The Adventures of Rose Hood

Chapter 2: The Dragon and the Whilder

We set out to find the wolfkin, and I instantly noticed him. I didn't act on it, as I didn't want to reveal more abilities.
By the way, that Shy one title is the title given to dragons that hide their nature, so I was happy none of them knew what it meant.
"He's near."
I acted scared. A wolfkin stepped out.
"A Mature?"
"Project stats."
------------------------------------------------------
Darsen| Nickname: Big bad wolf
HP: 447/700
MP: 100/100
SP: 78/750
LV: 17
Race: Mature Wolfkin
Age: 25
Skills:
Wolf's rage: 7
Shift: 4
Hunger: 9
Awakened Beast: MAX
Martial Arts: MAX
Demon Arts: 9
UNIQUE Devour: MAX
Titles:
Destroyer of Humans
Devourer
Noble Killer
Slave Breaker
-------------------------------------------
"Slave Breaker?"
"What does that mean?"
"He frees slaves and kills their masters."
I froze. I came to the village shortly before the raids started. He thought I was actually enslaved.
"Well, I see. Yo-"
"Wait."
I stepped in front of them.
"What are you doing, Hood?"
"I came to the village shortly before he started attacking. I think he was trying to rescue me, not knowing the situation."
Understanding dawned in Sir Royce's eyes, and Darsen stepped back in shock.
"You are not a slave?"
"I am by technicality alone. Granny merely keeps the collar on me, so slavers won't attempt to enslave me again."
He smiled warmly and then realized the extent of his error. He instantly got on the ground and started whimpering.
"Please forgive me, I caused so much trouble based on an assumption. I even nearly hurt Mrs. Dalla."
"That explains why you attacked her too. You thought she was just another slaver."
"Yes, I'm so sorry. I'm fine with going to jail for my actions, but please accept my apology."
"The real question is how you matured at 25."
"Like you, Sir Royce, I was a slave, but I rebelled and killed my masters, freeing my fellow enslaved. After that I went around killing many slavers, both noble and not. That's how I got the titles Noble Killer, Destroyer of Humans, and Slave Breaker. Devourer came from my unique skill."
"What does it do?"
"It allows me to gain the strength of anything I eat."
"Wow."
"I do apologize again, but before you take me in, I must warn you of beasts. The Whilders are free."
"The Whilders?"
"Yes, they have evolved."
The Whilders were legendary level beasts. They could easily destroy towns and nations, but they were kept in the forest by legendary runes, but if they evolved...
"They broke through the barrier, didn't they."
"Yes, 1 year ago. I fought against them, but they keep getting stronger. I was just running from one of the lower lev-"
A loud crash sounded as a Whilder beast crashed through the woods and threw Darsen. A knight caught him and laid him next to me.
"It was a bad idea to bring you, Hood. Get him to the village."
Royce drew his sword and prepared to face the beast.
"A lower legendary, huh? Come on, men! We are Kingsguard. Let's show this thing what that means."
I picked up Darsen and began heading back as the men charged the beast. I ran as fast as I could and entered the village.
"No time to explain, I need a healer!"
"Is that the wolfkin?"
"Yes, but that's a different story. The Whilders have escaped and evolved. We need to evacuate."
"Hood! Where are you going?"
"I need to help them."
I began to run back, but then Granny gave me her first order.
"Stop, Hood."
She didn't even realize. My body froze as though I was frozen solid.
"What?"
"Dalla, she isn't breathing!"
She thought for a moment on what she needed to say to revert the command.
"Move!"
Air flew through my lungs as I staggered. I turned back and said,
"I need to help them."
Granny pulled out the contract and showed visible confusion and concern at there being no indication of what caused me to follow her order 100%. She was distracted. I ran to help Royce and the others.
In the middle of the forest, I took a detour, so I came from a different direction, and shifted into my true form.
I will protect them.
_
"What caused Hood to just freeze?"
"There's nothing on it that would do that!"
"Dalla!"
"What?"
"Hood ran into the woods."
(GRUOA)
A dragon. There are only 10 that still exist. And one was in the forest.
"We need to help her!"
"Got it."
