Chapter 32: Survival and the Skinobie

Somewhere else inside the Animus, Rynor whispered to Selina, “Which design should we choose for our cult?”

Before she could answer, Tavricc opened the door. Instantly, Rynor and Selina leapt onto the top of the doorway, hiding silently. Rynor signaled to Selina with a hand gesture. In perfect sync, they jumped down onto Tavricc. He hit the ground hard, confused and disoriented.

Selina held a knife to him, but Rynor shouted, “Don’t stab him!” He pulled away the black cloth covering Tavricc’s face. Recognition dawned instantly.

“Tavricc?” Selina breathed.

“It’s us,” Rynor said, helping him to his feet.

Tacricc looked around, bewildered. “Why are you wearing the enemy’s clothes?”

Rynor replied, “We were trying to take down one of HABON’s. You?”

Tacricc explained, “I got one of them myself. Man, I hate this… IF isn’t responding to my answers anymore.”

Suddenly, Dorian kicked open the door, sword in hand. “It’s you!” he exclaimed. “I thought you were someone else,I might have killed more people!”

He removed his hood, revealing a grisly sight: five enemy heads.

Tacricc swallowed hard. “We should leave… now.”

Rynor remembered everything that had led them here,the day they were dropped into a forest field with no food, no supplies, no shelter. A glowing screen appeared before him: Rynor, Level 1.

Days turned into weeks. The team struggled to survive, subsisting on nothing. By the second week, desperation drove them to eat worms and whatever they could find. Any giant creature appearing would have likely killed them.

One night, a bright light streaked across the sky and crashed to the ground at terrifying speed. Rynor, Tacricc, Dorian, and Selina ran toward it, their hearts pounding. They discovered it was food. But as they reached it, a man walked nearby, seeing four scarred figures illuminated by the light. He didn’t know who they were, but word spread quickly, and that was how Team 9 earned the name Skinobie.

Kneeling together, they devoured the strange creature,called a crowfeedfader,for the first time. It was unlike anything they had ever eaten. That night, exhaustion overtook them.

When they awoke, a strange power surged through each of them. One by one, their levels jumped,ten times in a single night. Each member of Team 9 had reached Level 10.

Rynor sat quietly, reflecting on everything: the battles, the starvation, the dangers, and the bonds they had forged. So much had happened, yet they had survived. They were stronger, smarter, and closer than ever.

He realized that, despite the darkness and hardships, this was only the beginning. The world of the Animus was harsh, but Team 9 had proven they could endure,and thrive.

Rynor exhaled, a quiet determination settling in. No matter what came next, they would face it together.

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