Someone else's problem

Kaden grinned. Despite his body about to give out, he felt renewed hope surge a new dose of energy inside him. He had no idea whether this plan would work, but at this point, he had nothing to lose. His brilliant idea was actually a pretty simple one.

If he couldn't escape the dragon, then he would make it someone else's problem.

His raven body screamed in agony, wings burning from exhaustion, but he forced himself to keep flying. Just a little farther. Just a little longer. Where? Where? Where?! His mind raced. Where was the nearest D-grade monstrosity located?

Kaden's vision swam, exhaustion weighing down on him like an iron chain, but he refused to let it slow him down. If he slowed, he died.

Somewhere below, something big enough, mean enough, and hungry enough had to exist. The world outside the barrier was filled with horrors. All he had to do was find the right one. 

The problem was he didn't know of any terrors residing in the nearby vicinity and his body was not strong enough to fly to the next location that he knew resided a powerful D-rank.

Think!

His memories from his past life were hazy, but he knew this area wasn't empty. There was a reason the dragon hatchling was nested within the protective barrier, inside the beginner tutorial.

Kaden's sharp raven eyes flicked toward a jagged ridge up ahead, a deep fissure in the land that ran like a scar through the forest. His mind snapped to recognition.

The Bone Pit.

That's right. There were always rumors about people disappearing in the Bone Pit. Many warned about going near the Bone pit. A fissure that devoured the living.

Kaden's heart slammed against his ribs as he adjusted his flight path. The Bone Pit was a gamble. It wasn't a confirmed D-rank predator zone, but too many adventurers had gone missing here for it to be coincidence. Some people blamed unstable ground, others said the pit was cursed.

He didn't care what it was. All he needed was something strong enough to keep the dragon busy. Behind him, the crimson-scaled monster was still locked onto him, its golden eyes burning with unholy fury.

"Here we go." Kaden angled his wings, cutting sharply through the wind as the Bone Pit loomed ahead. He could see it now—a massive rift in the earth, its jagged edges like broken teeth. The deeper parts of the pit were hidden beneath an eerie mist.

A bad sign. But right now? He'd take any bad sign if it meant he lived.

Come on, come on, come on… Kaden dove. Hard. He shot toward the pit's edge like a bullet, wings tucked tight. He needed to bait the dragon just a little closer…

A roar shook the sky. The dragon had taken the bait.

WHOOSH!

A burst of heat rippled through the air as the dragon lunged after him, talons outstretched. Its speed suddenly increased and its golden eyes glowed brighter. It looked like it was done playing this little game of chase. It reached for Kaden with finality letting out a thunderous roar.

However, before it could grab him, something shot out of the mist. It went straight for the dragon and in a simple hit dragged the beast back down into the mist.

Kaden barely had time to process what had happened before the sky went silent.

One second, the dragon had been right behind him—its golden eyes locked onto him, its talons stretched to rip him apart. The next?

Gone. Vanished. Dragged into the Bone Pit.

Kaden flapped hard, stabilizing himself as he hovered just above the rift, his raven form trembling with exhaustion. His breath came in ragged bursts, his wings screaming in pain, but he forced himself to stay airborne.

The mist below churned like a living thing. A deep, guttural growl rumbled from its depths, vibrating through the air. Something big was down there. Something that had just overpowered a dragon in seconds. But was it strong enough to keep the fight going?

Kaden didn't know what it was. Didn't want to know. He needed to get the hell out of there. His exhausted body agreed.

Without a second thought, he landed on a nearby rock and transformed back into his human form.

He collapsed onto the rock, his body screaming in agony as his limbs stretched and reformed. His breath came in ragged gasps, his muscles twitching from sheer exhaustion. He barely had the strength to move, but at least he was alive.

The next second his stupor was broken by a ear-shattering roar, followed by another equally fierce growl. The mist churned violently, swirling as unseen forces clashed within its depths. A shockwave of energy erupted from the pit, sending ripples through the air and rustling the trees with an unnatural force. The fight had begun.

Kaden swallowed thickly. Who was going to win?