Starting out as a Dragon Slave-Chapter 81: Cutting Through Like Butter

Isaac moved silently, his breathing slow and steady in sharp contrast to the chaos of battle around him. His anger, far from a fleeting emotion, churned within him as a dark, primal force. It crawled under his skin, fueling his muscles and intensifying every pulse from his now blazing mana core. His irises glowed a menacing orange, giving him a look of unrelenting fury.

Before him, the dragon warrior straightened up with difficulty. Despite his obvious pain, there was still a cold pride in his gaze, the pride of a species long accustomed to ruling.

- "You’re impressive, human," he growled, his golden eyes gleaming in the dim light. "But your strength... it’s unstable. This rage will consume you from within."

Isaac remained silent and impassive. He didn’t bother replying, letting the searing glow of his eyes speak for him. The dragon’s words meant nothing to him. All he saw was an enemy to obliterate an obstacle to survival, a representative of a race he despised with every fiber of his being.

The dragon suddenly charged, his massive body propelled by a dark mana that seemed to swallow all light in its path. His black blade descended toward Isaac with terrifying power, aimed to cleave him in two without a moment’s hesitation.

But Isaac sidestepped effortlessly, as silent as a shadow, using [flight] without any unnecessary flair. Every dodge was crisp, clean, and efficient, as if he had purged all excess energy from his movements. His style had become cold, calculated, and deeply unsettling.

They exchanged blows without a word, each strike brutal, each motion precise. The hatred coursing through Isaac’s veins was like a dark drug, amplifying his reflexes, his strength, his combat instincts. With every clash, he grew sharper, colder, and his eyes more devoid of emotion, save for that absolute, consuming hatred.

The dragon warrior fought back with the prowess his lineage afforded him. His true strength shone through in each precise motion, each flawless block, each deadly counterattack. Yet, against Isaac’s chilling rage—against that nearly inhuman style even the dragon found himself subtly retreating, caught off guard and unnerved by the sheer, unrelenting force of an ordinary human turned into something far more dangerous.

Isaac saw a tiny opening in the dragon’s guard. Without a word, without naming any technique, he dove at the weak point with blinding speed. His katana slashed deep into the dragon’s arm, forcing a pained growl and a brief step back.

In that fleeting moment of hesitation, the dragon lunged forward with his other hand, aiming to grab Isaac by the throat. Instinctively, Isaac activated his intangibility, letting the massive arm pass harmlessly through his incorporeal form. As he turned tangible again, he reached out and seized the dragon’s arm in a crushing grip, his blue-scaled hand closing like a vice.

The dragon’s eyes widened in shock. He stared at the scales, a mixture of disbelief and primal terror flashing across his face.

- "Impossible..." he muttered, his pupils dilated in surprise. "Those are... draconic scales... how could a human..."

But Isaac gave him no time to finish the thought. His hatred allowed no mercy, no pause. Exploiting the dragon’s utter confusion, Isaac thrust his draconic hand at the warrior’s neck, his sharp, clawed fingers slicing through the thick, scaled hide as though it were nothing but soft butter.

The dragon’s jaw dropped, his eyes bulging in stunned pain. Dark, viscous blood spurted from his throat as he tried in vain to form words, managing only a gurgling choke.

Isaac tightened his grip mercilessly, driving his claws even deeper into the dragon’s neck. He could feel the satisfying give of torn tissue, the weakening resistance of muscles slackening under his iron hold. He looked directly into the dragon’s eyes with an icy detachment.

- "You are not immortal. You are not invincible," Isaac said, his voice as cold and cutting as his blade. "This is only the beginning. Soon, every dragon will regret the day they ever crossed us."

The dragon made one final, desperate attempt to strike at Isaac, but his strength had already faded. His arm dropped limply, his vision clouding as a thick haze of death claimed him.

Isaac waited calmly for the last vestiges of life to leave the dragon’s body before releasing his grip. The massive form crumpled to the cavern floor with a heavy thud, stirring a faint cloud of dust.

He stood there, motionless above his defeated foe, blood and sweat streaking his face, his eyes still blazing with a silent fury that showed no signs of fading.

Behind him, Jonah and the others said nothing. Words seemed to fail them as they stared at the man they thought they knew, only now beginning to realize that they might not understand him at all.

Isaac did not move. His gaze remained fixed on the lifeless dragon, his breathing slow, controlled, yet icy. Deep inside, he could feel that dark power, that cold hatred, coiling around his soul, ready to surface again when called upon.

The silence was oppressive, broken only by the soft trickle of the dragon’s blood as it spread across the cold stone.

