Vol3 Chapter 11 Hold on Tight

Click.

Flash.

Another applicant disappeared.

Amos glanced at the badge in his hand before adding it to the growing collection. He turned, sensing two more mana traces—one to the north, another to the northeast. Farther off, a group of six. Near the river, a monster, and maybe an item. His eyes lit up with anticipation.

"Alright."

He crouched. Mana gathered in his legs.

DONG.

A deep sound echoed across the entire simulation. Amos froze.

"...?"

DONG.

The sky shifted, the massive player counter vanished, and for a moment, everything went dark. Then, towering red letters blazed above the artificial world.

ZONE CONTRACTION IN PROGRESS

TIME REMAINING

04:59

Amos stared.

"..."

The number changed.

04:58

"..."

04:57

Amos turned his head slowly, almost reluctantly, toward the horizon. In the distance, the massive blue boundary was on the move—fast, unbelievably fast. Forests vanished in its wake, mountains crumbled from sight, entire regions consumed in moments. All around, applicants scattered; hundreds of them. Some took to the skies, others rode summoned beasts, and many relied on movement magic. Screams echoed through the chaos. Yet Amos remained perfectly still.

"..."

His mind replayed Russell's words. The space would shrink. A clash was bound to happen. Stay inside the safe zone. Head toward the center.

"..."

Amos glanced down—at the badges, the temporary bracelet, the forest, the faint trails he’d been tracking. Then his eyes shifted back to the wall drawing closer.

"Huh."

"Huh."

The wall moved closer.

04:42

Amos's face changed.

"Oh."

04:41

"Oh no."

The center was far—very far. While everyone else had been steadily moving inward, Amos had done the opposite: chasing Mira, hunting monsters, trailing players, running after loot, meeting Lucra, and stealing even more loot. Somehow, he’d ended up traveling almost straight toward the outer region. He glanced toward the center, then the boundary, then back to the center again.

"..."

The boundary pulsed.

BOOOOOOM!

A mountain disappeared behind it.

Amos's eyes widened.

"OH, COME ON!"

He ran.

BOOOOOOM!

The forest erupted behind him, and Amos pushed himself to run as fast as he could. No Gale Striders—gone. Hunter’s Eye—gone. Phantom Step—three charges left. He could use them, but only three, and the range was short. Better to save them for when things got truly dire. So Amos kept sprinting.

Tree. Rock.. Cliff. He’d crossed them all.

03:51

“...Plenty of time.”

But the boundary was moving faster.

03:50

“...Probably.”

A flock of birds burst into the sky overhead. Amos glanced back. The blue wall loomed much closer now.

"Not plenty."

He accelerated.

***

Chaos erupted across the simulation. Applicants who had been hiding during the examination were driven out of their caves. Teams clashed, ambushes happened by accident, and monsters fled from the shrinking boundary. Brief alliances formed, only to fall apart moments later. The center grew more crowded by the second. And Amos—was still far away.

03:12

"Move!"

He leapt over the river, landed, rolled, kept going, and then—he spotted someone.

"...?"

A figure appeared ahead, walking steadily. Not running, just walking. Amos blinked.

"...No."

He looked again as a young woman strolled calmly along the forest path. Her light-colored hair framed a gentle expression, and she wore white-and-gold clothing. A faint holy glow surrounded her, making Amos’s eyes widen.

"...Saint?"

Estelle turned and she saw him.

"..."

Amos saw her.

"..."

They stared at each other.

The countdown continued.

02:47

Amos glanced at Estelle, then at the approaching boundary, and back to her again.

"Why are you walking?"

Estelle blinked.

"Because I am going toward the center."

Amos stared.

"...At that speed?"

She looked ahead.

"Yes."

"..."

Amos looked at the countdown.

02:39

First at the distance, then matching Estelle's calm walking pace, and finally returning to the boundary.

"You're not going to make it."

Estelle considered this.

"...Perhaps."

Amos's eyebrow twitched.

"Perhaps?"

She nodded.

"I encountered several injured applicants."

"..."

"I healed them."

Of course. Amos shut his eyes. Naturally, she had. His earlier theory was spot on. She’d actually been running a hospital.

"Then I encountered a wounded magical beast."

Amos opened his eyes.

"...You healed the monster too?"

Estelle nodded.

"It was suffering."

"You know it is only a simulation monster right..."

Amos stared at her—the Saint Candidate, the girl who had reached an unbelievable mana layer, one of the strongest applicants. And yet, she was on the verge of losing, having apparently spent the entire battle royale healing both players and simulated monsters alike.

"Unbelievable."

Estelle tilted her head.

"Is something wrong?"

"Yes."

Amos pointed behind them.

"The world is disappearing."

Estelle looked.

The massive boundary swallowed another section of forest.

"...Ah."

Amos stared.

"Ah?"

She looked toward the center.

Then at the countdown.

02:21

"I may not reach it."

"Yes." Amos nodded firmly. "That is what I just said."

Estelle thought. Amos looked at the countdown.

02:15

Then at her. Then toward the center. Then back at her.

"..."

He sighed.

"Fine."

Estelle blinked. Amos walked toward her.

"Excuse me."

"For what?"

Amos bent slightly. Then, Lifted her.

"..."

Estelle was suddenly off the ground. Amos carried her securely in both arms.

Estelle looked at him. Amos looked toward the center.

"...There."

Estelle blinked once. Then twice.

"...I see."

That was it. She shifted her hands just enough to avoid getting in his way, then settled back comfortably. Amos looked down at her.

