The Dragon Heir (A Monster Evolution/Progression LitRPG)

Hmm…

I ran a quick mental audit. What would be the optimal pick here? Stealth? Already handled. Offense? Solid. Perception? Sharp enough to catch a pin drop in a cyclone, nothing had slipped past me yet, and I doubted anything ever would.

Spellcraft, though… that was where things got spicy. Now that I was flinging around these seventy-rune monstrosities like party tricks, I realized a few support skills in that department would go a long way. And honestly, I could tell anything I picked now would probably come loaded, just by how my current evolution was shaping up. Still, Mana Manipulation was creeping up to level 9. Just a bit more practice and it'd breach Tier III. That alone would give me a serious leg up in the spellcrafting.

Then came the utility category. The wildcard. No clue what kind of options I'd find there. I tapped a claw against my draconic chin, mulling it over. I hadn't even bothered to shift out of my Drakkari form. Everyone already knew what I could do, why bother hiding anymore? Their nervous stares weren't my problem, and their discomfort had a certain flavor I didn't exactly mind.

But right, focus. What to actually choose? It wasn't some soul-binding, irreversible fork in the road. Whatever I picked would just do what it was meant to do:
Make me stronger.

Could I at least peek at the choices first? No? That'd be too convenient, huh? Slightly irritating.

Alright. I felt like taking a risk. So I locked in on the utility option. Let's see what kind of surprise was in store.

[Would you like to gain a Utility Skill?]
YES.

[Condensing past experiences to synthesize a suitable utility skill. Please wait…]

…Hoh? Wait a second. It was compiling my own experiences to tailor a skill just for me? That was new. I figured I'd get some decent pre-packaged pick from the usual shop lineup, not this curated experience.

Now that was interesting.

[Congratulations, you have received a customized skill.]
[Skill [Dimensional Aura (III)] has been created.]

Dimensional Aura:
Generates a persistent dimensional field within a 1-meter radius. Within this bubble, the user can forcibly sync the dimensional resonance of any object or entity to match their own. This linkage holds even across planar boundaries, enabling matter transfer between realities. However: foreign objects (non-native to the current dimension) become quantum-entangled within the aura. If perceived by any consciousness outside the field, they trigger a violent psychic backlash.

…

Thalador's flaming beard.

I'd been wracking my brain for ages trying to nail down dimensional resonance syncing, burning through hours, resources, and the occasional nervous breakdown, just to fabricate material that wouldn't phase out of sync with me. And now turns out I could've skipped the struggle and let the system hand me a tailor-made fix.

Still… knowledge had its own value, didn't it? No point getting salty about it. In fact, this skill was exactly what I'd been grasping at for so damn long. It said it would pull from my past experience, and it wasn't bluffing.

No more random phasing that left me unclothed in awkward places.

If I was reading this right, it also synergized well with Dimensional Lamina, and better yet, I could potentially bring other people along without needing to awkwardly carry them around in my mouth like some deranged taxi. As it levels up, the radius should expand too.

Imagine dragging an entire room into the shadow dimension with me.

Could I isolate enemies there and leave them stranded? Would they snap back to their native resonance when I dropped the aura or would they be permanently severed from this reality?

The possibilities were absurd. And kind of thrilling.

"Any thoughts, Lotte?"

Silence.

Nothing from her. Well… she could keep her cryptic mystique for now.

And that wasn't even the whole package. That final clause was juicy. If something outside the aura tried peeking in, tried observing anything within that didn't belong to its own dimension, it'd get slapped with a psychic backlash. Sharp minds would be hit harder. The keener the sense, the nastier the recoil.

Now that was one hell of an anti-snooping measure.
Exactly the kind of weapon I liked: subtle, punishing, and directed squarely at the kind of precision I personally couldn't stand.

So I accepted the skill and felt that blissful flood of incoming knowledge surge through my core. There really was nothing quite like the taste of a new, tailor-made ability syncing to your essence. I felt… shifted. Slightly. I'd test it out later. Still had more to handle.

Namely: Transformation.
It had finally hit Level 5.

