Awakening in Scales

Discomfort. That was the first sensation that clawed me back from oblivion. My eyes, crusted shut with sleep, felt too large in my head, heavy and blinking against a dim, orange glow. Panic surged as I tried to sit up, only to find my limbs ungainly and tipped with wicked claws. A choked gasp escaped my throat, a raw, reptilian hiss that vibrated through unfamiliar bones. Had there been an accident? An experiment gone wrong? The last thing I remembered was… well, my clinic. Now, I was sprawled on a pile of soft furs, the air thick with the musky scent of…fire? A low rumble echoed through the cavern, sending shivers down my – scales? My body? A frantic glance around revealed a sight that stole the breath from my lung, the cavern walls shimmered with an otherworldly luminescence, casting long shadows from the monstrous form curled a few meters away from me. 

Then suddenly realization hit me, literally and I blanked out. 

It was a bit later that I stirred up once again. How long was I out. I don't know ? What happened to me? Where am I ? Why me ? So many questions and no answers. 

Suddenly the mountainous form stirred, breaking me from my reverie it looked at me. 

"Have you composed yourself little one?"

Uh...huh a talking dragon, a thought came to my mind before it continued. Seemingly taking my silence as a form of intelligence.

"So you do possess intelligence it seems. Hmm"

Before I could even say anything the dragon continued.

"Well no matter, you have intrigued me. An Arch-Dragon born from my own aura, that too possessing high levels of intelligence. Tell me, are you an otherworlder?"

Otherworlders? Other worlds as in different universes? Multiverse exists?

"Wait, wait you said otherworlder meaning this is not some sort of dream but I truly am in another world. That to a dragon not a human. What is even going on here."

Slowly my brain started to catch up with the happenings of my surroundings. I somehow went from my clinic to a baby dragon talking to another Dragon without realizing anything. Now though, I am catching up and I should answer this dragon first before I become his food. Wait, do dragons practice cannibalism?

"Hoof, sorry for earlier now my brain is catching up to and as for your question. Yes, I am an otherworlder if there is no wordplay or an innuendo at play here. My name is Dhruv Rao, a medical researcher and a professional doctor. Nice to meet you. How about you?" 

"Oh! What a situation and as for your earlier question. My name is Veldora, one of the three True Dragons of this world and a perfect being sitting on the highest point in the evolutionary ladder. Kuahaha ahahaha"

"Uh, is that different from a normal dragon ?"

"Of course. We, True Dragons are the highest form of life in this whole wide world. While those dragons you speak of are mindless beings. Our might can shake the heavens itself. Be grateful that you are in the presence of one such as myself. Kuahahahahaha" 

Is he boasting or is that the truth? Well I have no way to determine it, so I might as well humor him. When he laughed the whole cave shook. 

"You said an otherworlder did you not, means there are others besides myself?" 

I am hoping to find more about them and maybe find a way to go back to my original world.

"Hmm, There are many. Summoned throughout this world. Though only few survive as many die due to their bodies overloading with magicules." 

"Wait, they are summoned and do not end up here accidentally. And why are they summoned in the first place?"

If they are summoned here then maybe I can return by reversing the spell or technology or whatever it is which is used to bring them here in the first place. What are they required for?

"Otherworlders, when they cross over to this world if they survive. Their bodies are filled with magicules during the summoning process and if they survive the magicule overload many gain skills which are many times better than the natives and then they are mostly drafted in the nation's army."

Skills? and what is this magicule he keeps talking about? This is what? Mana? Am I in a medieval fantasy ? Are the otherworlders treated as slaves? If so I must guard the information regarding my origins safely. 

However,I am a dragon so they might just simply kill me on sight. Ugh, this situation is getting complicated by the minute.

"Hey what is a skill? What is a magicule? Are the otherworlders treated like slaves? Where are we exactly ? "

"Too many questions slow down and I'll tell you. Not to mention I myself have some questions. So be patient" 

Oops, looks like I was getting impatient there. I probably shouldn't annoy him as he is my only source of information. Be patient Dhruv. Hmm, why does my name suddenly start to feel a bit foreign to me? What's happening? 

From here on we started to discuss many things from this world to my situation. From humans to the many different species inhabiting this planet to Veldora's situation and this cave which is situated in Veldora's territory Jura forest. From my previous life to the Hero who sealed him here because he had destroyed a nation as he was bored.

Who knew that Demon lords existed in this world? Since Heroes exist, it's obvious for demon lords to exist too. Looks like this world has many fantasy tropes from skills to elves, spirits and demi-human too. 

.....

"How about I give you a name?" 

Veldora suddenly proposed, where did this come from?

"Why would you do that? If I already have a name?" 

It was an odd proposal, I already had a name as such I did not see any reason to get a new name, moreover my name served me as a reminder of what I had lost. Still Veldora has been more than patient and gracious with me for the past few days as such I decided to humor him.

"No, no. You are not understanding. You lost your previous name the moment you reincarnated as a monster."

Unconcerned as ever Veldora dropped yet another bombshell. But, um what does that even mean? It's just a name. Why does it carry such significance?

As it turned out, names play an important role in this world specially for monsters and majins (high level monsters that have intellect and capacity for self reflection.) also called magic-born.

Naming of monsters, majins and the likes consumes magicules; those consumed magicules may recover in due time but the act itself is a dangerous one. Hence why people do not go naming other monsters. 

Veldora being a True Dragon naturally has astronomical amounts of magicule reserves yet he plans to name me indirectly. The naming he is referring to is that of equals. Monsters, in Veldora's words, follow the sole rule of survival of the fittest: what they respect the most is strength. As such once named the namer becomes the named one's superior or sorts. This is what Veldora is circumventing by 'Equal Naming'.

