Awakening!

After consuming the Natural Gem and the Artificial Jewelry, Bruce basked in the glow of their Epic Quality, feeling the surge of random profit points they bestowed upon him, ready to be allocated as he wished.

In the depths of his slumber, whispers of profit echoed in his mind, a litany of gains and boons that seemed endless. It felt like an eon had passed in a dreamscape of growth and enrichment.

This lengthy, monotonous dream, however, was abruptly shattered by the growl of his stomach, a primal call for sustenance that roused him from his deep sleep. Bruce emerged from the acidic cocoon, his senses immediately assaulted by the pangs of a hunger so intense it felt as if his very being was folding in upon itself.

As his eyes adjusted to the dim light of the dragon's nest, he noticed the robust figures of his siblings, Carona and Torenço, who appeared to have thrived in his absence. "Have you been feasting on secret delicacies while I slumbered? Carona, you're almost two meters now, but that waistline, oh my, it hardly seems proportional! And Torenço, you should be towering at two meters at least..." Bruce teased, his voice a blend of humor and astonishment.

Carona, with a playful glint in her eye, retorted, "Before you jest about us, Bruce, perhaps you should gaze upon your own reflection in the pool. It's you who has become the mightiest among us."

Bruce peered into the acidic waters, his reflection revealing a startling transformation. His frame had stretched and expanded, now measuring an imposing four meters, nearing five. The sheer size of his form dwarfed that of his siblings, a giant among dragons. For a moment, Bruce humorously pondered if Dragon Mother had some extraordinary condition when she laid his egg, leading to his 'giant' stature.

"How long have I been in the embrace of slumber?" Bruce inquired, his curiosity piqued.

Carona replied, "Four months have passed, Bruce. Half of the scorching summer has faded away since you succumbed to your deep sleep in the spring."

The revelation left Bruce astounded. The duration of a young dragon's slumber typically spans from days to weeks, never stretching beyond. His own prolonged rest had mirrored that of a mature dragon, a testament to the profound transformation he had undergone.

The digestion of the gems had not only augmented his physical stature but had also bestowed upon him a staggering 565 profit points, a wealth of potential he could distribute at his discretion.

Bruce reveled in his fortune, yet he was acutely aware of the peril in coveting the treasures of the dragon's nest. Such ventures required not only strategy but also an alignment of opportune moments. Dragons who hoarded such treasures were formidable beings, not to be trifled with lightly.

After the initial rush of exhilaration, Bruce pondered the allocation of his newfound profit points. Previously, he had channeled these resources into augmenting his mental prowess. This time, however, he opted for a more measured approach, distributing the points in increments, savoring the tangible enhancements in his mental faculties, a dragon ever-evolving, his potential boundless.

Bruce deliberated over his strategy for growth. His primary goal was a rapid amplification of his combat prowess, essential for thriving in the ruthless competition for resources and ensuring a swift ascension to power in a world fraught with peril.

Initially, Bruce allocated all 65 profit points to the enhancement of his mental power. The tangible increase in his mental faculties was evident; his conscious communication range had subtly extended by half a meter, a modest yet significant improvement. However, the true test of this augmentation lay in practical application.

Bruce exhaled deeply, attempting to channel his Green Dragon Poison Breath. The result was underwhelming, a mere puff of green mist rather than the potent corrosive force he aspired to master. Confusion clouded his thoughts. Was this enhancement of mental power not the catalyst he needed for his magical abilities? The insipid result of his efforts left Bruce questioning the very essence of his dragon's breath—was it merely a grander scale of saliva, devoid of the true might of dragon magic?

The absence of a magical inheritance, a birthright of other dragons, cast Bruce into a maelstrom of uncertainty and frustration. He felt like a traveler groping in the dark, searching for the elusive essence of magic. His attempts at thunder magic and wind magic yielded no better results, a swirl of potential within him that frustratingly refused to manifest.

Bruce's introspection led him to a stark realization: his method of spellcasting was flawed, a path riddled with unnecessary detours if pursued in isolation. Time was a luxury he could ill afford to squander.

An idea sparked in his mind. "Perhaps it's time to seek wisdom beyond the confines of these walls. The human market, with its myriad of magic books, might hold the key," Bruce pondered. He entrusted the task to Seth, the kobold, a creature of the underworld with connections to the gray dwarves and access to a trove of magical tomes.

In an era where magic was ubiquitous, Bruce knew that the authenticity of such books varied wildly. Despite the risk of encountering counterfeit texts, the chance of unearthing genuine articles made the endeavor worthwhile. To bolster the odds, Bruce provided Ses with the few precious gems he had spared, a small price for a potentially transformative knowledge.

As Bruce awaited news from Seth, he summoned Carona to recount the events that unfolded during his slumber. Through her narrative, Bruce learned of the climactic battle between the Brass Dragon Gallon and the Black Dragon Kasavia. The battle's outcome, a pyrrhic victory for Kasavia, was far from ideal in Bruce's eyes. Deep down, he harbored a preference for a stalemate or, better yet, a mutual demise of the titans, leaving a void he could potentially fill. The thought of such an opportunity made him envision awakening to a world ripe for his ascension, a realm where his newfound prowess, once fully realized, could reign supreme.