Rebirth: 100 Days Before Doomsday

Above the Surface ~

Meanwhile, above the pond, the battle was raging on.

Davian swung his blade in a wide arc, slicing through the monstrous trees’ thick vines. Fire erupted along the blade’s edge, burning through the unnatural plant life, but more vines kept coming.

Rune let out a sharp breath, his hands glowing as he activated a defensive barrier around Aleena, who was pinned down by a heavy branch.

"We can’t keep this up forever!" Kevin shouted as he fired his rifle, his bullets tearing through an infected Beast’s skull.

"We just need to buy Grace time!" Davian shouted back, his eyes flashing toward the pond.

But even as he said it-

The ground shook again.

And this time... something massive began to rise from the water.

- - -

Beneath the surface, Grace felt it.

The bond forming.

She could hardly believe that all it took her to convince the Beast was to tell it how it barely had any choice but to accept her offer.

The dragon had been unable to leave the pond because there was a natural barrier around the restricted zone. It was not only keeping it locked inside, but it also kept the government and military from reaching it.

Which meant the military and government were still unaware of what was hiding within the restricted zone. All they knew was that something really powerful... and dangerous... was hidden there, and they were gathering enough people to take down the barrier.

All this was what Grace came up with after 2025 confirmed that the energy she felt upon entering restricted zone was none other than a barrier. It also explained why the dragon hadn’t been able to leave the pond yet.

What she told the dragon might be far from actual truth, but for the time being, it made most sense as well helped her in putting the dragon on alert.

She also told it how there was a possibility the government would kill it for its Spirit Stone, while she was offering it a safe place to live, food to enjoy, and environment to get stronger - as long as it helps her in her future plans if and when asked.

That’s all the speaking she did just moments ago... and the dragon made up its mind instantly.

The connection snapped into place. And the moment it happened, the dragon moved.

With a powerful thrust of its tail, it shot upward, dragging Grace with it.

She barely had time to take a breath before they breached the surface.

Water exploded outward as the dragon rose.

Its massive, sinuous body unfurled in the air, sending shockwaves across the battlefield.

Everyone froze.

The infected Beasts, the monstrous trees - even her team.

The dragon hovered above the water, droplets of water cascading down its glistening black scales.

And on its head, between the two golden horns... stood Grace.

Dripping wet.

But glowing with power.

Eyes locked onto the battlefield.

"*Enough.*"

Her voice rang out, calm yet commanding.

And as if the world itself had heard her, the monstrous trees stopped moving. The infected Beasts hesitated.

And in that moment, a single truth became undeniable - she had tamed the dragon.

Realizing that the mission was successful, Grace prepared to get her team and herself out of this place.

The moment she dismissed the dragon into her space, the oppressive energy surrounding the area vanished.

But that was both a blessing and a curse. Your journey continues with NovelBin.Côm

With the dragon’s overwhelming presence gone, the monstrous trees and infected Beasts immediately resumed their attack, as if the pause had never happened.

"We need to leave, now!" Davian shouted, slashing through a vine that had shot toward him like a whip. Fire erupted along the edge of his blade, burning through the plant, but another vine took its place almost instantly.

Aleena barely dodged an infected Beast’s claws, rolling to the side before stabbing it in the chest with her glowing dagger. "Boss, get down here!"

Grace didn’t need to be told twice.

She leaped off the pond’s edge, landing smoothly beside them. "Davian, open the portal!" she commanded, summoning a barrier to block another vine from reaching Aleena.

"On it!"

Davian raised his hand, and energy swirled in the air as a portal began forming.

The air around them crackled, a shimmering vortex of energy expanding in the middle of their defensive formation. The moment it reached full size, Rune stepped forward.

"Give me a second," Rune said, his hands glowing with runes of light as he prepared to cast a spell.

Grace nodded, understanding immediately what he was upto. This was something they had been doing everytime they stepped out of Greenstone. They couldn’t afford to leave any traces behind. Since the military was already looking for a group of survivors that escaped their clutches just hours ago, they didn’t need to give them more clues about what had happened here.

"Cover him!" Kevin ordered the team as he fired his rifle, shooting down another infected Beast charging toward them.

The team huddled closer, their movements perfectly synchronized as they held their ground. Aleena threw explosive daggers at the monstrous trees, while Kevin and Grace kept the Beasts at bay.

Rune’s spell intensified, the runes in the air expanding outward in waves.

Grace felt the energy pulse as the spell activated - removing their footprints, their lingering energy signatures, all the marks of the weapons they used, and even the blood they had spilled in battle. Within seconds, the restricted zone looked as if they had never been there.

Except - the barrier was down and the pond empty.

"Go!" Rune shouted, his spell complete.

One by one, they stepped into the portal.

Grace was the last to enter, her eyes scanning the area one last time.

The military would notice the disturbance - the dragon’s emergence had been too massive to go unnoticed.

But by the time they arrived... there would be nothing left for them to find.

With that final thought, she stepped into the portal.

And the restricted zone fell silent once more.