Not cool.

Ahhh. Not coooool!

Woah! Not coooooooool!

Too fast! Too fa…arghhh! Owww!

In a hail of claws, I managed to barely dodge most attacks by the skin of my teeth, but the exhaustion caused by the garm’s flurry made me unable to react to the [Dark Slash] that sliced a portion of my scales off my body.

This is a serious problem now. If a simple [Dark Tendrils] spell was able to cause me that much agony, then being hit by this spell, felt like having my skin violently torn apart and then having this exposed flesh burned by fire, with no hopes that the wound will cauterize.

Due to the pain, my parallel mind’s unsteady attempts to heal me with [Moderate Heal] felt like an eternity.

The battle just suddenly started when I agreed to fight the garm. I don’t know if it’s due to mental fatigue, but my reactions have begun to feel slower. My breathing was heavy, the beating of my heart could be heard, and my senses are working on overdrive…and this is only the start of the battle.

[“Stand.”]

Urgh, jerk.

Despite being wounded, she was the one who starting attacking first. She dashed behind me with [Shadow Dash], which looked like she was teleporting from one shadow to the next and aimed a bite towards my neck. I dodged her fangs and countered it with a [Spark Claw]. Again, contrary to her condition, she sidestepped it and started her [Dark Slash] barrage.

I dunno if she was baiting me into staying so close to her but it sure felt like it. A fast dodge into numerous consecutive while keeping close to me; giving me no chance to gain any distance, which I needed to dodge that last attack. Her [Chant Revocation Lv. 4] allowed her to cast her spells at a higher pace, compared to her partner, but I noticed that there was a long delay between each of them. From mid-range, it would be easy to dodge, I think. Close-range? Not when the caster is giving me little to no room to work with. It’s also surprising that that spell was able to pierce through my [Draconic Barrier]. It did soften the attack up, so I didn’t receive the full brunt of it, but it still hurts like hell.

…No, wait…The damage would have been lethal…

My body further tensed up at this thought.

‘Parallel minds, we need to fully focus. This garm is no pushover.’

‘An experienced fighter with the power to back it up. We're kinda outmatched here.’

‘Urgh, we can do this, right? We’re gonna die if we can’t.’

[“Stand!”]

Urgh, come ooooon. All buff spells activate.

Oh, right. Forgot to activate my buffs. Oof.

Play the mage. Stay away from her and bombard her non-stop with spells. Take the initiative and don’t even think of getting close.

Having chosen to use my preferred battle style, hit-and-run, I jumped off the ground and began running away from the garm, meanwhile, all of my parallel minds began readying different types of spells. Obviously, the garm pursued me but I won’t have her chase me down that easily.

With every ready spell, my parallel mind would cast it and start anew with a different spell. Seeing the colorful parade of magical attacks was mesmerizing but also confusing, as my parallel minds are definitely going crazy with the variety of spells. Ranging from attack spells like [Petal Flames] to disrupting spells like [Earthen Shackles].

She seems to be having some trouble but all the dashing, jumping, twisting, and vaulting through this bullet hell without taking any major damage is an impressive feat by itself! I can definitely keep up with how high my maximum mana is, but that would be a horrendous idea.

It can definitely work, with how critical her condition and stamina are, but I have that problem too. I’m still exhausted from the last fight so I don’t want to risk [Arcane Fever] but considering how intense my parallel minds are shooting out spells, I can’t help but worry.

This fight will become a war of attrition, if nothing happens…and just like that, something did happen.

Having finished casting [Shadow Dash], the garm disappeared into her shadow and reappeared using my shadow as some kinda gate. Her attack came at me swiftly, but having seen her use it before, I adapted quickly by widening the distance between us by blasting her with [Wind Blast]. The spell did no damage, but it pushed her back a bit and helped me get into the air, where I started flapping my wings.

I’m still far from being called a good flyer, so I would rather not fight her like this. However, air superiority should be the advantage I need to win this fight…or at least I hope she can’t fly, too.

…Ok, thankfully she can't fly. She did try using [Dark Tendrils] to snatch me but due to how much distance I have brought myself from any source of shadows, I can rest easy knowing that she won’t be able to use [Shadow Dash] on me again.

