Re-Run....

Meanwhile, On the upper floor of the dungeon. Zou managed to fend off the shadow soldiers. He wiped the sweat from his brow and decided to head back to where Dagen was.

Zou made its way to the area and saw Dagen exhausted and bruised while the figure. On the other hand, was completely unharmed. He couldn’t believe his eyes as he saw his tired leader all bruised up while his opponent is not.

“Tch!”

He lurched backward and threw his spear with great force. The spear flew with great speed, its shock waved across the room towards the figure.

The spear exploded in impact, and giant dust and smoke filled their vision.

“Did I hit it?”

“ZOU!!!”

Dagen shouted.

“What are you doing here!!!”

Zou smiled and replied in a sarcastic way.

“Just appreciating the show, Sherlock!”

Dagen smiled for a moment and returned to his serious expression.

“Where’s Lea?”

“Escorting the survivors.”

“Do you really believe, she is escorting the survivors?”

Zou ponders for a second and quickly realized.

“Tch! Judging her character, she would probably look for a way to help us.”

Dagen nodded.

“If that’s the case, you should probably go and look for her.”

“But, what about you?”

Dagen lets out a confident yet tired smile.

“Leave this one to me.”

Zou open his mouth to refute him, he was quickly silenced by Dagen.

“Bu-”

“Zou, this is an order.”

Zou looked at his leader's face and ruffled his hair out of frustration. He clicked his tongue in response.

With a nod, he began to work.

“You better come back alive! You hear me!!”

Dagen smiled.

“Yeah! Yeah!”

He waited for a moment and as the dust and smoke clears out, his eyes widen as he saw the figure completely unarmed. The figure disappear and appeared right in front of Zou.

“!”

“!”

The figure smiled wickedly as it raised its claws and violently slams it down. Luckily Dagen was fast enough and countered it.

With his own fist, creating a loud clash of fist against claw. The impact sent both fighters flying back, but they quickly regained their footing and continued their intense battle.

Zou watched in amazement as he made his way toward Lea’s location. He knew that he had to focus on the task at hand, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was leaving his leader behind in a dangerous situation.

“Reporting…”

His radio crackled.

“Report..”

“Sir, the survivors were completely evacuated and are now resting in our camp.”

Zou’s heart lifted as he heard the message from his fellow hunter. The survivors were safe and evacuated to the camp outside the abyssal gate. He breathed a sigh of relief and responded back.

“Good…”

But then his thoughts immediately turned to his leader, Dagen. He had left him fighting the figure alone.

‘Need to go back there…’

Zou’s radio crackled as he made his way toward Dagen. “This is Zou, go ahead,” he said, pressing the button.

“Zou, this is Wilkins.”

“Yo, lieutenant Wilkins, fancy hearing from you.”

Wilkins ignored Zou’s greetings and proceed.

“We’ve completely evacuated the survivors to our camp outside the abyssal gate. But we still haven’t heard from Lea and the other hunters with her. Have you seen them?” Wilkins asked.

Zou frowned, “No, I haven’t. I assumed they made it out with the others. Do you have any idea where they could be?”

“No, we lost contact with them a while ago. Lea, Rule, and Kaley.”

‘Even Rule and Kaley are missing…’

“When was the last time you saw them…”

“That’s the main issue here, none of us know where they headed.”

“What!?”

Zou’s eyes widen in response, he clenched his fist tighter.

Zou furrowed his brow, “We have to find them, they could be in danger!”

Zou’s voice rises.

“It’s too risky. We don’t know what’s out there.”

“But we can’t just leave them behind!” Zou protested.

“I understand how you feel, Zou, but we have to prioritize the safety of the survivors. We can’t risk any more lives,” Wilkins replied firmly.

Zou clenched his fists, feeling frustrated and helpless. “What do we do then!?”

“We’ll wait for them here. Maybe they’ll show up,” Wilkins said, trying to sound optimistic.

‘Fuck that, Lea is involved in this, I need to find her!’

“With all due respect, Wilkins.”

“It’s sir.”

Zou shrugged off his comment.

“I cannot just leave boss and Lea behind. I insist that we have to find them.”

“Zou, we don’t know what’s out there. It’s too dangerous to send a search party now.”

“Quit yappin' about that, I completely understand the risk, if you won’t send them. Then I’ll go search for Lea then.”

“Zou, you’re not thinking straight. We have to regroup and come up with a plan.”

“I’m sorry, but I cannot just sit here and let Lea and boss die.”

“Zou, wait! You can’t do this.”

But Zou was already running towards the dungeon, determined to find his comrades. He knew it was risky, but he couldn’t bear the thought of leaving them behind. As he made his way through the dark and treacherous dungeon.

‘Lea…please be safe.

He could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He didn’t know what he would find, but he had to keep going.

Rei jolted awake, her heart racing. She sat up and looked around, disoriented. It took a moment for her to remember where she was- she was in the dungeon moments ago and saw Reed’s unconscious state.

Rei frantically looked around the tent, her heart pounding in her chest. “Reed! Reed, where are you?” she shouted, her voice trembling with fear.

One of the hunters entered the tent, a concerned expression on his face.

“What’s going on, Miss? What happened?”

“Reed! He’s hurt, and I can’t find him!” she exclaimed, tears streaming down her face.

“You mean the weakest healer!?”

“Y…Yes.” Rei’s eyes were filled with tears as she struggled to speak.

Soon after a bunch of hunters gathered around her, concerned for the poor hunter. They try to calm her down and ask for more information.

“Miss Rei, what happened? Do you think you know where they are headed?” one of the hunters asked, trying to get more information.

“I don’t know,” Rei sobbed. “We were attacked by a shadow, luckily we survived it and the last thing I remember is waking up and seeing him laying beside me, I attempted to wake him up then everything went black.”

Rei tugs one of the hunter's clothes.

“Please save him..”

“Miss, we understand your concern, but we cannot risk the safety of the entire team just to rescue one person.”

Rei tried and pleaded with them once more to rescue Reed, but they refused, citing the dangers of the area and the lack of information about Reed’s location, They couldn’t just risk losing more people, especially after the successful evacuation of the survivors.

“But we can’t just leave him there! he’s hurt and needs our help!”

A hunter lets out a frustrated grunt.

“Look! We’re not saying we’re giving up on that guy!”

Another hunter patted his shoulder to calm him down.

“H-Hey calm down.”

“R-Right sorry about that.”

The calm hunter sighed.

“Look, we’re not saying we’re giving up on him, but we have to be smart about it. As I said earlier, we can’t risk more lives for a search party that might not even find anything.”

A tall hunter added.

“Plus, we lack information about the whereabouts of him. We can’t just send a search party without information.”

Rei felt defeated, she didn’t know what to do or where to go. She couldn’t leave Reed behind, especially not after all they’d been through together. If it wasn’t for Reed, she would have been dead by now. As she sat in silence, lost in thought, one of the hunters approached her.

“Hey, I know you’re worried about your friend, but we need to think about our safety too,” the hunter said, trying to reason with her.

“B…but….” Rei replied, her voice shaking with emotion.

Rei knew the hunter was right, but she couldn’t accept it. She refused to leave him behind.

‘Reed…’

She grabs her left arm and squeezes it.

‘This can’t be… there’s got be a way to save Reed….’

Then suddenly Rei remembered something, an important clue that can help them locate Reed.

“Guys!”

The hunters turned their heads to Rei.

“I have an idea,” Rei said suddenly. “Before I blacked out, I heard Reed and Lea talking about heading to a pit filled with monsters. Maybe they went there?”

Wilkins suddenly pops inside the tent.

“Miss Rei, I heard you mention that Reed and Lea went to the pit filled with monsters before you black out. Do you know where this pit is located?”

