I stared at Diego with eyes full of despair, an emptiness settling in every inch of my body.
It felt as though the world was slowly collapsing around us.
The Queen Voraxes, the terrifying creature we faced, had nearly drained all of our strength.
My body trembled, and my vision began to blur, as though something greater than us was about to happen.
The darkness creeping in only deepened that sense of emptiness. The fear was so thick, it felt like it was part of the air we breathed.
The sound of the insects' footsteps from all directions echoed in my ears, getting closer, adding to the tension that already weighed heavily on our hearts.
I knew we didn't have much time.
Suddenly, a soft but firm whisper struck my mind, like a voice from far away but so clear.
It was the same voice that had guided my steps before, leading me to this cursed place.
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~ Stab ~
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That same voice, the one that had once guided me here.
My instincts kicked in immediately, and I looked at Diego, who seemed to be trying to balance himself, struggling to stay on top of the Queen Voraxes, which was still thrashing wildly.
"PIPE!" I shouted with hope.
The voice, the guidance, felt so real and strong, as if someone was urging us to act quickly, not to give the Queen Voraxes and her insect army any chance.
Diego didn't hesitate.
With remarkable agility, he slid down from the Queen's body, running fast to find the pipe that had been thrown far earlier.
I could hear the insect steps growing louder, closer, and more terrifying.
I knew this was the defining moment.
"KAI! THERE'S NO TIME!" Diego shouted, urgency in his voice, and I could see the worry in his eyes.
His sharp gaze locked onto mine, and I could tell he was struggling to understand everything that was happening.
"CATCH IT!"
Everything seemed to move so fast, and yet time felt like it was stretching out.
The pipe shot toward me at high speed.
I reached out my hand, putting all my remaining strength into catching it, my body trembling, but I knew this was our only chance.
"GOT IT!" I shouted triumphantly as I managed to catch the pipe right on target.
But there was no time to celebrate this small victory.
I immediately realized that the swarm of insects that had entered the Queen's lair was now dangerously close.
There were too many of them, too many, and my panic was rising.
Sweat was beginning to trickle down my temples, my body stiff, but I knew there was no time left.
The Queen Voraxes continued to thrash on the ground, startled by what we were doing.
If we didn't act quickly, all our efforts would be in vain.
"PLEASEEEEEEE!" I screamed with all the strength left in me, pushing every last ounce of energy into it.
I raised the pipe I was holding high and immediately thrust its tip into the Queen's weak spot, right on her back, the spot I knew was the most vulnerable part of this creature.
When the pipe's tip touched the right spot, the Queen Voraxes let out a loud scream that shook the entire underground chamber.
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"KHIIEEAAAAAAAAAA!"
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The ground beneath us trembled, as if the world was about to split apart.
From the tip of the pipe lodged in the Queen's weakness, thick green liquid began to gush out.
The green liquid spread across the ground, quickly soaking it, as the Queen's body began to weaken.
Each drop of liquid that fell felt like a sign that we were getting closer to defeating this creature.
Everything was happening so fast, yet I could feel it so clearly.
The Queen started losing her strength, and her body, once thrashing in fury, began to slow. Her breath came in ragged gasps, and her massive form started to collapse.
However, the most surprising change was what happened to the insect swarm that had entered the Queen's lair earlier.
They began to move more slowly, then stopped entirely, no longer moving like living beings.
As the Queen's body weakened, the insect swarm began turning to ash.
Their bodies quickly disintegrated along with the death of the Queen Voraxes.
It was as if there was a life force connecting them all, and once the Queen fell, they perished too.
A heavy silence filled the underground chamber.
There was no sound, except for our labored breathing, a sign that we had just defeated the creature that had threatened our lives.
I stood frozen for a moment, torn between relief and anxiety.
My body was still trembling, and even though we had defeated the Queen Voraxes, I knew the danger wasn't fully over yet.
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Cosmic Announcement : Mid-Low Race
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Voraxes Colony Leader Has Died.
