My Dragon Devouring System

Justin's eyes snapped open as he stumbled forward, his vision still spinning from the sudden teleportation. 

"What the... Where am I?" he muttered, blinking rapidly as he took in his surroundings. The air was cold and damp, tinged with the smell of ancient stone and decay.

{Master, it appears you've been teleported to a dungeon.}

"A dungeon?" He echoed, his words barely above a whisper. His surroundings slowly came into focus—walls slick with moisture, overrun by weeds, and glowing flowers that cast an eerie luminescence throughout the cavernous space. 

Above, clusters of mana crystals hung like chandeliers, their ghostly light casting long, flickering shadows across the damp stone, creating an otherworldly shimmer. The air here was thick, almost alive with the energy that radiated from the walls.

"It looks ancient... No one has been here for centuries, maybe even two hundred years." His voice wavered as his eyes swept over the dungeon's ominous glow.

{Master, the curse has been lifted.}

Justin froze. "W-what? But you said there were nine minutes left. Barely a minute has passed!" He was astonished, a mix of relief and confusion flooding him.

{That is because the Mana density in this dungeon far exceeds that of the Black Forest. The sheer concentration of energy accelerated the process.} 

A breath of disbelief left his lips. "That was... faster than I expected." He could hardly contain the excitement surging through him.

 "So, I can use Mana and Aura now?"

{Positive, Master. Would you like to view your stats?}

"Stats? Oh, yes, show me?" His heart pounded in anticipation.

A glowing blue screen blinked to life in front of him:

---

[Name: Unknown]

[Race: ...]

[Mana Energy: 10]

[Aura Energy: 10]

[Talent: Vulture]

[Ultimate Skill 1: Great Sage]

[Ultimate Skill 2: Locked ????]

[Ultimate Skill 3: Locked ????]

---

"Whoa... This looks Just like the old RPG games I used to play back in my world,..." he murmured, a wave of nostalgia washing over him. His gaze narrowed at the status screen floating before him. 

"No name, huh? I guess I'll have to come up with one for myself soon."

His eyes lingered on his talent—Vulture. "What does that even mean?" he asked, curiosity sparking in his mind.

{Answer: Vulture is a unique skill that allows you to prey on the dead and inanimate objects to absorb their abilities.}

A grin spread across his face. "So, I can feast on the dead to gain power? Now that's useful."

{Master, would you like to absorb the mana crystals around you?}

His eyes widened. "I can do that?" he asked, excitement bubbling up inside him.

{Positive, Master. Extend your hand and select a word of command for absorption.}

"Hmm... a word..." Justin fell silent, considering his options as potential commands flitted through his mind.

Suddenly, an idea struck. "I've got it!" He extended his left hand toward the nearest cluster of crystals, feeling their pulsating energy draw him in.

"Devour," 

He whispered, and immediately, a black-purple, flame-like substance oozed from his hand, slithering through the air before it engulfed the mana crystals, dissolving them in an instant. 

He shuddered as a wave of warm energy surged through his body, spreading from his fingertips to the very core of his being.

 A notification flashed before his eyes:

---

[Mana: 15]

---

"Whoa..." Justin looked down at his glowing body, his skin now bathed in an ethereal purple light.

 "So this is what Mana energy feels like." It was intoxicating—every fiber of his being hummed with newfound strength.

Without hesitation, he moved through the dungeon, absorbing every mana crystal within sight. His hunger for power grew with each one he devoured. 

The dungeon walls, once glowing with vibrant energy, dimmed as the crystals were consumed one by one. 

---

[Mana: 100]

---

The moment that notification appeared, Justin's body pulsed with a fierce, overwhelming energy. The glow intensified, and he could feel it—his bones humming, his blood vibrating. It was as if his very body was aflame with raw power. Suddenly, a strange black circle tattoo etched itself into his wrist.

"W-what's this, Great Sage?" he asked, staring at the dark symbol.

{You have unlocked the First Circle, Master. You are now a 1st Circle Mage.}

A wide grin split his face. "First Circle, huh? I can definitely feel the power! This is incredible." His steps were lighter, his confidence growing with each second.

As he ventured deeper into the dungeon, he came across a large, ominous door. Its surface was engraved with ancient runes, long forgotten by time. A cold wind seemed to seep from the cracks around it.

Curiosity gnawed at him, but so did a sense of foreboding. Against his better judgment, he reached out, and the moment his hand made contact,

BOOM!

 The door groaned and shook. Slowly, it began to open, sending tremors through the entire dungeon as dust and debris rained down.

Justin hesitated but stepped through the threshold, only to be greeted by pitch-black darkness. 

A silence so deep and suffocating that even the sound of his own breathing felt intrusive. 

{Warning: A strange and powerful presence has been detected.}

Panic gripped his chest. 'Damn it!' He spun around, intending to flee, but the door slammed shut behind him with a deafening boom. He rushed to the door, pushing with all his might, 

"Crap, crap, crap—!" But it wouldn't budge. His heart hammered in his chest as the temperature plummeted.

And then, Justin felt it—a presence. Something watching him from the shadows, something ancient and malevolent. The air grew thick with malice, a cold, suffocating dread crawling over his skin. He could feel its gaze piercing him, cold and hungry. His body locked in place, frozen by terror.

Suddenly, a deafening roar filled the chamber, a sound so thunderous it shook him to his very core. It was power itself, a force so immense that the very ground beneath him trembled. The sheer pressure of it sent shivers down his spine, making his legs weak.

Slowly, Justin turned, heart pounding in his ears, his legs trembling. The chamber lit up—torches along the walls erupting into flames one by one, casting long, flickering shadows. 

And that's when he saw it.

A massive, towering figure loomed before him—a dragon, so colossal that it dwarfed the entire chamber. Its scales glistened like black obsidian, each one as sharp as a blade. 

Justin's breath hitched. His entire body locked up as his gaze traveled up, up, up—to the creature's face. 

Its eyes glowed a menacing red, staring down at him with the weight of a thousand years of rage. Its talons—each one the size of a full-grown man—clutched the ground, radiating power. The sheer magnitude of the creature was beyond comprehension.

"Who dares to intrude upon my domain?" The dragon's voice rumbled like thunder, shaking the very walls. 

Waves of energy emanated from its body—an energy that felt ancient, primal, far more terrifying than mana or aura. This was a power born of darkness, of evil so pure it suffocated the light.

Justin's knees buckled, his breath caught in his throat. His mind screamed at him to run, but his body refused to obey. The dragon's eyes bore into him, and in that moment, Justin knew—he was standing before death itself.