Rei nodded.

With a lead, Wilkin thinks for a moment.

‘Even with a lead on hand, I just can’t deploy a search squad.’

‘If that’s the case, a stubborn subordinate should do the job.’

“Zou, this is Wilkins. I have a lead on Reed and Lea’s whereabouts. They might be in a pit filled with monsters. We need to act fast and get them out of there before it’s too late. Can you hear me?

There was a moment of static on the other end of the radio before Zou’s voice came through.

Zou smiled.

“Loud and clear, Wilkins. I’m on my way to the pit.

Rei breathed a sigh of relief as she heard Zou’s voice. She knew if anyone could find Reed and Lea, it was him.

Zou managed to find the pit and head down. As he made his way down the pit, he couldn’t help but feel anxious. He had no idea what kind of danger he was about to face. It seemed they underestimated this dungeon.

Finally, Zou managed to reach the bottom of the pit. There he was greeted by the view of a purple lush forest.

‘This is new.’

This time the whole area was dead silent, with no monsters in sight, he made his way through the forest there he was greeted by a giant opened door.

‘This seems welcoming.’

There he saw the labyrinthine corridors.

Zou cautiously made his way through the twisting corridors, his senses on high alert. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right about this place, that there was some sort of danger lurking around every corner. As he continues to navigate through the corridors, there he saw the blue torched way.

‘Finally something new.’

Zou walks towards it. As he continued along the blue-torched way, he began to notice a foul stench permeating the air. The closer he got, the more apparent it became that it was the smell of death.

‘What the hell is that smell.’

He pinched his nose. Suddenly, he stumbled upon the remains of the monster that had been viciously ripped apart, its innards spilled out on the ground. Shocked by the sight, he looked up and saw the same gruesome scene repeated multiple times as he continued down the path.

Each monster lay in various states of dismemberment, its green blood staining the stone walls and floors. Some had their limbs torn off, others were decapitated and some were missing their vital organs. The brutality of the killings made Zou feel quite uneasy as if he was walking through a battlefield rather than a cave.

‘Lea… I hope you are safe.’

As he cautiously stepped over the remains, he noticed that there were no signs of struggle. The monsters seemed to have been killed swiftly and efficiently, their killer leaving no room for error. Zou couldn’t help but wonder who or what could be responsible for such an attack.

As continues to walk deeper, there he noticed the corpses of the monsters seem to increase as he carries on. There he was a mountain pile of corpses.

‘Woah..’

‘That’s a lot of bodies.’

As he approached the mountain of monster corpses, he saw a shadowy figure standing in the midst of them. It was a statue, its imposing form looking even more menacing among the carnage. The statue’s eyes seemed to gleam in the dim light as if watching over the dead monsters with a sense of satisfaction.

Its surface was covered in a layer of black ash, giving it an even more ominous appearance. The statue’s sharp features were cast in sharp relief by the blue torches flickering in the dark, the light casting eerie shadows across the creature’s from.

‘This thing gives me the same vibe that Dagen was fighting.’

The statue turned its gaze toward Zou, and without hesitation, charged toward him.

‘What the!?’

Its fists clenched and ready for battle. Zou braced himself, taking a defensive stance and readying his spear. The two clashed in a flurry of punches and stabbing, each blow echoing throughout the empty corridors.

Zou could feel the immense power behind each strike, the statue’s stone fists hitting with a force of a sledgehammer. He dodged and weaved, striking back with its spear, but the statue was too fast, too powerful.

‘So fast.’

Zou jumped back.

But with a sudden burst of speed, the statue charged forward, its stone feet pounding the ground with each step. Zou quickly sidestepped, evading the statue’s attack. He countered it with a swift strike of his spear, but the spear bounced harmlessly off the statue’s stone skin.

‘Tch.’

