THE FOREST
"Who am I? Why am I even here?"
Rentaro kept asking himself, lost in thought. He didn't notice a massive dragon creeping through the giant trees, looming over him. It wasn't until the beast inhaled and let out a deafening roar that Rentaro realized he wasn't alone.
"ROWRRRRRRR!"
The roar vibrated through his very bones. Rentaro stood frozen, his heart pounding—not out of fear, but pure confusion.
A dragon? How do I know it's a dragon? The thought just popped into his head. Have I seen one before? I don't think so... but I'm weirdly certain this thing is a dragon.
As Rentaro stood there, caught in his own little world, the dragon snorted. It felt completely ignored.
"Oi, you lowly human! How dare you trespass into the domain of the Great Dragon Lord, huh?!" the dragon barked. He looked incredibly smug, clearly offended that a random kid had just wandered into his home.
"I don't know. I don't even know why I'm here," Rentaro replied blankly. He looked like he didn't have a care in the world. That was the last straw for the dragon.
"YOU TRESPASS INTO MY LAND AND YOU DON'T EVEN LOOK GUILTY?! WHAT'S WITH THAT FACE?!"
The dragon screamed right into Rentaro's face. He was livid. This kid's "innocent" expression was the most annoying thing he'd ever seen. After a moment, the dragon tried to regain his dignity, asking with a threatening growl.
"I'll ask one last time. Who are you, and what is your business in the Great Dragon Lord's domain?"
"I already told you! I have no idea why I'm here or who I am. Do you know who I am, Mr. Great Dragon Lord?" Rentaro asked back. His face was so genuinely curious that it was insulting.
"AKHHHHHHH! You stupid brat!" the dragon roared in frustration. "If you don't even know yourself, how should I know?! I don't even know you, you damn brat!!!"
He had officially lost it. "You stupid kid, eat this! Dragon's Breath!"
A massive torrent of fire surged toward Rentaro. Panicked and with nowhere to run, Rentaro's mouth moved on its own.
"Dragon Physique Copy! Enchant! Breakthrough +6!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A series of explosions leveled the area. Smoke, dust, and charred wood filled the air where Rentaro had been standing.
"Hahahahahaha! Serves you right, you annoying brat!" the dragon laughed, finally feeling a bit of satisfaction.
But as the smoke cleared and Rentaro's silhouette emerged, the dragon's jaw dropped. "N-No! No way! How are you still alive?! And what the hell are you wearing?! Why do you have armor that looks exactly like my scales?!"
Rentaro looked down at himself, equally confused. His body was now covered in shimmering scale-armor, identical to the dragon's.
"I don't know, honestly..." Rentaro said, his voice trailing off. "But I'm starting to get a little annoyed with you. You just blasted me for no reason."
Rentaro looked up, his expression shifting into something much more unsettling. "Time to taste your own fire, you lizard. Hehehehe."
"Hey, hey, hey! What's with that creepy face?! And did you just call me a lizard?! You brat!"
The dragon froze. He couldn't believe his eyes. This kid wasn't just unafraid—he was mocking him.
"Dragon's Breath! Copy!"
Rentaro took a deep breath, his chest puffing out, and then he let it rip: "Dragon's Breath!"
The blast shot toward the dragon like a meteor.
"How can you use my skill?!" the dragon shrieked. "Wait... there's no way your breath is stronger than—"
He had planned to laugh it off because the flame looked smaller at first. But as the heat intensified and the fire closed in, his ego vanished. Pure, unadulterated panic took over.