Chapter 6: Between Pride and Survival
As I watched the terrifying wolf approach, a cold sensation spread through my veins. My limbs tensed unconsciously, and my chest rose slowly with a cautious inhale, as though my body were preparing for something it could not escape.
The horned rabbit was still trembling, as if it shared the same fear. Its tiny body shook beneath my claws, its frantic heartbeat almost audible.
With every step the wolf took, my heartbeat accelerated faster and faster until I could hear it pounding in my ears. My pupils widened, then slowly narrowed again as they tracked its movements without blinking.
It approached rapidly, sharp eyes locked onto me, its massive body overflowing with raw power and aggression. Its shoulders rolled heavily with each step, and its claws dug into the ground as though asserting dominance over the entire forest.
Even though I knew very well that I was only a newborn dragon—not nearly strong enough to face a creature this savage…
Something—something deep inside me—forced me to move.
My jaw tightened, and the corners of my eyes sharpened faintly, as though a hidden instinct had begun taking control.
Our eyes met.
Without thinking, I felt every fragment of my small strength gathering inside my body. My muscles tightened. My wings trembled faintly, and my tail stopped moving completely.
And in the next instant…
The battle began.
The beast with the bloody fangs lunged at me violently, its claws tearing through the air as if it intended to rip me apart.
I dodged its attack swiftly, my body twisting aside with speed, but my weakness was obvious. My movement was incomplete—unstable. My limbs trembled for a brief moment after the dodge, as though they could barely support me.
Every step it took made the ground shudder beneath my feet. My breathing quickened with every passing second, my chest rising rapidly as air rushed in and out unevenly.
I had no time to think.
After Three Days
Three days had passed, and I was still starving.
Ever since my encounter with that monkey, I had not gathered the courage to leave and hunt again.
My body had curled deep inside the cave. Cold scales clung to the damp stone while my tail wrapped tightly around me, as if I were trying to trap the last traces of warmth inside my body.
My eyes were half-open, my pupils narrowed as they watched the dark entrance without daring to stare for too long. My eyelids trembled faintly whenever a shadow passed. Every flicker of movement outside dragged my gaze toward it for a brief moment before I forced myself to look away again. Every shadow seemed alive, and every faint sound made my muscles tense unconsciously. My claws tightened and scratched the ground beneath me in short, broken lines.
I remained hidden in the depths of the cave… breathing slowly, as though I feared someone might hear me. My chest rose and fell cautiously, and every exhale left my mouth warm and heavy, as if it carried my fear with it into the darkness.
And yet… I could not endure the hunger any longer.
My stomach twisted violently. Sharp pain spread through my body, forcing my claws to dig into the rough ground. My fingers pressed deeper, as though searching for something to steady myself with. My breathing became heavier and slower, every inhale carrying more exhaustion, every exhale leaving behind a deeper emptiness.
Still… I did not think that cursed monkey enjoyed tormenting others.
I blinked slowly, then my brows lifted slightly, as though a hesitant thought was forcing its way into my mind. My gaze drifted toward the cave entrance before returning again, as if I were testing the thought without fully believing it.
Maybe… he had already forgotten about me.
A brief silence passed before I slowly released a warm breath from my nose, watching it fade into the darkness.
So… without thinking much further—
I gathered my courage.
The tips of my wings trembled slightly before I spread them just a little, then folded them back against my sides. My claws dug into the ground as I pushed myself upward, my muscles tightening slowly while resisting the weakness in my body.
Then…
I stood up.
I began walking toward the cave entrance.
I moved slowly, every step carefully measured. My claws scraped softly against the stone floor of the cave. When I reached the edge, I gradually lifted my head. My neck stretched upward, and my pupils widened as I stared at the dark sky, where the heavy threads of night had begun creeping across it.
I left the cave and started searching for dinner.
The damp air rushed toward me, carrying the thick scent of the forest. My nostrils flared slightly as I carefully gathered every smell around me. The sounds of insects rose from all directions like broken whispers, carrying warnings I could not understand.
I advanced carefully between the dense trees. My body lowered instinctively, my wings folded tightly against my sides while my tail moved slowly behind me to maintain balance. My eyes swept across the shadows, searching for movement—searching for anything small… anything that could become dinner.
I was not only hungry.
I needed to feel control.
Over my surroundings… over my life… over this strange body I was still learning how to live inside.
My jaw tightened slightly, and the corners of my eyes sharpened faintly, as though that thought alone ignited something deeper within me.
As I moved silently through the dark forest, I suddenly caught sight of something glimmering between the thick trees.
I stopped immediately.
My body froze in place. Even my tail stopped moving. My pupils narrowed, locking onto a single point.
A sudden, swift movement flashed before my eyes.
It was a strange rabbit.
Its fur was a bright green, reflecting the faint strands of light around it. A small horn protruded from its head, giving it the appearance of a mythical creature rather than ordinary prey.
I could not identify its exact species…
But I was certain of one thing.
It would make a good dinner.
Driven by a predator's instinct, my body lowered closer to the ground. My claws moved nearer to the earth, and my fingers slowly spread to soften any sound. My eyes locked onto it, and my breathing became slower… quieter.
I began tracking it carefully.
It ran quickly, but its uneven steps revealed too much. The tilt of its body, the trembling in its limbs… it was exhausted, as though something had already been chasing it before me.
My eyes gleamed.
When I felt the distance between us beginning to shrink, my muscles tightened in preparation to pounce.
But the rabbit suddenly leapt through a thick bush and vanished into the shadows.
I paused for a moment. My head lowered slightly, and my nose drifted closer to the ground.
A faint scent… crushed grass… a clear trail.
I took a deep breath.
My chest rose slowly, and tension flowed through my body like a spark spreading across my limbs.
