Why did I agree to this? Sun Tie asked himself as he headed toward the camp. Glancing over his shoulder, he watched the light from the font of power recede further and further away. "I could already be there if I had run the rest of the way."

"Are you okay, kid?" Cole inquired from behind him.

"No! I'm not 'okay.' Damn you, old man. James and Sofia could've brought the kid back safely," Sun Tie retorted, glaring at Cole’s grim expression.

Sun Tie was at the forefront of the group, his flame sword held high in the sky, lighting their path as they followed Cole’s directions. The archer was close behind, followed by the child, with Sofia and James trailing at the very end.

They walked for what felt like 8 hours, pausing only for quick bites to eat and sips to drink. Whenever they stopped, the beasts’ noises seemed to grow louder and more intense. Sun Tie felt confident with his new abilities, but he was reluctant to take any chances with whatever might be lurking in that forest.

Two low-level inferior abominations had proven to be challenging enough; facing three or more, or possibly larger creatures, could be fatal for them. Protecting the child while fighting could turn into a difficult task that Sun Tie preferred not to risk.

"They couldn’t have, and you know it. I've already killed three bats from a distance. Do you think James could've handled it alone?" Cole challenged, and Sun Tie heard a murmur from behind. The priest was displeased with the old man’s words.

"Maybe, who knows. You saw him fight the monster bear; he has the wits."

"But not the grit," Cole replied, this time in a whisper.

"Heh, you're probably right," Sun Tie admitted, waving off the old man with his hand. "Are we close?"

"Very. Maybe twenty or thirty minutes more, and we'll be there."

"Good, then we can head back to find Sun Li and my grandfather."

"Yes, as I've already told you ten times," Cole retorted, annoyance evident in his voice.

"I'll ask as many times as I need, old man. It wouldn't be the first time you've let me down," Sun Tie said, forcing a laugh. "I bet if we reach the camp and someone asks you to find their dog, you'll rush to do it instead of helping me!"

"Ha-ha-ha," Cole replied dryly.

"Or even better, you'll assist a desperate and defenseless old woman with an ingrown toenail."

This time, Cole genuinely laughed, and Sun Tie joined in. They continued walking in silence for a few minutes before Cole moved closer to the young master and posed another question, his voice softer this time.

"I've been pondering what the kid mentioned earlier. Demons, sorcerers, vampires... What's your take on that?"

Sun Tie glanced at Cole from the corner of his eye.

"Oh, heavens! Why should we concern ourselves, Cole? That’s not our mission..."

"Yes, but it's our world now, right? We need to be prepared."

"An eternal war between two factions in a fairy-tale Earth. From my perspective, it seems they'll keep fighting each other, and we'll be heading in the completely opposite direction."

"Yes, I suppose."

"Moreover, if they do pose a real threat, I'm your best bet. As soon as I discredit Sun Li's charade, I'll become the clan leader in no time. And if these creatures are a genuine threat, we'll have an army of cultivators to confront them."

"Good. Solid take on the matter, kid," Cole said, patting Sun Tie's back.

"Pff..." Sun Tie smirked, "as if I'm not known for my intelligent insights on various matters."

"Uhum... yes, you are," Cole replied with irony while resuming his original position. Sun Tie was about to respond when a system message interrupted him.

[10 minutes until System Internal Integration]

"Did you see it too?" Sun Tie asked, noticing from everyone's expressions that they had.

"System Internal Integration?" James called out from behind, "Does anyone know what it means?"

"No," Cole replied, "but we'd better be in the camp when we find out. If we run, we can probably make it. Follow me and mimic my actions along the way." With that, Cole moved to the lead and broke into a run.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Sun Tie was right behind him, sword raised to the sky and feet moving swiftly. They ran for what felt like an eternity. Sun Tie's mouth was parched, but they pressed on, the woods around them blurring, illuminated only by the intense red glow of the Umbraheim's full moon.

The sounds of beasts nearby were growing ever louder.

[3 minutes until System Internal Integration]

"Are we gonna make it?" Sun Tie yelled at the top of his voice, though it came out raspy and quieter than he intended.

"Yes!" Cole shouted back. "We're close. No talking, just run."

And Sun Tie ran as if his life depended on it. Whatever was about to happen, it seemed wiser to be nearer to allies and farther from the creatures in the woods. Sun Tie heard rapid footsteps close by and glanced back to check if they were from his companions, but something felt off.

"Cole! Is something following us?"

The answer took several seconds to come, but eventually, the old man responded.

"Yes, two wolves to your right. Best to keep running. I can't tell if they're undead or just regular ones," Cole called out, his voice trailing off before he could finish.

Okay, just keep running, Sun Tie thought, feeling his legs ache more with each step. The kid behind him was clearly struggling to keep up.

"Come on, kid!" Sun Tie encouraged loudly, "You can do it!"

The boy tried to respond, but no sound emerged, his mouth likely as dry as Sun Tie's. The child was actually demonstrating considerable bravery; for all Sun Tie could tell, the boy probably didn't have any levels, yet despite that handicap, he was maintaining their pace.

Just as Sun Tie turned to scan the horizon, he heard the thuds of bodies hitting the ground. The kid had tumbled, rolling on the ground, and Sofia had fallen over him. James narrowly avoided joining them in their fall.

That was the moment the beasts had been waiting for. Sun Tie heard them closing in.

[1 minute until System Internal Integration]

"Cole!" Sun Tie shouted, and no sooner had the words left his mouth than an [Incandescent Arrow] was soaring through the air, striking one creature in the neck. The light from the arrow's path was sufficient to reveal the other beast's location to Sun Tie.

The undead wolf was already pouncing towards the boy. Sun Tie swung his blade and met the creature midair, cleaving it into two.

The back half of the monster dropped to the ground, lifeless, but the front half continued its relentless advance towards the child, growling and baring its teeth.

"What a monstrosity," Sun Tie whispered as he decapitated the creature. The other one was lunging forward again but was halted by another arrow, then dispatched by a blow from James' sword.

[You have slain an Undead Wolf - lvl 08]

[You have slain an Undead Wolf - lvl 08]

"Good! Keep going!" Cole shouted, and they continued their dash, now seeing lights on the horizon. "We're close!"

Relief washed over Sun Tie, but it was mingled with a sense of urgency as the countdown appeared before his eyes and stayed there.

[53 seconds until System Internal Integration]

Oh, Hells! The young master quickened his pace, though his agility had diminished somewhat after using his combat skills.

[29 seconds until System Internal Integration]

The child stumbled once more, and Sun Tie hoisted him up in one fluid motion, just in time for James to take him into his arms.

"Go, go!" Sun Tie urged as they reached the outskirts of the camp.

"It's me, Sofia!" The woman began yelling as figures emerged, weapons at the ready. Leigh was among them, her staff emitting a blue glow from its tip.

[3 seconds until System Internal Integration]

The last thing Sun Tie saw, while with his feet on the ground, was the mother's face alight with joy as she caught sight of her son on the horizon.

[Initiating System Internal Integration]

After the message, the young master felt as if he were being hurled into the sky. He watched the entire jungle shrink beneath him, and then everything turned white.