Three months have passed since they decided to escape from the Kingdom of Lauren.

Sector 7 - Adventurer's Zone

Eldric gathered all the adventurers in a secluded corner of Sector 7, his voice firm and resolute, but kept low to avoid drawing attention:

Eldric: I've gathered you all here to explain the plan. Tonight, the island will descend, and a battalion of nobles and adventurers from the first sector, along with the king, will depart. We will blend in with them and take advantage of any distraction to escape.

Eldric continued explaining every detail, making sure everyone understood their roles in the operation.

Meanwhile, Aric and Freya spoke privately, away from the group.

Aric: I've learned the basics of each element. This will be a huge help. With these abilities, we can survive outside and become stronger to return.

Aric spoke with determination, his words reflecting his growth over the past three months.

Freya: The outside world is unknown to us. We'll need to find a village quickly to gather information.

Murmurs of approval were heard among the adventurers as Aric stepped to the front of the group.

Aric: Alright, everyone. During these three months, aside from training my abilities, I've also been gathering materials. Remember, be ready to fight if anything goes wrong.

Aric's motivating words lifted the group's morale, kicking off the plan.

That same night - Outside the Kingdom of Lauren

The battalion was organized and ready to depart. Aric, Eldric, Freya, and the other adventurers blended in among them, their hearts pounding as they moved in silence.

Aric, with a sense of unease he couldn't shake, whispered to Freya:

Aric: It was too easy… something feels off.

Freya, sensing the tension in the air, calmly responded:

Freya: Relax, it's normal to feel uneasy. We're surrounded, and if we're discovered, it'll be hard to escape.

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Just as they were about to leave the floating island, the king halted the battalion.

King Lauren: To all nobles and adventurers, prepare yourselves. This will be a fierce battle against the enemy kingdom, do not hesitate. In one minute, the island will reach the ground. Also, there are enemies infiltrated among us.

Aric, his heart racing, whispered:

Aric: We've been discovered.

Eldric, staying calm, replied:

Eldric: Don't panic, Aric. He doesn't know who we are yet.

Suddenly, King Lauren attacked a random adventurer, his sword gleaming with deadly speed.

Adventurer: What are you doing, King? Why are you attacking me?

The adventurer fell dead before he could get an answer.

King Lauren: Hmm, it wasn't him… Everyone stay still, I will kill each of you one by one until the infiltrators show themselves.

Terrified, the adventurers and nobles obeyed without question.

Aric, furious at the submission of the others, shouted:

Aric: What's wrong with you?! How can you not rebel? They've brainwashed you with lies.

Eldric, seeing that the situation was becoming critical, said:

Eldric: It's time to act. We only need to hold out for one minute.

Aric, using what he had learned, combined water magic with fire, creating a dense mist that covered the area.

Aric: Everyone, hide! We'll wait until we've descended.

King Lauren: So there you are…

The king moved with incredible speed, swinging a strike directly at Aric.

In a split second, Aric dodged the attack and created small metal spikes, which he launched with wind magic.

King Lauren, laughing, replied:

King Lauren: Ha, ha, ha, well done, young one. But you won't be able to defeat me.

The king mysteriously disappeared and reappeared from the ground, aiming for Aric's neck.

Aric: Agh! I didn't expect that… Luckily, I was able to quickly create armor around my neck.

The adventurers involved in the escape mission joined forces to attack the king.

King Lauren: What do you think you're doing, fools?

From his body, the king created rock spikes, severely injuring five of the ten adventurers.

Eldric: Everyone run, the island has already descended!

Eldric unleashed his most powerful attack: an electrical storm that he combined with Aric's mist, making it difficult for the king to dodge the lightning bolts.

Aric: Everyone, run!

Freya: Well done, Aric! We almost have him!

The king, furious, controlled the roots of the ground, attacking everyone fiercely and killing the remaining five adventurers.

Freya, in a state of panic, screamed:

Freya: Noooooooo! It's just the three of us left!

King Lauren, observing the situation, murmured under his breath:

King Lauren: I'll let you escape this time… I can't afford to lose the trust of my soldiers any further.

The three protagonists ran towards the horizon, knowing absolutely nothing about the new world they were about to enter.

End of Chapter 9

Beginning of the Adventure ArcEnd.