Day 12
Over the next few days, Isaac found himself locked in a wild game—not quite cat and mouse, but more like dragon versus giant, with a side of 'watch out, frog mom might just eat you.'
He still managed to scrounge up meals and even started stockpiling a stash in his freshly claimed dragon lair.
‘Yeah, I am becoming a dragon in true form.'
He eyed the growing mound of frog—or froglet—corpses. Isaac was leveling up fast, and soon, he’d be ready to challenge Mamma Frog herself.
Dragon: youngling
level: 4
Dragon nourishment: 10
Skills:
Bite level 6
Claw level 8
He had even learned a new skill.
Congratulations, for dodging tongues like no tomorrow, you have gained the skill: “Evasion”.
He was sure the system was messing with him, but honestly, he didn’t mind. Anything to help his sore, scaly behind was a win.
Skills:
Evasion level 1
His biggest headache now was his growth spurt. He was sprouting up by about 1.5 centimeters a day, and the cave tunnel was starting to feel awfully cramped.
‘Wait,’ can't I just dig?
Somehow, Isaac had managed to overlook the most obvious solution.
He should just go full Minecraft on this. 'I was such a nerd when I was a human,' Isaac mused, a pang of sadness flickering through him before he shoved it aside.
His past life was still a blur, but at least he could still enjoy tossing out game references.
As he reached a cave wall, it was time to test his claws…
Screech.
Ugh.
The screech was unbearable, like claws on a chalkboard—easily the worst sensation he’d experienced as a dragon so far.
Still, judging by the gouges in the stone, it was working. If anything, his claws are too sharp.
The whole scene even reminded him of a song.
Damn, I am a dragon, digging a hole… diggy diggy hole.
He started humming, letting the tune drown out the awful screeching.
Day 15
For several days, Isaac was trapped in his cave, convinced Mama Frog would never budge from the entrance. But on the third day, she finally left.
Thank goodness, he could finally stretch his legs. He’d managed to widen the tunnel a bit with his mining, though he was careful not to dig too far and risk a cave-in. Still, his efforts paid off when he stumbled upon something curious: a shiny blue stone that misted a faint blue mist.
Naturally, he reached out and touched the shiny thing.
And, of course, he got a notification for his trouble.
Mana stone: enrichment high
Magic is real!
By now, it was pretty obvious, but finding a mana stone was solid proof at last.
Still, the stone made his claws tingle. Should he be worried about that?
Nah, he decided, and tossed the stone in with the froglet stash.
That pile was running low anyway. Time for another hunt.
Day 15
Isaac had realized he should try to be a bit more stealthy when he was outside.
First of all, the only living being he had seen in the valley were the froglets and Mama Frog.
That alone was unsettling. Plus, he’d been a little too reckless after his first frog encounter.
And after his first frog 'chicken' BBQ, he wondered if he could actually grill them next time.
Thinking about food made his stomach rumble, reminding him to check his hunger bar.
Dragon nourishment: 9
He had tracked that he would lose one each day.
Depending on how active he was, he would lose nourishment.
He was beginning to understand why dragons spent so much time napping.
That, and he was still growing nonstop. Isaac was now as big as the first frog he’d ever faced. If not bigger.
Ribbit,
Ribbit,
Ribbit,
Yes!
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His stealth plan had actually worked, though waiting in ambush had been anything but fun.
For hours, Isaac had crouched in thick foliage by the river. Frogs, after all, loved to stay moist and needed their water breaks.
Creeping forward, Isaac slithered through the undergrowth. For the first time, he noticed his scales were a deep green, perfect for melting into the shadowy forest. And then—there they were.
The tree frogs lounged in the water, bodies half-submerged in the river. For once, Isaac saw something peaceful in this world—something that also happened to be delicious. His mouth watered.
His stomach was calling the shots now.
He needed a plan…
Looking over the river, the frogs were still on the banks of it, not fully out…He could handle two at once, but three? That was pushing his luck.
No, he needed a real plan—and he just found it.
He scrambled up a tree overlooking the river and found a branch stretching out above the water. It creaked ominously as he edged onto it.
Wow, he was definitely getting heavier…
He peered down at the froglets, still lounging lazily in the river below.
'Take out one, then the other two,' Isaac told himself.
He leapt, targeting the one farthest from the others.
The froglet never expected a horse-sized dragon to drop from the sky.
Isaac crashed down on its giant head with a sickening crunch, claws sinking deep and ending it instantly. The notification flashed by, but he had two more monsters to handle.
The other two froglets, shocked and furious, now wanted him dead.
Their lazy slouch vanished as their tongues lashed out at him.
For the first time, Isaac dodged their attacks with ease. 'Maybe this is that evasion skill kicking in,' he thought, sidestepping another tongue.
The skill made it easier to predict their strikes and harder for them to land a hit, though the frogs didn’t let up.
With two opponents, he was getting overwhelmed—one waited for him to dodge while the other attacked. The few hits that landed barely hurt, though, and Isaac saw his chance to strike back.
His youngling strength was overwhelming. A few quick slashes, and the second froglet was down. The last tried to flee, but Isaac was faster. It shot its tongue at him—he caught it mid-air, claws digging in, and dragged the creature close for a final bite.
At least now he had enough food to keep him going another day.
After hauling the bodies together and sneaking a quick snack, Isaac glimpsed his reflection in the water for the first time as a dragon.
What he saw surprised him. His dark green scales looked even more intimidating than he’d imagined, with small spikes running down his spine. It was an impressive sight.
Looking closer, he noticed something changing on his arms. He remembered some dragons had wings there, and he didn’t see anything on his back—maybe that was it?
He was still new to this dragon thing, but the idea of flying sent a thrill through him. He couldn’t help but dream about soaring through the sky someday.
But he needed to focus on the present.
Stats time!
You have defeated a level 6 Froglet
You have defeated a level 4 Froglet
You have defeated a level 4 Froglet
Congratulations, you are now a lvl 6 Dragon youngling
You have leveled bite to level 7
You have leveled claws to level 9
There were his hard-earned gains—and now he was absolutely starving.
After an impromptu feast, one and a half frogs down, he couldn’t eat another bite. Time to check his nourishment.
Dragon nourishment: 15
It hadn’t budged much. The struggle of dragon life was real. How much more did he need to eat, anyway? Last time, it was twenty-five—so maybe that, or even fifty?
He shook his head. He had no clue. Either way, it was time to head home. He scanned for the best way to haul his food—then spotted something across the river.
That was Mama Frog…
