Baby steps

I gasped and jolted awake as my mind rushed back into consciousness, I looked around hastily as the unfamiliar surroundings were causing me to panic. I couldn’t figure out where I was as nothing was around me except cave walls that were lit with lanterns. There was a slight chill in the air but nothing as close to the coldness I felt before passing out before.

Just what was going on? I remember the loud yelling from the male voice about something like an ‘egg thief’? Was that the strange liquid room I woke up in after dying? I had so many questions right now but nothing was as forefront as the burning question of…. WHY THE HELL DO I NOW HAVE CLAWS!

I was staring wide-eyed at my hand as I saw it was covered in green scales on the outward facing side and a lighter green/white shade of scales on the inner side, my fingers were each ending in claws that looked short and dull but something was telling me that given time, these could become razor sharp and slice flesh with ease.

Crossing my eyes I now could notice a scaly snout that opened quite wide and with my hand I felt small, but very sharp teeth that filled my mouth. Yup, this was a carnivore for sure…. Not that I didn’t question it but just making sure all the same.

So, I have scales and claws while having 4 legs and no hands. I can do a basic grasping motion but since I have no thumb I can’t manipulate objects like I’d want to….. Did I get reborn as a freaking alligator?

“Haha, my little boy is awake and curious. Natali come look, our premature hatchling is awake!”

I jumped as I didn’t even realize I was being watched as I turned my head to finally get a look at the face of this booming voice…. I instantly screamed as the giant face of a dragon was slowly inching closer with a smile full of huge teeth easily the length of my new body! His whole head was covered in red scales and his eyes seemed to blaze with a reddish hue that every so often would have a hint of purple.

He was gigantic but after my scream it seemed to startle him and after a moment his body went from being a huge dragon that easily passed 20 meters, down to a 7ft tall man covered in a red tunic with brown pants.

At my scream the big head jumped back with a worried expression.

“Whoa, whoa little guy what’s wrong? Are you ok?” The big guy asked me in a worried tone.

“What have you done to my baby Solace? Did you scare him?” Just then a smaller green scaled dragon came into view as it looked down at me with a smile and I felt something in me click as the words mother came to mind. Instead of red scales it was covered in green scales while also having the same greenish white scales covering its underside.

She instantly transformed to a woman with a green dress before bending down to look at me.

“Look at my little boy, So cute! Come here honey and let’s have our first meal, Your daddy was kind enough to go get some human bandits that had been a nuisance and brought them back for you.”

“You mean for you honey hahaha, don’t start lying to the boy now.” The male started laughing and his laugh vibrated me down to the bones.

After a huff from the female, she picked me up out of what I now could see was nest made of blankets and other bedding like materials. Next to it was another nest and in this one were 7 other eggs, they all looked to have the same whitish exterior, but something was telling me otherwise about two of them. I was feeling a sort of pressure that was exuding from those two eggs and looking a little closer I noticed that one of them had an almost golden luster too it that would shine in the lantern light.

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I tried to talk as the female dragon carried me but all that would come out were low baby growls or grumbles. I was getting frustrated at this but then a sudden smell of blood mixed with the smell of bacon hit my nose and right then my stomach decided to wake up and growl.

“Hehe, is my little boy hungry? Don’t you worry about it because there is no other cook better than your mother.” She smiled down at me and even thought I could see those same scary looking fangs, I wasn’t afraid. My heart was telling me that there was nothing to be afraid of with her.

I tried smiling back up at her as we walked towards a table and she put me down on the table and pushed over a plate that was as big as me filled with grilled meats that oozed delicious smelling juices. Before I knew it, I dove headfirst into the mound and started munching on everything I could shovel into my mouth.

Every bite was one filled with flavor beyond anything I could ever have imagined. Even a sharp crunch of the bones was nothing in my now draconic body as I devoured the whole plate in minutes. The meat tasted like well-seasoned steak covered in bacon…. But after gorging myself that was when a piece of information came to mind…. She was saying something about human bandits, right?

I looked down at the grease covered plate and my hands covered in that bloody looking juice as my brain started connecting the dots… I just ate human… And loved it.

[New DNA has been consumed; System interface has been unlocked.]

[New DNA of (Human bandit) has been consumed; Will now assimilate.]

A Green translucent screen appeared like a chat window from my old world and lines of text appeared. What was this about new DNA? More importantly what was this window? Did I really get isekai’d into a fantasy world and given a system to boot!? My brain was releasing huge amounts of dopamine at the prospect of living a new life as a MC.

I started rubbing my hands together as I waited for the window to update with something new and soon the window filled with more text.

[DNA of (Human bandit) has been assimilated.]

[Dex +3]

[Str +1]

I was happy to see that I had gained stats from this but what were my stats to begin with? Was this one of those systems that needed a mental or verbal command before it showed up? Thinking this was the case I decided to think up different words and hopefully one of them will work.

‘System interface’ …. Nothing.

‘Stat window’ Bing! Aha, that’s the ticket. Now let’s see here.

[Name: Unknown]

[Species: Green Dragon]

[HP: 100/100]

[MP: 100/100]

[Str: 11]

[Dex: 13]

[Con: 10]

[Int: 10]

[Wis: 10]

[Cha: 10]

Ok, so pretty basic for a beginner….. But aren’t dragons supposed to be top of the food chain in fantasy novels? Why are my stats so basic? OH, does this mean that I really am powerful as a baby dragon and that humans start off with 1 in each stat? Let’s go ahead and think that’s the case because I really wouldn’t want to find out I’m like the runt of the litter or something. Haha, that would just suck wouldn’t it?

“Alright honey, now that we got some food in that belly, I think your dad wanted the village healer to give you a good once over.”

My mom picked me up after cleaning my face and she started carrying me towards the entrance of the cave and out onto a landing that looked out over what had to be the most gorgeous view I had ever seen.

I saw as we were on the side of a mountain with a large landing that had multiple paths branching down with steps and rails for safety dug into the very rock itself. On one side I saw trees so big and tall, they could have easily rivaled, and some could even dwarf the redwoods from my old world.

On the other side I saw a vast open plain covered in golden grass and smattered with a few trees and shrubs, There in the distance was a village I could spot but only just the buildings as it was very far away.

“This is our home, and our territory to protect.” My mom pointed towards a few places and told me of the great beasts that inhabit the forests and the dangers that I would eventually encounter as I grew older. I was so fascinated by all of this but was soon drawn towards a figure in the sky that was drawing closer and closer.

“Ah, looks like your Grandfather is here.”

I looked confused but suddenly I was awestruck as the figure was slowly taking the shape of a massive black dragon with wings that would create gusts of wind with the tiniest flap. I could feel his gaze on me and me alone even from so far away and the pressure from that alone was stifling.

The huge dragon was soon over top of the landing and as it slowly lowered down to the ground the massive form shrunk until nothing but a man with the grey hair of an elder but his body was anything but. I saw rippling muscles and abs that were covered in various scars. The man chose to present himself in a robe that only covering his waist down.

He looked down at me with blazing red eyes for a few moments but then spoke.

“Well if it isn’t my newest grandbaby! Come here little one and give your grandpappy some love!”