The kobolds had not experienced such a satisfying victory in a very long time. As one of the weakest forces in the entire Silvermoon Forest, small clans like Bolikri's, with only a few dozen members, could barely survive by hiding in caves.
Their traps were indeed formidable but only effective in the narrow confines of their caves.
Today's victory was primarily due to Su Nian's two bursts of Dragon Breath, which left the bandits utterly stunned.
Though merely a Level 30 Tier-3 (20-30) juvenile dragon, Su Nian was still an unchallenged presence on the outskirts of the Silvermoon Forest.
Humans were also much weaker than Su Nian had imagined. At least, the scenes of "mages as common as dogs and knights everywhere" he had envisioned were nowhere to be found. Perhaps it was because the Silvermoon Forest was too remote.
After defeating the Gale Bandit Group, Su Nian used the same strategy to "cordially visit" another group, the Fierce Wolf Bandit Group.
The tactics remained unchanged: the kobolds hid in the surrounding bushes, laying traps, while Su Nian waited for the right moment to unleash his Dragon Breath.
Unfortunately, this time the enemies did not conveniently cluster together. Su Nian's Dragon Breath only affected about a third of the bandits.
Although he tried his best to speed up the killing, many bandits ended up engaging in melee combat with the kobolds.
These kobolds, standing only 60-70 centimeters tall and weighing less than 40 pounds, were no match for the bandits.
Their small stature meant their weapons could only target the lower, vulnerable parts of the bandits. Unfortunately, apart from hitting critical spots like the groin or causing some humiliating injuries, they couldn't deal lethal blows. Instead, this only seemed to enrage the enemies further.
By the end of the battle, Su Nian had gained over 500 system points but lost seven brave kobolds in the process.
Among the fallen was the "Underpants Kobold."
Su Nian mourned for 0.1 seconds, wishing it freedom from its daily duty of standing guard outside the dragon's lair.
"Kobolds hate all humanoid creatures taller than themselves," Bolikri said, spitting disdainfully on a bandit's corpse.
Kobolds were highly united internally. Although they were fierce and ruthless, they never bullied their own kind. Before battles, they would share their goals and formulate plans together, a stark contrast to the perpetually infighting goblins.
The remaining kobolds carried their fallen comrades' bodies to the bonfire. Those who were friends with the deceased began to wail in grief, their cries echoing like sorrowful howls.
"May these children return to Kurtulmak's embrace," Bolikri said with a hint of sadness. Many of the fallen kobolds had been raised by him personally.
Su Nian lay curled up nearby, engrossed in studying the modification system, feeling little emotional impact. If something happened to Anna, he would undoubtedly feel sorrow, but for the kobolds, not so much.
The prideful dragon blood in his veins influenced him deeply. The fact that he refrained from oppressing these kobolds already made him a rather benevolent black dragon.
"Anna believes these kobolds will surely return to the embrace of the true god because they were brave," Anna said softly, her large, innocent eyes reflecting the sorrowful atmosphere of the kobolds.
She had no fondness for humans, much less sympathy for bandits, and had long since aligned herself with the black dragon.
Anna's words caught the attention of all the kobolds. They said nothing but looked at her with noticeably softer gazes.
"System, I want to exchange for the Basic Furnace Modification."
[Ding! Basic Furnace successfully exchanged. 1,000 system points deducted. This modification will be extremely painful. Please protect your throat.]
Su Nian grinned, baring his dragon teeth, about to say, "Bring it on!" But before he could, a searing pain erupted from his throat—or rather, the acid-storage pouch within his throat.
The pain was not pure; it was accompanied by an unbearable itchiness that made him feel as if he wanted to claw his own throat out.
"Mr. Dragon, what's wrong?" Anna was the first to notice Su Nian's abnormal state.
She looked at the black dragon writhing in pain on the ground, her soft hands gently stroking his neck as if that could alleviate his suffering.
But how could it help?
"Roar—cough—" Su Nian began coughing violently, shaking his dragon head. Acid mixed with dragon blood sprayed out, carrying a faint sulfurous smell.
Anna was terrified. She carefully hugged the black dragon's neck, her delicate face pale with worry and fear. Her beautiful peach blossom eyes filled with tears as she pleaded with the kobolds in a trembling voice:
"Please, please help Mr. Dragon!"
"Calm down. The master is likely undergoing a dragon's inheritance," Bolikri said in broken Common Tongue, trying to reassure Anna.
He observed the swelling in Su Nian's throat, where flashes of red light flickered, and the sulfurous smell grew increasingly strong.
Though he had never encountered such a situation before—this being his first time seeing a true dragon—Bolikri had a hunch that something good was happening to his master.
Amid Anna's panicked cries, the Basic Furnace Modification was completed, and Su Nian finally emerged from the torment of pain and itchiness.
If he could see the acid-storage pouch inside his body, he would find that the originally dark green walls of the organ now bore new, bright red cells.
These cells continuously secreted concentrated magma, perfectly blending with the original gray-green acid to form a cyan-green magma, resembling ghostly flames from the depths of hell.
Such a phenomenon was nearly impossible, but with the system's help, it had become a reality.
Externally, Su Nian's throat now emitted a faint cyan-green glow, pulsating gently, resembling that of a red dragon's throat—except his glowed cyan-green instead of orange-red.
"I'm fine now, Anna," Su Nian instinctively said, but what came out was a hiss in dragon language. In his haste, he had forgotten that his vocal cords couldn't yet produce Common Tongue.
With no other choice, Su Nian gently pulled Anna, who had jumped off his back in concern, into his embrace. He nuzzled her face with his dragon snout, hoping to calm her down.
"Mr. Dragon, are you really okay?" Anna softly cradled the black dragon's head, her large eyes scanning him carefully. Her delicate face brushed against him as if seeking reassurance.
To be honest, the hard texture wasn't very comfortable, but it brought her a sense of peace.
Su Nian nodded, intending to lift his head, but Anna clung tightly to him, refusing to let go.
Tears streaked down Anna's face, large droplets falling as she sobbed, clearly overwhelmed with worry. She muttered through her tears:
"Mr. Dragon, you're the only one who's been kind to Anna since she was taken... Dragon..."
"Anna... Anna has no family left. Even though I might not live much longer, I don't want to lose you too..."
[Favorability with Anna Hathaway +10. Current Favorability: 50 (Close)]
[Congratulations, host, for reaching Favorability Stage 2. Reward: Intermediate Devour. Special skill has been solidified.]
[Congratulations, host, for earning 3,000 system points.]
[Intermediate Devour: Enhances strength and promotes physical growth while recovering the body. Not restricted by age.] """
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Kurtulmak, the god of kobolds, bears the appearance of an oversized kobold.
Standing approximately five feet tall, his body is adorned with mottled green and black scales.
At the tip of his long, rat-like tail lies a venomous stinger.
Divine Power: Moderate
Domains: Kobolds, Traps, War, Mining
Worshippers: Kobolds
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Kurtulmak is a ferocious deity, ever watchful of events on the Material Plane, eager to claim every advantage for his people.
He teaches kobolds that the concept of "fair" duels is a folly adhered to only by fools and the unfortunate. It is always better to retreat and return stronger than to face defeat. As long as a single kobold remains alive, vengeance is a duty that cannot be forsaken.
Kurtulmak often proclaims that revenge is a sweet luxury for kobolds, even if it demands a patient and prolonged wait.
He has also taught his people cunning tricks, intricate plans, and masterful ambush strategies, deeming these far superior to recklessly charging into battle with mere blades and brute force.