I drew my bow and rushed into the woods, my husband behind me. We were both rangers, let's see how this dragon fares.
_
I flew towards the group and tackled the Whilder. It thrashed and flung me into a tree, but I quickly got back up and began slashing and breathing fire.
_
What's going on? It's good we sent Hood away. A dragon showed up and now battled the Whilderbeast.
"Sir, we need to get out of here! We'll die if we stay!"
"We can't run, because whatever wins will likely go for the village next."
"Sir..."
My men knew what to do, they stood behind me and got ready to fight.
All of a sudden, 2 arrows flew in and pierced both the dragon and the Whilder beast.
Dalla and Brant Roger landed in with elven bows.
"Have you seen Hood?"
"We sent her your way."
"She ran back to help, if she hasn't shown up yet, that means that either she got lost or... let's hope it's the first."
Hood could be dead already. One of my men laughed and casted a control spell on the dragon.
"Finally, a dragon within my grasp. I no longer need to serve in the guard."
"What?"
"Kill them."
_
This brat actually just tried to control me. Now he told me to kill Granny, Mr. Roger, Royce, and the others. Nah. Even the Whilder stopped attacking to let me deal with this idiot.
"Haha! You will die. I am Callel."
"The Legendary Sorcerer?"
"Yes, I hid for years and finally I will kill all of y-"
Nom, munch, munch... Some legendary sorcerer. Died in one bite. Anyways, time to resume my duel.
_
WHAT IS GOING ON? First one of my men turned out to be Callel, a legendary sorcerer known for cruelty and power. Then, he tried to mind control the dragon. Finally, it ate him and casually resumed its fight.
_
I slashed at the beast and jumped back. It cut my wing, causing me to roar. Granny shot both of us, but I think they are focusing on the Whilder now.
"Focus the Whilderbeast then the dragon."
Yep, I was right. The fact that they still saw me as a threat was concerning, but I could likely make them run. After all, I'm a dragon. I'll finish thi-
*SLASH*
Ow, my eye. That's it.
"Arcane blast!"
I breathed arcane. It launched back upon feeling the power of my blast. Now!
*Monch*
I bit its throat hard and ripped it out. The Whilder died coughing. Now to scare them. I acted more injured and slashed slowly, but quick enough to still bop them.
I knocked them down. Granny dodged and shot. OW MY OTHER EYE! The first eye already regenerated, but oh my GOODNESS. I got to go faster. I saw Mr. Roger and I went for him. Granny panicked and shouted.
"STOP!"
I froze, could not move, could not breathe. As ordered.
"What?"
"It actually stopped."
Granny walked in front of me,
"Why would... wait."
"What is it, Mrs. Dalla?"
Granny's eyes shone in revelation as she looked at me:
"Hood?"
_
I think Mrs. Dalla was going a bit mad. Because she just asked a dragon if she was the catkin that ran into the woods alone to save us.
"Dalla, what do you mean?"
"Brant, when I told Hood to stop, back at the village, she froze entirely. Yet there was nothing in the slave contract."
"And?"
"I didn't know why that happened, but this dragon did the exact same thing."
My appraiser's eyes widened,
"A draconic contract."
"That's what I'm thinking."
"Move."
The dragon breathed deeply but it sat down, looking at us. Is this massive beast really Hood? I needed to ask,
"What's a draconic contract?"
"It's a binding agreement that the dragon has to agree to first. It essentially makes them select their master. They follow everything they order to a T."
"And you think this is Hood?"
"Shift back to how I'd know you."
A dark mist protruded from the earth and wrapped around the dragon before shrinking to reveal a catkin with a red cloak.
"Hi,"
_
Well crap. I was discovered. Time to smile awkwardly and hope they don't ask too many questions.
Granny, despite figuring it out, was still shocked to see I am actually a dragon. Of course, the Kingsguard did a rational thing and put their spears all pointed toward me.
I walked towards them, and Royce yelled,
"Don't come any closer."
I kept walking and smiled,
"Don't fool yourself into thinking you could stop me."
"Don't hurt them, please."
"I wasn't planning to."
"Liar!"
One of the men charged me with a spear. Royce was clearly as shocked as everyone else, but I decided to let him strike.
