“Just—” I swung my sword with precision, nding a hit on the frog’s slimy body. Green ichor spttered as the frog let out a guttural croak of protest. I quickly stepped back, allowing the swallowtail butterfly to dart in and deal with its tongue.Health Points: 50/80 [62.5%]

  “Die!” I shouted, stepping fain with a fierce determination. My bde sliced through the air, eg with another solid strike. The frog stumbled, its slimy skin rippling with the impact, as I deftly sidestepped to avoid any terattack.Health Points: 37/80 [46.25%]“Already!” I growled, adrenaline c through me. The butterfly circled around the frog, distrag it just long enough for me to nd another well-timed strike. The frog’s croaks grew weaker as its movements slowed.Health Points: 22/80 [27.5%]The butterfly swooped in again, glowing faintly as it danced around the creature’s head. With the frog visibly weakened, I tightened my grip on the hilt of my sword, ready to deliver the final two blows.I delivered two quick sshes, the bde cutting ly through the frog. Its body stopped moving, colpsing with a wet thud. A faint glow emanated from its remains, and a luminous gem materialized beside it, shimmering softly.[+25 EXP]

  [+10 on EXP]As I bent down to pick up the gem, a holographic s appeared in front of me, its translut glow casting faint light onto my surroundings.[You have leveled up to Level 2 (EXP 10/250)]Health Points: 100/100 → 120/120 Mana: 20/20 → 24/24Physical Attack: 10 → 12 (+3)Magical Attack: 0 → 0.2Defense: 2 → 2.4Agility: 12 → 14.4I stared at the stats, letting the information sink in. "Huh, I leveled up," I muttered to myself, feeling a strange mix of pride and anticipation.Sophia, perched casually on the rock, smirked as she observed my progress. “Hm… not bad,” she murmured, her tail swaying zily behind her. “At least you’re improving quickly. Though, I guess you’d better—this is just the beginning, after all.”I huffed and puffed, my sword still at the ready, as I gnced around. The beach was dotted with small monsters: rabbits with sharp horns and mushrooms walking on stubby little legs. They didn’t seem particurly threatening, but I stayed cautious. Sliding the luminous gem into my iory, I heard the familiar sound of a system notification.[+2 Luminous Gem]I tightened my grip on my sword, preparing to test my newfound strength. But before I could make a move, my stomach let out a loud, embarrassing grumble.“Pfft.” A poorly cealed snicker came from Sophia, who was still lounging on her rock. I turned red as her ughter grew louder.“Well, we haven’t had breakfast,” she said between chuckles, her wings twitg with amusement. “So it’s natural, isn’t it?”I sighed, l my sword aurning it to my iory. “Just when I thought I’d get to test out my increased stats,” I muttered, pg my hand on my stomach. “How am I supposed to know how strong I’ve gotten now?”Sophia hopped off the rock gracefully and stretched her arms. Her tail swayed as she spoke. “Every time you level up, your stats increase by about 20%. That means everything—your strength, defense, agility—gets a nice boost,” she expined, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. “Of course, it’s not the most effective way to grow stronger, but it’ll do for now.”I raised an eyebrow. “Not the most effective way? What do you mean?”She grinned slyly. “Oh, there are other ways to increase your power—training, acquiring magical artifacts, mastering advanced skills. But leveling up is the easiest, especially for someone like you.”“Someone like me?” I echoed, tilting my head.Sophia waved her hand dismissively. “You’ll figure it out soon enough. For now, though…” Her stomach growled suddenly, interrupting her sentence.Sophia stood at the edge of the beach, her gaze fixed on the shimmering waves. Her expression softened as she closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. Then, without warning, she opened her mouth, and a brilliant torrent of fire erupted forth. The fmes roared as they licked the o's surface, sending a plume of steam into the air.The fiery spectacle didn’t st long, but it was enough to cause a otion ier. A few moments ter, the charred remains of massive sea creatures began floating to the surface—a giant tuna and an enormous octopus, each roughly the size of a mango tree.Sophia spread her crimson wings and took off, her movements smooth and effortless as she soared over the o. H above the water, she reached down, grabbing the floating carcass of the giant tuna with ease before turning to snatch the octopus iher arm. Despite their size, she carried them as if they were no heavier than a basket of bread.Landing ba the beach with a flourish, she dropped her haul onto the sand with a loud thud. The sheer size of the creatures left me speechless for a moment.