I woke up with a start, my body heavy as if it had been buried in mud all night. Something was pressing on my abdomen, a light but firm weight. When I lifted my head, I saw a small bird perched on me: black feathers with gray specks, eyes shiny like beads, staring at me with curiosity. When our eyes met, it let out a sharp screech and flew away, disappearing among the treetops. I let myself fall back down, staring at the grayish sky filtering through the foliage. My clothes were damp, sticky from the mud, and a dull pain throbbed in every muscle, but I was alive.
Raphael's voice cut through the silence, as clear as ever.
[You've finally woken up. You've been unconscious for 9 hours and 47 minutes. Your condition is stable, for now.]
I didn't reply. My eyes remained fixed on the sky, on the clouds slowly moving, tinged by a pale sunrise. The forest was silent, except for the occasional creaking of branches swayed by the wind. My mind was blank, an empty canvas I couldn't fill. Then, without turning, I spoke softly.
—What happened, Raphael? I… I don't remember anything.
There was a pause, longer than usual. When he responded, his tone was careful, almost analytical.
[I noticed a change in your soul during your walk. A temporary fracture caused by the overload of magicules, the prolonged use of Aura and Will, and an underlying emotional collapse. Your subconscious will clung to the abilities, preventing me from deactivating them. You passed out from extreme exhaustion. That's all I have for now.]
I sighed, a long and weary sound that blended with the cold air. I didn't remember any of that: not the endless walk, not the collapse, not that supposed fracture in my soul. There was only darkness, and then the bird. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to find some fragment in my memory, but there was nothing.
Before I could say anything else, Raphael spoke again, his voice firmer.
[You slept near a place saturated with magical energy. An underground flow of magicules, likely connected to the cave you visited before. I took care of regulating the transfer to your body while you were unconscious. Without my intervention, you would have suffered irreversible damage.]
I opened my eyes and a half-smile spread across my face. I turned slightly, looking at the ground around me. I didn't see crystals or glimmers like in the cave, but the air had that same subtle density, a hum I could barely perceive.
—Thank you, Raphael —I said, sincerely, though my voice was weak—. I don't know what I'd do without you keeping me alive.
Silence. He didn't respond, which was strange. Normally there would be a dry comment, an analysis, or at least some acknowledgment. I sat up slowly, groaning from the effort, and looked around. The forest was dense, with twisted trees and roots jutting out like claws from the ground. The mud covered me up to my knees, and my dagger was still on my belt, stained but intact. I had no idea how I got here, but I was alive, and for now, that was enough.
—I guess we have to go back to Tarnis, right? —I asked, more to myself than to her, as I stood up with difficulty.
Raphael still didn't respond.
I tried to stand up, leaning on a nearby root, but my legs gave out like ragdolls. I fell back to the ground with a dull thud, mud splattering on my face.
—Damn it! —I growled, hitting the ground with my fist, frustrated by my own weakness. I took a deep breath, gritting my teeth, and tried again. This time I managed to stand, swaying, but just as I was about to activate Will to steady myself, Raphael finally spoke, breaking her silence.
[Do not activate Will. Your body is still overloaded from exposure to last night's magicules. You need to adapt to the absorbed amount while you slept. Forcing your abilities now will only worsen the damage.]
I ignored her. I felt that familiar calm of Will ignite within me, dulling the tremble in my legs, and I took a few steps forward, determined not to be stranded in this forest. But as soon as I moved a few meters, my knees buckled again, and I fell face-first once more, my face sinking into the mud.
[Will deactivated. I did it for your own good. Your magic reserve is at 12%, and your physical condition is critical. Continuing like this is illogical.]
—What the hell, Raphael?! —I snapped, lifting my head and spitting out mud—. You could at least warn me before shutting me down like I'm a machine! I need to move, not stay here like a useless lump!
[I warned you. You didn't listen. Data: Your body absorbed 23% more magicules than it can currently process. Activating Will right now increases the probability of physical collapse to 87%. My intervention prevented that. Scolding you is unnecessary; your own stubbornness already punishes you.]
I sat down with a groan, wiping my face with the torn sleeve of my tunic.
—Oh, sure, always so logical! And what am I supposed to do now? Stay lying here until some beast eats me? Not all of us can be a bodiless voice that doesn't feel exhaustion!
