*** Billion's PoV
(Last chapter ended with North's PoV)
Both of us kept sprinting, taking breaks in between to drink some water and catch our breath. I could have kept going, but Steve wasn't as heavy on Constitution.
After almost two hours of running, the rain finally stopped pelting us, and the clouds began to dissipate.
Faint moonlight broke through the sky.
Finally, after another hour and a half of running, Checkpoint 20 came into view.
It sat at the top of a mountain, the pillar standing tall at its peak but it was only a blue checkpoint.
The mountain was steep, and I could make out numerous Abominations scattered along its slopes.
I squinted, scanning them carefully.
[Brittle Tyrant – Level 8]
It was a hulking Abomination. It was towering, muscle-bound humanoid with ice-crusted sinew and frostbitten flesh. Thick patches of glacial ice form along its shoulders and limbs.
Its elongated arms ended in massive, blackened claws while its lower body resembled that of a monstrous stag, its deer-like legs coated in jagged ice, each step cracking the ground beneath it. Twisted, frost-covered antlers jutted from its skull.
But I ignored the Abominations.
What truly caught my attention were the people fighting the Tyrants. Scattered across the mountain's slope, members of Unit 02 battled fiercely, their figures barely visible against the dark terrain.
I turned to Steve, frowning.
"What's going on?"
Steve was already staring at the mountain, his eyes scanning the fight. He pointed ahead.
"Look there."
I followed his finger and finally saw her.
North.
She stood on the left side of the mountain, not too far from the top. Her uniform was torn in several places, her hair wild and unkempt, clinging to her face from sweat and rain.
She moved with a limp, keeping behind the two guys fighting up close. She didn't stay still, shifting her position as she drew her bow. Her first arrow shot out fast, striking the Tyrant's chest.
Almost immediately, she fired a second one, embedding it right next to the first. Despite her injury, she kept moving, staying just out of reach while supporting the fight from behind.
And yet, despite her condition, under the pale moonlight, she looked beautiful.
The moon shone brightly in the clear night sky, casting a soft glow over the mountain.
The stars stretched endlessly above, and the cold air carried the sounds of battle—metal clashing, heavy footsteps, and short, sharp breaths.
North moved quickly despite her injury, keeping just enough distance to stay out of the Tyrant's reach. She drew her bow in one smooth motion, releasing an arrow before shifting positions again.
Dirt streaked her face, and her torn uniform did little to hide the fire in her eyes.
But she was struggling. One of the guys beside her moved to help, but she pushed forward on her own.
"Stubborn," I muttered, a smile forming on my face.
Steve let out a short laugh.
"Guess your idea of saving a damsel in distress wasn't that original, huh? I see too many hero wannabes, and the heroine doesn't even want to be saved."
I chuckled.
"Yeah, looks like old man Arkas is a real jerk. He got me good."
Steve shook his head.
"So what are you gonna do now?"
I stayed silent, my eyes fixed on the fight happening on the mountain.
North wasn't just any fighter. She was one of the top rankers in her academy, came from a prestigious family, and had a grandfather strong enough to be feared.
She was selected into 02, just like me, which meant she was no pushover. And watching her fight now, I knew one thing for sure, she didn't want to be saved. If anything, she was a damsel giving distress.
Her fighting style was all offense, sneaky and relentless, dodging instead of blocking. She threw herself onto the Tyrants. If I went in swinging, she wouldn't appreciate it.
'Then what would she like?.....Nothing. She wouldn't want anyone interfering.' I thought.
But I was just as stubborn as she was. And whether she liked it or not, I was going to leave an impression. Good or bad, that was up to her.
A thought settled in my mind.
'If you don't want saving, that's fine. But how about a competition?'
I smirked and finally answered Steve, my gaze locked on North.
"If she isn't a damsel in distress," I said, stretching my arms, "then I'll just have to force the damsel in distress now."
I turned to Steve.
"Would you like to come?"
He shook his head.
"Nope, I'm good. Just give me your bag. I'll eat something, my body needs to recover."
I nodded and handed it over.
Then, I looked at the mountain again and pulled up my status to check my Essence store.
5/10.
The sprint here had generated some Essence, but I had only activated my talent more than halfway through. My heart still ached slightly, and I didn't want to risk pushing it too far.
I added all of it to Strength, bringing it up to 36.
"Alright, Steve, now watch your brother go and wreak havoc on the mountain under the moonlight."
He shot back.
"Eww, just go already. Don't make me puke."
I ignored him and sprinted up the mountain.
The first Tyrant I came across was Level 6. Without slowing down, I rushed forward.
Before it even realized what was happening, I grabbed its face with my palm, lifted its entire body, and slammed it into the ground.
Without looking back, I launched myself up the mountain, the wind howling past my ears.
The moment my foot touched the rocky surface, I shot toward the next Tyrant in my path. It barely had time to snarl before my fist drove into its chest, caving it in with a sickening crunch. Its body flew backward, smashing through a tree before going limp.
And I didn't stop.
My legs burned as I pushed forward, Strength humming through my muscles.
Another Tyrant lunged at me from the side—Level 8.
It swung a massive claw, aiming for my throat, but I twisted, letting it pass inches from my skin. My knee slammed into its gut, folding it in half. Before it could recover, I grabbed its skull and slammed it against a boulder, shattering both in an explosion of dust and debris.
Screams and roars filled the air. The other Tyrants had noticed me.
'Good.'
I kept moving, tearing through anything in my way.
A Level 7 Tyrant charged at me from the left. I met it head-on, driving my elbow into its face. Its head snapped back, body flung like a ragdoll before it crashed down the slope.
Another Tyrant, a Level 9, tried to ambush me from behind, but I twisted and caught its arm mid-swing.
With a single pull, I tore it from its socket. It screeched in pain, but I silenced it with a kick that sent its head clean off its shoulders.
The battlefield shifted. The roars of the Tyrants weren't just from fighting anymore, there were screams of pain as well.
The members of Unit 02, scattered across the mountain, started turning toward the sounds of destruction.
They watched as I barreled through the monsters like they were nothing, cutting through their numbers in a straight path. Some of them stood frozen, weapons slack in their grip.
I leaped onto a rock and spotted a group fighting two Tyrants, struggling to gain the upper hand.
Without a word, I launched myself at one of the beasts. My fist collided with its skull, snapping its head sideways. Before it even hit the ground, I spun and drove my foot into the second one's torso, sending it flying into a tree that split in half from the impact.
The fighters stared at me, wide-eyed, sweat beading down their faces.
I smirked.
A Level 9 Tyrant roared above me, leaping from the side. I caught it midair, gripping its throat and slamming it onto a rock. The stone cracked under the force, and the creature went limp. Dust and debris rained down, covering the battlefield.
Finally, I stood before North.
She turned at the sound, her breath heavy, her bow gripped tight in one hand and two arrows in another. The Tyrant she had been fighting roared and charged at me instead.
I caught its wrist mid-swing, yanked it off its feet, and swung it like a weapon, slamming it into the ground.
Once. Twice. Thrice.
Then the Tyrant was no more.
I straightened, rolling my shoulders, and met her gaze.
Green met brown.