---
Running as fast as his legs could take him, Kael cursed under his breath.
"You'll grow powerful," he mimicked, voice cracking between gasps. "You'll have fun with your mates, he said. You'll meet lots of beautiful girls, she said…"
His foot slammed into a root. He nearly face-planted but caught himself, stumbling forward through the underbrush.
"Yeah," he hissed, "no one mentioned the beasts that'll wanna eat me!"
Branches whipped across his face as he ran, tearing shallow lines into his cheeks. His lungs burned; every breath tasted like rust and panic. Leaves blurred past in streaks of green and gold. The humid air clung to him, thick with the scent of moss, wet soil, and blood—probably his.
"Sometimes I wish I was a commoner," he muttered, ducking under a low branch. "At least I wouldn't have to face all these damn expectations. All I ever wanted was to sleep—is that too much to ask?"
The forest didn't answer.
Instead, something in the bushes behind him did.
A low, guttural growl, half snarl and half static, rolled through the trees. Kael didn't dare look back. He could feel it—the heavy, rhythmic pulse of something enormous following his trail.
> [Proximity Alert — Hostile Signature Detected]
[Species: Forest Stalker Lv. 3]
[Recommended Action: Run faster.]
"Yeah, no kidding!" Kael barked, eyes wide.
He swerved between trees, heart hammering. Every few seconds, another bush shook violently behind him, closer each time. The ground trembled under the beast's steps.
"Come on, come on—think, Kael, think!"
Then, a flicker appeared in the corner of his vision.
> [Skill Unlocked: Rage Rush]
[Cost: 30£ per use]
[Effect: Temporarily boosts reflex and muscle output by 70%. Warning: Rapid stamina loss.]
"Perfect timing," he gritted out. "Guess stealing that lizard's tantrum came in handy."
He focused instinctively, and something inside him snapped open like a floodgate.
> [Rage Rush — Activated!]
(-30£)
(+120£ left)
The world tilted.
His vision stretched wide; colours sharpened until he could see every raindrop hanging mid-air. His heart pumped fire instead of blood. He burst forward, tearing through branches like paper, feet pounding the earth with impossible rhythm.
For a fleeting moment, Kael almost laughed.
"Okay, I admit—this part's kinda cool."
Then, a tree exploded behind him.
The beast—whatever it was—had finally shown itself.
A blur of black and green, all claws and sinew, slammed through the clearing like a living avalanche. Its body was covered in segmented scales that shimmered faintly, camouflaging it against the forest light. A pair of burning yellow eyes locked onto Kael's back.
He didn't need to look twice to know he was screwed.
"Of course," Kael gasped. "Of course it's bigger than the last one."
The ground behind him cracked under its weight. Its roar hit him like a physical wave—deep, guttural, and so close he could feel saliva splatter across his neck.
He zig-zagged through the trees, dodging low branches, fallen logs, and roots that seemed hell-bent on tripping him. The air was thick with humidity and fear, both his and the forest's. Birds scattered, shrieking as the beast crashed through their territory.
Kael leapt over a fallen trunk—barely.
> [Stamina: 41%]
[Heart Rate: Unsafe Levels Detected.]
[Suggestion: Stop.]
"Suggestion ignored!" he shouted, lungs burning.
He dove through a patch of ferns and rolled, feeling something massive swipe where his head had just been. A claw dug into a nearby tree, slicing through the bark like butter.
The beast screeched in frustration.
"Yeah, you're mad? I'm the one on the menu!" Kael yelled, vaulting over a boulder. "Next time I'm applying for a bakery, not a bloody academy entrance exam!"
The island's trial was supposed to be about "revealing your Truth." So far, Kael had revealed he was very good at running away from his problems.
He didn't even have time to admire the irony.
Another system notification blinked across his sight:
> [ Skill Synced: Rage Rush (Infected Variant)]
[Source: Proximity Adaptation.]
[Warning: Infected skill may cause neural instability.]
