CHAPTER 78: BEFORE THE NEXT HUNT!

"All the time in the world to rest," he murmured.

He closed the map, his gaze sweeping into the cavern. The place was silent now, save for the faint crackle of dying embers in the cave mouth which Bruce could hear from outside. The once-scorching air was beginning to cool, leaving behind the acrid scent of burnt rock and ash.

Bruce’s eyes drifted toward the body on the ground.

Ozai Thorne, once proud, once terrifying, now reduced to a lifeless husk. His face was frozen in fear and disbelief, a cruel contrast to the arrogance he once wore like armor.

Bruce sighed faintly. "Such confidence," he muttered. "And yet... so fragile."

His gaze lingered for a moment longer before shifting to the rest of the scene.

Scorched footprints stained the ground. The ground was blackened, cracked, and blistered from Ozai’s fire. The remains of the tree Bruce had crashed into lay in burnt ash splinters, its trunk split and smoldering. The entire terrain was torn apart, jagged and uneven, the soil scorched black by flame and impact.

Anyone who stumbled upon this place would know instantly, a battle between monsters had taken place here.

Bruce’s eyes caught a faint glint in the corner.

Ozai’s twin swords lay abandoned on the ground, their silver sheen still catching the morning light. Without the flames that once danced along their edges, they seemed almost pitiful, just cold, beautiful metal now.

They glimmered, almost as if inviting him to pick them up.

But Bruce didn’t even glance twice.

Instead, he rubbed a thumb against the hilt of his dagger and walked past them, entering the cave and walking towards the three folded hyena pelts lying near the cave wall inside the cave. Surprisingly, the fur had survived the battle mostly intact. He picked them up, brushing off a bit of ash.

"These will do."

He straightened, his eyes sweeping the cave one last time.

The corpse. The ashes. The silence.

He gave it all one final look before turning away.

He didn’t burn the body. Didn’t bury it.

It wasn’t worth the effort.

This was VR, and even if it weren’t, Ozai was his enemy. He didn’t respect him enough for that kind of courtesy.

With a quiet sigh, Bruce walked outside the cave. Sunlight shone on him, warm and golden, reflecting off the faint haze of smoke that still lingered. Having picked the hyena fur mattresses, he stepped out of the cave, squinting slightly as his eyes adjusted to the brightness of the outside world.

Freedom!

He inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with the fresh, open air.

Then he began walking.

It didn’t take him long to find what he was looking for, a massive baobab tree rising from the middle of the savannah, its trunk wide enough to fit a small house within it.

He approached, appraising it with a nod. The thick canopy provided excellent shade, and its branches were sturdy, perfect for resting.

With practiced ease, he scaled the tree, settling on a broad branch high above the ground. He spread out the hyena furs, forming a crude but comfortable bed.

The moment he lay down, the tension in his body began to fade.

The wind brushed softly against his face, carrying the scent of ash and wild grass.

He glanced once more at his map, at the swarm of dots slowly converging toward his position, and smiled faintly.

"They’ll come," he murmured, half to himself. "And when they do..."

He closed his eyes, his expression calm.

"...I’ll be ready."

Activating a small burst of healing energy, Bruce focused inward, repairing microtears in his pores and enhancing his body’s mana absorption rate. His regeneration spiked immediately, mana flowing through him like a tranquil tide.

It wouldn’t be long before he was back at full capacity.

The incoming recruits didn’t concern him. None of them were stronger than Ozai, not even close.

They would come one by one, wave after wave, and he would handle them all.

And so, amid the middle of the hyena territory, under the gentle shade of the towering baobab, Bruce Ackerman slept soundly.

Peaceful. Unshaken. A predator resting before the next hunt!

Unaware, or perhaps uncaring, of the army of desperate challengers rapidly closing in with every passing second.

....

Hours later...

Bruce stirred. His eyes blinked open slowly, the faint rustle of leaves whispering above him. The warmth of the sun brushed against his skin as the gentle sway of the baobab tree brought him back to the waking world.

He groaned softly and sat up, rubbing the back of his neck. For a moment, he just sat there in silence, gaze fixed on the horizon as memories of the earlier fight trickled back, Ozai’s flames, the burning air, that desperate final plea.

A faint sigh escaped his lips. "Right... that happened."

He stretched briefly, joints popping, then stood. The moment his feet touched the branch, his expression shifted, calm, focused, sharp. He hopped down effortlessly, landing lightly on the ground below.

"Let’s speed things up a little," he muttered.

He opened his map again. A flurry of glowing dots swarmed across the display, all converging toward his location. But three of them were closer, clustered tightly together, moving as one.

A team.

He smirked faintly. "Perfect."

Teams were always unstable in the trials. Cooperation never lasted long, not when only the person who landed the final blow got the points. Everyone wanted the glory. Everyone wanted the title. And greed always made them sloppy.

Without hesitation, Bruce started running.

His movements were smooth and quiet, the soft crunch of dry grass barely audible beneath his steps. His speed increased gradually, mana channeling through his legs as his surroundings blurred into streaks of color. The savannah winds brushed past him, carrying the faint scent of smoke and dust.

Soon, he spotted movement in the distance, three silhouettes, standing near a cluster of rocks.

One was lean, wielding a sharp claw weapon strapped to his forearms. Another was broad and muscular, gripping a heavy halberd with both hands. The third held a long spear that shimmered faintly under the sunlight.

They hadn’t noticed him yet. Their voices carried clearly across the dry wind.

"Don’t you think it’s too early for this?" the spear wielder asked, uncertainty in his tone. "Shouldn’t we wait till the fourth day?"

"Look, Joe," the halberd user grunted. "We didn’t drag you into this. If you’re scared, quit now while it’s early."

Joe sighed. "Tch. Fine, fine. Just... check the map again."

The muscular one grumbled but nodded. Joe raised his wristband, the holographic map flickering to life. His eyes widened instantly.

"He’s here," he said sharply.

***

A/N:

This is the 10th and last Chapter for the day... happy new month y’all don’t forget to vote powerstones and Golden Tickets 🙏