100x Rewards: Draconic Evolution As An NPC (LITRPG/Cultivation/Artifact Refining)

[Ardenox]

contradict, I believe

Click to shrink...

Oh yea good catch, edited! I was thinking something else when I wrote that line, but now I realize that even if it makes sense to me due to knowing the background plot, it doesn't make sense to readers, and anyway, contradict makes sense and still suits the plot I have in mind. Thank you for pointing it out!

 

[Ardenox]

Without slowing his jog, Kaizen mentally told the system to display the cost of the Wave Greave's blueprint.

[Wave Greave - 100,000 experience or 65,000 experience and 1x Holy Stone.]

Holy shit, why don't you just rob me?

He grumbled before continuing.

Also, what's with this holy stone? Weren't purchases supposed to be made purely with experience?

[The rules of the system are on my whims, you lowly mortal.]

I really can't trust anyone.

[Anyway, why are you sulking? Isn't it better that you can save 35000 experience by handing over a Holy Stone?]

True, might as well enjoy getting fucked over if I can't resist.

[That's quite a way to put it.]

Thanks, flattering me still won't make me buy your overpriced products though. I don't need that blueprint right now.

[I wasn't flattering you.]

Stop, stop, if you keep praising me so much I might not be able to sleep at night.

[...]

[Shameless.]

Can't hear you.

While bantering with the system, he finally reached the second upper opening.

His expression shifted to that of seriousness as he began inspecting every inch of the wall, eager to find the second vital point.

Kaizen really wished he would be able to find it here itself, as the third opening, which was the bottom part of the 'Y' was really way too far.

Just travelling to this second opening took around an hour. Reaching the third one might take two or three hours easily.

After half an hour of searching, to his delight, he finally found the second vital point.

With the memory of dismantling the first node still fresh, it only took him ten minutes to destroy this one as well.

As soon as the second node broke down, a piece of boulder shifted in his vision.

Is the secret entrance located there?

Using the immense strength he received from the combined benefits of two main classes, he pushed away the boulder and entered.

Without his draconic eyes, navigating this space would have been miserable. It was dark.

This looked like a portion of the tunnel that had been deliberately sealed off.
From the outside, there would have been no way to tell anything was missing.

Yet aside from the lack of light, nothing stood out.

No mechanisms. No treasure glow. No ominous aura.

Just a tunnel.

A very plain tunnel.

In fact, it was even more barren than the one outside. No vines creeping along the walls. No insects skittering around.

A few tens of meters in, there was finally a change.

He heard voices.

And judging by how quickly they reacted, it was mutual.

"I hear footsteps!"

"Me too!"

"Me too!"

…There are more people here?

Kaizen retreated while adopting a defensive stance. It was never a good idea to engage with no information on the opposite party.

The sounds drew closer. Soft. Wet. Slightly enthusiastic.

Just as he reached the edge of the sealed tunnel, the figures finally came into view.

They were…three slimes.

Kaizen's movement stalled mid step as the absurdity hit him.

Slimes?

They were colored red, green, and brown. It seemed they had used some kind of cultivation skills which allowed him to sense their aura.

All rank 1.

The red one was a cultivator.
The green one was an oathkeeper.
The brown one… Kaizen had no idea.

Each of them was barely the size of a football, with two coin sized black eyes embedded into an otherwise perfectly smooth surface.

"Who are you?"

"Who are you?"

"Who are you?"

Their voices were high pitched, and extremely clear. Whenever they spoke, a hole would open up below their eyes.

Kaizen's eyes narrowed.

These slimes aren't at rank 4.

And as far as I know, the status of the slimes only increased later when their intelligence as a race underwent a huge shift, rivalling those of dragons, phoenix and other such races.

Slimes shouldn't possess such human-like intelligence this early in the timeline. Or is there something I don't know?

Kaizen coughed into his fist seeing that these slimes weren't hostile.

"Who am I?"

This might as well be my favourite question.

He put on the brightest smile he could muster, and spoke with complete sincerity.

"I'm Kaizen. The most mysterious and most powerful prince of the Aeonhart Empire. The fifth prince."

The reaction was immediate. He could practically see their eyes shining.

"Woah! That sounds so cool!"

"Cool cool!"

"Veryyyy cool!"

Yes! Finally! The correct reaction to my proclamation! Something was indeed wrong with Steve and Alice. Those two aren't normal.

The satisfaction lasted exactly half a second before his brows furrowed.

"Wait, what do you mean it only sounds cool? Do you not know of the Aeonhart Empire? It is cool."

The brown one blinked once, and answered calmly.

"We don't know anything about the Aeonhart Empire. We've lived in this cave for as long as we know."

Before Kaizen could ask the obvious follow up, the green slime chimed in.

"There are several holes in this tunnel. Small beasts come through them often, and there's a river flowing through one of them. So we've never lacked food or water."

Kaizen tilted his head.

"Couldn't you all have left?"

This time, the red slime answered. Its voice was the highest pitched of the three.

"Our bodies get zapped whenever we touch those walls. We can't break out of this tunnel even if we want to."

Kaizen cautiously eyed the tunnel walls, then cleared his throat.

I at least need to know their names if I want to start a conversation with them about any kind of good stuff here.

From what I've gathered, the red one is the youngest and most energetic.

The green one is the middle child. Still enthusiastic, just less explosive.

The brown one is the oldest. Calm. Measured. Probably the voice of reason when these slimes argued about absolutely nothing.

"So," Kaizen said, "what should I call you all?"

For the first time since he had arrived, all three slimes fell completely silent.

Kaizen's thoughts went haywire, spilling in every possible direction as a flicker of excitement creeped into his eyes.

"You don't have names?"

The brown one hesitantly answered. "We just call each other by our colors."

CLAP!

The sound echoed sharply through the tunnel as Kaizen brought his palms together.

"Perfect. I'll take you all out of here, and give you a proper identity. I have this authority as a prince of an empire. How about letting me name you?"

The red one's eyes shined at the mention of a life outside of these dull tunnels.

"Sure!"

Kaizen stepped closer, his foot tapping the ground with an especially rhythmic beat.

By now, the excitement was barely contained. It was leaking out of his eyes.

Pointing at the brown one, he said.

"You…will be the Earthmelon."

He snapped his fingers, spun once for absolutely no reason, then pointed at the green one.

"You will be the Airmelon."

Then he shimmied. For a solid two seconds. Commitment mattered.

Finally, he pointed at the red one.

"And you… will be named the Firemelon."

"Yayyyy!"

The red slime bounced with joy. The green one looked politely pleased. The brown one remained silent, as if still processing the consequences of this decision.

Suddenly, Kaizen's brows furrowed as he muttered.

"Wait, the Elemelons are incomplete."

He paused.

"There should be a Watermelon too."

At that, the brown slime's eyes widened, genuine excitement finally breaking through its calm.

When it spoke again, its voice carried a hint of reverence.

"How do you know of our blue sister?"

 

[Ardenox]

Btw, small correction in chapter 23. It ends with "Can you let me enter the tunnel behind you?" and not "Can you show me the way to the tunnel?" (I already edited the changes). In case someone is confused why chp 24 started the way it did and didn't scroll back to read the updated end of chp 23, it's the above reason.