Properly hidden, Gregory settled down, removing his backpack from his back with a quick and efficient movement. With the same precision, he unzipped it, carefully taking out his equipment.

First, he pulled out a pair of observation binoculars, adjusting them to capture the distant image of the monster that was still moving through the clearing. Then, with an almost mechanical gesture, he removed an image recording device, adjusting it with the same attention, ensuring that every detail was captured clearly.

Vivian, at his side, kept her eyes fixed on the clearing, observing every movement with almost supernatural precision, her sharp senses on constant alert. The sound of the forest seemed muffled, with the soft wind and the rustling of the leaves, but, deep down, the deep and heavy silence indicated that tension was present.

There, on the shores of the lake, resting peacefully like a king in his domain, a monster was sunbathing.

An Aligodon, a massive creature, a predator that exudes pure lethality and strength. Its body, approximately 12 meters long, is covered in thick, resistant skin, of a blue-gray tone, marked by deep grooves, like juxtaposed plates.

Its enormous head sported an open mouth, revealing three rows of teeth curved inwards, ready to tear apart anything that dared to approach. Its legs were astonishingly thick and elongated, evoking a terrestrial lizard with hypertrophied musculature.

Its claws are not only sharp, but release a venom that paralyzes and corrodes the flesh of its victims, making them even more vulnerable to attack. Its skin also has the ability to change color, which makes it capable of camouflaging itself in the environment, making it almost invisible. On its snout, two parallel rows of elongated scales rose like horns, each row growing in size as it approached the tip.

The creature is a monstrous beast with several abilities that make it an unbeatable predator. It can regenerate quickly, healing its wounds as it feeds on its prey, which makes it extremely difficult to defeat in a group fight.

Its vision is adapted to darkness, allowing it to see clearly even on the darkest nights. But two overlapping membranes vertically increase the monster's ocular power, as one of them filters part of the Light during the day and the other prevents its vision from becoming blurred when it is submerged.

The creature also has a terrifying roar that generates a pressure wave capable of disorienting or knocking down its enemies. In addition, its ability to detect vibrations in the ground and water allows it to perceive movements even when it cannot see, making it an extremely efficient hunter.

In moments of great danger, the creature can release a destructive breath, exhaling a flammable gas that creates an explosion of fire, devastating everything around it. Finally, its skin is nearly impenetrable to common weapons, requiring extraordinary strength or magic to cause it real damage.

Vivian broke the silence, her voice sharp as blades and filled with sharp irony, a glint of frustration in every word. “Oh, how lucky we are… A level 4 Aligodon. I swore this mission was level 4 too, Mr. ‘I know everything’. But with a beast like that, it’s at least a level 5 mission, right?”

“A nice surprise indeed. That complicates things, no doubt.” Daira commented with the calm of someone who has already gotten used to the unexpected, cleaning a nearby rock and settling down in a relaxed manner, as if the situation were just another afternoon in the field.

Gregory didn’t look away from the binoculars. The tone in his voice was pure calculated provocation. “What? Are you scared now? I thought you were strong enough not to tremble in the face of a threat of this magnitude.”

Vivian growled, something low and incomprehensible, her arms crossed betraying her displeasure. Daira kept her posture firm, her eyes alert, more focused on the mission than on the provocations. “What is the exact situation, Gregory? Is the signal coming from here or not?”

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Gregory adjusted the focus of the binoculars, studying every detail of the landscape ahead. “The GPS still points to the lake… Exactly to its center. Which is strange, since this lake doesn’t even appear on the map. Besides, the mutagen counter is at maximum level, and I suspect the lake is the source…” He took out the binoculars and began typing quickly on the device, the numbers and codes flashing on the screen. “Something is gathering and attracting mutagens at the exact point indicated by the GPS.”

Daira, now with a tone of concern mixed with curiosity, asked: “What could it be? A Hydrolithite deposit? Or perhaps a Luminescent Pulsaria?”

“I highly doubt it…” Gregory replied without hesitation, still typing. “This lake must have been formed recently. And since we didn’t encounter any other mutant beasts along the way, it’s very likely that this Aligodon took over the area for itself, driving out the other creatures.”

Vivian let out a sigh, a mixture of frustration and disbelief as she expressed her confusion. “But why would it take over a lake lost in the middle of nowhere, and even more so a small lake? And drive out the food from its territory… That doesn’t make sense.”

“It’s not here to feed.” Gregory offered her the binoculars, a serious look on his face. “Take a look at that shore, on the other side of the lake.”

“I don’t need that…” Vivian replied, but her eyes immediately fixed on the spot he indicated. “Damn…” She cursed, her eyes wide with surprise and concern.

On the other side of the lake, dozens of small shapes moved among the bushes. Aligodon hatchlings. More than fifty of them, ranging in size from 50 centimeters to one meter, were scattered around the place. Some were resting, while others fought among themselves, vying for space and attention.

“It seems that a female came to take care of her young here. According to previous studies, Aligodons tend to move away from their natural habitats to reproduce, often heading to nearby forests. This is normal, what is not normal is for them to move so far from their Habitat. Efflium is very far from the Mabhir Marshes. They shouldn’t be here.”

“Something must have attracted them here…” Daira said thoughtfully.

“Yes… Probably the same thing that is causing this anomaly in the lake…”

“But what now? What are we going to do? We don’t stand a chance against an adult Aligodon.” Vivian asked, her voice filled with a mixture of bewilderment and uncertainty, her eyes fixed on the scene ahead, unable to hide the concern that now dominated her expression.

“We’ll need reinforcements, and fast.” Gregory stood up, his expression now grave and focused. He pointed a special camera at the lake. “I think the longer we let this go by, the worse the situation will get…”

Daira, unperturbed, sat cross-legged, observing the situation with a watchful and analytical gaze. After a few seconds of silence, she blurted out a bitter reality:

“This is yet another problem we will have to face. As far as I remember, of all the Top 15, only Vivian and I were in Efflium until last night. All the others are out on missions and have no plans to return.”

Gregory shrugged, as if the situation were no obstacle at all. “That doesn’t matter now. I’ll make a call and classify this mission as Ex-Level, with maximum urgency.”

“Can you do that?” Vivian asked, her voice thick with skepticism.

“The situation is not common, so the procedures will not be either. Besides, a Level 4 Mutant Beast is reproducing about 10 km from the city. That is more than enough to mobilize a special squad. First, I'll call a friend and then SHH to report what happened-"

Gregory began to explain, but was interrupted by a visibly impatient Vivian.

"Okay, okay, I get it... I don't want to hear about all this bureaucracy. I'm not paid for this. Do what needs to be done as quickly as possible. And since we're here, we'll also help, of course, with a significant increase in our rewards." Vivian cut in, her tone firm and determined. She looked at Gregory with implacable seriousness.

"More??" Gregory exclaimed, surprised, his face beginning to contort with an expression of near panic.

"Of course... it's an Ex Mission, as you said yourself. Besides, I'm sure the rewards you'll receive will be several times greater than what you're going to give us." Vivian replied, pointing out the facts as she approached Daira and whispered something in her ear.

"... Do you agree with this... extortion, Daira?" Gregory asked, his eyes narrowing as he watched the two exchange words.

“I trust we’re not just talking about money here, right? With your network of contacts, you’ll have no trouble providing what Vivian wants. As for me, I’ll want a much more valuable favor. But please rest assured that you won’t regret trusting our services.” Daira replied with a sly, greedy smile, her tone cheerful, as if she were enjoying the situation.