Rebirth: 100 Days Before Doomsday-Chapter 236: Depths of the Unknown

Grace’s heart pounded as she stared at the pond, feeling the heavy energy pressing against her skin. Before she could even formulate a plan, 2025’s voice echoed in her earpiece.

[Grace, you need to go underwater. The Beast is deep inside, and there’s no other way to reach it.]

Her jaw clenched. She had suspected as much, but hearing it getting confirmed was different.

"Alone?" she asked in her mind. It’s not like she was afraid of the Beast, she just didn’t want to make a choice that would undoubtedly upset her team, especially Davian and Rune.

[Yes. The energy levels in the pond are too volatile. If anyone else follows, their chances of survival drop drastically. You, however, can endure it with your powers.]

Grace exhaled sharply, knowing exactly what the little creature was talking about. Because of the Infinite Realm and it’s different timeline compared to the real world, she had the advantage of practicing and leveling up her power.

While everyone else in the outside world had been practicing their powers for about two years, she already had decades of practice. Her power level had already evolved to the fullest, and with each passing day, she was getting more and more stronger.

She was preparing to relay 2025’s idea to her team. But before she could speak - a violent tremor surged through the ground, originating from deep beneath the pond.

The ground beneath them cracked and the water pulsed erratically.

And then... the trees around them moved. But they soon realized the trees weren’t just moving... they actually came alive.

Their branches twisted, their trunks split open to reveal gaping maws lined with jagged wooden fangs. Thick vines shot forward like whips, lashing at the team with terrifying precision.

"Shit!" Rune cursed, slicing through a vine that came for his throat.

Kevin dodged a branch swinging toward him, rolling on the ground before firing his rifle at its base. But the bullets barely made a dent.

"These things are resilient!" he shouted.

Davian slashed at the nearest tree, flames igniting along the blade of his sword, but even fire wasn’t enough to destroy the monstrous plants instantly.

Aleena barely managed to dodge a root that tried to skewer her from below. "Boss! We need to move - now!"

Before Grace could respond, the situation escalated.

Four massive figures emerged from the darkness of the trees.

Infected Beasts.

Each of them mutated beyond recognition, their eyes glowing with hunger, their bodies twisted with unnatural growths.

The largest one was a hulking wolf with blackened, rotting fur and exposed bones. It threw back its head and howled, sending a wave of oppressive energy crashing over them.

Grace’s mind raced.

The easiest choice was to open a portal and get her team out.

But easiest didn’t mean wisest.

If they left now, they might never get another chance to claim the Spirit Stone. And handing over such power to the government meant creating troubles for herself.

As she avoided getting attacked by one of the monstrous branches of a tree, she finally made her decision in that instant.

"Davian! Hold the team together!" she shouted.

His head snapped toward her. "Wait, what-?!"

She didn’t give him time to ask anything further. With a single, powerful movement, she dived into the pond.

---

The moment she hit the water, it was like stepping into another world.

The temperature dropped instantly, while the energy was thick and suffocating.

There was no light, only darkness, but her heightened eyesight allowed her to see clearly. A single thought from her made it possible for her to breathe underwater.

The deeper she went, the more the pressure grew, pressing against her chest like an invisible force trying to crush her.

But she still kept swimming.

Seconds stretched into eternity. And then... a shadow moved below her.

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And it was huge.

Her heart started slamming against her ribs.

She forced herself to remain still as the massive shape emerged from the darkness.

And then she saw it.

A dragon.

Its body was long and sinuous, like a serpent, covered in black scales with faint streaks of glowing silver running down its length. Its massive eyes burned with an eerie blue light, locked onto her with a gaze that radiated pure power.

The mechanical voice of the system crackled in her earpiece.

[Scanning…]

Seconds passed... and then-

[Identified: Formerly a python. It consumed 89% Shadow Rain and survived, undergoing an impossible mutation process. Conclusion - this is likely the only one of its kind.]

Grace’s stomach clenched.

A mutation like this should have killed any animal. No known creature had ever survived such a high percentage of Shadow Rain consumption.

And yet -

This dragon had.

2025’s next words were even more shocking.

[The Beast is carrying a Level Nine Spirit Stone - the highest level we have ever encountered... or even thinking about encountering anytime soon.]

Grace inhaled sharply. A Level Nine…?

That kind of power was unheard of. They just came to terms that Spirit Stones above Level Six didn’t exist for now, only to come across a Level Nine one so soon.

Her original plan had been to kill whatever was down here, retrieve the Spirit Stone, and leave.

But now...

[Recommendation: Do not engage in combat. Attempt to tame the dragon. If successful, you will gain an unparalleled advantage.]

Her grip on the dagger tightened.

Tame it?

This wasn’t some ordinary beast. This was a newly evolved dragon, an apex predator of its kind. It was a mythical creature that shouldn’t even exist.

But... if she could make it submit to her, it would indeed change everything.

She exhaled slowly, eyes never leaving the dragon’s glowing gaze. Fortunately, it hadn’t taken the step to attack her, yet.

It seemed to be studying her, just like she was studying it.

Then, as she reached out -

... the dragon finally moved.

* * *

Author’s Note:

The dragon here isn’t the one shown in western fantasy books or movies, but the one shown or described in eastern fantasy. For a better understanding, click on this paragraph comment to see the picture of the dragon. Discover exclusive tales on novelbuddy