[Earth – Late Night, Dark Alley]
In the shadows of a narrow alley, a drunkard staggered home, muttering to himself. His steps were clumsy, his vision blurred. As he turned a corner, he bumped hard into someone.
"Watch where you're goin', ya bastard!" he slurred, stumbling to the ground.
Groaning, the drunkard grabbed the stranger's coat and pulled himself up, emboldened by his intoxication. But the person he had bumped into didn't move. Didn't speak. Just stood there.
Once on his feet, the drunkard looked up—and froze.
His eyes widened in horror. His mouth trembled. A piercing scream erupted from his throat—raw, primal fear tearing through the night.
People nearby heard it. A scream so filled with terror that it chilled their bones. A small crowd gathered, drawn by the noise.
They found the man on the ground, screaming uncontrollably, his body writhing as though trying to escape something only he could see.
Several tried to calm him down, but he only screamed louder.
Eventually, someone called for an ambulance.
---
[Earth – XXX Hospital, The Next Day]
Early morning. The halls of XXX Hospital were quiet except for the brisk footsteps of a doctor and an investigator making their way toward the patient's room.
Investigator: "How's the patient?"
Doctor: "Not good, sir. He screamed all night. Every time we sedated him, he'd jolt awake and scream even louder. It's like... something was still chasing him."
Before they could reach the room, another doctor sprinted down the hallway toward them.
Doctor (panicked): "Sir! The patient… he just died!"
Investigator: "What?! Take me there, now!"
They rushed inside to find the man lying still on the bed, his face frozen in a grotesque mask of fear—eyes wide, mouth open in a silent scream.
Young Doctor: "We were monitoring him closely. His heart rate was erratic all night. Then… it just stopped."
Investigator (coldly): "I want a full autopsy and psychological profile. Everything. I want to know what the hell he saw last night."
Doctor: "Yes, sir."
---
[The Zones – Forest Zone]
Far from Earth, in a verdant but perilous Forest Zone, a team of Superhumans was locked in battle with a colossal monster made entirely of mineral and stone. It moved slowly, but its limbs shattered trees with every step, and its hide deflected most attacks.
The group fought relentlessly—circling it, bombarding it with energy blasts, and laying traps.
After nearly an hour, the beast finally collapsed, its rocky core shattered.
Exhausted but elated, the team began harvesting parts of the creature—valuable resources that would fetch high prices back on Earth.
But then—
A shadow. A gust of wind. A roar that wasn't a roar—it was a presence.
A massive creature soared above them, blotting out the sky for a moment. Its wings stretched wide. Its body shimmered with ancient energy.
The Superhumans stared in horror.
"That was… a Dragon…"
The team leader immediately contacted the authorities, voice tense.
Leader: "This is Iron Guild Leader. We've just witnessed a Dragon. I repeat—a Dragon has appeared in Forest Zone 12."
They all knew what this meant.
Twenty-five years ago, a single Dragon descended on Earth and nearly brought the world to its knees. Entire cities were reduced to dust. And then, just as suddenly—it left. Without explanation. Without warning.
That day became known as The Near-End.
Since then, humanity has recorded only one confirmed encounter with a Dragon. Until now.
And the implications were terrifying.
---