d's hands as I pulled aside two large rocks from our cave entrance. "

a tiny shield while shuffling two paces behind my heels. "You

h tactical spunk

g the jagged rocks in a wet, glittering coat of red slime. Just fifty yards down the rocky slope, a massive chunk of smoking, twisted silver metal was wedged

n the muddy slope on my heels

mega-eagle!" Milo shouted over the roaring wind, keepin

re!" I pointed toward the base

dark obsidian horns curling backward from his forehead. His clothes were shredded, covered in black soot and glowing

oking his shoulder with my sharp stick. "You alive

g, reptilian gold eyes that practically burned through the rain. He glared

brated straight through my stomach, even though he was clearly five seconds a

ing across his torso. "Listen, alien space-dude, you're currently squishing my f

"I am... Military Commander Darius Vane... of the Black Star Fleet. I am not.

ers I needed for my skin routine," I retorted, placing my hands on my hips. "C

uscles the size of watermelons, but a sudden flash of dark, glitchy red energy exploded across his ribs. He let out

iant lizard," Milo whispere

ilo, his gold eyes flashing. "I

ou're stuck under a door!" I interrupted, rolling up my sleeves. "Milo, grab

the mud, dragging a sturdy fal

ulcrum. "Alright, Commander Big-Words, on three, you pull yourself ou

nd of the wooden lever like a madman, adding his whopping forty pounds to the e

ed his upper body across the slick mud, hauling himself fre

down into the empty d

gain!" I cheered, wiping a stre

od around his abdomen, where a jagged, glowing purple wound was crackling with dark energy. He raised a t

er with fatigue. "The Zerath Dominion... ambushed my fleet... the

opping to my knees beside him. I snapped my fingers in front of his face. "Hey! Keep those gol

vere Biological In

llar Dragon Beast

tatus: Critica

ower Soothing Syrup immediately or

ready yet, System!" I ye

wildered despite his agony. "Who... are you

d poking his horn with the wooden spoon. "She talks to floating invisib

nto my tunic pocket. I pulled out my last foil tube of emergency nutritional paste and my fla

ense military suspicion. "What is... that synthetic slime? I d

threatened, unscrewing the cap and squeezing a

ed. The system energy packed inside the paste flared up, cooling the burning purple fire raging across his ribs.

ck. "It's pure, refined, non-hazardous nutrition! You o

He stared at me like I was a completely insane wild animal that had somehow learned basi

ster into biological survival," I boasted, s

arp groan. "Do not... call me s

y arm and hauling it over my neck. "Milo, grab his other side! We're dragging th

ed, grabbing Darius's wrist and pulling with

y against my shoulder as we slowly dragged his massive frame up the muddy

anted, my knees buckling under his massive weight as we shuffled toward t

. The dragon commander slumped against the stone wall, his broad chest rising and falling in heavy, ex

iron pot, utterly breathless, wipin

ius's obsidian horns with the wooden spoon. "We've got a cave, a pot, ten seeds, a tiny c

against the cold cave wall. "May the cosmic

ointing my finger at him. "Now shut your glowing eye