The rest of the day went by quickly, and night soon fell on Xathia. It was back to sleeping hours, and Aiden was settled on the bed provided for him.
He was currently examining a screen regarding Experience Points.
[Exp Requirements]:
-[800xp required to go up to Level 4 Hatchling]
-[2500xp required for Dragon's Sight Lv.3]
-[1500xp required for Dragon Transformation Lv.2]
-[5000 XP required to raise Host Magic to SSS]
-[15000 XP required to raise Destruction Authority to Ex-Rank]
-[15000 XP required to raise Replication Authority to Ex-Rank]
-[15000 XP required to raise Space Authority to Ex-Rank]
[Exp Balance: 3,100]
A sad reality hit him as he reviewed the things he currently needed experience points for, and in large amounts.
"Not looking good," Aiden said. "The XP from these daily missions will do me no good."
Then he said specifically to the system, "Hey, when do I get new side or special quests?"
It replied quickly:
[Side Quests and Special Quests will be assigned in due time. Alternatively, you can pursue the permanent quest for huge rewards]
"How big of a reward are we talking about here?" Aiden asked, rather intrigued.
[Rewards for a Permanent Quest are only given after it is completed]
He sighed and said to himself, "I literally have zero prospects to even attempt this."
Then he took another look at the experience requirements screen and realized he hadn't even seen what this Dragon Transformation was like.
A scene from what Syra had looked like flashed into his mind, then he muttered "Hmm…" and decided to try the skill out.
[Dragon Transformation Lv1]
As soon as the skill activated, his fingernails started developing into claws, and both his hands began developing black scales that covered his skin all the way to the elbows.
His feet also began taking a similar transformation to his hands, though the scales only grew slightly above his ankles.
Just as his widened eyes were still trying to contain the shock he was witnessing, he felt a bulge in his teeth, and several teeth began taking the form of fangs.
His irises went red and his pupils turned into reptilian slits.
Aiden stared at his hands and legs for a moment as though he could not believe the sight, but there was one thing he felt was different.
He felt a further increase in his mana capacity and several enhancements to his body.
His dragon senses were so heightened he could hear the beating hearts of everyone in the house.
"This… this feels good," Aiden said, as his shocked face relaxed into a smirk that couldn't hide his fangs. It felt like he had an exciting adrenaline rush.
He closed his eyes and took one breath in, and with that, undid the skill activation.
Without a second thought, he immediately assigned 1500xp to level up the Dragon Transformation skill.
[Dragon's Transformation (Lv1) → Dragon's Transformation (Lv2)]
[Host is now able to transform more parts of his body into dragon's]
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
His transformation to level 3 now needed 2500xp, just like Dragon's Sight. There came the demotivating sigh again.
"Well, I have exactly half the XP for a new level, so might as well just use it," he said, and the system responded automatically.
[You have Leveled Up]
[You have gained +1 to each stat]
[Your Mana Pool, Stamina and Health has increased]
[1600xp required for Level 5 Hatchling]
[Exp Balance: 800]
"System, are there any upgrades on my Authority skills?"
[At the moment, there are none]
"But I just leveled up. Not even an increase with Void Step?"
[Growth of your Authority skills varies. They do not all level at the same time, neither do they level up each time you do. However, it is only by leveling up will the skills eventually grow]
"Give me something more, system. Something that I don't already know."
[At the current level, your Fist of Destruction affects mostly physical and solid structures, bodies and objects. At a certain level it could destroy certain Magic Effects and Abstract Concepts]
"Hmm…" Aiden considered the reply rather intriguingly, then asked, "Do I get more authority skills? And when?"
[Yes. However it is only by completing assigned quests and leveling up that you will be able to unlock more]
Aiden sighed and decided to let it go. He didn't get the answers the way he wanted them, but these would just have to do.
He had nine available stat points at the moment and decided that since he was on the matter of leveling, it wouldn't be bad time to level his stats either.
He made his status window appear before him and assigned two points to each stat, with the exception of the Intelligence stat, which got three points.
"That looks just about right."
[DRAGON KING SYSTEM]
[Host]: Aiden Crowley
[Title]: Hatchling
[Level]: 4
[Experience Points (Exp)]: 800
[Mana Pool]: 1750/1750
[Stamina]: 1400/1400
[Health Pool]: 500/500
[Host's Stats]
-Innate Magic: Fire
-Magic Rank: SS
Strength: 18 Agility: 14
Intelligence: 19 Endurance: 12
[Authorities]:
- Destruction: SSS
- Replication: SSS
- Space: SSS
[Destruction Skills]
- Fists of Destruction
[Replication Skills]
- Technique Copy
[Space Skills]
- Void Step
[General Skills]
- Dragon's Roar
- Dragon's Sight (Lv.2)
- Dragon Transformation (Lv.2)
[Passive Skills]
- Dragon's Sense
[Inventory]
- 264 gold coins
[Inventory Skills]
- Collector
- Forge
[Copied Magic Techniques]
- Wind Gale (D)
[Dragon Curse Meter]: 0.2
"Wait…" Aiden said as his eyes picked up an increase in his Dragon Curse meter. Last time he remembered it, it was somewhere around 0.11.
However, he didn't need to put two and two together to realize that the usage of the Dragon Transformation skill had bumped it up a notch.
Anyways, he was done here and then made all the screens disappear.
Tomorrow was going to be big day.
He couldn't help but have his mind drift to Dragonhold. Genuinely he did miss Lysandra and Grandal, but that thought of Jarius, his father put a scowl on his face for a brief moment.
Then a smile appeared on his face as he couldn't help but thank Lucas for giving him the advice that had actually fueled his idea to go feed himself to Thyrak. "I guess I have you to thank for my good fortune, brother."
He adjusted the pillow made of linen cloth and was about to go to bed in a rather good mood, but just then it happened again.
It was the sound of moans and giggles from two women, and then that distinct accent from none other than Alaric.
"Oh no no, not again…" Aiden's face contorted into an expression of horror.
Alaric and his wives were about to go for several more rounds that night.