News of Miracle Nation's chest reward spread like wildfire through every channel.
By now, almost every competitor in the Divine Domain: Forbidden Zone knew what Noah Drake and Marcus had pulled from that F- Chest:
All Attributes +3.
And that single piece of information flipped the entire Forbidden Zone on its head.
If 100× manifestation was a huge temptation for nations, it still felt distant to the people inside the desert—something that benefited their governments more than their own bodies.
But chests?
Chests were personal.
Chests meant power.
Survival.
A future.
And once people realized there was a clear path to becoming stronger, greed stopped being a vice and started becoming a strategy.
Because nobody knew how long they'd be trapped in the Forbidden Zone.
And dying here—confused, weak, and unprepared—would be the dumbest possible ending.
Especially after witnessing creatures like the Crimson Sandstalkers.
Everyone understood now: this wasn't an adventure world.
It was a slaughterhouse with rules.
And not every competitor was a special forces operator, mercenary, or hardened killer.
Plenty of "ordinary people" had been dragged in as well.
So once a method of getting stronger appeared…
the panic didn't disappear.
It transformed.
Into a frenzy.
A global wave of competitors desperately hunting for resources.
And then there was Dragon Nation.
Adrian Vale and Raven Shaw.
While the entire Forbidden Zone went into overdrive, those two did exactly what they'd been doing since the start—
they walked.
No detours. No urgency. No visible plan.
Just a steady march in one direction, as if something out there was calling them.
Dragon Nation's livestream chat was practically tearing its hair out.
"The experts already said it—first priority is WATER and FOOD!"
"How long has it been?! You two are way too calm!"
"Bro! Sis! I'm begging you—if you won't eat, at least find water!"
"This is killing me. Seriously, it's stressing me out!"
"Please use your brains—you're representing all of Dragon Nation!"
Adrian Vale and Raven Shaw didn't react.
Not even a glance.
They kept moving.
Meanwhile, Miracle Nation's duo struck again.
After gaining their All Attributes +3 boost, Noah Drake and Marcus immediately resumed the hunt for their next find.
The upgrade had been too satisfying.
It was addictive.
The moment you tasted that kind of growth, you wanted more.
And their luck—infuriatingly—held.
Not long after setting out, they spotted something that didn't belong in a wasteland:
A patch of green.
A small oasis in the middle of the desert.
Miracle Nation's chat exploded in celebration.
"Hahaha! That's Miracle Nation for you—Lady Luck is on our side!"
"An oasis?! In this desert?!"
"Glory to Miracle Nation! Go! GO, Noah Drake!!"
Noah Drake didn't need encouragement.
The moment he saw it, he sprinted.
So did Marcus.
With their boosted physiques, the distance vanished in moments. They reached the greenery almost instantly—cooler air, softer ground, and the unmistakable scent of moisture.
Noah Drake threw his arms up, half laughing, half shouting like he'd already won.
"Woooo—come on! Give me my chest reward!"
…Nothing.
No announcement.
No banner.
No reaction from the Will of Blue Star.
Noah Drake's excitement faltered.
He frowned, confused.
"Why isn't the Will of Blue Star saying anything?"
Last time, the iron resource had rewarded them the moment they made contact.
This time, they were practically standing inside the oasis.
Still nothing.
He crouched and pressed his palm into the grass.
Soft.
Real.
Alive.
…Still no response.
Noah Drake's brows knitted tighter.
"Don't tell me this doesn't count as a resource?"
And then—
a shadow rose behind him.
A shape that didn't belong there.
Miracle Nation's chat screamed.
"F—! Noah Drake! BEHIND YOU!"
"What is that?!"
"A Divine Domain creature?!"
Marcus moved first.
He drew his pistol and fired without hesitation.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
At the same time, Noah Drake felt the chill along his spine and threw himself into a roll, scrambling back to Marcus's side.
"What the hell is that?!" Noah Drake barked, eyes wide.
And right then, the Will of Blue Star finally spoke.
A banner flashed as the voice rang out in their minds:
[Congratulations. Miracle Nation competitors Noah Drake and Marcus have encountered a Divine Domain lifeform. Analyzing… Analysis complete.]
[Name: Greenback Croc (E-rank).]
[Traits: E-rankDivine Domain lifeform. Carnivorous.]
[Despite being a crocodilian, it typically dwells in grassy terrain.]
[The green skin along its back allows perfect camouflage in its environment—its ambush strikes are extremely difficult to defend against.]
But Noah Drake and Marcus barely registered the words.
Because they'd already noticed something far worse.
Marcus's bullets…
weren't doing anything.
The rounds struck the creature's hide with the sound of metal on plate.
Sparks jumped.
The shots bounced.
Not a single one penetrated.
The Greenback Croc didn't even flinch.
And the constant gunfire clearly annoyed it.
Its head lifted slightly.
A pair of crimson eyes locked onto the two men—hot, hungry, and sharp with intent.
It didn't look confused.
It looked interested.
In one specific thing.
Human meat.
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