I am in a deep sleep.

  After gathering a bountiful harvest of rock salt, I couldn’t resist indulging in my food reserves, leaving almost nothing behind.

  I was so enthralled by the long-missed salty taste of meat that I ended up having an all-you-can-eat feast.

  Even if I devoured all my food reserves, I could always hunt for more—the forest is teeming with creatures, providing an endless supply of nourishment.

  I was abruptly awakened by the sound of footsteps and the presence of multiple intruders within my dwelling.

  To my astonishment, what greeted me was a swarm of ants, scurrying left and right. Among them, I spotted one carrying a piece of my precious food—my treasure—within its tiny jaws.

  Shock and confusion washed over me. I knew ants had an incredible ability to locate food, but how had they appeared so suddenly, as if from nowhere?

  Yet, those feelings quickly turned to fury when I saw them shamelessly hauling away my provisions, as if they had any right to cim them.

  "Take? What? My food? My treasure?"

  My anger surged.

  “Insects! You dare covet a dragon’s treasure?!” I growled, my voice ced with fury.

  Sensing my presence, the ants turned their attention to me. Then, as if emboldened by their numbers, they swarmed toward me in a relentless tide.

  “These insolent insects dare intrude upon a dragon’s dwelling?! And they think they can steal from me? Unforgivable!”

  Summoning my magic, I felt an intense heat rise within me, smoke curling from the corners of my mouth.

  Bwoosh

  With a deep breath, I unleashed the scorching power I had gathered. A searing burst of fmes erupted, engulfing the invading swarm in an instant—reducing most of them to ashes.

  With my fme breath, the invading ants were reduced to lifeless husks, their bodies mutited by the sheer force of my attack.

  The aftermath of my wrath left a gaping hole in the cave, a testament to the power I had unleashed.

  "Hmph," I snorted in disdain.

  But even that wasn’t enough—I couldn't stand the sight of their remains. Their intrusion was unforgivable. Without hesitation, I incinerated what was left of them, ensuring not a single trace remained.

  Once I confirmed that not a single trace of the ants remained, I turned my attention to my treasured food. Though only a small portion was left, none of it was missing, bringing me a sense of relief.

  Dragons have long been depicted as fierce and possessive over their hoards. In myths, legends, and fantasy tales, they are known to amass vast collections of wealth—gold, jewels, magical artifacts, and rare treasures. It is an innate instinct, much like how animals in my world gather and fiercely guard their resources.

  “Dare to steal from me? Only death awaits those who try to take what is mine!” I decred.

  Perhaps, without realizing it, I had begun embracing that very instinct. The moment I saw those ants carrying away my prized food, a surge of fury had overtaken me. It seems I am slowly coming to accept the nature of my kind.

  It was still early in the morning when I took note of the day. Any lingering drowsiness had vanished the moment the ants invaded my dwelling. With my food reserves nearly depleted from st night's feast, leaving only a small amount behind, I decided it was time to hunt.

  I stepped out of my dwelling, spread my wings, and took flight.

  Hunting from the sky was effortless—I could spot creatures both above and below with ease. I first realized this while searching for a mineral cave for rock salt; flying made locating prey much simpler.

  "Why didn’t I do this from the start?" I wondered.

  As I soared through the sky, movement on the ground caught my attention, shifting my focus to the hunt.

  There was no need to dwell on the past—I was still adapting to my dragon life. With my human conscience and way of thinking, it was only natural that this new existence felt unfamiliar.

  I ruffled my wings and plunged downward, gliding at high speed like a falcon, steadily closing in on my chosen prey.

  As I neared, I spotted a familiar red deer.

  "Heh… you can't escape now. I've already read you like a book," I thought.

  Sensing my presence, the deer hesitated for a moment, considering escape before realizing it was futile. Instead, it took a defensive stance, aiming its antennae at me like weapons.

  Cng! Boom!

  Our attacks cshed, creating a powerful shockwave.

  Yet, the deer remained motionless. Normally, it would flee after such an attack, but this one stood still—like a statue.

  Of course, that was expected. It had no head left to think about running.

  At the moment of impact, I strike with my dragon’s cw, shattering its antennae and crushing its head in a single, decisive blow.

  The outcome was inevitable—my immense speed amplified the impact of my attack.

  Meanwhile, its strike didn’t leave so much as a scratch on my mighty cws and tough scales.

  "This isn't enough, and with plenty of salt, I don’t have to worry about spoige. Guess I'll hunt more," I decided.

  I hid the red deer in a secure spot, pnning to retrieve it ter after catching more prey to store in my dwelling.

  My hunt sted for some time, and by the time the sun bzed high in the sky, marking the afternoon, I decided it was time to gather my kills and bring them home.

  But as I returned home, shock and fury surged through me—I found yet another swarm of ants crawling through my dwelling.

  "Those bugs! They came back?!" I excimed.

  In my rage, I dropped my hunted spoils to the ground. This time, their numbers had grown even rger.

  "These insects…!" I roared.