Chapter 1: Reborn as a Dragon!
In the heart of a lush, primeval jungle, a baby dragon emerged into a world unknown, shaking his head to clear the remnants of his former life. This creature, with a body still glistening with the wetness of birth, stumbled awkwardly from the remnants of a fractured eggshell. His vertical pupils, brimming with an innate intelligence, surveyed his new surroundings. There was an almost comical aspect to his unsteady movements.
"Where am I?" Bruce murmured, expecting human language to flow from his lips. Instead, a low, beastly growl echoed, foreign and unsettling to his own ears.
Realization dawned upon him as he twisted his body, examining his new form. His dark green scales were meticulously aligned, leaving no space between them. His limbs, well-developed and ending in claws sharp as steel blades, supported his body. Bat-like wings, robust and bony, unfurled from his back, giving him a stature akin to an adult pit bull.
"What creature is this? A New Zealand tuatara, perhaps? But with wings?" Bruce pondered, his mind whirling with confusion.
Only a moment ago, Bruce was oblivious to the fact that he had been reborn, transformed into a dragon hatchling.
He was on the verge of bombarding the air with a flurry of questions when a deluge of information cascaded into his mind, like a torrential sea.
"The Dragon's Heritage... I've transcended worlds, reborn as a green dragon hatchling... This realm is the Noland plane, a world teeming with magic and mystery," Bruce realized in awe. He found himself in the southwestern jungles of the Kanozina continent, a place known as the Green Forest. This world, sprawling and vast, dwarfed Earth by eightyfold.
It was a realm where diverse species thrived: humans, dragons, giants, orcs, devils, demons, goblins, elves, white ghosts, tauren, and more, each adding to the vibrant tapestry of life. The Noland plane, rife with conflict and endless possibilities, was a complex world indeed.
Bruce, with newfound strength, dragged his body forward. After dozens of meters, he was halted by the abrupt end of the land – a cliff plunging seven or eight hundred meters down. The dragon's nest perched precariously on a massive plateau, shielded from the relentless sky by an overhanging cliff.
Below, the primeval jungle stretched vast and untamed. The trees soared skyward, some reaching staggering heights of over a hundred meters. Unfamiliar birds and beasts wove through the air, painting a vibrant picture of life. A river snaked through the landscape, resembling a colossal python traversing the dense jungle.
The sun's rays pierced the canopy, warming Bruce's skin and drying the residual mucus that clung to him. Lying at the cliff's edge, he began to envision his life as a dragon, full of potential and adventure.
Suddenly, a piercing howl shattered the tranquility, and a massive green beast emerged from the distance, soaring towards the cliff.
"Dragon Mother is here!" Bruce exclaimed, a mix of excitement and trepidation coursing through him.
Bruce, with an unsteady gait and a determined spirit, flapped his fledgling wings as he maneuvered towards the center of the dragon's nest. Perched precariously on the edge of the cliff, he was acutely aware of the danger posed by the powerful gusts from his mother's giant wings. Despite the oddity of his situation, having been reborn as a young dragon, his will to survive and thrive was strong.
As Bruce fluttered his tiny wings and shook his heavy head, he reached the nest's heart. A sudden gust brushed against his back as Dragon Mother, a majestic and imposing figure, descended gracefully to the cliff's edge.
Bruce crouched low, seeking refuge among the branches of the nest, yet Dragon Mother's piercing gaze found him effortlessly. Her eyes, filled with an unusual mix of curiosity and skepticism, scrutinized Bruce. His dark green scales, almost black from a distance, made him an oddity among green dragon offspring.
The mother dragon, stretched her long neck forward, her tooth-filled jaws inching closer to Bruce. Her formidable eyes scrutinized him, nostrils flaring slightly as she sniffed the air.
"Well, this scent is indeed from me," she murmured, though Bruce still detected a strong whiff of chlorine in her breath.
"Child, what is your true name?" The Dragon Mother's low rumble filled the air, a sound that seemed to carry both the essence of draconic language and the power of magic, enabling Bruce to grasp its meaning.
A dragon's true name? It was said that every dragon would instinctively know their true name at birth.
But what was Bruce's? He found himself speechless, his true name still a mystery to him. Would his mother view him differently for not knowing it?
As Bruce grappled with these thoughts, two of his siblings began to hatch. The dragon world was known for its ruthlessness and abandonment, where a dragon's true name signified their inherent talents. Without it, one risked being seen as talentless, useless.
"I refuse to be seen as useless or be abandoned," Bruce thought desperately. He knew he had to come up with a name.
"Bruce... Godzilla... King Kong... Charizard... Astra... Tiamat," he pieced together, hoping a longer name might convey more power. But as he tried to roar his fabricated name, only "Bruce" and faint "ho ho" sounds escaped him. The real name of a dragon couldn't be faked!
Feeling defeated, Bruce was at a loss. Dragon Mother's disappointed gaze bore into him.
Meanwhile, his newly hatched sister proudly declared her name, "Carona Delora Marcia Summerfield... Glenretham," strutting majestically. Dragon Mother's demeanor softened slightly at this. The third sibling, another brother, also announced a long, distinguished name.
Bruce realized he would have to remember many names in the dragon clan, but for now, he committed to memory only Carona and Torenço, his siblings, and Shia, his mother.
While Bruce couldn't match his siblings in names, he discovered that he could still vocalize "Bruce" and had inherited some dragon knowledge, including language and memories about his mother and the world.
As for magical abilities, that remained uncertain. Shia's indifferent attitude suggested a grim future for Bruce.
Shia, having assessed her offspring, took flight from the nest. Bruce sighed in relief; disappointment stung, but at least he wasn't abandoned.
Alone with his thoughts, Bruce considered his new life as a dragon. Escaping the mundane of his previous life, he now aimed to become a formidable dragon, a goal that seemed distant yet invigorating.
As he lay there, pondering his future, he recalled frustrations from a past life, resolving never to be a tank in online games again.
This new journey, albeit filled with challenges, was Bruce's chance to rise as a dragon, to carve a path of strength and wisdom in this vast, magical world.