The next day.
It wasn't until the blazing sun had nearly reached its zenith that the little dragon hiding in the cave finally blinked open his eyes in a fog of half-sleep.
[Ding! Waking up early is a commendable trait for every dragon hatchling.]
[Because you woke up before noon, you've gained the buff: Diligent Training.]
[Diligent Training: EXP gain +100%.]
[Duration: 6 Hours]
The system chattered away, but the transmigrator—now growing more and more accustomed to life as a baby dragon—chose to ignore it completely.
As a pureblood dragon perched atop the hierarchy of all fantastical creatures, he had no interest in something as mundane as experience farming.
In truth, even if he did absolutely nothing—just lay around all day—his power would still grow, little by little.
And in this twilight age of the divine, when the magical ether remaining above the surface was nearly exhausted and the ancient mysteries of the world had long since receded, there was hardly anything left that could pose a real threat to his life.
Not gods, not demons, not titans—nothing.
Put simply, once he reached adulthood, he'd be invincible on this island.
"…No, maybe not invincible."
"There's still that woman… No, that she-dragon."
Perched atop a cliff, Bluey spread his wings and dove toward the forest stream below.
It was the region's most precious water source. Nearly all the animals in the forest relied on it to survive. But ever since Bluey made this forest his territory, he'd claimed the cleanest, clearest spring as his own.
Gururu…
Bluey submerged himself in a pool about two meters deep, cooling off in a refreshing bath. Then, with a satisfied flutter, he burst out of the water—his snowy wings flinging glittering droplets into the air, catching sunlight and scattering rainbow glimmers in all directions.
"Mm!"
He hovered above the pool, catching sight of his blue-and-white reflection in the surface below, and nodded in approval.
"As expected!"
"Choosing to become a Blue-Eyes White Dragon was absolutely the right call!"
…
Bluey—formerly known as Bailong in his human life—was a transmigrator.
Not the kind who got flattened by a truck, but the kind who died young from illness.
After his death, a divine being offered him a chance to start anew, along with three choices:
[Option One: Become the emperor of a powerful nation, wielding absolute authority.
[Option Two: Become the protagonist of a light novel, with a youth filled with adventure, regrets, and unforgettable memories.]
[Option Three: Become the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.]
Bluey didn't even hesitate. He picked the third option.
And so, he was reborn into this world—emerging from a snowy-white stone as a baby dragon.
To be honest… when he opened his eyes and saw that blonde girl for the first time, he'd nearly jumped out of his scales.
Unlike humans, a pureblood dragon like him was born with draconic sight—a kind of spiritual vision unique to his species. Through those eyes, the smiling blonde girl in front of him wasn't some harmless village girl—she radiated the dangerous aura of a pureblood red dragon!
Back then, Bluey thought he was about to be eaten.
But as his vision adjusted, the illusion faded, and the girl's actual form came into focus. Especially that ridiculous, swaying strand of hair atop her head—the ahoge—which immediately stole his attention.
"Oh."
"So it's just a little Ahoge."
"Scared the scales off me—I really thought I was gonna get eaten!"
Wait a second… where's she taking me? Why's she hiding me in this cave? Don't tell me… is she saving me for later as emergency rations?
When he thought about this red dragon girl, who would one day devour all of Britain if left unchecked, Bluey couldn't help but feel nervous.
But then—
Once they'd reached the cliffside, and the girl pulled a still-warm flatbread from her cloak, tore it into pieces, and gently fed it to him—
Ugh… this tastes terrible.
That was Bluey's first thought.
I want meat. Cooked meat.
His second.
She's so pitiful… Is this what she eats every day? No wonder she's so scrawny and underdeveloped…
That was his third.
He decided right then: She needs better food.
She was nearly fifteen. By human standards, practically an adult already… Though he wasn't sure if there was still time to "fix" her.
…
High noon. The sun blazed overhead.
With an empty stomach, Bluey soared at top speed through the forest skies, searching for the "right" kind of prey.
Down below, rabbits froze in terror at his shadow—paralyzed. Even as a hatchling, his draconic aura was enough to overwhelm any ordinary beast lacking intelligence.
But Bluey had no interest in helpless prey.
He was hungry, yes. But what he truly craved was worthy prey—prey that could fight back. Blood and flesh that offered challenge and value.
That was the instinct of evolution.
As that old magus once said, the world no longer had enough mystery left to nurture a true dragon.
But the heavens had not entirely forsaken them. Even amidst 99% despair, there remained a sliver of hope.
[Ding! Daily Quest Received: Dragon Evolution.]
[Quest Description: Hunt valuable enemies. Feast upon their blood and flesh. From them, draw true strength.]
[Objective: Defeat any magical beast (0/1).]
[Reward: +2 Growth Points.]
…
Bluey soared overhead.
His draconic aura radiated outward from his body, engulfing a five-kilometer radius in oppressive, sovereign pressure unique to fantastical species.
Most animals—wolves included—bowed low to the earth in fear, burying their heads beneath their paws and flattening their ears in submission.
But not all.
ROAAAR—!
A furious roar shattered the silence from deep within the woods. The true king of the forest had risen to challenge the invader.
Trees toppled. Dust clouds surged.
A massive brown bear—over five meters tall and as big as a truck—charged out of the brush, smashing through half-meter-thick trees like twigs.
At last, it reared atop a boulder and glared furiously at the young dragon circling in the sky.
Bluey stared back, eyes brimming with excitement—and in his throat, a faint glow of blue-white light began to gather.
"[BURST STREAM OF DESTRUCTION]!!!"
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T/N: tbhj i only tled this because cute dragon teehee