Chapter 2312

Perseus stepped quietly onto the island, his boots sinking into gravel that didn't crunch—it squished. The ground was sticky, clinging unnaturally to his soles. The air was thick with the stench of blood, heavier now, nearly choking. Where was he supposed to even begin? From the satellite images, Novemdrachen Island had seemed small—manageable. But now that he was here, it stretched far larger than he'd anticipated. Dense greenery blanketed it, swallowing any sense of direction. And just like out on the sea, the island was cloaked in suffocating darkness. But he couldn't simply just wait for daylight to break, could he? Perseus was at a crossroads. Suddenly, that eerie, guttural roar echoed through the trees. It sounded close. It rumbled like some massive creature shifting in the underbrush. Perseus could feel it through the soles of his feet. Whatever it was… was it here on the island? Lowering himself into a crouch, Perseus crept into a grove, moving slowly and silently thro