"...You're very calm about this."

Estelle nodded.

"You appear to be faster than me."

"..."

"And you are very respectful of where you carry me."

Amos stared.

Then nodded.

"Alright, hold on tight."

Behind them,

BOOOOOOM!

The boundary swallowed the forest. Amos's eyes widened.

"Right."

He ran.

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

The ground split beneath them as Amos sped up, while Estelle stayed perfectly calm. Trees blurred past, rocks zipped by, and the river loomed ahead. With a powerful leap, Amos launched them into the air, soaring over the rushing water as Estelle glanced down at the current below.

"...Beautiful."

Amos stared ahead.

"We're being chased by the end of the world."

"Yes."

"You sound very relaxed."

"I trust you."

Amos almost tripped.

"...Why?"

Estelle thought.

"Because it's the goddess will."

"..."

Amos stared forward.

"...That's quite the trust."

"I am aware."

"..."

They continued.

01:43

The boundary was secured. Amos boosted his mana reinforcement, and his feet pounded against the ground.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

Each stride propelled him forward.

Up ahead—

A cluster of applicants ran.

One glanced back.

He saw Amos.

Saw Estelle cradled in his arms.

His expression froze.

"...Is Kyros carrying the Saint Candidate?"

Another turned.

"What?! KYROSSSSS YOU BETTER LET THE SAINT GOOOOOOOOO!"

Amos passed them.

FWOOOOOSH!

"..."

High above, the academy viewing halls became silent.

"..."

"..."

"..."

One student pointed.

"Is that THE saint?"

Another nodded.

"Yes."

"Is that Kyros?"

"Yes."

"Why is he carrying her?"

A third student stared at the screen.

"Apparently she was walking."

"...During contraction?"

"Yes."

"...Why?"

"She was healing people."

Someone else spoke.

"And a monster."

***

01:02

Amos breathed harder.

The center came into view—a massive safe zone. Hundreds of applicants were converging, some fighting, others running or panicking. Behind him, the boundary roared, and Estelle turned to look.

"...It is close."

"I noticed."

00:54

Amos picked up speed. Suddenly, three applicants blocked the way. One pointed and shouted, “Kyros!” Another spotted Estelle and yelled, “The Saint!” The third lifted his weapon. “Take their badges!” Amos froze, staring.

"...Seriously?"

They charged. Amos sighed.

"Hold on."

Estelle calmly placed one arm more securely around his shoulder.

"...Like this?"

Amos blinked.

"...Yes."

"Understood."

The first applicant lunged. Amos shifted, kicked, and sent the weapon flying. He slipped past. A click—badge gone. A flash. The second came at him. Amos ducked and drove a shoulder strike. Turn.

Click.

Flash.

Third.

With a flick of a spell, Amos leapt, twisting in midair before landing smoothly behind him.

Click.

Flash.

He never put Estelle down.

Estelle looked at the three disappearing applicants. Then at Amos.

"...You are quite skilled."

"Thank you."

Amos resumed running.

00:31

The boundary loomed closer.

The safe zone.

Just two hundred meters to go.

Amos clenched his jaw.

"...We're making it."

Estelle nodded peacefully.

"I believed we would."

"Again."

Amos jumped over a fallen tree.

"Far too much trust."

00:20

One hundred meters. The boundary roared. Amos’s eyes widened—too close. He glanced at the bracelet. Phantom Step. Three charges left.

"...Fine."

He activated it.

Flash.

Amos and Estelle vanished, only to reappear twenty meters ahead. Estelle blinked in surprise.

"Okay."

Second charge. A flash lit the air. Another twenty meters. Third—then Amos came to a halt.

“No, save it,” he said, then took off running.

00:08

The safe boundary was just ten meters ahead, with the contracting wall closing in from behind.

00:05

Amos jumped.

00:04

The wall reached them.

00:03

Amos crossed.

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

The boundary came to a halt. Amos touched down, rolled once, and made sure to keep Estelle off the ground before coming to a stop.

"..."

He took a breath. Once. Twice. Three times.

"We made it."

Estelle remained in his arms.

"Yes."

"..."

"..."

Amos looked down. Estelle looked up.

"...You can stand now."

"Oh."

She nodded.

"Of course."

Amos set her down gently. Estelle straightened her clothes, as if she hadn’t just been carried halfway across the map with the world vanishing in their wake. Then she looked over at Amos.

"Thank you."

Amos waved one hand.

"It's fine."

He paused, glanced at her, and then something came to mind.

"...By the way."

"Yes?"

"Were you really healing monsters?"

Estelle nodded.

"..."

Amos stared.

"...Did it drop an item atleast?"

Estelle thought.

"No."

Amos closed his eyes.

"...Tragic."

Estelle tilted her head as Amos glanced toward the bustling center—hundreds of applicants, teams, monsters, items, pure chaos. Then his eyes shifted to the player count.

REMAINING APPLICANTS

412

His eyes widened.

"..."

He smiled slowly as the zone tightened, taking its toll on many. Now, everyone was packed in closer, and a clash felt inevitable. Only three hundred would make it through, and Amos could feel his blood starting to race again.

"Oh."

Estelle noticed his expression.

"What is it?"

Amos looked toward the enormous concentration of players and his smile widened.

"Nothing."

He cracked his knuckles.

"I just realized..."

All around the center, applicants gathered—so many of them, packed in close together.

"...the hunting is going to be much easier now."

Estelle stared at him.

"..."