But the statue was quick to react, and with lightning-fast reflexes, it blocked Zou’s attack with its arm. The impact of the blow echoed through the chamber, and Zou’s spear vibrated painfully in his hands. The statue retaliated with a flurry of punches, each strike sending sparks flying as it connected with Zou’s spear.

Despite his best effort, Zou was slowly being pushed back by the statue's relentless onslaught.

‘F#ck, if this goes on.’

The statue aimed and kicked his head, but luckily Zou was fast enough to react as he deflects it with his spear.

‘I would die…’

‘It feels like fighting the figure..’

His muscles burned with fatigue, and his breathing was ragged and labored.

The statue and Zou continue to exchange blows, each trying to land a decisive hit. He was quick on his feet, dodging the statue’s heavy bows and countering with swift strikes of his own. The statue, on the other hand, was relentless and unyielding, its stone body seemingly impervious to Zou’s attacks.

He was starting to get tired, his muscles aching from the constant strain of fighting. He knew he had to end this quickly before he exhausted himself completely. He took a deep breath and charged at the statue, ready to deliver a powerful blow.

But the statue was one step ahead. It feinted an attack, causing Zou to let his guard down. In that split second, the statue struck with lightning-fast speed, hitting Zou with a devastating blow that sent him flying across the room.

Zou landed with a thud in the blue-torched room, tumbling to the ground in a heap. He lay there, dazed and in pain, as the statue emerged from the hole in the wall.

He stands up and wipes the blood on his lips.

At that moment, Zou realized the gravity of the situation. This was not just a fight for everyone's safety, but a fight for his life.

He smiled in amusement.

‘This is it. This is what I’ve been waiting for. A real challenge. This thing is no joke. But that’s exactly why I’m excited. I can feel my heart racing with anticipation.’

The statue walks towards him slowly.

‘I know I’m in danger, but…’

He gripped his spear tightly.

‘I can’t help but smile.’

“You’re one tough cookie, I underestimated you.’

He cracked his knuckles.

“Entertain me more.”

Zou and the human-like statue stood on opposite sides of the room, both assessing the other's next move. Zou's heart was pounding in his chest, but he couldn't help the thrill of excitement that ran through him. He had always been drawn to danger, and this fight was no different.

The statue lunged forward, moving with incredible speed and agility for something so massive. Zou dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the statue's fist as it smashed into the ground, sending chunks of stone flying everywhere.

He rolled to his feet and launched himself at the statue, his spear gripped tightly. The statue countered with a kick that sent Zou flying across the room. Zou crashed into the wall, gasping for air as pain shot through his ribs.

But he didn't stay down for long. Zou knew that he couldn't afford to show any weakness in front of the statue. He got to his feet and charged back into the fray, his spear flying.

The statue was a formidable opponent, its movements fluid and effortless. Zou found himself having to constantly dodge and weave to avoid the statue's powerful attacks. But he didn't give up. Every time the statue landed a blow, Zou got back up and kept fighting.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Zou saw an opening. The statue had overextended itself, leaving its head open to attack. Zou seized the opportunity and landed a powerful blow to the statue's jaw.

The statue stumbled backward, its eyes glowing with fury. It lunged forward again, but this time Zou was ready. He sidestepped the attack and landed a series of lightning-fast blows to the statue's side.

But the statue quickly retaliated with a flurry of strikes, and Zou was forced to play defense. As the fight between Zou and the human-like statue raged on, it was clear that the statue had the upper hand. Its movements were fluid and precise, and its attacks were powerful and devastating.

Zou was barely able to keep up, dodging and blocking as best as he could, but he knew deep down that he was outmatched. He could feel his strength waning and his movements becoming sluggish.

The statue seemed to sense this, and its attacks became even more relentless. It moved with lightning-fast speed, striking Zou with incredible force and leaving him reeling.

‘Tch, it quickly adapted my fighting style. Huh…’

As Zou and the statue continued their intense fight, the surroundings suddenly shifted and they were teleported back to the middle area where Dagen and the demon figure were fighting.

