Rue had eaten her fill from the destruction around her and then retreated into the cave. It was blackened and charred from her flames, but no fires still burned. It was not a deep cave and rue explored the inside of the cave in under a minute, finding nothing of interest save some charred bodies.

A little bit of heat for the floor and it would be just the right temperature to have a look at her new menu options.

That was exciting, Rue purred in satisfaction, the core points had been a mystery too long, and now they would yield their secrets, like opening the entrails of her enemies. Sweet and filling would the contents be, hopefully.

Rue breathed a small gout of her partially regenerated flames, but she lacked the mana to empower them. The stone, however, had been heated previously by her confrontation and her fire was enough to get it up to a pleasantly warm temperature.

Settling her paws under her snout and curling her tail around her body she closed her eyes and accessed her system. First, she needed to spend her ten stat points.. well maybe she could see what the core points menu was first in case she needed them. That would be the intelligent thing to do, and she was feeling rather clever.

Race

Level

XP/Growth

Stat Points

Dragon [Red Dragon: Amber]

20

449/450 [+10 /pd]

10

Strength

Vitality

Dexterity

Intelligence

116

98

70

53

Core Level

Core XP

Core Points

10

191/1300

10

Ability

Effects

….

…..

Dragon Breath [3]

Racial ability, allows expulsions of biologically created [Ethanol] from glands near the stomach. This can be ignited via [Fire Magic]. Expending Mana the fire can be enhanced to have [Specific] Magical properties. You gain [Immunity] to your [Personal] magical flames.

….

….

Rue looked at her stats, her progress was good. She was stronger than she had ever been, and with some more growth would hopefully raise her level cap and unlock the next species advancement.

Now for the much-anticipated core points menu. She was apprehensive about opening this one. What if it was bad? What if it did not hold the power she desired?

Scraping there though aside, Rue concentrated on opening the Core Points Menu. She felt mana leave her. The mana that left her seemed to be forging new pathways, new routes in her mind. Then with a ding, it appeared.

Upgrade

Description

Price

Stat Points [10]

Grants you 10 Stat Points

1

Skill Point [1]

A skill point allows you to upgrade a skill, increasing its effects

3

Core Upgrade

Advances Amber Core to Ruby Core. Unlocks more core skills aligned to the Flame affinity.

CLv20

Amber Skills

Description

Price

Mana Manipulation [1]

Allows you to manipulate mana on an almost instinctual level. This allows for the formation of spells, charging of reservoirs and sensing mana inside your body but outside your core.

3

Mana Sense [1]

Allows for the sensing of mana outside your body, this can be used with mana manipulation to manipulate your mana once it leaves your body.

3

Flaming Will [1]

You have followed the path of flame, relishing in its power. Intelligence effects are increased by [20%] when using fire-based skills or magic.

4

Mana Borne [1]

As a creature born to naturally use mana, it is part of you. Increases intelligence’s effects on mana pool by [100%].

4

Hibernation [1]

You have slumbered in the depths of the earth. You can voluntarily enter hibernation while underground and close to a heat source. This will increase your growth rate variable to the power of the heat source.

3

Flaming Aura [1]

You draw strength from fire, its flame of life nourishes you. You can absorb heat mana from your surroundings, or push mana into the surroundings to increase the temperature. The mana you pull from heat will heal you. Increases resistance to heat and fire by [100%]

5

Flaming Brutality [1]

You fight with the flames, using them to shield and to kill. The surrounding temperature will affect your strength. For every 10°C Above 0 increase effects of strength by [2%]. For every 10°C Below 0 decreased effects of strength by [2%].

6

Magma Scales [1]

Your scales, red like magma align with your amber core. [Scales] become [Immune] to fire. Heat that would have damaged your scales is absorbed as mana with [20%] efficiency.

6

Rue reeled backwards as the information tried to flow into her head. A lot of concepts that she did not understand were pushed into her mind. Numbers and basic concepts that had been simplified in her main status had nuances and deeper meaning pushed at her. Rue lay there trying to absorb what the new menu was saying, she dug her claws into the stone as a headache manifested.

She was forced to consider the first option immediately, the system focused all of her mind on the text and meanings.