"Oh, great, bonus side effects! Maybe I'll grow extra legs," Kael muttered. "Could use the help right now."
The world blurred again as he triggered the skill once more, adrenaline surging like wildfire.
(-30£)
(+90£ remain)
Every nerve in his body screamed, but his feet barely touched the ground anymore. His muscles felt lighter, sharper—his senses flared until he could taste the static in the air.
A flash of movement—a swipe. He ducked just in time; the claw ripped through the trunk beside him, showering him with splinters.
He rolled forward, kicking off the ground into a sprint that left streaks of light in his wake.
It was reckless. It was suicidal. It was working.
"Yeah, I'm definitely getting a refund on this life if I survive," Kael wheezed.
The terrain began to slope downward, roots twisting into slick veins along the earth. He skidded, barely maintaining his footing as mud splashed up his legs. The beast roared again, closing the gap fast.
"Persistent bastard," he muttered. "Can't take a hint, huh?"
Then—Zoom!
Something sliced through the air above him, a blur of white energy that split a nearby branch clean in half. He ducked instinctively, the sound sharp and terrifyingly close.
"Oh, fantastic," Kael growled. "Now it's using ranged attacks."
A familiar icon pulsed in the corner of his vision.
> [Adaptive Reflex Triggered.]
[Temporary Synchronization: Partial.]
He didn't have time to question it. His body moved on its own, sliding beneath a fallen branch with unnatural precision. His muscles bent and twisted like he'd trained for this his entire life.
"I didn't even know I could do that!" he yelled, leaping forward. "Can we at least agree this is a bad place for character development?"
Despite the sarcastic commentary, panic gnawed at him. His body was hitting its limits. Rage Rush devoured stamina like fire through paper.
He could feel his strength draining, every step heavier than the last. His heart pounded like it was trying to escape his ribs.
> [Stamina: 12%]
[Warning: Physical collapse imminent.]
"Just a little bit more," Kael hissed through gritted teeth. "Just… a little… more…"
He pushed harder, limbs screaming. The forest thinned ahead—light spilling between the trees. A faint sound reached him: rushing water.
A stream.
Hope flickered.
If he could just cross it—if the beast hesitated even a second—he might have a chance.
He gathered the last of his strength, forcing the system open.
> [Rage Rush: Overclock Mode]
(-60£)
[Remaining Energy: 30£]
[Warning: System strain critical.]
"Don't care," Kael snarled. "Just work!"
The world snapped.
Every sound slowed—the wind, the pounding footsteps behind him, even the rush of the stream ahead. His body felt like lightning. Every heartbeat was an explosion.
He hit the edge of the embankment and leapt.
For one breathtaking second, he was flying.
The world below shimmered—a blur of water, trees, and death chasing him. His boots hit the opposite bank with a heavy splash. He rolled, came up on one knee, gasping for air.
His vision blurred, half static, half real. The edges of his sight pulsed red.
> [Energy Reserve: 10£ Remaining.]
"That… should buy me… a few seconds of reprieve," he panted, clutching his chest.
Slowly, he turned.
The Forest Stalker stood on the far bank, claws dug into the mud. Its massive chest heaved, eyes burning with frustration and hunger. Its reflection shimmered faintly in the water, distorted and monstrous.
Kael tensed, expecting it to leap.
But it didn't.
It stopped.
The creature snarled once, pacing along the bank's edge, but something held it back. Its tail lashed violently, splattering mud into the air, yet it refused to cross.
Puzzled, Kael frowned. "What, you suddenly afraid of baths?"
The beast hissed, its scales rippling like liquid shadow. Then it backed up—slowly, deliberately—melting into the forest again.
The tension in Kael's shoulders eased, though not completely. His instincts still screamed danger, but exhaustion was louder.
He exhaled shakily. "I don't know what that was about… but I'm not sticking around to find out."
He didn't dare risk another second.
Still panting, he turned toward the opposite direction—the one leading deeper into the unknown forest—and bolted off.