“For many, the time after the battle is the best one.

They heal, rest, and get to spend their hard-earned rewards. It’s addictive, honestly, and many fall into a self-destructive rhythm, where they never take extensive breaks. Until, one day, their lack of self-awareness crashes upon them in an instant, forcing them to face their needs.

Hopefully, by then, they’ll be surrounded by loving people.”

Patria Hollyrepose, Owner of the clinic ‘Greenhouse of rest’.

Nashariel pov

After two days, the storm still lingered.

Nashariel killed time by resuming her teaching. She told the little ones about her hunt, noting that the kids listened more carefully. Is it because we've become hunters too in their eyes? She pondered that evening. Unsure, she asked the innkeeper, who was cleaning a mug with a towel.

“Yes. Nature is always adapting, and we try to imitate our Goddess’ example. If someone comes up with a new theory, we tend to not listen until they can back it up in practice. Complete more bounties and even some Rangers might listen." He supplied with a friendly smile.

Interesting. We do intend to pick up a few more bounties, before leaving…“Why the war from so long ago didn’t sway more people?”

The elf shrugged. “Some did, but that was more like an army versus army thing. We… hardly do that here. We favor small hunting groups, sometimes working together.”

Makes sense, I guess. “Thanks for the help!”

“Anytime.”

Nashariel then asked her friends if they wanted to pick up on the offer from the bounty board and go out in the rain. They grimaced.

“Do we need to?” Asked Dan.

“No, but the experience might be useful if we get caught in the rain outside of a city. I’d rather know now.”

They sighed in defeat.

The group learned a few things. The first thing was that lightning was very effective in a soaked environment.

The second thing? Don’t stand near the Lighting dragoness and her prey.

Third thing. This was also true for monsters.

Nashariel closed her mouth, ignoring the continuous zapping that the rain caused on her back. “You good?”

Dorel gave her a shaking thumbs up. He wasn’t scared, just… shocked by her performance. Eheh... Dang it...

Veliel healed him. “I hope you didn’t ruin a body. Again.” She wrote with her free hand.

Nashariel swished her tail in embarrassment.

They were hunting some sort of amphibian mole whose lower legs were those of a frog, to harvest their skin and claws. The dragoness had charred four so far. Whoops.

The rain wasn’t so bad, once they grew used to it.

Still, they heard a croak loud enough to shake the trees.

"Aaaaand that's our cue." Commented Dan. "That large toad is worth a lot. Boss, Do-Not-Char-The-Toad."

“It’s a frog!”

“Whatever!”

They went back to the Hut, once more soaked to the bone. I might buy [Water manipulation], after all… is there something like [Mud manipulation] from somewhere? I think there is. There should be, right?

"A better job than last time." The same elven woman handled them a sack of coins.

Nashariel shrugged. “At home, poison isn’t a problem unless it completely dissolves a corpse. Again, I’m sorry.”

The elf raised an eyebrow. “How so? The Huntress knows how much we need more usable parts.”

The dragokin let Dan speak. He went into specific details, but the short version was a combination between alchemy and affinities; specifically, Poison, Healing, and Wood. “I don’t know how to replicate the formula with the local herbs, but I can write it down for you.”

The Elf stared at the human with raw greed. “Please.”

Dan wrote down a few different variations of the formulas, plus the instruction on how to use them and the specific skills’ names.

The huntress took the papers. After she mumbled for a few minutes, the Astillians realized that she had retreated into her own world.

Chuckling, Nashariel led the way to the Inn.

After the bath, each Astillian went to sleep.

Nashariel dreamt about one of her lives in the forest when she had been born from a clutch of Earth dragons.

That life had been a short one, as an elf killed her just as she was about to reach the Young age category.

Nashariel jolted awake. “And that’s why I hate sleeping…” She murmured. She had searched for skills to cull down that need, but, unfortunately, nothing caught her eye.

