Dragon Of Eternity: Reincarnated As A Dragon With System

Chapter 2: Cause Of Death—Predation

The ground beneath him felt rough and cold, the jagged stones pressing into his underbelly. His limbs—thick, short, and awkward—twitched as he tried to push himself upright.

Why am I so… heavy?

He rolled onto his side, his thick tail swinging behind him and almost throwing him off balance. He struggled, claws scraping against the dirt, until he finally managed to lift his upper body. His breathing was heavy, ragged, each motion feeling like he was carrying an entire truckload of bricks on his back.

Okay. Legs next.

The hind legs were thick, powerful, but unwieldy. With a grunt of effort, he braced his claws into the dirt and pushed himself upright. He wobbled for a moment before finding his footing, his tail swaying behind him to keep him balanced.

There. Not so bad… I think.

He took a step forward, only for his claws to sink into the soft earth, nearly sending him sprawling. His massive feet left deep impressions in the ground as he stumbled forward, trying to adjust to the weight of his body.

As he moved, a flicker of realization passed through his mind. This is… familiar. Too familiar.

A faint memory surfaced: running, falling, snapping jaws behind him. The sound of something crunching—his bones, maybe? He shook his head, trying to focus.

The system chimed, breaking his thoughts.

[System Alert]

Detected: Previous Cause of Death #14,229—Predation.

The sound made his body freeze instinctively. He glanced around, every nerve in his body screaming to find the source of the danger.

The tall grasses ahead rustled, and he saw it—a sleek predator, low to the ground and watching him with piercing yellow eyes. Its skin was dark and leathery, blending into the rocky terrain, and its sharp claws scraped against the earth as it moved.

The system chimed again.

[System Update]

Target: Lesser Clawstalker.

Recommended Action: Flee. Survival Rate: 3%.

He swallowed—or tried to. His throat felt dry as the creature began to circle him, its muscles coiled and ready to pounce.

"Three percent?! That's it?" he growled, his deep voice rumbling in his throat.

His tail twitched, and he stumbled back a step, his claws dragging across the dirt. The Clawstalker moved closer, its sharp teeth glinting in the faint light. He didn't need the system to tell him what would happen if he stayed here.

The predator's growl deepened, a low, guttural sound that sent shivers through his oversized body. Instinct screamed at him to run, so he did—well, he tried.

As he turned, his tail swung too far, smacking into a rock and throwing him off balance. He stumbled, his legs flailing wildly beneath him. For a moment, he teetered on the edge of falling flat on his face.

Okay, no big deal. Just a small—whoa!

His claws caught on a root, and he toppled forward, landing face-first in the dirt with a loud thud.

Smooth. Real smooth.

Scrambling back to his feet, he pushed off with all the strength his stubby legs could muster, his claws gouging the ground as he ran—or waddled, really. His steps were clumsy and uneven, each one a monumental effort as his massive tail dragged behind him.

Why can't I run like a proper …dinosaur?!

Behind him, the Clawstalker let out a bone-chilling roar. Its footsteps thundered closer, each one a reminding him of just how slow he was.

The system chimed in again, almost mockingly.

[System Update]

Current Survival Rate: 2%.

"Two percent?!" he bellowed, his voice rising in a panicked roar. "Are you kidding me?!"

The ground shook beneath him as the predator closed the gap. He barely had time to glance over his shoulder before he saw it—a blur of claws and teeth lunging through the air.

It hit him with the force of a speeding truck.

The impact hit like a freight train, sending him sprawling, his massive body crashing into the dirt with a sickening thud. Sharp claws sank into his side, tearing through his scales like paper, and the pain exploded across his body. He let out a guttural scream, the sound raw and desperate, as searing agony ripped through him.

The Clawstalker's teeth sank deep into his flank, ripping through muscle and sinew with horrifying ease. He could feel the jagged teeth scraping against bone, pulling chunks of his flesh free. His legs kicked and thrashed wildly, but his short, stubby limbs could barely reach the predator, much less stop it.

The growling didn't stop. It was relentless—deep, guttural, vibrating through his chest, almost in sync with the tearing of his body. Blood—his blood—spattered onto the ground in heavy, pulsing streams, pooling beneath him. The metallic scent of it filled the air, nauseating and sharp.

He tried to fight, claws flailing weakly at the creature that was ripping him apart, but every movement was agony. The pain was too much, too overwhelming. His vision blurred, dark spots swimming before his eyes, and his screams turned hoarse, choking off in a ragged breath.

No, no, no! Not again! I can't… I don't want to…

The system chimed one last time.

[System Alert]

Fatal Damage Detected. Reset Imminent.

The growling and the pain faded into a deafening silence. Darkness crept into the edges of his vision, swallowing everything as his body went limp.

The last thing he saw was the Clawstalker looming over him—a sleek, terrifying predator with sinewy muscles rippling beneath its dark, leathery skin. Its yellow eyes glowed with cold, predatory focus, and its maw, lined with jagged, bloodstained teeth, opened wide. The creature's long, serrated claws gleamed as they plunged deeper into his chest, a final, brutal end to his struggle.

Darkness swallowed him whole.

For a moment, there was nothing. No pain, no sound, no sense of time or space. Just an empty void that stretched endlessly.

Then—light.

His eyes snapped open, and he sucked in a sharp breath, his claws twitching against the ground. The warmth of the sunlit rocks beneath him felt jarringly familiar. He blinked, disoriented, and looked around.

The jagged terrain, the shattered pieces of his egg scattered nearby—it was the exact same spot where he'd hatched not long ago.

"What…?" His deep, guttural voice rumbled softly as confusion gave way to realization.

The system chimed.

[System Alert]

Checkpoint Reached: Synchronization Complete.

He stared blankly at the glowing words hovering before him, the memory of his death still vivid in his mind. The Clawstalker, the pain, the blood… all of it was real. And now, he was back where he started.

"Is this… the reset?"

His voice trembled slightly, a mix of disbelief and dread. He looked down at his body, completely intact, no wounds or blood in sight. It was as if the encounter had never happened.

But it had.

The faint sound of distant growls reached his ears, and his heart sank. He was back, but so was everything else—the dangers, the predators, and the brutal fight for survival.

His claws scraped against the ground as he forced himself upright. This time, though, he wasn't entirely the same. He remembered the Clawstalker, its speed, its ferocity. He remembered how it had killed him.

And he wasn't about to let it happen again.

This time, he would do something… something that a human would do, probably - use his intelligence.

[System Alert]

Detected: Previous Cause of Death #93,556—Predation.