Starting out as a Dragon Slave

Mordred turned to Kael, his face marked by relentless gravity. He placed a firm hand on the massive warrior’s shoulder, who trembled despite his imposing stature.​

- "Kael, stay back," he ordered in a low but authoritative voice that brooked no argument. "You won’t be able to do anything here. R’daz’s Vhulks are beyond your current capabilities. Preserve your life, for we can no longer guarantee your protection from now on."​

Kael parted his lips, ready to protest, but the piercing gazes of Mordred and the old man made him recoil instantly. A glimmer of understanding crossed his face as he nodded resignedly. He slowly withdrew, his weapon still raised instinctively, knuckles whitened by the tension of his grip.​

Mordred took a deep breath, half-closing his eyelids. When he reopened them, his orange pupils glowed with an almost supernatural intensity, like embers in the dark. The air around him began to change, the temperature dropping sharply. A shimmering frost, sparkling like suspended diamond dust, swirled around his body, creating an ethereal veil that undulated with his breath.​

In a fluid and controlled motion, his mana wings burst from his back in a majestic deployment. Translucent and luminous, they pulsed with pure energy that radiated in concentric waves, casting iridescent reflections on the surrounding walls.​

The old man, observing the metamorphosis, gave a slight admiring smile. He stepped back deliberately, granting Mordred the space needed to fully unleash his power. His wrinkled yet sharp eyes missed none of the spectacle, analyzing every detail with the acuity of a master evaluating his student.​

Mordred slightly bent his knees, his muscles tensing like compressed springs. The next moment, he leaped forward in an explosion of power, leaving a chilling shockwave in his wake.​

- "[Glacial Affinity]," he murmured, the syllables pronounced with ritual precision.​Awaken Realms

The air cracked instantly before him, ice particles condensing at an astonishing speed. A crystalline ramp, of a nearly luminescent polar blue, materialized beneath his feet. The solid yet ephemeral structure propelled Mordred into the air with perfect fluidity, as if gravity were merely an abstract concept he could ignore at will.​

He now glided on these icy constructions, surfing on frozen waves he created as he progressed. His wings beat in perfect synchronization with his movements, each beat calculated to the millimeter. They not only served to stabilize him but also amplified his already dizzying speed, tracing behind him a luminescent trail that gradually faded in the air.​

R’daz’s Vhulks, these monstrosities from another world, stirred frantically in the face of this unpredictable adversary. Their spongy and misshapen bodies contracted in a collective movement, as if responding to a silent signal. A rain of deadly tentacles then shot out in all directions, slicing through the air with a sinister hiss.​

These appendages, of a sickly gray veined with phosphorescent filaments, deployed and retracted with astonishing speed, desperately seeking to touch the human who slipped between them like a frost phantom.​

Mordred moved in this deadly environment with an almost artistic grace. Each movement was calculated, each turn anticipated. He created ramp after ramp, constantly altering his trajectory in a hypnotic aerial dance. His silhouette had become almost indistinct, leaving a bluish trail behind him, the only tangible proof of his passage.​

His sharp gaze, scanning the battlefield, finally spotted an opening. One of the Vhulks had just launched a massive attack with several of its tentacles, momentarily exposing its neural center—a pulsating mass with an unhealthy glow.​

With surgical precision, Mordred altered his trajectory, diving towards the creature. In one fluid motion, he drew his katana. The blade caught the ambient light from the torches, transforming the steel into a concentrated ray of sunlight.​

- "Now!" he roared, his voice resonating like thunder in the confined space.​ novelbuddy.cσ๓

The tip of the blade struck with terrifying force on the Vhulk’s spongy mass, aiming directly at its bulbous head. The impact was violent, projecting a visible shockwave into the air. Yet, against all expectations, the skin did not yield immediately. It sank in, grotesquely deformed, absorbing part of the kinetic energy like a rubbery material.​

Mordred’s face tensed, surprise quickly giving way to fierce determination. His teeth clenched until they ground, all the muscles in his body tightening in a supreme effort. A thick vein swelled on his forearm, pulsing to the frantic rhythm of his heart. His joints whitened under the pressure as he pushed the blade with renewed force.​

