Chapter 182: An Egg

Chapter 182: Chapter 182: An Egg

In the absolute darkness, only the pair of blood-red giant eyes ahead glowed faintly.

The monster continued to gaze in the direction behind her. Its unseen pressure was like a solid wall, holding the surging tide of monsters firmly at bay several meters away.

In the silence, there was only the sound of her own ragged breathing and... an extremely faint rustling sound, like countless soft hairs rubbing together, coming from the massive figure before her.

’What is it doing?’

Just as Seraphina Sinclair was filled with doubt and suspicion, the pair of blood-red eyes slowly moved down, refocusing on her.

Locked by that inhuman gaze, Seraphina Sinclair felt a chill run up her spine.

She gritted her teeth, preparing for any possible attack.

But the giant, thickly-furred Dragonbeast only tilted its massive head ever so slightly... and with extreme slowness.

The movement even carried a near-clumsy hesitation, completely at odds with its enormous body.

Then, it shuffled a small step to the side.

Just this single small step cleared the exit that its massive body had been completely blocking.

From outside the door, the island’s thin mist drifted in, bringing with it a sliver of faint light and air filled with the scent of grass and trees, different from the air inside the hospital.

’Is it... Is it letting me pass?’

Seraphina Sinclair could hardly believe her eyes.

This bizarre existence, which even Insight couldn’t penetrate, had intimidated all the other monsters only to clear a path to survival for her?

There was no time to ponder the reason why; the instinct for survival overrode everything.

Seraphina Sinclair kept her eyes locked on the pair of blood-red orbs, her feet beginning to move toward the exit with extreme slowness, one hesitant step at a time.

She didn’t dare turn her back on the creature, so she kept facing it, shuffling sideways toward the outside.

Even when her back could feel the cool air from outside, the blood-red eyes just watched her quietly, making no move.

But the instant she took a step out of the building, the monster extended a claw and, with what could be described as a gentle force, hooked Seraphina Sinclair back inside.

Seraphina Sinclair: "???"

Just when she thought the creature was about to attack, it retracted its claw.

And when Seraphina Sinclair mustered the courage to try and leave again, the creature hooked her back once more.

Seraphina Sinclair: "..."

’What in the world does it want?! You can kill me, but you can’t humiliate me like this!’

Seraphina Sinclair gritted her teeth and tilted her head up, but the moment her eyes met the monster’s, she deflated like a popped balloon, all her courage vanishing.

’Monsters that don’t try to kill you are rare enough as it is. I can’t go breaking this one’s heart!’

Seraphina Sinclair moved cautiously, planning to try to get out a few more times.

The monster, however, seemed to have lost its patience. It took a step back, and the movement of its enormous body made the entire island tremble.

Then, to Seraphina Sinclair’s astonishment, its long, thickly-furred tail moved as if it had a life of its own, sweeping over with gentle speed!

Her pupils dilated, and she belatedly realized it wasn’t an attack. Instead, it had gently wrapped around an object in front of her and deposited it into her arms.

And its gesture seemed to be saying...

’You blind human!’

Seraphina Sinclair: "..."

’It’s pitch black and I’m not wearing my Single Lens, of course I can’t see what’s going on!’

Although she had already taken the object into her arms instinctively, Seraphina Sinclair was still suspicious.

’This monster can’t possibly be kind enough to just give me something.’

But it also hadn’t attacked her at all.

For a moment, Seraphina Sinclair held the object, unsure what kind of expression she should be making.

The giant Dragonbeast, however, acted as if it had accomplished its purpose. It gazed fondly at the object in Seraphina Sinclair’s arms for a moment, then turned and reluctantly departed.

This behavior, combined with the feeling of it in her hands...

It was hard to believe, but...

’Did this thing just give me an egg?’

An egg?!

A Dragon Egg?!

Just as Seraphina Sinclair lifted the object in her arms to get a better look, she heard the roars of the monsters behind her again.

’Oh, right. The giant Dragonbeast is gone, so of course they aren’t scared anymore.’

’Figuring out what this thing is can wait. I have to get back to the mobile cabin!’

Cradling the "egg"—which was a size larger than her head and warm to the touch—Seraphina Sinclair had no time to study it. She turned and ran for her life!

Behind her, the tide of monsters, no longer held back, surged out of the hospital entrance like a bursting dam, roaring as they came.

A rotten stench and the grating sound of scraping claws pursued her relentlessly.

She pushed her Speed to the limit. The giant egg in her arms was surprisingly light, and it radiated a comforting warmth that dispelled some of the chilling dread from behind her.

The thin mist flew past her, and the silhouette of the mobile cabin appeared ahead.

’Faster! Just a little faster!’

She could feel the cold wind from a claw almost touching her back.

Seraphina Sinclair gritted her teeth and lunged forward, practically crashing through the cabin’s wooden door and rolling inside while protecting the giant egg!

"SLAM!"

The wooden door slammed shut behind her, cutting off all the roars and malice.

’I’m safe!’

Seraphina Sinclair collapsed to the floor, her back against the door, panting heavily.

The giant egg rested securely in the crook of her arm. Its shell was a profound, deep blue, with a soft texture similar to the Dragonbeast’s fur, and it felt warm and pleasant to the touch.

She looked down at this inexplicable "trophy," her feelings a complicated mess.

"So..."

she muttered to herself, her fingertips brushing lightly over the warm shell. "That big guy blocked my path and wouldn’t let me leave... just to give me this?"

’What is this? A mandatory gift?’

’Or... some kind of entrustment that I can’t understand?’

Beneath her fingertips, the eggshell seemed to pulse faintly, like the heartbeat of a sleeping creature.

Seraphina Sinclair snatched her hand back, her eyes wide.

’It’s alive!’

’Looks like I’ve gotten myself into something big.’

Seraphina Sinclair placed the egg on the floor with extra care, finally letting out a sigh of relief.

’If what hatches from this egg is another one of those big guys, then I’ve really hit the jackpot, haven’t I?’

’That was a dragon-type monster!’

’Even if it had a Western-style design, it was still so cool.’

’And it was so huge, its combat power must be off the charts. If I can raise it well, with its help...’

’...wouldn’t I be able to do whatever I want in The Black Mist World?’

She paced around the room once, letting her feverish head cool down before she started to seriously consider what to do next.

’Hatch the egg? Raise the egg?’

’No, wait...’

Seraphina Sinclair suddenly realized what she had overlooked.

’Why did I just assume it was a gift?’

Even though the giant Dragonbeast hadn’t attacked her, and even though it had helped her out of a tight spot...

’...are there really any creatures in this place that aren’t hostile to humans?’

Seraphina Sinclair’s expression turned grim. She raised her hand, put on her Single Lens, and looked at the giant egg, silently chanting, "Insight!"