[Your sarcasm does not change the facts. Staying still for 20 minutes will allow your body to stabilize the flow of magicules. Probability of partial recovery: 64%. If you insist on moving without rest, that probability drops to 19%, and I will not be able to guarantee your survival against a nocturnal beast. Choose: rest or risk.]
I sighed, letting my shoulders fall as I stared at the muddy ground. Raphael was right, as always, but her cold tone and relentless data drove me crazy. I stayed silent for a moment, thinking about how to convince her to let me continue, even if only at a slow pace.
—Alright, Raphael, listen to me —I said finally, forcing my voice to sound calmer—. I know I'm a mess, but I can't just sit here like an easy target. What if you let me use Will just a little? Just enough to walk slowly to Tarnis. I won't fight, I won't run, just… move forward. Can't you regulate it for me or something?
[Proposal analyzed. Response: Using Will at a minimal level would increase your magical consumption by 3% per hour. With your current reserves, you could maintain it for 4 hours before collapsing. However, the risk of long-term damage to your energy core remains at 41%. It is not optimal. My recommendation remains immediate rest.]
—Come on, Raphael! —I protested, raising my hands—. I'm in the middle of a dark, stinking forest! If I stay here 20 minutes, something's going to smell me and decide I'm dinner. Can't you make an exception just this once? Regulate the flow yourself, like you did last night!
[Exception denied. Last night you were unconscious; controlling the transfer of magicules was passive. Doing it while you are active requires an effort your body cannot yet withstand. Data: The smell of mud and blood on your clothes already increases the likelihood of attracting predators by 28%. Staying still and letting me watch reduces that risk to 11%. Rest. I will not negotiate with your recklessness.]
I sighed again, louder, and let myself fall on my back against the ground, staring at the sky through the branches.
—You're impossible, you know that? —I muttered, resigned—. Fine, you win. 20 minutes. But if something attacks me, I'm blaming you for making me lie here like a defenseless corpse.
[Guilt accepted if it happens. Probability of attack in 20 minutes: 9%. Rest. I will watch.]
I closed my eyes, letting exhaustion wrap around me as the cold mud clung to my back. Raphael could be exasperating, but I trusted her. I just hoped those 20 minutes would pass quickly and that nothing would decide to try me as a snack.
...
The first 2 minutes felt eternal. I lay in the mud, staring at the dark branches barely swaying in the wind. I tried counting the leaves to pass the time, but the dim light made them indistinguishable, so I just traced imaginary shapes in the cloudy sky. My fingers drummed against my leg, leaving marks in the mud that covered my leggings.
By the 5-minute mark, boredom was driving me insane. I sat up a bit, pulling a twig from the ground and starting to break it into small pieces, tossing them one by one into a nearby puddle. The plop of each fragment hitting the water was the only thing breaking the silence, aside from my heavy breathing. I tried to whistle, but my throat was too dry, and only a raspy sound came out that made me cough.
By the 15-minute mark, I was at my limit. I had started stacking little stones into an unstable tower, but it collapsed three times because my hands were trembling with exhaustion. I let out a sigh — probably number 56 — and was about to release number 57 when Raphael's voice cut through the air like lightning.
[Warning: Excessive magicule overload detected in the air. 48% increase in environmental density over the past 30 seconds.]
Before I could process her words, a brutal surge struck my body. It was as if the very air had solidified and was crushing me. My lungs contracted, and a loud grunt escaped my throat as I doubled over, clutching my chest. It was much worse than in the cave; it felt like my ribs were about to give in, like every breath was a battle against an invisible weight.
—Willpower, now! —I gasped, trying to activate the ability by instinct to relieve the pressure.
[Don't. Activating Willpower now would overload your energy core and could permanently fracture it. I'm managing the flow of magicules in your body. Endure.]
—Endure?! —I spat, falling to my knees as pain coursed through me—. I can't breathe, Raphael! This is killing me! Let me use Willpower, damn it!
[Negative. Your magic reserve is at 11%. Activating Willpower would consume the rest in 17 seconds and you'd collapse. The current exposure is manageable if you allow me to regulate it. Your insistence is irrational.]
—Irrational?! —I shouted, my voice breaking from the lack of air—. I feel like my lungs are exploding! Don't talk to me about numbers when I'm about to die here! Do something or let me do it!
[I am doing something. The magicule density is coming from a cliff 200 meters northeast. A high-altitude source is releasing a massive stream. If I let you use Willpower, your soul would fragment with a 93% probability. Be quiet and trust me.]