- "Break, monstrosity!" he shouted, his voice distorted by effort and rage.​

A sinister crack suddenly resounded, like that of a membrane under high pressure abruptly giving way. The Vhulk’s skin finally opened in a viscous explosion, releasing a flow of strange bodily fluids with iridescent reflections. At the heart of this repugnant mass finally shone the core, a luminescent orb pulsing frenetically, as if aware of the imminent danger.​

Without a second’s hesitation, Mordred drove his blade to the hilt into this vital source. The katana pierced the core with a crystalline crack that echoed throughout the surrounding space. A blinding light briefly burst from the wound, accompanied by a sinister sizzle.​

The creature was seized by violent spasms, its tentacles flailing chaotically in the air like uncontrollable whips. Then, in an abominable gurgle, it literally exploded, projecting in all directions jets of acidic and viscous fluids.​

Mordred, anticipating this reaction, had already torn his blade free and propelled his body backward. A new ice ramp instantly sprang up beneath his feet, catapulting him away from the lethal zone. The corrosive droplets grazed his coat, leaving smoking holes, but none reached his skin.​

He landed gracefully on an icy platform he had just created, his mana wings fully deployed behind him. A fleeting smile crossed his face as a familiar notification appeared in his field of vision:​

[You have killed a Vhulk of R’daz]​

[Absorption possible: Physical stats / Physical skills]​

Mordred mentally articulated "physical skill," his concentration unwavering despite the surrounding chaos.​

[Absorption complete: Vhulk Physical Skills absorbed]​

[New skill acquired]​

[Vhulk Venom]​

[Description: You have acquired the properties of the tentacles of R’daz’s Vhulks. Your arms can now be charged with a paralyzing and corrosive energy. A simple touch is enough to neutralize your enemies by paralyzing their nervous system and slowly dissolving their tissues.]​

A dark, almost predatory smile stretched Mordred’s lips. He briefly contemplated his free hand, where bluish energy filaments were already dancing between his fingers, emitting slight crackles. Finally, a weapon worthy of the name, a capability that could turn the tide of this seemingly desperate battle.​

Without granting himself a moment’s respite, he resumed his fluid movement, creating and destroying ice ramps in an uninterrupted ballet. His wings beat vigorously, mana energy pulsing around him in tangible waves that slightly distorted the surrounding air. His speed was such that he left behind only a bluish trail, like an icy comet slicing through the darkness.​

The old man, also in motion, dodging with surprising agility for his age the attacks of the other creatures, turned his gaze towards Mordred. His ancient eyes shone with a glimmer of approval and perhaps even hope. For the first time since the beginning of this unequal combat, a new breath, an unexpected chance had just been granted to them.​

Meanwhile, in the stands overlooking the arena, the crowd collectively held its breath. The atmosphere was electric, charged with an almost palpable tension. All eyes were fixed on the extraordinary spectacle unfolding before them.​

The presenter, his voice magically amplified, exclaimed with an excitement he no longer sought to conceal:​

- "Incredible turnaround! Could the blue team achieve the impossible? Ladies and gentlemen, we are witnessing a feat that will be etched in the annals of the Colosseum!"​

Mordred whirled through the arena, his ice ramps emerging beneath his steps with perfect fluidity, while his mana wings stabilized his trajectory. He moved like a glacial specter, elusive, impervious to the frantic attacks of the monsters disoriented by this unpredictable strategy.​

Another Vhulk desperately tried to counter his advance, sending a barrage of electrified tentacles. Mordred skillfully dodged them, spinning around them, diving directly towards the monster’s translucent and gelatinous mass. His katana struck with precision, violently deforming the membrane until it suddenly gave way under the pressure of his sharp blade. The core exploded with a dull sound, and the Vhulk immediately collapsed, liquefying on the burning sand.

[Absorption Complete: Vhulk Physical Skills Acquired][Paralytic Whips: Level Increased]

On the other side, the old man danced amidst the chaos. His body moved with supernatural grace, a perfect harmony, as if every muscle fiber instinctively anticipated enemy attacks. He barely looked at his adversaries; his gaze seemed lost in the void, yet he flawlessly evaded death and paralysis each time.