Nashariel decided to breathe some fresh air. She went out of the inn and flew on the roof. Kicking her legs, she opened her system, scrolling past all the kills and notifications of the past days. We really made a killing here. Pun absolutely intended. She grinned.

*Hunt rewards: 102 stat and 156 skill points.

Difficulty mostly trivial, some rewards have been halved by Omnidragon kin.

Essence received: 4 stat and 6 skill points.

Progress to unlock affinities:

Ice-> 43

Poison-> 17

Omnidragon Lvl up!

Total rewards: 95 stat and 90 skill points.

Name: Nashariel Holyshield

Race: Omnidragon (young)

Age: 18

Current humanoid form: Human dragokin

Current attunement: -

Level: 102-> 107

Available stat points: 353

Available skill points: 324

Strength: 500- 1000

Power: 400 - 800

Resilience: 610 – 1220

Vitality: 700 – 1400

Dexterity: 350 - 700

Awareness: 400 - 800

Essence: 450 - 900

Endurance: 350 - 700

Hp: 14.000/14.000

Mana: 9.000/9.000

Stamina: 7000/7000

Skills:

Racial:

Omnidragon kin (minor) Lvl -

Omnidragon might (II) Lvl 20-capped

Omnidragon physique (II) Lvl 5-> 10

Omnidragon adaptability Lvl 2-> 3

Draconic breath (II) Lvl 20-capped

Draconic fighting style (II) Lvl 20-capped

Draconic Aura (II) Lvl 11-> 12

Draconic hoard Lvl 10-> 12

Draconic presence Lvl 1-> 8

Air:

Improved flight Lvl 20-capped

Draconic feathers Lvl 20-capped

Water:

Venom Lvl 17-> 20-capped (Injection speed is increased)

Draconic dive (II) Lvl 8

Identify Lvl 20-capped

Improved grapple Lvl 14-> 16

Mana efficiency Lvl 20-capped

Water dragon fighting style Lvl 7-> 8

Body of the water dragon Lvl 2-> 3

Earth:

Improved burrow Lvl 20-capped

Increased size Lvl 20-capped

Increased body density Lvl 20-capped

Earth armor Lvl 16

Hunter senses Lvl 16-> 20 (Effect increased against prey)

Earth manipulation Lvl 5

Fire:

Fury Lvl 20-capped

Sharpened natural weapons Lvl 20-capped

Improved Aoe Lvl 20-capped

Light:

Improved healing Lvl 20-capped

Light’s refuge Lvl 20-capped

Taunt Lvl 14-> 16

Dark:

Nullify presence Lvl 12-> 14

Improved draining Lvl 20-capped

Shroud of darkness Lvl 8

Metal:

Metal manipulation Lvl 8

Metal creation Lvl 16

Metal armor Lvl 14-> 15

Metal dragon fighting style Lvl 12-> 13

Mind:

Intellect of the Mind dragon Lvl 5-> 6

Mind healing Lvl 7

Lightning:

Body of the lightning dragon Lvl 4-> 5

Voltage generation Lvl 5-> 6

Curse:

Body of the Cursed dragon Lvl 1

Protection:

Defender’s aura Lvl 1-> 4

Body of the defender dragon Lvl 1-> 3

Damage storage Lvl 1-> 6

Defender’s armor Lvl 1-> 3

Improved retaliation Lvl 1-> 5

Defender’s fighting style Lvl 1-> 4

Radiance:

Radiant sight Lvl 1

Aura of Radiance Lvl 1

Radiant light Lvl 1

Radiant infusion Lvl 1 *

Good progress on the Defender dragon. Nashariel let out a satisfied grin. I waited for waaaaaay too long to spend my points… as always, clean, round numbers first.

