Lucian exhaled slowly, leaning back against the headboard.
The room was quiet again, the weight of newly gained knowledge settling at the edges of his thoughts instead of crashing through them.
"…Let's open the rare ones."
The system responded immediately.
[Ding!]
[Do you want to open the Rare Blind Boxes from: Johann, Fergus, and Viggo?]
"Yes," Lucian said.
[Congratulations! You have opened the Rare Blind Box from Trader Johann and gained: Singetail Training Manual.]
[Congratulations! You have opened the Rare Blind Box from King Fergus and gained: Body Cleansing Pill.]
[Congratulations! You have opened the Rare Blind Box from Viggo Grimmborn and gained: Dragon Eye.]
A golden light flickered once more, brighter than before, illuminating the room in warm hues. Shapes formed within the glow, solidifying slowly before settling onto the bed and floor as the light faded away.
Three items lay before him.
An old, thin book with worn leather covers and frayed edges. A small glass bottle containing a single white pill and a cylindrical device, its surface wrapped in metal rings and etched with ancient symbols.
Lucian reached for the book first.
The cover creaked softly as he opened it, revealing pages filled with rough sketches, diagrams, and tightly packed handwritten notes. His eyes moved quickly as he flipped through the pages.
It detailed Singetail training methods used by dragon hunters—methods that relied on confinement, pain, and forced submission. Dragons were chained, restrained, denied flight, then mounted against their will until resistance dulled into reluctant obedience.
"…I won't need this," he said quietly.
He closed the book and set it aside, a faint frown lingering on his face.
Next, he picked up the glass bottle.
A panel appeared.
[Body Cleansing Pill: Created by alchemists of DunBroch using rare herbs, bear teeth, and woodsprite fruits. Removes bodily impurities and strengthens the physical form of a human upon consumption. Commonly bestowed upon champions of the Sköldr Games.]
Lucian turned the bottle slightly, watching the pill roll softly inside.
"…Now that I know this world is a mess of crossovers," he muttered, "I really hope Mulan and ancient China exist without cultivators."
The thought made him snort despite himself. He shook his head and set the bottle down carefully.
Finally, he reached for the cylindrical device. The moment his fingers brushed its surface, the system responded.
[Dragon Eye: An ancient device used to reveal dragon classifications, hidden locations, and dragon-related secrets. Requires dragon fire to activate.]
Lucian examined it closely.
The device was warm to the touch, crafted from dark wood reinforced with metal bands. One end was shaped like a dragon's open maw, while the opposite side held seven small buttons, each etched with the symbol of a dragon class.
Tiny runes ran along the surface, worn smooth with age. The entire device had a subtle rotating mechanism built into its core.
"…So that's what you look like," Lucian murmured.
He twisted the mechanism experimentally.
Nothing happened.
No glow, no projections, no response.
Lucian sighed lightly. "Figures. Without dragon fire, you're just a very fancy paperweight."
Still, his lips curved slightly. "Looks like I won't have to go hunting for you later."
He set the Dragon Eye down beside the other items, eyes lingering on it for a moment longer than the rest.
Lucian leaned back again, gaze drifting toward the remaining count hovering faintly in his mind.
Five special boxes remained.
Lucian let out a slow breath and muttered, "Let's open the special boxes."
A translucent panel shimmered into existence before him.
[Do you want to open the Special Blind Boxes from: Toothless, Eric, Merida, Flynn Rider, and Captain Hook?]
"Yes," Lucian answered without hesitation.
[Congratulations! You have opened the Special Box from Toothless and gained: Dragon Scales]
[Congratulations! You have opened the Special Box from Eric and gained: Red Summoning Conch]
[Congratulations! You have opened the Special Box from Merida and gained: Steadfast Precision]
[Congratulations! You have opened the Special Box from Flynn Rider and gained: Steal]
[Congratulations! You have opened the Special Box from Captain Hook and gained: Flying Dutchman]
Another wave of golden light flickered in the air, softer this time, as shapes slowly began to take form. One by one, the rewards materialized, settling quietly onto the bed and the floor as the glow faded.
