After roaring his true name,
Kaos turned his head to survey the cave.
He instantly regretted it.
His vision almost went dark again.
Dragon eggs stood upright throughout the cavern—dozens of them. But their colors…
Red. Blue. Green. Black. White.
All five chromatic types were present.
A full set.
That wasn't the worst part.
The worst part was that five hatchlings—clearly born before him—had already surrounded his egg from every direction.
One red.
Two blue.
One black.
One green.
Four of them crouched low, bodies pressed close to the ground as they stalked forward.
The red one did not.
She simply walked.
Step by step.
As if he were beneath notice.
She stopped in front of his broken shell and lifted her head, crimson vertical pupils locking onto him.
"Kaos, is it? Come out."
Her voice was young and clear—yet laced with the cold detachment inherent to chromatic dragons. Even standing lower than him, she held her chin high. Her gaze carried unmistakable arrogance.
Kaos: …
He glanced at her body—twice his size.
Then at his own smaller frame.
Fine.
He wouldn't argue with a dragon loli. He was an adult. Mentally.
He crawled out obediently and placed all four claws onto the cave floor. The ground was dry, dusty earth.
He sat down quietly.
The red hatchling sat as well.
Face to face, the difference in size was even more obvious. She was a full head taller, and faint muscle definition showed beneath her red scales.
A gifted red hatchling.
Normal hatchlings—even red dragons—shouldn't have visible muscle yet.
"Remember my name," she said.
"Agatha · Tiamat · Thor."
After declaring it, Agatha turned away and stepped toward the eggshell.
That was her real target.
There was no dragon mother in the nest.
They were on their own.
And for hatchlings, broken eggshells were food.
Kaos watched her back silently.
You're robbing me—so why give me your name?
Agatha, huh?
Fine. I'll remember it.
You're bigger now. You call the shots.
But when I grow up…
He let out a silent villain laugh in his head.
He glanced around.
The remaining four hatchlings were lying low, not daring to approach.
Obviously because Agatha was twice their size.
Well.
Even if she left scraps, it probably wouldn't reach him.
Crunch. Crunch.
The sound of shell being chewed echoed through the cave.
But not by him.
Saliva pooled in his mouth. His stomach felt hollow.
So hungry.
To distract himself, he scanned the cave. Many eggs remained unhatched.
If only one would crack open right now.
Then…
His emerald pupils narrowed slightly.
Morally speaking, he didn't want to bully newborns.
But survival was survival.
Life forced a dragon's hand.
Suddenly—
Scrrrk.
Something scraped across the ground.
Kaos looked forward.
Half of his eggshell was being pushed toward him by a red claw.
He followed it up.
Agatha was looking down at him.
What?
He blinked.
She stole his shell.
Now she was giving most of it back?
"Eat."
Just one word.
Cold. Clear.
Commanding.
Kaos looked at the shell.
Then at the oversized red loli dragon.
His body reacted before his pride could.
Eat.
Fine. Eat.
He lunged forward and bit down.
Crunch!
It shattered like a potato chip.
Crisp. Savory. Addictive.
Impossible to stop once started.
Whatever her motive, hunger drowned everything else.
Even if he got beaten later—eat first.
Strength now meant survival later.
The four watching hatchlings couldn't sit still anymore.
What was this?
Agatha eats her fill—and now won't let them eat?
"What do you mean by this, Agatha?!"
One of the blue hatchlings snapped, her voice sharp and youthful.
The other three didn't speak, but their crouched stances and hostile glares said enough.
Agatha rose slowly.
Her larger frame radiated pressure.
"Rules," she said.
"You can snatch food—but no more than one-third of the shell."
"If you object—challenge me."
She stepped forward.
The four hatchlings instinctively retreated a step.
Then stopped.
Chromatic pride wouldn't allow further retreat.
She'd already taken some from each of them.
They'd tolerated it.
But now she dared block them from eating at all?
Too much!
Crunch.
Kaos slowed his chewing.
He wasn't starving anymore.
He had been listening the entire time.
And now…
He admitted it.
His impression of Agatha had improved.
But—
Fight. Fight. Fight.
His pupils gleamed with anticipation.
What's a meal without entertainment?
If only he had a little stool to sit on.
"She's alone! We rush her together!"
The blue hatchling charged.
The second blue followed instantly.
Black and green were half a beat slower—but joined.
The first blue slammed headfirst into Agatha's abdomen.
The impact forced Agatha back several steps before she braced herself.
Anger flared in her crimson eyes.
She lifted a claw—
And smashed it down.
Boom!
The blue hatchling's head was driven straight into the dirt.
Dust exploded into the air.
Kaos stretched his neck uselessly, trying to see through it.
No luck.
His eyes pierced darkness—not smoke.
Roars.
Snarls.
Thuds.
Then—
Silence.
Kaos stiffened.
That fast?
I haven't even eaten half yet.
He shoveled shell into his mouth faster.
Because—
Inside the dust, one silhouette still stood.
He watched carefully.
Agatha had size and the red-dragon advantage—but she was still only one dragon.
He had assumed she'd lose.
Even if she won, she should've taken heavy damage.
One or two survivors at best.
Perfect for cleanup.
His hind legs tensed.
Ready to sprint.
The dust slowly parted.
A dark draconic silhouette emerged.
It's coming.
Only one.