‘What the!?’

They were confused as to why they were suddenly teleported back in here. Until Zou remembered that this domain shifted.

‘Boss!’

The sight that greeted Zou was grim, with Dagen kneeling on the ground, severely injured and barely conscious.

“Boss!”

But then, to Zou's surprise, the statue turned its attention to the demon figure and launched a fierce attack. The demon figure was caught off guard, and a powerful energy blast from the statue struck it, causing it to stumble backward.

Zou couldn't believe what he was seeing. Was the statue an ally after all? Or was it just fighting to eliminate any threat to its existence? He didn't have time to ponder the statue's motives as the fight continued, with the demon figure retaliating with its own devastating attacks.

Zou saw his chance and swiftly made his way toward the injured Dagen, grabbing him and pulling him out of harm's way. The human-like statue was fiercely battling the demon figure, both evenly matched in strength and power. Zou helped Dagen to a safe spot, watching as the two figures clashed with ferocity.

The statue moved with precision, its strikes deliberate and deadly, each blow landing with force.

The figure spoke.

“It seems someone, let you out of your cage. ”

But the statue kept on releasing strike after strike. But the figure smiled and continues to retaliate with punches and kicks sending shock waves.

Dagen was barely conscious, his breathing labored and shallow. Zou knew he had to act fast, he couldn't let Dagen die. He searched for something to help him, his eyes scanning the area until he two figures walking towards them, his hand instinctively reaching for his spear, ready to defend himself and Dagen. But as they drew closer, he recognized Lea’s distinctive blonde hair.

‘Lea!’

Zou felt relief wash over him as he realized they were not enemies, but rather fellow survivors of the battle. Reed was limping badly, and Lea looked pale and weak, but both had determined expressions on their faces.

“We have to get out of her,” Reed said, his voice strained. “There’s no way we can win this fight.”

Zou nodded, Zou lifted his injured leader, supporting him as they limped away from the battlefield. The statue and demon were still locked in combat, their movements sending shockwaves through the ground. Zou couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and fear as he watched the two powerful beings clash.

As the four hunters make their way back to the portal, they suddenly found themselves under attack. A shadowy figure emerged from the ground, its features indistinguishable in the darkness. With its sword held up high, it charges toward them.

“Dodge!”

Zou pushed Dagen as well as Reed out of the way and block its attack with his spear.

The shadow jumped back and prepared its second attack.

Zou, always ready for a fight, took a step forward and faced the enemy. He could feel the power emanating from the shadow knight and knew that this would not be an easy battle.

Without hesitation, Zou launched himself at the shadow soldier. His movements were quick and fluid, but the shadow knight was no slouch either. Its strikes were precise and deadly, forcing Zou to dodge and weave with every blow.

The two combatants traded blows, each one trying to gain the upper hand. Sparks flew as their weapons clashed, filling the air with an eerie light.

Despite the shadow knight's power, Zou was holding his own. He moved with the grace of a dancer, each strike calculated and precise. His movements were too quick for the shadow soldier to keep up with, and it soon found itself on the defensive.

Zou saw his opening and took it. He lunged forward, his spear flashing in the darkness. The shadow soldier tried to dodge, but it was too slow. Zou's spear sliced through the air, cutting through the shadow soldier's form and dispersing it into nothingness.

“Phew.”

Zou’s radio cackled once again.

“Zou, Zou, this is Wilkins. Do you copy?”

A brief silence on the other side of the radio. Everyone hoped Zou respond especially Rei who tightly gripped her left arm.

“Loud and clear, Wilkins.”

Wilkins smiled.

“Have you found them?”

Once again a brief silence on the other side of the radio.

“Yes, They’re with me now.”

Everyone in the camp shouted in triumph as they heard the news the two hunters were completely found.

Rei burst into tears as she heard that Reed was safe.

“That’s good news.”

“I also found  boss, but he’s heavily injured. We need immediate medical assistance.”

