Isle of the GIANTS - 31

Meanwhile, Somewhere Else

"I can't believe they managed to ambush me."

Seth's muttered words were lost in the dense jungle as he sprinted through the undergrowth, his boots sinking into the damp earth. Sweat dripped down his face, not from fear, but sheer frustration. He had no time for this. He had been en route to an ancient tomb, a place rumored to hold relics that could shift the balance of power in Escape Online. But before he could reach it, the forces of a super guild had struck.

Seth was a relic of a bygone era-one of the few elite gamers from the early days still actively leading his guild, Hydra.

Decades ago, Hydra had stood among the super guilds, commanding respect and fear alike. That was until two rival super guilds broke tradition and formed a coalition. An unprecedented alliance one that blindsided Seth and shattered hydra's reign overnight.

It wasn't fair, but fairness had never dictated the virtual world's rules.

Now, in Escape Online, Seth had clawed his way back up, but the super guilds still saw him as a threat. His resurgence wasn't welcome, and they had made that clear.

The ambush had been swift and calculated.

The moment they cut him off, they deployed a high-tier teleportation device, displacing him to an unfamiliar part of the jungle where another strike force awaited.

But they had underestimated him. He tore through their ranks, his experience outclassing their numbers. He was moments from escaping when his instincts flared.

His breath hitched as he saw it-a massive magic circle igniting the sky with ominous runes.

"Shit," he cursed. "A demon summon scroll? Are they insane?"

A ripple tore through the air as the demon materialized-a towering figure with the head and hooves of a goat, its golden eyes brimming with malevolence.

Seth's stomach tightened. Runther of the Hollows. A named demon. Despite being classified as low-rank, Runther was anything but weak. His intelligence, swordsmanship, and regenerative abilities made him a nightmare to deal with. The only way to kill him was by obliterating his head in a single blow-something Seth knew was beyond his capabilities right now.

His teleporter was offline, jammed by the super guild. He needed to escape manually. But just as he pivoted to run, his foot snagged a tripwire.

The explosion sent him flying.

Seth hit the ground hard, his ears ringing. Pain lanced through his body, but he forced himself to move. Gnashing his teeth , he scrambled to his feet - only to suddenly recoil as his head struck something.

Something massive.

A shadow fell over him, blotting out the sun.

Seth blinked up, his vision clearing. His pulse spiked as he saw the figure before him-a towering humanoid tiger, easily ten feet tall.

The creature exuded no aura, no mana. It was as if it didn't exist within the world's normal parameters.

Seth, ever the strategist, tried to reason.

"Hey, buddy. You might wanna run. That demon back there? He's bad news, even for you."

The tiger didn't respond.

Seth clicked his tongue, watching as the goat demon approached. "Listen, that thing's a pain in the ass. Runther of the Hollows. Smart bastard. Uses a sword, regenerates like crazy. Only way to kill him is to crush his head in one-"

A gust of wind blew past him.

A massive, clawed hand shot forward and wrapped around the demon's throat.

Seth barely had time to react before a sickening crunch echoed through the jungle. Blood sprayed.

The tiger's grip loosened, and Runther's lifeless body crumpled to the ground.

Seth stared, stunned. The creature had just bitten off the demon's head in a single motion.

Before Seth could even process what he had just witnessed, his teleporter activated, engulfing him in a bright light.

As his surroundings faded, he realized with a sinking feeling-

The tiger was coming with him.

*********

Isle of the Giants

Seth collapsed onto the cool grass, exhaling sharply. "Finally," he muttered.

The island, hidden away in treacherous waters and surrounded by relentless cyclones, was a sanctuary for Hydra Guild.

A perfect refuge.

But his relief was short-lived.

A heavy presence lingered behind him.

Seth turned, his blood running cold as he met the golden gaze of the towering tiger.

The creature had been teleported with him.

"I'll be damned," Seth whispered.

*******

Meanwhile,

Edge in His Trial

"Alright, now I'm free and away from the trouble. Is the trial complete?"

Edge's words echoed through the empty battlefield, but no notification popped up.

"Damn it," he muttered. "I probably need to free everyone else."

The Trial of Hanuman-a test of the protector of innocents. It wasn't just about fighting; it was about saving those who couldn't save themselves

With a sigh, Edge turned back and began tracking the soldiers' caravan.

For days, he followed them, waiting for the right moment. When the ambush came-this time, a much larger force of thugs-Edge struck.

His fists moved like a blur, taking down four enemies at once. He moved with lethal precision, overwhelming his foes with raw power.

When the last soldier fell, the long-awaited notification finally appeared.

Congratulations for completing your trial.

( You are now a Tier-1 player )

( You are now Level 102 )

( Your power FLY is upgrading )

( FLY 100—>150 )

( All stats +100 )

Edge smirked. Well, that was easy.

Because of his legacy, he received 30 stat points per level up, a massive advantage.

Satisfied, he logged out.

Ted emerged from his gaming pod, stretching his limbs as he walked to the dining room. His parents were already seated, dinner laid out before them.

"Hey, Dad. Hey, Mom," he greeted casually, taking his seat.

His father looked up, his expression thoughtful. "Teddy, do you know about the Illuminum Serum?"

Ted raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, Dad. What about it? Is it finished ?"

His father nodded. "The trials are complete. They're going to release it to the market soon. If you want, I can get you a dose."

Ted leaned back, his fingers tapping against the table.

The Illuminum Serum. A revolutionary enhancement-one that could change everything.

A slow grin spread across his face.

This was going to be interesting.