As Callie led Max toward his living quarters, they walked in silence.

But even without words, Max could feel her thoughts.

They weren't just assumptions or guesses—he could literally sense them, as if they were trickling directly into his mind.

How did he do it?

What is the secret behind his bloodline?

What makes him so special?

Each question echoed in his head, and despite his usually composed nature, Max felt a bit embarrassed.

'Can I make this go away?'

He wasn't sure how this was happening, but it was clear that his bloodline connection had deepened far more than he originally thought.

And he didn't like it.

Hearing people's thoughts constantly? That would be a nightmare.

Max closed his eyes lightly, focusing inward.

He concentrated, trying to shut out the connection—trying to control whatever it was that was allowing him to hear Callie's thoughts.

A moment passed.

Then—

Silence.

When he opened his eyes, everything had become clear.

The mental connection had vanished.

Callie's thoughts no longer bled into him.

Max let out a quiet sigh of relief.

'"Thank god."'

If this ability had been permanent, he couldn't even imagine what kind of hell his life would have turned into.

Living every second hearing people's thoughts?

No. That was something he could never live with.

Both of them continued walking in silence, the atmosphere growing increasingly awkward with each passing moment.

Max, having shut off the mental connection, no longer sensed Callie's thoughts, but the tension between them was palpable.

A long, awkward walk.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Callie came to a stop in front of a large dome-shaped structure.

"This is your place," she said, her tone as neutral as ever.

Max glanced at the building, taking in its simple yet sturdy design. It wasn't extravagant, but it looked well-fortified, likely built with security in mind.

"If you need anything," Callie continued, "just let me know."

She tapped her holowatch, the faint digital sound of a notification beeping through the air.

Beep!

Max's own holowatch vibrated, signaling an incoming contact request.

He tapped it lightly, adding Callie's contact without hesitation.

A brief moment of silence followed.

Max exhaled, glancing back at the dome structure before heading inside.

Finally, a place to train in peace.

As Callie was about to leave, Max called out to her.

"Callie, can you ask Klaus and the Old Saintess if there are any dragon-related items in the guild's possession that aren't being used?" His voice was calm, but there was a certain weight behind his request. "I need them right now. Also, ask if they can provide me with Chaos Stones, but make sure they know that anything related to dragons takes top priority."

Callie nodded without hesitation before silently walking away.

Once she disappeared from sight, Max stepped inside his living quarters.

The dome structure was simple but spacious, equipped with everything he needed. He explored the rooms, familiarizing himself with the layout, before making his way toward the bathroom.

Steam filled the air as Max dried himself off, feeling refreshed.

Once dressed, he went to the kitchen and prepared a meal.

The food wasn't extravagant—just simple, hearty nourishment—but he enjoyed it nonetheless, taking his time to savor every bite.

As he finished, his mind shifted to something else.

'"Time to test Dragon Scales Transformation."'

His eyes gleamed as he stood, pushing the plate aside.

He moved toward the training chamber, a separate section within his quarters, designed with reinforced walls and specialized equipment.

Inside, various training instruments and measuring tools were neatly arranged, but Max ignored them.

He didn't need any of that. Not right now.

Instead, he walked to the center of the chamber and stood still.

He closed his eyes.

Darkness engulfed his vision.

Then—

A familiar light broke through the void.

A golden core, radiant and steady, illuminating the darkness.

And coiling around it—

A massive black dragon.

Max focused on it, observing the intricate details of its body.

Its entire form was covered in hundreds of thousands of scales, each one an embodiment of strength and resilience.

But then he noticed something.

Not all the scales were the same.

Some of them—only a small portion—glowed with a golden gleam, standing out against the deep black of the dragon's body.

Max's brows furrowed slightly.

'"What's the difference?"'

He knew that these scales would be crucial in his Dragon Scales Transformation—but he had yet to understand how.

'Could they be my 300 Dragon Scales?'

The thought echoed in Max's mind as he stared at the golden-glowing scales wrapped around the black dragon inside him.

Realizing that the dragon within him was real, a surge of excitement filled his chest.

His focus snapped back to the present.

'Time to test it.'

The moment Max activated the ability, he felt it.

A sudden shift—an awakening of something ancient deep inside him.

Black scales appeared along his two arms, spreading from his hands to his elbows.

But these weren't normal scales.

They weren't physical—not grown from his skin, but rather manifested energy, condensed into an armor-like form.

Each black scale carried a golden edge, pulsing faintly as if they were alive.

Max raised his hands, flexing his fingers. He could feel the difference—his arms felt heavier, stronger, as if they were now weapons themselves.

But something was off.

The scales only covered up to his elbows—nowhere near his entire arm.

Max frowned slightly. 'Is it because I only have around 300 Dragon Scales?'

He fist-bumped both his hands together in curiosity.

Tang!

A deep, metallic clash rang through the training chamber.

Max's eyes widened in shock.

It sounded exactly like metal striking metal—but this was his own body.

'"So this transformation isn't just for raw strength—it's for defense too?"'

He needed to test more.

Tapping into his Draconic Essences, he willed the power of his 15 Draconic Essences to activate.

The moment he did—

Fifteen of his Dragon Scales glowed with golden light.

And then—

Raw, untamed strength surged through his entire body.

But this time, it felt different.

Max had used the Draconic Essence many times before, increasing his mastery over its strength. Normally, when he used it, he had to condense all the raw power into a single point to maximize its true potential.

But now—

Each of his 300 Dragon Scales contained peak strength individually.

Each scale was like a miniature reservoir of power—and with each glowing one, a new wave of strength pulsed through his muscles.

Max clenched his fists, feeling the overwhelming force coursing through him.

'"This is unbelievable!"'

He had expected Dragon Scales Transformation to give him defense, but now he realized—

It was far more than that.

It was an evolution—a perfect synchronization between his strength and defense, amplifying both without restriction.

His arms alone carried enough raw force to shatter anything in his path.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay