I Only Tame Dragons

"Everyone retreat into the jungles!"

The urgency in their words spurred the others into action.

Von took the lead, carving a path through the panicked crowd, while Frigid and Silphie flanked Lydia to ensure her safety.

Around them, chaos reigned. Players stumbled and tripped in their haste to escape. Guilds turned on each other, shoving others aside to clear their own path. The rats were gaining, their screeches growing louder, their monstrous forms inching closer.

"We won't make it if we don't pick up the pace!" Von yelled, his usual composure replaced by genuine panic.

"We'll make it," Horizon growled, his sword cutting through anyone foolish enough to block their way. "Stick together, and don't stop running."

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Behind them, the swarm continued to devour everything in its path. The players who fell too far behind didn't even have time to scream before they were consumed. It was chaos. It was carnage. And it wasn't over.

As the guild sprinted toward the nearest dune, Lydia stole a glance over her shoulder. The sight of the endless, writhing horde filled her chest with icy dread. She clenched her fists and forced herself to focus on the path ahead.

Just as everyone thought the jungle was their safe haven—a sanctuary away from the chaos of the desert—a blood-curdling scream tore through the air, halting Horizon and his group in their tracks. The sound of pure terror sent shivers down their spines, and every instinct screamed at them to prepare for the worst.

"What now?" Lydia sighed, her voice barely audible as she clutched her blades tighter.

Von raised a hand to silence the group, his sharp gaze scanning their surroundings. The jungle, once an inviting canopy of green and safety, now seemed to close in on them, its shadows darker and its sounds more menacing.

Then, through the dense foliage, they saw it.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Enormous beasts rampaged through the forest, their movements shaking the very ground. Trees the size of towers were uprooted as if they were mere twigs. The beasts were not just massive—they were terrifyingly powerful.

Each one radiated an aura of menace, their bodies glowing faintly with energy that marked them as far beyond anything a typical adventurer could handle.

"These aren't just any beasts . . . ," Silphie murmured, her voice tight with fear though sounded bored all the same. "Their stats . . . They're as strong as a hundred dungeon bosses combined!"

Horizon's heart sank as he processed her words. This wasn't just an obstacle; it was a massacre waiting to happen.

The beasts were diverse but equally terrifying. One resembled a massive wolf, its fur crackling with lightning, every step leaving scorched earth in its wake. Another was a reptilian monstrosity, its scaled body shimmering with an eerie green glow, spewing clouds of poisonous gas that withered the surrounding vegetation. A third—a towering gorilla-like creature—pounded its fists against its chest, letting out a deafening roar that sent flocks of birds scattering from the treetops.

Panic erupted among the players nearby. Guilds that had sought refuge in the jungle were now scattering, their formations breaking apart as the beasts tore through everything in their path.

One unlucky group, made the mistake of trying to fight back. Their mages unleashed a barrage of spells—fireballs, ice spikes, and arcs of lightning—but the wolf-like beast shrugged them off as if they were nothing more than harmless sparks.

It leaped forward, its massive jaws closing around one of the mages. In an instant, the player was gone, leaving nothing behind but the haunting echo of their final scream.

"We can't stay here!" Von barked, his voice cutting through the rising panic. "We have to move—now!"

"But where?" Lydia asked, her voice trembling as her eyes darted between the approaching chaos and the dense jungle ahead.

"Anywhere but here!" Von snapped. "Stick together, and don't stop running!"

The group bolted, weaving through the thick undergrowth as the sounds of destruction grew louder behind them. Branches and vines whipped against their faces, but they didn't dare slow down.

Around them, the jungle became a battlefield. Players fled in every direction, their screams blending with the roars of the beasts. Some tried to climb trees, only to be plucked down by the gorilla-like creature's massive hands. Others tried to hide in the shadows, but the reptilian beast's poisonous gas seeped into every crevice, forcing them out.

