[Their heads are covered with fine scales, and some individuals grow small bony protrusions on their foreheads, the number and hardness of which symbolize their status within the tribe.
Generally, their bodies are covered in fine scales that appear in various colors such as red, black, blue, white, or green. They possess a long, thin tail and resemble lizardfolk, but because their cries sound like dogs, they are called kobolds, belonging to the demi-human category.
Note: They possess the blood of dragons within them, but as dragon-kin with a bloodline so thin it is almost non-existent, they hold extreme reverence and loyalty toward true dragons, possessing a fanatical sense of affiliation and serving as the exclusive servants of dragons.]
Ignoring the focused gazes of the kobolds, Jonavili Frator Amody moved her claws and walked toward the boar that had just been pulled onto the ground to begin her meal.
It was only after watching the boar they had worked so hard to catch be eaten like this that the kobolds finally snapped out of their daze.
Thud—
As subordinates of dragons with a thin trace of dragon blood flowing within them, the instinct to serve a true dragon engraved in their bloodline forced them all to their knees.
"Greetings, Great True Dragon!"
The kobolds were all visibly excited. In their eyes, being enslaved by a dragon and serving a true dragon was a supreme honor, an act that would bring glory to their ancestors.
Jonavili gave them a faint, sidelong glance and continued eating.
Soon, the ordinary boar was devoured, leaving behind only a pile of hair and a skeleton on the ground.
Having eaten her fill, Jonavili lay down and looked at the group of sycophants, speaking lazily.
"Who is the leader?"
The old kobold stood up tremblingly, unable to hide the excitement on his face.
"Reporting to the Great True Dragon, I am the leader of the Dogtooth Tribe."
Her crystal blue pupils scrutinized him. The kobold leader shuddered under her gaze, yet he still puffed out his chest and held his head high.
This was a proper interview; he had to perform well.
Jonavili’s dragon face showed undisguised disgust, as the old fellow was simply too scrawny, but she still opened her dragon muzzle.
"Submit or... die."
For a kobold, this was never a multiple-choice question. The old kobold knelt again, looking as excited as an old knight receiving a formal knighthood.
"Great True Dragon, the Dogtooth Tribe is willing to submit beneath your majestic wings and serve you for generations to come."
Jonavili nodded, thinking to herself.
'They really are a bunch of sycophants, but that works out fine.'
"Then, under the witness of the God of Contracts, sign a master-servant contract with me."
The loyalty of kobolds was well-known; there was no need for a more restrictive slave contract.
An icy blue contract scroll covered in frost emerged before the kobold leader, filled with dense rows of draconic script.
He did not hesitate, immediately biting his palm and letting his blood drip onto it. A flash of icy blue light surged, and the master-servant contract was established.
"From now on, you shall be called Lackey."
Jonavili spoke casually. Just as the kobold leader was about to accept excitedly, Jonavili suddenly changed her mind.
"No, that name feels like an insult to myself... hmmm."
Hearing Jonavili go back on her word, the kobold leader's expression froze, but Jonavili’s next words quickly turned his expression into one of joy.
"You'll be called Xiao Shunzi from now on."
"Yes! Great Master!"
As if afraid Jonavili would change her mind again, the kobold leader prostrated himself excitedly.
Jonavili scanned the area and saw that these kobolds were all skin and bones, lacking any sense of strength, her disgust clear on her face.
Immediately, an idea formed in Jonavili’s mind. She told the old kobold to lead her to their tribe, and Xiao Shunzi naturally did not refuse.
Before long, under Xiao Shunzi's lead, Jonavili arrived at the kobold tribe built inside a cave.
Most of those inside were the elderly, weak, sick, or disabled, along with many newborn young kobolds.
With her sharp senses, Jonavili was repelled by the overwhelming stench the moment she arrived.
Damn! Can someone tell me how long it has been since these kobolds took a bath?
A cave was already a relatively enclosed space, and combined with the kobolds' lack of hygiene, that smell was anything but pleasant.
Jonavili’s arrival first left the kobolds stunned, followed by excited cheers and a chorus of dog-like barks.
"Woof woof woof!!"
"Am I seeing things? Is that a Great True Dragon?!"
"Woof! This is wonderful! We're saved!"
"Woof woof."
Xiao Shunzi’s face flashed with embarrassment. He hadn't expected the first meeting between the Great True Dragon and the Dogtooth Tribe to leave such a bad impression.
He roared loudly.
"Silence! Do not be insolent before the Great True Dragon!!"
Xiao Shunzi’s roar caused the excited kobolds to gradually quiet down, but the glint in their eyes grew even brighter!
Xiao Shunzi trotted obsequiously to Jonavili.
"Great Master, I am truly sorry, we..."
"Enough."
Jonavili cut him off before he could finish.
"Call out the kobolds in your tribe who are relatively strong and have firm willpower."
Though he didn't understand what Jonavili wanted to do, Xiao Shunzi followed her orders obediently.
After a moment, about thirty kobolds were called forward.
"Great Master, I have done as you..."
Xiao Shunzi’s words stopped abruptly, his red pupils dilating to their limit as shock filled his face. It wasn't just Xiao Shunzi; every kobold present was stunned.
Following their gaze, they saw over thirty drops of bright red dragon blood floating quietly around Jonavili.
"I assume I don't need to explain what this is. You have the right to choose for yourselves—whether to become stronger dragon-blooded kobolds or to shrink back is up to you.
However, be warned: this is undiluted dragon blood. The power within is difficult to control; one wrong move and you will die on the spot."
Since kobolds were dragon-kin with a thin bloodline, their success rate for draconic conversion was much higher than other races, but the probability of death remained significant.
It wasn't just kobolds; any race with a draconic bloodline had a higher chance of success.
This was all thanks to the dragons' eyes for discovering beauty; such dragon-kin races with thin bloodlines were not few in number.
Xiao Shunzi swallowed hard. Looking at his aged body, he knew this was an opportunity.
Success meant a complete transformation; even if he failed, he didn't have many years left to live anyway, so he might as well take the gamble.
Hardening his heart, he reached out to merge with a drop of dragon blood floating before Jonavili.
With the first one stepping forward, more and more kobolds came to take the risk.
The moment the violent dragon blood integrated into their bodies, it acted like enhanced cancer cells, rapidly spreading and destroying original cells, while the bone-chilling cold forced the kobolds to curl into balls and let out agonized barks.
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