*Available stat points: 263

Available skill points: 324

Strength: 500- 1000

Power: 400 - 800

Resilience: 700 – 1400

Vitality: 700 – 1400

Dexterity: 350 - 700

Awareness: 400 - 800

Essence: 450 - 900

Endurance: 350 - 700

Hp: 14.000/14.000

Mana: 9.000/9.000

Stamina: 7000/7000 *

As much as I liked being a defender, that’s Dorel’s role. I like being a tactician, so awareness is good, especially when making quick decisions. More mobility, to follow them.

Nashariel thought about what else she had missed lately during the bounties. Not much, actually. During the encounter with the Ice-juggernaut, I ran out of mana. She flushed. I was overly excited, but still… a few points here will do.

The dragokin looked at endurance. I like the Lightning dragon, but enough to dedicate it so many points? She chewed on her lips. Honestly? Yeah, I do. Endurance will make winter easier to endure too, which is a plus.

For the last thing… I’ll double down on endurance, just to get it to the next digit.

*Available stat points: 13

Available skill points: 324

Strength: 500- 1000

Power: 400 - 800

Resilience: 700 – 1400

Vitality: 700 – 1400

Dexterity: 400 - 800

Awareness: 400 - 800

Essence: 500 - 1000

Endurance: 500 - 1000

Hp: 14.000/14.000

Mana: 10.000/10.000

Stamina: 10.000/10.000 *

The extensive changes washed over her, leaving behind a pleasant tingle, as always.

Now, to the skills. Lightning first, then Mind. The rest will come later. Nashariel fell deep into her status. She fondly listened to the crackling of electricity in her room, then she went to town.

*Lightning creation, Lightning manipulation, Lightning empowerment, Lightning infusion, Lightning dragon fighting style, Ease conductivity (other), Spreading lightning, Paralyzing lightning, and Lighting armor have been bought.

Lightning creation Lvl 1

From mana, everything comes and everything returns. Creation Skills like this one apply this belief in full, or, maybe, they originated it.

Electricity is a mysterious form of energy that makes itself known for nothing but an instant. Lightning is its more aggressive form, one which strikes the unlucky few to stand outside during a storm… or the fools to provoke you.

You can sacrifice your mana and/or stamina to evoke lightning.

The default color is yellow, but the surrounding environment may alter it.

Color may influence the effects of lightning.

Mana cost: Any, with a minimum of 100 stamina. The more distant from you, the higher the cost.

Upgrade cost: 6 points.

Lightning manipulation

The control of electricity is a powerful tool, one that allows the user to power up various magical formations and sear your foes in equal measure. Beware, for the force you're trying to control might be too slippery for you.

You may now influence electricity within your sight.

You may now alter the color of electricity within your sight.

The electricity part of another entity's body cannot be influenced.

Upgrade cost: 6 points.

Compatibility found! You may now buy the Combined skill [Red lightning]!

Compatibility found! You may now buy the Combined skill [Gray lightning]!

Lightning empowerment

This element is quick to consume the user's resources, but it gives a powerful and swift way to dispose of their enemies in return. This skill will increase the efficiency of such an exchange.

The electricity you wield becomes more.

Electrical-based attacks are slightly more powerful than normal, without any additional cost.

Upgrade cost: 4 points.

Lightning infusion

Lightning doesn’t take too well the idea of being contained. This skill allows it to freely flow within your natural weapons and, of course, within your enemies.

Your natural weapons are infused with Lightning-attuned mana, gaining a mild chance of paralyzing an enemy. Damage increased against a wet or heavily metalized opponent.

Upgrade cost: 3 points.

Ease conductivity (other)

Every being has a natural resistance to external influences built in its body, and electricity is no exception. Thanks to this skill, the lightning you wield will encounter less of such opposition.

Enemies struck by your electricity are slightly less protected against it.

Upgrade cost: 3 points.

Spreading lightning

Electrical currents are as quick as they’re unpredictable. Your foes will find out that remaining behind or distant from their allies is of no use for their safety since your lightning won’t stop jumping from one to the other.

