Shit! Shit! Shit!
Roland's heart pounded in his chest as he sprinted full speed into the dense forest, branches slapping against his face and limbs.
Behind him, the beast crashed through the trees with terrifying speed, each thundering step shaking the ground. The 200-meter gap had vanished in moments—the creature was right behind him now, its snarls growing louder, closer.
Roland occasionally glanced back, hurling ice lances in desperation to slow the beast down. But each one was effortlessly batted aside by the creature's three serpent-like tails, crashing uselessly to the forest floor.
Damn it! How was I supposed to know it could leap from that height?! Roland's thoughts spiraled in panic—his careful preparations already in shambles.
Roland weaved skillfully through the trees with extreme precision, thanks to Anderson Tod's extensive experience navigating all kinds of treacherous terrain.
In contrast, the beast was a living battering ram, tearing through the forest like a force of nature.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Tree after tree crashed to the ground, sending clouds of dirt and splinters flying in every direction. The monster barreled forward in a straight line, relentless and undeterred.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, three ice lances dropped from the thick canopy above, striking the beast's back. Though the wounds were shallow, they made it howl in pain.
"ROAR!" The beast bellowed, but its pursuit didn't falter.
More lances rained down from the darkness—some deflected by its thrashing tails, others grazing its thick hide. Yet amidst the chaos, Roland's own spear found its mark. With a sharp hiss, it pierced deep into the creature's flank, dark blood oozing from the wound.
At least one of my plans is working… Roland thought, eyes darting for another opening to strike the beast.
Suddenly, something coiled around his ankle, yanking him off the ground.
"Oh no you don't!" Roland shouted as he was hoisted into the air. It was the same move that had caught him off guard in the cave—but this time, he was ready. prepared.
Roland twisted his body mid-air, reaching up to grab the tail coiled around his ankle. Ice instantly spread from his palm, freezing the serpent-like appendage solid within seconds.
Feeling the familiar chill surge through his veins, he conjured an ice hammer in his right hand.
With his left hand gripping the frozen tail for support, Roland swung the hammer with all his might.
CRACK!
The frozen tail shattered into jagged shards.
"ROAR!"
This time, the beast reeled back, howling in agony as it skidded to a stop, thrashing wildly in pain.
Roland, still airborne, plummeted toward the ground. Thinking quickly, he formed a thick layer of ice around his arm, bracing for impact.
Bang!
His ice-coated arm struck the ground first, absorbing the brunt of the fall. Using the momentum, he tucked his body and rolled forward in a smooth front flip, landing on his feet with only a slight stagger.
Wasting no time, Roland spun around and hurled an ice lance at the beast, aiming to capitalize on its moment of pain. The spear tore through the air with a sharp whoosh, heading straight for its target.
Suddenly, fragmented lights shimmered into existence before the beast—tiny cracks of energy flickering like shattered glass suspended mid-air.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Before the lance could land, the fragments flared to life.
BANG!
A burst of blinding light erupted outward, the force of the explosion completely vaporizing the lance mid-flight.
"What?!" Roland was stunned by the sight before him. Sweat trickled down his forehead as the temperature around him suddenly spiked.
As the smoke dissipated, his eyes widened in horror.
The beast's front claw was raised high, glowing with a searing red hue. Steam hissed off its surface, distorting the air around it.
Swoosh!
In a blur, the claw came crashing down.
The surrounding trees were instantly sliced clean into three sections—burned stems smoldering in the fading light.
Roland barely managed to raise a shield of ice, but even that wasn't enough. The attack tore through it with terrifying force.
"Gah!" He staggered back, his left arm limp and mangled. Blood dripped from three deep gashes carved into his forearm, the flesh around them blistered and burned.
I've underestimated it! Roland thought, panic surging through him as he turned and sprinted deeper into the forest. Of course it can use powers... It came from them in the first place!
The tide had turned.
Now he was the one being hunted.
Long-ranged strikes rained down on him, scorching the air as they carved through the dense forest. Roland weaved and ducked with desperate precision, ice barriers forming just in time to deflect the worst of the attacks—but not all.
Gash after gash tore into him, crimson blood staining his tattered clothes. The edges of his wounds blistered violently, fluid-filled and raw. Each time the harsh air or stray debris touched them, they burst with a sickening sting.
His vision blurred. His breathing turned ragged. The forest around him blurred into chaos.
Come on… just a little further! Roland grit his teeth, stumbling through the dense underbrush.
To add insult to injury, the side effects of his ice powers began to rear their head. His thoughts grew sluggish—like wading through thick mud. Each step felt heavier, each breath more labored. The once-crisp clarity in his mind dulled under the weight of exhaustion and magic.
But he didn't let it stop him.
He forced himself forward, driving his body past its limits. His focus narrowed until only one word remained in his mind:
Run.
He didn't stop.
He couldn't stop.
Just as all hope seemed lost, Roland's eyes caught a familiar marking etched onto a tree.
Yes! A surge of hope jolted through him like lightning.
Without hesitation, he leapt forward, reaching out and grabbing a thick vine hanging from the canopy. His fingers clamped around it tightly, heart pounding in his chest.
Behind him, the beast let out a guttural snarl, its claws glowing red as it prepared one final strike to end him once and for all.
Swoosh!
Using his momentum, Roland swung high into the air, the scorching claws of the beast slicing through empty space just inches beneath his feet.
He had narrowly escaped death—again.
Behind him, the beast continued its relentless pursuit, seizing the moment Roland was airborne to close the distance entirely.
"ROAR!" It let out a primal scream—
Snap!
The ground beneath the beast suddenly gave way, collapsing into a concealed pit trap.
Zip!
Dozens of sharpened ice spears jutting from the base of the trap pierced upwards. The beast's momentum carried it straight into the deadly spikes.
Their frosted tips glistened with dark red blood.
"ROAR!"
The beast let out a deafening howl of pure agony. Roland winced, clutching his head as blood trickled from his ears.
Releasing his grip from the vine, he dropped toward the ground beyond the pit.
Thud.
Argh... it hurts... he thought, lying face-first on the forest floor, every inch of his body screaming in protest.
With a pained groan, he pushed himself up, lifting his hands over the deep, bleeding wounds across his body. He knew he couldn't let the blood flow freely—not if he wanted to live.
Summoning the last of his strength, he conjured frost to seal the gashes.
"Ack!" he gasped through gritted teeth as the freezing pain shot through him with every wound he closed.
It... should be... over now... right? Roland thought weakly.
Part of him wanted—needed—to check if the beast was truly dead. But a larger part of him just wanted to collapse, to close his eyes and wake up safe in the Imperial Palace.
Still, he forced himself forward. Gritting his teeth and steadying his breath, he gathered what little strength he had left and staggered toward the edge of the pit.
However before he could even reach there, Roland heard a cracking sound coming from it.
BANG!