Chapter 38: Krono’s Resolve.

Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Krono’s Resolve.

The news of Malakor’s defeat spread through the bustling streets of Rodrag City faster than a plague. By sunset, every alleyway and market square buzzed with terrified whispers.

​Inside a crowded meat market, two blue-scaled dragonoids huddled behind a merchant stall.

​"Did you hear what happened in the lower districts?" the merchant whispered, nervously glancing at the passing city patrols.

His customer shushed,

​"Shush, keep your voice down. Do you want the guards to cut off your tongue?"

​"I am telling you the truth. Dragnil’s tavern is completely gone. They say a human child beat Lord Malakor into a bloody pulp!"

​"A human child? Have you finally lost your mind? A human could not even scratch a Noble Dragon’s scales, let alone cave in his chest."

​"I swear it on my ancestors! The witnesses said the boy threw Malakor around like a stuffed toy. That Noble Dragon was crying like a hatchling!"

​Meanwhile, inside the strongly fortified City Guard barracks, panic had taken over.

​"Captain, the medical reports are confirmed. The entire squad sent with Lord Malakor was slaughtered. Not just that, their bodies were chopped into tiny pieces."

Bang!

​The scarred Guard Captain slammed his fist on his wooden desk, splitting it down the middle.

"Who did it? Was it a rival clan? An assassination squad from the Royal Dragons?"

​"No, Captain. The surviving witnesses all swear it was a 7-year-old boy. A human boy."

​"What nonsense!" the captain roared.

"But captain, it is the truth!"

"Bastard! Then find those witnesses and beat the real truth out of them. If the ruling Baron hears we let a filthy human humiliate his son, our heads will be the next ones rolling on the mud!"

​Deep within the luxurious estates of the upper district, the reaction was much darker.

​Lord Malakor’s father, the ruling Baron, crushed a crystal wine glass in his bare hand.

​"A human rat did this? To my pure bloodline? How dare they?!

Men, lock down all the city gates immediately. And send out our most elite tracking hounds. I want that child found and captured alive. We will peel his skin off slowly in the City Square to remind these pathetic peasants of our absolute superiority."

Thirty minutes ago.

​"I saved you this time, Krono. But do not expect me to save you next time," Adira’s cold message reverberated deep inside Krono’s mind the instant he regained control of his vessel.

​His crimson eyes turned cloudy as a dark shadow of regret swept across his face.

​Yes. This was entirely his own mistake.

​Because of his arrogance and carelessness, Dragnil was dead. The kind, gentle soul who cared nothing about races or species had met an end he never deserved.

​Looking down at the chef’s lifeless corpse, Krono clenched his small fists until they bled.

​The physical pain from the battle was nothing compared to the bitter regret crushing his chest.

​If only he had been more cautious. If only he had not underestimated the ruthless speed of a Noble Dragon. Dragnil would still be alive.

​Although, thinking logically, Krono knew he was still fundamentally weaker than a true Noble Dragon in a raw elemental clash. Even if he had fought with everything he had, his body would have been burned to a crisp against that devastating fire breath.

He turned his attention toward the dead corpses of the dragonoots.

. In the chaos of Adira’s brutal counterattack, Malakor’s unconscious, battered body had been dragged away by his fleeing underlings. So, Krono would just have to make do with the leftover guards.

​He was talking about devouring them, of course.

​First, he walked over and calmly bolted the main doors of the ruined tavern shut, completely blocking the view of the terrified spectators outside. Then, he returned to the center of the bloody floor and knelt before the severed bodies.

​Activating [Absolute Absorption], the Ultimate Devourer went to work. Black mist seeped from his palms, enveloping the bloody remains with terrifying grace.

​Within minutes, the horrific mess of flesh, bone, and armor completely dissolved, absorbed entirely into his small body.

The result of consuming six dragon-blooded warriors was absolutely massive.

​Even Krono, whose expectations were already high, was genuinely awed by the system notifications ringing in his mind.

​[ You have absorbed 6x Dragonoot corpses. ]

​[ Strength +180, Agility +160, Vitality +210, Intelligence +30, Willpower +20 ]

​[ You have gained 5 skill fragments. ]

​[ Skill fragments combined! ]

​[ Ding! You have gained a new skill: "Dragonoot Transformation (D)". ]

​[ Skill: Dragonoot Transformation ]

[ Rank: D ]

[ Description: The host can manipulate their cellular structure to temporarily take on the physical characteristics of a Dragonoot. This mutation grants thick reptilian scales that increase physical stats upto 100%, and razor-sharp claws capable of tearing through low-tier armor. ]

[ Miasma Consumption: 50 per minute. ]

​

Krono could only stare in awe. His physical stats almost doubled again. And he gain a new active skill that would increase his base stats by nearly 100%.

That meant he would have around 700-800 base stats in each section, which was 80 times stronger than a regular human and a sinhle regular dragon.

And alongside this monstrous upgrade, he now possessed a flawless disguise.

​He looked back at Dragnil’s body. He could not leave the kind chef here to be mocked or burned by the city patrols. Walking over, Krono gently lifted the chef’s corpse, intending to give a respectful burial later.

Afterward, he quickly fled the scene using the back door of the tavern, which fortunately led to a less crowded street.

​On the way, he transformed into his Dragonoot form and covered Dragnil’s body with a cloth so no one could recognize it as a Dragonoid’s corpse.

​In this way, within half an hour, he reached the outskirts of Rodrag City.

​There was a big, yellow, banyan-like tree. It looked sacred and mystifying.

​So, Krono chose to bury him there.

​Without delay, he dug a pit using his clawed hands and slowly buried him there.

​There were no witnesses, not even a bird. Dragnil would rest there for eternity.

​Krono stood up and glared at the proud domes of Rodrag City with hatred.

​"Humans or dragons, they are always the same. These nobles... they treat weaker people like ants. Their foundation is built on vain pride and arrogance. And I am going to shatter them all. Not because I am a messiah, but because they are simply standing in my way