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Running wasn't the issue, it was the fact that some Malax had intelligence and knew traps when they saw one.

So in order to trick them to following, he had to compromise speed and fall over a few times. To re-engage the hunting instincts that they wouldn't ignore of weaker prey.

"Did you get faster?" May laughed as Zion scanned the last monsters he needed to go to the next level.

The others had already killed their share and the timing of their rescue from earlier was pure coincidence. In fact they had been looking for the gate to the next floor for awhile. They actually weren't that far off considering he was at the time, coming from that direction.

"Thanks again" Zion said as the others played off his thanks.

"To be honest it took us awhile to get 20 kills each without you. You've made this an incredibly easy accomplishment. It took us with you, half an hour whereas it took us roughly 7hrs" Chris stated as he observed their final kill.

He finally took notice a bit to his comrades looks and weapons. May used the bow and arrow infused with her lighting properties with magic use. However Chris was different, his magic was so powerful he didn't need an Directory amplifier, in fact, he might of destroyed the ones given to facilitate the Maze.

Chris was also a mix blood, those individuals would have both human blood and another species in their veins. For Chris he was a mix between a human and an elf.

At first it was more curiosity but Zion asked about Chris's ears, they weren't long and pointy but they were pointy regardless. It was a dead give away if he had his hair up. Chris had long golden hair down to his back with golden eyes while May's was black, short and simple with blue eyes.

Although a male, Chris was rather slender and gorgeous as most elves tended to be according to May. He was however rather tall for his his age of 7 and a half. He was challenging the Maze a little late like Zion because of a war that had just finished in the East.

May however had a sad story, she came from fallen nobility but was adopted in to a baron branch line of the same family blood. She of course didn't reveal too much just like Chris. They had alot on their shoulders and they were still only kids.

Because Zion wasn't used to the underlying discrimination of mix blood heritage or fallen nobility, he simply found it neat to meet people of such diversity. Which made Chris laugh at the time for being a strange guy.

They'd finally made their way back to the clearing where the gate awaited.

Without much hesitation they all placed their hands on the gate and immediately teleported to the next floor.

Zion had to close his eyes, he'd rather not see himself disappear. There was almost a slight fear that if he disappeared, he may not return. Of course that wasn't just nerves talking but that didn't make him stupid for thinking it.

Looking around, this floor seemed more impacted by greenery than the one they were just on. It also was clear as day that the weather wasn't as forgiving as the last.

Before they even stepped foot in the new floor, the rain was relentless and the made sky was ablazed with lightning.

Originally Chris had stated his plan when hunting down Zion's share of monsters while eating fish over fire. May's lighting attacks were key to shocking a fish from the water without needing to catch it directly.

Whatever they didn't grab would be grabbed by wildlife and monsters alike, if nothing did, they'd come to their senses in a few.

The plan went as such:

Floor one: secure as much food as possible, smoke or burn pieces of fish and complete tasks.

Floor two: Make camp and rest before continuing with new objectives.

Because of the toll magic uses, both Chris and May would need substantial sleep to get back their output again.

Magic doesn't rely on mp output, in fact it's more apart of the body. Veins in the body in fact are dedicated to holding, storing and outputting large quantities of magic sourced power.

However, just as it's tiring to do physical activity day and day again with no sleep or resting. The body will eventually resort to doing it for you, shutting down your systems and making you pass out due to stress and exhaustion.

This is what he wanted to prevent but looking around at the atrocious weather conditions. Chris might need to rethink, if not find a place like a cave unoccupied by monsters/any wildlife that could pose a threat.

'Look at the state of this place' Zion thought as they started tracking through the harsh rainfall and winds that ripped like whistling through their ears.

It was hard to even make anything out as the rain was so thick and brutal. But eventually they made it under some thick trees that did wonders of holding back some of it.

"Wow, I've never seen weather like this" May said, as Chris scouted the ground for tracks of monsters or other signs. Yet the terrain and weather made it hard to process anything that might have been a trail of some kind.

"This won't do, we can't continue in this weather. It'll slow us down in regards to maintaining body heat, vision and we can't afford not to rest. We need to find a place to set up a fire to stay warm." It was a simple task but the weather made it seem like Chris was asking for the impossible.

His words nearly carried away with the wind had they not been so close already.

Continuing they'd found places but May's eyes saw right through them hinting dangerous Malax's or wildlife.

Zion wondered about May's vision, surely you'd need keen sight to use a bow an arrow at the distance she did to still hit the target square on.

"Found something" Chris said as Zion and May stopped just behind him squatting down at some tracks. "Human tracks" ordinarily that would have been a relief to hear, however, survival of the fittest was at play here.

"Should we wait?" Zion asked as May got an arrow ready.

"We can't afford to wait, or bodies are losing heat rapidly" Looking at his wristband on his suit, Chris's vitals were looking lower than the recommended.

But again... as Zion check his, he was fine? No he was better than fine, the rain was actually helping him cool down if anything?

This was not because he was sick or had a fever either, he generally just felt like he'd done a bunch of heavy lifting and was warmed up from it.

'What the hell is wrong with me?' A tap on his shoulder had him hide his vitals from May as she handed him a dagger.

At least he could actually hold a dagger unlike his lost sword somewhere on the first floor.

"Let's go" Chris instructed as May flanked at the back, Zion in the middle and of course Chris a the front.

Getting closer to where the tracks deepened, May caught glimpse of shelter up ahead. It seems that the others had the same idea to wait out the weather.

Getting closer, May relayed their was about three in the cave ahead but Chris only saw two sets of tracks. So he diversed a plan to still be vigilant but simply asked for cooperation/truce until the weather subsided and they go their own ways.

Making it to the entranced, they'd have to go quite a ways in before seeing anyone. But May's eyes still picked up three people, if it was three against two which he'd originally thought. Chris wouldn't have been as on edge as they went deeper in and finally got out of the cold wet weather.

Already the caves slight warmth was liberating for May and Chris as Zion simply felt no different.

It was almost as if Zion's body was made to withstand any harsh environmental conditions unbeknownst to him.

Further in, voices could finally be heard with Chris's sensitive ears. Although mixed blood, Chris got the lottery pool in magic and his six senses. Even though his ears were smaller than a full blood elf, he still had exceptional hearing.

Extending his hand out he wanted to first listen to what sort of group they were. You can't reason with unreasonable individuals even if you might be faced with the same problems. Some people never change.

"You better not try and drink my blood or something." Came a boys voice as laughing could be heard from another source.

"Please, I have standards" Zion knew that voice, sure he hadn't been the best with first impressions. Yet he couldn't mistaken that egotistical loud mouth, Erica Vivaldi Damiscu.