I hit the ground running, literally, tearing through the forest with a full horde of giant monkey beasts pounding after me.
Big ones.
Loud ones.
C-rank, but not Gemini stage, which meant no dualflow energy, just raw mana and ugliness.
Honestly?
They weren't even a threat.
If I wanted to, I could've wiped the entire group in under a minute. A few well-placed sword strikes, a death-Word or two, maybe a little ice for dramatic flair, done.
Clean.
Efficient.
Boring.
But why would I do that…
When there was a far better use for them?
Annoying my teammates.
The idea of their faces, Annalise's deadpan expression, Nora's unimpressed stare, Kent's deranged excitement, lit something in me. Something primal and petty. A joy so intense it made my chest feel warm.
So, naturally, I kept running.
And I kept luring more monsters into the chase.
