Deep within a dim cavern, illuminated only by faint streams of light seeping through cracks above, rested a lone egg. Its shell was pale white, patterned with winding black lines that resembled veins of obsidian. It lay upon a patch of moss and grass, as if nature itself had carefully chosen this spot for it.
Without warning, the egg trembled. A faint crack echoed through the cave as it shifted, rolling slightly before striking against the stone wall. The sound repeated, crack, crack, until a small claw pushed its way through the shell. The movements grew more frantic, as though the creature inside could no longer wait to be born.
Fragments of the shell splintered outward. Each strike widened the cracks, scattering shards across the moss until, at last, the egg burst open. From within, a small figure tumbled free, landing unsteadily on the grass.
What emerged was a lizard-like creature, its scales as dark as midnight. From its back extended a pair of underdeveloped wings that twitched instinctively. Its body was small, almost fragile, yet even in this newborn state, the sharp gleam in its eyes hinted at a strength far beyond ordinary beasts.
"...What the hell!!!?"
The newborn roared, or at least tried to, while flailing his legs in panic. His voice came out more like a squeaky growl than an actual roar, but the intent was clear.
He stared at his right forelimb in disbelief. Is this… a claw? He raised it shakily, then twisted his head to the side. Two small, twitching shapes caught his eye. Wait, are those… wings!?
Recognition hit him like a hammer.
"I understand now. I'm a dragon!? No, wait, more like a baby dragon!?"
For a moment, excitement welled up inside him. The very word dragon carried weight, the kind of legendary presence that could shake the world itself. But then reality set in, and his wings stiffened in dread.
"No, no, no, that's not something to be happy about! I actually got reincarnated… and this definitely isn't my old world. I don't remember dinosaurs walking around freely, at least not to the common public. Unless… unless this is some Jurassic Park type shit!?"
He froze, his thoughts spiralling between awe and despair.
"This… this is really some protagonist-type shit!"
His words echoed faintly against the cavern walls. Despite the panic in his flailing movements, there was also a spark of thrill.
He couldn't help it. Deep down, he really felt like he was the chosen one.
After all, back in his old life he had devoured isekai stories, novels, manga, anime, even endless fanfictions. Half for entertainment, half just to imagine what it would be like if he were thrown into another world. He'd laughed at other people's self-inserts, judged their choices, and sometimes even daydreamed about how he'd do things differently.
And now… here he was.
"Grrrrrr…"
The sound rumbled faintly from his belly, breaking his moment of reflection. The little flying lizard froze, then twitched his wings in annoyance.
"…Oh, great. I'm hungry already."
Instinct told him he needed to put something inside his stomach soon. But what?
I can't just waltz out of this cave… who knows what kind of monsters are waiting out there? And yet… I can't exactly starve either.
His eyes swept the cavern floor in search of food, but the dim light revealed nothing. No prey. No scraps. Not even a sign that his "biological parents" had left something behind.
He sighed, then turned his gaze toward the patch of grass beneath him. His nose twitched at the faint earthy scent.
"…Nope."
Instead, his eyes settled on something else, the shattered fragments of the egg he had just crawled out of.
Wait a sec… I remember in tons of fanfictions and even some doujinshi, the MC always eats their eggshells first. Supposedly, it's full of nutrients and helps newborn monsters grow.
He gulped nervously, staring at the jagged pieces.
"…Should I really try it? …Well, it's not like I have any other option."
With that resigned thought, he stretched out his small, clawed paws and dragged one of the broken fragments closer. He stared at it for several seconds, as though trying to convince himself this was normal behaviour. Finally, he opened his mouth and chomped down.
Crunch!
The shell shattered between his teeth, sharp edges breaking apart into powdery flakes as he swallowed a piece.
Crunch, crunch, crunch…
His expression shifted from doubtful to surprised.
"…Huh? This… isn't bad at all."
Another bite. And another.
"…Wait, this is actually good! I don't even know what to compare it to, but it's crunchy, savoury, and somehow satisfying. Like… some weird mix between roasted nuts and crackers, but better."
Before long, he was eagerly devouring the fragments one after another, his tiny tail swishing unconsciously behind him with every bite.
By the time nearly a tenth of the shell had disappeared into his stomach, the reincarnator finally paused.
"I... I'm full."
A heavy drowsiness washed over him, his eyelids growing heavier with each passing moment. No matter how much he tried to resist, his vision blurred as sleep clawed at him.
Still, he forced himself to mutter a lingering thought.
"…Not that I noticed before, but… the shell I came out of… it's way bigger than me. Am I… underdeveloped? Or is this… normal…?"
His voice trailed off, swallowed by the silence of the cave and he fell asleep.
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Skills he should be born with suggestions