Where am I? This was the first thought that flashed through Tars's mind.

  After a dizzying, stomach-churning sensation, he opened his eyes only to find the same desolate wilderness. There was still not a single trace of civilization. He shook his head to clear the fog and looked around; for a moment, he felt this place was even more barren than his old kobold territory.

  The half-man—now Karyu—let out a dry cough nearby to regain his attention.

  "A slight miscalculation in my variables. Carrying you took more energy than I anticipated," Karyu said. "It seems my injuries haven't healed yet—at least not to the extent I projected. However, we aren't far from inhabited lands. A walk of two or three days should suffice. For now, you should proceed with your Dragon-blood kobold transformation. That should mend your poorly set arm and those wounds."

  Tars stared at him blankly, wondering if this was the preamble to yet another conspiracy. Then again, he realized he didn't have much left to be exploited for. Before, his value lay in being able to move and run errands for the immobile half-man; those days were over.

  "I will wait for you here. I need to recalibrate as well," Karyu said with a smile, walking to the side to sit and rest with his eyes closed.

  The little kobold scratched his head, winced as he touched the patch of missing scalp, and promptly opened his Abyssal Bedroom to step inside.

  The moment he entered, the sound of laughter greeted him. It instantly soothed the exhaustion in his heart. Two tall Dragon-blood kobolds were munching on fat meat-worms while playing with a massive larva thicker than Tars's waist, occasionally feeding the creature bits of tender white meat.

  "Brother Tars!"

  Aiskin ran over. Her initial joy vanished the moment she saw his numerous wounds, replaced by intense worry. Big Dumb Hum followed close behind, grunting twice as he stood there with a look of pure terror on his face.

  Squeak! Squeak!

  Two soft chirps came as a greeting from his natal familiar.

  Tars smiled at the three giants before him. Big Dumb Hum was taller than ever; even with his slight hunch, he stood over a head taller than Bahunt. His broad shoulders were staggering, and his fur was smoother and glossier than before, though thinner in places where it was now covered by black dragon scales. To an ordinary person, he was a wall; to Tars, he was a mountain. His physique had clearly surpassed the limits of a normal Dragon-blood kobold.

  "In the future, when we're outside, remember not to call me 'Master.' You can call me Big Brother Tars," he told Big Dumb Hum.

  Big Dumb Hum grunted twice and nodded vigorously. Aiskin reached only to Big Dumb Hum's shoulder. She also bore fine, dense black scales and looked incredibly powerful, though her expressive, worried eyes created a sharp contrast with her martial appearance.

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  "I'm fine, don't worry. I'll be better soon," Tars said, heading toward the pool of aberrant dragon blood he had reserved for himself.

  His familiar required no verbal communication. With a single thought, the little creature scurried over on its dozen pairs of pointed legs. It followed him closely, leaning its head into Tars's palm to enjoy a gentle stroke.

  The "little guy" could hardly be called little anymore. It possessed twelve pairs of sharp legs that made a rhythmic shing-shing sound as it moved. Its body was encased in a black, dragon-scale-textured carapace, with a single sharp horn on its head. If it stood on its hind legs, it would be even taller than Big Dumb Hum.

  Tars produced the Pure Blood Potion. The three giants watched nervously from the side.

  Through mental perception, he read the message left on the vial: the Pure Blood Potion could be mixed into dragon blood to purify it for drinking, or it could be poured into a pool for a blood bath. A bloodline modified through purification would be stable; once the core was set, absorbing more blood of the same origin would slowly eliminate any lingering side effects.

  He looked at the blood pool. According to the potion's instructions, his current supply was a bit excessive.

  As the thought crossed his mind, the familiar bug dove into the earth, quickly excavating a smaller pit. Big Dumb Hum and Aiskin understood the intent and helped stomp the soil firm. Tars watched with a smile. Once they finished, he used a Frost Ray to create a layer of frozen earth to line the pit.

  He diverted the dragon blood and poured in the potion.

  Before lying down in the pool, Tars reflected on his loss of composure during the battle. But before he could sink into his thoughts, he had to shoo away the three "little" giants. Being cared for could be exhausting, especially for a wounded kobold. He stripped off his storage bags and gear, laid them by the edge, and slowly stepped into the pool.

  A prickling itch washed over him. The bottom of the pool was cool at first, but within moments, he was enveloped in a searing heat. It felt as if every cell in his body was singing a restless song—his blood was literally boiling. His powerful life force burned, pushing him toward a higher state of existence.

  As the heat spread through his body, the itching faded, and eventually, the heat vanished too. He felt nothing at all. He entered a state of ultimate emptiness, and he felt his mental strength climb, making a slight but noticeable improvement.

  Gradually, he drifted into sleep.

  He dreamed he had become incredibly tall. He sat in a chair, patting Big Dumb Hum on the shoulder and giving him nonsensical words of encouragement that moved the giant to tears. Then he looked down at Aiskin, scolding her until she looked up at him and wept. Everything felt so natural.

  After an unknown amount of time, he suddenly felt as if he were suffocating. He woke up struggling, propping himself up on the edge of the pool and coughing. He wiped dragon blood from his face as a large amount of it leaked from his ears and nose. He finally understood why Old Goldtooth had looked the way he did.

  He snorted to clear his nose and looked at his hands and feet with joy.

  I'm taller! I'm actually taller!

  Unless you've lived it, you cannot understand the feeling. He fought to keep his emotions in check. This feeling of raw power was incredible. He tapped the scales near his elbows and cheeks; there were a few more on his spine as well. The coverage wasn't total, but it was enough. The horrific wounds and the missing chunks of flesh had all been restored.

  "Hahaha!" Tars couldn't help but stand by the pool and laugh toward the ceiling.

  Then he spotted Big Dumb Hum and the others hiding in the distance, peeking at him with black fruits stuffed in their mouths.

  "Come here! How long was I out?" Tars called them over. Before entering the pool, he had taught Aiskin how to read the crystal clock that pulsed light between its ends.

  As they drew closer, Tars's expression shifted through several shades of disappointment. By comparison, he was still shorter than Aiskin, barely reaching her shoulder.

  "Five days, Brother Tars. The light moved up and down five times," Aiskin said, handing him five fruits.

  Tars nodded numbly, took the black fruits, and stuffed them into his mouth one by one.