The day I died was like any other. No warning. No final words. I was just crossing the street when a truck came out of nowhere, moving far too fast. There was a flash of white, a crushing impact—and then nothing. No pain. No fear. Just silence.
Now, I'm sitting in an infinite abyss, surrounded by endless darkness, with no sense of time or direction. I don't know how long I've been here. Minutes. Hours. Maybe longer. All I know is that I'm dead… and whatever comes next hasn't revealed itself yet.
After an unknown amount of time, a voice echoed through the void.
"System awakened. Please choose your starting world."
A shimmering list appeared before me, countless worlds I recognized from shows and movies—Vampire Diaries, Breaking Bad, even some I hadn't heard of before. My eyes scanned through them automatically, as if guided by some unseen instinct.
Then one name caught my attention. Not because it was flashy, or because I had seen it before. No… because it stirred something deep inside me.
"How to Train Your Dragon."
A memory surfaced—vivid, unshakable. In my past life, I had been a huge fan of this world. I had dreamed of dragons, of soaring through endless skies, of feeling the wind beneath my wings as my dragon and I became unstoppable. I'd watched the movies, read the books, replayed the games—imagined every detail… and now, it was real.
I couldn't stop the grin from spreading across my face. My heart raced so fast I could feel it in my throat. This was it. I was finally here. I didn't hesitate. I reached out, choosing it.
A blinding light enveloped me, forcing me to shut my eyes. When it faded, I was standing in the middle of a dense forest, the smell of pine in my nose and the crisp wind brushing my face. I stumbled a little, laughing in disbelief, my hands shaking.
"Oh… oh my god," I whispered, my voice trembling with excitement. "I'm really here. I'm actually here! Dragons… I'm gonna meet dragons!"
Then, floating in front of me like a glowing panel, my system appeared. I stared at it in awe:
Name: Austin Smith
Title: None
HP: 100 / 100
SP: 0
Strength: 10
Dexterity: 10
Intelligence: 10
Constitution: 10
Shop: Locked
Dragons: 0
Dimenal Travel: Locked
My chest heaved. My hands trembled as I stared at it. Every number, every blank slot, every empty field—everything was a promise. My chance to finally live my dream.
I could feel it—the adventure waiting for me, dragons soaring above, battles to fight, and the thrill of flying through skies I had only dreamed about. My past life was gone. This… this was real. And I wasn't holding back.
I laughed, louder this time, letting the sound echo through the trees. "Yes! This… this is going to be amazing!"
As the echo of my scream disappeared into nothingness, a low rumble caught my attention from behind a nearby tree. Curiosity got the better of me, and I cautiously stepped closer, every sense on high alert.
Peeking around the trunk, my eyes widened. There, struggling in the underbrush, was an injured Speed Stinger. Its body was sleek and muscular, resembling a featherless theropod dinosaur, like a Velociraptor. Despite having tiny vestigial wings, it was completely flightless, relying instead on its powerful back legs to move with astonishing speed.
The dragon's head was shark-like, the pupils small and piercing like a Terrible Terror's, and the sail-like appendages along its head, back, and legs twitched nervously. Its tail ended in a sharp, barbed stinger that resembled a stingray's, glinting red in the sunlight filtering through the trees. Its eyes, also red, locked onto me warily, reflecting both pain and curiosity.
The injured Speed Stinger tried to push itself upright, its muscular legs trembling. One claw dug into the dirt as it let out a soft hiss, almost like it was warning me to stay back—but there was also vulnerability there, a silent plea for help.
I froze for a moment, taking in every detail—the webbed talons for running across water, the vibrant aqua scales, the slight red highlights along its back—and then my chest tightened. This… this is incredible.
I took a careful step forward, my hands raised slowly. "Hey… it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you," I whispered, my voice trembling with awe and excitement.
The Speed Stinger's tail twitched, and its stinger flexed nervously, but it didn't attack. Its gaze stayed locked on mine, sharp and intelligent, a spark of something almost like trust flickering beneath the fear.
I swallowed hard, heart pounding. This… this was my first dragon. My first bond. And I was going to earn it.
But as I stepped closer, a thought froze me for a heartbeat—Speed Stingers travel in packs. So where was this one's pack? Were they nearby, watching me, ready to attack?
I pushed the thought to the back of my mind. I can't think about that right now. I have to focus on helping it.
Slowly, I extended my hand toward the injured dragon. My heart raced—part fear, part exhilaration. The Speed Stinger's red eyes narrowed at first, muscles tensed, tail twitching—but I didn't flinch. I whispered softly, "It's okay… I'm not going to hurt you."
For a tense moment, nothing happened. Then, almost imperceptibly, it leaned forward. My breath caught as I felt its smooth, scaly head press gently against my palm. A shiver ran down my spine—part excitement, part disbelief.
I laughed quietly, my heart pounding. It trusts me… it's actually trusting me.
The little moment stretched, the forest around us falling away as I focused entirely on the dragon. For the first time since I'd arrived in this world, it didn't feel like a dream. It felt real. And somehow, I knew this was the start of something incredible.
After it nuzzled my hand, I carefully inched closer, finally getting a clear look at its injured leg. The joint was bent at an awkward angle, the scales scraped and bleeding slightly. My mind raced—what could I do to help it? How could I fix this without making it worse?
Before I could even think, a soft chime echoed in my mind.
"Notification: Dragon injury detected."
This was my first dragon. My first chance to prove myself.
I swallowed hard, excitement and nerves warring in my chest. I reached toward the option…
And then, a sudden rustle came from the shadows beyond the trees. Something was moving. Fast. Too fast. My stomach dropped as the sound of claws scraping against dirt echoed closer.
The Speed Stinger stiffened, hissing, tail whipping in alarm. Its red eyes darted toward the darkness, and I followed its gaze.
Something was coming.
And I had no idea if I was ready.