II

My Persona!

The odd feeling of being watched as an spectacle gravitated my movements.

I roamed around walking steadily until at some unknown time a gaze of someone watching sent chills down my large spines and overall body. Strange in a way as animals scattered the land, but they'd all just run away once they laid their eyes all over me. Their were also no signs of human traces, making them unlikely to be the ones on the lookout.

It was a vast forest, so anything seemed likely to be from any sort of object. Perhaps nature itself were to be the things fondling their eyes over my immaculate appearance. Perhaps even my cuteness had reached them, and their needs of fondling are calling out to me we they await patiently. Yes, that must be it!

I can only dance around with the whole idea of nature in the need of my existence. It was only a distraction from my fears of someone out on the hunt as they are steadily aiming their bows at me. Sure it may be a personal imagination of being hunted by human or any other race alike, but reality is often in such a dangerous way more so for a single monster. After all, we merely serve for experience for the ones who adventure through the world aiming for more strength and oftentimes just fame.

Fruit here, and fruit there. This forest was filled with an unlimited amount of fruits to feast myself on, even if it were to run low in supply. Nobody seemed to gather or even eat them which only means there is much more of it for me.

Then again, I have zero ideas if there are any sort of civilizations in proximity. After all I had only seen from above the trees rather than from what roamed in the ground. Hold on, what sort of creatures live in the forest?

Suddenly out of the nothingness that roamed the air around me. A man, with the appearance of a beast lunged in the air holding a dagger aiming at my weak form in order to hunt me out. Their armor lit in darkness making it unnatural to be a regular human of all things alike. Magical but sinister at the same time, it would most likely be a hallucination but the feeling of being watched all this time led to this bizarre outcome.

Running was impossible, considering that walking alone was a difficult struggle on its own. His attacks were quick and sharp as the falling leaves from the trees were pierced right through with a single swing made from this predator. Life would be to short of a hassle, but starting off in the ways it had went through all this short while. It is too rough on every side.

"Damn it, stop dodging!"

Pinned down to the ground as it aimed for my head and arms in every intersection. I would move every muscle in my body, avoidant of his blade that traveled throughout my body aiming for the final blow. Of course, I didn't leave it easy enough for him to kill me, and moving aside and making a run for it would be impossible on all accounts. The only thing to be capable of being done at this point is fighting back for the salvation of my own life.

'Purchase, Fire Magic and Dragon Magic!'

[Purchase Confirmed]

[Obtained: ]

[1 Skill Point Remains]

[Due To Obtaining Skill , All Dragonic Type SKills Have Been Obtained Per Dragon Origins]

[Obtained: ]

[Due To Obtained Skills: 25 Skill Points And 30 SP Skill Points Have Been Awarded]

[Dragon Skills Leveled Up To Level 3]

[ATTENTION: Available Form Close In Proximity]

Good news came from my dragon skill purchase, but the latter is what caught my attention the most. The availability of a different form, and its close signifying this man to be the benefactor of a hidden form for myself. This would possibly mean the availability of being more than just a regular dragon, I can be something else and be able to communicate with other humans, elves, dwarves and so on in the catalog of races!

The only problem I face to attract such a motivation out of me, is the willing idea of taking this mans life for my own. Then again there shouldn't be much of thinking into it, this world is already made for the survival of the fittest.

I liberated myself as I pushed the man away from my pinned down state. Movement aside of the terrain hidden in the bushes made possible with my low form shaken underneath. He saw where I hid and approached slowly taking me lightly considering my newborn birthed form. My intelligence was superior to the inferiority of my siblings, the reason I know of this fact is from the reincarnation made possible event. There is more to my being then I fail to realize and recall at the very moment up until now.

'Dragon Roar!"

I howled at it as a large gust of power released like wind as it lifted the man with a strong force into the air. His movements faltered and the daggers and weaponry in his possession fell onto the ground leaving him defenseless from my next upcoming attacks.

'Dragon Swirl!'

A swirl of water erupted from beneath, forming waves upon waves hindering the mans movement and not allowing any actions to be dealt by his mortal hands. Something was odd about these dragonic skills, name it solely done by being dragon skills but the abilities of the man seem lower in comparison to what I just unleashed. Wait, what if I use appraisal on it?

[Nicholas Saldini] [Human/Elf] [LV: 13]

[HP: 327/799] [MP: 0/0] [SP: 0/100]

[Basic Skills: ]

[Skills: ]

[SP Skills: ]

Not much to be found special, a mixed hybrid of human and elf which explains some of their special attributes.

SP Skills, he is incapable of using them at current moments as he'd run out of its potential usage. His health is depleting rapidly the more my own skills are going against him. Only question now is how to even bring for the new form such as what the system had mentioned moments ago.

"Gah!"

[EXP Aquired: 1374 XP]

HP instantly gone with that last attack I dealt within a short span of time. Call me lucky or whatever, I'm just glad I even stayed alive from what would had been my ultimate death. All that remains is the carcass of the one who attacked me abruptly at the time of a peaceful venture into the wilderness. Yet the final move that remains would be the supposed form to be granted to me by the system.

[To Gain New Form, Required To Eat The Full Carcass Of Desired Form]

Huh, excuse me what now?

Speechless, zero words that even came to mind. Blank from the hard work that had been placed from the waste of skill points and exerting away my newfound dominance.