Voraxes Race Eliminated from the Early Cosmic Era Process
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A new pop-up appeared on the system screen, catching my attention amidst the heavy emptiness that still surrounded us.
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Congratulations on Completing Hidden Quest
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Reward:
Creation of Advanced Path for 'The Seeker' Class Based on Your Preferences.
Say "Ready" when you have decided what you want to create
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The message was clearly displayed, glowing on the screen, but I didn't respond right away.
All I wanted at that moment was time to recover.
Time to clear my mind, still trapped in the shadows of the battle we'd just fought.
I ignored the message, focusing instead on the weight I still felt in my body, which didn't seem like it would recover so quickly.
My steps were unsteady, and I slumped down from the Queen Voraxes's massive body, now lifeless and sprawled on the ground.
It felt like a weight had been lifted slightly after struggling with the tension for so long.
I sat beside her body, not minding the unpleasant smell that was starting to seep from her corpse.
To me, it was just a temporary support, a way to calm the exhaustion and despair that had overtaken me.
On the other side, Diego still stood there, his face full of confusion, as if he couldn't believe what had just happened.
He walked toward me, worry written clearly across his face.
I raised my palm to cover my face, trying to calm myself from the deep unease.
"That... was so horrifying..." Diego said quietly, his voice heavy as he stared at the lifeless body of the Queen Voraxes.
"Are you okay?" he asked, concerned for my condition.
I fell silent.
Even I didn't know if I was okay.
The question felt hollow.
For Diego, for me, I could only offer a weak smile, trying to reassure him, though I knew that smile wasn't convincing, not even to myself.
"Did we just foolishly try to enter our own grave?"
"We should've never followed that damn whisper... We should've stopped from the very beginning." I said, frustration creeping into my voice.
Diego sighed deeply, as if sensing the depth of my anxiety.
His usually bright face now looked grim, and his body seemed more exhausted than before.
"Is it over now?" I asked, though I wasn't entirely sure of my own words.
Diego looked at the system screen still glowing in front of him.
"I think so," he answered softly, his eyes doubtful.
"The system says the race has been eliminated from the process. We should be safe now."
I nodded slowly, but there was one thing still nagging at the back of my mind.
"By the way... thanks for your help," I said, trying to express my gratitude, though exhaustion and confusion dominated my thoughts.
"I thought you were going to leave me."
Diego smiled, the kind of smile that always made the atmosphere a little lighter, even though it couldn't erase the heaviness in my heart.
"How could I leave you like that? I promised to your mom," he answered, his voice full of conviction.
"I told you, you should forget about that promise. My mom is no longer here Diego," I replied, my tone a bit sharper.
Diego approached me with deep concern.
He helped me to my feet, his strong hand offering support even though I still felt overwhelmingly exhausted.
"I won't forget that promise, that promise was made for you," he said softly, his eyes locking with mine, serious.
I could only let out a long breath, feeling both a little anxious and touched by his words.
There was warmth in his demeanor, even though I still felt like something was missing inside of me.
When I felt a bit stronger, I glanced at the system screen displaying the remaining time for our survival mission.
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00:07:49
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00:07:48
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"So, what now?" I asked, trying to break the silence that still weighed on us.
"We still have two minutes before they tell us the safe zone's location. What should we do next?"
I tried to calm myself, focusing on practical matters.
Diego thought for a moment before nodding slowly.
"Mm... Maybe we can rest for a bit, find a safer spot?" His voice was filled with exhaustion, but his eyes still sparkled with undiminished spirit.
"We need time to recover, Kai. We've been through a lot. By the way, you got the reward from that hidden quest, right?" Diego asked lightly, as if it was no big deal.
I was taken aback by his question, I had almost forgotten about the pop-up that appeared earlier.
"Ah, yeah, I did. Did you get one too?"
"Yeah," he replied, scratching the back of his head.
"Even though you were the one who killed it, not me," Diego said, and I felt a slight twinge of guilt for receiving it.
