The skinny, pale creature began to rise, its elongated limbs trembling as it pushed itself up from the wreckage it had created. Rubble rolled away with grating sounds, scattering around its base as it found its footing. Its massive wings strained against the weight of debris pinning them down, delaying its movements for a few moments longer. However, its pointy head had already lifted high, swaying slightly as if disoriented.

  Kai and Hazie didn’t move. Both stood rooted in place, their hesitation palpable. Hazie, for normal reasoning—, wariness and self-preservation. Kai’s, however, was more complex; while he could risk taking the creature head-on, revealing his immortality to her wasn’t a gamble he was willing to take lightly.

  And then, there was the creature itself. Something about it unnerved him. Needless to say, Hazie was an exceptional leader, one who commanded an army of Players equipped with powers that defied logic towards an unbelievable journey to the sky. Taking down a beast like this should have been within their capabilities. Yet, they had not. They even gone out of their way to avoid it, as if even attempting to fight it was a mistake.

  Even now, it was clear they had underestimated this airborne terror. The creature’s toughened head, adorned with an external black skull, was not just for show, apparently. The skull had served as a natural helmet, protecting it during the crash and sparing it from grievous injuries that could have been fatal enough to boost their confidence in prevailing. Kai’s jaw tightened as he watched it rise, realizing just how much tougher this thing was than they had anticipated.

  “That’s one heck of a hard head,” Kai muttered, his voice low but edged with tension. He glanced at Hazie. “What now, genius?”

  She met his gaze, her expression tight, as well. She hesitated, weighing their options, before shaking her head decisively. “If I was as strong as you, maybe. But the odds aren’t in our favor. And Julia divined this thing—she said it’s exceptionally deadly for reasons we don't specifically know yet... Let’s leave it at that. We’ve done enough, for now.”

  Her steps wavered as she moved closer to him, and Kai frowned instinctively. He wasn’t the type to get close to people—especially not girls. Something about proximity always sets him on edge. And Hazie was a special case. He wasn’t just wary of her; he would rather actively avoid her when possible after experiencing what she's capable of doing behind him.

  But now, she was standing close enough for him to notice something that annoyed him even more: apparently, she was slightly taller than him. Of course, it made sense. While he had spent his days scavenging scraps to survive, Hazie had grown up feasting on luxuries he could only dream of.

  She tilted her head at him, her voice soft but insistent as she asked nicely "Can you carry me like how you would to a princess?"

  Kai blinked, staring at her as if she had just asked him to juggle fire. His restraint kept him from rolling his eyes. Then, the creature behind them suddenly groaned once more, its monstrous wings twitching free from the rubble, signaling its recovery.

  “Sure,” he said flatly.

  Then, without warning, Kai bent slightly and hoisted Hazie over his shoulder like a sack of grain.

  “Hey—what the—!” Hazie’s indignant yelp rang out as her world tilted upside down.

  Her expression morphed into one of comical frustration, her brows furrowed and lips pressed tight as if trying to will herself to calm down. “This is *not* what I meant!”

  “Yeah, well, your phrasing could use some work,” Kai retorted, already moving.

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Needless to say, Kai was never destined to be the charming prince rescuing a princess from her tower nor a brave knight. He was more like the rogue bandit sneaking into the palace to kidnap the princess for ransom. So, how did she expect someone like him to carry a princess? More so when his other hand are occupied by their luggage to fulfill her request. As Hazie dangled awkwardly over his shoulder, her arms flailing and her face set in a hilariously exasperated pout, she couldn’t look less like a damsel in distress and more like someone plotting revenge.

  “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Hazie accused, her voice muffled by her awkward position over Kai’s shoulder.

  “Not as much as you think,” Kai quipped, though the grin tugging at his lips suggested otherwise.

  Behind them, the guttural shriek of the creature deepened, echoing with menace. The crunch of rubble and the scrape of talons against stone signaled its complete escape from the wreckage. Tension spiked like a wire pulled taut, every nerve in Kai’s body screaming for speed. Without sparing a second glance, his muscles coiled like springs as he surged forward, trying to steady his footing despite the uneven terrain, at the same time, gain speed.

  However, all jokes aside, they were in far more danger than they had anticipated. The black-skulled creature, having folded its bruised wings, revealed yet another terrifying trait—it was just as deadly on the ground. Although, not as terrifying when it's up the sky, but still agile enough to overwhelm a normal person and pressure Kaiser.

