My Taming System Makes Me Overpowered

Vince gently set Lyrielle down onto the edge of the plush tavern bed. As he turned toward the wooden floorboards, intending to sleep on the ground, a soft, warm hand suddenly clamped around his wrist.

Lyrielle, still thoroughly flushed and hazy from the ember-ale, looked up at him with wide, unfocused emerald eyes.

”Don’t... don’t go down there,”

She mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.

”Stay here. I don’t want to lie alone.”

Vince paused, his neutral gaze resting on her flushed face.

”Lyrielle, you’re drunk. Go to sleep.”

”I’m not asking,”

She muttered stubbornly, giving his arm a surprisingly firm tug.

Knowing there was no arguing with a intoxicated elven princess, Vince let out a quiet sigh and gave in.

He slid onto the bed beside her.

The moment his back hit the mattress, Lyrielle shifted, curling tightly against his side and burying her face into his chest, her arms wrapping firmly around his torso.

Within seconds, her soft, rhythmic breathing filled the quiet room as she drifted into a deep sleep.

Vince looked down at her. Her yellow hair spilled over his chest, framing a peaceful, beautiful face devoid of her usual royal burden. For a fleeting second, a hint of genuine admiration crossed Vince’s features.

Then, his expression flattened back into his usual calculated demeanor as he looked up at the stone ceiling.

Vetra.

He began weighing his options. A wild, ancient dragonkin who only respected raw, physical dominance. Sneaking around her was impossible; trickery would only irritate her. If he wanted her core or her cooperation, there was only one path forward: a pure, unadulterated one-on-one duel.

A fifty-fifty shot,

Vince estimated mentally.

His eyes narrowed as he pulled up his physical stats—Strength, Speed, Agility, Endurance.

After consuming Rin’s crystallized core, his baseline physical traits were formidable, but facing a creature who broke S-rank warriors with her bare hands required every advantage possible.

What if I don’t just channel mana for skills? What if I circulate it continuously throughout my body? In theory that should amplify my base abilities.

Gently disentangling himself from Lyrielle’s tight grip, Vince slipped off the bed without making a sound. He glided down the quiet tavern corridor and stepped out into the chilly, secluded yard behind the inn, surrounded by high volcanic rock walls.

Closing his eyes, Vince reached deep into his mana core.

Instead of violently igniting his magic like he did with Vector Drive, he controlled the flow, forcing the liquid-like energy to circulate throughout his entire nervous system, muscle fibers, and bloodstream.

His skin hummed with a faint, warm vibration.

Speed test.

Vince opened his eyes—and moved.

He crossed thirty paces of stone yard in a fraction of a heartbeat, his boot heels barely brushing the gravel.

It lacked the instantaneous, force-warping impact of Vector Drive, but his base speed had increased by a terrifying margin. He spent the next hour testing the enhancement on his strength and agility, feeling his muscles absorb the circulating mana without burning out his stamina.

Satisfied with the breakthrough, a faint, rare grin touched Vince’s lips as he walked back inside, slipping quietly under the covers beside Lyrielle and closing his eyes.

---

The morning sun filtered through the high stone shutters, casting a warm orange glow across the room.

Lyrielle slowly stirred, her head throbbing faintly from the lingering effects of the ember-ale. Sensing a soft warmth beside her, she snuggled in closer, wrapping her arms tighter around Vince’s chest and burying her face against his neck, assuming he was still fast asleep.

”Are you awake?”

A deep, smooth voice rumbled directly against her forehead, Vince’s eyes remaining closed.

Lyrielle froze.

Her cheeks instantly flared into a deep, furious crimson. Her eyes snapped open, and without a second thought, she reared back and delivered a sharp slap right to Vince’s chest.

”You’re awake?!”

She squeaked, scrambling backward toward the headboard, clutching the blanket to her collarbone.

”Why didn’t you say anything?!”

Vince opened one calm eye, totally unfazed by the light hit to his chest.

”Your sleep was quiet, and my voice is deep. I didn’t want to ruin your morning.”

Lyrielle puffed out her cheeks, her embarrassed shock quickly morphing into a mischievous, narrow-eyed smirk as she tried to regain control of the situation.

”Oh, is that so? So you just decided to take advantage of a helpless, intoxicated elf? Slipping into my bed while I was completely defenseless?”

Vince sat up, his neutral face cracking into a look of dry, defensive disbelief.

”You dragged me onto the bed, Lyrielle. You literally refused to let go of my wrist.”

”A likely story from a barbarian,”

She teased, a playful glint dancing in her emerald eyes as she watched him try to defend his innocence.

After their quiet back-and-forth settled, Vince’s expression turned serious. He leaned against the headboard, looking directly at her.

”I talked to Torvald last night while you were out,”

Vince said softly.

”Mount Ignis isn’t a place for a squad or a joint push. Vetra only respects those she’s stronger than. I’m going up the peak alone.”

The playful mood evaporated. Lyrielle’s smile faded, replaced by a flash of disappointment. She opened her mouth to argue, but seeing the firm, unyielding resolve in Vince’s eyes, she stopped herself. She knew his tactical instincts were never at play and she’ll have to trust them.

”Alone...”

She murmured softly, before offering a small, understanding nod.

”I suppose... it’s for the best. Ignis-Vara has ancient libraries and elemental archives I haven’t explored. If I stay here, I can research the local fire-mana matrices and refine my spells.”

”It’s safer for you here,”

Vince said simply.

Lyrielle leaned in, wrapping her arms around his shoulders in a brief, tight hug, her yellow hair brushing his cheek.

”Don’t you dare lose to some arrogant dragon, Vince.”

Vince offered a subtle, confident smirk as he pulled back, grabbing his heavy coat and stepping toward the door.

Now that that’s out of the way... let’s get to work.