The cave was silent now. The corpses of the hunters still smoldered where they had fallen, and the heat of the fire lingering on his scales reminded him that survival had a price.
Hunger gnawed at him again—not like before, but sharper, more precise. The system had warned him about starvation, but this was different. He realized that killing and eating had made him stronger, yes, but it hadn't satisfied him entirely.
> [Warning: Hunger detected. Nutrition required for optimal growth.]
[XP gained: 120 | Level 2 → 3 progress: 40%]
He blinked at the translucent blue screen hovering in front of him. Numbers and symbols seemed almost magical. It was strange—yet familiar. He had seen something like this in games. RPGs. But this… this was real. Every bite he took, every drop of blood he tasted, gave him strength.
The thought both horrified and exhilarated him.
He looked down at his claws. They were longer now, sharper, small but deadly. The heat in his chest—hunger and adrenaline mixed together—made his body feel alive in a way he hadn't known before.
I can get stronger. I have to.
He crept toward the cave entrance. Outside, the world waited: the forest stretched endlessly, dark and full of life. Every rustle in the undergrowth sounded like a warning. Prey, predator, or enemy—he couldn't tell.
Then he spotted something.
A deer. Young, small, unaware. It grazed lazily near a stream, the sound of water masking his approach. His tail twitched instinctively. His body was small, his wings barely formed, but his claws dug into the stone as he stalked closer.
> [Target detected: Prey | Difficulty: Low]
[Recommendation: Hunt to gain XP.]
Instinct surged. He lunged, and the deer bolted—but not fast enough. One swipe of his claws, one bite, and the hunt ended.
The warm blood filled his mouth, hot and metallic. Hunger eased immediately, replaced by a deep, satisfying warmth.
> [XP gained: 80 | Level 2 → 3 progress: 85%]
[HP restored.]
His body shivered as he realized just how much stronger he felt than before. Every movement was smoother, faster, more controlled. He flexed his claws experimentally. They dug into the stone with ease, slicing shallow grooves.
A faint pulse of light flickered across the system screen.
> [Skill unlocked: Predator Instinct (Passive) | Enhances hunting and tracking ability.]
The words settled in his mind, almost like a whisper: You are becoming a predator. The world is yours if you survive.
He crouched near the stream and drank deeply. His reflection looked back at him—golden eyes, red scales glinting faintly in the sun, smoke curling lazily from his nostrils. He had changed. Not just physically. His mind was sharper, his senses keener.
Yet a small voice whispered in the back of his mind: humans.
He had survived the first hunters, but there were more. Stronger ones. Those who wielded steel and fire, who would see a hatchling dragon as nothing but a target.
> [Notice: Dragonkind hunted relentlessly. Avoid detection.]
The system pulsed faintly. Its instructions were simple: survive, grow, evolve.
He spread his wings experimentally. Small at first, unsteady. A few flaps, then a stumble, claws scraping against stone.
Soon… he thought. Soon I will fly.
The forest beyond waited, full of life—and full of danger. Small animals, monsters, hunters. Every encounter would be a test, every bite a step toward evolution.
He curled in the shadows, resting for the first time. Hunger still lingered, but it was manageable now. Strength was growing inside him, pooling in his chest like molten fire.
And as he drifted into a shallow, watchful sleep, he felt it: a spark of exhilaration, a whisper from the system, a promise that he could become more than just a hatchling.
> [Objective Updated: Survive | Grow | Evolve]
The hunt had ended. The real challenge was only beginning.