"Dragon Flame!"
On the training grounds, Barton and the others stood at the edge, watching with great interest. In the center stood Isaac, and at his feet was a brown Dragon Lizard with two small nubs on its head.
A target was set up five meters in front of them.
At Isaac's command, the Dragon Lizard opened its mouth and unleashed a jet of Flame, scoring a direct hit on the target!
BOOM!
In an instant, the scorching Dragon Flame reduced the wooden target to ash!
Seeing this, Isaac's eyes lit up, the corners of his mouth curling into a smile he couldn't suppress. He crouched down and patted the Dragon Lizard's slender head. "Not bad. A job well done!"
HUFF... The Dragon Lizard gave a dopey snort, squinting its narrow eyes in immense pleasure at Isaac's touch.
The Dragon Lizard had changed significantly since its arrival. Its brown scales had grown thicker and sturdier, and the two horn-like nubs on its head gave it an air of majesty. Though still just over half a meter long, it was broader than before, and the contours of its muscles were now visible beneath its scales.
Most importantly, it had gained two new abilities: one was Dragon Might, and the other was the Dragon Flame it had just demonstrated.
Dragon Might needs no introduction; it is an ability possessed by all Dragon Blood Creatures. Its power varies greatly depending on the creature's own strength and the concentration of its Dragon Blood. As for this Dragon Lizard's Dragon Might...
At present, it could only be used to frighten rats—and only Ordinary ones. Demonized Rats were too simple-minded to be intimidated, and Demon Rats were too powerful to be scared.
This wasn't particularly important, however. Dragon Might was merely a byproduct. What was truly important was its body, enhanced by Dragon Blood, and its Talent Spell: Dragon Flame.
Dragon Flame took the Dragon Lizard's combat prowess to a whole new level. Though its uses were limited, with proper timing, it could easily kill a small-sized Demon of the same Level in a single strike.
Of course, the most important thing was that after awakening its Dragon Blood, the Dragon Lizard's monetary value had skyrocketed!
Every part of its body was a treasure!
This was especially true for a Dragon Lizard that had awakened Dragon Flame. Its throat and tongue were a rather precious Magic Material that could be used to augment one's body, allowing them to master the Dragon Flame Magic. It had a market price of at least one hundred Gold Coins!
'As for its actual combat power, that's not even worth mentioning. No wings, so it can't fly, and it doesn't know Cliff Sword. All in all, it's still a bit weak.'
'Even so, I have no intention of selling it,' Isaac thought. 'I'll raise it for now and see if I can produce a true Giant Dragon. Besides, it's my first one. It has sentimental value.'
'Of course, the most important thing is that this Dragon Lizard's success proves my Golden Finger works for raising them, too. Next, it's just a matter of repeating the process.'
'But if I'm going to raise this Dragon Lizard properly, I'll need to learn a more binding Contract Magic.'
Patting the Dragon Lizard, Isaac stood up and led it back to the Beast Breeding Arena. The others exchanged glances, each seeing the worry in the others' eyes. It seemed their young master needed them less and less...
Watching the retreating figures of Isaac and the Dragon Lizard, the Guard Team, led by Barton, was filled with complex emotions. When they were first assigned to Isaac, they had been quite dejected, to be honest. It meant they had no path for advancement. Barring any surprises, this was as far as they would go in life.
But when Isaac became a Wizard and even helped their captain, Barton, break through to become a Knight, the hope that had been extinguished in their hearts was rekindled!
'Perhaps we can become Knights, too?'
'Even Great Knights!'
Fueled by this thought, the men's enthusiasm for training soared!
However...
Reality proved there was a reason they had been assigned to Isaac. Despite so much high-intensity training, not a single one of them, besides Barton, had even become a Quasi-Knight...
And now, not only was Isaac's own power growing stronger and stronger, but he had also acquired a group of powerful-looking Magical Creatures...
...
Isaac, on his way to the Beast Breeding Arena, was oblivious to the Guard Team's complex feelings. Not that he would have cared even if he had known.
'When it comes to these men, I actually feel the same way my family does. They've served us for so many years, after all. We can just arrange something to ensure they live out the rest of their lives comfortably. As for helping them advance further...'
'I'm not an idiot. Why would I spend so much money on them? Wouldn't it be better to invest those resources in myself? I have no ambition to be a King or conqueror, so there's no point in supporting so many people.'
'At most, I'll look out for Smith and his son, Barton.'
After placing the Dragon Lizard in its pen, Isaac first tossed a few plump pieces of Demonized Wild Boar Meat to the two Dragon Lizards. He then took out a small glass vial, carefully poured its contents into some mashed meat paste to the side, mixed it evenly, and sprinkled it into the rat enclosure.
Watching the little rats devour every last scrap of the spiked meat paste, Isaac's lips curled upward into a somewhat sleazy smile.
He had added a Magic Potion of his own creation to the little rats' food—Spring Has Come.
It was a Magic Potion designed to enhance the reproductive drive!
'I'll test it on the little rats first,' he schemed. 'If the effects are good, I can consider bringing in some herbivorous Demons to round out the supply chain. That way, I won't have to run to Lake Town every few days to buy boar meat anymore.'
After watching the little rats finish the meat paste, Isaac gently closed the door, leaving them their space.
After that, Isaac returned directly to his laboratory. Four days had already passed since the exchange, and they were due to depart for the fortress within the next two days. Before leaving, he needed to wrap up several key experiments.
For example, his research on Flesh Mimicry had reached its final stage, and he would soon be able to attempt production. The Demon Rats had completed their initial integration with the Divinity Network and could proceed to the next stage: coalescing Divine Arts. The cultivation plan for the Demonized Heart was also optimized, and he needed to collect the experimental data before departing, among other things.