Equal Naming is an act of naming that establishes an equal relationship between the namer and the named. This type of naming either consumes no energy to perform or costs so little that it's considered "safe" and the power received in return can be considered minimal.

From the looks of it even Veldora is skeptical about the consequences of naming an Arch-Dragon. There are some circumstances regarding him that dictated his decision, I have yet to pry about them though.

With my crash course on names finished we have another problem.

What should be my name?

"Since you are the Storm Dragon shouldn't my name be related to winds?" I asked, moving our discussion forward.

"Well, it's not necessary but if you have a good name, put them forward." Veldora replied while scratching his chin.

"If so, I have a few." I added.

"Really?" Veldora questioned me, surprise evident on his face.

I nodded, assenting to his question and spoke.

"Well, there is Gale, Tempest and then Vayu, oh and also Pawan. These are all I could think of." 

Veldora considered my suggestion but he still looked unsatisfied. He sat pondering for another moment. It was an odd sight, seeing a gigantic dragon thinking deeply, to say the least. After some time nodding to himself with what looked like a satisfied expression on his scaly face Veldora looked at me.

"Hmm, I have decided from now on you shall be Zephyrus Tempest and I shall be Veldora Tempest! " 

Veldora exclaimed with a loud roar shaking the very earth and the cave. 

In that instant. I felt something in me change, it was such a deep rooted feeling that welled from within, I couldn't pinpoint its origin. I felt elated, a feeling of all-encompassing might swept through me. 

The feeling slowly faded. But now I could feel something, it was the presence of something within me, something at the back of my mind. On concentrating on it I felt a presence similar to Veldora's, I could feel a connection between him and me. It was a warm feeling. 

.....

It had been, what, a week from what Veldora had told me.

"So how did your exploration go, Zephyrus?"

After being named, while there was no outward change I could feel a difference on the inside. While I have complicated feelings regarding it. Dhruv was my original name given to me by my parents and now I am dead back there. Cause of my death was unknown to me. The last thing I remember is going to the biology lab in my college yet I also distinctly remember my college graduation ceremony. 

Burying these uncomfortable thoughts I moved forward.

Now Veldora is my new and only family in this whole wide world. The naming resulted in the name 'Zephyrus Tempest' being engraved in my very soul along with that Veldora also took the surname of Tempest alongside me making him my only family.

As I was reflecting upon the past week's events I felt a change occur within me. 

Confirmed. The individual Zephyrus Tempest's soul and body have been synchronised. 

Confirmed. Unique skill Biologist acquired.

!!!!!

What was that voice? As soon as I heard that voice, all my thoughts came to a halt. Panicking, I asked Veldora.

"Hey!! Veldora, did you hear a voice just now ?"

"I didn't hear any voice, what are you hallucinating or what? Don't tell me you are drunk on magicules? Hahahahahaha"

Refuting my claims he made a joke and started laughing at it. Also can one even be drunk on magicules, but that was not the point.

"What?! No, you idiot, it said something about gaining a Unique Skill."

That shut him up. 

"So you heard the Voice of the World. I see. Then congratulations on acquiring a Unique Skill. "

So, that was the legendary Voice of the World, that is only heard when you acquire a new skill or undergo evolution.

The moment I thought about my Unique Skill information flowed in my mind it was akin to answering a test the answers come to you from the back of your mind naturally.

Biologist: 

Bio-Analysis: Analyses the anatomy, physiology, and even magical properties of the target.

Bio-Manipulation: Allows manipulate biology and biological lifeforms.

Bio-Synthesis: Ability to combine different biological materials, even magical flora and fauna to create entirely new organisms with unique properties.

All of Creation : Allows me to comprehend anything as long as they have a basic understanding of it and it is perceivable to the user.

That's the gist of it. Still, fascinating.

With that line of thought I analyzed myself and voila an uncontrolled torrent knowledge flowed in my mind, information about my body, cell structure, tissues, number of bones, their structure and even my body's genetic composition. The flow was rapid and unending to the point it caused me a headache and I fainted due to the process.

...….

It was sometime later that I woke up, my head still aching. If this was the result every time I used the skill then I might as well not use it, ugh.

"O..oh, you alright there, Zephyrus, Getting knocked out like that."

Looks like Veldora was worried about me there. 

"Sorry about that. I used my skill and it gave me a headache."

I spoke, satiating his concerns.

"What kind of skill gives a headache to its user?"

Veldora probed. At which I elaborated on my skill.

"So, rather than the skill itself it was the influx of information that gave you a headache."

Veldora nodded satisfied from my explanation.

"Well, back home I was not required to process such vast amounts of information manually on my own."

"Moving on, congratulations on gaining a unique skill, I knew it, naming you was the right decision. Umu, as expected of me and my foresight."

There it was Veldora's boastful self reared its head. From our interactions till now I had concluded that Veldora was not a bad person even his boasting was never condescending to others all he did was just tout his own self. 

I suppose, if you are one of the three True Dragons standing at the pinnacle of all life forms you can get away with a lot of boasting and what not.

I chuckled at Veldora's self-praise, shaking off the lingering headache. Despite his arrogance, I could tell he meant well. This past week had been surreal—dying, reincarnating as a dragon, meeting a so-called True Dragon, and now gaining a Unique Skill.

Still, my new reality was undeniable. I was no longer Dhruv Rao, the doctor. I was Zephyrus Tempest, an Arch-Dragon.

With a deep breath, I steadied myself. If this world was anything like the fantasy stories I once read, I would need strength, knowledge, and allies.

And my journey was only beginning.