Dancing on the golden ashes

My fiery wings lit up the night sky as I shot after the Golden Flood Dragon, the flames casting an ominous glow across the mountain range. The dragon's massive body twisted and undulated through the air, moving with the grace of a serpent gliding through water. My challenge, however, didn't seem to faze the magnificent beast. It continued on its path, utterly ignoring my presence.

"Let's see how long you can pretend I don't exist..." I sneered, a wicked grin tugging at my lips.

I dodged past a jagged mountain peak, my speed building with every beat of my wings. Then, I activated Superior Space Distortion, my body blurring in an instant as the world around me warped. In the blink of an eye, I reached the dragon's dorsal fin. Without hesitation, I grabbed hold and mounted the colossal creature.

"Submit to your new queen!" I commanded, my voice echoing through the heavens.

RRROOOAAARRR!

The dragon's roar erupted like a thunderclap, shaking the mountains and sky alike. Its entire body gleamed with a sudden surge of golden light, and an invisible force exploded outward. I was thrown back, the sheer pressure sending me tumbling through the air.

"Not so easy, huh..." I muttered, steadying myself midair as I flared my wings once more.

The dragon turned with a swift, elegant motion, its massive jaws opening wide. With speed I hadn't anticipated, it lunged, aiming to devour me in a single, decisive strike.

"Hmph!" I snorted, unimpressed.

In an instant, my scythe flared to life, burning with a golden fire that eclipsed its usual blueish water runes. The transformation was awe-inspiring—the flames radiated power, crackling with divine intensity.

The dragon faltered. Its attack hesitated, and I caught a glimpse of fear and surprise flickering in its beautiful, golden eyes. The aura of my sacred golden flames exploded outward, filling the sky with radiant light.

"Afraid already?" I taunted, my grin widening.

As if responding to my taunt, the dragon began to radiate an even more intense golden light, its scales glowing like molten metal under the sun. It circled me in the sky, its massive jaws opening wide.

Then I saw it—a small golden orb forming deep within its throat, shining with an otherworldly brilliance.

A chill ran down my spine. This wasn't going to be good.

Without hesitation, I activated five elemental shields in quick succession, layering them one after the other. Fire, water, earth, wind, and light—they all shimmered in front of me. And not a moment too soon.

An impossibly fast beam of golden light erupted from the dragon's mouth, cutting through the air like a spear of divine judgment. It slammed into my shields with terrifying force, melting through them like butter against a blazing flame.

Before I could react, the beam connected with my body, the sheer impact sending me hurtling downward. I crashed into the side of a mountain with a deafening impact, the jagged rocks crumbling beneath me.

Pain exploded in my chest—I felt at least a few ribs snap. But the agony, as sharp as it was, couldn't compare to the things I'd endured before.

Bastard!

Anger flared within me as I struggled to my feet, dust and debris falling from my battered form. My lips curled into a snarl. Now I was pissed.

Then, a thought struck me.

I haven't used any of my skill points in a long time...

My breath quickened as the realization sank in.

It's time. Time to upgrade. Time to show this world who the strongest truly is.

A burning jealousy welled up within me, far sharper than my usual determination. It wasn't just about growing stronger anymore—it was a gnawing need, a compulsion.

I had to stand at the top. I had to surpass even the greatest.

No... I must.

[Current Skill Points: 61]

Damn, I've been hoarding like crazy. With this many points, I could easily boost myself to stand equal with a Level 40—or maybe even higher.

My mind raced as I assessed the situation. I didn't have the luxury of time. The beast was already preparing for another attack, its golden light intensifying as it circled above me. For some reason, it seemed hell-bent on killing me.

I clenched my fists. Fine. Let's see who's stronger.

I made my decision in an instant—I'd pour everything into upgrading my core skills, spreading the points evenly to maximize my growth. It wasn't just about survival anymore.

This dragon didn't realize it, but it had just given me the perfect excuse to unleash my full potential.

Let's start with my stamina!

I allocated 10 points without hesitation.

[Level 7 Greater Stamina {After Amplifying-Level 96} (Total Stamina: 960 / After King's 3x Amplify: 2880)] → [Level 17 Greater Stamina {After Amplifying-Level 106} (Total Stamina: 1060 / After King's 3x Amplify: 3180)]

Now for my attack! Another 10 points.

[Level 7 Greater Attack {After Amplifying-Level 104} (Total Attack: 1040 / After King's 3x Amplify: 3120)] → [Level 17 Greater Attack {After Amplifying-Level 114} (Total Attack: 1140 / After King's 3x Amplify: 3420)]

My Superior Elemental Magic needs work. Let's pump in 11 points here.

[Level 5 Superior Elemental Magic {After Amplifying-Level 103} (Total Magic: 1030 / After King's 3x Amplify: 3090)] → [Level 16 Superior Elemental Magic {After Amplifying-Level 114} (Total Magic: 1140 / After King's 3x Amplify: 3420)]

Strength next! I quickly spent 11 points, using the spare point I had since agility only needed 9.

[Level 6 Greater Strength {After Amplifying-Level 93} (Total Strength: 930 / After King's 3x Amplify: 2790)] → [Level 17 Greater Strength {After Amplifying-Level 104} (Total Strength: 1040 / After King's 3x Amplify: 3120)]

Now defense! Another 10 points.

