Dragon King: Throne of Demons and Gods-Chapter 13: Not a Dog, But a Dragon

Bel tipped a bottle over his head, letting the cool water cascade over his overheated skin. He shook his head afterward, sending droplets flying in all directions.

"Ugh, can you not?" a sharp voice snapped.

Bel looked back, meeting Dusteria's irritated gaze. She stood with arms crossed, followed by Crest, Will, and Sienna. Her expression twisted in clear disapproval.

"Are you some kind of dog or what?" she asked, voice edged with exasperation.

Bel stared at her for a moment before a smirk played on his lips. "Not a dog," he said simply, the faintest hint of amusement in his tone.

Dusteria faltered, momentarily caught off guard by his response. Her brows furrowed quickly, though, and she scoffed.

"Tch. Whatever," she shot back. "At least you understand the fact that you're a mess."

Behind her, Crest and Will exchanged surprised glances at the sharp exchange. Sienna, standing slightly apart, took a closer look at Bel and suddenly tensed. A quiet gasp escaped her lips, but she said nothing.

Dusteria crossed her arms tighter, shifting back to her usual tone.

"Anyway, we're going into town. And since you're supposedly my knight, you're coming with us." Her eyes narrowed. "But not before you take a damn bath."

Bel raised an eyebrow.

"A trip?" he asked, voice filled with skepticism. "For what?"

Dusteria sighed, already irritated.

"Bonding or something. I don't know, just shut up and do it."

Bel frowned, his mind turning. Even if he was supposed to be her knight, she had no reason to talk to him like that. He tilted his head slightly.

"Not interested. I have things to do."

Dusteria barely took a step away, already saying.

"We'll be waiting in the gard—" but then she froze mid-sentence as she fully registered his refusal. She whipped back around, eyes narrowing sharply in disbelief.

"What did you just say?"

Bel's gaze remained steady as he repeated.

"I said, I'm not interested in visiting the town."

Dusteria blinked, clearly thrown off. She stared at him, almost as if she thought she had misheard.

"You..." she started.

Crest, Will, and Sienna exchanged uneasy glances before stepping forward, attempting to intervene between Bel and Dusteria. The tension in the air was palpable, and they hoped to de-escalate the situation before it worsened.

Crest cleared his throat.

"Bel, as a knight, you're supposed to follow the orders of your lady. That's how it works. I heard about you, so I understand why you don't understand..."

Bel crossed his arms, unfazed.

"If we're talking about knights, then a knight is just a glorified servant. And a servant should be treated as such." His gaze flickered between them. "Are these people your knights, or are they your friends?"

Will and Sienna flinched at the pointed question. Even Crest, composed as ever, was taken aback by the question. But before he could answer, Dusteria cut in sharply.

"Don't talk about them like that!" she snapped. "They're my friends."

Will and Sienna shifted uncomfortably, clearly troubled, while Crest exhaled, his patience thinning.

"There's no reason to get angry," he said evenly. "If he doesn't want to go, we'll just leave him."

Silence followed. Will and Sienna exchanged uncertain looks, doubtful about letting the matter drop so easily.

Crest then turned back to Bel, studying him with quiet curiosity.

"Is there a reason you prefer staying here?"

The question felt almost ridiculous. A single reason? Bel could think of at least three. But he settled for the simplest answer.

"I'm training."

Crest's eyes briefly scanned Bel's body, his drenched clothing clinging to his body.

"Training, huh? I have to admit, I wonder what kind of training gets results that fast."

Bel narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Results?"

Glancing down at himself, he finally noticed what Crest was referring to.

His muscles.

Before, he had been nearly a shrimp, with little to no definition. But now, there was something there, a slight but visible change in his muscle mass, an unexpected and rapid development. His brows lifted slightly in surprise.

Instinctively, he looked at his system interface, wondering if this was due to his increased strength.

Dusteria huffed, clearly irritated, and turned away.

"Enough of this. Let's go," she said, directing her words at her friends.

