"Magic Weakling?"
Drayken's expression turned dark upon seeing the name.
However, before he could speak, he heard a gentle voice:
"Congratulations, you have successfully advanced further."
Drayken turned toward her, saw her rosy face, and smiled. "Thank you."
'This girl's mood swings more than a bird's wings flap.'
"Your talent is not bad. Even though you have an inferior dragon bloodline, you were still able to fill your mana in such a short time and smoothly break through…"
As she spoke, she tugged at her chin, looking at Ray with eyes full of doubt.
"Are you truly just a lesser dragon!? Not to mention, you had an insect (human) bloodline before. Even if you have completely turned into our bloodline, you still shouldn't be able to completely fill your core with mana…" she murmured intermittently.
While Drayken listened without speaking for a moment, there was no need for him to hide his power. Even if it was unusual, he could attribute it to being otherworldly—and that was partially true.
Because he was otherworldly and could gain titles, he was able to accomplish this. That is, if you don't account for the cheat of a talent, which could even defy the system.
"What will I do now?"
"Rest," Lilia said and left the room, leaving Drayken in complete silence.
Drayken looked at the empty room and sighed. He stirred his mind and activated the molecules in his core.
The circle inscribed within it began to move slowly, like gears turning, gradually growing faster and faster.
A faint black light spread outward, just a few inches from his skin.
"So this is Aura?"
He looked at his fist and instantly clenched his fingers.
Bang!
The air whistled, and Drayken froze on the spot.
'The increase is at least two times!'
Drayken thought in shock. He could feel the power coursing through his veins.
His stamina, strength, agility, and physique had doubled!
The unprecedented increase caused him to close his eyes in relaxation.
"This feeling is too good."
At the same time, he could sense the area surrounding his aura…
As a mosquito buzzed past his aura, landing on his nose. Annoyed by its persistence, Drayken felt a murderous urge.
The moment he did, his entire aura fluctuated, and the mosquito froze on the spot.
Drayken took the frozen mosquito, threw it to the ground, and stomped on it repeatedly.
"Ah, that was satisfying."
He shook his head.
"The mana remaining is barely two-tenths of what it was. It really consumes a lot."
Drayken stopped supplying mana, and the black aura around him recoiled and disappeared.
He sat cross-legged again to absorb mana. He was a beginner Rank-1 mage—he would have to reach intermediate and peak Rank-1 before he could push his limits.
Of course, the path forward was clear: just accumulate mana!
Lilia took large strides, her steps hurried, before entering one of the most luxurious rooms, filled with gold and jewelry.
"Milady." She bowed.
"How did it go?" a lazy voice echoed.
Eleanor lay on the bed, upside down, staring at her with amusement flickering in her eyes.
"He has an unusual talent. Even though he should be a lesser dragon, he has already reached Rank-1 Mage."
"I see." Eleanor nodded with a thoughtful yet indifferent expression.
"Did he say anything else?"
"He also said that if he were ever to be deployed, he would want to go to a sub-cult in the human kingdom."
Eleanor's expression remained calm, but her tone felt colder to Lilia.
"What spell did he choose as his first?"
"Aura."
"Oh, Aura, huh," she murmured. "Did you tell him he could only reach Rank-3 with it?"
"I did, but he seemed adamant about it."
"Hmm, is that all?"
Lilia bit her lip and gritted her teeth.
"Milady, are you really going to…!?"
"Don't forget your status, Lilia," Eleanor snapped. "As the heir of a fallen family, you are nothing more than a mere slave I bought. Even if I use you as a tool for Drayken, you must accept it gracefully."
Lilia's eyes widened, her mouth forming an "O" before she lowered her gaze in silence. Tears stained the ground.
"Now leave!" Eleanor shouted, and Lilia quickly left the room.
Once the room was empty, Eleanor's angry expression gradually morphed into one filled with regret, as if the luxury surrounding her was nothing more than dust.
"The human race may be weaker than us, but it is gradually gaining momentum. Although we are all talented races, their sheer population is overwhelming. Every year, new powerhouses are born. If this continues, it might lead to our dethroning."
She bit her slim finger, and a drop of golden blood dripped out. The droplet floated in midair, emitting a terrifying aura that could chill the heart of anyone who so much as glanced at it.
The golden blood floated in the air, phasing through the ceiling and disappearing.
"It's time for the Academy tournament, right? Then I will choose Drayken."
The room fell into silence once more.
Time passed in the blink of an eye. Drayken and Eryke remained focused on absorbing the molecules.
On the eighth day, Eryke finally emerged from his seclusion.
"Sigh, it took me eight days to completely fill my core with molecules. It really shows how much the Dragon bloodline can help."
Eryke shook his head and stood up, glancing around the room.
"Can I find a suitable spell to use?"
As he contemplated his next move, his ears suddenly twitched, and he became more alert.
"Who's there?"
One head popped out from the bushes—then two, then three… until there were a total of five.
The leading woman had purple hair and wore the attire of a scout, holding a map in her hand.
She called out to him:
"Um, do you know where this spot is?"