Horizon glanced over his shoulder, his breath hitching as he saw the lightning wolf closing in on another guild. Its eyes glowed with an unnatural light, and with a single swipe of its claw, it sent several players flying into the trees like ragdolls.

"We can't defeat them," Silphie muttered, her face pale as she struggled to keep up with the group.

"They're not very smart," Von said, though his tone betrayed a hint of doubt. "They're just monsters. There has to be a way to outmaneuver them."

Lydia's mind raced as she tried to think of a plan. "What about the cliffs we passed earlier? If we can reach them—"

"The cliffs are too exposed," Nyx cut her off. "We'd be sitting ducks."

"Then what?" Lydia snapped, frustration and fear bubbling over.

Before Von could answer, the ground ahead of them burst open, and a fourth beast emerged—a burrowing serpent with scales that shimmered like molten metal. Its maw opened wide, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth, and it let out a bone-chilling hiss.

The group skidded to a halt, their escape route blocked. Behind them, the sounds of the other beasts were drawing closer. They were trapped.

For a moment, there was nothing but the sound of their ragged breaths and the distant cries of other players. Then Horizon stepped forward, his sword gleaming as he raised it.

"We're not dying here," he said firmly. "Not today."

The others exchanged glances, their fear giving way to grim determination. They tightened their grips on their weapons, readying themselves for the fight of their lives.

"Lydia, Von," Horizon said without turning around, "keep us covered. Silphie, watch our flanks. Frigid, back me up."

"And what about you?" Lydia asked, her voice steadier now.

"I'll keep this thing busy," Horizon replied, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "While we fight through this thing, think of a way to escape as well. We can't dally here longer."

As the serpent lunged, the group sprang into action, their movements synchronized despite the chaos.

Meanwhile, the Flesh-Eating Rats outside seemed to attack anything that dared to linger in the desert, their relentless swarms devouring everything in their path. Yet, curiously, they avoided the forest entirely, stopping short of the dense jungle as if bound by some invisible force.

On the other hand, the beasts within the forest never ventured beyond their territory. It was as though an unspoken rule governed these monstrous entities, dividing the dimension into two distinct domains of terror.

For the guilds trapped in this brutal game, it was a grim choice—face the unending, ravenous tide of rats in the desert or brave the forest beasts, whose strength and ferocity were unmatched. Neither option promised safety, but survival demanded a decision.

Some guilds, unable to cope with the overwhelming odds, chose to forfeit. The game's rules were merciless: forfeiting would cost them their chance at victory, but at least it would spare their lives. For those who were unwilling or unable to continue, it was a bitter but necessary choice.

Others, however, were stubborn, determined to fight until the very end. These were the guilds that refused to give up, clinging to the faint hope that they could outlast the week and emerge victorious.

But this wasn't just a test of strength or skill—it was a game, and every game needed a winner. The creators of this cruel competition had ensured that survival, while difficult, wasn't entirely impossible.

The beasts in the forest, though undeniably strong, were not infinite in number. Some of them, while formidable, could be defeated with strategy, teamwork, and sheer determination. Defeating these creatures provided not only brief moments of respite but also valuable resources—hides, meat, and even rare items dropped by the fallen beasts.

This balance created a delicate ecosystem within the forest. Guilds who dared to hunt the weaker beasts found themselves rewarded with precious supplies, while others chose to hide and avoid conflict, conserving their strength for emergencies.

However, not all beasts were manageable. Some were far beyond the abilities of even the most experienced guilds, roaming the jungle as apex predators. These creatures served as constant reminders that danger was never far away.

Horizon's guild was among those who had decided to press on. The forest was no paradise, but it offered a glimmer of hope—something the endless swarm of rats in the desert could not.

The serpent was massive—easily the size of a two-story building, with scales that shimmered like molten gold under the dappled sunlight piercing through the jungle canopy. Its fangs, glinting with venom, could tear through flesh and bone in a single strike. The beast slithered with alarming speed, weaving through the thick undergrowth, its slit pupils fixed intently on Horizon and their group.