The glowing message floated in the air, taunting him.
[System recommendation: RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!]
Zev stared at it for half a second.
"Shit."
He spun on his heel and bolted.
'Shit, shit, run.'
His bare feet slapped against the cold stone floor, uneven at first. His body moved, but not the way he remembered.
Each stride felt strange—stronger, yes, but awkward.
Muscles twitched in ways he wasn't used to. His balance shifted. His steps stumbled.
'Fuck… this body's too damn different!'
Every few meters, his foot would drag, forcing him into an ugly half-stumble.
But he kept going.
The ancient temple stretched out before him, a massive corridor lined with towering pillars.
Above, the ceiling loomed at least fifty meters high, lost in shadow.
On either side, colossal statues of dragons coiled around stone columns. Warriors in ornate armor stood frozen mid-strike, swords raised as if ready to fight some unseen enemy.
Zev barely spared them a glance.
Behind him—steps.
The steps were light, rapid, and controlled.
He risked a glance over his shoulder.
A shape.
Humanoid.
Not much taller than him… but holding something.
Long. Heavy.
Nearly two meters.
'Fuck me… what the hell is that thing carrying?!'
He pushed harder, lungs burning. His legs weren't used to this yet.
Half of him felt ready to fly, the other half wanted to trip and eat the floor.
But the steps grew louder.
And closer.
Zev ran.
His breathing turned ragged as he forced his legs to move faster.
The steps behind him were light, rapid, and controlled.
'Shit, shit, they're gaining on me!'
The corridor seemed endless.
Massive stone pillars blurred past on either side—each one as thick as a house, their surfaces wrapped in intricate carvings of dragons mid-flight, jaws wide in eternal roars.
The ceiling soared high above, lost in shadow—easily fifty meters up.
Ancient banners hung in tatters from unseen rafters, their faded symbols long forgotten.
Statues lined the walls—colossal figures of dragons, warriors, and robed mages locked in frozen battle. Many had toppled, their broken pieces littering the floor.
More than once, Zev had to leap over shattered limbs or duck under fallen beams.
'This place is fucking huge... and who the hell built it this big?!'
But the steps behind him didn't slow.
He didn't dare look back again.
Every few strides, his unfamiliar body threatened to betray him—a sudden stumble, a sharp pull in the muscles. His balance still felt wrong.
'Fuck... this body's strong, but it moves like it's not mine.'
"System!" he gasped between breaths. "Got anything to help me?! Anything at all?!"
[NO >.< JUST RUN FAST! IF YOU GET OUT ALIVE, YOU'LL GET A REWARD!]
The words flashed brightly in the air as he ran.
Another message popped up:
[NEW EXPRESS MISSION: SURVIVE]
Zev almost tripped.
"Oh great, now I've got two reasons to run... one, stay alive, two, get a damn reward—" he shouted mid-sprint.
"—AND DO YOU SERIOUSLY THINK I WANT A FUCKING REWARD IN THIS SITUATION?!"
A deep whoosh cut through the air beside him.
Something fast. Too fast.
Zev barely managed to duck as a blur of silver and white shot past him.
Wind whipped against his face from the sudden movement.
"What the fuck was that?! Superman?!" he shouted, stumbling mid-stride.
Heart hammering, he skidded to a stop behind one of the towering pillars.
Cautiously, he peeked out.
Dust settled in the distance.
A figure stood where the blur had landed—calm, composed, dangerous.
A girl.
Or something that looked like one.
Long silver hair shimmered under the dim light, cascading down her back.
Her grey eyes glowed faintly with power, sharp and unblinking.
A fitted white and grey armor hugged her curves—elegant, but clearly built for battle.
It gleamed faintly beneath the dust, pristine despite the ruin around her.
In her hands—an enormous black greatsword, nearly two meters long, its blade humming with restrained force.
Zev's mouth went dry.
'Nuh uh. No way. I am NOT fighting that.'
His gaze darted around for an escape.
Before he could move, a voice rang out—clear, melodic, but firm.
"Wait. Why are you running? What are you doing here, in the ruins of the Primordial Dragon?"
Zev froze.
His mind raced.
'No fucking way I can tell her I just hatched from an egg because some goddess killed me with her damn cat and reincarnated me as a semi-dragon in a world I don't know, with a system that acts cute and just told me to run for my life from her.'
His eyes darted once more to the blade.
She hadn't moved. But the way she stood…
She could cross the distance between them in an instant.
Zev swallowed.
"I… I got lost."
The silver-haired girl narrowed her eyes.
"You got lost?" she asked, voice calm but firm.
"How? This place is isolated. No one comes here by accident."
Zev forced a nervous smile.
"Yeah, about that… I, uh… I don't remember how I got here. I'm lost… really lost."
He kept his tone as casual as possible, though every instinct screamed at him to run again.
The girl tilted her head slightly, eyes scanning him from head to toe.
She didn't lower her sword.
"You've lost your memories?" she asked.
"It's possible. There are monsters here with psychic abilities. If you're not strong enough to resist them, memory loss can occur."
'Monsters? Did she just say monsters?'
Zev's heart skipped a beat.
'I'm going to die. Sixteen fucking years in a damn egg, just to get killed now?'
He kept his face neutral.
"Yeah… that must be it. I think. I… don't really remember."
The girl studied him a moment longer, then slowly lowered her blade—though she kept her stance ready.
"I see," she said quietly. "And you? Why are you here?"
'Think, think—don't say the egg. Don't say reincarnation. Don't say semi-dragon!'
"I am an adventurer."
'For FUCK'S SAKE ZEV, I am an adventurer, this will be my last line in this world.'
She blinked.
"I see… It's not strange then."
'Oh she bought it, FUCK YES!!!!!.'
The girl's expression hardened.
"I'm here to get dragon remains, with them I could find a clue to locate the dragon that killed my father. They are a vile race. They should be exterminated. Arrogant creatures—believing themselves rulers of the world simply because they are powerful."
"Oh yeah! THEY ARE THE WORST, THAT'S TRUE."
'FUCK!!! SHE CAN'T DISCOVER I AM A DRAGON!!!'
"TOTALLY THE WORST!!"