Electrical-based attacks can now spread between nearby enemies.

Each subsequent hit is considerably weakened, and a single enemy cannot be struck a second time.

You may toggle this skill. This effect avoids targeting your allies unless they directly stand in its way.

Maximum number of additional targets: 1+ 1Lvl.

Upgrade cost: 6 points Lvl.

Paralyzing lightning

As the victims of lightning-based monsters learned a moment before dying, electricity flowing through your body messes with your body’s functions. With this skill, such effects are more easily replicable against your foes, rendering them vulnerable to your ire.

Lightning-based attacks may now paralyze your target. Duration and ease of doing so vary.

Upgrade cost: 4 points.

Lightning armor

Electricity certainly loves to flow, but you might push it to accept a restricted path. You become embraced by the lightning itself, which protects and quickens you, in exchange for your inner energy. Summon the armor, and electrocute your enemies!

Upon activation, you can summon an armor entirely made of electricity.

You extend some of your spikes, using them to form a circuit around your body.

This armor greatly enhances your dashing speed, increasing your stamina consumption.

Upon contact, enemies suffer lightning-based damage. Foes damaged this way are more likely to be paralyzed for a brief duration.

Mana cost: 40% upon activation, 5% per minute after. You may split the cost using your stamina.

Upgrade cost: 6 points Lvl.

Lightning dragon fighting style

Lightning dragons fight quickly and brutally, and, like the lightning itself, exhaust themselves swiftly. They love to race among each other, yet these playful matches often become contests of might, where the winner is both the fastest and the strongest participant. These dragons fight as efficiently as possible, aiming to strike all foes at once to then collapse at the end of the hunt. Some, rarely, show a bit of wisdom and hold in their strength, unleashing it only at the exact moment they need to. The storm waits for you, young dragon.

Your lightning can reach further, is quickened, and it can spread more easily.

The color of your lightning has its side-effects increased.

You can select between two stances: Approaching storm and Supercharge.

In the first stance, your resources consumption is lessened, and your gland fills quickly with stored electricity. You also passively generate Voltage without spending mana or stamina. Damage inflicted and speed is significantly reduced.

Once you enter this stance, you must remain in it for a minimum of 10 seconds.

The second stance needs 3 seconds to activate. Once the time's up, you enter a supercharged state.

In this state, your damage and speed are greatly enhanced, while your resources empty themselves at a quickened rate. Passives that enhance your damage and speed, be it directly or indirectly, are slightly empowered.

You cannot exit from this stance until one or more resource is completely emptied, leaving you unable to act for a short while.

Upgrade cost: 8 points.

Points reduced to-> 272 *

Yeah, you can always tell an advanced skill from a basic one. Nashariel thought, reading the fighting style. The number of pre-requisites they had were also telling.

Still, I can’t wait to try everything out! I’m curious about lightning colors… Mhmm. The dragokin marveled for a moment at the thunderstorm raining down on the pillars, before approaching a pair of strange-looking pillars.

They were wrapped by a small fire and a visible wind respectively. Combined skills… [Omnidragon adaptability] at work, finally.

*Red lightning. Cost to buy: 10 points.

Gray lightning. Cost to buy: 10 points. *

Nashariel whistled. Costly, ay? I might need to check on Mind first, and there are a few things I want to buy… She bit her real-body lips. In theory, Combined skills take some aspects of the secondary element and adapt it to the primary one. Lightning tends to set stuff on fire already, so I should avoid [Red lightning] for now. What about air? What could it possibly do? Make it quicker? Flexible?

...

...

Damn it, I need to know!

*Gray lightning has been bought.

Points reduced to-> 262

Gray lightning Lvl 1

A peculiar form of lightning, this color means that the air attunement of electricity is predominant over the others. This kind of lightning is a more supportive one, used by Lightning dragons who are close to their friends and families… and retained their playful nature.

You can toggle this skill on and off.

