RUSTY

"Rusty, you shouldn't have revealed yourself," Jiho said. "I had the situation under control."

"Under control?" Sooji said, raising an eyebrow at Jiho. "We were about to be slaughtered."

"They wouldn’t have dared attack," Jiho said, his cheeks reddening with indignation. "But now they know we have a dragon with us. It’s unacceptable."

"Relax, Jiho," Chul chimed in, patting Rusty's head affectionately. "He did a great job scaring them off. I'm proud of him."

Jiho grumbled something unintelligible but didn't push the matter further. Instead, he turned his attention back to the dead dump beetle, its exoskeleton gleaming in the afternoon sun.

"Let's not waste any more time," he said. "We should bring the carcass back to the den. Can we get a sled together to carry it?"

"On it," Seok agreed before setting off to search for materials that could be used to drag the beetle. As he disappeared among the piles of trash, Rusty couldn't help but feel a sense of unease creep into his thoughts. He knew popping up and showing off had been impulsive, but he also understood that protecting his family was more important than remaining hidden. Jiho continued grumbling to himself as he cut into the carcass, though he didn’t chastise him again directly. Jiwoo ate a piece of raw beetle flesh from Chul’s sack, and stuck out his tongue at Rusty, in a fine mood.

Seok returned, dragging several wooden boards behind him. Rusty watched his goblin family work together to construct a makeshift travois. Sooji produced rope, and they supplemented its length with strips of cloth they wove together from their own garments.

"Rusty, come help us lift this thing onto the sled," Jiho called out, motioning for him to join them. The small dragon obliged, getting under the carcass, and pushing it with his back so they could roll it onto the boards.

The sled creaked and groaned as the gang made their way back to the den. It was a laborious process that involved several stops and starts as they dragged it over heaps and dealt with snags. Rusty, walking alongside them, couldn't help but feel a mixture of pride in their victory and concern about the future. The Midden Tribe, whoever they were, would soon know about him, and things were going to change.

As they returned to the den, Sooji immediately set to work on preparing a fire, shoveling out the old ash and rearranging the circle of brick shards to better contain the flames. With practiced hands, she ignited a few bits of tinder using flint and steel, the small blaze quickly spreading to consume the dry splinters she had placed on top. Most of the larger available wood was moist and decaying, slowing the process, and they ended up breaking down the travois planks to use for more fuel.

"Come on, Chul," she said, beckoning him toward her. "We need to skewer this meat so we can roast it."

Chul complied, helping Sooji carve thick strips of the tender meat from the carcass. Using sharp metal rods they had scavenged from the debris around their home, they threaded the meat onto the skewers, creating juicy kabobs. Rusty would have liked to help, but his claws weren’t suited to the work. For some reason, he felt like he should have had opposable thumbs, though of course, dragons did not. He stared at his claws for a time, flexing his slender toes, suitable for grasping, but not for fine manipulation. An image came into his mind of a very different set of appendages, pale skin instead of gray scales, performing a task similar to what Sooji and Chul were doing, except with grilled peppers and beef cubes instead of beetle flesh. The image gave him a queasy feeling, like he was looking over the edge of a high cliff, leaning so far that he might lose his balance. He shook his head to dispel it.

As they worked, Jiho paced restlessly nearby, his eyes darting between the roasting meat and the entrance to the den.

"Everything is ruined now," he muttered, scratching at a welt on his face left over from the wasp stings he’d suffered a few days earlier. "We could've dealt with them without the Midden Tribe ever knowing about Rusty."

"Jiho, would you stop worrying?" Chul interjected, trying to reassure his high-strung friend. "They were so scared; they don’t know what they saw."

"Even if they tell the Great Goblin, who’s going to believe them?" Sooji said, carefully turning the sizzling kabobs over the fire.

Chul's eyes suddenly lit up with excitement. "I have a great idea! I can make Rusty a disguise! When I’m done, no one will ever figure out he’s really a scaly dog."

The others exchanged skeptical glances, then Jiho made a dismissive gesture. "You should leave the ideas to me, Chul. You’re biting off more than you can chew."

