the side, avoiding her eyes for the remainder of their trek. If he thought he would get away with keeping information from her, he was hugely mistaken. She would get to the bottom of things as soon as they took care of the invading army.

Girra either wasn’t aware of Loaye’s looks or simply didn’t care, too absorbed in his quarrel with Harith that had carried since yesterday.

[Enemies have appeared.]

Ayah startled at the announcement. She looked around, finding nothing alarming. They were alone.

Then, something glimmered under the morning light.

Wait. is that…?

She looked up, and true enough, spiderwebs were dangling from the tree canopy. In the short time they had spent in the safety of the temple ruins, she had forgotten entirely about the spiders that had been her main concern a mere day ago– other than the assassin, of course.

Speaking of…

She had left him surrounded by spiders. There was no telling if he had escaped, perished under the viscous spiders’s sharp legs, or was lurking around, waiting for the right moment to strike. Strangely enough, the last thought hadn’t enlisted the same amount of fear it did a while ago. After all, any opportunity he had had slipped through his fingers when Harith’s injury was completely healed. The only person who could hold a candle against the general was the king himself. While exceptionally strong, Zain wouldn’t stand a chance against Harith’s full power.

Still, it wouldn’t hurt to be careful.

“System, is the assassin nearby?”

[The system is unsure of your inquiry.]

“Are the spider monsters the only enemies around?”

[Correct.]

A relieved sigh escaped Ayah’s lips. Better not add the trigger-happy maniac to the enemies they had to deal with.

[15 Arachne monsters have surrounded the area.]

[Defeat the monsters and survive!]

“Is this a quest or…?”

[A quest has yet to be assigned to Player.]

[Player will be notified the second a new quest is available.]

“So we don’t have to fight them?”

The system, Hayna– Ayah reminded herself– waited momentarily before responding.

[Correct.]

“So we only need to survive.”

[Correct.]

Ayah hummed. “Thanks, Hayna.” She grinned, staring at the empty screen hovering in front of her.

This time, Hayna took even longer to respond.

[The system… ]

It paused as if lagging.

[I’m here to assist the player to get to her full potential. Thanks are unnecessary.]

“Sure.”

She stood back, watching as Harith and Girra did quick work of the monsters, content with sitting this fight out. She needed all the stamina and mana she could recover before dealing with the fraud protagonist.

With a single strike from Harith’s sword, shadows tore through the Arachne monsters, ripping them to shreds. Girra mumbled a curse under his breath— something about not losing to a halfling. Harith paid him no mind. A relieved smile pulled at his lips, clearly pleased at being able to use his powers fully. He sent a smile Ayah’s way that she returned readily.

[Skill used: Fire Breath]

An onslaught of fire engulfed the spiders, burning them to a crisp.

It was unfair that the dragon dealt with the arachnes as if he were swatting flies when she had struggled to escape with her life.

[You’ve defeated monster x 1]

Ayah blinked at the screen. What was the meaning of this? There must be something wrong! She hadn’t defeated a single monster. But the notifications kept piling up till another one, a new one, appeared in front of her eyes.

[You’ve defeated monster x 1]

[Congratulations! Your Familiar had Leveled up!]

[Keep up the excellent work, player!]

She called up the stats window, and indeed, Girra’s level had increased.

Loaye stood next to her, cringing each time a monster ventured closer to them. The monsters were killed before they made more than a couple of feet nearer.

“To think such destructive powers were at the first emperor's disposal.” He clicked his tongue. “No wonder he couldn’t be stopped.”

Ayah leveled him with a look. “Didn’t he unite the continent, or was that another of the liberties you took in your book.”

He glanced at her, a bashful look on his face. “Things might have been a bit more complicated than I let on.”

She snorted. “Of course.”

She opened her mouth to rebuke him further, but all words were forgotten at the new notifications floating in front of her.

[You’ve defeated monster x 1]

[Congratulations! You’ve Leveled up!]

[Keep up the good work, player!]

Well, wasn’t that helpful.