The Dragon Heir

Chapter 100: The Concept

I had no clue how long I’d been dancing with death—an hour? Two? Time had gone AWOL, lost somewhere between dodges, dives, and near-death experiences. My breath came in ragged gasps, blood smeared like war paint, and let’s not even talk about the parts of me that now smelled distinctly... well-done. Just when I thought my misery might finally hit a plateau, Lotte decided to sprinkle in her signature flavor of cryptic riddles. How generous.Through the choking fog, two pinpricks of crimson light flickered, their glow full of smug menace. "Still blind, Jade?" her voice coiled around my mind like a vice, oozing that irritating mix of condescension and challenge. "The pathways, the elements—do you lack even a whisper of curiosity about their purpose, their dance?" Thunder clapped like a divine laugh track behind me. I ducked the deafening explosion, narrowly avoiding a bolt of lightning that still managed to sizzle through my shoulder. Lovely.

If her riddles were supposed to be enlightening, they were about as helpful as an umbrella in a hurricane. And then things got worse. The crackling arcs of lightning started swirling, coalescing into a shape. Oh, great—stage two. Already? A flicker of pride crossed my mind: at least I’d taken fewer hits this time. Progress?

The fog parted like a curtain to reveal a hulking, golden beast of storms—a wolf, its fur bristling with electricity, a thunderous sword clamped in its jaws. It would’ve been majestic if it weren’t so murderously intent on turning me into ash. The moment our eyes met, it lunged. I barely managed a string of desperate dashes, each step burning precious stamina, as its charge carved molten trenches in the earth.

"I MEAN," I bellowed between evasive maneuvers, "maybe we’d get somewhere if we just this out over tea like dragons instead of—OH, HELL!" My diplomatic plea was rudely cut short by the wolf’s tail flicking faster than my brain could register. Lightning flashed, and my survival instincts screamed a split-second too late. My heroic dive—let’s call it that—saved most of me, but a sizzling arc clipped my leg. "BOLLOCKS!" I howled, clutching the fresh burn while limping into another frantic sprint.

Even with amplifying my senses and lightning mana turbocharging my speed, I was still a glorified walking scorch mark. At this rate, I wasn’t dodging; I was just delaying the inevitable.

The wolf came at me again, a living freight train of fury, its every step scorching the ground black. No time to think, no time to hesitate. I vaulted sideways, wings snapping out mid-leap to twist myself clear of those sparking jaws. It tore past me, its sheer momentum dragging it forward, but the damage was already done. This wasn’t just a charge; it was a strategy. The thing was carving lightning-laced trenches into the ground, fencing me in and steadily shrinking my options.

I hit the dirt hard, rolling to a stop with claws gouging into the earth for stability. My breath rasped in my throat as I tried to recalibrate. I couldn’t outlast this thing—stamina or no stamina. Sure, I had reserves for days thanks to my evolution and those handy but even I wasn’t bottomless. Not after hours of this insanity.

Every step bled stamina like a leaky bucket, and I’d been hoarding it for this very moment. A direct fight? Ha. Hilarious. No, brute strength wasn’t the answer here—I had to outthink it.hat connected me to the System, a living representation of my growth. It had always been a curious thing—black, metallic, and seated at the edge of this endless grassland.

But it had changed. What had once been a modest sprig with two leaves now bore five, each leaf twisting and writhing with flickering light that appeared and disappeared like mirages. And now… there was lightning. The leaves crackled visibly, arcs of energy dancing across their metallic veins.

“What’s happened to this thing?” I asked, narrowing my eyes. “Wasn’t it supposed to represent my growth, in System’s terms?”

“It still does,” Lotte added. “And do try not to fret over a few… subtle modifications to your stat screen.”

Huh?