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After my brother saw what Fenrir had evolved into, he nearly lost his mind.
"Holy fucking shit!" he shouted. "What the fuck?! Brunhild, what the hell is that Trait you awakened?! I've never heard of anything like it before! Huginn was already insane, but this?! T-This is… It's crazy! Insane!"
"I know," I replied. "It's something I awakened using that Scroll… but it could change everything. Hey buddy, are you still there?"
"Woof!" Fenrir barked, as loyal as ever. He jumped over us like an excited puppy and began licking our faces. He had grown enormous, and I worried he might no longer fit inside the house.
"Okay, this is incredible!" my brother exclaimed, laughing. "Hahahaha! I'm glad you're still you, Fenrir!"
"He really is," I said, nodding. I stood up, stroked his chin, and kissed his forehead. "You've gained some amazing abilities too, huh? We'll test them outside later."
"Phew..."
A fresh wave of exhaustion crashed over me. I quickly pulled out the Mana Potions I had prepared earlier with Alchemy, used Evolution on them to turn them into Mana Elixirs, and drank them. After just two, my Mana fully recovered. Even my Divine Power seemed to replenish faster—not directly from the elixir, but because the surge of Mana boosted its regeneration.
"Okay, we're departing tomorrow, right?" I asked. "Before that, I want to evolve Scaly."
"Scaly?!" My brother looked stunned. "You're right… If your power truly works, then maybe we can finally help that little guy grow into a proper Wyvern."
"That would be best," I nodded. "Let's find him. Where is he?"
"He went out to hunt before breakfast. I'll call him," my brother said.
As he called for Scaly, we walked through the village. The residents were working harder than ever, training relentlessly in the barracks, forging weapons, synthesizing healing potions, crafting equipment, practicing magic, and more. Everyone had grown far more serious than I had imagined. They were fully committed now, determined to become stronger so we could all survive what was coming.
Our part in that effort meant venturing into the Swamp Dungeon. I needed to kill as many monsters as possible to gather enough Soul Points and summon a real army to fight for us. With my current two thousand or so Soul Points, I could summon only a few units at best. I decided to do that later, before we left. At the very least, we should leave some guards behind.
"ROOAARR!"
Scaly came rushing down from the sky, landing heavily on the snow. The small Wyvern proudly carried a three-horned hare in his jaws—one he had caught himself.
"Wow, that's a big catch! Well done, buddy!"
"Raarr!"
Scaly happily rubbed his face against my brother's hand and licked it, clearly thrilled by the praise. He really loved my brother more than I had realized.
"Hey Scaly! Remember me?" I asked, stepping closer.
"Graarr?" Scaly eyed me warily. Even though we were friends, he remained distrustful of anyone who wasn't my brother. Wyverns and most reptilians weren't as warm or affectionate as mammals like Fenrir, who had already befriended the entire village. They were far more selective about who they trusted.
"Wow, wow, calm down. It's my sister—you know her," my brother reassured him. "Listen, I've got a way to make you stronger. Do you want to get stronger, Scaly?"
"Grr?" The Wyvern tilted his head in confusion.
"My sister can help you become big—bigger than anyone else," my brother continued. "How about it? Would you like to become big and strong? It might hurt a little… but you're a tough boy, right? You can endure it."
Scaly stared at me with sharp eyes for a moment, then slowly lowered his head in acceptance.
"Wow, he's smarter than Fenrir," I said with a laugh.
Fenrir, who had overheard me, gave me a look that suggested he should feel offended—though he didn't quite understand the words.
With Scaly's permission granted, I placed my hand on his head. This was the perfect moment to test Evolution once again.
Scaly had been with us for years, ever since I was a baby. Yet despite all that time, he had aged slowly and still barely reached the size of an adult dog. Adult Wyverns, however, grew larger than buses. At this rate, it would take him another ten, twenty, or even thirty years to reach full maturity.
Wyverns weren't dragons, but they still lived for centuries. Dragons, according to the game's lore, could live for thousands of years—or even eternally. Taming a true dragon, though, was nearly impossible. Their eggs were fiercely guarded by immensely powerful Elder Dragons.
That was why dragons were revered as god-like beings across most tribes and cultures. Their vast lifespans, overwhelming power, intelligence, and ancient wisdom made them the ultimate lifeforms.
And yet, wyverns carried a secret: they were a long-lost feral branch of dragons—abandoned yet resilient. Though far more animalistic and lacking much of their ancestors' intelligence, that ancient spark of pride and cunning still gleamed in Scaly's eyes. He understood our words perfectly, even if he couldn't speak back. He had no affinity for magic, but he was already strong for such a young wyvern.
Let's see what I can awaken within you, Scaly. I wonder if I can truly stir that ancient bloodline!
"Evolve."
FLASH!
Golden flames engulfed his entire body, wrapping him in a giant egg just like they had with Huginn. The flames expanded rapidly, forming an egg three times larger than Scaly's original size.
Inside, we could hear his body growing and transforming at terrifying speed. His heartbeat thundered so powerfully it sent tremors through the ground.
The intense heat melted all the nearby snow, revealing patches of frozen green grass beneath.
BA-DUM! BA-DUM! BA-DUM!
In mere seconds, Scaly tore through the eggshell. Massive claws shattered the surface, followed by a pair of enormous jaws that ripped the rest apart.
CRASH!
The egg exploded into particles of golden flame. Scaly emerged amid the roaring inferno, standing tall on all fours and unleashing a mighty roar.
"ROOOAAARRRR!"
His earth-shaking cry, backed by a fierce fiery aura, rattled the entire village. Everyone stopped what they were doing and gathered to watch in awe as another of our companions transformed into a colossal beast.
"He really evolved?!" my brother gasped, utterly stunned.
"He really did…" I whispered, equally amazed.
Scaly had reached full maturity in an instant. Though not yet bus-sized, he was at least half that—massive, with enormous wings and a body covered in brilliant crimson scales. A pair of white horns crowned his head, and his eyes glowed with yellow-gold intensity. A blazing red flame aura radiated from him, while a sun-shaped tattoo on his forehead shimmered with divine power.
Ding!
[Congratulations! After using your Trait [Evolution (?)] on your brother's Familiar, the [Young Wyvern: Scaly – Tier 3: Rank 1] has successfully evolved into the [Adult Sun Flame Wyvern: Scaly – Tier 5: Rank 1]!]
[Your brother's Familiar has developed the following Abilities: [Magic-Resistant Scales] [Sun Flare Wings] [Sun Flame Breath] [Dragon Meteor]]
[Due to the evolution of your brother's Familiar into a Divine Spirit Beast through your power, your connection with Scaly has been greatly strengthened, allowing you to become its master as well.]
Tier 5?!
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