"You don’t know how much I can chew!" Chul shot back. “I’ve got a big mouth. The biggest, see?” He opened wide, showing off his sharp incisors. Undeterred by their lack of faith in him, he dashed out of the den, leaving Rusty and the others behind.

Not long after, the rest of the gang huddled together in the dimly lit den, their emerald eyes reflecting the flickering light of the fire as they savored the succulent beetle flesh. Jiho’s mood cast a pall over the group, all except Jiwoo, who could still be heard chuckling to himself and making small comments about gobknobblers between mouthfuls. They left the entrance open so the smoke of the fire would have somewhere to escape aside from the small gap in its ceiling. But the space was still brimming with a thick cloud that would have suffocated most humans. The goblins, aside from being subject to the occasional coughing fit, were otherwise unbothered by the fumes.

Rusty had finished eating, and was curled up on the bumpy, not too comfortable pile of trash that Chul used for his bedding. He’d summoned his status screen, and scrolled through for more information, only to find that the [System] didn’t come with an instruction manual. Of course, if everyone in the world was born with a system, an instruction manual wouldn’t be necessary. Parents could teach their children how it worked just like they would teach them how to brush their teeth or tie their shoes, not that the goblins seemed to do either of those things.

"Can't we train or do something to become stronger?” He asked the group. “I see there’s a space for experience here, but I haven’t gained any. Did killing the beetle give you experience?” He felt like slaying monsters was the sort of thing people would have to do to gain levels, though he wasn’t sure why he thought that, given that no one had told him so. The term “RPG” came to mind, and that opened onto a plethora of hazy associations regarding games that worked that way. He knew a lot of things he had never been told, but maybe that was a part of being a dragon. Racial memories. “You all have classes, don’t you, and levels? What’s stopping you from becoming stronger than the Midden Tribe?”

Jiho and Jiwoo exchanged looks before launching into an impassioned tirade about the unfairness of the [System]. "It's not that simple," Jiho began, his frustration coming to the fore. "Humans and Dwarves, all the other races. They have it easy."

Rusty tilted his head, the tiny silver horn atop his snout catching the light. "What do you mean?"

"Every race has a way to advance," Jiwoo explained, his eyes flashing with bitterness. "Humans can earn levels by killing, so all humans are murderhobos." He said the word like a curse. "Meanwhile, Dwarves can craft items to get stronger, elves can dance and party, and orcs just have to break stuff," Jiho’s agitation grew as he spoke, his scrawny arms waving, swirling the cloud of smoke that hovered just above their heads. "But us? Goblins can only gain levels by having children or getting other goblins to pledge loyalty."

Rusty listened intently, his tail twitching with curiosity. It sounded like a setup that would lead to some serious disparity in power between the races, and within goblin communities in particular. Leadership would be a resource for personal power, even more so than it normally was, and there could only ever be so much to go around, depending on the goblin population.

"Is there no other way?" Rusty asked. "You’re telling me there’s nothing else you can do to gain experience?"

"Believe me, if there were another way, we would have found it by now," Jiwoo replied, his voice heavy with resignation. Then he belched and dug into another kabob.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Wait a second," Rusty said. "You didn’t mention dragons. What about me? How do I advance?"

Jiwoo shrugged, and Jiho stared off into space, apparently gone in his own world, as he often was.

"Maybe you should try eating more," Seok suggested, scratching his head.

"Check your [System] screens," Sooji said. "We don’t really know much about dragons."

"I was looking," Rusty said, “there really isn’t much in there.”

“Oh,” Sooji slapped her forehead hard enough that the orange pillar of her hair quivered. “Of course, you don’t know. You can ask the [System] questions. It won’t always have an answer for you, but just use the command phrase and tell it what you want to know.”

Rusty turned back to his screen flickering in the air beside him. The [System] screens would remain active, following their users, until they dispelled them. He’d already learned that phrase as well, which was simply ‘Goodbye Cruel World.’

“Hello Cruel World,” he said, watching the pale letters arranged on a blue background before him. “How do I gain levels?”

