"Fkkkk!" Ray cursed under his breath, pushing his legs harder as he sprinted through the forest. "I can't fend off these monsters with this useless body… I need to find a way."
Glancing over his shoulder, Ray's heart sank. The Chicken Phoenixes were relentless, their beady eyes filled with a predatory hunger. They weren't going to give up. "They won't stop until they've got me," he muttered, panic creeping into his voice.
The dense forest around him was his only saving grace. "It's good there are so many trees and rocks," he thought, dodging a thick root. "If not, they'd have caught up by now."
Suddenly, something caught his eye a large, natural-looking cave about 70 to 90 meters ahead. Its rocky entrance was half-hidden by vines and greenery, and the mouth of the cave looked wide and deep.
"Hey, what's that?" Ray squinted, hope flaring within him. A cave… His mind raced, calculating the risks and advantages. "That's it!" he thought, veering toward it at full speed.
The cave could be my salvation, Ray considered, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. If the entrance is narrow, only a few of those birds can come at me at a time. They might even stumble over each other and slow down.
But the risks loomed large in his mind. What if there's something inside the cave? If I run into another monster, I'll be cornered… The thought sent a shiver down his spine. I'd be caught between a rock and a hard place. Or worse lava.
"Whatever," he gritted his teeth. "I can't keep running forever. If it's just one monster, maybe I can handle it."
Without another second of hesitation, Ray dashed toward the cave, plunging into its depths. The light dimmed almost immediately, the sounds of his footsteps echoing off the walls as he ventured further inside.
"Good… no monsters yet," he whispered, relief washing over him. If something had attacked him right at the entrance, he wouldn't have stood a chance. For now, I'm safe.
The deeper he went, the more the cave revealed itself. Strange, glowing plants clung to the ceiling, casting an eerie light that illuminated the path just enough for him to see. It wasn't much, but it was better than total darkness.
Ray risked a glance back. The Chicken Phoenixes were struggling slightly, some caught up in the narrow entrance. But the larger ones the four and five-star beasts were still hot on his heels, their claws scraping against the stone as they surged forward.
"I'm fkked," Ray muttered, his voice hollow with dread. His pace quickened as fear gripped his chest. "I need to move faster…"
Then he noticed them tiny red dots gleaming in the darkness. His heart stopped for a beat as his eyes adjusted, realizing what they were.
Eyes.
Dozens of small, beady eyes peering out from the potholes in the cave walls. His blood ran cold. "I'm so fked."
He wasn't imagining things. There were holes everywhere, lining the walls like a honeycomb, each one housing more of those glowing eyes. And then, the noise started an unsettling creeeek, creeeek, growing louder with every second.
"Screeches… What the hell is that?" Ray's voice quivered as the first creatures began to emerge small, scurrying figures darting out of the holes.
Mice.
Not just a few, but tens of them, pouring out in a relentless wave. Their tiny bodies moved with alarming speed, their squeaks echoing off the cave walls.
Ray's breath caught in his throat, his eyes wide with shock. "Too many of them…" His voice faltered as he gripped the stick in his hand tighter. It trembled slightly, betraying the adrenaline coursing through him.
For the first time in his life, Ray felt a flicker of fear mixed with something else. Excitement.
"This stick won't do much," he realized, but that thought was quickly overtaken by a sudden burst of laughter. "HAHAHA! This is so fun!" he roared, his voice bouncing off the cave walls. "What a rush!"
The thrill of the chase, the danger lurking around every corner it was intoxicating. Even as he sprinted faster, his mind was alive with the pulse of survival.
Ray kept running, his breath ragged, the wave of mice and the horde of Chicken Phoenixes hot on his trail. His laughter mingled with the cacophony of squeaks and clucks, turning the dark cave into a bizarre symphony of chaos and adrenaline.
As he pushed forward, the cave around him began to change. The walls expanded, the ceiling soaring higher and higher, until it felt as though he was plunging into the depths of an ancient abyss. The sparkling plants on the ceiling grew brighter, casting eerie, shimmering light across the cavernous space, illuminating the path ahead like nature's own lanterns.
"Ahhh… this body," Ray groaned, his legs burning with exhaustion. "I'm almost spent." He could feel every fiber of his mortal frame protesting. I need rest… but those 'brothers-in-law' of mine won't calm down.
He glanced over his shoulder and nearly stumbled at the sight. The wave of red-eyed mice had grown into a sea, their numbers now in the hundreds, surging forward with relentless speed.
"Shit…" Ray's heart skipped a beat as a translucent system screen flickered into view above the mice.
Low Tier Red-Eye Mice Monsters
One Star Red Eye
Two Star Red Eye
Three Star Red Eye
The stars hovered ominously over the creatures' heads. A mix of them, all surging in large numbers but at least there were no high-level ones.
"Thank the heavens for small mercies," Ray muttered, though the sight of them was still enough to send a chill down his spine.
Then, his eyes darted back to the Chicken Phoenixes. A problem was brewing a good problem. The horde of Chicken Phoenixes had started to clash with the wave of mice. The larger birds trampled over the smaller creatures, their shrieks and squawks mingling with the squeals of the mice.
Ray's mind raced. Wait… yes! This might actually work.
"I can't kill them," Ray whispered, his eyes narrowing as the idea took shape. "But what if… I don't have to?"
He blinked, the pieces of the puzzle falling into place. Let them fight each other. I just need to survive long enough for them to do the work for me.
But a grim reality dawned on him. I can't run much longer… and the mice are faster. I'll die before the Chicken Phoenixes even catch up to them.
Panic started to creep in, but then, out of the corner of his eye, Ray spotted salvation a towering rock pillar, standing like a sentinel amidst the chaos. It was massive, easily twenty to thirty feet high, its surface jagged but climbable.
"Yes… that's it!" Ray exclaimed, his voice laced with desperate hope. If I can climb that, those small creatures might take a while to get to me. And as for the Chicken Phoenixes… He hesitated for a heartbeat. Let's pray they can't fly.
He sprinted toward the pillar, every muscle in his body screaming for relief. As he approached, he quickly assessed the best path up. "Just a few more steps…" he panted, his eyes locked on the rocky surface.
Ray reached the base of the pillar and immediately began to climb, his fingers finding holds in the rough rock. The sound of the chaos behind him was deafening claws scraping, beaks snapping, and the relentless squeaks of the mice growing closer.
"Come on… come on…" Ray urged himself, his arms trembling as he pulled himself up, one foot after another. The air felt heavy, his heart pounding in his chest as he neared the top.
Finally, he hauled himself over the edge, collapsing onto the flat surface at the top of the pillar. He lay there for a moment, catching his breath, his eyes fixed on the writhing mass of creatures below.
The Chicken Phoenixes and the mice had begun their brutal dance of survival. Claws and teeth clashed, feathers and fur flying as they tore into each other.
Ray sat up, his breathing still labored, and gazed down at the scene. "Now… we wait," he murmured, a grim smile tugging at his lips. "Let them kill each other…"
He leaned back slightly, gripping the stick in his hand tightly, ready for anything. "And if any of them get through… well, let's hope this body can hold out a little longer."
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