Last Egg: Reincarnated as a Dragon in a Game 3 Chapter 3

The young dragon's eyes fluttered open as consciousness returned. He was noticeably larger than he had been before resting. Rising to all fours, he found that the shift in perspective caused no dizziness or discomfort, unlike in his previous existence.

His initial hope of awakening back on Earth was dashed. 'Is this truly not a hallucination? It feels so incredibly real. More real, even, than the games I used to play.'

His stomach rumbled once more, having thoroughly digested the previous day's meal. His gaze fell upon a fruit dangling from a nearby tree, but a wave of revulsion washed over him. He craved meat.

His draconic instincts urged him forward: 'I need to hunt for sustenance.'

Ding!

//

New quest!

Content: Hunt your first prey!

Reward: 200 XP

Failure: Pain

//

Vesuvius sprinted into the dense forest, trees becoming a mere blur with his incredible speed. After a few minutes of running, he had put enough distance between himself and the place he hatched, masking his dragon scent. He strained his non-existent ears, listening intently for any sign of life.

"Crack!" The sound of snapping wood echoed from his right. Fortunately, it was downwind. He took a deep sniff, his draconic jaws parting in a fearsome grin. 'It's an herbivore, meaning easy prey.' Oddly, he could easily distinguish the new scents, a feat he had never accomplished before.

'It makes sense. Dragons are meant to possess the innate knowledge for survival, embedded deep within their genes.'

The little dragon moved towards the source of the sound, moving with absolute silence. His predatory instincts surged, flooding him with adrenaline. Soon, he spotted a large deer, contentedly munching on lush vegetation.

To be certain, he utilized a function within LOMM, accessible to all players.

Ding!

//

Analyze Results:

Species: Northern Deer

Level: 3

Danger level: pathetic

//

'Haha, it's exactly like in LOMM.'

He cautiously circled behind the deer, meticulously avoiding the crunch of dry twigs underfoot. The deep shadows cast by a towering oak, along with its massive trunk, provided perfect concealment. The deer continued its meal, undisturbed.

"Rustle!" A low-hanging branch was brushed by the small dragon, causing its leaves to stir. The deer's head snapped up instantly, its eyes scanning for the source of the disturbance.

Vesuvius decisively burst from his cover, moving with the swiftness of an apex predator like a tiger. The deer startled and bolted, attempting to flee. Vesuvius's speed escalated as he pursued, weaving between tree trunks. The deer ran, but Vesuvius gained, steadily closing the distance.

They were soon only two meters apart. The dragon launched himself from the ground, effortlessly bridging the gap. His fore-claws struck the deer's hindquarters, sinking easily into its soft flesh. In its panic, the deer kicked out with its back legs, connecting with Vesuvius's stomach. The young dragon barely flinched, his incredibly tough scales absorbing the brunt of the impact. He opened his tooth-filled maw and bit into the deer's flank. Blood erupted, painting the ground a deep crimson. The taste of fresh meat and blood overwhelmed Vesuvius, causing him to lose himself as he began to tear the deer apart with his jaws. His teeth effortlessly crushed bone and sinew as if they were mere twigs.

His senses returned only after he had finished devouring the deer. He glanced around. The only evidence of the deer's existence was a small pool of blood staining the earth.

Ding!

//

[+ 40 XP]

Quest accomplished!

Rating: A

Reward: 275 XP

//

Ding!

//

You are now level 2

All stats increased!

+5 stat points

+1 ability point

You learned a new skill: [Bite 1]

You learned a new skill: [Claw 1]

//

Elation surged through Vesuvius. 'This is truly incredible, it feels just like LOMM... I can't wait to see what kind of amazing build I can achieve as a dragon... but I can't help but feel that this is all genuinely real.'

He yearned to hunt again, to gain more levels and to experience that intoxicating rush of downing his prey. The little dragon immediately ventured deeper into the woods, seeking more quarry. The sounds of his struggle with the deer had effectively frightened away most of the nearby wildlife, forcing him to travel further.

'Rustle!' It wasn't long before he detected movement in the distance.

'The wind isn't blowing in my direction, so I can't identify it... Luckily, it also wasn't moving towards the sound, so I should still have the element of surprise.'

He proceeded cautiously towards the area, utilizing tree trunks for cover. Finally, he reached the location of the sound. It was a typical forest clearing, dotted with trees and a few shrubs. He sniffed the air and detected the scent of a boar.

'This one will be more challenging, but I believe it should still be manageable.'

Following a scent, he emerged into a clearing filled with mud and murky puddles. A colossal boar lay submerged, coating itself in the mire. Its tusks were formidable enough to impale a man with ease.

'There are no trees here for cover... I'll have to confront it directly. Well, if things go poorly, my dragon breath should offer some safety.'

Vesuvius was hesitant to employ his breath for hunting, fearing its intense heat would ruin the meat.

The young dragon sprang and burst from the foliage, charging towards the boar. The boar, instead of fleeing, turned to face the small dragon and charged with its wicked tusks. Vesuvius leaped aside, and the boar, unable to halt its momentum, missed and crashed into a nearby tree.

"Crack!" The thick trunk splintered from the impact, breaking apart and tumbling to the ground.

Vesuvius seized the opportunity, dashing towards the disoriented boar and raking its flank with his claws. Deep, bloody gashes opened in its flesh, blood welling up to drench his claws.

"Chiii!" The boar shrieked in agony and whirled to skewer Vesuvius with its tusks. Vesuvius agilely evaded by jumping back. He then sidestepped and struck the boar once more with his claws, severing a tendon in its leg. The boar faltered. Exploiting its reduced mobility, Vesuvius attacked from its blind spot, opening his maw wide and tearing a substantial chunk of flesh from the boar.

Vesuvius then retreated from the wounded boar, his instincts screaming a warning, 'Cornered beasts are always most dangerous.'

The boar slowly bled out, succumbing to its wounds under the dragon's watchful gaze from a distance.

[+ 80 XP]

A notification finally appeared, confirming the boar's demise. The small dragon immediately pounced on the carcass, prepared to consume it whole.