"Where's that son of a b*tch going?!" Lorenzo bellowed, firing his gun at Sam without hesitation, akin to a madman given a toy to play with.
Bang!
Bang!
Lorenzo's silver-colored gun reflected his amateurish aiming skills; Peter's demise wasn't due to precision but the collective onslaught of bullets.
Sam didn't glance back, continuing his desperate escape in the dark night. The sky shrouded any witnesses to the chaos, the silence echoing with the consequences of a fool challenging Lorenzo in his own turf.
"I ain't gonna let that bastard go that easily. Let's go after him," Lorenzo declared, leading his henchmen in pursuit, the ominous chase intensifying under the cover of the night.
Peter's lifeless body lay on the ground, bathed in his own pool of blood, eyes wide open, a bullet hole piercing the center of his forehead. He had selflessly sacrificed himself to save someone who hardly considered him a friend, only to meet an untimely demise.
Meanwhile, Sam sprinted with all his might, desperately trying to put distance between himself and the relentless group of men pursuing him.
BANG!
BANG!
Gunshots echoed behind him, each one narrowly missing him, yet the threat loomed that one of those bullets might find its mark.
Exhausted and in pain, Sam's legs ached from continuous running. His survival instinct kicked in, fueled by the adrenaline rush clouding his mind.
As the chase continued, Sam, driven by fear and survival, sprinted aimlessly, avoiding looking back due to the gunfire. Eventually, he had to stop, his legs screaming in pain. Glancing back, he realized he had created a considerable gap from Lorenzo and his henchmen, but they persisted.
In a moment of realization, Sam found himself in front of a foreboding dark forest. "Oh, no. The dark forest," he mumbled, its reputation tied to the creation of ominous beasts.
These creatures, uneradicable by the champions who now controlled the Earth, posed a threat even to them. Known as higher-grade beasts, they had evolved to challenge the champions. Sam stood at a crossroads.
Glancing between the approaching danger behind him and the foreboding forest, Sam weighed his options.
"There's a slim chance I could survive the forest. People who entered were never seen again," he considered, looking back at Lorenzo's approaching threat. "Or should I just stand here and let Peter's sacrifice be in vain?"
In a moment of desperation, Sam made a swift decision. "I'll take my chances with the beasts. I might survive this night," he declared, entering the dark forest without hesitation. The decision, while offering a mere 0.001 percent chance of survival, was his only hope.
"Oh, shit! The dumb ass went into the dark forest," Lorenzo cursed, frustration evident as he and his henchmen reached the edge of the forest where Sam had vanished. "Is he really that stupid?"
"Boss, I guess we should just leave him. We have to clean up those two bodies on the street," one henchman suggested, recognizing the futility of chasing Sam, who might meet his demise in the forest.
"He's right, boss," the other henchman chimed in.
"Yeah, I heard both of you. I don't need to kill him; he would die anyway, although I would like to for causing me trouble," Lorenzo remarked, glancing at the dark forest one last time. Resigned, he and his henchmen departed, leaving Sam to face the perilous unknown within the shadowy depths.
In the lawless atmosphere of the tier five cities, the discovery of dead bodies on the street held little consequence for the indifferent cops. Pronouncing the victims dead due to their own stupidity or perhaps a beast attack was a common narrative, conveniently dismissing the need for further investigation or accountability in a world where chaos reigned unchecked.
...
Sam sprinted through the forest for several minutes before coming to a halt, taking a moment to catch his breath. Wanting to create a considerable distance in case Lorenzo pursued him, Sam reflected on the need for more cardiovascular endurance.
"I probably need to do more cardio," Sam gasped, hands on his knees as he faced downward.
Once his breathing normalized, Sam stood upright and surveyed his surroundings. The forest, aptly named 'The Dark Forest,' lived up to its ominous reputation. The cold night air hung heavy, rendering the atmosphere both spooky and eerily silent. Unlike a typical forest filled with the hooting of owls and the cacophony of crickets and frogs, this place felt unsettlingly different.
"I have that feeling when one would be doomed for doing a stupid mistake and get killed. I just hope it doesn't end up being me," Sam thought. With danger lurking around, he needed to find a safe spot to wait until daybreak; standing exposed in the middle of The Dark Forest was not a wise choice.
The beasts were products of genetic experimentation during the time when Earth was in a war with the champions. Humans, seeking to harness the power of DNA, combined it with that of ordinary animals, unknowingly creating monstrous creatures. Born from the DNA of a house rat, these beings evolved into formidable and dangerous monstrosities, yet they remained in hiding, avoiding unnecessary conflict.
While the beasts possessed the ability to wreak havoc when threatened, most humans saw them as nuisances and hunted them for one primary reason—the crystals embedded in their chests. These crystals, known as "beast crystals," became highly sought after by both humans and champions alike.
Upon the death of a beast, the crystal in its chest held significant value. Forged into powerful weapons known as "beast weapons," these crystals became exclusive to the privileged few in the higher-tier cities, wielded by individuals of immense power.
As Sam navigated through the forest, he felt a sense of relief at not encountering any of these creatures. Grateful for the uneventful journey, he silently thanked his fortune. Though he had only heard about beasts from others, Sam harbored no desire to come face-to-face with one.
His attention shifted as he spotted a cave illuminated by strange lights, drawing him toward it.
"What's that? It looks like a cave," Sam mused, intrigued by the unusual glow that beckoned him.
*****
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