Chapter 24: The Otaku's Egg Hatches (And Everything Gets Louder)
(A/N: Very sorry, I remade the chapter)
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Three days had passed since they left the Dragon's Sanctum.
Three days of walking through the Gargantuan Wilds, carrying a crystalline egg that pulsed with growing light. Three days of Kaelen following a step behind, watching Meliodas with an expression of barely contained awe.
The ambient magic of the forest still hummed in Meliodas's veins—that temporary boost he'd accepted when they first arrived. It hadn't faded yet. If anything, it felt stronger now, resonating with whatever was happening inside the egg.
But Meliodas's mind wasn't on the magic.
It was on Earth.
How long have I been gone? he thought. Time moves differently here. It could be days. Weeks. Months.
He had no way of knowing.
Gravi would be furious. Lyra would be a wreck. Anastasia would be doing that thing where she pretended not to care but actually cared too much. And Natasha... Natasha would probably have filed seventeen reports by now, each one more frustrated than the last.
And Marvel keeps spinning. Thanos is out there. The Snap is coming. I'm supposed to be preparing, not stuck in some magical forest with a dragon egg and a prince who thinks I'm a divine being.
He rubbed his temples.
What if I can't get back? What if this isn't even the same universe? Marvel has a multiverse—what if I'm in a completely different one? What if Earth is just... gone?
The thoughts spiraled.
Bud pulsed from within the egg—a gentle warmth, a question. Worried?
"Always," Meliodas thought back.
Another pulse—comfort. Together. Always together.
Meliodas smiled despite himself. Even as an egg, Bud knew how to calm him.
---
Kaelen noticed his distraction. Through the telepathic link, his voice was gentle. "Master? You seem troubled."
Meliodas considered how to answer. He couldn't tell Kaelen the truth—that he was from another universe, that he had no idea if he could ever return home.
"Just thinking about my homeland," he sent instead.
Kaelen's eyes lit up with interest. "Your homeland? The continent you come from?"
"Something like that."
"What is it called? I've never seen anyone like you, with your strange clothes and stranger magic. Your homeland must be remarkable."
Meliodas hesitated. "It's called Earth."
Kaelen repeated the word, testing it. "Earth. I've never heard of that continent. Is it far?"
"Very far."
"And you worry about it? About the people there?"
"Every day."
Kaelen nodded solemnly. "I understand. When I was forced from my kingdom, I thought of nothing but home. The people I left behind. The life I lost." He looked at Meliodas with new understanding. "You carry that same weight, don't you? The weight of a homeland you may never see again."
Meliodas didn't correct him.
"Yes," he sent. "I do."
Kaelen placed a hand on his shoulder—a surprisingly bold gesture from someone who'd been so formal. "Then we are the same, you and I. Two exiles, far from home, trying to survive."
Bud pulsed from the egg—amusement, affection. Two exiles and one egg.
Kaelen laughed. "Your companion has a sense of humor."
"He always did."
---
On the fourth day, the egg began to change.
The pulsing light grew faster, brighter. Cracks appeared along its surface—tiny at first, then spreading. Warmth radiated from it like a small sun.
Meliodas set it down carefully. "It's happening."
Kaelen stepped back, magic ready. "What do we do?"
"We watch. We wait. We hope."
The cracks widened. Light poured out—not blinding, but warm and golden. The air around them shimmered with power, the ambient magic of the forest seeming to bow to whatever was emerging.
And then—
The egg shattered.
Not violently. Not explosively. It simply... opened. Like a flower blooming. Pieces of crystalline shell fell away, dissolving into light as they touched the ground.
And within, something stirred.
---
It was small. Smaller than Meliodas had expected.
A dragon, yes—but not the massive beast of legend. This one was the size of a large dog, with scales that shimmered like liquid crystal, catching the light and refracting it into tiny rainbows. Its wings were delicate, translucent, veined with gold. Its eyes—large, curious, impossibly intelligent—fixed on Meliodas with immediate recognition.
But more than that—there was a presence. An aura that radiated from the tiny dragon, pressing gently against everything around it.
The forest had gone silent.
No birds. No insects. No distant roars of titans.
Even the trees seemed to hold their breath.
Kaelen stumbled back, his face pale. "What... what is that? I feel like... like something is pressing against my very soul."
Meliodas felt it too—a weight, a pressure, but not hostile. It was like standing next to a bonfire. You could feel its power without being burned.
"It's Bud," he said softly. "It's his dragon aura."
