2 Don't take my nonsense too seriously.
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Chapter 2.
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Hearing the mechanical, genderless voice echoing in his mind.
Helel frowned.
Before moving away from the place of his birth, Helel took one last look, making sure he left no survivors.
Besides...
Helel had managed to satisfy his hunger, even if only partially.
The damned voraciousness was already beginning to irritate him deeply.
'...What took you so long to show up?'
Helel hissed.
Helel was beginning to resemble a real Dragon.
[...I wanted to confirm something first].
The System hesitated but soon replied.
'Confirm what, exactly?' Helel asked, his crimson-red eyes scanning his surroundings in search of a way out.
[To confirm that the Master was worthy... You, Master, if you hadn't devoured your brothers and sisters-]
'You wouldn't have shown up.' Helel concluded. 'And I wouldn't have known you existed.'
Helel, although not a 'genius', was not stupid and showed keen insight.
[Yes.]
'Let's leave that aside, I understand your point. Now, tell me what you can do~,'
The System didn't answer: instead, it displayed new translucent screens...
[Status]
[Skills]
[Inventory]
[Achievements]
[Buy/Sell]
'I understand them all, except for one... What exactly are [Achievements]?' Helel asked.
[To put it simply, each action can generate a reaction. For example, if the Master kills a person in one hit, that would generate an Achievement. The Master must already know the Titles, right?]
'Yes, I read a lot of novels in which the Systems used titles, especially [The Gamer] and other manga.'
[The Achievements and Titles are similar: However, the Achievements will be active all the time].
'Sounds very OP... there must be something to balance it out?'
[Actually, there isn't.]
''...''
Helel paused for a moment.
'...Thank you.'
[I'm here to help you, Master.]
'Is there anything else?'
Helel still hadn't found the exit and that was beginning to worry him, how deep was he exactly?
[Yes, Master. Would you like me to bring all the notifications?]
'Yes.'
As he said "Yes", countless translucent screens began to overflow in front of him.
Helel's draconic expression wrinkled deeply.
'I hope this doesn't happen too often...' Helel thought to himself.
'I'd better get started on this soon.'
[You Received the Achievement: ''Taboo''!]
[You Received the Achievement: ''Freak of Nature''!]
[You Received the Achievement: ''Merciless''!]
[You Received the Achievement: ''Glutton''!]
Helel wavered for a moment.
In all honesty, Helel didn't want to open the tabs because that was what he hated most about the Systems, the endless pop-ups.
But Helel knew it was necessary.
Helel used his claws to tap the screen in front of him.
[Taboo]
Description: Your existence is a Taboo among the Draconic Race.
Dragons and lesser species will fear and avoid you from now on.
A few braver ones may attack you.
- +20 All Stats.
Helel opened his eyes wide and quickly the crimson-red slits/eyes squinted dangerously.
But!
A smile appeared on his lips as he felt the power in his body grow.
Now he just needed to find his next victim to test his power on.
Helel continued to observe the holographic screens: One by one.
[Nature Freak]
[Level: Ex] [Experience: 100.00%]
Description: Your very existence is dangerous to everything and everyone around you.
You shouldn't exist, yet you have overcome Death and defied Life.
- Passive Effect: You have the ability to adapt and evolve to any and all phenomena.
'...Holy... ! This is totally OP!' Helel thought to himself. 'I need to test this out as soon as possible.'
Helel looked at the next Translucent Screen.
[Merciless]
Description: Sometimes you can show the true characteristics of a heartless bastard.
You're as cold as a refrigerator and as calculating as a calculator.
- +5 All Stats.
'Huhu. This description...'
While looking at the holographic screen, Helel laughed.
[Glutton]
[Level E+] [Experience: 00.00%]
Description: Your hunger seems to know no bounds, and you'll eat anything you come across.
Additional Skill (1): You can absorb the souls of the dead and use them as you wish.
Additional Skill (2): You can permanently increase your stats by devouring the souls of the dead.
Additional Skill (3): When you devour the souls of the dead, you can randomly obtain one of the dead's abilities.
'Is that a [Achievement] turned into a skill?' Helel pondered to himself.
'If I get more [Achievements] that give me skills... I could get very, very strong very quickly.'
Indeed [Glutton] is a skill entirely and legally a cheat.
However.
Before Helel could continue with his thoughts, he was interrupted by more notifications.
[Select your Racial skill!]
[Breath of Fire]
[Poison Blood]
[Vampiric Drain]
'Hm~ Are these skills something I can acquire later?' Helel asked.
[Yes, Fire Breath will be acquired as soon as the Master starts to develop the fire glands.]
[All the skills acquired are Racial and can be obtained by maturing].
'I see.'
That was great information.
Only then did Helel turn his attention to the new notification.
All those skills seemed useful in different situations.
However, for Helel, the choice was unique.
He repeatedly visualized in his mind scenes where he could put his skills to use, the best scenarios and advantageous situations.
So Helel quickly discarded the [Fire Breath] skill.
Everyone and their mother knew how to fight fire.