Two physical items appeared.
The first was a crimson conch, its surface streaked with veins of glowing orange. The second was a small glass bottle, inside it was a ghostly green ship drifted through swirling mist.
Before Lucian could reach for either of them, his body stiffened.
A rush of information flooded his mind.
Unlike the brewing knowledge he'd gained before, this wasn't a set of instructions or learned techniques. This was… instinctual. Something deeper. He felt it settle into his bones, merge with his soul, become part of him.
New panels appeared.
[Dragon Scales: Enables the user to generate tough, overlapping dragon scales across their body at will. The scales are as hard as tempered steel while remaining flexible enough for full movement. Their texture and color may adapt to surroundings or reflect the user's emotional state.]
[Steal: An ability that allows the user to randomly take an item from a target. The value of the stolen item depends on the user's Luck.]
[Steadfast Precision: Grants flawless, unwavering accuracy regardless of task or circumstance. Whether throwing, shooting, striking, or performing delicate work, every attempt lands exactly where intended.]
As the sensations faded, Lucian glanced back at the system panel.
His eye twitched.
Then it twitched harder.
When he finished reading Dragon Scales, he rubbed his face and muttered, "I'm already part mermaid… and now I'm becoming a dragon too?"
His gaze shifted to the next skill, and his eye twitched again.
"This one…" He sighed. "That's definitely from that guy, isn't it?"
Shaking his head, Lucian focused on the final ability. This time, he let out a slow breath of relief. Steadfast Precision was undeniably useful, far more grounded than the others.
Dragon scales were powerful, sure, but if he kept gaining traits from every beast he encountered…
Lucian shuddered.
He imagined himself in the future, some strange chimera of countless creatures, and goosebumps erupted across his arms. He rubbed his skin as if to ward off the thought.
"Let's not think about that," he muttered.
Turning his attention back to the bed, Lucian reached out and picked up the red conch. It felt familiar in his hand. In shape, it was identical to the Dragon Conch he already possessed but that one shimmered with violet and blue, this one burned with crimson and orange.
A new panel appeared.
[Red Summoning Conch: A mystical conch that may be used once to summon a sea beast. Its call will reach the ears of Red Bluster regardless of distance, summoning it directly to the user's location. After being blown, the conch will be destroyed.]
Lucian whistled softly as he looked at the description. "I don't know what kind of sea monster this guy is, but since it's one-time use, he must be strong."
He set the conch aside and picked up the final item.
The glass bottle was cool to the touch. Inside, a ship floated impossibly, green mist curling around its hull and sails. Even at this size, it radiated an ominous presence.
Another panel unfolded.
[Flying Dutchman: A cursed ghost ship doomed to sail the seas forever. Legends claim the vessel and its crew were damned for a former captain's arrogance and defiance of divine warnings during a great storm. The ship can sail without wind, traverse any ocean at impossible speeds, and its presence alone can calm or conjure storms. Rumors claim it can even fly but only its new master may discover the truth.]
Lucian turned the bottle slowly, watching the ship drift inside.
"It's like one of those impossible bottles from my old world…" he muttered. "But this is the Flying Dutchman."
He frowned slightly. "Still… how does this even work?"
He tilted the bottle closer to his face. "How can something like this be used if it's this tiny?"
Just as his fingers moved toward the cap—
Knock. Knock.
Lucian froze.
He carefully set the bottle back on the bed and stood up.
Knock. Knock.
"I'm coming," he called, walking toward the door.
When he opened it, he stopped dead.
The first thing he saw was red hair.
Bright, vivid, unmistakable.
His eyes slowly lifted, taking in her face… then flicked downward, just to be sure, toward her feet.
The girl smiled shyly when she saw him.
"Hi!" she said.
Lucian stood there for a long moment before finally managing, "Uhh…"
"…Hello, Ariel."
_______
[A/N: Sorry guys, I didn't upload anything at all last week! I've been so busy with exams that I practically slumped over my table, I couldn't manage to write a single chapter. Don't worry though, I'll make it up to you all. That's all for now, thank you for reading!]