With this kinda situation I could use [Spark Fire Breath], right? Four of my parallel minds are needed to fly but manager mind can still cast spells. I believe I can use a dragon ability while flying, so we could work together to lead her with spells and then hit her with a surprise stream of fire!

‘Let’s do this, girls!’

Commencing my plan, manager mind began shooting out strong spells once at a time.

A myriad of spells started to bomb the area underneath me, ravaging the grounds and tearing off pieces of the earth, terraforming this grassland of bones into a battlefield of destruction.

Come one…

As more and more spells exploded and consumed the vegetation beneath, the area that the garm could move around decreased at a staggering rate, not slowing down as I burned through my mana like a madwoman.

The garm didn’t falter while evading all of it but I was luring her into a trap involving being cooked alive by dragon fire.

Ja, just a bit more!

…

Now! Spark Fire Breath. Inferno Blast.

A stream of dragon fire submerged the area under me while [Inferno Blast] was cast sequentially to bomb the ground. Compared to the fight from earlier, I made sure to control the fire, so it doesn’t spread too much and scorch the area of all things beautiful.

I hope I got her with this…

With the smoke clearing, the answer to my question was a disappointing “Nein”. Dumbfounded that something so completely out of my expectations happened, a certain amount of fear and impatience began to creep up to me. I mean, there was nowhere to dodge, and I-I saw the ground under me being completely drowned in a sea of fire.

No way, no way. Why didn’t it work! Did I aim correctly? I must have missed but-but how. The whole area is on fire. No way did she dodged that.

In all my panic, a bolt of [Dark Bolt] came shooting up to me, nearly hitting one of my wings.

Ahhh! Sch-Schei-Scheiße, calm down wings, calm down!

This isn’t how you focus. I need to control my flying…and I need to get my head back into the game. I need to continue the pressure. Gotta calm down. I even had to calm down my parallel minds as they started to go crazy with theory crafting now.

Flame Spear.

“Wrouuuuh!”

I and the garm began a firing show, each shooting out one projectile spell at a time, with er casting speed slowly increasing over time.

“If she continues this casting speed, then her mana will run out earlier than mine.” I thought. I was really hoping that she’s panicking, knowing that she won’t win in an attrition war so she’s desperately trying to end the battle now. It was merely a naïve wish.

…! From behind!

Huh? What? There is nothing there. Woah! Scheiße, come on [Prediction] you can’t mess with me in this kinda situation. I have no room for errors!

[Prediction] warned me that another source of killing intent, similar to the garm’s, was coming from behind me. However, turning around I saw absolutely nothing. The garm was still standing there in front of me, so how could it be possible? Could it be some kinda trick?

With this thought, I went ahead and used [Identify] to reassess her.

Identify.

“New info! [Shadow Clones]!”

During this moment where the new information began streaming into my head, I also heard some rustling in a tree behind me.

Uh?! Spark…

A gleaming claw coated in a liquid appeared…

[Paralyzed (Minor)] [Poisoned (Minor)] [Tranquilized (Minor)] inflicted on [Young Crimson Spark Dragon *]

…Flame…Argh!

I don’t know how she did it. All I know is that she used [Shadow Clones] and substituted herself somewhere in time. She then climbed a tree behind me and ambushed me while my attention was pinned on the clone in front of me.

A sharp feeling of pain appeared on my back and I could only imagine how terrible the gash must look like. I was able to shoot out [Spark Flame] after getting hit but a sense of weakness surged within me. With my body having lost locomotion, and with that elevation, I crashed on the ground. All I could think during this whole fall was that my attack finally hit the garm.

Bufu…kurgh!

Why does…my body feel so weak?

Nothing wanted to move. My whole body was numb from whatever she used to do this to me. Was it an ability? No. This isn’t the time to contemplate that. I need to use [Cure] to get rid of these abnormal effects.

[“Do not use magic.”]

Argh, go to hell. Cure. Urgh! Ahhhhhhhh.

Scheiße!

My back! My back. What is this pain? Modest Heal! Owwwwww.

[Damaged Mana Path [Left Wing] (Minor)] inflicted on [Young Crimson Spark Dragon *]

An unbearable pain came flooding through me from my left wing, where I could audibly hear something popping.

