Translator: Hasr11

Enjoy!

Read on Watashi Wa Sugoi Desu〜

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I’m putting the notes in before, Coz I’m feeling too lazy to put in footnotes

Loach: The pond loach, dojo loach, or oriental/Japanese weather loach, is a freshwater fish.

Alligator gar: Not an alligator, it’s actually a fish

Pirarucu: Another fish, found in the Amazon river.

Yamata no orochi: Tho Wikipedia says Yamata no Orochi or Orochi, is a legendary 8-headed and 8-tailed Japanese dragon. , orochi does mean an huge snake in Japanese.

Susanoo: Not the Naruto one, he’s a Japanese god, technically the god of sea and storms.

Heracles: The Greek name of Hercules

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What if the the Ugly Duckling Wasn’t a Swan But a Dragon?

Author: Saikoro Chiika

Mom was a duck.

There were 8 ducklings beside me.

Somehow or the other I was born as the last child amongst 9 duckling brothers.

Many seasons had gone by since I was born.

My eight brothers had grown old enough to be able to speak, and quacked something to me.

「You look really ugly!」
「You look really filthy!」
「You aren’t a duck, are you!?」

Ah〜a, it’s that, bullying.
Somehow, it seems that I’m ugly.
Am I something like that Ugly Duckling fellow?

Many seasons went by since then.

I grew considerably tall.
I had to look down to see my brothers.

「You’re really ugly!」
「You’re really filthy!」
「You aren’t a duck, are you!?」

Even if I grew large, my brothers bullied me as usual.
Apparently, I’m really like the Ugly Duckling, seems like I’m not a duck.

Am I a swan?

Swans must grow large quickly like me.
Is what I thought.

Many seasons went by since then.

I grew even more huge.

「You truly are ugly!」
「You truly are filthy!」
「You aren’t a duck, are you!?」

As always, my brothers bullied me like that, but I began thinking myself too that certainly was strange.

In the beginning I only had to look down a little to my brothers, but now I had to look down even to see mom, and everyone was now smaller than even the size my claws.

And looking at my feet too, they seemed different.

The weren’t webbed, and instead had sharp claws.

My body didn’t have feathers, but instead had scales.

While thinking I was strange after all, I looked at my reflection in the lake.

*
My thoughts went 「……Eh?」.

Seems like I have fangs.

I’ve got horns too.

I have wings like a bat too.

I-Is this……a Dragon?

It was shocking.
I was neither a duck nor a swan, but a dragon.

I’m sorry, Mom.
I’m not your child……

Brothers, you were right.
I wasn’t a duck……

Many seasons went by since then.

As usual, Mom was kind, she brought me loaches and earthworms.

No, realise it!

You know that I’m definitely not your child, right!?

My brothers’ responses were just as usual.

「You truly are ugly!」
「You truly are filthy!」
「You aren’t a duck, are you!?」

Eh!?

Amazing! My brothers!
I’m a 1000 times larger than you!
Don’t you feel afraid?
To have the courage to bully this huge opponent!
I admire you!

For some reason or the other……

It seems like there wasn’t any problem in my family with me being a dragon.

I was the only one who’d felt shocked.

Many seasons went by since then.

My brothers were still ducklings, but they could now swim.
They could now catch and eat loaches and earthworms.

While I caught alligator gars and pirarucus,
I lived a life predating on Atlantic giant squids and Giant mountain fishes amongst others.

It was peaceful.

Until one fine day, an incident occurred,
It was when the eight-headed snake, the 「Yamata-no-Orochi」appeared.

It’s was even more huge than me!

He seems super duper strong!

Don’t come here!

Be exterminated by a hero or Heracles or Susanoo!

I prayed.

However, the Yamata-no-Orochi looked towards me.
It was my fault for being huge and standing out.

I’m sorry, Mom.
I’m sorry, my brothers.

Mom got scared and trembled and got stiff.

Leaving aside my bully brothers, I’d caused nothing but trouble to Mom.

I’ve got to do something!

In order to keep the Yamata-no-Orochi away from the lake in which I lived, I decided to leave it.

I unfurled my wings and leapt.
I crossed over the lake in a blink of an eye!

When I landed on my two feet,
The ground shook!

Moreover, I hadn’t noticed up until now, but
I could breathe fire!

I can do it! If I have this, I can win!

Thinking so, I challenged the Yamata-no-Orochi

*
The result was……

I lost.

I was beaten to a pulp.

The Yamata-no-Orochi was just as strong as it looked.

Reflected in my eyes, as I fell over and lost consciousness, was the figure of the Yamata-no-Orochi, having lost interest in me and turning towards the lake where Mom and the others lived.

Wait! Don’t go there!

I’m…I’m still……

*
They say you see a vision just before your death.

I, in the moment before my death, saw a vision of 8 ducklings.

「Go-!」
「Lets protect our youngest oone!」
「Lets defeat the snaaake!」
「Lets finish it oooff!」
「Pi-Pikachuuuu!」
「Let’s rip into ittt!」
「Lets gooo!」
「Ooooopsss!」

My brother ducklings faced off against the Yamata-no-Orochi.

W-Wait!
It’s impossible!
There’s no way you’ll win!
It’s definitely ridiculous! That courage!

My scream did not reach.
My brothers were each eaten by the 8 heads of the Yamata-no-Orochi.

……Or were they, I peered.

「It’s nooow!」
「Lets ruuun!」
「C’mereeeee!」
「Ruuun!」
「Pi-Pikachuuuu!」
「Let’s rip into ittt!」
「Lets gooo!」
「Ooooopsss!」

Just before they were eaten, my brothers changed course!

All 8 began running in 8 different directions!

The Yamata-no-Orochi chased after them!

However, because everyone was running in a different direction,
The heads of the Yamata-no-Orochi got tied up into knots and was left immobile.

*
Is this……a chance?

Move, my body!

I somehow managed to move my immobile body
And flew with all my strength!

I flew high up in the blue skies
And dropped down while spinning about!

On top of it, I breathed out fire
And while enveloping my body in those flames
I gave a kick to the Yamata-no-Orochi!

「Rolling Fire Attaaaack!」

My kick fell right on the base of the head of the Yamata-no-Orochi.
Seemed like it was the weak point of the Yamata-no-Orochi, and he spewed smoke from his 8 heads and died.

I’d……We’d won!

「We did it!」
「Booyah!」
「It’s victory!」
「It’s our victory!」
「Pi-Pikachuuu!」
「We defeated it!」
「Heck, we defeated it!」
「OMAE WA MOU SHINDEIRU……」

It was due to the cooperation of my brothers and I.

Many seasons went by since then.

As usual, Mom was kind and brought loaches and earthworms for me.

「You truly are ugly!」
「You truly are filthy!」
「You aren’t a duck, are you!?」

And like that, my brothers bullied me as usual.

Ok, Ok.
I can’t win agains me Nii-chans.

I thought.

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Read my other novel, Kiss the Black Cat? Well, you should try it!