Year 80; End of the worm wars; Day 300

  ?Isaac felt his mana nourishment quiver on the brink of change. The rush from his new drinking ritual and the dense, vibrating mana around him had pushed him to this precipice. His mana pool expanded, his control grew razor-sharp, and finally, the long-awaited notification appeared.

  ?

  Congratulations, you have reached the 3rd stage of mana nourishment.

  This achievement has been noted for your next evolution.

  The instant Isaac crossed into the new stage, power surged through him. Mana flooded his body as always, but this time he felt his muscles strengthen, every fiber humming with newfound energy.?

  “Neat,” Isaac murmured, inspecting himself. He was a touch leaner, his scales gleaming brighter than before. There was even a faint, subtle glow tracing him now.

  But this transformation was only a stepping stone. Isaac’s real goal was his skills, and he could sense it—some were already on the cusp of something greater.

  ?

  Dragon of True Flame: adolescent ?

  Level: 12 -> 14?

  Titel: Dragon Patriarch of Fire?

  Dragon nourishment: 689?

  Mana nourishment 3rd stage: low?

  Mana pool: 589 / 589?

  Skills:

  Bite of a Dragon level 7 -> 8

  True fire Marked claws level 10 -> 11

  Mana control 18 -> 20 [evolution merge available]

  Arcane sight level 20 [evolution merge available]?

  Arcane focus level 20 [evolution merge available]?

  Evasion level 13 -> 15

  Mana perception level 16 -> 20 [evolution merge available]?

  True Draconic Fire level 21 -> 22

  Dragon Fear level 12 -> 13

  Draconic Soul level 12

  Fire control level 11 -> 12 [evolution merge available]

  Draconic resistance level 10 -> 12

  Fire manipulation level 11 -> 12 [evolution merge available]

  Stolen novel; please report.

  Divine speak 12 -> 15

  ?

  What!?

  He had always believed his skills needed to hit level forty before evolving—or maybe only a few could merge? Isaac wasn’t certain, but now, standing at this crossroads, excitement surged through him. The decision was his to make.

  [Skill merge Available]?

  ?True Flame Sovereignty

  Merged from: Fire Control, Fire Manipulation?

  Skill Description:

  Fire no longer exists as an element—it exists as an extension of the dragon’s will. All flames recognize their sovereign. Temperature, intensity, shape, and propagation are governed instinctively. Mundane fire cannot harm the dragon, and hostile flames may be extinguished, devoured, or rewritten into True Draconic Fire.

  Fire kneels before its true master.

  ?

  Isaac was stunned. The information from this skill dwarfed anything he’d seen before. Even so, he could sense the power radiating from its name alone. It was a tantalizing glimpse of what he could become, granting him not just greater control but also deepening his identity as a dragon of true flame. Its sovereign.

  He also sensed this skill would require no active mana—like his Evasion, it was purely passive, making it even more valuable. Yet more notifications awaited him. He turned to his next options, anticipation mounting.

  Sovereign Mana Dominion

  Merged from: Mana Control, Arcane Focus

  Skill Description:

  Mana bends willingly beneath draconic authority. Through absolute control and unwavering focus, the dragon exerts dominion over internal and external mana flows. Spellcasting costs are reduced, mana backlash is negated, and hostile mana interference is suppressed. When actively invoked, the dragon may momentarily seize control of ambient mana within its domain.

  Mana obeys the will of the Dragon Patriarch.

  ?

  This skill even recognized his title. Isaac felt his draconic authority swell, but that was only the beginning. Mana itself would now flow as an extension of his age and status, woven into every spell he shaped. He could almost taste the promise that, when this skill evolved again, it would unlock something vast—though he couldn’t quite put his claw on what. Like the last, it carried a passive weight, but also a difference: it would demand immense mana to wield actively, yet in his presence, mana itself would become gentler, more obedient.

  ‘Interesting,’ Isaac mused, turning to the final skill.

  Arcane Dragon Perception

  Merged from: Arcane Sight, Mana Perception

  Description:

  The eyes of a dragon are unmatched in both the mundane and arcane worlds. By fusing raw arcane vision with instinctual mana awareness, the dragon perceives reality as layered truth—matter, magic, intent, and flow revealed simultaneously. Illusions fray, hidden mana currents glow, and hostile intent leaves ripples in the air. The world may hide from mortals, but never from a dragon.

  The dragon’s gaze transcends mortal limits.

  ‘I see,’ he thought, and he truly would see the world anew. This skill, too, felt passive, but its impact would be profound—it would fundamentally alter his perception. The name was simple, but its promise was immense: his eyes would open to a reality reshaped for a dragon. He would discern truth with mere sight. The world itself would shift beneath his eyes.

  Isaac was stunned once more. This skill was everything he had wished and trained for. Now, he could better protect the eggs and his elven allies, and it offered a tangible way to witness his growth as a dragon. Still, he wondered what other skills he might merge in the future.

  This also meant Isaac would need to seek out and develop more skills in the future, so he could merge them and forge the powers he truly desired. ‘This just keeps getting more and more interesting,’ Isaac thought to himself.

  He looked over all the skills and accepted the changes.

  The world seemed to blink for Isaac, shuddering as he embraced the new skills.

  As Isaac gazed through his new eyes, the mana motes of the world seemed to gaze back. For the first time, he could sense the very presence of himself and the elves near his sleeping chamber. He could now perceive the breadth of his own soul and others. ‘That will come in handy,’ Isaac noted.

  The mana motes themselves whispered that something else was happening—something new.

  Crak—

  Isaac’s ears were filled with his own heartbeat—and two more. The sound was deafening... but calming. He looked over to the centre of his chamber, where the two eggs were cracking open... and eyes of gold and green met his. Isaac almost swallowed his tongue.

  Shit... he was gonna be a teen dad.

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