Three more days passed.
Owen waited on the platform outside the Tower of Royals, alternating between his massive Juvenile Dragon form and his new humanoid form.
When he'd first looked at his reflection in the mana-infused spring water, he'd frozen. His humanoid face, though covered in patches of black scales along his jawline looked almost exactly like his human face from his previous life.
The Greater Dragons checked on him periodically. Fey'rath brought him food, massive slabs of some kind of magical beast meat that tasted like the finest steak he'd ever had. Zephron tried to goad him into a sparring match, which Owen declined. Veridra observed him silently from a distance. Glacius asked questions about his experience in the tower, which Owen answered reluctantly.
And Chronara... Chronara just watched. Always watching. Those violet eyes seeing things Owen couldn't even begin to comprehend.
"She'll return soon..." Chronara said on the evening of the third day, appearing beside Owen without warning.
Owen, in his humanoid form, nearly jumped. "How soon?"
"Dawn." Chronara leaned on her staff. "She has faced trials different from yours. Harder, in some ways. Easier in others."
"What do you mean?"
Chronara's expression was unreadable. "You learned what dragons are. She will learn what she is."
Before Owen could ask what that meant, Chronara vanished and Dawn came.
Owen stood at the base of the Tower of Royals in his humanoid form, black wings folded against his back, golden eyes fixed on the massive doors.
The other Greater Dragons had gathered as well, standing at a respectful distance. Even they seemed curious about what would emerge.
The doors began to glow.
Golden light spilled from the cracks.
And then they opened.
A figure stepped out.
Yuki.
But she looked... different.
She still wore her black leather armor and half-mask, but there was something changed about her presence. She moved with absolute confidence, and perched on her head, nestled in her hair, was a small creature.
A slime.
It was translucent, about the size of an apple, with a faint blue glow emanating from its gelatinous body. Two tiny black dots that might have been eyes stared out at the world with what could only be described as curiosity.
Owen's eyes widened. "Yuki!"
He rushed forward, his wings spreading instinctively, his tail swishing behind him.
Yuki's eyes locked onto him and she froze.
Her expression went from exhausted relief to complete shock.
"Owen?" Her voice was barely a whisper.
Owen skidded to a stop in front of her, suddenly self-conscious. "Uh, yeah. It's me. I know I look different, I evolved and got this humanoid form thing and..."
"Your face."
"What?"
Yuki's hand trembled as she reached up, slowly, carefully, and touched his cheek. Her fingers traced the scales along his jawline, then moved to his more human features, his nose, his lips, his brow.
"You look like..." She swallowed her words then pulled him into a hug.
It was sudden, desperate, and completely unexpected.
Owen froze, his wings flaring out in surprise. She was crying. He could feel her tears soaking into his shoulder.
"I thought I lost you again..." she whispered. "In the tower. I couldn't feel you through the bond. I thought, I thought maybe..."
"I'm here..." Owen said, wrapping his arms around her, an action that still felt foreign with hands instead of claws. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."
They stood like that for a long moment.
Then Yuki pulled back, wiping her eyes behind her mask. "Sorry. I'm just, it's been a long three months."
"Six days, actually.." Owen corrected gently. "You were in there for six days..."
Yuki blinked. "Six? It felt like... longer. Or maybe shorter. Time was weird in there."
Owen nodded. "Tell me about it."
Then his eyes focused on the slime still perched on her head. "Uh, Yuki? What's that?"
Yuki reached up and carefully lifted the slime off her head, cradling it in her hands. "Oh. This is... I don't know its name yet. The tower gave it to me. As a reward for clearing the trials."
"The tower gave you a pet slime?"
"It's not a pet..." Yuki said defensively. "It's a companion. A partner. Like you."
The slime jiggled happily in her hands.
Owen activated [Dragon's Eyes], focusing on the creature.
---
[Tamed Beast: Unnamed]
[Species: Primordial Slime]
[Rank: S]
[Level: 1/20]
[HP: 5,000]
[Mana: 15,000]
[Stamina: 20,000]
[Stats:]
-Attack: 500
-Defense: 10,000
-Agility: 300
[Skills:]
-Absorption (S-Grade): Can absorb and store matter, energy, and even skills temporarily
-Shapeshifting (S-Grade): Can alter its form and density at will
-Corrosion (A-Grade): Can secrete powerful acids
-Regeneration (S-Grade): Near-instant healing
-Mimicry (SS-Grade): Can replicate weapons forms and effects.
-Adaptive Evolution (SSS-Grade): Evolution path changes based on absorbed materials and experiences
---
Owen's mouth fell open. "Holy shit."
"What?" Yuki asked, concerned.
"That thing is S-Rank. And its skill set is insane." Owen stared at the innocent-looking slime. "Depending on how it evolves, it could become... really, really dangerous."
The slime jiggled again, as if pleased with itself.
Yuki smiled faintly. "The tower said it was a gift. Something to help me grow stronger. Something that would grow with me."
Owen switched his [Dragon's Eyes] focus to Yuki herself.
---
[Hunter: Yuki Goldberg]
[Level: 78/100]
[Rank: C]
[HP: 5,000]
[Mana: 75,000]
[Stamina: 8,000]
[Stats:]
-Attack: 2,500
-Defense: 2,000
-Agility: 3,500
[Skills:]
-Beast Contract (C-Grade)
-Beast Heal (B-Grade)
-Beast Link (A-Grade)
-Beast Space (B-Grade)
-Beast Shift (A-Grade)
-Beast Sync (S-Grade)
-Gust (C-Grade)
-Swordsmanship (B-Grade): NEW+
-Mana Reinforcement (A-Grade): NEW+
-Battle Intuition (S-Grade): NEW+
-Indomitable Will (SS-Grade): NEW+
---
Owen's eyes widened even further. "Yuki... your stats. Your skills. You've grown tremendously."
Yuki looked away. "The tower was... thorough."
"What happened in there?"
Yuki's expression darkened. Her hand tightened around the slime. "I don't want to talk about it."
"Yuki..."
"I said I don't want to talk about it, Owen." Her voice was firm. Final.
Owen recognized that tone. It was the same one she'd used after Oak and Lucien died. The same one she'd used when she'd walked away from Fort Nox alone.
She's been through something. Something that changed her. Something she's not ready to share yet.
He nodded slowly. "Okay. When you're ready."
Yuki's shoulders relaxed slightly. "Thank you."
The slime jiggled and began climbing back onto Yuki's head, settling into her hair like it belonged there.
Fey'rath approached, her humanoid form striking as always. "Well, well. Both brats survived. Color me impressed."
Zephron grinned. "And she came out with a Primordial Slime! That's a legendary-tier companion right there!"
Veridra's serpentine eyes narrowed. "The tower deemed her worthy of such a gift. Interesting."
Glacius stepped forward, his icy gaze appraising both Owen and Yuki. "You have both completed the Tower of Royals. You have earned the right to remain in Drak'thar. You have our acknowledgment, if not yet our full trust."
Chronara tapped her staff against the ground. "Rest. Both of you. Recover your strength. Tomorrow, we will discuss your next steps."
Yuki nodded gratefully. Owen could see the exhaustion in her eyes now, the way she was barely staying upright.
"Come on," Owen said, offering his hand. "Let's get you back to the room."