(Part 3)

Climbing up after a while Alan looked around speaking, "The more the altitude rises and the colder it gets, we won't face dangerous wildlife over the top since, not many animals like that cold plus that's an advantage. If you want to stop for a rest in between then say so."

Kenzo staring at him silent climbed up pushing the tree branches on the side. Seraph tracing his silence since a long while came over, "What's wrong your highness? Why so silent?"

Kenzo twitching his brow at Alan's back replied slightly annoyed, "What do you expect me to say?"

Adam and Ryan rolled their eyes. "Seems like he just took your place your fake highness. Good for you hun. Now you won't have to speak too much." Ryan teased while Adam chuckled.

Cassiel patted Kenzo's shoulder, "Come on anything is fine. Just say something. Seeing you silent like this is giving me creeps."

"Yeah! Yeah! Captain, how about you start a fight." Azazel suggested with stars in his eyes.

"Or shout amok not to do this or to do that!" Ezekiel added.

Kenzo hearing their foolish suggestions exhaled. "Just stay quiet and climb up, all of you. We don't have much time to lose." he ordered instead.

The boys finding him uninterested sighed. "Leave him be he might be fighting his confusion stage right now." Helios said. Xavier nodded. "So even a king can get confused hun… now that's news." Adam whispered.

After a short while the boys weary halted. "I am really thirsty… can't we just drop by for some water?" Feng cried exhausted. The boys turning around found Heber, Poseidon and Cassiel panting hard.

"I was trying to find a spring somewhere near here but I can't trace one." Seraph looked out. Alan observed the surroundings enveloped by greenery pondering.

Ryan instantly sketching a flowing river pointed out, "Look everyone, it's a river!" The boys rushing towards their oasis breathed a sigh of relief. "Seriously I am parched." Feng cried gargling with the cold water.

"Let's take a break here, shall we?" Xavier asked.

Alan nodded. The boys including Alan sat alongside the river corners. Some drinking while the others freshening up took a break.

"Hiss! The water's freezing!!" Azazel shrieked as Feng shrugged.

How much distance do you think we have covered up till now?" Gabriel asked noticing a boulder reaching the top that seemed closer to the eye.

"A little more to go and we'll reach there." Cassiel replied.

Kenzo looked at Azazel and Heber who rested on the grass alongside Ryan, Xavier and Poseidon. After taking a break Kenzo spoke up, "Let's move on now without wasting any more time."

The boys hearing his call nodded shortly continuing their march. Adam jumping over trees watched out for approaching dangers. Suddenly Alan who walked ahead halted. Before him a huge tree log which was loftier than Gabriel and Seraph's height (The tallest ones amongst all middleschoolers) struck blocking the way upwards.

"It's blocked ahead." Ezekiel pointed from Alan's side.

Feng sighing rested his back on one of the trees, "Now what?" "What do you mean by now what? We are going to climb over it." Kenzo uttered frank.

"Climb over it?! Are we serious here!? My limbs are aching all over…" Ezekiel cried in disbelief.

"You all did so much. This should be nothing, I am sure after passing this log we'll reach the boulder to the top without any hindrances." Alan supported.

"Oh dear…" Azazel exhaled as Heber patted his back encouraging. "I'll go ahead first." Gabriel walked towards the log. Kenzo looking at Ryan and Alan who stared at the log slightly confused chuckled out of the blue.

"Pfft! Haha…!" Hearing his voice the two glancing at each other stared at Kenzo annoyed. For, they both had realized that nothing good was going to come out of his mouth. The others along with Poseidon, Helios and Xavier shook their heads, aware of the usual. "Haha…" Kenzo continued to chuckle, "I just forgot… how are the two of you going to climb up? The shortest ones do have it hard hun… haha!"

Hearing Kenzo's mockery they turned around in disbelief. "He really is going all out against both Alan and Ryan, unbelievable…" whispered Cassiel.

"Of course, he just got hold of a new prey. Do you think he would let it go easily?" Helios added.

"Well too bad. How about the two of you stay behind while the rest of us go ahead?" Kenzo sneered hopping on his knees climbing over the log, soon looking back at the rest from above. "Come on!" he called hopping down to the other side.