  With its elongated limbs propelling it forward, the monstrous predator, a twisted amalgamation of prehistoric horror and something otherworldly, proved unnervingly agile. Each pounding step brought it closer, its clawed feet tearing through stone floor with alarming speed.

  Hazie’s voice rose, her usually calm tone cracking under the tension. “Why is it so fast on land, too?”

  “Because the universe hates us, obviously!” Kai retorted, his breath coming in sharp gasps as he ducked under a low-hanging rock formation. His grip on Hazie was firm, ensuring she wouldn’t slip from his grasp.

  But even the rocky terrain didn’t hinder the beast. With a powerful leap, it spread its battered wings for balance and vaulted over the narrow obstacle, landing with a ground-shaking thud just behind them. The gap between predator and prey was closing far too quickly.

  Hazie tightened her grip on Kai’s uniform, her voice tinged with both panic and frustration. “It’s gaining on us! Hurry up, Kai!”

  “I am hurrying!” he snapped in a ragged breath.

  Aside from the pterodactyl monstrous ground mobility, another factor weighing him down is exhaustion. Tiredness clawed at him with every step. His muscles screamed in protest, the ache in his lungs growing sharper with each ragged breath. He could feel the fiery sting of cuts left by earlier debris, relatively

  relieved by the chilling atmosphere, the fatigue in his legs threatening to sap his momentum.

  Of course, with a single mental command, he could activate his immortality. His spent muscles would instantly mend, and his stamina would return in full force. But Kaiser was unwilling to pay that price. Reluctant to lose the already pitiful amount of points he has left, deeming his dwindling reserve wasn’t worth sacrificing for something he could manage through sheer grit—for now.

  More importantly, he refused to let Hazie see him tap into his other abilities. If she discovered his an unexhaustable man, there was no telling what kind of schemes she might concoct to exploit it for her own gains. Showing weariness also showed to her he's still human... Not a monster. Besides, a small, stubborn part of him relished testing his limits the old-fashioned way, reliving the sensation of human exhaustion—struggling, no matter how painful it was.

  Still, every step was a battle. He pushed through the burning in his legs and the pounding in his chest, his focus narrowing to the path ahead. Survival instinct, adrenaline and determination was the only thing keeping him going. Yet, deep down, he knew that if push came to shove, he could always make the choice to "cheat" and outrun the damned thing, surely, that monster stamina was lesser than him.

  The rhythmic thud of the creature’s heavy steps grew louder, closer. Each impact shook the ground beneath their feet, and the beast’s guttural roars grew sharper, more agitated, as it closed the distance.

  Without needing to asked, she gave direction towards the cave... For real, this time. After a series of guidance amidst the frenzied chase, they eventually arrived at the final point.

  “Left! Over there!” Hazie suddenly yelled, pointing toward a narrow cave entrance partially obscured by jagged rocks.

  Kai didn’t question her. He veered sharply, his boots skidding slightly on loose gravel before regaining traction. The cave loomed ahead, their only hope of escape.

  The creature let out an ear-splitting screech as it struggled to turn, before its shadow enveloped them as it lunged forward once more, claws raking at the air just shy of Kai’s back. He gritted his teeth and pushed harder, his strides fueled by desperation.

  'Faster, faster, faster!'

  Then, with a final burst of energy, they reached the cave. Kai practically threw himself inside, with him pulling Hazie into a protective embrace midair, their momentum sending them rolling across the rough floor before tumbling to a stop, their body aching but otherwise intact. That rough move also saved them from being captured.

  The cave suddenly shook because the predator wasn’t far behind. Its lengthy, sinewy neck snaked through the narrow cave entrance, its beady eyes locking onto them with predatory intent. Its deadly beak snapped mere inches from their feet, the echo of its impact ringing through the confined space.

  Kai and Hazie scrambled to his feet, his chest heaving as he glared at the creature.

  The beast thrashed on the cave entrance, its body too wide to fit through. Its talons scraped uselessly against the stone, but its sheer force sent tremors through the walls. Dust and small rocks rained down from above, the confined space amplifying every sound to a deafening degree.

  However, all sounds were dulled in Kaiser's vision because he's seeing the beast in a new perspective.

  This close, the ring was able to analyze and grade their pursuer.