The intact part of the demon-frog's tongues immediately returned to its mouth, and an expression of pain forced it to close its amphibious eyes.

In a matter of seconds, Kenji and Yoichi managed to defend themselves against two simultaneous attacks, killing one of the two enemy demons on the spot and seriously injuring the other.

A red sphere floated from the remains of the slain frog, still partially embedded in the jaws of the small dragon. The XP drop touched Kenji's forehead and entered its body, contributing to raising its fighting level.

Even if only for a few moments, Yoichi looked at his Oracle with interest, unable to believe that it had shown such ferocity in attacking the enemy: evidently, Kenji's horns were not the only things that had grown as it leveled up. Its teeth were much more developed than before, and its jaws bit stronger.

Although the frog's head was mushy and easy to bite, the little dragon demon had shattered its internal bones using only the strength of its jaws.

Kenji, after defeating its first enemy, turned to Yoichi, looking at the other frog and growling, lifting the black scales on its back.

In no time, that little demon that was mistaken by everyone for a Nekage was starting to look more and more like a real dragon. Like the ancient winged demons, it feared no opponent and sometimes acted even before receiving a direct order from its tamer.

Dragons were supreme beings, endowed with particularly sharp intelligence. For this very reason, they had never had tamers or owners throughout history. Yoichi was the first of his kind.

The young tamer turned the blade of his dagger, holding it normally and looking at the strange greenish liquid that had been sprayed off the demon-frog's tongue. A thin grayish smoke snaked across the surface of the blade as if that strange substance was boiling.

"Craak! Crooak!" the wounded demon shouted, emitting that cry with all the energy left in its body. Suddenly, the cries that had surrounded Yoichi a few minutes before reappeared.

In the darkness of the undergrowth, many small green eyes popped out, staring at Kenji and Yoichi and marking them as prey.

I have two Demon Teeth left in my backpack. I might try to catch one of these wild demons, Yoichi thought. I don't know what their level or ability is, but they are definitely a different type from Kenji or Ichiro.

Judging by the strange smelling and corrosive substance released from the two cut tongues of the frog demon, it must have been a poison-type demon.

"Come on, Kenji. We have to clear the way!" Yoichi thundered, holding the dagger tightly in his hands and moving with circumspection. "Screek!" the little dragon confirmed, observing the thicker areas of the swamp.

Without much difficulty, two more frog-demons were killed by the adventurer and his Oracle, who gained two more XP points. Although the appearance of these strange amphibians was chilling in such a dark environment, they did not seem particularly powerful.

Their attacks were highly predictable, and their movements were intermittent, punctuated by great leaps on their webbed feet and moments of stillness. If he really wanted to tame one of them, Yoichi would have to find the right one first.

The enemy demons were almost all equidimensional, except for a couple of slightly larger specimens. Their colors were all different, varying from dark green to purplish, almost black.

"Crooak!" - yet another frog demon walked down a stretch of road, dipping its tiny hands into the muddy layer. When Kenji tried to bite it frontally, it ducked on its legs and then jumped, avoiding its jaws and aiming for Yoichi.

That demon has figured out that Kenji and I are fighting together, and it thinks that if it hits me, Kenji will take damage too! Yoichi pondered, realizing that the demon that was attacking him was different from its own kind.

Skin as green as the meadows that covered the hills near Goldhaven and dark green eyes, almost the same color as the moss on the rocks of the swamp. Without even knowing what the name of the strange amphibious monster was, the young tamer had intended to capture it.

Yoichi took a step back and waited for the frog to attack him. On the back of the strange demon, small rounded growths emitted a weird greenish gas, spreading it into the air around it.

Dragging that cloud of gas with it, the demon-frog continued to run and, partially covered by the blanket of smoke, opened its mouth wide and shot out its two sticky-tipped tongues.

"Kenji!" Yoichi yelled, activating his Oracle's skill and enhancing his arms: the little dragon's black scales covered the blond-haired warrior's forearms and hands, and Takamori's dagger fell to the ground, due to the exponential enlargement of his fingers.

Unaware of what was going to happen, the enemy demon continued to advance and, sure that its tongues could immobilize the target, it didn't deviate the trajectory of his attack.

*splat* - Both of the frog demon's tongues reached Yoichi's right arm and stuck to its scales, releasing greenish, sticky saliva much like the corrosive liquid that had slightly damaged the dagger blade.

Without a second thought, Yoichi pulled his stricken arm towards himself and grabbed the two tongues with his other hand, taking advantage of Kenji's enhancement and suffering no damage.

"Croak?!" the frog gulped, its mouth open and its eyes in disbelief.

"Aaargh!" - Lifting it off the ground as if it were a balloon tied to a rope, Yoichi sent the enemy demon flying towards him, ready to strike and stun it. However, the greenish gas leaking from its back was still active, and when the demon was within inches of Yoichi, he felt sudden dizziness.

The young tamer's respiratory tract instantly clogged and his upper and lower limbs became very heavy, almost unmanageable. "Graargh!" - With the enemy's tongues still attached to his left forearm, Yoichi, with one last effort, punched the frog demon in the face.

The sharp knuckles of his draconic hand repelled the greenish demon, throwing it in the direction it came and stunning it for good.