Key Rush (7)

(Morgan POV)

Honestly, I have started adapting to the Bloodroot Stranglers overtime. Their attack patterns are becoming predictable, as their intelligence was subpar when not enhanced by the crimson moon. They couldn't even formulate a plan better than lunging at me all at once, even after attempting to adapt to my foresight.

So, I found it quite easy navigating the blood river, to the next level. I could say that with full confidence, I was gonna reach the next level before the crimson moon rises. Maybe this was me being arrogant recently, but I feel like I have every right to be arrogant after surviving near-death scenarios over and over again recently.

Instead of directly navigating through the river, I decided on just jumping from tree to tree that was lined up beautifully beside the blood river. The Bloodroot Stranglers didn't have much range, they were close-ranged combat monsters. This was a weakness I decided to exploit, since I couldn't exploit their other weakness for fire.

All in all, I was doing pretty good. I was doing so good in fact, I even had time to think about Nico and everything he has been planning up until now. That little bastard still pisses me off.

Judging by how his player number was still on the Player Participants, I assumed that he was still somehow alive, even during the crimson moon. Which was pretty impressive, considering I wasn't even confident I could survive in his place. To be fair, Nico did have better equipment than me and a blessing ability that naturally countered the Bloodroot Stranglers.

I wonder, where did he manage to get all these information? There was no way I could reach an actual answer. It was easy to believe that he gathered all this during his time with the Umbral Compact, before killing himself and challenging The Mulligan. But if that really is the case, could The Mulligan's battle royale remain the same? Nothing about it changes, with each battle royale there is on the land, every hour?

Taking advantage of this, the Umbral Compact could easily map out the entire arena, then share this information with future challengers to easily create themselves a victor. Could Nico be a product of this? Of what the Umbral Compact has learnt over the century? It does seem plausible, considering how knowledgeable Nico was.

Just as I was lost in my own thoughts, I suddenly almost slipped on a branch, everything around me suddenly becoming more slippery. I tried grasping on my feet to the branch, but it was futile—even as I fell, my hands extended out and reached out towards the branch, but even they slipped.

"Ahh!"

In the end, I fell on my ass, right into the blood river. As usual, the Bloodroot Stranglers didn't waste a second, lunging towards me. However, I wasn't panicked. Instead, a groan of annoyance escaped me, as I got on my feet and easily fought back the Bloodroot Stranglers.

No matter the what they do, no matter how they try to attack me, it didn't matter much when I had [Probability Pryer] active. They could try overwhelming me like they did before, but even that was predictable without the blessing ability active. All in all, their pitiful attacks was easily rendered useless.

I even managed to grab a few kills during it, my fingers grabbing the crimson vines, pulling at them roughly, snapping them half. While punching and kicking the ones I couldn't grab, earning myself some Abyssal Fragments in the process.

Still, the problem lied in the fact that there were so many of them, almost endless. The more I seemed to kill, the more of them sprouted out from the depths, lunging towards me, radiating with malice.

So, I didn't bother fighting them. My focus was entirely on escaping this situation, rather then staying and fighting like some blood thirsty berserker. Since I was now pretty close—

Distance to next Level: 2.1Km.

To the next level, I knew I couldn't waste anymore time here. So, after kicking another Bloodroot Stranglers that attempted to wrap around my leg, I dashed towards the trees, in an attempt to climb on one again, using the distance to make distance.

It was pretty ridiculous how I slipped and fell. Like, what even was that? The trees were hardly any slippery when I was jumping from one to another before. So, it was pretty strange for me to suddenly lose my footing.

That's when I felt a water drop hit the tip of my nose. I didn't pay it much mind at first, as I was drawing closer to the trees at that moment, the Bloodroot Stranglers a few distance behind me. But again, another water drop hit the top of my head. Then another to my shoulder, then I felt more, simultaneously at all places.

It was getting hard to ignore.

Narrowing my eyes, I halted my steps just for a moment, allowing my head to tilt upwards, towards the sky that was suddenly darkening, even though there was still more than 10 minutes left till Nightfall.

'What the hell…?'

The water drops started increasing, dropping faster. Above me, a large cloud obstructed by the afternoon sun. I didn't think it was possible in this mission but….

"Rain!"

It was raining. A bit violently too, almost like a storm. It started off easy, but the wind started picking up, the raindrops growing even more intense, dropping at an absurd speed, all of them hitting the ground simultaneously—enveloping the blood river in a symphony of raindrops, that made it impossible to hear anything else.

The raindrops were crystal clear, but became blood-red as it hit the river, mixing in with it's colour. The raindrops was causing the blood river to overflow, as it began rising in altitude.

"Wow."

I murmured to myself, letting myself be distracted for a moment. If I hasn't had [Probability Pryer] active, I wouldn't have forsaw myself being attached by a Bloodroot Strangler from behind. Gracefully, I managed to side-step out of the way with ease.

'What the…?'

My eyes widened for a moment, as the Bloodroot Strangler looked more different than before. The crimson vine had grown thicker, appearing more like some sort of live insect. The fur has grown more visible, even slightly spiky. It was similar to the apperance it had when the crimson moon rose, albeit less menacing and terrifying. Their power seems similar too—once again, albeit half of what the crimson moon enhanced version was capable of.

I saw the skin pulsing, almost like it was absorbing something very delicious.

"Is it absorbing the rain drops that hit its body?"