The requirement to gain the thing I wished for at the last moment of need. Ended up to be something so trivial to my future as the need of eating a living source that roams the world in vast numbers. It felt like a crime, but this was a total different world from the one I feel being a part of before the present. Strange that the faint feeling of vomit traveled through my throat burning through that it felt like flames awaiting to exert themselves.

What had been done, was done with a full targeted approach and the undesired feast must go on as a reward rather than a disgusting obstacle to go by. Further in the future, I will be dealing with more similar trouble than just this alone.

I dug in, it was what needed to be done to gain the thing I aimed for since the very beginning. I must not look back and falter on my life decisions up until now. Left my own siblings to whatever fate they may await in the time that comes, cursed my own mother for her decision in leaving us behind first as she saw little of hope in us. Perhaps even that old man held a similar feeling and felt pity for us seeing as we were in a way relatives.

The taste, felt satisfying that I could vomit at any second just for enjoying the inhumane cuisine. Bones crunched in my sharped undeveloped teeth savoring each bite alongside my long tongue that stretched deep within my throat. The blood served as a fountain of beverage, as the meat felt much as a large steak and the bones their final solution in the overall flavor.

'I must resist!'

In the end, I succeeded with minor regrets that needed adjustment into my mind in the coming years that awaited ahead into the future.

[Gained Form, No Future Forms Available]

[Adjusting Form To Ones Desired]

[Obtained Skill:

It had taken me a moment to imagine a form that would benefit me somewhat as the visuals on their own appeared from a grown adult with full armor and a minor muscular physique. The traits were that of human, but similarities to different breeds scattered in the overall resolution.

It took a while for the stench of the man I ate to disappear entirely. Even then I could still savor what had been left from the feast as my mind slowly adjusted to eating more than just fruits and even monsters alike.

[Vritra] [Taratect Dragon] [LV: 7] [XP: 4798/6100]

[HP: 9983/10000] [MP: 1000/1000] [SP: 73/100]

[Basic Skills: ]

[Skills: ]

[SP Skills: ]

[Skill Points: 26] [SP Skill Points: 34]

[Evolution Tokens: 5]

My stats built from the small timed fight from earlier as more fixated such as my available xp until my level rises from being a level seven monster. Guess I even gathered the skill stealth from the small hiding I had done during that fraction of time, odd for it to be awarded then again this is a system that is doing all the work in my favor. The addition of SP Skills as well seemed to expand further.

[Form Complete]

[Obtained Skill: ]

[Awarded 10 Skill Points Due To Obtainment Of ]

A new skill added into my skill slots. No level whatsoever as the skill had been maxed out from the very beginning rather than the whole hardship of earning its full capacity through time. Persona, usually differs another self, or I am led to believe within my distorted mind. I could not tell from the skill itself, whether if I would lead a separate identity as a human or elf, perhaps even a mix of both from the carcass I had eaten. Or an entirely different race from the ones of the one I had feasted my teeth and depraved stomach on.

There was only one way, to find out what sort of fate awaits with this single skill in my arsenal.

'Persona?'

The next thing, I was knocked out for a mere second falling hard into the ground of the land below me. My size had shrunken considerably as my sight stayed the same in view despite the smaller size I felt out of them. My legs were no longer the long ones I had grew shortly to revolve myself with, and my arms which were fairly small on their own in comparison to the legs were smaller and thinner. I had shrunken, and the form I now took was of a human baby, ghost-white in the skin as silver white hair extended shortly from the head I possessed.

I could tell the difference in my eyes, as the dragonic look hindered away from the new one. This time two human eyes formed with a shining ruby-red color. Inside those eyes, four small arachnid pupils surrounded my human pupils forming an x-shape, sharing the view of having five pupils on each side. Scales formed around my eyes under them and extended outward shortly into the area of my ears. They were only pointing in the direction rather than extending their way into my ears, a sort of feature from my dragonic origins.

A short figure, shape of a small baby undeveloped in walking even crawling seemed impossible with each turn from my sides that I let out forcibly. Movement as a baby dragon seemed easy on their own, but adjusting to the infancy of a human seemed to hold itself nearly impossible.

'Do not worry Vritra, this is only the beginning. Soon things will normally function on their own.'

[Notice: Estimated Ability To Crawl In Current Form Are Six Months, Estimation To Walk Are Nine To Twelve Months]

My beliefs were ruined with the small notice left left behind by the screen that faced me notified by the system of this forsaken world. An estimation that would last months, as my motives as a dragon remain the same.

[Notice: Effects Of Dragon Form May Take Effect On Human Form Persona]

'Should've said that from the very beginning!?'

A screen of hope popped out as I reverted back into my dragon form allowing more flexibility and movement from the human persona.

Wonders of the future popped into my mind as I could only envision what I could lead my future human form to look like even if it seemed less human then what I have envisioned. One day, that destined day and outcome will come. Even if it means leading a different path from all dragons alike.

'Huh... This, is that really me?'

Out of the blue, a short fragment appeared vividly into my mind. Like a recording showcasing a film, this time a long one grim toned as the events that unfolded were rather unpleasant. My heart shaken, beating roughly and fast as small particles of tears formed in my two dark dragonic eyes. Misery struck deep, those fragments of memoirs were a way more cruel life than the one I was born now to live.

Was I lucky to have moved away from that life, or is this a forced birth for a tragic life later on in my path? Only time can tell, and my life decisions will inflict greatly on the outcome that appears.