—Don't tell me to be quiet! —I snapped, punching the ground, mud splattering everywhere—. You don't feel this! You're not the one drowning in the air! If you'd just let me—
[Silence,] —Raphael cut in, her voice harsher than usual, almost commanding—. [Your complaint doesn't change reality. The source is above, and I'm filtering 67% of the magicules entering your system. Without my intervention, you'd be convulsing right now. Data: An average human would have died in 2 minutes under this pressure. You're still alive because I'm here. Talking more only wastes the oxygen you have left. Breathe and wait.]
I stayed quiet, gasping as the pressure continued to crush me. I hated to admit it, but her words made sense. My hands trembled, and every breath was a titanic effort, but I was alive. I looked toward the cliff she mentioned, a barely visible silhouette in the gloom, and clenched my teeth.
—Alright… alright —I murmured between gasps, letting myself fall back onto the ground—. But if I die, I swear I'll find a way to blame you from the other side.
[If you die, it will be due to your own recklessness. Current survival probability: 78%, thanks to me. Stay calm. The overload is stabilizing.]
I didn't respond. I closed my eyes, focusing on breathing, even though each gasp felt like swallowing glass. Raphael was handling things, and as much as I wanted to fight, I didn't have the strength to argue anymore. I just hoped that the source on the cliff wouldn't decide to kill me before I could get up again.
...
Each breath was agony. The air felt like blades in my lungs, and the pain spread through my chest as if something were trying to rip it out from the inside. Raphael kept talking, her voice echoing in my head as I struggled to stay conscious.
[Warning: I detect intermittent activations of Willpower. Each use, even for seconds, reduces your magical reserves by 2%. You are losing control. Stop immediately.]
I ignored her. The pain was unbearable, but so was lying there like a useless lump, waiting for something to change. I was sick of it — sick of the mud, the exhaustion, the constant warnings. With a grunt, I pushed myself off the ground, activating Willpower again. The skill flared like a weak spark, dulling the pain just enough for me to straighten up, though my legs trembled under my weight.
[Stay still. Your body won't withstand the strain. Deactivate Willpower now.]
—Shut up, Raphael! —I shouted, my voice hoarse and broken from the lack of air—. Just listen to me for once! I'm not going to stay here dying slowly!
Silence. She didn't answer, and that only fueled my rage. With Willpower active, I could breathe a little better; the weight on my chest eased, though I still felt like an invisible hand was gripping my throat. I looked toward the cliff Raphael had mentioned, a dark silhouette rising among the trees, barely visible in the gloom. The source of this damn magical energy was there, and if I was going to die, I at least wanted to know why. I took a step, stumbling. Then another. And I kept walking, ignoring the buzz of warnings in my head.
[Critical overload detected. Your magical reserves are at 8%. Aura is active and consuming 4% per minute, more than Willpower. Deactivate it immediately or you will collapse in 2 minutes.]
I didn't listen. Aura remained lit, a subtle pressure radiating from me without me even noticing, and Willpower was keeping me on my feet. Raphael kept talking, her voice more insistent, but her words blended with the roar in my ears.
[You are bleeding. The pressure is damaging your capillaries. Probability of internal bleeding: 63%. Deactivate both abilities and retreat. You will not survive if you continue.]
I kept walking. I felt a warm, wet trickle slide from my nose, and when I touched my face, my fingers came away stained with blood. I wiped it with my sleeve, but I didn't stop. The cliff became more visible with each step: a wall of jagged black rock, covered in moss and vines hanging like torn curtains. The pressure increased, an invisible hammer pounding me from all directions. My lungs burned, my vision blurred at the edges, but I pressed on, step by step, with blood now dripping from my mouth as well.
[Magical reserve at 5%. Aura and Willpower will collapse in 47 seconds. Your body is at its limit. Retreat or die.]
—No! —I growled, spitting blood onto the ground as I staggered forward—. I'm going to reach that cliff! If I'm going down, it'll be while seeing what the hell is happening!
Raphael didn't respond this time. The cliff was close now, about 20 meters away. I could see cracks in the rock, a faint glow emanating from an opening near the top. The pressure was unbearable; I felt my bones creaking, my heart about to burst. But I kept going, dragging my feet, with Willpower barely holding me up and Aura draining me to the edge. The blood kept falling, staining my tunic, but the cliff was there, almost within reach. Just a little more...
...
