[Bonus chapter] Inside the pond

Days after Xylon's experiment with the demon crystals, his theory was proven right. The areas where he had planted the crystals began to exhibit changes that were both strange and unsettling.

A small, cord-like structure had appeared and was growing with each passing day, until it finally broke through the surface. On the third day, something dark and mysterious began to emerge.

It was a protuberance in the shape of a hand, black as coal, that seemed to pulsate with an energy that was both otherworldly and menacing. Xylon observed it closely, his heart racing with anticipation and fear.

He had never witnessed anything like this before, and the implications of his success were both exhilarating and terrifying.

The hand-like protrusion continued to grow, reaching a size that was both impressive and ominous.

It was as if something powerful and malevolent was stirring beneath the earth, and Xylon couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation at the thought of what might emerge.