I suddenly thought to myself, worried. The Bloodroot Stranglers didn't give me time to ponder this thought, however. As they were already on me by the time the thought reached my head.

Grunting in frustration, I rolled to the side, crouched down, jumped and side-stepped when needed. Doing all this with practiced ease, my body slowly growing used to fighting like this—ever since the start of The Mulligan I have to admit that i have gotten better at fighting, my dodging, experience and fighting skills have improved tremendously.

But against foes like this, such fighting skill held little to no worth against a foe—or foes—that was significantly stronger than you. This very thought has been slapped across my face ever since the beginning of this mission.

The Bloodroot Stranglers were indeed absorbing the rain, growing stronger. I couldn't help but imagine how they would be like being enhanced by the Crimson Moon, as always as the rain….

Just as I dodged another Bloodroot Stranglers, nearing the trees, my tunic drenched, I started preparing for the climb. At that moment, the familier robotic voice sounded inside my head, announcing something.

[The Storm has arrived….]

'The storm? Isn't it already here? Is it talking about the rain?'

I blinked, confused. My eyes darting upwards. Was the voice somehow delayed? That can't be right…

Just then, I felt a powerful pressure hit my behind, sending me hurling through the air—no, I was quite literally flying! My eyes rolled back to the back of my head, almost losing consciousness in that brief moment, but I managed to recover in just a split second.

By the time I did however, all I felt was a powerful wind blowing in my face, the water raining down like a powerful dam had broken, hitting my face like little needles.

"Ah! Fuck!"

I squinted my eyes, my hands coming up to block the wind and rain hitting my face. It was almost like I was caught in the middle of a hurricane, the fact that I haven't been blown away, being because I had somehow luckily landed right beside a tree.

My arms instinctively wrapped around it.

"What the hell is this?! Just how many more bizzare stuff will arrive?!"

I complained. From the corner of my eye, I noticed that the Bloodroot Stranglers didn't seem to like The Storm, either. Though they seem to grow stronger by absorbing the rain—by absorbing water, actually—it didn't seem like they were immune to the wind, though. I saw some of those Bloodroot Stranglers being flung up into the sky, blown away by the powerful wind, as it greedily tried drinking down the water, like a hungry worm.

While the smarter ones just retreated into the depths of the river, as they didn't want to fall victim to The Storm.

"Hmm…."

I started thinking, while still desperately holding on to the tree. The trees, somehow, doesn't seem affected by The Storm. I knew they were special, but to not even budge at the strong winds? That's something else entirely. The Storm didn't seem to be able to affect the environment at all, or atleast the wind was unable to affect anything of the environment, excluding the ones within the environment.

This included me and the Bloodroot Stranglers. This was an interesting fact, but a very useful one that helped prevent me from being blown away all the way back to the….

'Wait!'

My eyes shot open, as a sudden thought entered my head. I had been worried that The Storm would sweep me off my feet, then send me flying all the way back to the start of this level. But what if I had The Storm do the opposite? There wasn't much time left before the sun sets, I can take advantage of The Storm itself to fly to the next level! The Storm's wind doesn't seem to blow in one specific direction, either. It seems to blowing in all directions at once.

It can work, but that didn't mean it didn't have any risks. Rather, it was very risky. A huge gamble. If I'm unable to control the direction the wind will start blowing me towards, it would result in me being sent God knows where. This could easily result in my death.

But at the same time, waiting here for The Storm to pass is no different from waiting for death. I wasn't sure how long The Storm will remain here. It could stay here until the sun sets, or it might even stay here until the crimson moon sets! That would mean the Bloodroot Stranglers would be taking power from both The Storm and the crimson moon, it's the same as suicide waiting for that possible outcome!

It was a High-Risk, High-Reward situation for me.

And I was more than willing to take that risk. Maybe I'm getting a little too reckless lately, but I couldn't careless! You learn from mistakes!

So, taking a deep breath, i allowed my arms around the trunk of the tree to loosen gradually. Even the slightest bit of loosening caused the wind to pick me up slightly. Gulping, I let go in one single movement.

"Ahhhh!!"

I was now flying for the first time in my life—yes, I was never on a plane before.

I quickly recovered from the strange sensations coursing through me at the sudden flight, adjusting my limbs and turning my head towards one direction. I needed to find the exact wind current that is blowing towards the next level.

Like a hawk, I started searching. I didn't have much time, as I felt my body being pulled towards the one wind current I didn't want to be pulled towards—the one taking me back.

So, I didn't waste anytime. Like always, I augmented my feet with Fury. The amount was pitiful, but good enough. Just enough for one little boost of force.

Clenching my calves, I kicked back against the air. It rippled slightly, the Shockwave created from my kick forcing me ahead, towards where I needed to go. Where I wanted to go. Even then, I didn't become careless, my focus was intense, my concentration didn't break for a second.

And then, I felt it. My body being automatically pulled towards the next level by a powerful gush of wind. The speed was so absurd, everything around me became a blur for a moment.

I squeezed my eyes shut, the wind becoming too much for me to handle. I was out of innate spirit, my body was heavily injured and I was filled with exhuastion—the lingering throat trauma was still there too, making swallowing difficult as well.

And then, came a sudden silence. A sense of serenity and peace washed over me, as the familier voice inside my head announced.

[You have ascended to the third Level! Congratulations, Player 40,345,678!]