Chapter 87
'I was right to not simply return, this is simply amazing,' Draco thought, savouring the euphoric feeling he was currently experiencing.
His transformation had granted him immense power, somewhat exceeding his expectations.
"If I am right, my stats should currently be equal to that of an average new level 3," Draco surmised.
This was indeed true, his stats which ranged between the 1200's and 1300's received a 50% boost.
This boost added around 650 stat point to all his attributes, effectively bumping his stats to that of a new level 3.
However, the skill actually worked a little bit different from its description, something he would come to learn in time.
'Wait, when my stats reset each level, how will the boost effect be applied?' Draco questioned.
It was indeed something important to ponder about, but nothing too serious to worry about at the moment.
Shaking his head, Draco decided to put these thoughts at the back of his mind for now.
The timer for his skill had already begun ticking, and he didn't have time to dwell on something he could think about when he returned to the surface.
Without wasting any more time, Draco sent out a pulse of energy in search of his first prey, also scanning the area for any nearby adventurers.
The last thing he needed was someone seeing his monstrous form and reporting it to the guild.
'Well, if I get seen, I just have to kill the witness,' Draco thought, a dark chuckle escaping his lips.
His power had not only granted him an immense boost in strength, but it had also slightly shifted his moral compass, blurring the lines between what was right and what was necessary.
Soon, Draco found his first target, a Minotaur, a cow-headed humanoid monster known for its incredible strength.
Despite its slow and simple movements, this creature was one of, if not the strongest, in the middle floors.
Upon spotting Draco, the Minotaur immediately judged him to be an enemy, it hadn’t mistaken him for a fellow dungeon monster.
Without hesitation the Minotaur let out an intimidating roar.
The roar of a Minotaur was said to be able to paralyze most level 1 adventurers in fear, but that wasn't entirely true.
It simply worked on them, because most level 1's simply had a weak mental fortitude.
One with a strong mind could overcome the fear effects.
Swish! Boom!
Without wasting time, Draco dashed at the Minotaur with incredible speed and momentum, he channeled a decent portion of his physical strength and swung his Kanabo, aiming to deliver a heavy blow to the Minotaur's head from above.
‘Now what will you do, dodge left, right, take few step back, guard with your hands……’ Draco’s mind churned, an elated smile gracing his lips.
He eyes darting around, watching and predicting the possible reactions the Minotaur could make.
Cling!! Splat!!
The sound of a metal bat colliding with a hard skull echoed through the area, the skull giving in and bursting like a balloon, splattering its contents all around.
The gaps between its spine creased like a piece of paper.
By the time the echo of the attack ended, the Minotaur, now headless, dropped to its knees, its body soon disintegrating to dust.
It’s magic stone and horns fell onto the ground made of bedrock, before the area returned to silence.
'Weak,' was the first thought that popped in Draco's mind, his red reptilian eyes narrowed in dissatisfaction.
He had been expecting some kind of epic battle with the Minotaur, but the battle ended in an instant.
"What was I expecting? My transformation is just overkill at this point," Draco murmured, bending down to pick up his spoils in disappointment.
Somewhere in the back of his mind, he had been expecting a battle similar to the one Bell had faced in the series.
But the reality was that his newfound power had made him far too strong for this level of opponent.
After gathering the drop items, Draco scanned the area once again in search of his next prey.
He was tempted to descend further in search of a level 3 opponent, but quickly decided against it.
The timer on his transformation was already ticking, and he didn't want to risk running out of time before he could return.
As he moved through the 15th floor of the dungeon, Draco encountered a few more mid-level monsters, each one falling to his devastating blows with ease.
The sound of bones cracking and flesh tearing echoed through the dim corridors, a dark symphony to his enhanced senses.
Crack! Thud!
A Liger fang’s skull shattered under the weight of his Kanabo, its lifeless body crumpling to the ground.
Draco barely even broke a sweat, his reptilian eyes scanning the area for any signs of more potential prey.
The thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction of his easy domination fuelled his growing sense of confidence, but it also planted the seeds of a darker, more sinister path.
With each victory, Draco's hunger for power grew.
He found himself relishing the fear in his prey's eyes, the sound of their bones cracking, and the sight of their life essence spilling onto the ground.
As he continued his hunt, Draco couldn't help but wonder what other feats he might be capable of.
The power coursing through him was intoxicating, and the temptation to push his limits only grew stronger with each passing moment.
