Nightfall.
A bizarre humanoid creature stood before the mirror, inspecting itself. Its body was almost entirely covered in smooth, shimmering dark-gold scales, and within its pinkish-purple irises, a golden vertical slit pupil had cracked open.
"The color of these scales is getting darker and darker, almost black," Alistair muttered, comparing his current state to his memory. The black hue was definitely intensifying.
Phew—
Alistair exhaled, and the physical manifestations quickly receded. The scales vanished, blending back into his skin. Or rather, his skin was now dragon scales, but unlike the dragons Uncle Takai described from the fantasy world.
In those worlds, dragon scales were highly magic-resistant, almost entirely magic-immune. Alistair's scales were the opposite: they drastically enhanced his perception, conversion, and absorption of mana. In a sense, it was still a form of "magic immunity"—with the conversion ability granted by the Sheep Talisman, Alistair could use his scales to convert an enemy's spells into his own mana, granting him nearly endless sustain.
"The integration with the 'Dragon' is deepening. Once I collect the remaining talismans, the 'Dragon' should be perfectly fused," Alistair mused, pulling the Dragon Talisman from his chest and feeling the tightening bond.
He now held half of the 'Fire Demon Qi' as well. Each talisman clearly contained a fragment of it. Even if he didn't get the full 100% after collecting them all, he'd likely have over 70%. Shendu was a demon who once ruled an era; as long as the abilities were complete, Alistair could grow the raw power himself.
"A dragon, huh? It seems my transformation stays in a half-dragon form rather than a full beast. Will those arrogant purebloods look down on me? Whatever, those guys look down on their own kind anyway," Alistair chuckled to himself before climbing into bed.
As he suppressed his form, not far away, a Succubus was shivering under a bed in a nearby apartment.
Damn it! Why is there a Dragon's aura in this godforsaken place?! I thought this world had gone completely materialistic. Why would one of those arrogant magical high-lifes be here?!
The Succubus cursed internally, not daring to move an inch. She had just been out for her nightly hunt when she felt a terrifying, high-ranking pressure. It was a presence recorded in her bloodline as a "High-Danger Entity"—a Dragon.
For a Succubus, a Dragon could be a blessing or a curse. Dragons were notoriously lustful, but it depended on their personality. As a creature that fed on desire, she could sense the "Lust" in the air. If the aura had been dominated by horniness, she would have happily transformed into a beautiful woman to serve as the Dragon's "living sleeve."
Being bedded by a Dragon at the top of the food chain would send her power skyrocketing. She could have ruled this district. She was especially jealous of that mother-daughter pair nearby—both Succubi who had clearly found a powerful "Master" recently, given their sudden power spike.
But in the aura she just felt, there was only endless malice. There was Lust, yes, but it wasn't within a "safe" range. Fearing for her life, she stayed hidden. The absolute suppression of a higher bloodline was agonizing.
She wasn't the only one who felt it. Even though Alistair tried to hide his presence, high-ranking bloodline suppression isn't something a simple concealment spell can fully mask. Every supernatural being in the area had felt the "Dragon's Breath."
"Is that... a Dragon? Does that boy have Dragon Blood?" In another room, Sonaya looked toward Alistair's house with a surprised glint in her eyes. "Not a dragon-kin, but a unique Dragon? No wonder he has the 'King's Destiny.' The aura is thick with violent, gloomy malice—likely a variant of the Red and Black flights. How exciting~"
Sonaya had her mark on Alistair. Regardless of whether her plans succeeded, Alistair getting stronger was a win for her.
"Ah~ what a good sleep. What time is it?"
Alistair woke up, stretched, and checked his phone. It was past 9:00 AM.
"Huh? I slept for ten hours?" He was surprised. Usually, six hours was plenty, and as he grew stronger, he needed less sleep. Why the sudden hibernation?
Must be the two new talismans. The Demon Qi and the deepening "Dragonification" were likely putting a strain on his body to adapt.
"Whatever. I'll test it out by 'plowing' Chiaki later. If my luck holds, I'll have the full Shendu set in a few days. For now, let's head to the office. That secretary is waiting to be 'developed.'"
Alistair had looked at photos of his secretary, Hiza Hyakuta, last night. She was in her late thirties, nearly forty, but she was flawlessly preserved—mature, curvy, and ripe for the picking.
"Was something going on last night? The air feels... strange," Alistair muttered as he walked downstairs, his heightened instincts picking up a lingering "scent" in the atmosphere.
By the time the company car arrived to pick him up, he was back to his usual self.
"Master Alistair, we followed your instructions. It's highly likely that Mrs. Yoshino belongs to a certain religion," Hiza reported, sitting beside him in the back seat. She was dressed in a tight business suit with thick flesh-colored nylons covering her voluptuous legs. "We traced the headquarters to a private estate. The followers are... fanatically 'devout,' so our men couldn't get inside. But we got the name: The Cult of Kisaki."
Alistair reached out and rested his hand on Hiza's thigh. It was incredibly soft—lacking the athletic firmness of Shizuku Hatsufuji, but possessive of a supple, pillowy texture that was addictive to the touch.
"The cult is funded by several major corporations, including the Yoshino Group... Master Alistair, your hand..." Hiza felt the heat of his palm. She frowned and shifted slightly but didn't push him away. As his secretary, she knew his reputation. She had prepared herself for some "harassment," but Alistair's hand was being far too bold, wandering toward her inner thigh.
"Why stop? Is that all the info you have?" Alistair asked casually, watching the blush creep up her face.
"There's... a bit more," Hiza bit her lip. Normally, she would have slapped any man who did this. But Alistair was her boss, and he was terrifyingly powerful. Combined with his handsome face and sheer physical presence, her will to resist was crumbling.
"Keep talking then. Actually, we're almost there. Finish the report in my office." Alistair pulled his hand back. No need to rush with the driver right there. The office would provide much better "privacy."
"Yes, sir," Hiza whispered, her voice trembling.
She hadn't been intimate with her husband in a long time. Between the company's demands and Alistair's late-night orders, she was always exhausted. Seeing her husband asleep by the time she got home left her frustrated. And just now, Alistair's fingers had grazed her in a way that left her feeling a shameful, throbbing heat between her legs.