Then… I lunged after it.
I moved lightly between the trees, weaving around trunks and avoiding branches that might catch my wings or scrape against my scales. My tail curved smoothly behind me, maintaining my balance with every movement.
The rabbit was still one step ahead.
But I could hear its breathing.
Broken… heavy.
A faint smile barely formed at the corner of my mouth, exposing the tips of my fangs.
It was collapsing.
Then I reached a narrow passage, rocks crowding one side while tangled branches arched overhead from the other.
In a brief moment of silence—
I saw it.
It tried to leap over a large rock…
But its body faltered.
It lost its balance and stumbled backward.
My pupils shrank instantly.
And I pounced.
I threw myself forward with all my strength. My claws stretched outward and slammed into it before it could recover its footing. I pinned it hard against the ground, its small body trembling beneath my grip, unable to escape.
But…
The moment I restrained it—
My body froze.
I felt a strange weight behind me.
Hot breathing… incredibly close… brushing against my back.
I turned sharply, and my eyes landed on its figure—
The wolf with blood-red fangs.
As I watched the terrifying wolf approach, a cold sensation spread through my veins. My limbs tensed unconsciously, and my chest rose slowly with a cautious inhale, as though my body were preparing for something it could not escape.
The horned rabbit was still trembling, as if it shared the same fear. Its tiny body shook beneath my claws, its frantic heartbeat almost audible.
With every step the wolf took, my heartbeat accelerated faster and faster until I could hear it pounding in my ears. My pupils widened, then slowly narrowed again as they tracked its movements without blinking.
It approached rapidly, sharp eyes locked onto me, its massive body overflowing with raw power and aggression. Its shoulders rolled heavily with each step, and its claws dug into the ground as though asserting dominance over the entire forest.
Even though I knew very well that I was only a newborn dragon—not nearly strong enough to face a creature this savage…
Something—something deep inside me—forced me to move.
My jaw tightened, and the corners of my eyes sharpened faintly, as though a hidden instinct had begun taking control.
Our eyes met.
Without thinking, I felt every fragment of my small strength gathering inside my body. My muscles tightened. My wings trembled faintly, and my tail stopped moving completely.
And in the next instant…
The battle began.
The beast with the bloody fangs lunged at me violently, its claws tearing through the air as if it intended to rip me apart.
I dodged its attack swiftly, my body twisting aside with speed, but my weakness was obvious. My movement was incomplete—unstable. My limbs trembled for a brief moment after the dodge, as though they could barely support me.
Every step it took made the ground shudder beneath my feet. My breathing quickened with every passing second, my chest rising rapidly as air rushed in and out unevenly.
I had no time to think.
The aura—the bloodline suppression radiating from me—was my only hope in that moment.
I felt something flowing out from deep inside me, like invisible pressure spreading from my chest into my limbs.
But…
It was not enough.
The beast's rage intensified, and its roar thundered through my ears, shaking my head from within. Every time I tried to strike it, the creature evaded me effortlessly. Its body moved with confidence and experience far beyond my own.
I am only a newborn dragon… I thought to myself. I cannot win if this battle continues like this.
But in that moment, while facing the beast—
I stopped running.
Something strange stirred inside my heart… something that felt like determination I had never realized existed before.
My heartbeat changed.
It became deeper… heavier.
I could have fled.
I could have hidden.
But I chose to face this challenge.
In the end, this creature was the greatest threat before me, and I had no choice but to defend myself, even while knowing with certainty that I would lose.
And then I realized what this feeling was.
It was…
The pride of a dragon.
What is happening to me?
Will I allow this feeling to control my actions?
I still possessed human awareness, yet this overwhelming pride pushed me toward death instead of escape and survival.
I continued fighting while my mind descended into complete chaos.
My human consciousness screamed at me to flee, but the dragon's pride demanded that I face death rather than run from it. My brows drew together tightly, and my eyes burned with strained determination, as though I were being torn apart between two voices inside my head.
All I want now…
Is for this pride not to break.
And for me to survive.
In this life…
I will live with unmatched pride.
My claws slowly tightened, their tips sinking into the soil beneath my feet. I steadied my body, and the muscles beneath my scales hardened as though responding to a silent oath forming deep within me.
And absolute domination.
My head gradually rose, my neck extending upward while my eyes gleamed with ruthless sharpness. My pupils narrowed, staring into the darkness before me as though I were looking at an unseen enemy…
Or at a future I intended to force into existence.
I will not allow anyone to humiliate me.
My tail lashed sharply behind me, slicing through the air with a low sound while my fangs parted slightly, hot breath slipping between them.
I want dominion over my life…
And over this universe.
My brows lifted slowly, and my gaze sharpened with deeper focus, as though the very thought itself were burning inside my mind. My chest expanded with a heavy inhale, and the exhale that followed emerged slower… heavier… burdened with unwavering resolve.
I swear…
I will become the Dragon of Domination.
Merciless…
If I survive this.
The tips of my wings trembled for a moment before folding tightly against my sides, as though I were sealing that vow within my body.
I will not allow any creature…
No matter what it is…
To disgrace me.
My gaze hardened into something cold and lethal, stripped of hesitation.
Ah…
A low sound escaped from deep within me, mixed with pain and fury, while my grip tightened further around the prey beneath me. My claws sank deeper, and its body trembled violently under the pressure.
You damned wolf…
My head tilted slightly, and my eyes slowly slid backward toward the source of that burning breath behind me. My pupils narrowed further, and a faint, dangerous smile spread across my mouth.
If I cannot kill you honorably…
My breathing halted for the briefest moment. My chest remained still before the air finally escaped again—slow and cold.
Then I will kill you…
Through deceit.