“Breakfast is served,” Sophia said with a smirk, brushing her hands together.I stared at the enormous seafood lying before us. “That’s… a bit excessive, don’t you think?”She tilted her head ily, her tail swishing behind her. “What? You said you were hungry.”I sighed, knowing I couldn’t argue with her logic. “I hope you know how to cook these.”Sophia grinned mischievously. “Oh, I’ve got it covered. Trust me, you’re in for a feast!”Sophia wasted no time. With a flick of her hand, a small fme ignited on her fiip. She carefully used it to sear through the thick scales of the tuna, making swift, precise cuts. It was surprising how dexterous and skilled she was, sidering her pyful and carefree demeanor.Meanwhile, I tried to make myself useful by gathering some driftwood and dry seaweed from the shore to create a makeshift fire pit. After arranging the materials, I awkwardly g Sophia. "Uh, do you wao—?"Before I could finish, Sophia snapped her fingers, and a r fme instantly ed the fire pit. I flinched, nearly dropping the seaweed I was holding.“Rex, Mashiro,” she chuckled. “I’ll hahe cooking. You just sit tight and watch.”I let out a sigh and sat down on a ft roearby, my stomach growling in anticipation as the rich smell of roasted fish began to fill the air. Sophia worked quickly, skewering ks of tu aacles from the octopus on makeshift sticks. She seasohem with herbs and spices she pulled out from her maid pocket.As the skewers roasted over the fire, the crag sound and savory aroma were mouthwatering. Sophia turo me with a grin, holding up a perfectly grilled piece of tuna. “Here, try it!”I reached out hesitantly, taking the skewer from Sophia’s hand. The aroma was incredible—smoky, savory, and tinged with a faint hint of the sea. The golden-brown crust ouna was slightly charred, and the juices glistened as I brought it closer to my mouth.“Wow,” I muttered before taking a bite. The fish practically melted in my mouth, tender and fvorful, with the perfect banokiness and the subtle spices Sophia had somehow jured from her pocket.“How is it?” Sophia asked, leaning in expetly, her tail swishing behind her like a curious cat“It’s… amazing,” I admitted, chewing eagerly. “This is seriously good.”She puffed out her chest, clearly pleased with herself. “Of course it is! I’ve cooked fons, nobles, and adventurers alike. Making a meal fit for a fox girl is child’s py.”I paused mid-bite, gng at her suspiciously. “Wait, what exactly is in your maid pocket? You’re pulling out spices like it’s a magical pantry.”Sophia smirked and wagged her finger. “A good maid never reveals her secrets. Let’s just say it’s a handy little trick I picked up ba the Golden City of Fox.”“Golden City of Fox again…” I muttered, taking another bite of tuna. It was delicious enough to distract me from pressing the matter further.Sophia, meanwhile, skewered a few tentacles from the octopus and roasted them over the fire. The rich, buttery st of grilled seafood filled the air, and my stomach growled agaie already having started eating.As we sat on the beach, eating and listening to the gentle crash of waves, I realized how surreal this moment was. A dragon girl cooking seafood for me on an isoted bea another world—it felt like something out of a dream. But the warmth of the food and the carefree atmosphere made it all too real.“Hey Mashiro, do you have a boyfriend?” Sophia suddenly asked, her tone casual but curious.I nearly choked on my food, a surprised cough esg me as I struggled to swallow. “What brings this up?”Sophia tilted her head, grinning mischievously. “I mean, it’s the beach. A pce full of passion a,” she said, her eyes drifting toward the o as if pting something. “And well, Catheriold me you ran away because of… your lover?”My face turned beet red. “That did NOT happen!” I nearly spat out my food in panic, quickly swallowing and trying tain my posure. My mind, however, was in a whirlwind. I had never really ied with the opposite sex much, aside from casual versations. The st guy I spoke to was... “Ah.” I muttered aloud, my thoughts snapping and I involuntarily thought back to yesterday—back to when I left S and the others without even saying goodbye.Sophia raised an eyebrow, her grin widening. “Oh, you do have someone in mind.”