Noe pounced, the prone alchemist on the floor was lying in an awkward position, unable to react swiftly to his attack. Despite the physical stat disadvantage Noe managed to bite the human’s shoulder and rake his back with his claws.

As he bit down on the human’s shoulder, he felt unnatural resistance, his teeth felt like they were sinking into cold stony clay, not flesh. He bit harder and his teeth sunk deeper, the tiniest amount of blood began to flow into his mouth. His claws were having less success still, they were scratching at the humans back, leaving red welts but not outright bleeding.

Noe was realising that his plan would go even worse than he feared. Abandoning his use of physical strength, he turned to his mental manipulation. Even if he could just plant some seeds of doubt it could buy him some time.

[Mental Manipulation] Intelligence check…Failed [34%]

‘What’ Noe could not believe this, even with the bonus from his wisdom skill and his nearly 100 intelligence the skill outright failed. By a whole 16% as well, he could not mentally affect the human in any way.

He would have to run for it, if he barely scratched the weakest human then what could he do against the more combat-focused ones. They had already killed one of his minions, he would have to be fast.

Noe released the human alchemist; he was still stunned and had not even reacted to being chewed on. Noe leapt over him and swiftly slithered towards the exit, trying to stay in the shadows near the walls, before darting out into the corridor.

There was fighting going on in the corridor, the bodyguards and the night master had not had the opportunity to draw their swords and were in a fistfight with his minions. One of his minions was already dead, from what looked like a broken neck. The others were battered and bleeding but still on their feet distracting the men.

Noe slipped by the melee and ran further into the dungeon’s tunnels. He knew he could not go to the surface; it was guarded by more humans that even now he could sense coming down the spiral stairs, drawn by the commotion.

He used his long stride and high dexterity to push himself forwards fast. He felt the links to his minions fade one by one until even Greg fell. He had made it hundreds of meters into the dark and dank passages and was taking turns randomly. He passed many humans bundles up in filthy rags in their cells, left here to die in the dark.

Noe used his mana sense to navigate down the deserted tunnels, they would be visited less and probably less well known to the humans. He would have some time yet, while the humans recovered from the surprise attack.

He had escaped immediate peril, but now would have to survive in the dungeons long enough to find his way out.

The good news was, they were dark. He was good at watching his prey from the shadows.

……………..

Rue had been considering her options as soon as she awoke. With the new knowledge and perspective, she had been granted by her core she now knew the attacks from the bugbear and the goblin shaman were most likely mental attacks. She had only felt subdued effects from both but had she invested less in intelligence she might have fallen to their will.

She let out a growl, thinking of the close call she had had. She considered dumping most of her core points into intelligence, to never be controlled again, but that would be stupid. If she learned magic then perhaps more intelligence would be useful, but currently, only her flames really used any mana. It did seem that her fire magic became more powerful the higher her intellect became, but it was not much. Most of the fire’s power came from the large amount of mana she spent on it.

It might be useful to get mana bourne. This would increase her mana reserves, and therefore the amount of magical flame she could produce.

The other magical skills she did not want, manipulating magic, she already did that. The mana sense would have been useful but would not make her stronger. Perhaps for finding prey to hunt or if she learned magic, but for now no.

This was all well and good, but at the end of the day, magic ran out. It would leave her defenceless, on the contrary, her strength would never falter, able to fight on long after she was out of mana. She could become an indestructible mountain of scales, tearing her enemy’s limb from limb. This was appealing. She let out a contented purr. Of course, some magic for her flames would be needed, she had to make an entrance.

Ding! -2 [Core Points] +20 [Stat Points]

Ding! -5 [Core Points] +Flaming Aura [1]

Ding! -3 [Core Points] +1 [Skill Point]

Ding! -1 [Skill Point] Dragon Breath [3] => Dragon Breath [4]

Dragon Breath [4]

Racial ability, allows expulsions of biologically created [Butanol] from glands near the stomach. Storage of [Butanol] increases with vitality +[5%]/10 Vit. This can be ignited via [Fire Magic]. [Mana] can be used to increase [Volume] and [Temperature] of flames. Can grant flame [Magical] properties based on desire. Magic [Potency] scales with intelligence +[5%]/10 Int.

Rue looked at the upgraded skill and decided that for a few core points the upgrade to her main weapon was worth it. She could feel the changes manifesting insider her body. The organ responsible for her fire was growing and compressing. Her strong muscles and body forcing it to occupy a smaller space. She could feel mana being used to change the organ, it was no longer a mundane gland, it pulsed with magic and she could feel its power.

After feeling her new power she dumped all of her free points into intelligence.

Rue felt the changes taking place, such a large amount of stats, her mana pool seemed to grow and expand, no longer confined to a single point. It seemed to focus on her heart and, the muscles absorbing and containing her mana. Each pump of her heart pushed mana throughout her body, her new aura skill seemed to become natural. When she breathed a tiny amount of mana would flow from her skin and mouth, the surrounding temperature would rise by a few degrees. Then when she inhaled, the mana surrounding her would be drawn into her scales and skin, seeping into her muscles. It felt refreshing like her fatigue and energy were constantly being reset.

These changes to her body were powerful, she wanted more. Rue growled with desire and looked at the core points menu. This was a golden opportunity. Her core could only level when she had reached her maximum current level. As soon as she grew just a little bit more she would not be able to level it until she hit her next level cap. Who knew how high her next cap would be or if she could find enough creatures strong enough to reach it.

Rue still wanted a few of the skills listed, the [Flaming Brutality] and [Flaming Will] both looked to be powerful skills and would synergise with the [Flaming Aura] but they would not be useful without it, at least not much. So she had decided to get it first.

It would not be good for her to get too many skills though, they cost a lot of points and they could be turned into valuable stat points. It would be best to get a set of skills that worked well together than to spread out and waste her points. She did not see the appeal of the magic-based skills, magic did not seem to be that powerful, save for her Dragon Breath, which she could already do.

If the magic skills were that important she would buy them later or learn them herself.

‘Have I always reasoned my actions this much’

IT was a strange thought but her recent internal monologue had seemed strange to her. Usually, she thought through actions as she did them and then, just kind of let it lie. But here she was trying to explain to herself why it had been a good choice.

She let out a weird noise and focused on it. It seemed like she was hyper-aware of her own actions like a curtain or mirror had been lifted that stopped her from properly observing herself. That could be about of heightened self-awareness from her intelligence increase or her skills. Her body had changed quite a bit, she now had mana flowing through her body in larger quantities than before.

She had to make sure nothing too bad had happened. Rue thought about what she wanted… to grow… to eat…to fight…

but above all...

The air started to heat up dramatically in the cave.

And as rue thought of the fire, excitement well up within her and wave of heat rolled out of the cave. The vegetation outside smoked as the water boiled away from it and then the dry plant burst into flame. Grass crisped into blackened ashes and bushes became smoking skeletons.

From within the cave, creatures could hear the echo of a roar reverberate across the lands. They instinctively knew fear, a new apex monster was coming.