A sudden [Ding] echoed in Isaac’s mind, slicing through the weighty quiet. A translucent blue window popped up in his vision:

[Absorption available: select your reward.]

[Physical Stats]

[Physical Skills]

[Bloodline]

Isaac’s eyes widened slightly at the unexpected choice. Never before had he been offered such a reward. His burning gaze lingered briefly on the first two options familiar and reliable before returning, both intrigued and wary, to the third.

- "Bloodline... What does that even mean?" Isaac wondered, his heartbeat quickening under the tension.

His instinct pushed him toward the unknown. Something within—some remnant of that simmering rage urged him to choose it.

Without further hesitation, Isaac mentally selected the [Bloodline] option.

[Ding! Absorbing 1% of the draconic bloodline.][Fusion in progress...]

The moment he made his choice, a sharp, burning pain radiated from his mana core outward, as though thousands of fiery needles were slowly piercing every nerve in his body. He suppressed a cry, biting down hard on his lip until he tasted blood, determined not to make a sound. His vision blurred momentarily as his legs wobbled beneath him, but sheer willpower kept him standing.

[The bloodline is reacting to absorbed moonstones.][The bloodline is mutating and evolving.]

The pain doubled in intensity. It felt as though his entire body were aflame from the inside. Trembling violently under the torment, Isaac remained motionless, outwardly stoic, forcing himself to endure the relentless waves of agony.

Horror filled his mind as he watched his skin transform. Thick, blue scales began to grow along his arms, gleaming and cold, gradually spreading up to his shoulders, over his chest, his abdomen, and finally his legs—encasing him in a natural armor both beautiful and terrifying.

He could feel the scales embedding themselves, fusing deeply with his flesh as though forming a living second skin—impenetrable, unyielding. The sensation was bizarre and deeply unsettling, stretching each second into what felt like hours. The mental strain was excruciating, as if his very mind might shatter under the silent agony of this enforced transformation.

Yet no scream, no groan escaped his clenched lips. Behind him, Jonah and the others began to cautiously approach, still stunned by the brutal end of the battle.

Breathing hard, jaw clenched against the pain, Isaac stared intently at the scales on his arms, willing them to retract, to disappear. He felt a new connection, deep and instinctive, forming within him. Slowly, the scales quivered under his growing control, obeying his mental commands.

Just in time, the scales receded entirely, retreating beneath his skin and vanishing from view as if they had never existed.

[Ding! Draconic Hand evolves into Draconic Body.]

The pain finally ebbed, leaving Isaac trembling but upright. He stood with his back turned as Jonah arrived at his side, placing a hesitant yet warm hand on his shoulder. freёnovelkiss.com

- "Isaac! You... you did it!" Jonah exclaimed, his relief evident. "We need to let the Hunter’s Guild know right away. A damn dragon! Do you realize what this means?"

Isaac slowly steadied his breathing, composing a calm expression before turning to face his friend. He expertly masked the lingering tremors in his body.

But Jonah’s eyes widened slightly in surprise and admiration.

- "Hey, your eyes... What’s that, man?" he asked, tilting his head in curiosity. "That color... it’s new, right? It’s... really cool!"

Isaac blinked a few times, remembering that his pupils had permanently taken on an orange hue since the awakening of his inner anger.

- "Oh, yeah," Isaac murmured, averting his gaze slightly to hide his unease. "It’s... something to do with my mana. Nothing to worry about, I think..."

Jonah broke into a nervous yet enthusiastic laugh, patting Isaac’s shoulder again.

- "Don’t worry, I think it’s awesome! It’s like a trademark, gives you an edge. Gonna scare the hell out of our enemies, I bet!" he joked, clearly unaware of the true depth of the changes.

Isaac nodded slowly, forcing a faint yet convincing smile. He carefully kept the truth about his newfound abilities and his recent mutation hidden.

Without further delay, Jonah turned to the other hunters, now gathered around Isaac.

"Alright, let’s get out of here quickly," Jonah declared with authority. "We need to report this immediately. The guild, the hunters’ office... They have to know a dragon crossed through a portal!"

Isaac nodded silently, following the group’s movements without a word, his thoughts turned inward. As they left the cave, he cast one last look at the lifeless body of the dragon lying on the ground.

A cold, dark satisfaction stirred within him. This was only the beginning. In his hands now was proof that these so-called invincible beings could be defeated. He had tasted the first drop of a power that was pulling him dangerously toward unknown boundaries.

- "Even though you were weak compared to the real monster from the other world, my strength is growing rapidly. Belgaroth, your time will come," he thought to himself.

In silence, his gaze cold and unyielding, Isaac fell in step with the others, his orange eyes gleaming faintly in the darkness.