I rolled my eyes, letting out a quiet laugh despite the exhaustion still weighing on me.
"I'd be more upset if you didn't get it. We all contributed. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to do this on my own." I rolled my eyes slowly, trying to shake off some of the tension that still clung to me.
Diego just smiled, and his grin was enough to ease some of the tension that still hung heavily in the air.
"Hey, so it says we can create a new class progression path as we wish. What does that mean?" he said, referring to the pop-up.
I thought for a moment, then replied cautiously.
"Maybe we can create an advanced class path based on what we want? Like, if you want to focus on strength, the new path would still be based on your class, but it'd emphasize strength more."
Diego nodded, clearly getting excited.
"Hmm... if that's the case, what I want is..." He started thinking hard, eager to pick his new path.
"Uh... better think this through first, Diego... WAIT-" I tried to warn him, but it was too late.
Before I could finish, golden light suddenly enveloped Diego's body, like the entire space around us was glowing with a shimmering aura.
It was the kind of effect we only saw in games when a character leveled up.
"Woahhh... my wounds... they're healing so fast?" Diego spun around, amazed at what was happening.
I watched in disbelief, never expecting something like this to happen so fast.
I stood there, stunned...
"KAIIII, YOU HAVE TO MAKE A WISH NOW!!! YOUR INJURIES CAN BE HEALED!" Diego exclaimed, his face lighting up with excitement as he marveled at the changes.
I started to panic, watching everything unfold so quickly.
"A... AH... NO!! WAIT! W-what did you wish for earlier?" I asked, voice a little frantic, not sure what was going on.
Diego laughed, looking a little confused.
"Ah, what was it... I forgot... wait," he said, furrowing his brow as he tried to recall what he had chosen.
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This man....
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After a few seconds, Diego's face lit up with realization, and he said confidently,
"Ohhh... I remember! I wished to always protect the people closest to me with courage. Now I have the 'Brave Warrior' class, which boosts my stamina and fighting abilities!" Diego said, his excitement clear.
"Hurry, Kai! You need to level up too! That way, your injuries can heal!"
I stood there for a moment, unsure.
I took a deep breath.
"Alright, alright," I muttered, trying to clear my head.
I glanced at the pop-up that had appeared earlier on the system screen.
Time seemed to drag on as I read the message displayed.
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Congratulations on Completing Hidden Quest
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Reward:
Creation of Advanced Path for 'The Seeker' Class Based on Your Preferences.
Say "Ready" when you have decided what you want to create
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I'm ready...
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Make your wish now.
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I closed my eyes, feeling each breath, trying to focus on a wish that truly came from within.
I knew this wish wasn't just about gaining power—it was about something deeper. It was about finding answers to everything.
My thoughts drifted, remembering the long journey I had come through. Ignorance had often been my toughest enemy, closing my eyes to truths buried deep inside.
I felt like there was something greater to discover, something more than just fighting and gaining power.
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I remembered a line from a book I once read.
"Only those who seek the truth can uncover the secrets of the world and change their fate."
The words echoed in my mind, almost like a guide through the darkness.
"Keep me away from the lies that cloud my thoughts, and lead me to the truth hidden behind all these mysteries."
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My heart raced.
I wanted to uncover deeper truths, to find answers for myself, for the world, and for those around me.
That was my wish.
I slowly opened my eyes, feeling a surge of energy flow through my body.
But what I saw… wasn't what I expected.
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I wasn't in the underground station anymore. I wasn't with Diego.
I couldn't feel the ground beneath me, and there was no sound.
I felt weightless, like I was floating.
Looking down, I realized I couldn't see my body.
It wasn't my physical form I was aware of, it was my soul.
I was floating in an endless void, space itself stretching out before me.
Empty.
Boundless.
Directionless.
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"OH MY GOD!!!! WHAT IS THIS? WHERE AM I?!" I shouted, but no sound came out. Panic and exhaustion hit me hard as I faced this never-ending trial.