Chapter 12: Life and Death 1

BOOOM!!!

-187 HP

[Ahhhh .... !!] He screamed in pain.

Due to the explosion, Gabriel was thrown a hundred meters away from the scene of the explosion, although he screamed in pain, he ignored his wounds, and he quickly stood up and dashed towards a remote place where he would not be seen by his opponents.

After sprinting through the dense forest, he finally found a safe spot where he could catch his breath. He looked around carefully, scanning the area for any signs of danger. He listened intently, but all he could hear were the sounds of birds chirping and leaves rustling in the wind. Satisfied that the enemies were not following him, he took a moment to check his status panel. He examined it closely, taking note of his health, stamina, and inventory. With a deep breath, he prepared himself for what's next.

[HP: 13/200]

[Mana: 5/500]

[Level: 1]

[Exp: 223/500]

Gabriel's face was drained of colour as he frantically searched for his magic bag. His hand instinctively went to his waist, where he usually kept the bag, only to find it missing. A sudden realization dawned on him - the magic bag had been detached from his waist. He remembered the moment when the aura of the sword hit the bag, and despite it being just an aura, it had been powerful enough to break the string that attached the bag to his waist. Gabriel felt a twinge of panic as he wondered how he would manage without his magic bag.

.....

As Gabriel was catching his breath and taking a moment to rest, he heard someone shout, "Look for him in that direction!" His heart skipped a beat and he felt a sudden surge of fear coursing through his body. He froze for a moment, unable to comprehend what was happening. He had thought that the danger had passed, but it seemed that his pursuers were still on his trail.

As he stood there, trying to collect his thoughts, he heard footsteps approaching him from behind. He knew that he had to move quickly if he wanted to avoid being caught. He took a deep breath and began to run in a random direction, hoping to throw his pursuers off his trail.

As he ran, his heart pounded in his chest and his legs felt like they were going to give out at any moment. He could hear the sounds of his pursuers getting closer, and he knew that he was running out of time. Despite his exhaustion, he pushed himself to keep running, hoping that he could outrun his pursuers and escape to safety.

.....

The man in the skull mask watched intently as the black silhouette was projected onto the crystal ball before him. He spoke in a low, urgent tone, asking if the young man had witnessed anything that could potentially disrupt their organization's plan. The stakes were high and any delay could be catastrophic, so he was anxious to know if they needed to take any action to prevent this from happening.

.....

The man wearing a skull mask had just witnessed a series of events that left him with no other choice but to use a crystal ball to contact a person of interest. He injected manas into the crystal ball, and within seconds, it lit up, projecting the image of a human silhouette.

"Why did you call?" asked the silhouette, clearly annoyed at being interrupted.

"We have a situation," answered the man in the skull mask. He then proceeded to report the events that had just taken place, detailing every single action and reaction that occurred.

After a few minutes of listening, the silhouette finally spoke up. "You know I don't want uncertain variables, right? Clean up that mess!" said the silhouette, his voice laced with anger. "It's better that you kill a thousand people, than let that one person escape," he added, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"I'll take care of it; I'll make sure that boy doesn't get out of this mystical realm alive," replied the man in the skull mask, his voice filled with determination.

The projection then cut off, and the crystal ball blurred, leaving the man with the skull mask to hide the crystal ball in his magic bag. He then decided to follow his henchman to find Gabriel, knowing that time was of the essence and that failure was not an option.

...

Gabriel had been running for what seemed like hours. His body was beyond exhaustion, but he knew he had to keep moving. The monsters that roamed around were a constant threat, and he couldn't afford to let his guard down. He avoided them as best he could, knowing he didn't have the strength to fight them.

As he continued to run, he became increasingly aware of a bigger problem. He had lost his way. He had intended to return to the platform to rest and retire from the assessment, but now he didn't know which direction to go.

He tried to retrace his steps and remember the places he had passed, but nothing seemed familiar. The landscape around him looked different, and he couldn't shake the feeling of being lost. Despite the growing sense of panic, he pushed on, determined to find his way back.

His body was pushed to its limits, and he could feel himself weakening with every step. He even vomited blood from the exertion, but he still refused to give up. He stumbled and fell, but forced himself back up again.

As he lifted his head, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. In front of him, there was a group of massive trees. Their leaves were a deep shade of green, and they were as long as half of his arm. The branches were as wide as his thigh, and the trunks were so wide that two people could fit inside them.

Despite his uncertainty, Gabriel decided to take a chance. He knew that his chances of survival were slim, but he had no other options. He limped towards the towering trees, hoping that they would somehow lead him to safety.

.....

Thirty minutes later

WHOOOSH!

WHOOOSH!

WHOOOSH!

WHOOOSH!

WHOOOSH!

The group of men came to a sudden stop, they were the man wearing a skull mask and his henchman. The masked man took a moment to scan his surroundings, his sharp eyes taking in the towering trees that loomed ahead of them. He appeared to be deep in thought as if considering their next move. Meanwhile, his minions stood by his side, waiting patiently for their leader's instructions. The silence was palpable, broken only by the soft rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze.

"Find him, he can't escape!" The commanding voice of a man wearing a skull mask echoed through the area. His tone was filled with rage, and it was clear that he was determined to catch the person who had been running.

"Boss, just wanted to update you that we are approaching the periphery of the designated area that we are allowed to operate in for the assessment. If we happen to venture beyond this point, there is a high probability of getting disqualified as our disguise might not hold up under closer scrutiny," reported the man in a black robe, his arm wrapped in a scarf to conceal any identifying marks.

The man wearing a skull mask had a menacing presence about him as he shouted, "Damnit! I can't believe this! We have to find him!" His voice was filled with frustration and anger, and the energy around him was palpable. There was a sense of urgency in his tone that suggested he was on a mission and failure was not an option. It was clear that he was determined to locate whoever he was searching for, and nothing was going to stand in his way.

Despite their reluctance, the group found themselves compelled to follow the orders of the figure in front of them. He was a man of menacing stature, and his skull mask only added to the fear he inspired in them. He was their boss, and they knew better than to disobey him.

With a sudden turn, they bolted towards the forbidden forest. Their steps were quick and urgent, their hearts pounding with fear and adrenaline. The forest was shrouded in mystery and danger, but it was their only hope of escape. As they ran, they could feel the boss's eyes on their backs, and they knew that they had to keep moving.