Sienna hesitated, her gaze lingering on Bel with mild concern, but ultimately followed. Crest sighed and gave a small nod before walking away. Will, bringing up the rear, gave Bel one last glance before following suit.

Left alone, Bel let out a quiet sigh and flexed his fingers, looking over his body once more. The increase in muscle mass was undeniable. He hadn't noticed it before, but it was definitely there.

He pondered briefly. If increasing strength affected his body this much, what would happen if he raised his other stats?

A slow smirk crept onto his face. Well, he had all the time in the world to find out, today was a special day after all.

Today was the day Bel would return to the forest for his hunt, and this time, he would be alone.

Aldric had informed him earlier that he was 'busy' for the day and wouldn't be able to accompany him. Instead, he had given Bel a rough summary of the locations where groups of monsters had been spotted. It wasn't much, but it was enough.

Bel made his way to the armory, the place where the knights of the mansion stored their weapons. Rows of swords, spears, and shields lined the walls, each neatly placed in its designated spot, each belonging to a knight.

He grabbed his short sword, feeling it even lighter than usual.

A smirk tugged at his lips, he was impatient.

With everything set, the two groups parted ways. The nobles, heading off toward town, their voices full of light conversation and laughter. Bel, on the other hand, took the opposite path, heading into the forest.

The journey stretched for hours, the canopy above filtering the sunlight into shifting patches of gold and shadow. Yet, as Bel walked, something felt different.

The increase in muscle mass was obvious, his arms and shoulders carried more weight than before, but there was something else, a change he had barely noticed before.

He had only slept four hours since the previous day, yet his body didn't feel sluggish or weak. In fact, he felt surprisingly good. His movements were smooth, his breathing controlled, and there was no exhaustion dragging at his limbs.

Was this the effect of his increased stamina?

The realization amused him. If this was how stamina worked, he was tempted to pour all his points into it, then train physically to raise his other stats. The idea lingered for a moment before he laughed it off.

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Today wasn't about physical training, but proving to himself why it wasn't the best way.

Today, he was here to play with his body.

The first group of monsters came into view, a pack of thick-bodied beasts with coarse, bristled fur and low, snarling growls. Their bodies were squat but powerful, their movements slow.

Bel crept forward, eyes locked on them, his heartbeat steady. Step by step, he closed the distance, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his sword. When he was close enough, he burst into a sprint.

The monsters reacted with startled snarls, but their sluggish movements betrayed them.

Bel's blade came down hard on the head of the nearest beast. The impact was solid, but instead of crumbling under his strike, the monster barely flinched before hurling its massive body at him.

Bel flew back, crashing against the trunk of a tree with a sharp grunt.

Pain flared through his ribs, but he had no time to wallow in it. The beast charged again, and he rolled to the side just in time, dirt kicking up in his wake.

As it passed, he retaliated, slashing his sword deep into its flank. Again and again, he struck, weaving between lunges and countering with precision.

The battle was relentless, but Bel was faster. After a drawn-out exchange of slashes and dodges, the beast finally let out a strangled growl and collapsed.

A rush of energy surged through him.

[EXP: 183/700]

More experience than the boars. His eyes narrowed.

Now he was sure, these monsters would let him level up much faster.

Unlike the boars, the rest of the pack did not retreat. Instead, their snarls deepened, and they rushed him with renewed aggression.

Bel's lips curled into a grin.

This was what he was waiting for.

One of the beasts lunged, aiming to crush him beneath its weight. But Bel was quicker, he leapt onto its back, gripping the coarse fur to steady himself.

With all his strength, he drove his blade into the back of its skull. The creature howled, thrashing violently.

As more beasts leapt toward him, he used the opportunity to spring from one back to another, striking as he moved. His footing was unstable, but his instincts guided him, turning the chaotic brawl into a deadly dance.

Blades flashed. Flesh tore. His body was thrown this way and that, each impact sending jolts of pain through him. But still, he moved, fought, and endured.

His muscles burned, his vision narrowed, but deep in the chaos, there was a fire, an exhilaration that consumed everything else.

A bright flash erupted in his vision.

[Level up!]