[“I have left a deep gash on your back, close to the wings. I do not know much about dragons, but I believe their wings are sensitive to damage and mana usage.”]

…Urgh, the abnormal effects are gone, and I healed my lost health but why is [Damaged Mana Path [Left Wing]] not going away?! Modest Heal…arrgh!

The status effect isn’t going away!

[“What did you do to me?!”]

I demanded her for an answer, which she answered in a monotonous voice.

["I merely slashed your back. I did not know if the rumor was true, but it was worth trying. If you mean the abnormal effects, then that I can explain."]

With that said, she raised her right paw and showed it to me. A slimy fluid was oozing on her claws.

["This is a poison I have concocted. It is a mixture of three poison that each inflict paralyzation, drowsiness and health damage separately."]

[“You-You made that?”]

[“I saw human hunters soaking their projectiles with a poison they have created. An ingenious idea for a monster like us without an organ that produces poison.”]

Human hunters? I saw on T.V. that some indigenous humans would coat their arrows with poison from animals in the area. Is this what she meant with “projectiles”?

[“Now…”]

Having answered my question, the garm continued the fight by disappearing into her shadow.

[Shadow Dash] again! I can’t dodge it! [Terra Wall]? No time. There really isn’t time to think. Just do something! Here she comes!

Come flames! Uhh…fire wall?!

I tried to do the same thing with [Imperial Hellfire] but it doesn't seem like the same thing will happen here, regardless I was able to create a firewall to surround me. The garm's attack wasn't able to hit me, probably ‘cause she didn't want to get burned by my flames.

Should buy me enough time. Moderate Heal.

Instead of using her claws and fangs, the garm resorted back to using spells to pierce my wall of fire. I just trapped myself in a small area, having to rely on [Prediction] to dodge.

“We’re trapped in our own attack! We need to do something!”

“Your suggestion, then?!!!”

“I don’t think we’ve any choice left. [Imperial Hellfire]!”

“What?! She’s just gonna dodge it!”

“[Spark Fire Breath] to create more fire and then use that to do an [Imperial Hellfire]. Even if she dodges it, we have no other choice. We’re gonna die if we keep this going.”

Urgh. R.I.P forest.

Spark Fire Breath. Hopefully, I can jump high enough…

Please let this work…Imperial Hellfire!

[Arcane Fever (Minor)] inflicted on [Young Crimson Spark Dragon *]

‘‘‘Oh noooo!’’’

My parallel minds shouted in unison, voices filled with distress, as I started to feel like my mana was moving more sluggish than usual. A burning heat, similar to a fever, spread throughout my body, invoking something similar to becoming sick inside me.

Disregarding this fact, my body began to shake at a violent speed, as I started to push myself over my limit. Putting in as much strength and mana as I can possibly give, I jumped into the air with my mouth still spewing out flames. With my wings still damaged, I couldn't risk damaging them any further, but I needed to use this spell, right now!

Enduring the surge of pain, I called the name of the spell and crashed onto the ground, creating another sea of flames. The forest might get burned again but this really isn't the time to think about anything else besides survival. Green Peace is gonna lynch me for this!

“Gawroooooh”

Huh? No way! Is that [Air Shield]? No way are you able to block all of this!

To be honest, the worst part of that spell is that you need to continuously supply it with mana to keep it up, and it gets worse if you need to use it to block. No matter how much higher your stats are, they can’t beat the two worse enemies of all magicians. Mana Stress and Arcane Fever.

You must be insane to do this!

Bu-But why does it look like she can make it through this, too? Those eyes…those fucking eyes. WHY DO THEY LOOK LIKE SHE CAN HANDLE EVEN MORE!

[Terror (Moderate)] [Exhaustion (Minor)] inflicted on [Young Crimson Spark Dragon *]

No way. No way. No way. No way. No way.

I can’t do this. I can’t do this. I can’t do this. I fucked up, again. I fucked up, again. I fucked up, again.

…I am not good enough…

Everything is finished. I’m already losing Health due to [Arcane Fever] and moving my mana around my body feels like having rough sand coursing through my bloodstream, ripping tiny little scars along the blood vessels.

My strongest spell was repelled. My fire is gone. Only cinders and the scorched marks on the grass are the only things that proved that I did anything just now.

With the shield dispelled, the garm looks no worse than in the beginning. The only scar…the only damage she received in this whole fight was a bit of sizzled fur on her belly

There is always someone better, huh…

[“Everything for my daughter…for my pack…for my family.”]

Useless. All I did was useless. Nothing I did meant anything. Struggle however I want, it won’t be enough to change the results.

[“Stand…You cannot?”]

How is ambition or hard work worth anything if you just can’t do it. Try as you will, sometimes it just won’t work out. You stand up, you fail. You stand up again, you fail. You stand up, stand up, stand up, stand up…but you fail.

Why suffer?

[“You fought well. You are strong. Stand, child.”]

Why are you encouraging me? Can’t you see that I have tried it over and over and over and over and over, again? It won’t work out this time. I am not as good as you. I am just gonna fail again.

[“If this is all you can muster then this is the end, young dragon.”]

Maybe it should all just…end? No more suffering. No more failures. I don’t deserve another chance.

Sigh, not even my parallel minds want to say something…guess I have fully given up. With every step she walks, I feel fear.

Scared that I will die. Am I that scared of letting this sad excuse of a life end so suddenly? How sad…

…I should just stop bothering people…

[Depression (Major)] inflicted on [Young Crimson Spark Dragon *]

“Wru?”

An explosion of blood and gore exploded in front of the garm. It was loud enough to wake me up from my melancholy to notice that the garm was missing a leg.

…Identify…

Garm Leader's Status Board Profile: Name: * Level: 28 Race: Darkness Garm Age: 9 Years Status: Health: 243/5598 Mana: 0/3609 Strength: 2101 Intelligence: 1903 Vitality: 1602 Wisdom: 1409 Agility: 2701 Stamina: 0/3590 Effects: [Exhaustion (Critical)] [Bleeding (Critical)] [Stress (Critical)]

[Mana Stress (Critical)] [Arcane Fever (Critical) [Adrenaline (Major)]

Skill:

Magic Skills and anything related

[Arcane Mind Lv. 5]

[Mana Control Lv. 7]

[Mana Efficiency Lv. 6]

[Arcane Mind Lv. 5]

[Wind Magic Lv. 6]

[Wind Amp]

[Dark Magic Lv. 9]

[Dark Amp]

[Dark Magic Efficiency]

[Cast Revocation Lv. 4]

[Mental Stability Lv. 4]

[Mental Warfare Lv. 4]

Physical Skills and anything related

[Stamina Strike Lv. 9]

[Mana Strike Lv. 7]

[Sundering Enhancement Lv. 6]

[Piercing Enhancement Lv. 7]

[Enhanced Claws Lv. 10]

[Enhanced Fangs Lv. 10]

Senses and Movement Skills

[Concealment Lv. 2]

[Accuracy Correction Lv. 4]

[Concentration Lv. 8]

[Prediction Lv. 7]

[Danger Perception Lv. 5]

[Probability Correction Lv. 3]

[Detection Sensor Lv. 2]

[Primal Senses]

[Tracking Lv. 10]

[Night Vision Lv. 10]

[Silence Lv. 1]

[Odorless Lv. 1]

[Evasion Lv. 7]

[Acrobatic Lv. 9]

[Terrain Maneuvering Lv. 9]

[Thought Acceleration Lv. 4]

Resistance Skills

[Physical Resistance Lv. 7]

[Pain Resistance Lv. 6]

[Arcane Corruption Resistance Lv. 3]

[Bleed Resistance Lv. 5]

[Poison Resistance Lv. 2]

[Paralyze Resistance Lv. 4]

[Torpor Resistance Lv. 8]

[Fire Resistance Lv. 2]

[Earth Resistance Lv. 5]

[Wind Resistance Lv. 7]

Stat Growth and related Skills

[Health Recovery Lv. 5]

[Mana Recovery Lv. 6]

[Stamina Recovery Lv. 7]

[Enhanced Health Growth Lv. 5]

[Enhanced Health Capacity Lv. 3]

[Enhanced Mana Growth Lv. 5]

[Enhanced Mana Capacity Lv. 3]

[Enhanced Strength Growth Lv. 5]

[Enhanced Strength Enforcement Lv. 4]

[Enhanced Intelligence Growth Lv. 5]

