Cain rxed in the bath, going through the procedure of preparing the ink used for the tattoos.


    “Well do it in the maze, it might take me a couple of minutes to mix it,” Cain mumbled.


    “If doesn’t take that much time, why haven’t you done it before? Must have had time for it.” Zaleria said as she slowly sat in the water, Ellie beside them.


    “No particr reason, if you don’t count the fact of me being busy, the ink can be used directly but it’s better to let it sit for a while.”


    “Fine, won’t press you further. Can you exin it to me?” Zaleria approached him.


    “Details?” Cain looked at her.


    “As much as you can.” She replied.


    “I will start with the ink.” He started exining.


    The ink is made from three main ingredients. Kraken blood, an aboleth would be even better. You can use it directly but letting it rest for a while would result in a more stable oue.


    The sma of a monster that boasted a high density of Mana. For this Cain will be using the sma extracted from his own blood, as that is the best they could find for now.


    Lastly, the blood of the person having the tattoos. Must be fresh and added at thest moments before inscribing the tattoos. It will help the magic settle and recognize the user. It will also prevent other mages or witches from remotely controlling the inscriptions. You can see it as a key to the tattoo’s power.


    The first two ingredients are to be mixed at any time, but the blood must be added at the very end.


    “And about you, the one having the tattoos…” Cain continued.


    The person must be well-versed in witchcraft, have a constitution higher than 20, and have his skin fully cleaned before the tattoos are inscribed.


    Inscribing the tattoos is as painful as being stung with a needle, not much. And they could be even erased, reced, or improvedter if the need arises.


    “What about the tattoos themselves, what are they, and how do they work?” Zaleria stared at Cain, she understood what he said up to that point.


    The tattoos are magical inscriptions, and circles, the same ones used for scrolls and magic items. But those are custom-made by the one inscribing the tattoos. The effect can vary a lot, from a simple spell to aplicated magic ritual.


    Of course, the more powerful the desired effect, therger the tattoo will be. But there is also another factor, the creature’s skin, the stronger it was the smaller the tattoos can be.


    Since Zaleria is a red dragon, he might be able to condense in her shoulder what a normal human would cover his whole body with.


    Inscribing them is a slow process so Zaleria would have to sit still for a long while.


    “What effect can I have, how much power can I store in them?” Zaleria asked.


    “That’s not for me to decide, just tell me what you want and I will inscribe it for you if possible,” Cain replied with a smile.


    Zaleria thought about it for a second, “Fast time, an effect that makes time run faster. Is it possible?”


    “Make time run faster? Want to grow older quicker? That’s like a human who wants to be an old man faster, you will just reduce your life span.” Cain replied.


    “I know, but with that, I can be a great wyrm faster. I can take the tattoos off then.” She replied with a serious face.


    Cain gave her a disappointed look, she didn’t think of this stupid idea in his past life. Probably since she had done more research at the time.


    “Let me tell you something that you will find hard to understand. If you did that, you will grow older, but you won’t progress in your age category at all.” Cain stared at her.


    “You dragons don’t get strength from time, but from your surrounding through time. Your body is constantly adapting to your surroundings to grow stronger.” He exined.


    “Exin further…” Zaleria looked at him.


    “If a human lifted a melon each day for a year, his body will adapt to lift that melon easily. In the end, he would be able to lift one melon easily. If a dragon did the same, the result will be different, as you dragons are a bit stupid, to the bones.”


    “Hey what did you say?” Zaleria grabbed him by the head, “Is this the time for jokes?”


    “It isn’t a joke, the dragon’s body will mistake the load for being additive instead or repetitive. On the first day, it’s one melon, on the second day he will count to two, and on the third three. That’s the same reason all dragons have hoards because they are hard-coded to add things together.” Cainughed as she let him go.


    “I see, that might be inefficient. But I won’t call it stupid since it makes us stronger.” Zaleria said with a proud smile.


    “So, work, living, pain, and constant exposure to great powers would elerate your growth into a great wyrm. It’s different from leveling, so don’t count them together.” Cain rxed on the tub side.


    “What are the great powers you talk about, I can understand the rest but not those.”


    “Just something that has a lot of power, I don’t mean to brag but I might be the best great power you can find.” Cain puffed his chest.


    “I asked what they are, not if you are a good one.” She stared at him.


    “Anything that emits magical or elemental energy, a volcano for fire, tundra for cold, and so on. I emit a ton of raw magic that could elerate your growth. Didn’t you find it strange that you’re almost rivaling wyrms after spending just a few weeks around me?” Cain smiled. He was telling the truth, but as well trying to give her another reason to stick around him.


    “That is true, I’ve noticed that. Not just me but all people around you have grown strong.” Zaleria said with a thinking face.


    “No, that’s just their hard work. This is limited to dragons, you, and maybe Sofia now that she got a draconic body.” Cain waved his hand.


    “How close around you?” She asked.


    “The closer the better, since I’m not a dangerous monster.” He replied as the source of power can be hazardous.


    Zaleria nodded, “Let’s talk about other options for the tattoos. I want something to increase my resistance to fire. I’m immune but I still get hurt when forcing my white me breath.”


    Cain thought about it for a moment before nodding.


    “It can be either a glyph above the chest and under the cor bones or on the back between the shoulder des. Instead of fire resistance, it will be a heat exchanger, something to transfer the excess head damaging your body to the surrounding air. A heat sink is probably a good term.” Cain suggested.


    “Won’t thatpromise the power of the breath?” She said with a worried face.


    “No, it will just take heat from your body and not the me of your breath. I would say you might be able to pull a stronger breath with it.”


    Zaleria smiled as she started thinking of new ways to get stronger.