“Copy that. We’re sending a rescue team to your location. Hold tight, Zou.”

“Copy that.”

“Stay safe out there, Zou. Wilkins out.”

Wilkins received the message from Zou and immediately sprung into action. He barked orders to his team, dispatching them to the abyssal domain to rescue the injured hunters. The team scrambled to gather their gear and prepare for the dangerous mission ahead.

Meanwhile, Zou, Reed, Lea, and Dagen were making their way toward the abyssal gate, eager to escape the nightmarish domain they found themselves in. But as they neared the gate, they heard a strange noise and turned to see the figure hurling the head of the statue at them.

Zou quickly sprang into action, using his enhanced speed and agility to dodge the incoming projectile. The head smashed into the ground beside them, sending up a cloud of dust and debris. The four hunters looked up to see the figure standing before them, wreathed in shadows.

The menacing figure stood tall and imposing, its body shrouded in darkness that seemed to swallow up all light around it. It had a sinister smile etched onto its face, one that sent shivers down the spines of anyone who looked upon it. Its eyes glowed with otherworldly energy, and its skin seemed to be made of shadows themselves. The figure radiated an aura of malevolence, and it was clear that it was not to be trifled with. As it loomed over the hunters, its presence filled them with a sense of dread and foreboding.

‘It managed to defeat it that fast!?’

“Oi, newbie.”

Reed looked at Zou.

“I’ll buy us some time, in the meanwhile, you escort these two out. You got me.”

Zou carefully placed Dagen on the ground.

“Zou…. no…”

Lea who is barely awake grips Zou’s clothes attempt of stopping him.

Zou smiled and gently let it go.

“Z…o…u….”

Zou spins his spear in a playful manner.

“Yo!”

He smiled and dashes forward.

Reed gritted his teeth and dragged Dagen and Lea as far away as possible,

Zou's fight with the menacing figure was intense. Both fighters were quick and skilled, their movements a blur as they clashed in the abyssal domain. However, the figure seemed to have an advantage over Zou. Its attacks were precise and powerful, striking at Zou's weak points with deadly accuracy.

Despite Zou's best efforts, the figure was able to overpower him. In a swift move, it took out one of Zou's eyes, causing him to cry out in pain and stumble backward. The figure grinned wickedly at Zou's pain, seeming to revel in its victory.

Zou staggered back, clutching his face where his eye once was. Blood gushed from the wound and stained his clothes. The figure towered over him, a menacing grin etched onto its face.

"You foolish hunter," the figure taunted, "did you really think you could defeat me?"

Zou gritted his teeth and lunged forward, his remaining eye blazing with determination. But the figure was too fast, dodging his attacks effortlessly and countering with brutal strikes.

“Why you!”

Zou gritted his teeth and lunged forward, his remaining eye blazing with determination. But the figure was too fast, dodging his attacks effortlessly and countering with brutal strikes. The two continued to clash, each blow ringing out like thunder. Zou fought with everything he had, but it was clear that the figure had the upper hand.

Suddenly, the figure struck with blinding speed, striking Zou's face with a savage blow. Zou's vision spun, and he stumbled backward, dazed.

The figure cackled, savoring its victory. It approached Zou and, with a swift motion, broke one of his fingers.

Zou screamed in agony, his body wracked with pain. The figure stood over him, its laughter ringing in his ears.

"You are nothing," the figure sneered, "just another hunter to be crushed beneath my feet."

Reed struggled to carry the injured Dagen and support Lea as he ran away from the intense battle between Zou and the menacing figure. He could feel the weight of their bodies and the exhaustion in his muscles, but he knew he had to keep going. He glanced over his shoulder and saw the flashes of light from the fight behind him, but he didn't dare stop. He could hear the figure's taunting laughter and Zou's grunts of pain. Reed was panting heavily as he ran, carrying Dagen on his back and supporting the weakened Lea with his other arm. He had to get them out of there before the figure came after them. But just as he was about to reach the abyssal gate, Lea weakly spoke up.

