As soon as Block-16 as a whole entered the City-section, Jarxen and the rest of the block owners already expected their untimely deaths and it wasn't just assumption. It had been proven from the previous mock battles that no one could cross the City-section. At most, workers could reach the heart of the City-section and get trapped in it. After that, a fight to the death is inevitable and the endless waves of humanoids is sure to either tire someone to death or kill them due to their lack of skills.
Either way, death is the only option.
A few block owners were already smirking at Jarxen's loss. No matter how strong your block is, it won't stand a chance once you ventured into the City-section in the Inside.
Or so they thought.
Minutes passed and Red's group still fared better than the previous workers. The smirking block owners turned their smirk into shock as the group managed to cross ninety percent of the City-section.
When Curl fell down due to exhaustion, the block owners inwardly cheered since it meant that there will be casualties. The outclass humanoids caught up and Red and Scar had no choice but to hold them off. During that time, the block owners were already telling Jarxen to give up on two of his workers. However, Jarxen just clasped his hand as he muttered a prayer. Although it wouldn't really do anything since their fate was already sealed, he still didn't want to give up on them. They were the strongest out of all his workers and losing them meant losing the entire Runners Survivors.
That's when the waves of fate turned backward and Jarxen's prayers were miraculously answered.
"W-what just happened?" Jarxen shot up from his chair after the brown-haired man swooped in to save Blond and Scar from the overwhelming horde of humanoids.
Jarxen heaved a huge sigh of relief along with Fujimoto and Julia. The three of them sank on their seats as ease overcame them.
"HEY! I JUST REMEMBERED SOMETHING!" Fujimoto exclaimed uncharacteristically. "Your block was the first one to safely cross the City-section, right? Right?!"
The realization finally hit Jarxen as he raised his left fists upwards. "RAARRRGHHH!!!" He screamed in celebration.
However, no one joined his cheers. Feeling rather awkward with what he did, he softly cleared his throat and returned to his seat. History was made, and it was Jarxen's block who made it.
"Congratulations. For a moment there, I thought they were goners." Julia patted him on the back.
"I thought the same thing. Whoever that person was, I want to thank him." Julia said.
"Didn't you know? That's the star of Block-1. I think their group already collected seven flags by now. They're in the lead that's why they have no interest in participating on hunting your block."
"That's a relief. I thought Red and Scar were strong but after seeing that man, I shudder to think of the end result if he ever decides to attack my block." Jarxen breathed out once again.
"Yeah, that guy was employed longer than you are. He has been here for more than ten years ago, or so the rumors said. Aside from that, he was always assigned to a Testing block. He never once lost a fight against our humanoids." Fujimoto pointed out. "I heard he once defeated an outclass humanoid in less than a minute."
"He's probably on par with my strength, or slightly higher. Now that's a scary middle-aged man right there." Jarxen said, pointing a finger at the man. "Wait, what is he.. ?! Is he heading back to the City?"
Jarxen and the other block owners were shocked as the brown-haired man headed back to the City-section after rescuing Red and Scar. He didn't even break a sweat as he ran much faster than before.
"That guy's just crazy," Julia said.
.....
"What they escaped?! How could that be?! I even replaced all the humanoids there with outclass humanoids and adding to that, I doubled their numbers... you're telling me that they still escaped after all that?!"
Head Cipher was about to flip out but he reminded himself to keep his composure when in front of his subordinates. That being said, the computer in front of him was tempting him. He badly wanted to shove the computer out of his desk but he grabbed his right hand with his left, his nails digging on his skin as he maintained his tranquility and coldness in his voice.
"Yes, a man from Block-1 saved the two workers left behind." One of the guards pointed out.
The guards were the same guards who wrongfully arrested Julia Ventio.
"An unexpected situation has arisen." Head Cipher grimly uttered. "I want you to double the preparations in the upcoming Runners Survivors. And as a cheery on top, I want you to announce the whereabouts of Block-16 via the speakers in the Inside. Let everyone hunt them down. I don't want any of them alive!"
"Yes, Head Cipher."
The guards strode off the room and headed to the broadcasting room just a few doors from Head Cipher's office. This was where the humanoid was making its commentary every time someone stole a flag or an important announcement was given by Head Cipher.
The humanoid turned its head a hundred and eighty degrees as the guards entered the broadcasting room. It wore the same expressionless eyes as all the other humanoids. The only difference was, it didn't show any hostility to the armed guards.
"We got orders from Head Cipher to instruct you on your next broadcast." One of the guards said, showing his identification ID and throwing a hologram disc at the humanoid.
The humanoid then caught it as it played a recording of the broadcast.
"We'll be taking our leave." The guards said before heading out.
The humanoid paused for a moment before it grabbed the mic. But before turning it on, the humanoid spoke a few words before the broadcast.
"Humans... not enemies... humans rivals."
.....
A drone flitted past the cluster of trees, making its way to the edge of the Forest-section where the Block-16 were resting. The live stream was then switched to the drone. Now, all the block owners could see the whereabouts of Block-16.
.... Block-16... Block-16 is currently in staying at the edge of the Forest-section... just westwards from the City-section... I repeat, Block-16 is currently at the edge of the Forest-section.
Blond looked around, wondering why their location was being broadcasted. "It's not like we got additional flags. Why are they broadcasti... " Blond stopped short. He finally realized why.
They've been running successfully from the other blocks that Head Cipher decided to target them directly.
"I need to find Scar and Red soon, otherwise we'll all be in danger." Quickening his pace, Blond continued his search for Red and Scar.
Blond was contemplating whether to return back to everyone or continue his search for Red and Scar. He knew that Scar and Red had a twenty-five percent of survival against the outclass humanoids but he was also tasked on leading the rest of the group since Red was left behind.
"ARGH!" Blond screamed in frustration as he kicked a stone a step from him. He decided to return to Gadge and the others since Red and Scar would probably blame him if something were to happen to them.
.
.
"Blond? What are you doing here?"
Upon hearing a familiar voice, Blond whirled around. He couldn't believe what he heard, that's why he just had to see it.
"Red! Scar!" Blond exclaimed as he rushed towards them. "You're both alive!"
Scar extended his hand and Red shook it in the process. After hugging both of them with one arm, Scar patted them on the back. "We thought we lost you."
"Enough about that, where are Curl and the others?" Red concernedly asked.
"I told them I'll go look out for you for a few moments before we head off to the southwest. Then I heard the announcement and I was about to retrace my footsteps when you two showed up!" Blond excitedly narrated. "Anyways, what happened? How were you able to escape those humanoids? Do you have any injuries?"
"Relax, Blond. We'll tell you everything later. For now, we have to regroup with everyone. That's our utmost priority." Red patted him on the shoulder. "Let's go."
Blond and Scar followed suit as Red picked up the pace.
After fighting those countless humanoids, he still has the energy to sprint? Red really is a freakishly monstrous being. Blond said to himself.
It didn't take long for the trio to find the rest of their block...
... but meeting up with them was harder than they thought
In a split second, Red 'stepped on his brakes' and hid behind a shrub. He motioned for Blond and Scar to do the same.
Just a few meters in front of them were Curl and the others with their guards up as thirteen workers of different ages surrounded them.