My first ever exclusive skill to reach its cap. And by Thalador, was it a pain to push this one up. Sure, my affinities, Lightning and Dark, were technically exclusive skills too, but they merged into Quantum before I could even max either out.

But now… now I was curious. Would exclusive skill upgrades reflect my current evolution too? Only one way to check.

I locked in on the [+] beside Transformation. A new window blinked into view.

Only one option. No forks. No picking from a list.

[Resonance Transformation]:
Grants an additional transformation form. Note: skills and organ-based abilities may be unavailable if the selected form lacks the necessary biology.
Enables resonance syncing between all forms and the main dragon form.
Allows partial manifestation of draconic organs and traits into alternate forms using mana.

…

Wait, was the system in my head right now?
Well, it always had been snooping, but today it really seemed to be paying attention. First Dimensional Aura, now this? Two-for-two on solving my longest-standing headaches.

The main problems with my Drakkari form were:

I needed a bracer just to dilute my half-dragon side.

I had no access to some core organs while transformed.

This upgrade solved both. Just like that.

I grinned and accepted the upgrade, then came another rush of information. It subsided quickly, and yet another window opened.

Select an additional compatible form to register for [Resonance Transformation]:

Drakkari

Elf

…Huh?
Elf?

That gave me pause. Only one could be picked, and this wasn't a "pick three and customize later" kind of deal. It even specified "compatible," which raised more questions.

But if I could transform into an elf…

Oh, the kind of things I could pull off. Full infiltration without a single raised brow. Access to elven territories. Disguises that didn't rely on alchemy or illusions. I'd be actually one of them. And not just for stealth, being useful to Gwen in ways I couldn't before was a serious bonus.

Meanwhile, the Drakkari form? I could already shift into that with external help. My bracer worked just fine. The only thing I couldn't do on command was take on the form of an entirely different species.

Still, I didn't need to rush this decision.
I closed the screen. I'd circle back to it later. Maybe ask Lotte, if she ever decided to actually answer for once.

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"Lotte?"

Silence. Again.

Either she was busy, or she was watching quietly and cackling to herself.
Either way, fine. I had more pressing matters to tackle today.

Still had to get through the skill shop. So, finally, I opened it.

1. Quantum Anchoring
Effect:
Automatically syncs worn equipment to the user's dimensional resonance when phasing.

Hmm… this one felt close to Dimensional Aura. Similar function, slightly different direction. My custom skill already covered this to an extent, but if I picked this up and evolved it later, I might take it somewhere else entirely. Worth considering.

2. Probability Lens
Effect:
Highlights objects or beings with more than a 15% chance of interacting with the user within the next 30 seconds, directly in the user's mental space.

Now this one looked useful. Sure, 15% wasn't high, but in unfamiliar territory with lots of unknowns, it could serve as a real-time social radar, or a threat detector. Or, depending on the situation, maybe even help me sniff out a snack or two I could lure somewhere quieter. A dragon could dream.

3. Observer's Shroud
Effect:
While motionless, user's quantum signature blends seamlessly into the background. Any direct observation results in a piercing psychic blow to the observer.

Aaaand the pattern was becoming clear. Quantum mana seemed to have a core theme: punish perception.

It wasn't about hiding better, it was about making the very act of looking dangerous. Like, "Sure, go ahead, pierce my stealth… see what happens." And what happened was psychic agony.

The whole affinity was basically a trap. The more accurately you saw me, the more it hurt. A passive, reflexive counter to perceptive types. And that had me wondering, could I eventually unlock abilities or spells that changed based on whether they were being observed? Like a mimic effect that triggered backlash only once you saw it?

For now, I had three new skills on offer. And I had plenty of skill points. So, of course, I took all three.

Another wave of knowledge flowed in, smooth, soothing, sharp as ever.

Time for some field testing.

I pulled the bracer out from my mouth and slipped it on, shifting smoothly into my Drakkari form. There was one specific thing I wanted to confirm from the new Transformation skill.

Did that second effect, letting me manifest parts of my dragon biology into other forms, only apply to registered alternate forms? Or could it also apply to this manually-dampened half-dragon setup, where the bracer toned me down into something "acceptable"?