Alan stood with veins popping on his forehead, "That rascal…" alongside Ryan who gripped his bat vexed, "Mark my words the moment I step on the other side, I am going to smack his head with this bat straight into hell!"

Xavier chuckled as Adam came down from the tree. "Come on now, don't take his words to heart, that stupid monkey king. Come, let's go! I'll help you up! I think the way to the right is easier to climb." Adam grabbed Ryan's arm pulling him towards the right side of the log.

Alan once again looking at the middle schoolers climbing over, one after another following Gabriel, Kenzo and Feng. Seraph eyeing Alan who looked around patted his shoulder taking his attention for a moment. Alan looking at him smiled as Helios too stood beside him alongside Xavier.

"Need some help?" Seraph asked gently. Alan however shook his head replying, "I am sorry to trouble you all and thank you as well. However, I think I have a way." "After all, this isn't my first time getting stuck in a jungle." he added.

The three of them hearing him glanced at each other puzzled.

"Not your first time?" Xavier asked.

"Of course, becoming a platinum ranker… did you think it was a piece of cake? No it wasn't, I was even left amid a remote island alongside Rauf and Evan without a single bottle of water. This jungle… is nothing compared to that horror." Alan replied remembering the past.

Helios with his eyes widened stood baffled alongside Xavier and Seraph.

Suddenly, a voice yelled out, "How dare you! You log! How dare you hurt me! I am gonna break your legs and pull your hands apart. I'll kill you!!" Azazel screamed hitting the log which had injured his knee whilst climbing up as Heber chuckled from above.

"Haha! Come one now Aza, how long are you going to keep cursing it? The log doesn't even has legs or feet in the first place." "Grab onto my hand I'll pull you up!" he added giving his arm to Azazel who jumped up to grab it however, now use. The distance between the two of them was too big.

Helios sighed, "I'll go and help them." "What about Poseidon and Ezekiel?" Alan asked tracing their figures. Helios turning around replied, "They are already on the other side. I sent them both first." Xavier too after Ryan and Feng, climbed up assisted by Cassiel and Adam. Seraph leaving next turned to Alan once again, "Are you sure you'll be fine by yourself?"

"Yes, I'll be." Alan assured confident.

Soon, thirteen of them climbed to the other side dusting their clothes. "Here goes." Helios whispered coming down. "Captain Helios…" Ezekiel assisted helping him up along with Poseidon.

Xavier grabbing Feng's hand too came down. Kenzo stared at the top. A sneer leaving his lips he called out "What's wrong? Can't climb up world ranker?" "No… Platinum world ranker?" he corrected mocking. Cassiel and Heber smacked their foreheads speechless.

Each and every single one of them knew how Kenzo's personality was, so none dared to say a single word back. Ryan on the other hand clutched his bat tightly all ready to hit his head as Feng and Adam grabbed him from both sides stopping him. Alan rolling his eyes from the other side jumped over a tree, measuring the trajectory of the log.

Cassiel looking at the log touched it whispering, "We did climb it up and we were lucky as well. However, this log is wet. It could've fallen pretty dangerously."

"Yeah, I realized that too while climbing down. It could've been dangerous." Xavier concurred observing wet mud from the sides.

"Tch!" Kenzo clicked his tongue. "Hey, you damn multicolored head! When will you come down here? We are leaving…!" he angered as Alan jumped over the log glaring back.

"Heh~ being Impatient here aren't you hun? You wannabe phony highness?" he snickered in between Kenzo's sentence.

Hearing the word Phony Adam burst out in laughter beside Feng and Ryan. "Pfft Haha!! Phony?! Alan's right on the mark. He seriously deserves that! Haha!" he mocked laughing his stomach out. Kenzo glared back twitching his brow while Xavier smiled.

"Looks like you lost, Kenzo." Poseidon said beside Helios and Gabriel who shook their heads in disbelief. Soon, the rabbit inside Alan's hairs hopped out jumping around the middle schoolers amusingly.

Alan waved stepping down. However, before he did a sudden loud crash was heard below the log as it tore off.

"Huh?" Alan asked puzzled.