Writing Dragon Skin Spell, Reading Blood Rage

The laboratory, filled with specimens, was silent. Light streaming from the ceiling cast Ryan's figure into the space, projecting a distorted shadow onto the cold, metallic floor. As Ryan waved his arms, the shadow danced and twisted erratically, as if performing a silent play.

At the center of the workbench, Ryan stared at the modified spell he had nearly completed—it only lacked the final inscription into his spellbook. He pulled his mind back from the boundless ocean of knowledge, only to touch his stomach and realize with a start that he was famished.

He hadn't noticed while fully focused on the system and the light screens, but now that his thoughts had returned to reality, Ryan felt the hollowness in his gut. He turned to look at Jelona and the others, who were standing guard, and his face darkened instantly.

The Dwarf and the Barbarian were huddled together, heads pressed close, staring intently at something in the Dwarf's hands. Ryan sighed softly at the two blockheads who were up to who-knows-what, though the Half-Elf Ranger was at least diligently keeping watch over their surroundings.

Seeing Ryan emerge from his trance-like state of fanatical study, Jelona walked over with thoughtful care, extending her slender arms to support the weary mage. Ryan waved off her kindness; although he was exhausted and hungry, he wasn't so frail that he needed a soft bosom to lean on.

Taking water and food from his Planeswalker space, Ryan ignored his image and began to wolf down the meal. The soft white bread still held the warmth of being freshly baked, the starch with its malty aroma softening in his mouth before sliding down his throat. Every so often, he would tear into the roasted venison, which was rich in fat and seasoned with black pepper, savoring the delicious grease blooming on his taste buds. Never had he understood the convenience of a space-time plane that could pause the flow of time more than he did at this moment.

A perfect preservation warehouse—an essential tool for murder, arson, and travel. Ryan mused silently, a reflection of his deep-seated obsession as a foodie who wanted to enjoy gourmet meals under any circumstances.

Ryan polished off his food in a few quick bites, took a sip of water to clear his palate, and let out a long breath. Feeling as if he had come back to life, he opened the "System" visible only to him, checked the time, and didn't forget to ask the Half-Elf nearby, "How much time has passed?"

Jelona looked at the weary Ryan with a hint of concern and replied, "More than ten hours have passed. We tried to call you to eat halfway through, but you were too engrossed, so we didn't disturb you."

Ryan silently calculated the time. According to the records on the "System," thirteen hours and forty-eight minutes had elapsed. No wonder even his physique felt famished and utterly exhausted.

The blond youth rubbed the bridge of his nose in embarrassment. It was an old habit; whether in his past life or this one, once he encountered something that interested him, he would inevitably lose himself in it, forgetting to eat or sleep. In the past, it was a cup of tea, a cigarette, and a game of Civilization for a whole day; now, it was reading and practicing a spell for a year.

Some say the scale of time is defined by comparison. When you are with someone you adore, time feels like sand in your hand, slipping away silently even as you try to hold it tight. But when you are waiting for the last bus, watching the city lights while standing alone, time feels agonizingly long, with every tick of the minute hand crawling like a tortoise.

As a veteran magic addict, Ryan felt that his "beloved" might just be those "lovely" spells. Learning, understanding, mastering, and applying—when Ryan first held that miraculous, mysterious power in his palm, he felt he had grasped the future.

"Jelona, what are those two doing?" Ryan shifted his attention back to reality, his curiosity piqued by the two brothers hiding in the corner, acting furtive yet completely absorbed. You two look exactly like younger brothers slacking off in class to sneak a peek at dirty stories, he thought. What on earth did they find to be so invested in?

Jelona's mouth twitched at the question, and she cast a look of disdain toward her disgraceful companions. To avoid leaving a bad impression on Ryan, she explained with a guilty conscience, "We take turns on duty. It's my shift to guard, so they took the opportunity to look at the new art collection from the Drow."

At this, an undisguised look of disgust crossed the Half-Elf Ranger's beautiful face. Ryan nodded noncommittally without voicing an opinion, though he was cheering internally:

I knew I couldn't be the only one who appreciates the artistic skill of the Drow! The proportions, the colors, the plot—I would call the doujinshi skills of those dark-skinned Drow the strongest! If they claim to be second on the entire continent, no one would dare claim to be first!

However, sensing the undisguised contempt and the "looking at trash" expression from the Half-Elf, Ryan masked his guilt and changed the subject: "There's still enough time. I can finish the trial after a short rest. Sorry to trouble you to keep guarding, Jelona."

The Half-Elf Ranger flashed a bright, spirited smile and replied loudly, "No problem! You get some good rest, Ryan."

In the cold, frigid steel laboratory, Ryan, refreshed after his nap, stood in the designated area and let out a breath, exhaling the tension and anxiety in his heart. Under the expectant and worried gazes of the three onlookers, he began to chant the spell.