The screen reset, replaced with a page that was blank except for a heading that said “CWChat.” His question appeared below the heading as if it was being typed by hand, and an answer quickly followed.

Hello Rusty, great question!

Dragons advance by accumulating materials corresponding to their class. This process allows them to gain experience points and mature. These materials must be hoarded to benefit the dragon, and the more closely aligned the material is with the dragon's class, the more experience points they will accrue.

Here are some examples:

Gold Dragons collect gold items such as coins, jewelry, or gold-laced plated artifacts.

Red Dragons accumulate objects of the color red. Rubies are the most effective, but even items simply painted red can contribute to their growth. Red Dragons are also known as vampiric dragons, because of their habit of dotting their lairs with massive pools of blood.

Flame Dragons hoard ash, flammable materials, and actual flames. An active volcano would serve as the best lair for a Flame Dragon to reach its peak potential.

Ice Dragons focus on collecting cold-related items, including snow, icicles, or certain crystals. A glacier is an ideal lair for a powerful ice dragon.

Shadow Dragons are sometimes known as Cathedral Dragons for their habit of constructing vast gothic structures to serve as their lairs, wherein the architecture and lighting is designed in such a way as to cast the most possible shadows. A powerful shadow dragon might even accumulate pockets of raw darkness harvested from the Barathrum.

Each class of dragon has its distinct set of requirements and optimal environments for maximal growth. Hoarding items of lesser relevance will yield minimal experience, whereas obtaining items closely aligned with their class attributes will result in significant gains.

The goblins let him read, and Rusty’s heart beat faster. A Trash Dragon hatched in a junkyard could not be a coincidence. He wondered how, given that he was already surrounded by what had to be his ideal element, he was only first level.

“What about [Trash Dragon]s?” He asked the screen, and his question typed itself out into the log before receiving a reply.

I’m sorry. There is no relevant data associated with your query. Did you mean “Terror Dragon?” Dragons whose elemental affinity relates to metaphysical concepts, emotions, or ideas, are extremely rare, and sometimes referred to as “God Dragons.”

Terror Dragons collect objects that incite fear or are otherwise imbued with residual terror, such as cursed artifacts, remnants from haunted locations, or captives kept in constant fear for their lives.

Rusty quickly scanned through the unsatisfying answer, his train of thought briefly derailed by the idea of a dragon that only grew stronger by inciting fear, and the horrible things that kind of creature might do to gain power.

“I’m a [Trash Dragon],” he said. “What do I have to do to gain experience?”

The response came instantly.

I’m sorry, there is no relevant data associated with your query. Please try rephrasing your question.

Rusty blinked. This wasn’t what he had been expecting at all. If the System could tell him about something as esoteric as a [Terror Dragon], it made little sense to him that it wouldn’t have information about his own draconic class. He tried something more general.

“How do dragons add stuff to their hoards?”

Excellent question! Dragons add to their hoards through a process called “Material Integration.” In short, a dragon must acquire materials appropriate to their affinity by discovering it themselves, winning it in combat, or being offered the material as tribute. Materials acquired in this fashion are automatically added to a dragon’s hoard after being in the dragon's possession for twenty-five hours.

“Uh,” Rusty said, “guys? I think we need to talk about this.”

“What is it?” Sooji asked. “Did you figure out what you need to do to level up?”

“Sort of,” Rusty said. “I need to have a hoard, and the hoard has to be made up of the right material for the kind of dragon I am. I can find stuff, or fight for it, or people can give it to me, and then I just have to hold on to whatever it is for twenty-five hours, and it will be a part of my hoard.”

"Fight for it, huh?" Seok perked up, raising one arm to show off his knotted biceps. "Sounds like fun!"

Jiho ran a hand through his hair, sucking in a long breath through his nose before standing up. "Rusty,” he said. “Rusty, you realize what this means? You're a [Trash Dragon]. We exist in the epicenter of all the garbage of an entire region of the trashiest civilization that has ever existed. This could not be more convenient.” He looked at the other goblins, his expression begging them to understand the immensity of this revelation. “Don’t you see? Do you not see? Are you all fools? We live in the heart of a junkyard, surrounded by trash. In a few days, he’ll be one of the strongest dragons in the world!”