Electricity influenced by this skill gains a speed/slow effect, depending on your whims, but the overall damage is weakened.

Allies empowered this way suffers minor damage, once.

Mana cost: None upon activation, but 350 mana/s to maintain the effect per target.

Upgrade cost: 6 points Lvl *

Nashariel hummed, pleased. Supportive, I like it! The upgrade isn’t too pricy either, which is a plus. Now, Mind time!

The dragokin teleported in the related room. Seeing all the books made Nashariel feel nostalgic for the real thing. It just isn’t the same…

She looked into the room. There was a lot that caught her eye, but the girl felt hesitant. Influencing others' minds is… wrong, right? It had been useful against that dragon, but… perhaps is best that I stick with the self-empowerment stuff. I just upgraded my deadliness with Lightning, after all.

*Dual mind, Mental power generation, Tactical acumen, Enlarged brain, Condensed brain, Receptive scales, Expanded senses, Mental-focused blood, Quickened transmission, and Mental empowerment have been bought.

Points reduced to-> 218

Tactical acumen, Enlarged brain, Condensed brain, Receptive scales, Expanded senses, Mental-focused blood, and Quickened transmission would like to merge for 26 points. Y/N?

Tactical acumen, Enlarged brain, Condensed brain, Receptive scales, Expanded senses, Mental-focused blood, and Quickened transmission merges into-> Body of the Mind dragon.

Body of the Mind dragon Lvl 1

Mind dragons have the weakest bodies among dragonkind, except for, obviously, the Spiritual dragons. They focus every single mutation to augment their brainpower and their intake of information to process, sacrificing the rest of their bodily functions. Their brains can function pretty much all day and every day without pausing, but this requires Mind dragons to constantly intake food to feed their mental furnaces.

Your brain is restructured on a physical level, making it much more efficient, quick, and capable to conceive or put into practice any kind of strategy.

Your bodily mass diminishes, causing you to benefit much less from physical-oriented stats. In exchange, the effect of awareness is increased considerably. Your weakened condition famishes you. (Hp are not reduced).

Your scales become a sensory beacon, helping you elaborate more accurately and quickly on what you perceive. Insufficient awareness will cause sensory overload.

Your blood changes in a way to better nourish your brain, keeping it constantly at top function. It also contributes to carrying its commands to the various conscious and unconscious processes within your body.

Skills and spells that augment your mental capabilities are empowered.

Skills and spells that augment your physical capabilities are considerably weakened unless they affect your brain.

Upgrade cost: 7 points.

Dual mind

What’s better than a mind capable of processing ten times the normal amount of information per second? Two of them, of course! This skill helps your brain to redirect the various tasks within itself in a more organized way, then doubles its capacity. Because why not.

You gain a second mind. This additional mind is weaker than the original.

This mind can function in your sleep, helping you to process most possible information unconsciously.

Upgrade cost: 6 points.

Mental power generation

Sentience is at the base of every civilization, but even the smallest predator must think about its next moves if it wants to catch its prey. Getting this skill means elevating yourself from your bestial instincts, and ensuring your survival.

You gain another resource bar, called ‘Processing power’. This bar act similarly to mana and stamina.

Processing power starts at 100% of your awareness and diminishes each moment of use.

This resource can be used to intensify various mental capabilities or activities, such as reading or planning.

Depending on their nature, skills and spells benefit from this skill in a different way.

The emptier this resource, the more famished you become, and you might suffer heavy physical repercussions.

Upgrade cost: 4 points Lvl.

Mental empowerment

Mind is the most tactical element, taking pride in its reasoning capabilities and superior tactics. Beings attuned to this element love to use the perfect tool each time. Sometimes, simple raw power is such a tool.

Your mental prowess is unmatched.

Mind-attuned skills are slightly empowered.

Upgrade cost: 4 points.

Points reduced to-> 192 *

Nashariel didn’t exactly like the air of superiority that emanated from this affinity. Smarter doesn’t mean better, you know?