My eyes snapped open, and for a moment, my mind refused to process what I was seeing. In front of me, at the top of the cliff, stood a dragon. It wasn't a clumsy, heavy beast as I had imagined; its body was long and sinuous, like an agile serpent designed to cut through the skies. Crimson red scales shimmered under the faint light of dawn, reflecting a burning glow, while sharp white spines ran along its back like a deadly crest. Along its sides, a thin line of intense gold —the same color as its piercing eyes— traced its silhouette. It was enormous, its serpentine length easily exceeding 15 meters, and its presence filled the air with an energy that made the ground tremble beneath my feet.
[Warning: 20 seconds to retreat before it detects your presence. Fall back now.]
Raphael's voice echoed in my head, urgent, but I didn't respond. More blood dripped from my nose, hot and thick, staining the ground in front of me. My legs trembled, barely holding me up, and then the dragon turned its head. Its golden eyes locked onto me, bright and sharp as daggers, and in that instant, the crushing pressure on me suddenly lifted. Air rushed back into my lungs, and I fell to my knees, deactivating Willpower and Aura by sheer instinct. I gasped, breathing with difficulty, relief mixing with exhaustion as the cold mud clung to my hands.
[Do not make any sudden movements. Its attention is fixed on you. Probability of attack: 72% if provoked.]
I was stunned, unable to look away. The dragon was magnificent, terrifying, and its very presence made my heart pound with a mix of fear and awe. As my mind reeled, a massive shadow loomed over me, darkening the cliff. With effort, I lifted my head, my neck protesting the motion. There it was, the dragon, rising into the air with a fluid motion of its serpentine body. Its wings, membranous and edged with spines, barely stirred as it hovered, staring down at me with those golden eyes that seemed to pierce through me.
Then it spoke. Its voice was serious, deep, with a slightly feminine timbre that rumbled through the forest like distant thunder.
—"What are you doing here, human?"
I didn't respond. Exhaustion crushed me, my body was on the verge of collapse, and my mind couldn't find the words. The blood kept dripping from my nose, and my hands trembled as I tried to stay upright. I just looked at her, drained, as she floated above me, waiting for an answer I couldn't give.
With an effort that felt like tearing the last piece of my soul away, I activated Willpower again. The ability ignited weakly, giving me just enough strength to stand, swaying on the mud. Then I let Aura flow out, a faint pressure that countered the stabbing pain in my body and the whirlwind of emotions drowning me. I looked at the dragon, its golden eyes fixed on me, and spoke in a hoarse voice, each word a challenge against my own exhaustion.
—"I am Eidel von Kreutz… I'm here because… I felt the magicules. I wanted to know what caused them," I said, breathing raggedly as blood continued dripping from my nose.
The dragon watched me in silence, its serpentine body floating with a grace that contrasted with its imposing size. Before I could add anything, Raphael intervened, his voice sharper and louder than usual.
[Warning: Your condition is critical. Magical reserve at 4%. Activating Willpower and Aura simultaneously will lead to collapse in 34 seconds. Deactivate both now.]
I ignored him. My eyes were locked on the dragon, and then, with a subtle tilt of its head, it let out a deep laugh, a sound that rumbled across the cliff like a mocking echo.
—"This is what humans send now? A filthy pup covered in mud and blood. Pathetic."
I clenched my teeth, rage igniting something inside me. I felt my pride crushed under its words, as if every blow I had endured, every monster I had killed, meant nothing in the face of this creature. With a swift motion, I drew my dagger from my belt, the blade trembling in my hand as I pointed it at the dragon.
Its golden eyes narrowed, showing slight surprise before hardening. Its voice echoed again, this time with a warning edge.
—"Don't do something as stupid as challenging me, little human. You wouldn't last a second."
Suddenly, the pressure returned, stronger than before, as if the very air tried to crush me against the ground. I growled, increasing the power of Willpower and Aura in response, forcing my body to stay upright. The blood dripped faster now, staining my tunic, but I didn't care.
[Stop! Magical reserve at 2%. Imminent collapse in 19 seconds. Deactivate everything or you will die!] —Raphael screamed in my head, his tone on the verge of desperation.
I ignored him again. I stared at the dragon and, with a bitter smile, mocked back.
—"Is that all you've got? Pressure and words? I thought a dragon would be more… impressive."