[Level 7 Greater Defense {After Amplifying-Level 98} (Total Defense: 980 / After King's 3x Amplify: 2940)] → [Level 17 Greater Defense {After Amplifying-Level 108} (Total Defense: 1080 / After King's 3x Amplify: 3240)]

And finally, agility!

I only needed 9 points to hit the next evolution, leaving me a spare point. If my guess was correct, each new evolution required an additional 10 points. Let's see if I'm right.

[Level 21 Greater Agility {After Amplifying-Level 104} (Total Agility: 1040 / After King's 3x Amplify: 3120)] → [Level 1 Supreme Agility (Agility now boosted 2x) {After Amplifying-Level 113} (Total Agility: 1130 / After Supreme Level's 2x and King's 3x Amplify: 6780)]

Holy shit! My eyes widened.

Is this how Nam Ji-Ho crushed me so easily? Are all of his stats past Supreme?

Reaching this level felt like stepping into an entirely different realm. The two-times boost, combined with the King's amplification, brought my agility to a total of [6780]

This was beyond anything I could've imagined.

This... this is the power of Supreme.

All the skill points I had acquired so far had been spent in an instant, flooding my body with trembling power. Above me, another beam loomed, its charging nearly complete. I knew that even with my newfound strength, I couldn't survive many hits like that. But now, with my enhanced agility...

My hands, still embedded in the jagged rocks of the mountain peak, finally broke free. The sound of the crunching stone echoed sharply as loose debris tumbled down the mountainside.

I saw it clearly—my own death. The beam struck me in the future, obliterating me in an instant. But with these eyes, I had a chance, a fleeting moment to escape. I didn't hesitate. I dropped into a squat, muscles coiled like a predator ready to pounce.

In a blur of motion, without any additional boost, I leapt to the next mountain peak like a tiger.

The peak I had just abandoned was obliterated, reduced to nothingness as the beam collided with it. The sheer force of the impact felt twice as strong as before, and a cold sweat trickled down my forehead.

If I had failed to dodge that... The thought of dying here sent shivers down my spine.

Dark flames ignited beneath my feet, and Steps of the Dark Lord surged to life. My agility soared even higher. Summoning my wings, I infused them with darkness energy, their radiance of gold now replaced by a consuming darkness.

I don't want to kill it—it'd be such a waste. How can I beat it into submission without ending its life?

In a blur, I surged forward with incredible speed. In the next instant, I landed gracefully on the monster's head, balancing effortlessly as if it were solid ground beneath me.

"Say, why don't you just follow me?" I said with a sly grin. "I'm not a bad person—not even one bit."
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The beast's deep, resonant voice boomed in response, speaking in flawless human tongue. "Disgusting human! I would never submit!"

I blinked in surprise. This was the first beast I'd encountered that could speak like that.

Before I could respond, golden energy erupted from its body, crackling like lightning as it attempted to shake me off. But I held firm, gripping its massive horns tightly.

"Nah uh," I said, tightening my hold. "I'm not going anywhere. Not until you submit!"

"Nonsense!"

With a furious roar, the dragon twisted violently, its body slamming into a mountain peak in a desperate attempt to dislodge me. The impact sent debris flying, and pain shot through my body—but I refused to let go.

The pain was bearable, almost insignificant. Strangely, I felt a surge of energy coursing through me, raw and untamed.

What's this?

It wasn't coming from the dragon. I could feel the power radiating from within me—from the horns on my own head.

It didn't make any sense, but the sensation was undeniable. The longer I held on, the stronger I became. It was as if my horns were drawing in the beast's energy, amplifying my physical strength.

"Despicable demon race!" the dragon roared, its voice shaking the very air around us. "How dare you disguise yourself as a human? How dare you drain my power? This is unforgivable! I shall cleanse this world of demons like you, just as my father did in the past!"

I froze for a moment, startled by the accusation.

"Me? A demon?" I scoffed, my confusion quickly giving way to irritation. "What the hell are you talking about, you stupid beast?"

Frustration surged through me, and without hesitation, I charged my fist with soul energy. The power crackled and pulsed around my hand, radiating with intense heat.

[CONGRATULATIONS!]

[You have created a new skill: Soul Impact (500 Mana)]

Dammit, another soul attack turned into a system skill...

The thought burned in my mind, filling me with frustration. The system kept trying to control my soul power, to claim the moves I created as its own.

It felt invasive like a leash being placed around my neck.

With all my strength, I smashed my fist into the top of the dragon's head.

BOOM!

The impact was devastating, sending both of us hurtling toward the ground. The beast let out a pained roar as we crashed into the earth, the force of the collision leaving a massive crater beneath us.

I stayed perched on its head, panting but resolute. My thoughts swirled as I instinctively reached up, brushing my fingers against the horns on my own head.

Could it be...? Are these horns really connected to the demon race?

The thought sent a ripple of nervousness through me, but beneath it, a spark of excitement ignited. It was almost surreal—like I had stepped straight into the pages of a fantasy novel, living out the kind of story I'd only ever dreamed about.