The Achievement Junkie

Far below the ocean's surface, one of many Flood Dragons was combing through a deep-sea trench in search of Glacier Reef or signs leading to it. The divine beast made scanned the cold waters without overlooking a thing. The Flood Dragon meticulously scanned the trench for anything out of the ordinary.

Flood Dragons weren't used to the deep-sea waters but they were able to endure the conditions and find their way due to water and fire affinities. This also allowed them to sense heat while underwater, the key to their many searches.

This was already the second day of their search and they had failed to find anything concerning Glacier Reef thus far. But they weren't impatient. They remained focused, understanding that they still had time to spare and that Glacier Reef would inevitably be discovered.

However, that Flood Dragon momentarily paused its search. After gradually descending that trench and leaving no stone unchecked, the dragon had found something unusual.

While the Flood Dragons had occasionally found underwater vents of incredible heat in some trenches, hardly anything else that deep gave off heat. But by contrasting the cold ocean waters, a few small organisms would occasionally pop up in their view. That wasn't the case this time. The Flood Dragons had never stopped searching in case of finding wild life of the region. Not till now.

The dragon had stumbled upon what looked like another rock outcrop. However, its heat signature was slightly higher compared to the other parts of the landscape. It wasn't as hot compared to the other smaller organisms that littered the deep sea, but the contrastingly freezing waters made the strange outcrop of rocks peculiar. Such a phenomenon warranted a proper inspection from the curious Flood Dragon.

As the dragon neared the rocky outcrop, it was startled by what occurred next.

Before the dragon was able to properly respond, that rock outcrop suddenly moved and lashed out at the Flood Dragon. At lv. 90, the Flood Dragon was confident in a fight against anyone that wasn't a god, especially underwater. Yet that confidence was shaken as the dragon narrowly avoided the swiping claws of this unknown creature.

The dragon was baffled to see such a beast in the deep, realizing that it was at the peak of mortality at lv. 89. But what startled the dragon, even more, was how the beast had immediately thrown something into its mouth after finishing its attack.

'You… are a dragon?' commented the strange beast in a rocky shell. 'You… taste similar to the other one…'

'Other dragon? What other dragon?!' roared the Flood Dragon god, flapping its wings in anger to only then fully realize what had happened.

The dragon felt less water resistance against its left wing, getting it to notice the new tear made near the edge. 'You dare eat my flesh?!'

'Such is life here…' the creature mentioned, darting forward to strike again before the dragon could take the initiative.

In response, the Flood Dragon god roared wildly as a call for those nearby. While a few more roared echoed back from dragons in nearby trenches, a rocketing plume of steam burst out of the Flood Dragon's mouth and into the strange beast.

Yet the Flood Dragon suddenly felt a tremendous force crashing into its throat. A spine forearm was extending out of the steam, connecting with the Flood Dragon without fail. And a second spiny forearm was already in pursuit of a second attack. When the second spiny, club-like appendage crashed barreled into the Flood Dragon's upper chest, the dragon was pushed back and forced to cease its breath attack.

But the strange beast wasn't done.

The Flood Dragon struggled to recover but was startled by the giant beast's terrifying speed. Another two strikes were already about to connect when the dragon unleashed its full-power steam attack without prejudice against mortals.

Finally, the strange beast was slowed, but only that. One of the two strikes still hit the edge of the Flood Dragon's snout and filled the nearby water with blood.

As the mantis-like head of the beast sucked in the blood, its six arms prepared for a good fight. Now, the beast had recognized the Flood Dragon as a proper opponent. Despite seeing that the dragon was somehow lv. 90, the beast was in no way willing to give up its hunting grounds for only a single level difference without a fight.

When a second Flood Dragon was roaring and rushing toward them, however, the beast immediately changed its mind. It recognized the dragons as the proper threat that Jack had warned of not long ago.

Without a word, the beast turned and fled the scene of battle.

'Come back here!' roared the injured Flood Dragon. It led the chased against the strange creature but struggled to keep up with a clipped wing. Luckily, a third and fourth Flood Dragon charged in from the opposite direction and moved to cut off the massive beast.

But the beast was craftier than expected. It suddenly picked up more speed and threw itself into the trench wall. All six of its arms pistoned through the rock, letting the beast tunnel through the trench wall and charge toward the open sea above the trench.

However, the beast stopped its charge after breaking through to the open sea. There, the largest of the Flood Dragons was waiting for it and that dragon's level was no longer clear to the lv. 89 beast.

Understanding its situation perfectly, the beast made a tactical move without moving another muscle.

'Jack… May I ask for your assistance?'

While the beast telepathically contacted his most recent and only ally, the Flood Dragon spoke with a neutral tone, 'What are you?'

Blinking his large eyes protruding from his triangular head, the beast calmly replied, 'I'm Jinbe…'

'Jinbe… that's not your species? How is it that you're nearly undetectable?'

'I've lived long… I've adapted over time… How else can you expect me to grow?'

'Hmmm…' the massive Flood Dragon sighed, letting the other Flood Dragons surround the beast upon arrival.