The air grew even denser, a weight that made my bones creak. The dragon tilted its head, its crimson scales glowing more intensely, and its golden eyes narrowed into slits. I pushed Willpower and Aura even further, a final act of defiance, feeling my body tremble on the brink of collapse. Raphael kept warning me, his voice a frantic echo in my mind.
[Magical reserve at 1%! Your energy core is fracturing! Stop now or I won't be able to save you!]
I didn't listen. The dragon and I stared at each other, the space between us charged with tension. Its white spines bristled slightly, and a low growl vibrated in its throat. My dagger remained pointed at it, my arm trembling but steady, as blood ran down my chin. Neither of us moved, but the air felt ready to explode.
Suddenly, everything cut out. My body screamed on instinct, a visceral alarm that made me jump to the side without thinking. I rolled through the mud just as the air turned scorching, a suffocating heat that burned my lungs. The ground trembled, and when I turned my head, I couldn't believe what I was seeing: a line of burning destruction stretched where I had been standing just a second ago. Crimson fire danced across the scorched earth, leaving a smoking scar in the forest. The dragon had attacked, a torrent of flames that burst from its mouth with lethal precision.
[Warning! You are in extreme danger! Magical reserve at 0.8%! Run now!] —Raphael shouted in my mind, his voice sharper than ever.
I didn't listen. My heart was pounding, but then I felt something strange: a surge of energy rushing through my body, as if my veins were lighting up from within. The pain was still there, but my legs stopped trembling, and my breathing stabilized for a moment.
[Your magic core is breaking a limit. The extreme pressure is forcing an adaptation. You are now absorbing magicules with 17% more efficiency. Recovery in progress: Magical reserve at 3% and rising slowly.]
I screamed, my voice echoing off the cliff as I stood up, the dagger still in my hand.
—"Raphael, give me options! How do I beat this thing? Tell me what to do!"
[Options analyzed: 1) Use Aura to disorient it and aim for the eyes with your dagger. Success probability: 6%. 2) Combine Willpower and an environmental attack, like toppling rocks from the cliff. Probability: 4%. 3) Run into the forest and find cover. Escape probability: 19%. All options are suboptimal. The dragon exceeds your current level by 94%.]
Every word hit me like a hammer. 6%. 4%. 19%. They were such low numbers that I almost laughed at the absurdity. But there was no time to get discouraged. The dragon twisted in the air, its red scales shining in the firelight, and let out a deep laugh that rumbled in my chest.
—"Is that all you can do, pup? Jump like a scared rabbit. I thought you'd have more fight in you."
I clenched my teeth and ran to the side, dodging a second torrent of flames that charred the ground to my left. The heat singed my skin, and the smell of burning filled the air. I rolled behind a large rock, panting, while the dragon floated with mocking calm, its golden eyes tracking me like it was a game.
—"Look at you, running like a rat. Where's that pride you brandished just a moment ago?" —it said, its voice dripping with contempt as it launched another blast of fire.
I jumped just in time, the heat licking my back as I landed in a puddle of mud. I got to my feet, staggering, and ran toward a group of trees, using Aura to give myself an extra boost. The dragon turned, firing a line of flames that incinerated the trunks in seconds. I stumbled, narrowly avoiding being caught in the inferno, and dove behind another rock.
—"Is this the best a human has to offer? You're nothing but an insect pretending to be brave."
—"Shut up!" —I growled, dodging a swipe of its tail that shattered the rock I had hidden behind. Shards flew around me, one cutting my cheek, but I kept moving, zigzagging as the dragon mocked me from above. My body was renewed, yes, but not enough. Every dodge was a miracle, and the fire seemed to be everywhere.
[Magical reserve at 5%. The adaptation is saving you, but it won't hold against a direct hit. Run. You can't win.] —Raphael insisted, but his voice barely reached me through the roar of the flames.
I kept dodging, my dagger useless in my hand while the dragon toyed with me, launching fire blasts and tail strikes that kept me on the verge of collapse. Its taunts echoed in my ears, feeding my rage, but there was nothing I could do except run and survive.
I couldn't dodge in time. The dragon unleashed a torrent of flames straight at me, and before I could react, I was engulfed in a cloud of fire and smoke. The heat hit me like a wall, burning my skin and destroying what was left of my new clothes. I fell to the ground, rolling to put out the flames licking at my tunic, now reduced to charred rags. I clenched my teeth tightly, the pain from the light burns coursing through my arms and legs, but I didn't scream.