Bud tilted his head, seeming to understand. The aura shifted—not withdrawing, but... focusing. It wasn't pressing against everything anymore. It was reaching out, touching, testing.
"There are beasts nearby," Bud's voice entered both their minds. "Small ones. Scared ones. They want to run, but they can't."
Kaelen's eyes widened. "You can feel them?"
"I can feel everything. And they can feel me." Bud's eyes sparkled. "Watch."
The aura shifted again—became something else. A command, gentle but absolute.
From the underbrush, a small creature emerged. It looked like a cross between a rabbit and a lizard, with soft fur and glowing eyes. It trembled as it approached, but it came.
Bud looked at it, and the creature sat down, waiting.
"I can control them," Bud said, wonder in his voice. "The weak ones. They have to do what I say."
Meliodas stared. "That's... that's incredible."
Bud preened. "I know."
Kaelen's awe had reached new heights. "A dragon's aura. The stories say only the oldest, strongest dragons can project such presence. But you've just hatched!"
"I'm special," Bud said simply. Then he looked at his own body. "Speaking of which... I think I can do this too."
His form shimmered.
And suddenly, he was smaller—the size of a cat, then a large rat, then finally no bigger than Meliodas's palm. A tiny dragon, no larger than a bird, fluttering on equally tiny wings.
Meliodas blinked. "Bud?"
"Still me!" The tiny dragon did a loop in the air. "I can change my size! Not all the way back to egg, but... smaller! Much smaller!"
He grew again—back to dog-sized, then a little larger, then back to dog-sized. "I saw it. In the memories. Dragons... they grow really big. Like, cover-the-sky big. Blot-out-the-sun big."
Meliodas blinked. "That big?"
"Uh-huh!" Bud nodded enthusiastically, his little dragon eyes sparkling. "Super big! So big that when I'm that size, I could wrap myself around a whole mountain and take a nap!" He fluttered his tiny wings. "But don't worry—I'll always shrink down so I can sit on your shoulder. Promise!"
Meliodas couldn't help but grin. "You're going to be a cover-the-sky dragon who wants to sit on my shoulder?"
"Yep!" Bud puffed out his tiny chest. "Best of both worlds!"
---
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[BUD'S TRANSFORMATION COMPLETE]
Bud has fully absorbed the whelp's inheritance.
New Form: Crystal Light Dragon (Whelp Stage)
Elemental Affinity: Light
Abilities Unlocked:
- Light Manipulation (Basic): Can create small constructs of solid light
- Dragon's Aura: Projects draconic presence. Deters magical beasts. Can control beings weaker than himself.
- Size Manipulation: Can alter his size from palm-sized to young-whelp-sized (currently). Will scale with age.
- Dragon's Senses: Enhanced perception, can see magical energy
- Telepathic Speech: Can communicate mentally with any being
- Inherited Memories: Fragmentary memories from the whelp
Bond Level: MAXIMUM
Note: Bud will continue to grow and develop new abilities over time. Current maximum size: large dog. Future maximum size: MOON-SIZED.
---
Meliodas read the notification.
Then he read it again.
Then he did a double-take so hard he nearly fell over.
"Moon-sized?!" He rubbed his eyes and stared at the screen. "MOON-SIZED?!"
Bud tilted his head. "What's a moon?"
Meliodas wasn't listening. His face had split into the biggest grin of his life. "Moon-sized! That's... that's worthy of a legendary dragon!"
He scooped up the tiny dragon (who was currently palm-sized) and held him at eye level. "Do you understand? You're going to be MOON-SIZED! Like, actual celestial body sized! You could blot out the sun! You could wrap yourself around planets!"
Bud blinked. "Is that good?"
"Good? GOOD?!" Meliodas laughed, pure joy bubbling out of him. "Bud, that's AMAZING! That's the most legendary thing I've ever heard!"
Bud puffed up proudly, even though he didn't quite understand. "I'm legendary?"
"The most legendary!" Meliodas hugged him carefully. "My friend is going to be a moon-sized dragon. This is the best day of my life."
Kaelen watched with a mixture of confusion and awe. "Master? What is a 'moon'?"
Meliodas grinned at him. "It's a big ball of rock that hangs in the sky at night. And Bud is going to be THAT BIG."
Kaelen's jaw dropped. "That... that's impossible."
"Apparently not!" Meliodas was still grinning. "Apparently not."
---
The guardian's voice echoed one last time, fading like mist.
"You have passed the trial, little spark. The whelp's inheritance is yours. But know this—there are things greater than dragons in this universe. Three True Dragons exist, and their names are not spoken lightly."