"Reed...we can't leave Zou there," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Reed hesitated, looking back toward the direction of the fight. He knew Lea was right, they couldn't leave their fellow hunter behind. He took a deep breath and made a decision.

"Sir Dagen, hold on tight," he said to the injured leader on his back. "Miss Lea, can you walk?"

"I'll try," she responded weakly.

Reed set Dagen down against a nearby rock, making sure he was stable and helped Lea to sit down beside her injured leader.

He grabs his sword and before he can stand up Lea opened her mouth.

“Wait…. before you… go”

Her response was like a whisper and she handed Reed a crystal.

He knew what type of crystal is this. With a nod, he took the crystal with a serious expression. He knew the risk he was taking, but he couldn't leave Zou to fight alone. He sprinted back to the battlefield, where Zou was still locked in combat with the figure.

“Zou!”

Zou looked back.

“Newbie, what are you doing here!”

“Dodge!”

Reed showed him the crystal.

‘An explosive crystal?’

Zou jumped backward. While the figure looked at Reed.

Reed knew he had to act fast, so he threw the explosive crystal at the figure's feet. Both hunters shielded their eyes anticipating an explosion. But nothing happened.

‘What!?’

“Tch! Get out of here!”

Reed's heart sank as he watched the crystal land harmlessly on the ground. He couldn't believe it failed to detonate. His mind raced as he quickly considered other options.

Without hesitation, Reed sprinted towards Zou and the figure. He knew that Zou was in trouble, and he needed to act fast. As he neared the fight, the shadow figure turned towards him with a wicked grin. Reed could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he prepared to face the formidable enemy.

“What are you doing here? Newbie!”

“Helping you!”

Zou yelled out to him.

“Just get out of here! Your just deadweight!”

The figure dashed forwards with great speed.

Zou pushed Reed out of the way.

The figure barely missed them.

“Tch!”

Zou sprinted towards the figure. The two clashed in a brutal fight, each landing blow after blow. Zou could feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins as he fought with all his might. However, the shadow figure was too powerful, and Zou could feel himself being pushed back.

Reed hesitated for a moment, feeling insulted but knowing that Zou was right.

Just when all hope seemed lost, he noticed something odd about the crystal.

He quickly realized that the explosive crystal hadn't detonated because it needed a stronger force to trigger it. He looked around and saw a large boulder nearby. With all his might, he pushed the boulder toward the figure, hoping that it would be enough to set off the explosive.

Meanwhile, Zou and the figure continued their intense battle. Zou was determined to take down the menacing figure and avenge his lost eye. He unleashed a flurry of strikes, but the figure seemed to anticipate his every move, dodging and countering with equal ferocity.

As the fight drags on. Zou’s strength leaves him.

‘This… bastard, it's playing with me..’

His knees gave out, resulting in him to lay on the ground.

“Sh…it…”

As Zou lay on the ground, gasping for breath and struggling to stand, the figure loomed over him, its sinister smile widening. Zou knew that he was outmatched and out of options. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, bracing for the end. The figure lurches back his fist and brings it down violently

“RAGH!!”

With a scream, Reed rushed in between the figure and Zou taking the hit.

Zou opened his eyes and saw Reed in front of him with a gaping hole in his chest.

“You..”

Reed's hand clamps down on the figure's arm, and he grunts in pain as the figure tries to break free. With his other hand, Reed digs deep into his pocket and pulls out the explosive crystal he hurriedly picked.

“Shoot it!”

“Are you stupid!”

“It's the only way!!”

Zou hesitated, knowing that the crystal could kill Reed if it exploded. But seeing the determination in Reed's eyes, Zou knew there was no other choice. He stands up weakly. He aimed his spear at the crystal.

“Tell….Rei this, Please take....care of....my…..mother…..sister.”