Upon closer observation, his body shimmered slightly with luminous particlesa subtle yet immensely powerful skill: a state of absolute physical perception, where bodily reactions preceded conscious thought. His body acted, his mind followed, trusting in the instinctive dance he performed.

Without hesitation, he leaped toward one of the monsters, approaching with millimetric precision. His bare hands passed through the creature’s membrane effortlessly, as if the previously impenetrable barrier had suddenly lost all resistance. With a sure, almost surgical gesture, he crushed the core with ease before instantly withdrawing, gracefully avoiding the disordered counterattacks of the remaining Vhulks.

Only four monsters remained; the battle was reaching its climax.

Mordred immediately resumed his assault, capitalizing on the chaos caused by the old man. He slid along his ramps, accelerating further, and struck again relentless and precise. His katana pierced another core after a swift struggle against the elastic membrane, which eventually exploded under his overwhelming force.

[Absorption Complete: Vhulk Physical Skills Acquired][Vhulk Venom: Level Increased]

Without delay, Mordred pivoted sharply, evading a series of desperate attacks. His weapon struck cold, merciless destroying another core in a single, perfectly calibrated move.

[Absorption Complete: Vhulk Physical Skills Acquired][Vhulk Venom: Level Increased]

The last monster within his reach attempted a final suicidal attack, launching all its tentacles simultaneously at him. Mordred merely smiled coldly, his wings aiding him in leaping high into the air. He immediately dove, his katana piercing this time without any resistance, tearing through core and flesh in a rain of viscous fragments.

[Absorption Complete: Vhulk Physical Skills Acquired][Vhulk Venom: Level Increased to Maximum]

The final Vhulk still stood, lumbering toward the old man, who danced once more, as if in a sublime trance. He effortlessly circumvented the tentacles, dangerously approaching the creature. His hand again pierced the spongy skin without effort, instantly shattering the core, thus sealing their resounding victory.

Silence abruptly fell over the arena, the last monster slowly collapsing into a pool of fluids. The old man, suddenly exhausted, staggered and fell to his knees in the sand, his chest heaving heavily, desperately seeking air. His weary gaze slowly lifted toward the starry sky as he gasped for breath.

Mordred approached gently, his katana sheathed at his belt, his face bearing an unexpected compassion. He stopped before the old gladiator and extended his hand with a soft, almost friendly smile.

- "You were incredible," he murmured.

The old man, surprised, stared at him briefly, then finally returned his smile with naive sincerity and grasped the offered hand.

It was at that precise moment that everything changed.

For a fleeting instant, Mordred discreetly activated his brand-new skill. His appearance remained unchanged, perfectly human, but a violent paralytic discharge suddenly erupted from his palm.

The old man barely had time to comprehend what was happening. His eyes widened abruptly, filled with absolute confusion and poignant disbelief as his entire body stiffened. He felt his heart falter, convulsing violently under the effect of the paralytic discharge, before abruptly stopping, struck down by the induced cardiac arrest.

The old man slowly collapsed into the sand, his trembling fingers releasing Mordred’s hand as the last spark of life left his now dull eyes. He desperately sought an explanation in the young man’s cold and ruthless gaze, but found only the icy reflection of his own final moments.

Mordred, without averting his incandescent gaze, coldly murmured:

- "I’m sorry, but I need your skill."

Then, with chilling realism, he suddenly began to scream, perfectly feigning panic and distress:

- "Help him! Quickly, someone! He needs help!"

His cry was drowned out by the crowd applauding their victory and by the announcer’s voice shouting triumphant announcements.

Kael, observing Mordred’s "panic," rushed over and knelt before the old man.

Meanwhile, a notification appeared before Mordred’s eyes, luminous and tempting:

[Absorption Complete: Please choose between:]→ [Physical Stats]→ [Physical Skills]

Mordred stared at the notification for a long moment, a cold, satisfied smile slowly stretching across his lips, the orange glow in his pupils burning even brighter.

He had succeeded.Everything had unfolded exactly according to his plan, and now, a new, even more terrifying power was within his grasp.