Meliodas's smile faltered. "Three?"
"Dravirus, who commands Darkness, Void, and Space. Ragnaris, who rules Light, Fire, Earth, and Gravity. Veldrind, who governs Wind, Water, Ice, and Time." The voice grew softer. "Speak their names only when you are ready for their attention."
The presence faded completely.
Kaelen looked pale. "Master... those names... I've never heard them. Not in any legend, not in any kingdom."
"That's probably for the best," Meliodas sent back. "Some knowledge is dangerous."
---
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[DRAGON TAXONOMY CLARIFIED]
Note: In this world, "dragon" is a broad term.
- Wyrms/Wyverns: Documented magical beasts. Killable with sufficient preparation.
- Blood-Trace Draconic Guardians: Powerful beings with traces of dragon blood. Not True Dragons.
- True Dragons: Myth-tier, immortal, concept-born beings. They are living laws of reality, not animals.
True Dragons are not native to this world. They exist beyond it.
Bud is a True Dragon lineage (Crystal Light Dragon). His future moon-sized form is consistent with True Dragon growth.
---
Meliodas read the notification and felt a chill.
True Dragons. Living laws of reality. And Bud is one of them.
He looked at the tiny dragon currently trying to catch a butterfly.
That little guy is going to be a living law of reality.
He smiled. "Perfect."
---
That Night
They walked until sunset, putting distance between themselves and the Sanctum. The forest began to thin—not quite the edge yet, but close. Meliodas could feel it. The oppressive weight of the Wilds was lifting.
Kaelen noticed too. "We're approaching the boundary. I can feel it."
"Good. We need to get out of here."
Bud, perched on Meliodas's shoulder at palm-size, yawned. "Tired. Long day."
Meliodas laughed. "You literally hatched today."
"Still tiring."
They found a clearing near a small stream. Meliodas looked around, then made a decision.
"Kaelen, I'm going to show you something. Don't freak out."
Kaelen looked confused. "Freak out?"
Meliodas focused.
---
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[DIMENSIONAL HOUSE ACCESS]
Available Structures:
- Small House (FREE)
- Villa (FREE)
- Mansion (10 Hero Shards)
Available Access Methods:
- Home Door (FREE)
- Home Key (5 Hero Shards)
- Home Portal (8 Hero Shards)
Current Hero Shards: 75
---
Meliodas selected Small House (FREE) and Home Door (FREE).
A door materialized in the middle of the clearing.
Kaelen stumbled back, magic flaring. "WHAT—"
"Relax. It's my house. Well, my dimensional house." Meliodas opened the door. Inside was a cozy small house—simple, warm, with a kitchen, a living area, and two bedrooms.
Kaelen stared, speechless. He stepped inside slowly, his eyes wide as he took in everything.
The lights turned on automatically when they entered.
Kaelen flinched. "The lights... they came on by themselves. Without runes. Without magic circles. How—"
Meliodas flipped a switch. "Like this."
Kaelen stared at the switch. Then at the light. Then back at the switch. "This... this is impossible. Light without fire. Without runes. Without any visible enchantment."
"It's not magic. It's electricity."
"Electric... what?"
Meliodas realized he was going to have to explain a lot.
---
The Tour
Meliodas gave Kaelen a quick tour of the small house.
He turned on a faucet. Water flowed.
Kaelen nearly jumped back. "Water... from a wall? Without a pump? Without a water spirit?"
"Plumbing. Pipes. Pressure."
Kaelen looked at him like he'd grown a second head.
Meliodas opened a cabinet. "And this is a stove. For cooking."
"Where are the fire runes?"
"No runes. It uses gas. Or electricity."
Kaelen sat down heavily on a chair. "Master... what is this place? What is this... this..."
"It's called technology."
"Tech-no-lo-gy." Kaelen sounded out the word carefully. "I've never heard of such magic."
"It's not magic. It's science. Things my homeland invented. Things that work without runes or spirits or enchantments."
Kaelen's eyes went wide. "Your entire homeland has this? Lights that turn on with a finger? Water that flows from walls? Food that appears on plates?"
Meliodas had summoned a sweetroll from the Sweetroll Plate earlier. He'd forgotten about that.
"Yeah. More or less."
Kaelen was silent for a long moment. Then he whispered, "Your homeland must be paradise."
Meliodas thought about Earth—with all its problems, its wars, its pollution, its chaos.
"It's not paradise. But it has its moments."
