Soon, Steve and the rest of the group were done getting their cuffs removed. I expected people to group up and head into the forest together, maybe with some sort of plan or formation.
But instead, they just took off. No coordination, no waiting—just rushed straight into the forest like it was a race.
The Nagas were the first to move. Swift and silent, they disappeared between the trees. The humans followed not long after, some sprinting like their lives depended on it.
Ming scoffed beside me and muttered, "Look at them… so eager to work for their masters."
I turned to him and asked, "Are they trying to find low-level Abominations and get back as fast as possible?"
Xin raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
I explained, "The guy inside told me level doesn't matter. We just need to bring back two Abominations alive. That's it."
Xin let out a dry chuckle. "Yeah, that's true. But the area where low-level Abominations roam? That's off-limits to us. Only the Holt family's kids get to hunt there. Safer ground, less risk."
He sighed and added, "There's also an unspoken rule among the prisoners—try to go after Abominations that are your level or higher. That way, the weaker ones have a shot. If we hog all the easy ones, the lower-level people won't make it back. And when someone fails…"
He paused, his jaw tightening. "They feed them to the monsters. Publicly. As a lesson."
I saw it in his eyes then—he wasn't just talking about rumors. He'd seen it. Maybe more than once.
Steve shook his head, clearly disturbed.
"Why would they even make prisoners do this? I get it, it's free labor, but still… Isn't that grandmaster strong enough to handle this on his own? He could clear the forest and capture a dozen Abominations easily."
Ming looked toward the forest and said, "The Nagas probably know the real reason behind all this. We don't have enough information. Anyway, let's get moving before we miss today's quota."
Steve raised his voice in confusion. "Wait—aren't they going to give us weapons or something?"
Ming pointed toward a building near the edge of the barrier. "You can get weapons over there," he said, before turning away.
Both Xin and Ming gave quick nods and went off in different directions, disappearing into the trees.
I glanced at Steve and let out a dry chuckle. "When we got captured, I didn't expect things to turn out like this."
Steve gave a humorless nod. "Yeah. There are too many unknowns. I've got a bad feeling about this whole setup. The Holts are too casual about us."
I agreed. It didn't sit right with me either. If they went through all this trouble to abduct us—me, Steve, and the rest—then they must have a reason for keeping us alive. And not just us… the other prisoners too.
"Alright," Steve said, stretching his arms. "Let me grab a sword, then we'll head out."
I thought for a second about giving him the sword I had hidden, the one I smuggled in. But then I decided against it. Better to keep that secret a little longer, just in case.
"Sure," I replied.
Steve jogged off toward the building Ming had pointed at. A few minutes later, he came back with a basic sword strapped to his back. No enchantments, no fancy designs. Just a clean blade that looked sharp enough to do the job.
Without another word, we walked past the glowing yellow barrier and stepped into the wild.
The moment we crossed, I turned back one last time.
The giant statue still towered over everything, its gaze pointed toward the forest like it was watching over us—or judging us. The hall behind it stood cold and quiet, filled with secrets I couldn't ignore.
There was something about this place. Something hidden.
And I was going to find out what it was.
I faced forward again and spoke to Steve.
"Let's go."
My eyes shifted to the generator core as it quietly absorbed energy from the air around it. It pulsed with a steady rhythm, like a quiet heartbeat.
Not long after, we picked up speed, sprinting deeper into the forest.
I extended my perception outward, stretching it as far as I could. My senses reached across a wide area, scanning for any signs of abominations nearby.
But I wasn't just looking for a fight. I had another plan in mind.
First, I wanted to find a safe spot, somewhere quiet, where Steve and I could talk without eyes or ears on us. We needed to lay out a strategy. Our real mission wasn't about capturing monsters. It was about finding the Ferans and helping them escape.
So far, we hadn't seen a single one.
As we ran, I started to notice something strange—people. Scattered through the forest were individuals moving around casually, without collars on their necks. They weren't running. They weren't hiding. They were simply walking through the forest like they owned the place.
That could only mean one thing—they were either Holts, or people working for them.
I glanced at Steve with a grin and said, "Let's have a race. I'll give you a ten-second head start."
Without even blinking, he replied, "Sure and it starts now."
Before I could react, blue lightning sparked around his body and he shot forward, vanishing into the trees like a thunderbolt.
I smirked and started counting in my head. One... two... three...
As I counted, I let Essence flow through my body, feeling it surge through the channels carved into my bones. I focused it into my limbs, into every muscle and tendon.
Since Steve had used lightning, I decided to match him.
"Shift," I commanded silently.
The flow of Essence inside me twisted, shifted, and then changed state. A sharp crackle echoed in my ears as blue lightning arced across my arms and legs. My skin tingled, charged with raw power. Every nerve felt alive.
Nine... ten.
My legs bent, and I pushed off the ground.
The world blurred.
Trees zipped past me in streaks of green and brown. Wind whipped against my face as I surged forward, my feet barely touching the forest floor. I could see the trail of lightning Steve had left behind—flashes of blue sparking off broken branches and scorched leaves.
But I was gaining on him.
Every second, I closed the gap. My control was sharper. My footing cleaner.
I wasn't even going all out. To me, it felt like a light jog—just stretching my legs. But even that was enough to close the distance fast.
Up ahead, Steve glanced over his shoulder. His eyes widened when he saw me gaining.
He grinned. "No way..."
I shot him a smirk. "Grow up, kid."
With a sharp whoosh, I breezed past him, lightning crackling around me as my body surged forward, cutting through the forest like a storm unleashed.