Upgraded Ability

I flap my wings high in the skies, each beat propelling me higher and higher until the ground below is a distant memory. Soaring above the clouds, where the air is crisp and thin, the sun's rays warm my dark, iridescent scales. The vast expanse of the sky stretches out before me, an endless canvas of blue dotted with wisps of white.

Relishing the ultimate freedom that only the sky can offer, a liberty that land-locked creatures can only dream of, I dance in the air. My flight is not merely a mode of transportation but a dance of pure joy and exhilaration. I dip and roll, performing acrobatic maneuvers with effortless grace, feeling the wind rush past my wings and the thrill of velocity in my veins.

This is exactly what I wanted! As a wyrmling, I could fly, at least technically. It was short-lived, though, as I couldn't hold up my body weight with my small wings. Now, my physical proportions resemble those of a proper dragon. I'm so glad.

The world below appears as a patchwork quilt of forests, rivers, and mountains, all far removed from the troubles and concerns that weigh on my mind. Twisting in the air, I execute a playful loop. I scan the landscape below, my keen eyes taking in every detail. I spot a herd of deer grazing in a meadow, a river winding its way through a dense forest, and the distant silhouette of a mountain range. Each sight is a reminder of the vastness of the world and the endless possibilities that lie before me.

As I glide in the sky effortlessly, my thoughts drift back to Scarlet, the devoted dragonewt who has been at my side for a few days now, though I spent most of those hours slumbering. It would be incorrect to say that I feel overly guilty—she is supposed to be my helper, after all—but I definitely did make a mistake back then. I was tired and eager to evolve, and I had no information on how long the process would take. I can't help but think, if it had taken a month, would she have starved rather than leave her post? Surely not. At least I hope so. I've spent some days there, and no one once intruded while I was asleep; the cave felt safe enough to me.

Anyhow, it's time to correct my mistake by feeding her a tasty meal. My enhanced senses pick up the scent of a large creature not far below—a wild boar, plump and perfect for the feast I intend to share with Scarlet. I fold my wings slightly, entering a controlled dive, and descend swiftly towards the forest canopy.

Breaking through the treetops, I spot my prey. The boar is foraging near a stream, unaware of the apex predator descending from above. I execute a flawless dive, snatching the creature with my powerful talons and lifting it effortlessly into the air. The boar struggles briefly, but it is no match for my strength.

There's a reason I'm not hunting simple animals anymore—too easy and with very little reward. Now, though, I'm not here to get stronger, so the poor boar will have to be content with becoming our tasty meal. Some monsters have a very exquisite taste that triumphs that of animals, but a good pig is never not delicious. Of course, these are all my opinions; I have no clue if Scarlet likes piggies. I probably should've asked what her preferences were before I set off...

I decide to test out my second newfound ability, or rather upgraded ability.

[Bottomless Stomach -> Devouring Dimension: The ability holder can devour its intended target, be it a corpse or object, without needing to use their feeding organs; a touch with their limb is enough to teleport the intended target into the correct storage dimension. Devouring Dimension can't be used to teleport objects inside during combat, only corpses.]

A very useful ability, though I'm honestly a bit conflicted. I've spent many hours of my short life eating my kills, and I must admit that I love the process of consumption. The fresh blood dripping on my scales, the crunching sound of bones, the tearing of flesh. It all became meaningless now. I remember when it took me many hours to get through the Strangling Serpent corpse. It was a real struggle to consume that kill. One of my fondest and proudest memories, to be honest.

I cheer myself up. It's not like I can't eat like that anymore; I just don't need to. If I wish to do so, I can lay down and devour to my heart's content at any time so long as I'm not rushed for time.

Is eating my first-ever hobby?

Anyways, I decide to test the ability out. The boar is already in my grasp, so all the aforementioned conditions are fulfilled—namely, I am in direct, physical contact with my target. I evoke the ability in my mind by imagining it activating, and in the next second, the boar corpse is gone. I inspect my nutriment storage, and, as expected, it's there. Extracting it back into my talons is just as swift and effortless. What a good ability. I'm so happy I don't need to regurgitate my stuff from my stomach anymore. If I had this ability back then, the weak druid surely would've been more appreciative of my gift. She really didn't need to yell "Eww," though… The rabbits were coated in my saliva and were slightly chewed into a few big parts as I obviously couldn't eat them whole—not a big deal overall. A free meal is a free meal, a nice present.

With my prize secured, I climb back into the skies. As I soar over the forest, I use my sharp eyes to locate a grove of fruit-bearing trees. Descending again, I extend my talons to pluck a bounty of ripe, juicy, yellow, orange, and red-colored, oval-shaped fruits. I make sure to get enough so that she can consume an amount equal to her own body weight. It wouldn't be a celebratory feast otherwise.