Is this really a Game?!

As Reign and his companions made their way back to Doncaster, they couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. They had defeated a formidable foe, earned valuable rewards, and proven once again that they were on the very top when it came to power in this world.

Upon their return to Doncaster, they were greeted with cheers and applause, just as they had expected. The news of their victory had spread quickly, and the citizens of the city were eager to congratulate them. That was not all, however, as their allies had also sent words of encouragement and congratulations.

The Enclave was one of them, Ishmail was impressed by their achievement and congratulated them on their success, as did the other allies, some coming and congratulating them in person, others sending messages.

The following day, they received word from Aelrinder that he had completed his evolution challenge and would be returning soon. The group was thrilled to hear this news and eagerly awaited his arrival.

As they waited for Aelrinder to return, the group decided to hold a private auction for the weapons they had received as rewards. They invited the strongest groups from both Doncaster and Wilkashere to participate, ensuring that the weapons would go to those who could make the best use of them.

The auction was a success, with the weapons fetching good prices and landing in the hands of those that could utilize them to their fullest, well, almost, they would need to reach the next Tier for that.

After two more days of waiting, Aelrinder finally arrived back in Doncaster, and Beast was fully healed.

The dimensional pocket that Beast and other tamers had was actually able to speed up the recovery of the tamed beasts inside of it, and the flood dragon had almost completely recovered while Blackie and the wyvern were back at their peak state.

Right now, they only needed to wait for the dragon to heal up before making their way to New York.

However, they knew that their trip would not be without its challenges.

Before they set off, they gathered together to discuss their plans. Shadow's father provided them with information about the current situation in New York, including the presence of various factions and potential threats they might encounter.

"We need to approach this with caution," Reign said, addressing his companions. "New York is a vast and dangerous place, and we cannot afford to underestimate the monsters, nor the people living there."

"First of all, the New York me and Shadow once lived in, no longer exists, the terraforming has completely changed the city, it is now too different."

"The location of the Statue of Liberty is the best proof of that, it's much further away from the city than it once was, and the city itself is now actually larger as well."

"Uncle sent us this updated map of the city, he and his faction are present here, which is almost on the opposite end of where we will enter the city from." Reign said as he showed them the map, one that was quite different than how New York was supposed to look.

"Now, this area is technically Newark, and I say technically because Queens is right next to it, with Greenwich Village on the other side."

"Of course, that doesn't even matter as all of those areas are in ruins from the rampage of the monsters that now rule the city."

As Reign explained the layout of the transformed New York City, the group studied the map intently, taking note of the various landmarks and territories marked on it. It was clear that their journey would be fraught with danger, but they were determined to press on and reclaim what was once their home.

"We'll need to proceed with caution," Tank remarked, his deep voice resonating with seriousness. "The monsters in New York have been fighting against one another since the game started, which led to many of them evolving in the process and becoming powerful variants, there are plenty of Tier VI monsters present there, and there might even be Tier VII monsters present as well."

Reign nodded in agreement, his expression grave. "Indeed. We cannot afford to let our guard down, not even for a moment, that is just how dangerous New York is."

"But we just need to reach Uncle's faction and we'll be fine, if we reach them, we will be able to create a portal between our two factions, and then going to and fro will be much easier."

Everybody nodded at Reign before they went to rest.

The next day, they all woke up, ate, got dressed, got ready, and made their way to the sea.

They first teleported over to the great wall in the mountain range before going right and scaling down a mountain to reach the swamp area and then the beach, which is when they nodded at Beast who summoned the flood dragon.

The dragon was … smaller than before, but still large enough for all of them to ride on it.

The dragon glanced at them and seemingly scoffed at them as they all smiled before getting on its back.

"Well, let's just hope that nothing here will be crazy enough to attack us, he did manage to reach Tier VI after I tamed him, and with us here as well and our auras on display, I don't believe that there will be many monsters that will dare attack us," Beast said as the dragon moved, diving into the water with incredible speed while creating a barrier around it that kept the water out, allowing Reign and the others to breathe easily.

"Damn, this is really useful." Tank said as Beast nodded his head while the others all nodded as well.

As the flood dragon swiftly carried them across the ocean towards New York City, Reign and his companions couldn't help but marvel at the creature's power and the incredible speed at which they were traveling. The dragon's barrier kept them safe from the water, allowing them to focus on the journey ahead.

The underwater world they were traveling through was … empty.

It was just dark and gloomy, with them being able to see some monsters along the way, huge monsters that luckily got scared off from their auras and ran away, but some were a bit more arrogant.

There were a couple of giant Tier VI monsters that got a bit too close to them. Each of them was much larger than the dragon, and had a more powerful aura, but after sensing the auras of multiple Tier VI beings, they luckily decided it was not worth the risk.

Reign and his companions continued their journey, the flood dragon carrying them swiftly through the dark waters. As they approached the outskirts of New York City, they could see the devastation that had befallen the once-thriving metropolis. Buildings lay in ruins, and the streets were overrun with monstrous creatures of all shapes and sizes.

"We need to be careful," Reign warned, his eyes scanning the horizon for any signs of danger. "The monsters here are powerful, and they won't hesitate to attack us if they sense our presence."

As they neared the city, they began to encounter more and more monsters. Some were small and agile, darting through the water with ease, while others were massive and lumbering, their sheer size and power making them formidable foes.

Despite the danger, the group pressed on, determined to reach their destination. They finally arrived at the outskirts of the city, where they could see the twisted skyline of New York looming in the distance. The flood dragon surfaced, and they climbed down its back, preparing to make their way through the city.

"Alright, let's go." Beast nodded at Reign and took the flood dragon back to the spatial dimension.

After all, the dragon was simply far too big to accompany them.

For now, they would slowly make their way through the city, laying low and not trying to cause any ruckus.

The group moved cautiously, navigating through the rubble-strewn streets and keeping a vigilant eye out for any signs of danger. They encountered various types of monsters, ranging from small, agile creatures to massive, hulking beasts. None of the monsters were dangerous to them, however, as the most powerful one they came across was just a Tier IV monster.

As they ventured deeper into the city, they began to encounter more organized groups of monsters. Some seemed to be working together, patrolling the streets and keeping watch over their territory. The group decided to evade those monsters as they didn't want an alarm or anything similar to be used.

They still had no idea just where the more powerful monsters were present, but they had a feeling they would find that out soon.

After all, the city they were now in was one they were not familiar with at all, and the monsters living here were dangerous even to them, the more powerful monsters, of course.