Tristan, Matthias, and Nathaniel ran desperately. They constantly glanced back over their shoulders, terrified that the horrifying man might suddenly catch up to them.
Only after they had run several miles and left the crater far behind did they finally slow their pace. They gasped for breath, and their faces still showed they hadn’t recovered from the shock.
Nathaniel leaned against a large tree, his complexion noticeably pale. “What… What kind of monster was that? How could anyone possess such terrifying power?” he blurted.
Tristan shook his head. “I don’t know… But I’m certain he’s definitely not human. I’m afraid we’ve gotten ourselves into serious trouble this time.”
Matthias gripped his longsword tightly and said grimly, “Now isn’t the time to discuss it. We must leave this place as quickly as possible and find a safe location. There’s no telling if that monster might suddenly pursue us.”
The three brothers exchanged looks. Fear lingered in each of their eyes. They never stopped running. Sharp stones scraped through their boots, while thorny branches snagged and tore their robes.
However, they no longer cared about such things. Instead, they only wanted to run with all their strength toward any direction that led away from the deep pit.
The surviving troops behind them had scattered. Many had been dragged away by the island’s bizarre plants during the panic, leaving only a few brief screams before disappearing completely.
The sun overhead gradually shifted westward, stretching everyone’s shadows long across the ground. Every time they looked back, they could see that the sky was stained with blood mist. The sight haunted them like an inescapable nightmare.
“Your Highness, please slow down. I can’t run anymore…” Milton said, supporting himself with a broken branch.
He panted heavily as he followed behind Tristan. Sweat and dust streaked his disheveled gray hair, and his legs trembled uncontrollably.
Given his advanced age, his energy reserves had long since been depleted to their absolute limit after a whole day of running. As Tristan stopped to look at the remnants of his force, a chill ran down his spine.
What had once been nearly 100 elite soldiers was now reduced to barely 30 men. Their clothing hung in tatters, and exhaustion was written across every face.
He took a deep breath and said in a hoarse voice, “Everyone, stop and rest for a while. Eat, drink, and recover. We need to find shelter before nightfall.”
The men collapsed to the ground as if pardoned from execution. They pulled out their rations and devoured them ravenously. Their frantic drinking caused some to choke and brought tears to their eyes.
Matthias leaned against a large tree and wiped the blood and grime from his face with his sleeve. His eyes swept the surrounding area, alert for any threat.
They had entered a dense forest where massive trunks blocked out most of the sky. Only scattered beams of sunlight filtered through the canopy above.
The air hung thick with the smell of damp, rotting leaves. Occasionally, the cries of unknown birds and beasts echoed through the shadows, their calls adding to the forest’s menacing mood.
“Tristan, do you think that monster will follow us?” Nathaniel asked between bites of his rations.
He couldn’t shake the horrific image from his mind. A general with the skills of a grandmaster had been as helpless as an insect against that handsome man. He was reduced to bloody vapor with a simple hand gesture. The recollection made Nathaniel’s blood run cold.
Tristan shook his head, his eyes heavy with concern.
“It’s hard to say. That monster’s strength is beyond measure. We’d better stay far away from him,” he said.
Matthias frowned deeply and spoke in a low voice. “We can’t just sit here waiting for death. Let’s rest for a while and then move on.”
At that moment, the sky suddenly darkened. The originally sparse sunlight disappeared completely. The forest became dim throughout. A cold breeze swept through, carrying a piercing cold that made the leaves rustle.
Everyone instinctively looked up. What they saw froze them in place, the color draining from their faces instantly.
Thymaleon, dressed in white robes, was quietly floating above them. A faint glow surrounded his body, making him appear particularly dazzling even in the dim forest.
He looked down at the people below coldly, like looking down at a group of insignificant ants. His expression showed no emotion, as if the chase and their escape meant nothing to him at all.
“He… How did he catch up to us?” one soldier stammered, his teeth chattering with terror. The dry rations in his hand dropped to the ground. He turned to run, but was so terrified that his legs went weak and he collapsed on the ground.
Tristan, Matthias, and Nathaniel shot to their feet, placing their hands on their weapons. Color drained from their faces, leaving their eyes wide with shock and despair.
They had pushed themselves to their limits, fleeing for an entire day. Yet, they never imagined they still wouldn’t be able to escape that terrifying monster.
Thymaleon said nothing. He didn’t even glance at them, barely registering their panicked expression. Instead, he simply raised his right hand and pressed it downward toward them.
Following his movement, the sky seemed to collapse instantly. An enormous palm appeared out of nowhere, like a mountain peak blocking out the sun and sky. It carried world-destroying momentum as it smashed down toward everyone.
That palm was covered with dense patterns and emanated terrifying pressure. The surrounding air was compressed, producing crackling sounds. Leaves were shaken loose and fell in all directions. The ground began shaking violently.
“It’s over…” Tristan said, closing his eyes.
His heart was filled with despair. He could clearly feel that terrifying power and knew he had no way to resist it. All he could do was watch helplessly as death approached.
Matthias and Nathaniel’s expressions twisted in despair. They gripped their weapons tighter but couldn’t summon the courage to fight back. The soldiers were even more frightened out of their wits, extremely alarmed.
Just when that enormous palm was about to crush everyone, and all had fallen into despair, a brilliant golden sword aura suddenly came whistling from the distant horizon.
Like a meteor in the night, it howled through the air with piercing force, covering miles in an instant before slamming hard into the massive palm.