[Magical reserve at 7%. Willpower is at maximum, absorbing physical damage. Aura remains active but has no effect on the dragon; it's only stabilizing your emotions. You're not tired thanks to the forced adaptation.] —Raphael reported, his voice cutting through the ringing in my ears.
The dragon floated closer, its crimson scales glowing through the dissipating smoke. It tilted its head, and its voice echoed with a hint of amusement and something that almost sounded like respect.
—"Not bad, pup. That attack would've reduced a small town to ashes. The fact that you're still standing is… curious."
I clenched my fists, ignoring the burning in my skin, and looked at it with a mix of rage and pride.
—"Curious? That's all you've got? I thought a dragon could do more than singe a bit of clothing. What a disappointment," —I replied, my voice trembling but laced with mockery.
Its golden eyes narrowed, and it let out a low growl, but it didn't attack right away. Instead, it began hurling smaller fireballs at me, as if it were playing with me. I ran, dodging each impact as the ground exploded in bursts of dirt and ash around me. My boots slipped in the mud, but Willpower kept me moving, my body reacting more on instinct than strength. The dragon laughed, a deep sound that reverberated through the forest.
—"Run, little human! You entertain me more than I expected!"
As I zigzagged between the trees, my eyes caught a glint in the distance: a lake, its dark waters reflecting the glow of the flames. An idea crossed my mind, and Raphael spoke instantly, as if reading my thoughts.
[Viable option: Create a smoke screen. Head for the lake and cause the fire to strike the water. Success probability: 31%.]
I half-smiled, speeding toward the lake as I shouted over my shoulder.
—"Is this fun for you? How boring it must be to be a flying lizard with so little talent!"
The dragon growled, and a larger fireball shot toward me. I reached the edge of the lake, the water licking at my boots, and turned to face it, mocking once more.
—"Is that all? You can't even aim properly!"
[Dodge left, now!] —Raphael commanded.
I jumped just in time. The fireball whizzed past me and struck the lake with a crash. The water exploded into a cloud of steam and smoke, rising as a thick curtain that enveloped everything around me. The dragon was hidden behind the mist, and I fell to my knees at the water's edge, panting but alive. The air was hot and humid, but the pressure had eased, giving me a brief moment to breathe.
[Smoke screen effective. Visibility reduced by 78%. Magical reserve at 6%. Use this time to plan your next move.]
I didn't respond, just stared into the fog, listening to the distant beating of the dragon's wings. I had survived another attack, but I knew this wasn't over.
I ran through the curtain of smoke, my boots splashing in the mud as I searched for an advantage. My eyes locked onto a pile of stones stacked at the edge of the lake, a rocky formation that climbed toward the cliff. Without thinking, I began to climb, gripping the cracks with trembling hands, determined to gain height and strike the dragon from above. The steam still floated in the air, but I could hear its taunts echoing above me.
—"Do you think climbing like a monkey will save you, pup? What a sad spectacle."
I ignored its words, climbing faster. Suddenly, a golden flash flickered in my peripheral vision —the dragon's eyes—. Raphael shouted in my head.
[Careful! Incoming attack!]
I couldn't react in time. A blast of fire hit me, licking my back as I kept climbing. The pain was blinding, fresh burns opening on my skin, but Willpower dampened it just enough for me not to let go of the rocks. I kept climbing, grunting with every movement.
[Another adaptation detected. Your magic core is adjusting faster. Magicule absorption increased to 29%. Magic reserve recovered to 15% and rising.]
Raphael's words barely registered. My hands were bleeding, my muscles burning, but I reached the top of the stone pile, an uneven platform that brought me almost level with the dragon. I faced it head-on, its serpentine body floating a few meters away, its crimson scales glowing with the fire still crackling in the air. It looked at me, and for a moment, its tone changed.
—"Your determination is admirable, human. Few would come this far."
I smiled weakly, wiping the blood and sweat from my face.
—Thanks for the compliment. I guess I'm not so pathetic after all —I replied, my voice hoarse but filled with defiance.
[Magic reserve at 75%. The adaptation has stabilized you temporarily. Do not jump. Survival probability: 8% if you do.]
I didn't listen. My eyes were locked on the dragon, and my body acted before my mind could stop it. I jumped from the rock, launching myself toward it with a scream. The dragon reacted instantly, firing a fireball directly at me. I passed through it, the heat searing me as Willpower kept me conscious. New burns, more severe this time, opened on my arms and chest, but I managed to land on its back, clinging to one of its white spikes.
