Chapter 134 Death's Footsteps

" WE HAVE TO GO INSIDE NOW !", Lecia screamed at Liam Wood, who blocked her way.

" I'm sorry but we can't enter until the test is officially over.", Liam said, stone-faced.

" My brother is in danger.....please j-just let me pass through.", Lecia pleaded falling on her knees.

Liam faced the other way and said,

" Please wait for five more minutes.....I can't do anything to help you since that would be against the contract that you signed...Lecia Creed."

Max helped Lecia up and glared at Liam.

" You're gonna move now.....or else.", Max took out a sword from his sub-space.

"...You shall not pass.", Liam said glaring right back at him.

Katherine, Emilia, Eric, and even Bob took out their weapon...ready to break through Liam by force.

Just when the tension was at its peak, a lone voice reverberated throughout the forest.

" Move."

" Miss Domino...you can't-- don't you remember the rules ?", Liam said, sweating feeling the pressure exerted by Dina.

" Don't make me repeat myself, boy."

Liam felt like he would faint then and there, her mere words seemed to have enough power to decimate them all.

Liam instinctively moved out of the way and let Dina pass through.

Lecia and the rest also follow behind Dina, catching up with their homeroom teacher, Lecia said gratefully,

" Thank you.", Lecia wiped away her tears and a more determined expression took over her face.

'he's alive.....I'm sure of it.'

Lecia believed that her brother was still alive.....she couldn't.....wouldn't accept his death.

Lecia was the one that agreed to sign the document...she couldn't let her brother die...not again.

So with much enthusiasm and vigor, all of them headed toward the portal, but just as they were about to enter the portal-

'Step'

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A few minutes earlier,

Adam closed his eyes accepting his death.

' I deserve this.', was the last thought that he had before the beast sank it's teeth into Adam.

Adam felt incredible pain yet he made no audible sound.

No screaming. No groaning. No gasping.....nothing, his face remained blank as if the pain was insignificant.

Adam closed his eyes immersing himself in a comfortable darkness and silently waited for death.

But strangely enough.....death never came for him.

Moreover the pain that he had been feeling since earlier had faded and was replaced by a comfortable warmth.

' Wha-', Adam thought opening his eyes and seeing the sight before him.

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Adam's POV

____________________

I've seen a lot of strange things in my life.

But this.....this is a whole another level.

I was sure that I was going to die but as it was taking too long, I had opened my eyes to find that...my obsidian necklace was shining.

I could almost feel it vibrating with some strange energy.

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The beast had backed off seeing the light, but I could see that it was gearing up for some kind of counterattack. The necklace continued to slightly vibrate as the wolf edged closer to me, wary.

I get up but then sit back down on the ground.

Dying while standing up sounds like a hassle.

That's right....no matter what happens, I'm not going to leave this place alive because I want it to be over.

Maybe it's because I experienced all that again.....I feel extremely tired.

The wolf was mere centimeters away from me, I could almost feel it's hot breath on me.

Ughh....it stinks.

I notice that it was still crying because of the death of it's kin.

To think that monster would still mourn the death of it's kin while I feel close to nothing after killing my own mother is slightly alarming.

Is there something wrong with me ?

Earlier, I felt strange but I couldn't even shed a tear....it's like I'm dead inside.

Then again, different people mourn differently.

I watch silently as a black goo somehow come out of the necklace, it forms a small ball and rolls around my body until it reached my shoulder.

I watch curiously as the black goo starts floating in the air.

What even is that ?

What's with this necklace ?

I had a million questions but I pushed all those aside and stared as the black goo interacted with the wolf.

The beast didn't seem that intimidated by the black ball, it tried to smell it and at that exact moment the black ball forced itself down the poor monster's nose. The wolf slowly started backing away, stunned.

After some time, blood started to pour out of all its orifices-

" AWOOOOOOOOOO", the beast screamed and then burst into a million pieces.

I close my eyes reflexively as I'm bathed by its remains.

'Disgusting'

I open my eyes to find that I was covered in the blood and the innards of the beast which looked plenty healthy a few minutes before.

I don't know what happened but it seems.....that I'm still alive...oh that's a little awkward.

The voices urged me to end it by myself and I agreed with them.....but how ?

Just as I was deliberating how to end my miserable little life, the black goo rose up and started to change its form....-

-....it was the silhouette of a woman.

" Live.", the black goo says in a weird voice and then it literally flew away...

This world.....sure is strange.

But Mrs. Goo's words really stuck with me.

It doesn't have to be like this.....moreover what would Lecia do without me ?

What if she goes all evil like in the novel ?

She needs me.....all of them do, so I should probably try a little harder to increase my will to live.

I also need to deal with Jennifer...what if she isn't satisfied with my death ?

That's right....just like the voice said.....I need to live and kick some ass and then I'll think about killing myself.

I mean....I'm not exactly in a hurry to die.

Yeah....let's live.

The voices start condemning me but I try my best to ignore them, if it wasn't for that black goo....I would have probably gone through with it....but its voice brought me back to my senses.

I can think properly now.

I'm startled to find that my body had started to glow, but I calm myself down since I knew what was happening.

In a normal F-rank dungeon, after the boss monster was killed everybody within the dungeon was transported close to the exit, this was perfect for me since I would have had to walk for a long time otherwise.

I can walk now but my body is too damaged.

My hand is gone and I've lost a LOT of my blood.....it's a miracle that I'm still alive.

I close my eyes and when I open them again, I was back to where I had been earlier....back to the starting line.

The portal through which I had to pass was just a few steps away.

I get up grunting and groaning, trying my best to not faint.

In an effort to distract myself, I think of how I was going to punish little Jennifer.

Thinking about my sweet revenge, I walk out of the portal.

~~~~

Just as Dina and the others were about to enter the portal they hear the sound of footsteps echoing through the portal.

'Step'

Dina watched anticipating her chil- Adam's return.

'Step'

Lecia closed her eyes praying to any god that had the heart to listen to her.

'Step'

Katherine watched the portal, her anxiety building up as the footsteps drew closer and closer.

As everybody was watching with silent anticipation, Jennifer was the exact opposite.

'Step'

'It can't be.....no it's not possible.'

'Step'

Her heart starting beating at an alarming rate, her fear rising as he slowly came closer to her....

'Step'

'He's going to kill me....', Jennifer couldn't handle herself anymore and fell on her knee.

'Step'

The others payed her no mind and continued watching the portal until finally Adam came out from the other side.

Seeing Adam, nobody rejoiced....nobody cried tears of relief.....none of them could even move.

Adam was covered in blood from head to toe, his hand had been cleaved in half , blood slowly oozed down from where his hand should have been....he seemed dazed.

A small grin spread across his face seeing the people outside the portal.

Even though he was grinning from ear to ear, nobody reciprocated his smile as all of them unilaterally only felt a single emotion-

- ....fear.

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