I focused.

Pulled on that new thread of knowledge. Then pushed a little mana into it.

And shifted.

Tentacles burst to life from my back.

I froze, eyes wide. IT WORKED!?

Honestly, I'd expected that to fail.

But there they were, fully present, writhing with power.

I turned focus to my arms. Burned a bit more mana.

Golden, durable scales materialized across both forearms in a flash. I did the same for my back, same result. The signature strength of my draconic form was now bleeding into my Drakkari body, one part at a time.

This changed everything.

My biggest gripe with this form had always been the lack of durability and the absence of key organs. Now, both problems had been erased in one upgrade.

And best of all, I didn't even have to burn my third transformation slot to get that power boost. I could keep it on standby, for emergencies, disguise work, or, say, infiltrating elven territory when the time came. Shifting into an elf could be very handy someday. But for now? No rush.

The only real task left was wrapping up a couple of key upgrades: Pushing Mana Manipulation to its max level and raising Phantom Dragon Dance to level 5. I was so close to both, it was getting annoying.

So, naturally, I started with Mana Manipulation.

Honestly, weaving that 70-rune monstrosity of a spell had already nudged me close to the cap. And since I had more mana than I knew what to do with, I wasn't exactly worried about running dry.

The routine was simple:
Weave the spell.
Stabilize.
Cancel it mid-activation with the Oblivion rune.
Repeat.

And so I did. Again and again.

Until Lysska returned. Didn't feel like I had to wait long. Or maybe time moves faster when your brain is doing quantum-level knotwork.

***

"…and umm… that's the whole story! I… don't think I caused too much trouble," I offered, half-hopefully.

Lysska sighed.

"A whole faction is in turmoil. You broke out of one of their most secure prisons, from the inside. Then disappeared with the prisoner like you never existed. From a facility specifically designed to block teleportation. And you think that caused little chaos?"

I managed a feeble lift of the shoulders. "Well… was there a tidier option?"

"Several. Clean, surgical ones. Had you bothered to ask."

Oh, come on.

"But look," I jabbed a thumb towards Vorak, who was still staring at me like I was a thunderstorm that had decided to wear boots, unsure whether to applaud or bolt. "Delivery successful." My thumb swung towards Thibault, fully awake now, but radiating the absolute stillness of prey that knows the predator is still hungry. His eyes were locked on me, hollow pits holding nothing but the dregs of terror. Understandable. A few of his limbs had provided… light snacks earlier. What? High-stakes extraction works up an appetite.

"And him."

That seemed to get Lysska's attention. She turned to Thibault, then gave a short nod.

"I'll deal with him later," she said. Then her eyes flicked back to me. "But first, I need to talk to you. Privately."

Immediately, the surrounding space responded like clockwork. Conversations died down. Eyes looked away. No one asked why. Must've been an unspoken protocol, when the boss wanted a private word, you didn't listen in. You didn't even think about it.

She tapped her wristband, and a soft pulse of light cast a shimmering ward around us, a fog-like veil filled with slow-swirling motes of light. The world outside dimmed, blurred, and silenced.

My eyebrow ticked up. Yeah, this was going to be about that.

Lysska stood from her seat, crossing her arms. "I did some digging while I was, let's say, detained by Lord Veyan. Dug deep."

I didn't interrupt.

"And it seems the Flameclaw Sect elders are definitely hiding something. They're threatened by you, Jade. And that only makes sense if they know—or suspect—what you are. Your draconic nature."

My jaw clenched slightly. Of course.

"And it's not just them. The Iron Pact's been helping them. Coordinating, even. They're building a case against you, framing you as a threat, a villain. So when the time comes to hunt you down, no one questions it. No backlash, no sympathy."

Pieces clicked. But one stubborn shard refused to slot home.

"…How? How in the seven realms do they know? I've been a ghost since I landed here. Paranoid to the bone."

Lysska nodded. "It was something small. Almost stupidly small. It started with Lord Veyan noticing your resemblance to Princess Vernia—the current heir of the Flameclaw Sect."

That pulled my attention. I stayed quiet.

