Chapter 0: So I’m a Baby Dino Now? Great.

Darkness. That's the first thing I remember. It wasn't peaceful, though—oh no, it was more like someone stuffed me inside a sack and forgot about me. Tight. Cramped. Humid.

I tried to stretch, but my limbs felt... stubby? Weird. And my head was way too heavy, like I was balancing a bowling ball on my neck.

Suddenly, the sack cracked. Light poured in, and I froze as something slimy dripped onto my face. That's when it hit me.

"I'm in an egg."

The realization was so ridiculous I almost laughed. Almost. Except I didn't have time to process it because the whole egg started shaking like I was in the middle of an earthquake. The shell cracked again, and then—

CRUNCH!

I fell. Hard. Flat on my tiny, scaly face.

"Great. I'm alive for two seconds, and I already hate this."

I groaned—or whatever sound baby dinosaurs make—and looked around. What I saw made me wish I could crawl back into that egg.

There were other eggs, lots of them, all hatching at the same time. Around me, tiny lizard-like creatures flopped out, chirping and squeaking like a bunch of baby birds. It didn't take a genius to figure it out: I was one of them.

A dinosaur hatchling.

"Oh, come on! I studied dinosaurs—I didn't ask to become one!"

Before I could panic further, a loud thud echoed nearby. The ground shook, and I froze, my tiny heart hammering in my chest. Slowly, I craned my stubby neck to see the source of the noise.

A pair of massive, scaly feet stomped into view. They were attached to a hulking dinosaur with rows of razor-sharp teeth, glaring down at us like we were appetizers at a buffet.

Mama? No. Definitely not mama.

The beast let out a guttural roar, and my instincts kicked in. Well, sort of.

"RUN!" I squeaked.

Except my legs didn't get the memo. Instead of running, I flailed around like a drunk chicken, barely managing to stumble out of the way as the giant dino snapped its jaws where I'd been lying a second ago.

"This is the worst day of my life!" I yelled.

Then, something even weirder happened.

[System Activated. Welcome to the Path of the Apex Predator.]

"Huh?"

[First Quest: Survive Your First Hour. Reward: Evolution Points and Basic Skill Unlock.]

"Oh, sure, no problem! I'll just casually survive while a giant monster tries to eat me. No big deal!"

The system didn't respond, of course. It just hovered there in the corner of my vision, taunting me with its absurdity.

Meanwhile, chaos erupted around me. My siblings were scattering in every direction, and the giant dinosaur—let's call him "Big Ugly"—was having a grand old time chasing them down. I needed to move, fast.

I spotted a nearby bush and waddled toward it as fast as my stubby legs could carry me. Behind me, Big Ugly chomped down on another hatchling, and I tried not to think about how I was next on the menu.

Finally, I dove into the bush and held my breath. My tiny body shook with adrenaline, and I couldn't stop the stream of thoughts racing through my head.

"I didn't sign up for this! I was supposed to dig up fossils, not become one!"

The system pinged again.

[Tip: Consuming food will restore stamina and enhance growth.]

"Oh, great! I'll just grab a burger real quick. Oh wait, I'M A BABY DINOSAUR!"

Just then, I noticed a small, wriggling bug crawling near my feet. It wasn't much, but my stomach growled, and I realized I hadn't eaten since... well, since I'd been alive.

"Ugh. Fine."

I lunged forward and snapped the bug up with my tiny teeth. It was gross, slimy, and tasted like despair.

[You have consumed an insect. +1 Evolution Point.]

"Huh. That's... not bad."

I peeked out of the bush, watching Big Ugly wander off in search of easier prey. For now, I was safe. But this was just the beginning.

If I wanted to survive in this brutal world, I'd have to eat, grow, and fight.

And maybe, just maybe, I'd find out why the heck I'd been reincarnated as a baby Allosaurus in the first place.