Chapter 35
"Buhahahaha! I will get and eliminate you soon, dear Dragon Vessel!"
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"ARGHHH!" Max cried out as he immediately shot up from where he lay. Beads of sweat cascaded down his face as his heart raced wildly inside his chest. His breathing came in ragged bursts, and for a moment, he felt like his lungs were about to give out.
"Wh…what was that?" he muttered shakily while clenching at his chest. That was when he felt it.
The texture beneath his hand didn't feel like skin. Instead, it was rough, uneven, almost like running his palms across a rocky mountain.
"Huh?" he muttered again, confusion thick in his voice as he quickly glanced downward.
Before he even tugged his shirt open, his eyes caught sight of his hands.
"The fuck?" Max almost shouted aloud but managed to clamp down on the panic rising in his throat.
His hands were no longer the same fleshy human ones he had known all his life. Instead, dark red scales etched themselves into his skin, faintly glimmering in the dim light.
From his neck all the way down to his waist, those scales ran in a subtle, uneven pattern, barely visible if someone wasn't looking too closely. They weren't grotesque, but they were enough to send shivers down his spine.
Further along his arms, his fingers had fused and reshaped slightly, now appearing almost claw-like. When he reached up to touch his face, his fingertips grazed his teeth, and he felt the sharp, well-defined ridges. They weren't ordinary teeth anymore—they were fangs.
"The hell happened to me?" he whispered, trying to steady his hammering heartbeat. But before he could collect himself, a flood of memories came crashing into his head like a tidal wave. His skull throbbed, and he clutched it tightly.
"Ow!" Max groaned, rubbing his forehead as the hazy blur began to clear up.
He remembered.
He remembered visiting Mia, seeking out another day of wild fun, only for her husband to be home. The fight that broke out left Mia shot, bleeding on the floor, and he had rushed her to the hospital.
Then came his return to the slums to scavenge enough money for her bills—only to run into the Gray Bulls Gang. Their leader had turned out to be a demon vessel, and the brutal fight that followed had nearly cost him his life.
Finally, the agonizing pain that tore through him—the memory of his body breaking apart, reforming, reshaping. The moment the system had informed him that his evolution was successful.
"Oh! So these are the effects of the evolution, huh?" Max muttered, staring down at the scales on his hands and flexing his claw-like fingers.
"Hmm! System! Pull up my Status Tab!"
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{Name: Max Ashwell}
{Age: 18}
{Level: 10}
{XP: 460/600}
{Race: Draconic Scion}
{HP: 100/100} {MP: 150/150}
{STR: 50} {AGI: 45}
{INT: 40} {Partners: 2}
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"Oh nice! I got a plus five to both Strength and Agility after the evolution, huh? Earlier, my agility was higher than my strength, but after I dumped all my free stat points into strength, now it finally overtakes." Max muttered as he flexed his hands in and out, feeling raw, explosive power coursing through his veins.
'Heck yeah!' Max laughed inwardly, grinning to himself as he stretched his arms and yawned loudly. 'That's right! I should've gotten a few skills from killing that demon vessel. Let papa see what he got!'
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{New Skill Added: Dragon Roar}
{Description: This skill allows host to emit a roar which will paralyze or disorient foes for ten seconds. At the same time, those the host considers allies will receive a buff in strength and speed.}
{Cooldown: Skill can only be used once a day.}
"That's… that's cray cray," Max chuckled, staring at the description and already imagining the devastation it could cause. "Alright then! Let me see all my skills in total."
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{Skills}
{Charm (Lv. 1; requires 5 MP): This skill allows the host to attract the opposite sex and provoke them to desire intimacy. The higher the level of the skill, the stronger the target's desire becomes.}
{Eyes of Allure (Active): Reveals a woman's current emotional or physical craving. (Cooldown: ten minutes)}
{Seduction: This skill affects how persuasive and tempting the host is.}
{Magical Energy Lv 1 (Requires 10 MP): This skill allows the host to strengthen his attacks and increase speed in combat. Strength and speed will rise by 20%, and the skill will go on cooldown for ten minutes after use.}
{Erection Lv 1 (Requires 5 MP): This skill allows the host to become erect without foreplay. It provides greater pleasure, increasing cock length, and the amount of semen produced will increase with each level.}
{Healing Lv 1 (Requires 10 MP): This skill allows the host to convert 10 MP into 50 HP. The amount of healing will increase with each level.}
{Skill Name: Dragon Eyes}
{Description: This skill allows the host to see beyond physical limitations. He can detect threats or otherworldly forces by their aura. It also enables him to see through barriers, obstructions, or buildings.}
{Skill Name: Draconic Force Palm}
{Type: Combat (Close-to-Mid Range)}
{Description: This skill allows the host to channel raw draconic energy into his palm, unleashing a concussive force capable of blasting enemies backward, shattering barriers, or even breaking bones on impact. Its power scales with his Strength.}
{Skill Name: Soul Mark (Passive)}
{Description: Every time the host conquers a woman completely, he can leave a 'Soul Mark' on her body. This invisible mark creates a permanent bond that makes the marked woman more sensitive and loyal to the host, while also granting him the ability to sense where she is at all times, like a living radar.}
{Strength Surge: Increases user's strength by 15% for 10 minutes. Cooldown: 1 hour, 30 minutes.}
{Adrenaline Rush Lv 1: Temporarily increases speed and agility by 4% for 4 minutes. Cooldown: 45 minutes.}
{Dragon Roar}
{Description: This skill allows the host to emit a powerful roar capable of paralyzing or disorienting foes for ten seconds. At the same time, allies recognized by the host receive a buff in strength and speed.}
{Cooldown: Once per day}
—
"Now it's starting to look like the system is being more generous with me, giving out more combat skills. Especially since it feels like I'll be facing greater dangers in this world.
I'm a hundred percent sure now, this ain't my world." Max muttered as he pushed himself to his feet, his body still heavy and sore. Just as he steadied himself, a new notification appeared before his eyes, shimmering with a golden hue.
{New Tab Unlocked}
{Dragon Abilities}
"Huh?" Max blinked, his eyes widening. He had grown somewhat used to the steady flow of skills, but a whole new tab? That was something entirely different. His heart pounded in his chest as he stared at the glowing letters hovering before him.