"I can only choose one!"
The thought echoed in Uriel's mind as his eyes focused on the two icy wolves before him. His body tensed, muscles preparing for the attack. He chose his target: the wolf on the left, which was already beginning to retreat, trying to keep its distance.
But Uriel wouldn't give it that chance. He lunged forward with strength, his paws firmly propelling his body. At the right moment, he curved his head, positioning his sharp horn toward the enemy, ready to impale it.
The icy wolf sensed the danger and leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack. But Uriel wasn't an easy predator to fool. With an agile movement, he sank his claws into the ground and spun his body, using the strength of his right paw to redirect his charge. His left claw rose in a swift arc, slicing through the air before meeting the wolf's face.
The sound of flesh being torn echoed through the cave, followed by the wolf's howl of pain.
[You dealt 7 damage]
A trickle of dark blue blood ran down the wolf's face, mixing with the thin layer of ice covering its skin. It recoiled, shuddering in pain.
"Don't cry, I'm not finished yet!" Uriel growled, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
Without hesitation, he flexed his hind legs and leapt onto the injured wolf. His weight slammed it into the rocky cave floor, creating a dull thud that reverberated through the space.
Then, something made him shiver. A sudden, cutting cold, a sense of imminent danger.
Instinctively, Uriel lifted his gaze and saw the second icy wolf in front of him. Its pale blue eyes gleamed with a sinister light, and its mouth was already open, accumulating small translucent spheres—ice projectiles about to be fired.
There was no time to dodge. Thinking quickly, Uriel forced his weight against the fallen wolf, using it as a shield.
The shot was immediate.
The ice bullets flew at high speed, cutting through the air with a sharp sound. They pierced through the fallen wolf's body beneath Uriel and continued their course, striking him directly.
[You took 15 damage]
[You took 8 damage]
[You took 7 damage]
Uriel growled as he felt the impact of the ice bullets on his skin. One of them pierced near his neck, another hit his belly, and the last one embedded itself deep in his leg. The pain was intense, a burning cold that seemed to freeze his flesh from the inside.
The wolf he had used as a shield trembled violently before falling still. One of the ice bullets had pierced its head, striking its brain. Its eyes glazed over, lifeless.
Uriel ground his teeth. The pain in his leg was annoying, making movement difficult, but it was still bearable. What truly enraged him was something else.
"Dammit! You stole my XP!"
Rage pulsed through his veins. He cast a murderous glance at the surviving wolf, which was already preparing another shot. Uriel wouldn't let that happen.
With a fierce growl, he lunged forward, even with his injured leg. His claw slashed through the air, but the wolf managed to dodge at the last moment, suffering only a scratch.
[You dealt 4 damage]
"You won't escape! Come here!"
Adrenaline burned in his chest. Ignoring the pain, Uriel gathered all his strength in his hind legs and leaped at the icy wolf. The enemy tried to dodge, but wasn't quick enough.
Uriel sank his claws deep into the wolf's thigh and pulled brutally, tearing through muscle and tendon.
[You dealt 15 damage]
The wolf's howl of pain echoed through the cave, reverberating off the icy walls. It staggered, unable to support its injured leg, but still found strength to retaliate. In a final desperate effort, it charged at Uriel and bit his shoulder.
However, its teeth only scratched the dragon's hard scales.
Uriel smiled.
"Too bad... My turn."
He opened his mouth and bit down hard on the wolf's neck.
[You dealt 20 damage]
The metallic taste of blood flooded his mouth. But he didn't stop there.
"Now, hold my special move!"
He shook his head violently, tearing a large chunk of flesh. The wolf struggled, but its strength was starting to drain.
[You dealt 50 damage]
[You caused bleeding]
[The bleeding dealt 10 damage]
The wolf still hadn't completely given up, but Uriel wouldn't give it time to recover.
"But now, you're going to spill!"
Uriel roared and drove his claws deep into the enemy's throat, cutting it mercilessly.
[You dealt 50 damage]
[The bleeding dealt 10 damage]
[You leveled up]
The wolf's body collapsed onto the cave floor, its eyes lifeless, staring into the void. Its head, however, remained attached to Uriel's shoulder for a moment before finally detaching and falling heavily to the ground.
Uriel panted, feeling the adrenaline begin to subside. The battle had left him exhausted.
"I told you, you were going to spill..." he murmured, feeling the weight of fatigue in his muscles.
He sat down, something that felt strange for a dragon.
"I thought it would be worse... But I'm not that bothered. Just a little, since my tail makes this position kind of uncomfortable."
He swung his tail a few times, trying to find a comfortable position.
---
Name: Uriel Redstone (Miguel Ramos)
Race: Dragon
Age: 0 (28)
Maturity: Newly born
Level: 3/5
HP: 270/300
MP: 200
Stats:
- Strength: 5
- Speed: 5
- Intelligence: 4
- Vitality: 6
- Defense: 6
---
"My life took a bit of a hit... Will it recover on its own or do I need to eat something?"
Uriel instinctively licked his lips as his eyes scanned the icy wolf corpses scattered on the cave floor. The metallic smell of blood mixed with the ice seemed even stronger to him now. Something inside him growled in anticipation.
"Even though I don't need it... I'll admit, these bodies are making my mouth water."
Without further hesitation, he walked over to the first corpse and opened his mouth, sinking his sharp teeth into the cold flesh. The ice covering the wolf's fur cracked under his bite, and an intense flavor filled his mouth. Unlike any food he had ever tasted in his past life as a human, it didn't disgust him—on the contrary, it was instinctively satisfying.
"This is amazing!" he exclaimed, his voice echoing through the cave walls.
The meat was dense and slightly fibrous, but it melted in his mouth with a rich, satisfying taste. Even though it was cold, the flavor was addictive, further fueling his hunger. Uriel devoured the first wolf in less than a minute, crushing bones and meat as if they were nothing. When he finished, he licked his lips, feeling excitement course through his body.
"If it was before, I'm sure I would have found this disgusting… But now that I'm a dragon, I can only think this meat is absolutely delicious."
Instincts took over, and he launched himself at the second corpse without ceremony. His stomach felt like a bottomless pit as he chewed and swallowed, savoring the primal pleasure of feeding after a fight. The wild, raw taste of fresh meat was unlike any cooked or processed food he had known in his former life.
When the third body was reduced to nothing but a few drops of blood on the rocky ground, Uriel groaned heavily and flopped onto the floor, lying on his back.
"I ate too much... I'm going to explode!"
His stomach, now completely swollen, stretched his scales, giving him a spherical appearance. Since his body was still small, he looked more like a 1.80m diameter scaly ball. He groaned quietly, trying to find a comfortable position while gently swinging his tail.
Sleep came quickly, like a stealthy predator. His eyes grew heavy, and a wave of drowsiness overtook his body.
"I'm sleepy... Ate too much... When I wake up, I'll hunt more creatures. I want to see what I can evolve into."
With that thought, he closed his eyes and succumbed to rest, his breathing slowing as the warmth of intense digestion enveloped him.