Rebirth: 100 Days Before Doomsday - Chapter 271

Chapter 271: Claiming Starfall Isle (I)
Rune crossed his arms, his icy-blue eyes narrowing as he leaned closer to Grace. “You are enjoying this, aren’t you?”

Grace smirked but didn’t reply.

Davian sighed, shaking his head. “Of course, she is. Keeping secrets, watching us squirm – this is her favorite pastime.”

“You are making it sound like I’m some kind of villain,” she protested but her tone was dripping with amusement.

“You are when it comes to withholding information,” Rune muttered.

Dr. Kian simply chuckled and went back to reviewing something on his tablet. He had long accepted that she wouldn’t reveal her plans until the last possible moment. She wanted to surprise them.

Despite their complaints, none of them could deny that Grace’s secrecy always led to something unexpected, and usually impressive.

A few hours later, the ship finally reached Starfall Isle. It was a vast, uninhabited land surrounded by crystal-clear waters. From above, it looked like a paradise, but Grace knew better.

The island was swarming with nearly thousands of Shadow Beasts. Those monstrous creatures were lurking in the dense forests and rocky cliffs. If they wanted to establish a base here, they had to clear the land first.

As soon as the ship anchored near the shore, Grace summoned a meeting in the command room. She stood at the head of the table with Rune, Davian, and Dr. Kian seated around her, along with a group of warriors.

Her expression was serious as she spoke. “Here’s the plan. Rune, Davian, and I will lead two teams onto the island – one consisting of trained warriors and another made up of recruits who have been training for the past two months. Our objective is simple – eliminate every Shadow Beast on this island and collect as many spirit stones as possible.”

She glanced at Dr. Kian. “You and the rest of the people will remain on the ship. The barrier will protect you from any attacks, so there’s no need to worry about safety.”

Dr. Kian nodded. “Understood. Just don’t take too long.”

“We’ll be as fast as we can,” she assured him.

With the plan set, the teams geared up. The warriors checked their weapons, ensuring they were ready for battle. The recruits were nervous but determined, gripping their weapons tightly.

They all had faced Shadow Beasts before this, but never had they entered he land of these beasts before where a single mistake could end them.

But they all trusted their Boss to keep them safe. And with that trust, they stepped off the ship and onto Starfall Isle.

– – –

Grace stepped onto the damp, uneven shore of Starfall Isle, her boots sinking slightly into the sand as she took in the expanse before her. The island stretched far beyond what the eye could see, covered in thick forests and towering cliffs, with the distant sound of rushing water indicating the presence of waterfalls or hidden rivers.

Despite its beauty, she could feel the ominous energy thrumming through the land. This was no paradise. It was a battlefield waiting to be claimed.

Behind her, two teams followed – one of elite warriors who had been hardened by years of training, and the other of fresh recruits who had only begun their combat training in the last two months.

Each warrior carried weapons enhanced with spirit-infused elixirs, designed specifically to counter the Shadow Beasts that lurked in the depths of this island.

“Last chance to turn back,” she said, turning to the two men following right behind her.

Rune snorted, flipping his dagger in his hand. “I think we both know that’s not happening.”

Davian looked just as unimpressed with her offer. “Let’s get this over with. The sooner we clean up, the sooner we claim this place as ours.”

Nodding her head, she just accepted that she wasn’t going to get rid of these two. “Then let’s begin.”

They barely ventured a mile into the dense forest before the first Shadow Beasts attacked.

The trees trembled as massive, slithering creatures emerged from the darkness. Their black, scaled bodies were twisting like serpents, and their glowing red eyes locking onto the group.

Others were hulking beasts, their forms shifting between solid and shadow, their mouths lined with jagged fangs dripping with poison.

A deafening screech filled the air.

The warriors tensed, gripping their weapons. Some of the recruits faltered, their hands trembling slightly, but Rune’s voice cut through the rising fear.

“Stand your ground! You have trained for this!” he commanded, stepping forward. With a flick of his wrist, a dagger coated in a luminous silver glow shot forward, embedding itself into the skull of the nearest beast.

The creature let out an ear-splitting shriek before crumbling into nothing but dark mist, leaving behind a pulsing spirit stone.

“Strike fast! Aim for the head or heart!” Grace ordered, summoning a sword made of energy. A shadowy beast lunged at her, its claws poised to rip through her, but she sidestepped at the last second, driving her blade into its chest.

A burst of energy exploded outward, sending the beast reeling before it collapsed, lifeless. A spirit stone rolled from its remains, and she swiftly pocketed it.

Davian moved like lightning, his body blurring through the battlefield as he slashed through multiple beasts in a single motion. He was also good at using his power of creating portals in these fights against the beasts which helped him disappear and reappear mid-strike.

The warriors followed suit, moving in pairs and small groups, using their enhanced weapons and superpowers to fight.

A recruit screamed as a shadowy tentacle wrapped around his ankle, dragging him toward a massive beast with rows of serrated teeth.

Grace reacted instantly, raising her left hand and summoning her power of thought-creation.

“Break!” she commanded, and the tentacle shattered into pieces, releasing the recruit before it could pull him into the beast’s waiting jaws.

Rune appeared beside the fallen recruit, grabbing him by the collar and hauling him to his feet. “Get back in formation! This isn’t training anymore!”

The recruit swallowed hard but nodded, steadying himself before rejoining the battle.