Chapitre 6: the desperation
The sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting long shadows across the forest floor. As I stood at the edge of my makeshift treehouse, surveying the wilderness, I felt confident. Beast wave or not, I can handle this. I mean, I had Qi explosions that could flatten a building. The treehouse wasn't exactly a fortress, but it was better than nothing, and I'd been lucky enough to avoid the more dangerous creatures so far.
But luck is a fickle thing.
A rumble echoed in the distance. At first, I dismissed it as thunder—until I saw the first wave of creatures barreling through the trees, their snarls carrying on the wind. My heart sank. The system had warned me about the beast wave, but seeing it in person was something else entirely.
I tightened my grip on a tree branch, watching the horde approach. "Okay, Michael, this is fine. You've got this. Just remember: explosions solve everything."
I jumped down to the forest floor, mentally preparing to unleash hell with my new Qi Compression skill. The beasts were closer now—an avalanche of claws, fangs, and unnatural roars. Massive, grotesque wolves with glowing red eyes. Horned creatures twice my size. A few serpent-like monstrosities slithered among them, leaving a trail of crushed vegetation in their wake.
I gulped. Maybe I overestimated myself… just a little.
No time to back down now. I activated the skill, feeling the Qi compress within my hand. With a flick of my wrist, I unleashed a Tier 2 explosion straight into the path of the first wave. The shockwave sent trees crashing to the ground, and several beasts were thrown back, their bodies disintegrating in the blast.
For a moment, I grinned. "See? No problem. Who needs a city when you've got—"
My triumph was short-lived.
The second wave was even larger, faster, and a lot more pissed off. Before I could gather enough Qi for another blast, one of the horned beasts let out a shrill, ear-splitting screech. I dropped to my knees, clutching my ears as the noise tore through me. I barely registered the ground shaking beneath me as one of the wolves lunged, its claws grazing my arm as I scrambled out of the way.
"Not good! Not good!"
I rolled behind a tree, frantically compressing more Qi for a Tier 3 explosion. But the beasts weren't giving me time. Another one—a hulking, scaled monster—charged straight through the trees toward me, its glowing eyes locked on my position. I threw the blast at it, but it was already too close. The explosion barely slowed it down.
"Seriously?!"
I managed to dodge to the side just in time to avoid getting crushed. This isn't working. I'm not working. The realization hit me hard. No matter how much Qi I pumped into these explosions, they couldn't stop the horde. Not all of them. Not at once.
Panic clawed at my chest. I can't survive this. Not here. Not alone.
I turned on my heel and ran. The treehouse was no longer an option—it would be overrun in minutes. My only hope was the city.
As I sprinted through the forest, dodging the chaos around me, I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. The beasts were relentless. I'd managed to take out a handful of them, but more kept coming. For every creature that fell, two more took its place.
Why did I ever think I could survive this on my own?
The city gates loomed in the distance, but something was wrong. There were no guards, no people running for cover. Just the thick, stone walls standing tall and empty.
"What the hell?" I muttered, stumbling forward, out of breath. The gates were sealed shut, and there was no sign of anyone on the other side.
I pounded on the thick wood, desperate. "Let me in! Open up!"
Nothing. Only silence and the distant howls of the approaching horde. I glanced back at the tree line—my heart pounding in my chest. The beasts were getting closer, tearing through the undergrowth like a tidal wave of death.
"There's no way in… there's no way in!"
Panic turned to despair as I backed away from the gates. My mind raced, searching for any possible escape route. And then, I saw it—a drainage pipe, half-concealed by rocks and vines, just large enough for me to crawl through.
It's risky, but it's my only chance.
With the beasts hot on my heels, I scrambled toward the pipe, squeezing my way inside. The damp, foul-smelling tunnel was a tight fit, but I kept pushing forward, adrenaline fueling my every move. I could hear the snarls and growls of the beasts just outside, their claws scraping against the stone walls as they searched for me.
I held my breath, hoping—praying—that they wouldn't find the entrance.
Minutes felt like hours, but eventually, the noise began to fade. I let out a long, shaky breath. For now, I was safe.
But this wasn't over.
Not by a long shot.
I needed a plan. And fast.
Fuck it, from the time when I have entered this world, I can't rest, I'll just run until I can't.
Cadeaux
-- Cadeau
reçu État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone