Last Egg: Reincarnated as a Dragon in a Game

In the meantime, back in Lorenia:

POV ???:

A monolithic tower of stone and concrete clawed at the heavens, slicing through the dense, dark clouds. Its surface was unnervingly smooth, as if sculpted from a single, massive gemstone.

The wind whistled, slicing the heavy silence as a colossal blackbird, rivaling the size of a small vehicle, swept towards the tower's roof.

Atop the massive creature, a man in a heavy traveling cloak perched, his gaze flitting anxiously around. 'Why was I summoned here?' This singular question had haunted his every waking moment since receiving the cryptic invitation a week prior.

With a grace that belied its size, the bird landed on the rooftop. Instantaneously, the air crackled with unseen energy, illuminating the space with vibrant, magic symbols that bound both rider and beast in an ethereal embrace.

"Identify yourself, player, or face charges of illegal entry!" boomed a voice, authoritative and cold. As it echoed, the rooftop itself seemed to transform, opening up to reveal a squadron of guards.

Clad in heavy, black-plated armor that absorbed the light, their presence was as imposing as the tower itself. Their pitch-black spears adorned with dancing runes and red lightning all pointed at him.

'The grand guildmaster's guards!' The recognition sent a shiver down the man's spine, his thoughts racing.

"I am DenyMikeGeska," he declared, his voice steadier than he felt, "summoned by their Highness, the grand guildmaster."

At his words, the red bonds dissipated like mist, and the guards, their intimidating gaze still fixed, lowered their weapons.

DenyMikeGeska bowed his head slightly, a gesture of respect, while inside, his heart hammered against his chest. 'Even these mere guardsmen are beyond level one hundred... ' He mused, his thoughts tinged with awe and fear toward the power that managed to impose laws and rules on the chaotic players.

Reluctantly, and with the guards' impatient eyes upon him, he dismounted the bird and stepped forward, only to be jolted by a sharp command, "Follow us, and no dallying!"

'It is you who is wasting the time here...' He swallowed the retort that sprang to his lips, opting instead for silence as he followed them into the heart of the dark tower.

They traversed corridors carved from dark granite, the oppressive surroundings magnifying his growing unease. He couldn't gauge how long they had been walking when they abruptly halted before an imposing, golden gate.

"Master awaits. Remember your manners," the lead guard's voice carried a veiled threat, "or you'll deeply regret it. The commander, BigBertaSadomaso, likes to... punish those that are arrogant."

As the doors swung open without a sound, he was ushered into a vast hall, its high vaulted ceiling supported by monumental pillars, making him feel tiny. Here, the pervasive darkness of the tower continued to weigh on his spirits.

'This place... it screams with evil... or someone who is edge lord.'

"So, player, you have submitted a report of finding abandoned ruins in the north." The voice, devoid of warmth, drew his eyes to the massive black throne in the back of the hall.

A figure draped in darkness sat upon a throne, their robe's darkness blending with the surrounding lack of light. Even at a glance, he could feel the immense, powerful aura of coldness and death radiating out of the skeleton.

The clicking noise made him shiver as the figure drummed with their bony fingers, lacking both skin and flesh, on the armrest.

'The strongest player. The one to unlock divine powers first and the one to establish the rules and order.' Recognition flickered in DenyMikeGeska's mind as his eyes locked onto the skeletal figure. The knowledge that he stood before the legendary figure made an icy dread slither down his spine.

"Your Gra..." he began with a voice barely above a whisper, an attempt to address the legend before him.

But the being cut him off, its voice slicing through his own voice, "Am I correct to assume you upheld all the rules of reporting discoveries of new dungeons and ruins to the World Guild before entering them or spreading the news?"

"Y-yes!" DenyMikeGeska stammered, the single word laced with nervous energy.

POV ???:

The massive doors swung shut with a resounding thud, sealing the chamber in silence.

Within the chamber, the skeleton, shrouded in darkness, remained seated upon his imposing throne.

Immediately, a pair of red globes lit beneath his hood, and his voice rang out, "Prepare the expedition, we have finally found the dragon's secret base. There might be some clues left behind."

From the encompassing shadows, a second player materialized his form, almost an extension of the darkness itself. "Yes, guild master," His hand gestured subtly towards the recently closed doors. "Should we dispose of him?"

The skeleton's response was delayed, a silent contemplation hanging in the air like a thick fog. Finally, he decreed, "No need. We are not barbarians hunting down innocents."

Acknowledgment was silent but present in the shadow's departure, dissolving into the darkness as if he had never been.

Left in solitude once more, the skeleton's thoughts turned inward. 'What are you, dragon? Why are you here? Where were you before?'

The skeleton hated that he couldn't predict the dragon's moves. This new variable appeared in this run, 'Are you a result of the butterfly effect or are you something else, an anomaly like myself.'

The skeleton knew he had to figure that out, as he couldn't allow anyone or anything to break his plan to save the world. He has witnessed the chaos of thousands of uncontrollable, ever-growing players and system users who turned everything into anarchy.

That was the reason why he created the rules, stifling everyone's growth while bending everyone under his rule, it was the only way to save the world from chaos, even at the cost of sacrificing his humanity for more power.

'Eternity as a skeleton. Unfeeling, unable to sleep, eat, or even breathe.' It was the sacrifice he made, as the world and players needed their ruler, a ruler who would be eternal and emotionless.