"Let’s get right into it," Aiden said excitedly. "Level up twice!"
The system deducted the requisite amount of experience points for the next two hatchling levels.
[You have leveled up]
[You have leveled up]
[You have gained +1 to each stat]
[You have gained +1 to each stat]
"What’s my balance?"
[Exp Balance: 125,350]
"Good, and with that comes the end of being a hatchling. System, take me to Scaleborn please."
[The Required Experience Points have been deducted for the next rank]
[Host has ranked up and will now be referred to as Scaleborn]
[The System commends you on achieving the next step in your progress as the Future Dragon King]
[You will now receive the following upgrades and Rewards]
[All General Dragon skills have been upgraded to the next level]
[Ranges for General Dragon skills have been doubled]
[Dragon’s sight can now detect the target’s body weaknesses and vital points]
[Dragon Transformation will now give Dragon Features to all parts of the host’s body]
Aiden had been following the screens as they appeared one by one until it got to the last part.
"Wait, hold on before you continue with the updates. What do you mean all parts? Including my...?"
The system knew his thoughts and where he was going with that question, so it answered:
[Yes, including that which is required to mate with a woman. The bollocks]
[When you use Dragon Transformation, it changes your body’s biology to that of a dragon’s]
Aiden chuckled at this information and said, "Please carry on."
Then the system proceeded with continuing the upgrades as a Scaleborn:
[All ranges for the authority skills have been doubled]
[The Host can now make up to 5 avatars. This effect also applies to when the avatars use the skill of duplication]
[The other limitations remain the same until certain level ups trigger their upgrades]
[Host’s passive skills have been made better and even more effective now]
So far the system had been giving upgrades, now it started giving out rewards:
[You have gained a new Replication Authority Skill: Item Replication]
[Item Replication - Host is able to replicate any object and item seen once before]
[Due to current level, there can only be a total max of 2 replicated versions of the same item]
[Due to current level, the Quality or strength of replicated item will be dependent on how much understanding the Host has of the said item]
"Hold," Aiden said, digesting the information he just read so that he could process the implications.
"This includes magic items?" he asked.
[Yes this includes items of magic]
"And this includes riches and coins?" he asked again.
[Yes, these include all forms of items related to riches like gold coins and trinkets]
"Bloody hell," Aiden exclaimed, realizing that with this, he could be the richest person in Xathia.
There was a grin on his face as different thoughts started forming in his head. However, he told the system to continue with the rewards.
[You have gained a new Space Authority Skill: Severance]
[Severance - Host can slice through the fabrics of space and reality. Any physical matter or energy caught within the severed spatial area will be cut. The attack will leave behind a dimensional line, which will cause anything that comes into contact with it to be cut as well]
[Due to host current level, severance range is 200 meters]
[You have gained a new Destruction Authority Skill: Effect Apply]
[Effect Apply - Host is able to apply the effects of destruction onto his spells]
[Due to current level, the Host is only able to apply this to his spells only]
[The Host has been granted +30,000xp for making it to Scaleborn]
[All stats have been raised by +20 as those are befitting of a Scaleborn]
[Dragon curse meter has increased by +5]
"What? Why was there an increase in the meter?" Aiden asked, wanting to know what warranted it when he hadn’t been using any dragon powers.
[It is only natural that when you climb further in the stages leading towards the dragon king, your curse meter would also follow]
[It is impossible for you to become the dragon king without your dragon curse meter reaching the 100 mark]
"I see..." Then a thought came to him, so he had to clarify: "And is there a probability I hit the 100 mark before becoming the dragon king?"
[Yes. When you hit the 100 mark prior to becoming the dragon king, your humanity, human form, and taste for human food will no longer be what it is]
[Whilst you may not take the form of a full-fledged dragon, you will take the form which your Dragon Transformation Skill provides as of the level]
"Hmm, alright," Aiden said. "I guess you’re done now?"
[That is correct]
Aiden then willed his status window into view. He saw that he had about 23 available stat points to share between his stats and proceeded to do just that.
He assigned 7 stats to his Intelligence, 5 each to both Agility and Endurance, and 6 to Strength.
His Intelligence to date had still been his most important. Faster assimilating of information, coupled with easily figuring out and knowing how to deal with problems, were all attributed to that stat.
[Intelligence 64 - 71]
[Strength 55 - 61]
[Agility 48 - 53]
[Endurance 46 - 51]
"Alright, show me the latest experience point requirements," Aiden told the system.
[Exp Requirements]:
- 204,800 xp required to go up to Level 2 Scaleborn
- 5,500xp required for Dragon’s Sight Lv.5
- 4,500xp required for Dragon Transformation Lv.4
- 3500xp required for Dragon’s Fear Lv.3
- 12000 XP required to raise Host Magic to Ex-Rank
- 15000 XP required to raise Destruction Authority to Ex-Rank
- 15000 XP required to raise Replication Authority to Ex-Rank
- 15000 XP required to raise Space Authority to Ex-Rank
[Exp Balance: 52,950]
For some reason, this wasn’t as annoying to look at as he thought it would be because he definitely now knew that the newest quests from the system would start giving him the right amount of XP to level up with.
"System, what are the implications of leveling the authorities to a new rank?" He wanted to be sure if they were worth the XP usage right now or if he could wait and focus on continuously leveling.
[Ranking the Authority Skills up increases their overall strength and quality]
"Hmm, whilst leveling up mostly increases their range of effect."
[They both work hand-in-hand and to the benefit of the Host]
"Well, since the experience points aren’t that high to level them up with, I assume I’ll always be able to level them up almost anytime I want."
And with that, he let the rest of the things be as they were.
Then at that moment, his enhanced hearing had picked up the sounds of incoming footsteps, and the scent behind them was Arianna’s!
By the time she had walked into the balcony, she met Aiden who had been staring out into the open, as though that was what he had been doing all along.
"One would think, given our troubles today, you’d be fast asleep," Aiden said.
"I could say the same for you," Arianna retorted.
"Heh," Aiden smiled, then asked her, "Is there a reason why you’re not sleeping?"
She was silent at first, with a face that looked sad and troubled. Then she sighed and spoke: "It’s difficult for me to sleep knowing that the Grand Magus is out there and I could in fact be a victim of her vile magic at any day."
"I don’t think you should worry about Thamoryn for now. She should be less inclined to repeat those actions," Aiden replied, trying to sound reassuring.
"I’ll stop worrying about that woman when I’ve thrown the last sand over her corpse. It may not be today, or even a year from now, but I will get it done."
The look of resolve on Arianna’s expressionless face as she spoke was unlike anything Aiden had ever seen before.
He turned his gaze back into the open and his lips broke into a smile. "Heh, I like the original you better."
Arianna smiled as well hearing that.
They were out there for a while, but eventually went back in to pass the rest of the night.