[Enhanced Intelligence Enforcement Lv. 3]

[Enhanced Vitality Growth Lv. 4]

[Enhanced Vitality Enforcement Lv. 2]

[Enhanced Wisdom Growth Lv. 4]

[Enhanced Wisdom Enforcement Lv. 2]

[Enhanced Agility Growth Lv. 8]

[Enhanced Agility Enforcement Lv. 5]

[Enhanced Stamina Growth Lv. 7]

[Enhanced Stamina Capacity Lv. 4]

Others

[Identity Blocker Lv. 8]

[Identify Lv. 6]

[Terror Aura Lv. 6]

[Leadership Lv. 5]

[Kin Controller Lv. 3]

[Dismantle Lv. 3]

[Pregnancy Lv. 5]

[Starvation Lv. 9]

[Telepathy]

Spell List:

[Dark Bolt] [Dark Tendrils] [Shadow Dash] [Dark Slash] [Shadow Clones]

[Wind Bullet] [Wind Cutter] [Air Shield] [Wind Slash]

[Swift Winds]

Titles: [Pack Leader] [Belzac’s Successor] [Protective Mother] Information Blocked

[Mana Stress (Critical)] … [Arcane Fever (Critical)] …What?

[“I-I seem to ha-have…us too much…mana.”]

I could hear her wheezing even from this distance. I couldn’t properly process any of this information, so I just stayed silent.

[“This was not the ending I was…planning. I thought I could…hold on for a few more days.”]

[“…”]

[“Come, child. Do not…give me that look…it seems you have won this battle.”]

…Another explosion.

“Wrah! Wrooooo…”

[“How regrettable…I…wish to apologize to you…for having you endure through my little game.”]

Game?

[“I wonder if my dear partner will…hate me for this.”]

I am confused. I am confused. What is she saying?

[“What…do you mean with that.”]

[“…Please take care of my little pup. She is just like you. Please listen to the words of this dying mother. She is…the last Belzac…”]

“Wroooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!”

With a howl similar to her partner, her heavily damaged body dropped onto the ground.

Experience has reached multiple breaking points. [Young Crimson Spark Dragon *] has risen from [Level 16] to [Level 24] Attributes have increased due to level up Acquired 3700 skill points

What?

I blinked. I blinked. I blinked. Nothing in my mind was even working properly right now. I fully accepted my death. I was ready for it. I wanted it to all end.

But…I survived?

…Did I just win? Bu-But how was that a win? I lost… I was not strong enough.

Her words…What did she mean with “little game”? Was I that much of a fodder that I was not worth the effort to fight? Was I the “kobold” in this fight?

I was reminded of the night I fought the kobold tribe. The battle was easy enough for me to enjoy it. Excitement. An excitement that this garm must have felt for beating me to the ground.

But there is nothing to feel good about this sort of ending. I was defeated. I should have been the one to die. She should have been the one to survive for her baby’s sake.

Once again, a sound broke my melancholy. My attention returned back to reality to discern where the sound came from.

Whimpers? Oh right, speaking of the baby. She…wanted me to look after the baby, right? The killer of her mother…looking after her infant.

Pure nauseating irony…

…To the victor goes the spoils and, in my book, this win was hers.

I moved towards the nest in the center of the area. My battle with the garm was devastating for the whole area. The only place that seem normal, unharmed from anything I did, was this little nest for her baby. That fierce determination was to protect this child.

I moved close and took a peek.

“Wruf!”

Scheiße, I scared her.

[“Uhh, I’m sorry. Please don’t be scared. I am not here to hurt you.”]

Easier said than done, really. Imagine hearing that from a black scaled dragon, after hearing the screams and explosions of a battle, and the first person you see isn't your mum, but that very same black scaled dragon.

Can she understand me? Telepathy should be able to convey my intentions but maybe she isn’t old enough to fully grasp it. I should check her age.

Identify.

Baby Wolf Doggie's Status Board Profile: Name: Saori Segawa Level: 0 Race: Young Warg Age: 0 Month Status: Health: 50/50 Mana: 15/15 Strength: 30 Intelligence: 10 Vitality: 15 Wisdom: 10 Agility: 35 Stamina: 40/40 Effects: None Skill Points: 0 Skill:

[Primal Senses] [Enhanced Claws Lv. 1] [Enhanced Fangs Lv. 1] [Telepathy]

Titles: [Belzac’s Successor] [Otherworldly Reincarnator]

…!

