My thoughts raced.
I recalled the map—Logan and I were between the 13th and 17th checkpoints, actually much closer to the 17th.
To reach checkpoint 22, we'd have to pass through checkpoint 19 first.
If I simply walked, I wouldn't make it until morning. But if I ran with everything I had, I might reach there by midnight.
Just as I was processing the situation, June's voice came through again, more serious this time.
"Also, I'm not sure if you know, but one of your unit members, North Winter, is in danger too. She's currently at checkpoint 20.
Alright, that's all I wanted to inform you about. Give it your best."
The line went dead. I lowered the communicator, staring at it for a moment.
Suddenly, Logan shouted.
"What the hell?! Why would she tell you about North? That means that bald demon, I mean, the commander is spying on us! He's listening to our conversations!"
He started pacing back and forth, running a hand through his hair.
'Well, that's true. If North is really in danger, June or Arkas could've saved her themselves. Damn old man, what the hell are you planning by informing me about her?'
I looked at Logan and sighed.
"Why are you getting so worked up? Let them listen. It's not like there's a rule saying we have to respect the commander or vice commander behind their backs."
Logan stopped and turned to me, looking completely flabbergasted.
I shook my head, put the communicator back in my bag, and strapped it securely to my back.
"Alright, Logan, I don't have time to waste. I'm heading out first. Take your time and be careful."
I turned to leave when Logan called out.
"Hey! Who are you going to save first?"
I chuckled.
"No need to think about it, off-course I'm going to save Steve. Bros before—" I smirked. "Actually, I won't finish that quote, since they're listening."
Then, without another word, I broke into a sprint, heading straight for checkpoint 22.
As I ran, I activated my talent.
My heart thrummed with power, heat building in my chest like a furnace roaring to life.
I pulled out the map, giving it a quick glance to confirm my direction.
Then, with a deep breath, I pushed forward, sprinting through the dense wilderness. My bare feet pounded against the earth, crunching leaves and kicking up dirt as I moved with relentless speed.
The trees blurred past me. I leaped over fallen logs, weaved between thick trunks, and barely slowed down, my stamina holding strong thanks to my increased stats.
After two hours of nonstop running, I finally skidded to a halt, chest rising and falling as I caught my breath. My body burned with exertion, but the rush of energy kept me steady.
I reached for my bag, pulled out my water, and took several deep gulps. The cool liquid was refreshing, but my mind was already on my Essence reserves. I focused inward.
6/10.
It was filling up nicely.
I exhaled, rolling my shoulders, then instinctively glanced up at the floating cube in the sky.
And that's when I saw it, something had changed.
And it definitely caught me by surprise.
[Level Rankings]
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1. Billion Ironhart : Level – 10
2. King Holt : Level – 7
3. Steve Harper : Level – 7
4. Mark Salt : Level – 6
5. Sarah Gibson : Level – 6
6. North Winter : Level – 6
7. .
8. .
9. .
10. .
-----------------------------------------------
What did surprise me was the shift in the other names.
King Holt and Steve both jumped to Level 7.
Steve, who was supposed to be in danger, had somehow leveled up. That meant he had been fighting. And if he had been fighting while surrounded by two different types of abominations…
'Was he fighting on his own? Or did things force him to fight?'
Taking a deep breath, I pushed all the 6 Essence units to my Dexterity to further increase my speed as I started jogging again, gradually picking up speed.
My mind raced with worst-case scenarios Steve injured, outnumbered, or worse but I forced myself to stay calm. Panicking wouldn't help him.
'He's strong. He wouldn't go down easily.'
I remembered the day I saw him, lounging in his usual lazy, don't-care attitude, sprawled out on the academy bench like he had all the time in the world.
But I wasn't fooled. The bruises on his hands and face told a different story.
His knuckles were scraped raw, and a faint swelling darkened the edge of his jaw. He had pushed himself too far during training. This wasn't like him.
I frowned and sat beside him.
"Hey, what happened to you?"
Steve barely glanced at me before stretching his arms over his head, a casual smirk playing on his lips.
"Nothing. Let's go get some food."
I wasn't buying it. The guy never pushed himself like this, not unless something was seriously bothering him.
He wasn't the type to complain, and I knew he'd rather act like nothing was wrong than admit he was struggling.
But I could see through it. I knew him.
He was trying to keep up with me. And he was too damn proud to say it out loud.
He hid his drive beneath that introverted, nonchalant shell, like it wasn't a big deal. But it was. And I respected that.
My thoughts came back to present.
I focused on my breathing, the rhythm of my footsteps, and the energy coursing through my body, pushing myself faster through the forest.
As I pushed forward, the wind howled through the trees, bending them like they were whispering secrets to each other.
I ignored it, until the trees moved.
Two hulking figures detached themselves from the darkness, their bark-like skin cracking as they stepped into view. Their arms were unnaturally long, fingers gnarled like roots, and their faces were hollowed-out knots, glowing faintly from within.
[Tree Troll – Level 6]
One let out a deep, guttural groan and swung a massive arm at me.
I ducked, feeling the wind from the strike rush past my head. The second troll lunged, trying to grab me with its branch-like fingers.
'Too slow.'
In a blink, I closed the distance and drove my fist into the first troll's chest. The bark-like armor shattered, caving in as the creature let out a strangled, crackling sound before collapsing backward.
The second one hesitated.
'Smart. But not smart enough.'
I didn't give it a chance to react. My foot slammed into the ground, propelling me forward, and I drove my fist straight into its head.
The moment of impact sent a shockwave through its wooden skull, splintering it apart. The glow in its hollow face flickered once before vanishing.
Both bodies hit the ground, motionless.
I exhaled, shaking out my hands.
'Weak.'
No time to waste. I stepped over the remains and kept running.
Another four hours passed, and I finally came to a stop, gasping for breath.
My legs burned with exhaustion, every muscle screaming in protest.
My bare feet throbbed from pounding against the rough forest floor, and sweat drenched my body, dripping down my back and chest. My lungs felt like they were on fire, each breath coming in sharp and ragged.
I bent over, resting my hands on my knees as I tried to steady myself.
My heart pounded like a drum in my ears, the heat in my core still pulsing from my talent's activation. Even with my enhanced stats, running for this long at full speed had taken a toll.
I pulled out my water pouch and took a deep gulp, letting the cool liquid soothe my dry throat. My hands were slightly shaky as I wiped my face.
I checked my Essence store.
5/10.
Looking up at the sky, I noticed the moon was completely hidden behind thick clouds.
The air felt heavier, charged with an ominous energy. A distant rumble of thunder echoed through the forest, rolling across the treetops like a warning.
I pulled out the map to check my location.
Checkpoint 22 was close.
Maybe another hour.
I took a deep breath and pushed forward, ignoring the burning in my legs. They screamed at me to stop, but I didn't have the luxury.
The night grew even darker. Thunder rumbled in the sky, a deep growl that echoed through the forest.
Then, the first raindrop hit my skin.
Within moments, the sky opened up, and heavy rain poured down, drenching me instantly.
The cold water pattered against my face, running down my bare skin as I sprinted through the undergrowth.
Each step sent splashes of mud flying, my feet sinking slightly into the softened earth.
The storm was here. And so was I.