Chapter 54: Hot on his Heels

The clock rewound sixty minutes. Noah, having just attained the coveted Regular rank, was already being hunted. His pursuer, Lilith, trailed close behind, her own ascsion to Regular a mere two levels away.

Meanwhile, in a differt region, the familiar forest took on a sinister form. An eerie silce reigned, brok only by the rustle of unse creatures in the dse undergrowth. Monstrous trees, their limbs gnarled and contorted, formed an impetrable canopy that strangled the sun's rays, plunging the forest floor into perpetual twilight.

Moss clung to everything, damp and cold, its vibrant gre muted by the perpetual gloom. The air carried the earthy sct of decaying leaves and the faint, musky odor of things long dead. Each step crunched on a carpet of fall leaves, the sound echoing eerily in the stillness. A sse of foreboding permeated the air, a feeling as if the forest itself held its breath, watching, waiting.

Deep within this oppressive gloom, Lilith gaged in a fierce battle. Her movemts, fluid and lethal, carried her behind a monstrous lion-headed figure. Her blade, wreathed in flame, arced towards the creature's grotesque head. The monstrosity reacted just in time, deflecting the blow with its dagger.

Lilith's expression remained stoic, her face an unreadable mask. With a practiced flick of her wrist, she traced a circle in the air, her sword acting as a magnet, pulling the beast's dagger off course. In a blink, her blade transformed into a bolt of lightning, striking the monster with pinpoint accuracy.

Despite the elegance of her attack, a powerful gust of wind erupted from the blade, pulling everything in its path. The lion-headed creature struggled against the force, its balance faltering. As the wind subsided, Lilith seized the opportunity, her scarlet blade aimed for the monster's throat in a lightning-fast thrust.

But fate interved. The blade met resistance, sparks flying as it deflected off an unse barrier. The lion-headed beast emitted a mocking laugh, its claws extded, ready to tear its human adversary to shreds.

Unfazed by the failed attack, Lilith realized her strategy wouldn't deliver the final blow. Instead of retreating, she charged forward, her form veloped in a swirling gre wind currt, as she embraced the monstrous figure.

"Wind, heed my call! Bloom!" she chanted, her voice a powerful echo in the silt forest.

With a clched fist, she unleashed a torrt of wind, blasting the lion-headed monster away with an ear-splitting boom.

"Flame, become my arrow!" Lilith's voice rang out, followed by a red burst of light that pierced the monster's right eye.

The creature shrieked in agony, its claws slashing wildly at the unse emy. A searing inferno erupted within its skull, transforming its brain into ash and molt flesh.

Silce returned, brok only by the crackling embers. Several smaller monsters, remnants of the larger beast's pack, still lurked nearby. Lilith, drawing upon her unique skill, conjured a flaming sword. She hurled the weapon into the g, her hands tracing intricate patterns in the air.

It all transpired in a blur. The flaming sword landed near the remaining monsters, seemingly by chance. With a flick of her wrist, Lilith unleashed her command: "Blossom Fire Bomb!"

A deafing explosion followed. The scorching blast and flames formed a ring of fire, gulfing the area. For ordinary creatures, this would have be nothing more than a mild inconvice, the flames mimicking their fiery subterranean home. But these were not ordinary flames.

As she waded further into the lake, the water veloped her, caressing her skin and washing away the weariness of her journey. The serity of the place veloped her, transporting her to a state of tranquility she had never expericed before. She closed her eyes, allowing the sounds of nature to serade her and the gtle ripples to lull her into a state of pure bliss.

The sct of wildflowers mingled with the earthy aroma of the forest, creating a symphony of fragrances that intoxicated her sses. Lilith let her fingers glide through the water, creating delicate ripples that mirrored the beauty of her surings. She felt a profound connection with nature, as if she had become one with the elemts that sured her.

As she soaked in the lake, she couldn't help but feel a profound sse of gratitude for stumbling upon this hidd gem. It was a reminder of the innate beauty that exists in the world, waiting to be discovered by those who vture off the beat path. The experice rejuvated her spirit and filled her with a rewed sse of wonder.

Lilith stayed in the lake until the sun began to set, casting a warm gold glow across the landscape. Reluctantly, she emerged from the water, feeling a sse of peace and conttmt she hadn't felt since the morning as she was busy getting stronger as soon as possible.

In a sudd momt of realization, she extded her hand towards the backpack, a glimmer of remembrance dancing in her eyesIn a sudd momt of realization, she extded her hand towards the backpack, a glimmer of remembrance dancing in her amber eyes.

Lilith gripped the empty rune in her hand, a silt testamt to its expded power.

"Thanks to this," she murmured, "grandfather's gift allowed me to reach regular rank so quickly."

A sigh escaped her lips.

"But it was just one, and its power lasted only sev hours. Exp Runes are expsive and scarce. If only..." her voice trailed off, a glint of longing in her eyes.

"If only I could obtain a few more, reaching my goal would be so much easier."

If Noah had be there, his jaw would have dropped to the g. Lilith was using a method that closely resembled his own Exp Booster. This was the reason Noah never became conceited, as he knew that having the system gave him an advantage, but he also knew he had to keep working hard because others could find a way to catch up. Take Lilith, for example, she had something similar to his Exp Booster.

If he had be conceited, he would have thought that nobody could catch up to him so easily, which would have be a mistake.

Lilith took out a sandwich from a backpack to eat, savoring the tantalizing aroma that wafted from its freshly baked bread. As she unwrapped the sandwich, the rich layers of ingredits revealed themselves - slices of succult turkeyLilith took out a sandwich from a backpack to eat, savoring the tantalizing aroma that wafted from its freshly baked bread.

As she unwrapped the sandwich, the rich layers of ingredits revealed themselves - slices of succult turkey,crispy bacon, ripe tomatoes, crisp lettuce, and creamy mayonnaise. It looked absolutely delicious!

One of rewards dropped by the drone and she picked up.