The further he searched, the stronger the monsters became, but none of them were enough to satisfy him.
Screech! Thud!
A Dungeon worms teeth was broken off with a single strike, sending the creature plummeting to the floor in a shower of blood and flesh.
Draco watched impassively, a portion of his emotions completely muted by the overwhelming sense of superiority he felt.
In a way this was a good thing, as these emotion kept the intensity of his rage in check.
As the timer on his transformation began to wind down, Draco decided it was time to return to the surface.
A few minutes ago, his instincts had begun giving him weird signals, but he couldn’t tell what was wrong.
He had gathered a considerable amount of loot and experienced the thrill of his power, so he  decided to quickly leave.
With a final glance at the chaos he had wrought, Draco turned and began making his way back, his mind already racing with thoughts on the next experiment with his skill.
……………………………………………………………………
Meanwhile, back at the surface, Bahamut who had been preparing for the Denatus meeting, was almost done.
A rather luxurious-looking carriage was currently parked outside the Bahamut familia house, with four magnificent horses mounted on it.
These were the same horses that had been kept at the Nekomata inn.
Nikolaos and Vasileios were seated at the helm of the carriage, ready to act as escorts for their goddess until the meeting was over.
Although Draco couldn't allow Bahamut to brag about their Familia's growth, he had made preparations for her to arrive at the meeting of the gods in style and luxury.
"Isn't she done yet? We're going to be late at this rate," Nikolaos complained, his patience wearing thin as they had been waiting for over an hour.
"Well, it's her first time attending as the goddess of a familia," Vasileios replied, trying to be understanding.
"Sigh, but still," Nikolaos grumbled, his annoyance evident in his voice.
"Anyway, do you think Draco nii will level up today?" Vasileios asked, attempting to change the subject.
"Why ask a question you already know the answer to?" Nikolaos retorted, his brow furrowing.
"Just trying to make small talk," Vasileios mumbled, falling silent once more.
Suddenly, the front door of the house opened, and Bahamut walked out, escorted by Clair, Eleni, and Dimitra. Nikolaos and Vasileios were immediately stunned at the sight of their goddess.
Bahamut was a vision of elegance and beauty.
She wore a silver gown adorned with intricate patterns, the delicate fabric accentuating her petite frame perfectly.
The gown matched the colour of her hair, shimmering silver scales, and the wings on her back only added to her ethereal charm.
A beautiful necklace made of glittering pearls graced her neck, complementing the ripe, pink hue of her lips.
Her shoes, like perfect crystals, sparkled in the sunset, completing the ensemble with a touch of regal sophistication.
"What do you think of our work?" Eleni asked, her chest puffed with pride.
"Why are you bragging like you did something? You just lay on the bed, munching on snacks, while we did all the work," Dimitra chided, unable to resist revealing the truth.
"Ssssh, you weren't supposed to say that!" Eleni hissed, trying to shush her sister.
"Well, what do you boys think?" Clair asked, her eyes twinkling with anticipation.
"Ahem, it was definitely worth the hour wait," Nikolaos said, snapping out of his stunned silence and offering a sincere compliment.
"Yeah, she looks absolutely stunning," Vasileios agreed, his words filled with admiration.
"Thank you, you kids really outdid yourselves," Bahamut replied, a warm smile gracing her features.
"We should probably leave now; we'll be late at this rate," Nikolaos urged, ever mindful of the impending meeting.
Bahamut nodded in agreement and immediately entered the carriage.
Just as they were about to depart, Vasileios spoke up.
"By the way, where are Michalis and Vasiliki?" he asked.
"We don't know. The last time we saw them was this morning," Clair replied, a hint of concern in her voice.
"They probably went out for a stroll or something," Eleni added, trying to reassure the boys.
"Hmm, hopefully, they didn't get themselves into any trouble. Draco nii will be pissed if they did," Vasileios muttered, his brow furrowing with worry.
"We're departing now," Nikolaos reminded them, his voice firm.
"Alright, take care," Dimitra replied, waving goodbye as the carriage pulled away, the horses galloping towards the Babel tower where the Denatus meeting would be held.
As the carriage disappeared from sight, the scene shifted back to the dungeon, where Draco could be seen lying on the ground, covered in his own blood and writhing in pain.
The weight of his current predicament seemed to bear down on him, as he struggled against the overwhelming adversity that had befallen him.