Although the Dragon Skin Spell remained a third-circle spell after his magical modifications, the difficulty of casting it had risen sharply. Fortunately, Ryan had already delved into the fourth layer of magic, so while casting this spell was slightly tricky, it was not difficult.

The blond mage's clear, modulated voice rose and fell melodically in the empty room, accompanied by the fluctuation of mana. As the casting proceeded successfully, an unexpected anomaly occurred.

In an instant, the youth's physique grew rapidly before everyone's eyes. Sharp spikes erupted through his mage robes from his shoulders, and dense red dragon scales emerged across his body. Beneath his surging size, bulging muscles and fluid lines displayed the beauty of raw power.

A hideous, terrifying monster appeared in the center of the laboratory. Its sharp spikes and fine, interlocking scales exuded a chilling pressure, its murderous appearance possessing a wild, savage beauty. In their panic, Jelona and the others readied all their weapons against the terrifying dragon-like creature on the floor.

"Ryan?" the Half-Elf asked tentatively.

"I'm fine, just an unexpected situation."

The mage, back turned to the three, spun around. His handsome face was half-covered by a jagged faceplate, with several cruel spikes extending from his cheeks to protect his front. Through the gaps, one could see the mage's face was filled with helplessness and surprise.

A normal Dragon Skin Spell only granted the caster a thin layer of dragon scales for protection, providing defense while boosting magic resistance through the scales' properties. It never caused a change in body size, nor was it as exaggerated as Ryan's.

Ryan hadn't expected that the Dragon Blood Potion he had absorbed a few days ago would lead to this hellish situation today. He had underestimated the powerful Red Dragon from its elder stage; how could the highly corrosive blood of the dragon race be so simple?

Although Ryan had processed the blood to significantly reduce the violent factors and absorbed most of the energy through the potion, some power inherent to the bloodline remained dormant in his body.

When the modified Dragon Skin Spell, which mimicked the structure of the dragon race, was cast, the Red Dragon bloodline within him reacted violently, like sodium dropped into water. It successfully triggered the power of semi-dragon transformation, which, combined with the Dragon Skin Spell, resulted in the creation of this monster.

Ryan tried to take a few steps; the scales covering his body were unexpectedly well-fitted, not hindering his flexibility in the slightest. The flame-red scales brushed against each other, emitting a faint, metallic clatter like swords clashing.

Jelona and the others watched this dignified, murderous, and grotesque version of Ryan. Upon learning that his mind remained normal, they all breathed a sigh of relief. The Dwarf looked at the metallic texture, which hid a sense of beauty beneath its savage curves, and muttered about how "cool" it was, secretly envious.

"Beep. Detected that the Inheritor has successfully released the Dragon Skin Spell. An unexpected situation has occurred. After evaluation by the central system, it meets the inheritance procedures. Congratulations on passing the theoretical test. Please prepare for the next test." The Tower Spirit's prompt sounded right on cue, though the content left Ryan, who was still adapting to his scales, completely bewildered.

"Wait, isn't it enough to just cast it? What the hell is this test?" Ryan voiced his strong protest and confusion.

The Tower Spirit ignored Ryan's words entirely. As soon as the voice faded, the surrounding steel architecture suddenly deformed. The cold walls recessed inward to reveal several openings, from which sharp crossbow bolts shot out, sealing off the space around Ryan.

"Holy shit!" Ryan blurted out in his native tongue in his panic, attempting to activate a spell shield to block the incoming arrows. But as a wave of magical energy rippled out, the spell shield on his body vanished.

"Shield disabled! Damn it, you win!" The blond youth, face full of fury, had no choice but to raise his left hand to block the bolts. With a "clink," the arrows, whistling through the air, struck his scales, sparked, and fell to the ground.

Jelona had gasped when she saw the flying bolts, but upon seeing the arrows being deflected one by one by the dragon scales, and hearing the incessant "clinking" of metal against metal in the room, the Half-Elf was left dumbfounded.

After a volley of arrows, the room fell silent. The Tower Spirit's voice broke the shock and stillness in the air:

"Inheritor, congratulations. Your calculation process was flawless, and your test results are one in a million. Certified by the central system, you have achieved a perfect score. You have received a reward, and the door to the next trial has been opened for you."

"Fuck your mother! Does your test involve shooting crossbow bolts directly at people? And you don't even let me use a spell shield? I finally understand why Alexander said the apprentices of that time didn't want to recall the past. Is this something a normal carbon-based lifeform could come up with?" Ryan's face was livid, and he cursed as he stepped out from a pile of broken arrowheads and wooden shafts, his heart still pounding.

Ryan, who had always believed in "staying low to survive," never expected to be screwed over in this godforsaken place. Then again, no normal person would have expected this follow-up. It was fortunate that his Dragon Skin Spell had mutated in combination with the dragon blood—the effect of one plus one was far greater than two—otherwise, Ryan felt he might have ended up with a few extra holes in his body.