It was already deep into the night after the grand celebration.

The sounds of distant singing and laughter still echoed faintly from the courtyard, but Lucian had long since returned to his assigned room. He wasn’t drunk, he had only taken a few sips of ale throughout the evening. Instead, he focused on preparing for tomorrow’s departure.

His satchel had limited space, so he carefully packed the most valuable items into sturdy crates and reinforced bags. Among them were the books he treasured most. The Book of Dragons that Fishlegs had been allowed to read was especially precious. Unlike the incomplete version on Berk, this one was a complete relic compiled after years of adventures. It contained detailed records of countless dragon species, their strengths, weaknesses, taming methods, abilities, and even practical uses for their scales, fire, and other traits. Many of the dragons listed were unknown to scholars of this world.

Lucian carefully wrapped the books before placing them into a crate.

With everything organized, he finally sat down on the edge of the bed. Simba was nowhere to be seen, the merlion had grown quite attached to Ariel and was probably sleeping with her tonight.

Lucian exhaled and opened his system menu.

[Unlimited Blind Boxes Available: Special Blind Box ×2, Rare Blind Box ×1, Uncommon Blind Box ×9]

"Time to see what I got," he muttered.

He started with the Uncommon boxes.

[Do you want to open the Uncommon Blind Boxes?]

"Yes."

The system chimed one after another.

[Congratulations! You have opened the Uncommon Box from Lord MacGuffin and gained: MacGuffin’s Might]

[Congratulations! You have opened the Uncommon Box from Lord Macintosh and gained: Boastful Roar]

[Congratulations! You have opened the Uncommon Box from Lord Dingwall and gained: Provocation]

[Congratulations! You have opened the Uncommon Box from Wee Dingwall and gained: Underdog Rage]

[Congratulations! You have opened the Uncommon Box from Angus Macintosh and gained: Ego Shield]

[Congratulations! You have opened the Uncommon Box from Hodar MacGuffin and gained: Bear Hug]

[Congratulations! You have opened the Uncommon Box from Conan and gained: Intimidating Presence]

[Congratulations! You have opened the Uncommon Box from Maudie and gained: Kitchen Warrior]

[Congratulations! You have opened the Uncommon Box from Crow and gained: Eyes in the Sky]

A warm surge of energy washed over Lucian’s body. He felt noticeably stronger, his muscles denser, his endurance deeper.

[Boastful Roar: A thundering, echoing shout that shakes the air around the host. It strikes fear and hesitation into nearby enemies, lowering their will to fight]

[MacGuffin’s Might: A permanent enhancement that drastically increases the host raw physical power, allowing to lift, carry, and strike with incredible force.]

[Provocation: A sharp, mocking taunt skill or insulting gesture that hits an opponent’s pride. It enrages them instantly, clouding their judgment and forcing their full attention onto him, making them ignore everyone else just to try and take him down.]

[Underdog Rage: A passive ability that awakens the true potential when he is at a disadvantage. The more he is outnumbered, looked down upon, or underestimated by others, the more his adrenaline and power surge.]

[Bear Hug: A crushing grappling technique that uses the host full body strength to wrap his arms around a target. Once locked in, he squeezes with terrifying force, capable of crushing armor, breaking bones, or completely restricting movement until the enemy submits or collapses.]

[Ego Shield: A defensive ability that activates automatically whenever the host pride, honor, or reputation is wounded or challenged.]

[Kitchen Warrior: A skill granting master-level proficiency with common kitchen tools as deadly weapons. Whether wielding heavy frying pans, sturdy rolling pins, sharp knives, or even ladles and cleavers, the host handles them with the skill of a trained soldier, turning everyday cooking items into effective and surprising armaments.]

[Intimidating Presence: Passive aura that makes the host appear much larger and more threatening. Enemies are more likely to hesitate or target him first.]

[Eyes in the Sky: A unique sensory skill that allows the host to link his vision with birds. By making physical contact with any avian creature, he can temporarily see and hear everything that bird experiences, allowing him to scout high places, spy from above, or observe areas far beyond his own reach as if he were flying himself.] 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Lucian’s eye twitched when he read Ego Shield.

"...Really?" he muttered.

Still, most of the rewards were excellent. Intimidating Presence and Eyes in the Sky would be incredibly useful for reconnaissance and intimidation.

He moved on to the Rare box.

[Do you want to open the Rare Blind Box from Mor’du?]

"Yes."

[Congratulations! You have opened the Rare Blind Box from Mor’du and gained: Lycanthropy.]

[Lycanthropy: Enables the user to transform into a gigantic werebear. This form drastically increases strength, endurance, and defense, turning the user into a walking force of nature while retaining full mental clarity.]

The moment the notification appeared, power surged violently through Lucian’s body. The corners of his eye twitched violently. Before he could even process his thoughts, his body began to shift and expand rapidly. His frame grew larger and broader, muscles bulging and stretching his clothes until his shirt and pants were torn to shreds, falling off in tatters. Thick, dense fur sprouted across his entire body, and within seconds, he had fully transformed into a massive, towering werebear, standing with heavy, powerful limbs and a towering presence.

He looked down at his own massive paws, his eye twitching even harder now. He let out a deep, rumbling sigh that vibrated in his chest.

"I’m really turning into a chimera, aren’t I?" he muttered, his voice deep and distorted by the transformation. "A literal patchwork of monsters."

He shook his head, resigned to his fate, but then a sudden thought crossed his mind. A glint of mischief sparked in his bear-like eyes. A slow, wicked grin spread across his muzzle as he decided he wasn’t done yet.

Focusing his will, he triggered his other ability.

Instantly, his lower body shifted and reshaped itself. The heavy hindquarters of the bear melted away, transforming into the long, powerful, shimmering form of his Tideborn tail. At the same time, the silver fur covering his body rippled and hardened, changing texture and color until it was replaced by sleek, obsidian-black scales that gleamed faintly in the light.

He moved toward a large mirror leaning against the wall, his movements fluid despite his size. With surprising grace, he positioned himself, laying down comfortably as if he were lounging on a throne. He propped his head up with one hand, resting his cheek against his palm, and struck a dramatic pose, admiring his reflection from every angle.

"I look good..." he murmured to himself, sounding genuinely pleased. "For being an abomination, I really do look good."