"Ahhh… my head, my body, they ache." Jim mumbled as his eyes slowly flicked open. His hand crept onto his face, trying to touch his head, but when his fingers brushed against his skin, something felt off.

Click!

"Huh? Why does my skin feel rough?" he muttered, blinking rapidly as his vision cleared.

When he looked down, his heart skipped a beat — his hands were covered in scales, rough and uneven, gleaming faintly under the dim light. His fingers had transformed into sharp, claw-like appendages.

"What the fuck?!" Jim shouted, panic flooding his chest as he frantically touched his face, feeling the same scaly texture spread across his skin.

"After so many hours, you're awake."

The calm voice came from his side, causing Jim to spin around. There, sitting on a wooden chair with an almost bored expression, was Max.

Only then did the memories of everything that had happened crash back into his mind — from entering the tier-three town, to the dragon's cryptic question about why he chose to idolize him.

And then, the moment that changed everything: the dragon asking him if he wanted to become one too, followed by that unbearable, body-twisting pain.

'Oh, so that's what happened,' Jim thought, staring down at his scaly arms before slowly looking back up at the dragon in front of him.

But something strange occurred the moment their eyes met. Jim felt a powerful tug deep inside him, something primal that forced him to avert his gaze. His heart thudded faster as his eyes dropped instinctively.

'Huh? What's happening? Why can't I look him in the eye?' Jim thought, his fists clenching as he struggled to fight the instinct.

"Are you feeling okay?" Max asked, his voice laced with concern.

"Yeah… I feel somewhat stronger, I guess," Jim replied, his voice low. He tried again to look up, but instead of meeting Max's gaze, he stared at his neck. "So, the transformation worked, huh? I'm now a dragon?"

"Yes. Apparently," Max said, standing up from the chair. "You're now something known as a drake — beneath me in strength, but still strong enough to take down some decent foes."

"Okay? That means I'll also be hunted by demons now, huh?" Jim muttered, and Max's eyes widened slightly.

'Oh fuck, I forgot about that part. Now that he's a dragon, demons will be after him too,' Max thought grimly as he rubbed his temples, feeling a headache start to build.

"But that's nothing," Jim said firmly, rising to his feet before dropping to one knee with his fists clenched tight. "You've given me a shot — a chance to become strong and I won't waste it. No matter what comes my way, I'll grow stronger, beat it back to hell, and protect you. That's my promise!"

'I guess the system wasn't kidding about the loyalty part,' Max thought with a faint smirk as he looked down at the kneeling hunter.

"No need to be so dramatic, Jim," Max said as he stepped forward. Still, the man remained kneeling, unwavering. "Uhm, you can get up now, Jim."

Right on cue, Jim rose to his feet, making Max shake his head in quiet disbelief.

"So, what now?" Jim asked, glancing around the room before looking down at his claws and scaled arms. "And how do I hide these so the others don't find out too soon?"

Hearing that, Max turned toward his translucent screen, eyes narrowing as he checked the rewards from turning Jim.

[Rewards: +2000 XP; +1 new skill; +5 free stat points; +1 new family ability]

"Just give me a second," Max said, still focused on the glowing interface.

Jim nodded and leaned against the wall, watching him quietly.

'I'm already used to this. Heaven knows why he always stares into the air,' Jim thought, a small grin tugging at the corners of his lips as he watched the dragon.

'Show me the family skill,' Max commanded inwardly, eyes flashing with curiosity.

[Family Skill: One Added]

[Skill Name: Mask]

'Huh? Mask?' Max blinked, tilting his head slightly.

[Description: This skill allows all members or subordinates created by the host to mask their physical traits (scales, claws, horns, wings, etc.) and suppress their auras at will — all with a single thought.]

'Okay, that's actually nice,' Max thought with a small smirk spreading across his face before glancing toward Jim.

"Uhm, Jim, try imagining that your scales and claws are gone. Let's see if that works."

"Uhm, okay, I'll try." Jim shrugged, inhaled deeply, and shut his eyes.

He focused, picturing the rough texture of his skin fading away and his hands returning to normal. A faint shimmer passed over his body, and within seconds, the scales vanished completely.

Jim's eyes shot open, and when he looked down at his smooth hands, his face lit up with excitement.

"Woah! It worked!" he exclaimed, his voice full of disbelief and joy.

"Well, that sorts that out," Max said, exhaling a small sigh of relief before turning his gaze back to the system interface floating in front of him. His expression turned curious again as another notification appeared.

'My new skill.'

[Skill Name: XP Share]

[Description: This skill allows the host to share XP. Whenever any family member is within a 5-metre radius, half of the XP they earn from kills will automatically be transferred to the host.]

'Oh really?! Hahahahaha!' Max burst into a wild laugh in his mind, barely containing his excitement. 'And here I was, complaining about how slow XP farming is and now, I've got a cheat code dropped right into my lap!'

He rubbed his palms together, grinning like a kid who just found treasure. 'I don't even have to make the kills myself anymore. If I turn two more humans, that'll make three subordinates. As long as they're close by and fighting, I'll be getting half their XP too. This is insane!'

Jim, meanwhile, stood there watching him with a puzzled look. The dragon's grin and quiet giggling made him take a cautious step back.

"Okay!" Max suddenly clapped his hands together, breaking the silence. A sly smirk formed on his lips as he turned toward the open window, noticing that the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in soft shades of orange and gold.

"What next?" Jim asked, his tone curious but slightly nervous.

"We test your physical capabilities," Max replied with a grin that showed a hint of his sharp teeth. "I want to see just how strong you've become."

Jim swallowed hard but nodded eagerly, determination flickering in his eyes. Max glanced outside again, and then whispered to himself, "Let's see what my new drake can really do."

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