A sudden migraine forced her to pause. She found herself catapulted out of her inner world and onto the roof she sat on. She felt her brain shuffling under her skull.

Astill’s mercy, this thing is weird as heck. Nashariel thought.

Astill’s mercy, this thing is weird as heck. Nashariel thought.

The dragokin froze. What the duck?!

The dragokin froze. What the duck?!

Her eyes widened in realization.

Is this [Dual mind]?! Holy duck… I’m not even in my Mind form!

Is this [Dual mind]?! Holy duck… I’m not even in my Mind form!

All Nashariel’s thoughts echoed perfectly. It seemed that an additional mind wasn’t an attuned-only skill.

I hope I didn’t mess up…

I hope I didn’t mess up…

Damnation!

Damnation!

This was going to be a loooong night.

She spent a large part of the night teaching her new mind that she didn't need it to replicate her thoughts to be effective. Nashariel assigned the new mind to research the best skills available to her, rapidly seeing its (hers?) improvement.

The mind searched through the various chambers, then into her memories, searching for additional theoretical new skills. Seeing all this from the outside felt… weird.

An hour later, the new mind reported her choices, making Nashariel snort. Unlock every attunement as fast as possible? How about no? The mind reasoned that it had insufficient data to formulate an accurate chart, so it also added that leveling and Tiering-up [Omnidragon adaptability] was a second close priority.

Ok, work only with what I’ve available now. Nashariel ordered. The new mind immediately scrapped its hypothesis and went to work.

Meanwhile, Nashariel saw that it was almost dawn. Breakfast time.

“Is everything alright, Nashariel?” Asked Dorel. He looked worried.

The dragokin raised an eyebrow. “…Yes?”

The team looked dubiously at her.

Veliel stood. She went to Valar, asking for something. The innkeeper passed her a small mirror, which the priestess put in front of the dragokin.

Uh. Nashariel saw that her eyes were unnaturally widened and she had bags under them. “I bought a few skills tonight, I guess.” Even now, her secondary mind worked in the background.

“I hope you didn’t buy the whole catalog in a go!” Snorted Dan. “Just how much was it?”

The answer was instantly reported by her smaller mind. Nifty. “132 skill points, plus 340 stat points.”

Dorel choked on his drink, coughing it out. “How?” He managed to get out.

Nashariel shrugged. “I haven’t spent many points in a while, and I hunted for an entire village. For a month.”

Dan chuckled. “Fair enough. Wanna take today off? You really look like you need it.”

Nashariel finished her breakfast, taking a moment to think. “I think… yes. Yes, I’d like to take a break. Maybe tomorrow too? I want to spend quite a bit more.”

“Take all the time you need to.” Veliel wrote with a smile. “It’s good to see you asking for a pause, for once.”

The dragokin opened her mouth to object, closing it just a moment later. Have I actually asked for one? Not… really… Outside of forced breaks or heavy wounds, she had restlessly guided her protégés for five years straight. Suddenly, the weight of all those years crashed on her. Damn, maybe Karda was right; I need more breaks!

After this revelation, Nashariel bid her friends' goodnight.

She slept for three days straight.

Fortunately, no dream about another life tainted her rest.

Weirdly though, she dreamed about dragon-sized ducks honking from the top of the Bastion. Yup, more rest.

All the while, the secondary mind relentlessly worked in the background. It… she, couldn't understand why Nashariel refused to follow what was clearly the best option to formulate an accurate hypothesis.

Thinking about her meager level as a skill, the mind thought that Nashariel was simply more advanced than her, so she sought to rectify that.

*Upgrade Dual mind from Lvl 2 to 20?

Y/N

Error, the primary user is unconscious.

The primary user holds authority over secondary minds. *

The secondary mind felt a pang of something. Shuffling into Nashariel's memories, she managed to associate the feeling with a name.

Irritation.