"From there," she continued, "things escalated. Word spread to the other house heads. At first, no one gave it much weight—hell, I didn't think anything of it either. But the resemblance was always there, just subtle enough to ignore until someone pointed it out."

She folded her arms, her tone shifting, darker now.

"Once the Flameclaw's Elder Council caught wind, they launched an investigation. It was spearheaded by the Matriarch's uncle, he's the acting head while she's gone. That's when the whole narrative about you being tied to Vor'akhs started taking shape. A clean excuse to mobilize forces and frame you as a threat."

Lysska narrowed her eyes.

"My gut screams there's a corpse buried deep in the sect's foundations. Something they'd murder to keep entombed. But gut feelings aren't courtroom evidence. Not yet." A predatory stillness settled over her. "I have needles poised in every plausible shadow, watching the threads. Waiting for just one to twitch. And when it does… I'll finally unearth what secret is worth slaughtering the very divinity they once would've bankrupted everything to glimpse."

There was something unspoken beneath her words. She wasn't just reporting.

If I was reading her right, she wanted to know more about me. About where I came from.

But she wasn't going to ask directly. And the truth was… I didn't know much myself.
And the parts I did know, those weren't things I was ready to share.
So I said nothing.

Lysska glanced away for a moment, then back at me. Her voice lowered.

"There's one more thing. But you have to promise me something first, Jade."

I tilted my head. "Go on."

"No volcanic rage. No 'clever' improvisations where you pretend to be ice, but end up doing something explosive you shouldn't have. Understand?"

"…Uh. Sure. I'll try."

She didn't look convinced.

"It's about your friend. Viera. The one whose birthday party started all this."

"Viera?" Ice crept into my veins. "What about her?"

Lysska exhaled. "Certain elements within the Iron Pact have her and her circle under 'protective custody.'" The quotes around the phrase were audible. "The official fiction. In reality they're locked down. Against their will. And it stinks of one thing: bait. Fresh chum in the water, Jade. They're dangling your friend to reel you in."

I felt a sudden surge in my blood, an instant, full-bodied anger, hotter than anything I'd felt since being accused of terrorism.

Of all the stupid, senseless power plays…

They were dragging in Viera? Why? To prove a point? To get to me? To hurt me?

Whatever the diseased logic, my restraint was evaporating like spit on magma. I could shatter their plans into ash. Break them in ways even the Vor'akhs couldn't match.

If I were a Gold Core already… Would they still dare?

My fists clenched. Not enough. I still wasn't enough. My next evolution couldn't come fast enough.

But I exhaled. Focused. Tempered the rage.

"What are they planning to do with them?"

Lysska offered a fractional shrug. "No overt moves. Yet. But the playbook's predictable: weave a rumor thin enough to slip through cracks, loud enough to sting your ears. Provoke a reaction. Lure you into a kill box."

A sharp, humorless bark escaped her. "Pathetic, really. The Bloodhounds trade on fear, sure, but beneath the fangs they are often just blunt instruments swinging in the dark."

I stayed silent. Not immediately.

I wouldn't call that bait dumb. Crude, yes. Unsubtle as a brick. But desperation had its own cunning.

Then again, Lysska's calibration for 'normal' tended towards the elegantly lethal.

"So… what should we do?"

"Patience. For now." Her gaze sharpened. "I have… interviews scheduled with our reluctant guests. Leave them to the professional. And you keep doing whatever it is you were doing."

Oh yes… that reminded me.

"I need to leave for a while. Would that be okay?"

"Depends." Suspicion hardened her eyes. "Swear on your scales, Jade, if you're planning a solo rescue run into the lion's den-"

"No." I cut her off. "There's something I can only do in my full dragon form. So… I need to leave the city for a while and do it in the wilds." I kept it vague on purpose.

Lysska studied me for a moment. Finally, a curt nod. "Timeframe?"

"Not much. Maybe a day?" It wasn't going to take that long, but having some extra time wouldn't hurt.

"Fine. I won't pretend to grasp your draconic errands. But… good luck."

With that, she dropped the shroud.

But before I left, there was one more thing I needed to do.

"Just grabbing a catnap before I fly."