Last Egg: Reincarnated as a Dragon in a Game 5 Chapter 5

Upon waking, Vesuvius observed the sun cresting the horizon. 'Remarkable, I slept through the entire day and night... Dragons truly are creatures of great slumber.'

With a 'Ding!' sound, a notification appeared: // Your grew up a little bit! All of your physical stats increased by 1 //

He then noticed his own increased size; his head was now significantly higher than before. A sniff revealed the weakening scent that had deterred predators from his hatching site. 'This place's safety is likely over by tonight. A suitable lair is now essential.' His gaze shifted to the distant mountains. 'There ought to be caves there.' Thus, he resolved to follow the river upstream towards the mountains, deeming it the most efficient route through the forest without losing his way.

Vesuvius cast a final glance at his birthplace before commencing his journey along the riverbank. 'Wait... what am I doing? I possess wings; I can fly.' He exerted all his might, flapping his wings vigorously. However, he only managed to lift slightly off the ground before tumbling back down.

He craned his long neck to examine his wings, which had a span of only two meters on each side. 'These wings are too diminutive to support my weight... Hold on, I have the [Fly] ability! That must be it!' Vesuvius concentrated on his ability, and instinctual draconic knowledge of flight surged into his mind. He began channeling mana from his soul towards his wings. Instantly, minuscule conduits within his wings began to glow with energy. He then flapped his wings, lifting into the air. Ascending, he felt the wind currents shift, pushing him and enabling swifter movement.

Gently beating his wings, Vesuvius stabilized himself at the altitude of a fifteen-story building. He looked down upon the dense, green canopy, relishing his newfound aerial prowess. A small dragon launched itself towards the distant mountains, wings beating rhythmically as powerful winds propelled him upward and forward.

As the young dragon soared, the mountains rapidly grew closer, the landscape below blurring into a tapestry of green and brown. After thirty minutes of continuous flight, his wings began to ache, and his mana reserves were depleted by nearly half. 'This isn't ideal; I won't reach the mountains in a single flight at this rate...'

More innate draconic knowledge about flight permeated his consciousness. Vesuvius ceased flapping, instead spreading his wings wide. The small dragon began to glide, utilizing the atmospheric currents to maintain altitude and momentum, occasionally flapping to adjust direction or gain speed.

He soon arrived at the mountains, landing on the rocky terrain at their base. The cooler temperature, a stark contrast to the forest's warmth, caused Vesuvius mild discomfort, given his affinity for heat. Curiously, no cave was immediately visible. However, he detected a familiar scent emanating from a nearby boulder. Approaching, he sniffed closer. 'It smells like a bear...' He recoiled in distaste. '...bear piss. This must be its territory, meaning its burrow should be nearby.'

Vesuvius immediately began sniffing the air, detecting a strong bear odor drifting from the north. He swiftly followed the trail. The scent led him into a shadowed canyon, flanked by towering cliffs.

A low growl, detected by his sensitive dragon hearing, emanated from deeper within the canyon. 'I must be close.' He finally spotted a colossal bear, roughly the size of a small car, rubbing its back against a jagged rock. A sudden gust of wind, carrying the dragon's scent, wafted towards the bear.

The bear sniffed, a guttural growl rumbling from its chest as it detected the unfamiliar odor. "Graaaaah!" Its massive head swiveled towards Vesuvius, baring its teeth as drool dripped from its maw. It charged, each thunderous footfall causing the surrounding stones to tremble. Despite its immense weight, the beast moved with surprising swiftness.

Vesuvius quickly analyzed the approaching threat. // Analyze result: Species: Giant Mountain Bear Level: 10 Danger level: dangerous //

Meanwhile, the bear had reached Vesuvius, swiping with a massive, clawed arm. Vesuvius sensed the bone-shattering force behind the blow, even through his scales. He ducked, the clawed paw passing harmlessly overhead. He retaliated, slashing with his own claws. They dug into the bear's hide but failed to penetrate the thick fat beneath its dense skin, inflicting only a superficial wound.