[“Anata wa…, osoraku, nihonjindesu…ka?”] (Are you…, perhaps, Japanese?)

I instinctively talked in Japanese. My mother’s language.

“Wruf?!”

Wait, [Telepathy] pretty much translates my words. She won’t be able to know that I can speak Japanese, but she should be able to understand what I said there.

…Why am I speaking in Japanese, then? For nostalgia’s sake?

[“I, too, am…a reincarnator. I died on earth and was reborn as a dragon in this world.”]

“Wruf?! Wroof!”

I could see her wagging her tail uncontrollably, with eyes showed fear but also confusion. I can relate. You are born into a weird world, with weird things, with weird killer things, and all you want to do is to ask questions.

[“Huh, what? I can’t understand you. Can’t you use your skill [Telepathy]?”]

“Wruf?”

[“You don’t? Uhh, to use it you just need to think and imagine sending a message to me. It feels like sending an E-Mail but through our thoughts…ah, please hold on! I will touch your paw with my tail, so please don’t be scared. I really am not here to hurt you.”]

Uhh, I nearly forgot that [Telepathy] consumes mana. She would probably kill herself if she uses it with her current amount of mana. With my control over my own mana, I’m able to transfer some of it, through touch, over to somebody. It worked on fishes so it should work on wargs, right?

[“Ok, I am lending you a bit of my mana so try using [Telepathy] as I explained.”]

[“…Hello?”]

A voice! A soft one.

[“Ja, hello!]

I immediately replied when I heard her voice in my head, which caused this person to flinch in surprise. I can’t forget that I look terribly scary.

[Oh, sorry for scaring you again, I didn’t mean to shout like that. Are you speaking Japanese, right now? [Telepathy] automatically translates what we say, so I believe you are understanding everything in Japanese, while I am understanding them in English.”]

[“I-I see…”]

[“Oh right, introductions! I am…You must be Saori Segawa, right?”]

That felt a bit awkward, but what can I say? I can’t remember my name.

[“Yes, I am Segawa Saori…How do you know my name?”]

Hearing her confirm her name turned something off inside my head. [Depression (Major)] disappeared. All my thoughts from before were shoved into the depths of my mind.

I don’t know why, but I felt happy. It sounds weird, ja, but it just feels like everything bad that happened to me, just vanished.

I quickly composed myself, suppressing my urge to smile, as that would probably cause a misunderstanding when I do it in my dragon form.

[“There is a skill [Identify] that allows me to look at other’s profiles. A profile is similar to a twitter profile screen.”]

[“Is that not an intrusion to the privacy of other’s…woah! Careful! Are you ok?!”]

[“Urgh, the fatigue is getting to me now. I’m sorry but I think I need to go to sleep now…”]

My body is finally giving in. Two battles that I was not prepared for, both extremely taxing on both my mind and body, and both in such a short time.

The exhaustion itself isn’t bad, I’ll probably wake up in a day, but what concerns me is this [Arcane Fever]. I don’t have much Health left and it’s still decreasing, showing no signs of stopping.

[“Huh? Wait, please stop! You cannot sleep now. This whole situation is very vexing, and I need more answers like what this place is sup…”]

Before I finally succumb to the heavy strains on my body, I erected an igloo made from [Terra Wall], took out a spare [Meat Paradise], and ignited a campfire with some spare wood I had in my storage.

I gave out a yawn and then crashed into the garm’s nest, mind foggy and my strength depleted.

[“Whe-Where did this bowl come from?! How was this thing constructed?! Why is there a fire now?!Why…it is asleep…At least introduce yourself before you fall asleep. Unbelievable, first a giant wolf and now a giant lizard with wings? This just has to be a dream…right?”]

That was all I could hear until I slowly drifted off, once again entering a coma-like state. Before I fully lost my consciousness, I prayed. To nobody specific, I just dearly wanted somebody to hear this wish.

Please, I do not want to die yet. Not now, when I am finally not alone anymore. I will change and stop acting like a whiny little brat, so please! Please, let me live.