---
The Truth Attempt
They sat in the living room. Bud had curled up on a pillow, already half-asleep.
Meliodas looked at Kaelen—at this earnest, displaced prince who had given him absolute loyalty.
"Kaelen... there's something I need to tell you."
"Yes, Master?"
"Earth... it's not a continent on this world."
Kaelen tilted his head. "What do you mean?"
Meliodas took a deep breath. "I mean it's not part of this world at all. I'm not from this world. I'm from another world entirely. A different reality. With different rules. Different physics. Different everything."
Kaelen stared at him.
Then he nodded slowly. "I understand, Master."
"You do?"
"Of course. You don't wish to explain the full details of your origins yet. That is your right. A master's past is his own."
Meliodas blinked. "No, I'm literally telling you—"
"And I appreciate your honesty in sharing that you come from a distant land. 'Another world' is a fine metaphor for how different your homeland must be." Kaelen smiled warmly. "You need not hide behind such grand tales. I already know you are remarkable. You don't need to invent stories to impress me."
Meliodas opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again.
Bud's voice drifted sleepily from the pillow. "He doesn't believe you."
"I can see that."
"This is funny."
"Go to sleep, Bud."
"Fine. But I'm enjoying this."
Kaelen stood, stretching. "Master, I am deeply grateful for your hospitality. This house, this technology, this food—all of it is beyond anything I could have imagined. Thank you."
Meliodas sighed. "You're welcome."
"I will prove myself worthy of your teachings. I swear it."
"I know you will."
Kaelen bowed and retreated to his bedroom, leaving Meliodas alone with his thoughts and a snoring dragon.
Well, he thought. I tried.
---
The Bath Scene
After Kaelen had settled, Meliodas decided to clean up. Three days in the forest had left him feeling grimy, even with his {Cleanliness} perk keeping him relatively fresh.
He found the bathroom and stepped into the shower.
Hot water. Real soap. The simple pleasures of civilization.
When he emerged, his hair was wet, falling softly around his face. Steam rose from his skin. The combination of warmth, relaxation, and the ever-present {Adorable} perk created an effect that was... noticeable.
Kaelen had come out for water and froze in the hallway.
"Master... your hair..."
Meliodas touched it self-consciously. "What about it?"
"It's... different. When it's wet."
Bud's voice echoed from the pillow, not even trying to hide his amusement. "He thinks you're pretty. Again."
"BUD!"
"What? It's true. The aura doesn't lie."
Kaelen's face went crimson. "I... that's not... I was just observing!"
Meliodas sighed. "Bud, stop tormenting him."
"Never. This is my new hobby."
---
Morning
They woke to sunlight streaming through the windows. Bud was already awake, zooming around the living room at palm-size, chasing imaginary things.
Meliodas checked the kitchen. The Sweetroll Plate had refreshed overnight. He summoned another giant sweetroll and split it three ways.
Kaelen ate his portion with the reverence of someone experiencing a religious vision. "This... this is the most delicious thing I've ever tasted."
"It's just a sweetroll."
"There is nothing 'just' about this, Master."
Bud agreed, his face covered in crumbs.
After breakfast, Meliodas opened the front door. The forest was still there, but something had changed. The oppressive weight was gone. The trees seemed... normal.
"The Titan Convergence Path," Meliodas murmured. {Observation Haki} could sense it—a corridor where the Wilds' maze logic had relaxed.
Kaelen joined him. "What is it?"
"A way out. Let's go."
---
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[NEW ITEMS UNLOCKED FOR PURCHASE]
Based on your current needs, the following are available:
- Pitcher of Eternal Water — 10 Hero Shards (infinite clean water)
- Witches Diet Pills — 5 Hero Shards (1000 pills, -1 lb fat each)
- Alchemist Kit — 5 Hero Shards (better potion crafting)
Current Hero Shards: 75
---
Meliodas noted the options but decided to save his shards for now.
They walked through the corridor, the forest thinning with every step. By midday, they could see the boundary—a line where twisted, ancient trees gave way to normal woodland.
Freedom.
They stepped through.
The world opened up before them—rolling hills, distant farms, a village visible on the horizon.
Kaelen breathed deeply. "We made it."
"For now." Meliodas's {Observation Haki} tingled. Something was wrong. He could feel it—distant, but present. Soldiers. Searching.
Kaelen smelled it too. "Master... smoke."
Meliodas looked toward the village.
Plumes of smoke rose from multiple points.
And in the distance, something darker stirred.
---
[END OF CHAPTER 24]