Wait!
Suddenly remembering something, David hurriedly put aside this non-urgent, excruciating issue.
He hadn't forgotten the strange information that had spontaneously popped into his head.
Most importantly, the Drow's sudden infighting and the timing of its emergence were too coincidental.
System?
Having read plenty of web novels, David tentatively asked.
Even though he had always been skeptical about the existence of such a thing, with the current situation so dire that his hemorrhoids felt on the verge of exploding, was he really going to worry that a proctologist's 'magic touch' might bend him out of shape?
But after waiting for a while, he received no response.
This outcome wasn't too surprising.
After all, reality isn't a novel; it's not like every transmigrator is issued a system.
Could it be a hallucination caused by my excessive tension? David thought, not too disappointed.
Yet, after a while, the information in his mind remained as clear as ever, like lines of code on a computer screen; he couldn't forget it even if he wanted to!
This forced him to start thinking differently, suspecting that he might really be 'sick'...
After all, just a cursory glance through the Dragon Heritage revealed at least twenty to thirty kinds of dragon-specific hereditary diseases.
Like the Maze Lock Syndrome or the Curse of True Name, among others.
Some of these diseases weren't entirely detrimental.
Take, for instance, the very common Arcane Craving.
While it might lead dragons to abandon their innate magical talents and instead feverishly collect and systematically study various spells, much like spellcasters among other intelligent races, to outsiders, this might seem like a thankless endeavor, akin to a wealthy heir stubbornly forgoing all family resources to insist on starting their own business from scratch.
But, as is well known, most dragons only begin to truly tap into their magical abilities during their juvenile dragon stage.
Dragons with Arcane Craving who find systematic magical knowledge early on, or are fortunate enough to be adopted and personally mentored by high-level spellcasters, could potentially possess spellcasting abilities comparable to their peers among other races, even as juveniles or hatchlings.
That was why David speculated his 'hallucination' might be the result of some bizarre, dragon-specific hereditary disease.
And why was he so sure it was a problem stemming from his transmigration as a dragon, rather than a mental issue of his own?
On this point, David was particularly confident.
After all, in his past life, although he had his fair share of unrealistic daydreams when alone, he had never become *this* delusional.
Yes, that must be it.
[Authority—Arrogance]
A message appeared out of nowhere in his mind again.
At the same time, two new hereditary dragon diseases were added to the Dragon Heritage:
Endless Rage: Anger is for venting.
The more furious, the more powerful.
Let life...
Feel my wrath!
Feel my hatred!
Feel my pity!
Let the world...
FEEL PAIN!!!
[Dragon's Arrogance]: Arrogance is power.
Unshakeable belief is truth.
My thoughts become my desires.
My actions transcend all.
"Huh?" This time, David's eyes widened.
Even though he hadn't looked closely before, he was certain these two entries hadn't been there.
After all, who the heck skips reading the very first line of a book!
Right! These two new entries had shoved all the previous records down, becoming the top two 'major diseases' on the list of draconic afflictions...
Their absurd style was utterly out of sync with the original descriptions in the Dragon Heritage.
This overwhelming presence felt like a flagrant defilement of everything that came before.
But as David calmed down, these records quickly vanished.
As if everything he had seen before was just an illusion...
Illusion my ass!
Feeling his intelligence insulted, David began to struggle wildly on the withered tree stump he was tied to, causing the two Drow carrying him to stagger.
Ordinarily, they might have entertained the thought of disciplining this disobedient red dragon hatchling. However, having just witnessed the fate of two companions who'd neglected their duties, they were in no mood to watch a hatchling try to bite its own tail.
David, who had been forcefully fed a few pieces of his own eggshell by the Drow, also calmed down.
Based on his previous experiences, if this so-called [Authority] truly existed, then [Arrogance], at the very least, seemed to grant him the power to make his fantasies manifest, if only for a short time.
He didn't dare contemplate whether it could directly interfere with physical reality, but it seemed, at a minimum, capable of affecting his own mental state.
As for the mechanism of [Wrath], he was also uncertain. However, judging from the Drow's reactions... could it be that they were 'infected' by that anger, leading them to succumb to infighting?
That didn't seem likely.
At least, it shouldn't be that simple.
If the Drow lost their sanity so easily, they would have gone extinct long ago.
David decided not to dwell on it further and resolutely began his practical experimentation.
Whether this would cause trouble was not among his current considerations.
Since this group of Drow already regarded him as a slave, they certainly wouldn't kill him easily.
As long as he didn't die, any other consequences were trivial compared to the freedom he had lost!
Until they reached the Drow's destination, he still had room for trial and error.
Since this Authority appeared twice before, it seems to be triggered by corresponding... thoughts?
So...
I, David, am supreme above all? he thought, trying to hypnotize himself while suppressing the cringe in his heart.