I drew my dagger with a trembling hand and drove it between its scales. The metal struck its hardened skin, and with a dry snap, the blade broke in two. The dragon let out a deep laugh, vibrating beneath my feet.
—"A broken dagger? Is that all you bring against me? You're a brave pup, but foolish."
With a violent motion, it twisted its body in the air, sending me flying like a rag doll. I slammed into the cliffside, the impact rattling me to the bone, but Willpower kept me alive, absorbing the worst of it. I hit the ground, rolling through the mud, and Raphael shouted in my head.
[Your magic core can't handle any more adaptations! Reserve at 62% and falling fast. Stop now!]
I dragged myself up, gasping, and screamed with the last of my voice.
—Raphael, push the limit! Activate battle mode, do something! I'm not giving up!"
[Negative. Forcing your core now would destroy it with a 97% probability. There is no battle mode that can save you from your recklessness. Stop.]
I didn't listen. I crawled through the ground, my hands sinking into the mud, my vision blurring as the dragon looked down at me, its golden eyes serious for the first time. My body was at its limit, every movement a struggle against collapse. Slowly, my eyes closed, and my head fell forward. The world faded to black, and the last thing I felt was the weight of my own defeat as I collapsed, unconscious, in the muddy ground.
...
....
Soul bond established. Unique ability acquired: Source of Life
....
...
My eyes snapped open, and a harsh gasp escaped my throat as I tried to fill my lungs with air. But the moment I breathed, immense pain shot through me, as if every bone and muscle in my body screamed in unison. I collapsed forward, my hands hitting a hard, rocky ground that scraped my palms. Where was the mud? Confused, I tried to move, but Raphael intervened with an urgency that allowed no argument.
[Listen to me this time. Stay still. Your body is at its limit, and it seems you've made a new friend.]
I blinked, turning my head with effort, and I saw it. The dragon was there, just a few meters away, its crimson red scales glowing under a dim light I didn't recognize. Its golden eyes looked at me with a seriousness that contrasted with its earlier mockery. Before I could process it, its voice rang out, deep and firm.
—"Do not move, human. Your body is broken. Let it adjust, or you won't last."
[I support its warning. Your magic core has undergone another forced adaptation. Reserves recovered to 82%, and total capacity has increased by 31%. I will handle the stabilization of magicule flow. Stay still.] —Raphael added, his tone calmer but just as insistent.
I sighed, a weak sound that came out more like a groan. My eyes met the dragon's, and I held its gaze, though my body trembled from the effort of simply staying conscious. Silence stretched between us, heavy and tense. Seconds passed, then a full minute, and neither of us said a word. Finally, the dragon broke the silence, its voice more curious than threatening this time.
—"What is your name, human? Where do you come from? Something about you caught my attention."
I hesitated, my mind reeling between pain and caution. I looked into its golden eyes, then down at the rocky ground beneath my hands —it looked like a cave, not the forest—, and I decided to speak. With a hoarse voice, I began.
—My name… my real name was Hans Müller. I lived in a place called Germany, in another world. I was an office worker, a normal guy, trapped in a drab life. I died in an accident… on the subway. It doesn't matter. Now I'm here, in this body. I gave myself a new name, Eidel von Kreutz, since I woke up. A body already bruised, as you can see," I joked weakly, indicating my condition with a crooked smile. "Guess I'm not very good at taking care of it."
The dragon didn't react immediately, its eyes narrowing as it processed my words. I hadn't mentioned anything important —not Raphael, not the abilities, nor my struggle to adapt—. I only gave the basics, enough to satisfy its curiosity without exposing too much. My body kept screaming, but the words were out, and now I waited, trapped between the pain and the imposing presence before me.
...
A few more minutes passed in silence. The pain in my body still throbbed, but curiosity gnawed at me more than the wounds. I looked at the dragon, its crimson scales gleaming in the dimness of what seemed to be a cave, and finally spoke, my voice still weak but firm.
—"And you? What's your name?"
The dragon tilted its head slightly, its golden eyes glowing with an intensity that made me shiver. Its voice echoed, deep and resonant, filling the space around us.
—"I am Velgrynd. A true dragon."
My eyes snapped wide open, and a lump formed in my throat. I stammered, the words stumbling out of my mouth as I tried to repeat its name.
—"V-Velgrynd?"