"ARGHHHHHHHHH!" Max's screams were heard again as he began clawing at the ground, his veins bulging more and more, his claws digging into the earth continuously but flickering in and out as he kept digging.

Jake's body tensed up, teeth grinding back and forth as he was forced to watch his best friend endure an immense amount of pain. Even Jasmine nervously bit her nails, her anxiety barely contained.

'Please, whoever is listening to me, kindly don't let anything happen to Max. I care about him a lot, please, help him get through what he is going through.' Jasmine pleaded inwardly, a trickle of a tear slipping down her cheek as she clenched her hands tightly, her heart pounding.

"FUCKKKKK!" Max roared in pure agony before collapsing into coughing fits, his eyes bulging with every passing second as blood continued to pour from his mouth.

'Pi…Pix, is there anything that can help? I'm going through double the pain I went through the last time! Please help! I'm in pain!' Max shouted inwardly, tears mixing with blood as they streamed down his face.

His teeth were now bloodied, his hands clenching tightly around the earth as he screamed louder and louder. Small fangs protruded from his mouth as he bit down on his lips, trying his absolute best to restrain himself from shouting even more.

"I'm sorry Max, there is no way I can help you. Dragons do not traditionally go through this, but since the system and your Draconic self are linked, the system cannot dump all the powers onto you—you have to earn it yourself.

Through grit, pain, and determination, you will gradually receive more power. Dragons receive their abilities and strength from birth, but since you are a human, this is the next best way for you to gain those powers. So I'm sorry, I cannot help you directly," Pix replied solemnly.

'You could have just said that you couldn't help, why the fuck ass lecture!' Max thundered inwardly and then…

GRRRRRRRRRRR!

ARGHHHHH!

He screamed again in pain as blood spilled from his nose and mouth, the system surprisingly counting it as damage but not too severe. Max tried desperately to distract himself from the excruciating agony, but it was impossible.

No matter how hard he tried, his mind kept snapping back to the pain. Even thinking about his fun adventures with his women was not enough to help him. He kept screaming at intervals, gritting his teeth and clawing the ground.

'What is happening to him? Did the demon do something to him?' Lana thought, her brows furrowed as she stared on, unable to comprehend the extent of his suffering.

'I don't know exactly what you are going through, brother. But I have a feeling, and I know you can pull through. Fight back, fight back, and survive! We still need to grow our gang more, so you better survive.' Jake hyped inwardly, weakly clenching his fists as he encouraged Max.

"Argh, Argh, Argh!" Max groaned, smashing his fists repeatedly into the ground, grinding his teeth in pure torment.

"How long has it been now?" Jasmine asked anxiously, her voice shaking as she watched.

"Two minutes," Drey casually replied, his eyes never leaving the dragon.

'Two minutes? Are you kidding me? I have been going through this for hours!' Max thundered inwardly as a sharp new pain erupted from inside.

His bones were rapidly breaking and reforming, causing his whole body to go limp on the ground, his screams the only sound piercing the tense air.

The way his bones shattered and reformed so quickly made the pain sharp and almost unbearable, forcing him to scream even louder. Blood continued spilling from his mouth as his body endured the torment.

After two more minutes, the screams finally stopped. Max's clenched fists unclenched as he collapsed face-first onto the ground, ragged breaths escaping his lips. Everyone else held their breaths, uncertain if he would ever move again.

Tring!

[Congratulations! Evolution Complete]

[New Race; Dragon Hybrid]

[Caps on stats removed]

"Max? Are you okay?" Jake asked, cautiously taking a few steps forward as a calm settled over the battlefield, but he paused, wary of what might happen next.

Max began twitching, his body rising weakly from the ground until he was on his knees. His head remained bowed, oblivious to everything being said or happening around him. Blood still dripped from his head and nose, but he didn't care.

"Max?" Drey called out softly as he stared at the dragon, still on his knees. His chest heaved in and out rhythmically, and then, it stopped.

His chest no longer moved, causing Drey to halt his footsteps immediately. Jake also froze as they both felt the shift in the air.

It was subtle at first, but it grew clearer—the night sky above them rumbled softly, the air hummed with energy, and the ground beneath the dragon's body quivered gently as if responding to some immense force.

"Huh? Wh…what is going on?" Jasmine panicked, glancing at Jake and Drey out front. Both had their hands clenched tightly, ready for anything.

'Why isn't he replying? Did something go wrong?' Drey thought inwardly, his eyes locked on the dragon.

"Max! Answer us! Are you okay? Is it over?" Jake shouted, unable to contain his frustration anymore. Still, there was no answer. Only silence.

The wind seemed to pause mid-whistle, the subtle rumblings in the earth and sky vanished, and even the distant sound of crickets fell silent. Only a soft, omnipresent hum of energy filled the air.

"Ma…" Jasmine started to call out when…

"ARGHHHHHHHHHH!" Max roared into the sky, his head jerking backward violently. The sudden movement made the girls flinch, and even Drey and Jake instinctively took a step back.

Max's eyes now glowed a fierce yellow, piercing the darkness of the night. His fangs were fully exposed, long and sharp. The five claws on each hand suddenly merged into three each, more powerful and menacing than before. Horns sprouted from his head in a matter of seconds until he had a pair of short, jagged horns.

A long, jagged tail burst from his backside, tearing through his pants as it whipped behind him. But that was not all.

"ARGHHHH!" he roared again, louder this time. Right on cue, a pair of massive red wings erupted from his back, glowing with raw power and radiating a faint heat that made the air shimmer.

They spread wide, casting ominous shadows on the ground below. Every muscle in his body seemed to pulse with energy, and the soft hum in the air intensified, vibrating through the earth itself.

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