'...Using the information the system has given me, I can get [Breath of Fire] just by maturing and I'll probably have more racial choices in the future.
I'm more interested in [Poison Blood] and [Vampiric Drain].
The skills are self-explanatory:
[Poison Blood] will make my blood poisonous and should improve as I devour other beasts and monsters that use poison.
[Vampiric Drain] will heal me by absorbing the target's blood.'
The choice was obvious.
'I choose... [Vampiric Drain].'
[Skill Acquired!]
[Vampiric Drain]
[Level E+] [Experience: 00.00%]
Description: Heals by absorbing the target's blood.
'....Self-explanatory... Now for the part I'm most looking forward to.'
[Status].
[Name: Helel]
[Race]: [Vampiric Dragon]
[Level 1] [Experience: 00.00%]
Strength: 10 (+25) Stamina: 10 (+25) Agility: 10 (+25) Mana: 25 (+25)
Extra points: 0
Achievements: 4
Money: 0
Helel watched his [Status] like a hawk.
However.
'...How should I compare this? Is it good or bad?'
Helel had no way of comparing himself to other people.
But!
[Master. To satisfy your doubts, this one might help].
'Really? Tell me then.'
[For example: Humans start with 3 Points.
Child dragons start with 10 Points.
And as the Master is a Chimera, resulting from the union of a Vampire and a Dragon, he has inherited the most prominent characteristics of each race. Therefore, the Master boasts an incredible reserve of Mana, inherited from the Vampires, as well as possessing overwhelming Strength, Stamina, and Agility from the Dragons.]
As he listened intently to the System, Helel paid close attention, making sure not to forget any crucial details!
Suddenly, however, Helel stopped his steps.
He found his way out of the cave, as sunlight seeped into the cave.
However, this wasn't the real challenge.
Helel crouched like a leopard, watching his prey. He could clearly see a creature.
Thus, Helel discovered the exit at the same time.
A creature the size of a child was blocking the passage.
With green skin and wearing rags as clothing that barely covered its lower parts, the figure was rather chubby, especially with a swollen belly. Jagged teeth protruded from its mouth, and its bulging eyes completed its peculiar appearance.
'Goblin.
A name floated above the beast's head.
'So, this place has Goblins.' Helel thought, his eyes squinting. 'I suppose I'm in a fantasy world.
Yet!
Why would an inferior organism like a Goblin be waiting in a Dragon's cave?
It doesn't seem to be here to protect the entrance or act as a Guardian...'
A mischievous smile appeared on Helel's lips...
The next instant!
Crack.
Helel shot out like an arrow as the ground beneath him cracked due to Helel's enormous strength.
The Goblin, in turn, turned around only to be faced with a voracious mouth full of teeth.
''Kie?''
Quickly, the two bodies collided.
The Goblin, seeing the sharp teeth approaching, expressed a mixture of surprise and fear.
His bulging eyes became even wider, and his body trembled at the imminent threat.
However, Helel was the fastest, also the most nefarious, ripping the Goblin's throat open as a cascade of blood began to gush out.
The Goblin fell in agony, trying to stop the gushing blood, but to no avail.
The sinister-looking little Dragon looked at the Goblin with a cruel, malicious smile.
Meanwhile, Helel stood on two legs, looking down at the Goblin from above, took the meat in his hand, and chewed it in front of the Goblin, savoring the victory with a sense of sadistic pleasure.
Helel placed his paw on the Goblin's head, his crimson-red claws ruthlessly tearing into the creature's flesh.
The Goblin, in desperation, tried to use its free hand to strike Helel...
Helel grabbed that hand, breaking it with remorseless cruelty, as if it were a simple stick.
''Kiee!''
The beast let out an agonized scream.
His sadistic smile widened, revealing an expression of pure satisfaction.
Only then, in an act of merciless brutality, did Helel begin to devour the Goblin alive.
Each bite was accompanied by the creature's agonized screams, while Helel savored every moment of suffering, wrapped in a dark delight.
Was there a reason why Helel was so cruel?
Yes, there were two.
Firstly, Helel was cruel by nature, an innate characteristic of his vampiric essence.
Secondly, Helel felt extremely insulted.
After all, a mere Goblin, a lower organism in the food chain, dared to try to devour him? A Dragon?
That was a crime, punishable by death!
[You have gained +25 Exp!]
A sweet notification rang in his ears.
Helel was finally satisfied after the Goblin was left in an unrecognizable state, reduced to a paste of flesh and blood.
And above the unrecognizable body, there was an oppressive scene!
The pile of blood and flesh that used to be a Goblin emitted a black mist.
[Activating Skill 'Glutton (E+)']
[Would you like to absorb the Goblin Soul?]
[Yes / No]
A skill that Helel gained after devouring his fetus brothers and sisters appeared before him, offering a macabre choice!
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A/N:
If this chapter is well received I'll probably release another one later today.
I've left your comment, so I'll write faster, and if you liked the chapter think about leaving some stones and your rating.
Ah, good thing I remembered.
I'll warn you right away, this is an AU.
Don't complain to me later!
You've been warned.
