Well, that was pretty good for my first battle in another world, if I do say so myself.

I flap my wings.

And I do say so myself. I look down at my scaly foot.

I'm holding onto the unconscious guard captain's chest plate as I fly through the air. A lot slower than before, of course. Breaking her neck while she's passed out probably wouldn't be all that difficult. I should be careful.

I flap my wings again. They're still silent, somehow.

Flapping isn't necessary, I suppose. I just get a great sense of joy and fulfillment from exerting my draconic features. I've tried to keep track of any other infringements upon my psyche, but it doesn't seem I'm turning into the literal embodiment of my name. At least, not yet.

I merely have a LOT of pride towards my draconic body. Including my intellect, hence my excitement when I was healing the guard captain. Which makes perfect sense!

Flap.

Though fictional in my previous world, it was well-established that dragons were prideful creatures. Even if they weren't intelligent, and they often weren't, they would still tend to exert the majesty of their form upon others. Having so much power packed into one body makes a dragon's pride very understandable.

Flapity.

I look fondly over my own body.

Yep, and those fictional dragons have nothin' at all on Pure Evil. On me. I'm a dragon of the highest class. The best specimen of dragon one could find. I mean, I'm ridiculously strong, have no clear magic casting limits, and I've even got a cheat. To top it all off, I... Think I'm smarter than I was in my previous life. No way would I have figured out how to perform magic surgery otherwise.

Flaptastic.

Did I say my intellect tops off my excellence?

Of course that's not all! I've got top-notch armor; nothing has harmed me yet. I've got great weapons all over that I don't even need to use because I'm too powerful. I've got incredible balance with my tail. I can FLY. And because I'm a bipedal dragon, I can operate my body in the same way as a human. I can't think of a single flaw.

Hmm. Is being a flawless dragon perhaps a flaw? Can I be too flawless? Maybe. Maybe others might consider that a flaw— I surely don't. I'm definitely too flawless. I grin toothily.

Flapilidity.

I decide it's time to focus on something other than my amazing self. It's difficult, I know, but I must!

Because it seems I've almost reached the mayor's mansion.

Hrm, yes.

I'm going to go visit the group of humans whom took over this city. See if they're as competent as they appear by the way they managed their little revolt. It was all quite efficient and organized from beginning to end; not ragtag or rabble in the slightest. They must have some very experienced folks running the show.

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Fllllap.

The issues they present for me are twofold. One, do they want to make me a public enemy, and two.

I look down at the guard captain.

Two, I would prefer if she kept living. For a while, at least. Otherwise, all my handiwork goes down the drain. Oh, and she was the first person who dared to interact with my new form. She even praised me, though it was no doubt motivated by fear. Still— to me, that means something.

It makes me feel exceptionally valued. As I should be.

image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/018.png]

*thud*

I land on the balcony of the mayor's estate with one of my clawed feet. Not the one holding the guard captain!

I notice the mayor; he's... Very much dead on a nearby road. That explains why he stopped moving.

Oh well! Sucks for him. It's not like I have any reason to worry about human squabbles.

I place down the guard captain and pick her up again with my clawed hands.

Ah, did I just fly with a human held in my grasp? How cool is that?! Earlier today, I was the same size as her. Now, I can carry her through the sky with one foot. Awesome!

I'll say it again: a dragon's pride is very understandable.

I nod my dragon head.

Hmm.

The top 50 most important people in the city have definitely changed, so...

I need the top 50 most important people in this city.

I mostly get a group of red dots inside the mayor's house. They all appear to be seated around a table, sans a few who are standing. Some of the 50 aren't here, but interestingly, the guard captain is no longer in the top 50. I wonder if that's because they've mopped up the city guard.

I need the location of criminals within this city.

One red dot shows itself on the entire map; it's the unconscious woman I'm currently holding.

Oof! So sorry, guard captain. You're not out of the woods just yet.

I turn around and easily kick the balcony's entire stone railing off of its foundation. It's like kicking over a small garden fence— I'm so darn tall.

*KRRRSSH*

...

It hits the stone entryway below with a deafening sound.

##THOOD##

*THASSHHH*

*trrtrr-tik...tik*

image [https://timjames.net/data/acd/images/018b.png]

I ask for the top 50 most important people again. Two of the red dots have moved to the nearby window, but the rest decided to ignore my intentional act of destruction.

Either they know I'm here, or they figure they have more important things to worry about. It had BETTER not be the latter. I'm definitely their most important concern.

I turn toward the front side of the house. I place down the... Uhm, former guard captain. I sit her nicely against the nearby wall. Then, I look at the balcony's large doors.

How polite of them to make such a large entrance! It's like it was made just for me.

I lean over and grab the tiny handle with my claw.

It rips off.

*shunk*

Damn, so much for class.

I try the other handle, more carefully this time.

*shunk*

*tr-chik*

The latch pops open despite not being designed to open that way. Since, yanno, both handles are now ripped off. Perhaps it worked because I already tore the other handle off?

I shrug to myself as the doors swing open.

I furl up my wings. They retract into themselves, starting from my wingtips and in toward my shoulders. Soon, they're gone. I'm back to being a wingless dragon.

I crouch down and enter the mansion with my head angled back. I'd rather my horns don't carve into the high ceiling or ornaments. It'd be annoying having a chandelier land on my head.

*chAAAk-krak*

Uhm, is this floor going to hold?

I stop for a moment.

...

The floor does indeed hold.

Oh, it's so nice having a tail to help balance my weight.

Hmm.

I'll just go slower and drag my tail.

*thrak-shrrrup*

...

*chak-shrrrup*

...

*chud-shrrrup*

I'm crossing the room with ease, despite my size, while ignoring whatever chaos I'm causing. Stuff is getting destroyed, and I'm tearing up the floor, but whatever.

Dragons do what they want.

Though, to mentally tune out my slow progress, I decide to admire myself for a few moments.

...

...

...

...

Except I'm forced to stop at the other end of the room.

Agh! I'm faced with my toughest challenge yet.

I stare at my nemesis with great ire.

This door's too darn small.

...

Now what?