“Okay…”

and with a deep breath, he threw his spear with all his might.

As the spear flew towards the crystal, a blinding light erupted from the explosion, sending shockwaves through the air. Zou shielded his eyes from the brightness as he watched the figure and Reed being consumed by the blast. Debris and smoke filled the air, obscuring his view of what had happened.

As the smoke cleared, Zou's heart sank. The figure and Reed were nowhere to be seen, and he feared the worst. He stumbled towards the site of the explosion, coughing from the smoke and dust.

Suddenly. the ground shook violently beneath their feet. The sound of crumbling rocks echoed through the corridor, and the air grew thick with dust and debris. Zou's heart raced with fear and adrenaline as he pushed himself to move faster.

As Zou reached Dagen and Lea, he saw that Lea's injuries were too severe, and she was barely holding on. Dagen, on the other hand, had regained consciousness but was unable to move. Zou knew he had to act quickly if he wanted to save them. He lifted Dagen onto his shoulder, and Lea he carried in his arms. With all his strength, he sprinted towards the exit of the abyssal gate.

Finally, they saw a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, and Zou knew they were close. He sprinted with all his might and burst through the gate, carrying Dagen and Lea to safety. As they emerged from the gate, he saw the abyssal gate vanish.

Zou fell to his knees, panting heavily from exhaustion and relief. He had never felt so alive and so grateful to be alive. He looked down at Dagen and Lea, and though they were badly injured, they were alive. Zou knew that they had survived the abyssal realm together, and that was all that mattered.

The hunters who were about to enter the domain saw Zou. They saw three hunters stumbling out of the gate, looking battered and injured. Without hesitation, the hunters quickly rushed to their aid, helping them stand and supporting them as they made their way to the nearest tent.

The hunters' wounds were severe, blood dripping from their wounds and staining their clothes. They were barely conscious, their eyes drooping and their breathing shallow. The hunters who had come to their aid knew they needed medical attention immediately, so they carried them to the tent, where they laid them down gently on the ground.

The hunters quickly sprang into action, tending to the injured hunters' wounds and giving them medicine to alleviate their pain. They worked tirelessly, their hands moving swiftly and expertly, using their knowledge of medicine to heal the wounded.

As they treat the injured trio, one of the hunters noticed a figure emerging from the tent. It was Rei, her face twisted in worry and desperation. She made her way towards Zou, her eyes scanning the room for any sign of Reed.

"Zou, where's Reed? Is he okay?" she asked, her voice trembling with emotion.

Zou's heart sank as he realized what had happened. He looked up at Rei with a heavy heart and shook his head. "

“I'm sorry, Miss. Reed...he didn't make it.” Zou said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Rei's face fell as she heard the news, tears streaming down her face. She collapsed to the ground, her body wracked with sobs.

Meanwhile. Inside the abyssal domain….

Reed struggled to keep his eyes open, his vision blurred and his body ached all over. He could barely move, and his mind was clouded with pain and confusion. Suddenly, a spawn of bright windows appeared before him, its light shining through the darkness of the abyssal domain.

{A Visitor ?}

Reed's eyes fluttered open as he heard a voice speaking to him. He looked around and saw nothing but darkness, but then a bright window suddenly appeared before him.

{Congratulations!!! You have met the requirements of becoming a Re-Runner!!!}

{Do you wish to Re-run ?: Y/N}

Reed's mind was foggy and he could barely move, but the message on the window was crystal clear. He tried to focus on it, trying to make sense of what it meant. Was it some kind of a test or a trap? He had never heard of a "re-runner" before. But something in him stirred, a deep-seated desire to become strong

‘Everything hurts, my entire body was screaming in agony.’

“I- can’t die here yet!!.”

he used his remaining strength to raise my right arm and clicked.

{Congratulations!}

After clicking my strength left my body. my eyes slowly closed.

{You are now entering the Trial Stage}

END OF CHAPTER 10.