Sooji frowned, her brow furrowing as she considered Jiho's words. "It can't be that simple," she said. "There has to be some kind of limitation. He’s been living with us for days already, and he’s still level one.”

“He’s living here, sure, but what does it mean for an item to be in his hoard?” Jiho began pacing once more. “He has to own it, possess it. But what does it mean to possess something? When a goblin has a child, the System automatically awards them the appropriate experience, but to gain a follower, they have to make a formal pledge of loyalty. Rusty’s living with us, but he owns nothing.” He stopped. “Seok, quick. Give Rusty something from your collection. Something that’s yours, that you have a right to give.”

Seok lowered his arm. “Why me?”

“Just do it!” Jiho commanded.

“Okay, okay,” Seok went to his corner of the den and dug through his collection to find an object he was willing to part with, hesitating over his assortment of wooden soldiers.

“Do it already,” Jiho berated him, “what are you waiting for?”

Seok picked out one of his more damaged toys, hesitated, and switched it out for a different one before going over to Rusty. “What do I say?” He asked.

“Be formal,” Jiho commanded, “as if you were giving a loyalty pledge.”

“Oh, um…” Seok knelt before Rusty, putting their heads about level. “I um…hereby give you this little wooden man. He’s um, a very good soldier, and I want you to have him, I guess.”

“Thank you,” Rusty said, reaching out with a claw to grasp the toy. There was a moment’s pause when they were both holding it and Seok initially refused to let go, but with a sigh, Seok released his end and Rusty drew the object to his chest.

“I’ll treasure it,” he said, and meant it.

“Good,” Seok said, wiping his eyes. “You should.”

“Now what?” Sooji asked.

Jiho sat back down. “Now we wait. If you’re awarded experience twenty-five hours from now, we’ll know that it worked and Seok can give you everything he has to start with.”

Seok spun around. “Why me?”

“Because you’re the most biddable,” Jiho said, “obviously.”

Seok blinked. “What’s biddable mean?”

“It means you’re a good soldier.”

“Oh,” Seok said, relieved. “That’s true.”

Rusty looked down at the toy he was gripping in his claw. “Do you think I have to hold it the whole time?”

“I don’t know,” Jiho said, “ask the [System].”

“Oh, yeah, sure.” Rusty said, looking back at his screen. “Can you help me? I was asking it some things before, and it didn’t have the answers. You might know how to phrase the questions better.”

Jiho waved his hand like he was shooing a gnat, but he wasn’t shooing them. There were lots of gnats in the den, and they didn’t go anywhere. “We can’t ask the [System] about you. It answers questions relevant to the user’s class. So, you can’t ask it about [Songstealer]s, and I can’t ask it about [Trash Dragons]. Those are the rules.”

“[Songstealer]?” The word took his attention away from his screen. “Is that your class? I thought it was an insult.”

Jiho’s face went blank, while Sooji and Seok froze, as if expecting an explosion. “We can discuss that later,” he replied tonelessly. “For now, focus on yourself.”

Rusty did as he was told, and in a few more minutes, he had all the information he needed. For an item to be in a dragon’s possession, it had to remain within easy reach, or in his lair, for the duration of the integration period. Afterward, an item would be considered lost if it was out of his reach or away from his lair for over twenty-five hours, at which point he would lose the associated experience. A dragon couldn’t simply be given a hoard, he had to keep it as well. Rusty explained these conditions to the gang, and Jiho nodded sagely, as if it all made perfect sense to him, and he had expected the caveats all along.

“That’s fine, keep it near you for now, and later, we can figure out how to make the den your lair.” He swept an arm out, including the entirety of the gang’s amassed treasures; chipped shells, broken glass and metal fragments, discarded toys, knickknacks, and slightly rotted bric-a-brac in the gesture. “Soon, my young friend, all of these wonders may be yours.”

Rusty liked the sound of that.

Jiwoo, who hadn’t been following the conversation, looked up from skewering another hunk of beetle flesh to cook over the fire.

“Wait,” he said, “what?”