Before his rebirth all he remembered was being engulfed by frustration, Bruce felt a wave of darkness sweep over his vision as he succumbed to unconsciousness.
In that moment, he blamed his abrupt time travel on those inept teammates of his past life. Sometimes, it seemed, death came from the simplest of things – in his case, a surge of excitement leading to cardiac overload.
As he drifted into unconsciousness, a final thought crossed his mind: in the next life, he vowed to be someone who could control his emotions, hoping it would grant him a longer existence.
...
Ironically, Bruce had never been much of a gamer. His previous life's monotony had turned him into a kind of walking zombie, finding solace only in the virtual world of WOW during his sparse free time.
Now, reborn in this vibrant world as a young dragon, Bruce found this new existence far more thrilling than his past life. Life itself had become a game, and he was determined to play it well, despite feeling like a 'useless' dragon.
As he pondered his situation, his brother Torenço, ever the mischievous one, seemed dissatisfied with the peace. After growing tired of sparring with their sister Carona, Torenço set his sights on Bruce.
Already disheartened by his incomplete dragon form, Bruce bristled at this unwelcome attention. Yet, he knew that before any magical talents emerged, a duel was merely a test of physical strength and skill.
Being the older sibling, Bruce had a natural advantage in size and strength over Torenço. Skills-wise, he doubted his 'third-level brain-dead' brother could outmatch him. It was time to assert his elder brother authority, especially before Torenço potentially awakened some formidable dragon magic.
Using his legs and wings – the latter more for balance and agility than flight at this stage – Bruce skillfully dodged Torenço's attack.
To Torenço's surprise, Bruce's agility allowed him to easily evade and counter. Torenço crashed headfirst into a log from the dragon's nest, letting out an angry roar.
Before Torenço could recover, Bruce had him pinned down, his limbs firmly clamping his brother beneath him.
Torenço's attempts to free himself were futile, his roars filled with juvenile frustration.
The duel ended with Bruce's victory, a small triumph in his new dragon life.
As noon approached, their mother had yet to return, and Bruce's stomach rumbled with hunger. Observing Carona and Torenço, he noticed they had started to chew on their broken eggshells, hard as stone.
In the dragons' inherited memories, Bruce discovered an extensive range of dietary possibilities, far beyond what he knew in his past life. A dragon's stomach was a formidable organ, capable of digesting stones, metals, animals, plants – seemingly anything.
Their usual preference was meat for its taste, but in hunger, even stone – or nutrient-rich eggshells – would suffice.
"Ho ho ho~" Bruce chuckled to himself. If he didn't act quickly, he'd be left with nothing but the remnants of their meal. He got up, ready to join his siblings in this unexpected feast.
Bruce, intrigued by his newfound culinary option, picked up a piece of eggshell and popped it into his mouth. The hard shell, which crumbled surprisingly easily between his teeth, had a surprisingly pleasant taste.
"Oh, this is actually quite good," Bruce mused, realizing why eggshells were a staple for young dragons in their inherited memories.
As he continued to munch, a message suddenly appeared in his mind:
[Consumed: Green Dragon Eggshell
Quality: Premium
Benefit: Calcium absorption from eggshell, bone strength +1.]
Bruce was initially skeptical, dismissing it as an illusion. Yet, after consuming another piece and receiving the same message, he couldn't deny the reality of it.
"Ha, finally some luck in this dragon life!" Bruce exclaimed, feeling a glimmer of hope for his future.
He quickly noticed his siblings, Carona and Torenço, still voraciously eating. Realizing the potential benefits, he grew anxious to claim the remaining shells for himself.
Yet, with his current strength, confronting both of them was impractical. But Bruce was not without cunning.
With a sly maneuver, Bruce picked up two stones and, with a swift flick of his paws, hit both Carona and Torenço on their heads. As they turned on each other, suspecting sibling rivalry they started fighting each other, Bruce seized the opportunity to devour the remaining eggshells.
"Ah, the simple minds of youth," Bruce chuckled, accelerating his feast. By the time his siblings realized the deception, Bruce had already cleared the eggshells.
"Ho ho," he laughed, seeing their shocked expressions. Despite their intelligence and inherited memories, they had been outwitted by their elder brother.
Having gained a significant boost from his meal, Bruce felt invigorated. His research during the feast indicated that the benefits were proportionate to the amount consumed, and he had gained a total of +5 in bone strength.
Feeling triumphant and full, Bruce noticed his siblings approaching with menacing glares.
"Looking for a rematch?" he thought, ready to confront them. As they neared, he turned, lifting his tail and feigning innocence.
The siblings were unprepared for what came next - a potent dragon breath, unlike any typical dragon emission. Overwhelmed by the stench, Carona and Torenço beat a hasty retreat, cursing Bruce in dragon language while gasping for air.
"Disgraceful!"
"A stain on dragonkind!"
Bruce watched them from a distance, bemused by their dramatics. His 'reverse dragon breath' was indeed powerful, seemingly a side effect of his unique abilities. It had a fog-like effect, capable of disorienting anyone caught within it.
Reflecting on this, Bruce realized that his extraordinary digestive prowess, enhanced by his unique 'system, had granted him this unusual attack. It was a quirk that set him apart from other dragons, a surprising but potentially useful tool in his journey through dragonhood.