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Chapter 2 — First Meal, First Disaster
Darkness.
Then… light again.
When my eyes opened, everything felt heavier — my limbs, my wings, even the air. The cave around me seemed smaller, and the ground looked… cracked?
Wait. Did I destroy my surroundings in my sleep?
> [Good morning.]
[Evolution successfully completed.]
"Evolution?" I repeated groggily. "Wait, I evolved!? Already!?"
> [Affirmative. You have evolved into Abyssal Draconis (Juvenile).]
[Cause: Overabsorption of ambient mana.]
"So, I evolved because I… breathed too hard?"
> [Simplified summary: Correct.]
…Great. So I'm a gluttonous air-breather of doom.
I slowly rose, my claws scraping against stone. My once silver scales now shimmered with a faint obsidian sheen, reflecting streaks of violet light from the mana crystals embedded in the cave walls. My wings looked sharper, more defined — and honestly, way cooler.
"Okay, okay, this isn't all bad," I said to myself, trying to stay positive. "At least I didn't blow myself up."
> [Correction: A 4.6% chance of self-detonation existed during the process.]
"…Thanks for not mentioning that earlier, Draconic Wisdom."
> [You did not ask.]
I took a deep breath and decided to test my new senses. The air around me was alive with color — blue streams of mana danced through the air like ribbons, feeding into the giant trees beyond the cave's mouth. I could hear faint heartbeats from small creatures outside.
And also… my stomach growling.
"Right. Dragons need food, too."
> [Recommended nourishment detected: Lesser Mana Sprites, located 32 meters east.]
"Sprites? Sounds edible enough."
I walked — or stumbled, really — toward the cave entrance. The moment sunlight hit my scales, the forest shivered.
Birds scattered, insects vanished, and somewhere in the distance, something screamed in terror.
"…Why does everyone keep running away?"
> [Possible cause: Abyssal aura emission from your core.]
[Your presence may induce primal fear in lesser lifeforms.]
"Great. I'm a walking anxiety attack."
Still, I pressed forward, determined to at least get breakfast. The trees loomed impossibly tall, roots coiled like serpents. The air hummed with power. Then, near a cluster of glowing mushrooms, I spotted them — tiny blue creatures fluttering like living lights.
"Lesser Mana Sprites," I whispered, my hunger kicking in.
One of them turned toward me. Its eyes went wide, and it froze midair like a bug caught in headlights. The others immediately scattered.
"Oh, come on! I'm not that scary!"
> [Incorrect.]
I sighed and lunged at the closest one before it could flee. My jaws snapped instinctively—
Crunch.
Warm energy burst across my tongue like liquid lightning.
For a second, it tasted… incredible. Then everything around me shook.
> [Alert: Absorption of corrupted mana fragment detected.]
[Skill "Abyssal Core" reacting abnormally.]
"Wait, corrupted what now—"
A pulse of energy erupted from my chest. Dark light flashed across the forest, shaking trees and scattering glowing spores everywhere. I was thrown back, slamming into a boulder hard enough to crack it in half.
> [Mana discharge stabilized.]
[Result: Core adaptation successful.]
[Sub-skill unlocked: Devour Conversion (Enhanced).]
Smoke curled from my mouth as I groaned. "So… I just… exploded my lunch."
> [Correct. However, your mana capacity has increased by 200%.]
"Well, at least it was a high-protein meal."
The air around me shimmered again — darker this time. Even the plants seemed to bend away slightly, as if bowing to me… or trying to stay out of range.
"Seriously," I muttered, glancing at my reflection in a nearby pool of water. "Why do I look like the final boss of a bad RPG already?"
> [Possibility: You are progressing along the Abyssal Destruction Path.]
"…You're supposed to make me feel better, not narrate my downfall."
> [Understood. Positive note: You are now 0.7% more efficient at walking.]
"…Thanks, I guess."
I sighed, lowering myself beside the shattered rock. The world around me buzzed quietly, fearful yet beautiful.
"I just wanted to live peacefully, you know?" I muttered to no one in particular. "Eat, sleep, maybe nap on a mountain someday. But nooo, fate said, 'Here, have a destruction aura instead.'"
My tail flicked, accidentally cutting a groove into the ground.
The forest responded with another shiver.
"…Okay, maybe I'll just stay in this cave for a while."
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📜 Status Update
Name: ——— (Unnamed)
Race: Abyssal Draconis (Juvenile)
Title: Reincarnated Being, Hatchling of Calamity, The Abyss-Born
Evolution Path: Abyssal Destruction Lineage
Skills:
Unique Skill: Draconic Wisdom
Unique Skill: Soul Devour
Unique Skill: Abyssal Core
┗ Sub-Skill Unlocked: Devour Conversion (Enhanced)
Basic Skill: Mana Perception
Basic Skill: Scale Defense
Basic Skill: Claw Strike
Condition: Stable (Mana Saturation: 97%)
Threat Level: Catastrophic (by forest standards)
Notable Achievements:
Accidentally evolved into a higher dragon species.
Accidentally devoured corrupted mana.
Accidentally caused a localized earthquake.
Still polite about it.
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💠 End of Chapter 2 — First Meal, First Disaster 💠
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