His spear breaks on my chest.
"What?"
"Impossible!"
Granny sighs,
"Idiots, a dragon's weak spot is its eyes."
"Yep."
"Can we ask some questions?"
"Sure."
---
"How did we not see you when we checked your stats?"
"Draconic shift allows me to shift my stats as well. However, it also causes the Shy One title."
"I see, so that's what that was."
We found a clearing on the way back to the village and sat down.
"Why didn't you tell us that you were a dragon?"
"Because I was afraid that, even though you are a good person, my power would tempt you to abuse it."
"Why?"
"Because humans are flawed and naturally greedy, and even elves have exploited dragons in the past."
"I see."
"Could we see your real stats?"
"Sure."
"Project stats."
------------------------------------------
(Nameless) Nickname:Hood
HP: 7083463/8000000
MP: 677777/700000
SP: 1387/10000
LV: 3
Race: Adolescent Dragon (Catkin form)
Age: 132
Skills:
Fire Divination: MAX
Water Divination: 7
Earth Divination: 8
Wind Divination: 9
Arcane Divination: 5
Draconic Shift: MAX
Inquisitive mind: 8
Oblivion: 3
Death's Blow: 5
Elemental Breath: MAX
Mortal Scales: 8
Immortal's Regeneration: 2
Sword King: 3
Title:
Free slave
Contracted One
Dragon of Arcane
Mythic Beast
Slayer of Legends [NEW]
-----------------------------------
"Slayer of Legends?"
"You must have gotten it when you killed Callel."
"Wait, he was actually a legendary?"
"Yes, the sorcerer Callel."
"He died in one bite! How is that a legendary?"
"Well, you are a mythic."
He had a point.
"Still, one kill normally wouldn't give you a title."
"Wait, one kill?"
"Yep, that Callel guy was my first humanoid kill."
"I see, that's why you are only level 3."
"Yeah."
"Your stats are incredible though."
Mr. Roger began talking,
"Me and Dalla's arrows are both enchanted with extra damage and poisoned with dragonsbane. They each would do half a million damage, plus what the Whilder beast was doing, yet you are still over 7 million with an 8 million max."
"Also, what's this Immortal's regeneration."
I turned to Royce who asked,
"It's a skill I picked up recently. I usually hunt in my dragon form, hence why I have little to no fighting skills. I got it after killing a giant bear."
"Now a real question, why did you attack us after killing the Whilder beast."
"To scare you."
"What?"
"I didn't want to reveal myself, so I thought that if I scared you away, I could leave and come back along your path, but Granny gave an order and I contracted myself to her."
"I see."
"Why do you look sad, Granny?"
"I don't want to be able to give you orders, it feels like I own you if I can."
"Well, there is a way to remove the contract, but then I can do whatever. As a dragon, I doubt Sir Royce is really interested in me being free."
"Honestly, I don't, but it's her choice either way."
"Sir?"
"Men, if this goes badly, I'll take all responsibility."
"..."
"Thank you, now, Hood. How do I remove the Contract?"
"Ok... Repeat after me, 'I release The Arcane Dragon of all contracts including the ones they personally put in place.'"
"I release The Arcane Dragon of all contracts including the ones they personally put in place."
Her pocket lit on fire, and she batted it out and noticed my slave contract was on fire. My collar fell off, and I clutched my stomach as I threw up blood.
They began to panic, but I sat up quickly, my eyes serpentine for a moment before returning to catkin eyes.
"And it is done. I am no longer bound to Dalla Roger."
I sag. That took so much energy.
"How hard is it to break a contract?"
"Check my MP."
"What, HOLY CRAP?"
"What is it?"
"Her MP is halved."
"I can regenerate it, but it took a lot of MP to make the contract and it held for 2 years. It built up to a half of my MP."
"What if you tried disconnecting it after 6 years or so?"
"Then it would draw into my HP."
"Holy crap."
"A draconic bond is supposed to be for the life of the master, so breaking it requires energy."
"Please don't do a bond like that again."
"Sure."
"You still follow orders?"
"Well, despite the bond being gone, I still recognize you as my master, so of course I'll follow what you said."
"Well, what now?"