She could buy more stat points. They would make her stronger. That would be nice, with 10 core points she could get another 100 stat points. That would double her strength, or vitality.. or anything.

Rue imagined having 198 vitality if so much bounced off her scales now, how tough would she be. Despite this alluring thought the other options tugged at her mind. Rue's focus slipped and her attention snapped to the next part of the menu, Skill points. Her head began to ache as the knowledge burned itself into her mind.

She could upgrade her Dragon Breath, she could make it level 6. How powerful would it become? This caused her more mental strain as her attention was dragged down the status, one level at a time. It forced her to consider each option and see what benefits it could bring.

She didn’t remember the system forcing her to look at it like this. Why did it do this, what was doing this?

It was an indeterminate amount of time before the system let her look of her own free will. The options had been painfully explained to her, each concept forced into her mind. She could now look at the options without confusion or further pain, but her mind felt like it had been dragged along a cave floor and thrown down a cliff.

All Rue wanted to do was rest.

She curled her tail tighter around her body and succumbed to the mental pressure to rest.

…..

Noe used his mana sense to watch through the wall as his doom approached. The past week he had steadily been learning more of the human's language and realised that he had a fast-approaching deadline. Today was the day an alchemist came down to him.

Apparently, the blood of a black dragon could be used to create a potion of intellect. He did not know how it was made, but he knew it would likely cost him his life. He could tell the human of his doom apart from the rest of the humans by his huge mana signature. It denoted him as a man of magic, and Noe assumed that it would take great magics to steal his power.

Noe decided to summon his minions. They would be of little help in a direct fight, but perhaps they would be enough.

Race

Level

XP/Growth

Stat Points

Dragon [Black Dragon]

9

26/109 [+6 /pd]

0

Strength

Vitality

Dexterity

Intelligence

22

20

29

93

With the last week's progress, he had levelled up twice. Six days ago he had also expanded his control to the entire group of guards. He had Greg stall them outside his cage for long enough multiple times a day for his influence to quickly worm its way into them. Now with his huge 93 intelligence and making sure all of them stayed within a few meters of him they were basically puppets. His increased control did have ramifications, however. Their personality and memory were starting to fade, puppets was an accurate description. Noe had to actively will them to move, or else they just stood in silence. This would make them conspicuous but he had learned enough of their patterns and job requirements to act for a few days.

Noe growled in the back of his cell as he made the guards stand to attention. Raking his claws against the stone and swishing his tail. This was making him nervous.

He heard the sounds now, of their feet pattering on the stone steps down to the dungeon. A dozen seconds later and his doom was staring at him from the outside of his cage. The human was old, grey-haired, fat and wrinkled. The one in armour came up to the cell door and unlocked it. They evidently did not fear his retaliation, but he would change their minds soon enough.

[Human {Alchemist} Lv39]

[Human {Knight} Lv 37]

[Human {Knight Master] Lv 45]

Noe growled from the darkness of his cell. Where before they though him cowed and obedient, this growl held hatred, hunger and defiance.

Their eyes darted around the darkness trying to find them, it was clear to him that the humans could not see him.

He would start his plan now. Mentally instructing his minions to quietly step away from the bars, without being noticed. They stood behind the three newcomers. A five on three fight with surprise would prove vital despite the near-zero chance they had of actually winning.

Then Noe inhaled and used the skill he had been practising with loving attention. Speech.

“Ahhhechemis, cooome inttoo meee hooom”

The voice was creepy, the gravely rumbling of his throat making the sound deep and yet the lack of a mouth shaped for speech making the sound unnaturally high and keening.

The alchemist, guard captain and the bodyguard all felt shivers running up there backs. Noe's limited influence was nipping at there minds. Their intelligence scores were far too high to be outright controlled but it did let him impress very subtle feeling in their minds.

He was dragging, teasing and nurturing the fear they felt at those words. It felt like trying to move a heavy pebble with a blade of grass, but occasionally he could feel it shift.

It was in this moment of distraction that his minion Greg stepped forwards and shoved the alchemist towards the gate, the other four of his servants tackled a man each and bore them to the ground.

The alchemist, lacking physical stats, was knocked through the cells opening and sprawled onto the cell's floor.

The human looked up and Noe emerged from the shadows, their eyes met and Noe spoke.

“fwweed me”