The One Branch of The Tree

04:52

The timer in front of me kept ticking away, the red numbers feeling like a personal insult. We ran as fast as we could down the hallway. The ground shook violently, dust fell from the ceiling, and cracks began to appear in the extremely unstable walls. 

Nara and I ran without saying much because when the entire dungeon was deciding to collapse deep conversation wasn't a priority.

04:31

A loud cracking sound was heard behind him.

KRRAAAK!

I glanced around, seeing the poor condition of the passageway, which was starting to collapse, with large rocks falling and blocking part of the path. Okay, my motivation to run increased dramatically.

“Faster!” Nara shouted.

“I was considering a leisurely walk actually!” I replied.

I still had to maintain mental priority over sarcasm. I could feel the changes in my body after the evolution. All my sensors had increased. I could feel the vibrations before a rock fell, the roots in the wall, the flow of mana, and even the air pressure. This was very useful. A large rock fell from above, and I reflexively raised my hand.

Root Domain!

Roots coming out of the wall push the rock aside.

DUAK!

The rock hit the floor next to me, I blinked. Oh that's cool, so cool, I'm starting to like this skill emotionally, Nara glanced at me while still running.

"Good."

Short praise detected rare event of open achievement again.

03:48

We arrived at a narrow intersection, the problem was that the path we had been on had now partially collapsed and the exit was blocked by large rocks, I stopped suddenly.

"Good."

“There's always a part like this.”

Nara immediately checked the right side looking for a gap but there was none, the rock was too big and the time was too short, the timer kept running.

03:31

I stared at the wall thinking quickly Mana Sense activated there was something behind the left side of the empty space, I pointed.

“Over there.”

Nara immediately understood.

“Can it be destroyed?”

I looked at the World Thorn Sword in my hand, a small smile appearing.

“I think this is a good time for a skill test.”

I raised my mana flowing sword, the sword glowed dark green then I slashed.

Ember Slash.

Fire and root energy unite. 

BOOM! 

The wall cracked, dust flew, a large crack appeared but it wasn't enough, I slashed again. 

BOOM! 

The shattered wall opened up a new, narrow passageway leading upwards. Good, Nara went in first, and we continued running.

02:54

The new passageway was narrower, rising and winding like an old-fashioned emergency escape route or perhaps a very uncomfortable escape route. 

The ground shook more and more violently until a crack opened in the dark floor behind me, the bottom of which was invisible. No, I jumped over the cracked part, Nara was already far ahead. How could she be so fast? It wasn't fair.

“Do you secretly have a teleport skill?” I shouted.

"No." he answered without looking back.

“What a pity.”

We continued to breathe as my body weight became stronger now, but running while being chased by the ruins of a dungeon was still not the ideal training for improving abilities.

01:47

Finally, light appeared ahead, coming out, beautiful, so beautiful. Our motivation for life was restored, and we ran faster. A few more meters before the ceiling collapsed, a large rock falling right in front of Nara.

DUAAR!

Closing the path, I stopped. Damn, Nara took a step back.

Timer: 01:29

I stared at the closed path, no time to turn around, no way. Okay, the brute force way is how, I advanced, raising my sword, Root Domain activated, roots from all over the wall gathered on the blade, Mana flowed wildly, the sword trembled, Nara slightly retreated very cleverly, I took a breath.

“Hopefully this works.”

Then slash horizontally.

WORLD ROOT SLASH

A new skill appeared spontaneously at an interesting time, a dark green slash shot out.

BOOOOOOM!

The large rock shattered into pieces, opening the passageway, I blinked.

…

Okay that's a lot stronger than expected, I like it of course.

“RUN!” shouted Nara.

Oh well admiring our own strength later on we ran out, the sun hitting our eyes as we jumped out of the rubble door the next second,

BOOOOOOOOM!

The entire back area collapsed, the ground collapsing, and the rubble partially sinking. Dust and roots flew into the air, and the shockwave hit us on our backs. 

Nara and I were thrown to the ground rolling dramatically as per the silent tradition only the sound of falling dust and our breaths, I lay on the ground staring at the sky in wonder to be alive again. 

The timer disappeared and the Quest was safely completed. I laughed a little, then a little louder, a little hysterical, a little justified. Nara sat beside me, still calm. How could that be?

“Why are you laughing?” he asked.

I looked up at the sky.

“Because my life in the last fourteen chapters has been very tiring.”

Nara was silent then said,

"Makes sense."

A high level of empathy was detected, and I slowly sat down, gazing at the ruins, now nearly level with the ground. The dungeon was gone, the earth's core had collapsed, and the White Council must be furious. Oops, I opened the quest.

Quest:

Survive 7 days in the Forbidden Forest

Progress:

Day 4/7

The fourth day is still three days away, I sighed.

“Somehow it feels like I've been living here for months.”

Nara stood up and dusted off her clothes.

“We're not done yet.”

Of course not. Why did I even hope? I got up.

“What else?”

Nara looked north, her expression more serious.

“The collapse of the core will attract surrounding monsters.”

“And maybe something worse.”

I squinted.

“Worse than fanatical organizations and collapsed dungeons?”

Nara looked at me.

“Yes.”

Oh, it was incredible, as if summoned by something, a loud roar echoed from a distance. The ground shook, I recognized the sound. A rock gorilla? Not bigger, just heavier.

A notification appears.

Boss Monster approaching.

Target:

Unknown

Threat:

Extreme

I looked at the screen then looked at Nara then at the voice, I took a deep breath.

"Okay."

“I think today still has bonus content.”

In the distance the trees were starting to fall one by one something was coming and its size was definitely not good news.

[END CHAPTER 14]