NOVEL FROG Interlude: Chase Across the Forest
StealthPeanut was an avid gamer who was in love with FPS titles like Arma 3 and a veteran airsoft enthusiast who had won numerous competitions. Not only did he have an incredible reaction speed and was very agile, but his knowledge regarding guns was also quite extensive. Due to his talent, he was adept at navigating treacherous terrain as well as short-distance sprints. While he might not be as durable as a professional athlete, he was the best when it came to running and hiding in this game.
As soon as he entered the game, his prowess was recognized by Auralise — a wealthy tycoon in real life — and was immediately recruited to be a part of her group. Enticed with money as well as resources that normal players couldn’t get, there was little to no reason to refuse the offer.
Right now, he was tasked with a very important mission: to lure a magical beast horde toward the bandit encampment. It was basically a suicide mission. Of course, his main reason for volunteering for this one-way ticket to the next life other than being the most suitable person was because of the sense of justice that stemmed from the horrifying act that had befallen the village. It had truly been imprinted into his heart.
“The nest should be by the creek over there,” StealthPeanut whispered to himself as he crouched low to the ground like a pro and inched closer to sneak a peek amidst the dense foliage.
Before him was the nest of a magical beast called “Dreadbeak Bird” — an oversized dodo bird-like creature. Strangely enough, these creatures were twice as large as an ostrich and had deadly features that typical birds wouldn’t normally have. It was discovered by their group not very long ago and had been an important target since then for various reasons.
“According to Satellite’s instructions, I have to snatch one of their eggs and bring it all the way over to the enemy encampment… Well, there’s one over there.” StealthPeanut spotted a basketball-sized egg lying on a bird’s nest closest to him.
However, there was but one problem: One of them was patrolling nearby and seemed to be on the lookout for any intruders. Still crouching low, he tried to blend into the shadows as he observed the beast’s movements. He calculated the best approach to the nest without alerting his presence to them. After determining the best course to take, he immediately launched into action.
With lightning-fast reflexes honed from years of training, StealthPeanut made a dash for the nest, darting between trees and leaping over fallen branches with the agility of a seasoned predator. Thanks to his in-game physique, which was even better than his real-life counterpart, he reached his target in a matter of seconds.
But his daring maneuver did not go unnoticed. As his hand reached out for the egg, the Dreadbeak Bird unleashed a deafening screech, its massive wings unfurling to launch a barrage of feathers in his direction.
“Shit!” His heart was racing with nervousness, but his hard work didn’t betray him; he vaulted to avoid the sharp feathers, using the cover of foliage to shield himself from harm. To him, it was not much different from the airsoft sparring he used to have.
Luckily, he had Anemo as his highest elemental affinity and was already at the first stage of Initiate Attunement. Thus, he drew upon the Anemo elemental energy to augment his speed and deflect any feathers that he couldn’t dodge.
“I’ve got the egg!” Having secured the prize under his robe, he wasted no time in fleeing the scene.
Nevertheless, a cacophony of screeches appeared as dozens of other Dreadbeak Birds went to pursue him. Even though it was the main objective all along, being chased by dozens of magical beasts was a horrifying experience. As he sprinted through the Thornwood Forest, the egg clutched tightly in his grasp, StealthPeanut couldn’t shake the feeling of being a rugby player trying to score a touchdown.
Seeing that he had successfully completed the first phase of the mission, StealthPeanut swiftly activated his Shadowlink Mark and initiated a call to “Satellite” — a new feature of the alpha version 0.4. As soon as the connection was established, he wasted no time in reporting the situation.
“Amazing work, StealthPeanut! Now, make your way to the bandit encampment. We’ll provide support along the way,” said Satellite from the communication line.
With a grin, StealthPeanut closed the screen and increased his pace. He traversed the uneven terrain with relentless determination, showing no signs of exhaustion or slowing down. Fortunately, the distance between the nest and the destination was relatively short and could be traversed in less than half an hour by running at full speed.
Along the way, whenever the Dreadbeak Birds managed to reduce some distance, some players would emerge from the surroundings to intercept them with offensive spells, providing StealthPeanut with brief moments to take a breath or two. However, their obsession with the egg surpassed even the threat to their own lives.
At last, he could see the encampment in the distance, perched precariously at the edge of a bottomless chasm.
“There it is!” he announced, summoning the last reserves of his energy for the final sprint towards the target. Despite his extreme exhaustion, he had managed to reach his destination successfully and on time. But there was no time to rest, not when the heart of the encampment lay just ahead, tantalizingly close yet still out of reach.
One hundred meters… Fifty meters… Twenty meters…
“Stop! Who are you?!” One of the bandits spotted his approach and attempted to intercept him, but the word “slowing down” didn’t cross his head, not even once.
Like the seasoned airsoft player that he was, StealthPeanut deftly sidestepped the bandit and charged into the largest tent he could spot. The leader of the bandits must be there!
“I said stop!” the bandit shouted. “Anyone, stop him! Kill him!”
The other bandits hurried to halt his advance by swinging their weapons around. Despite his best efforts to evade the onslaught, it was impossible for him to dodge every attack. Arrows struck him from all directions, turning him into a porcupine despite the defensive properties of his acolyte’s robe. Two bandits closed in, and their swords stabbed him, causing blood to color his clothes red.
Yet, he never stopped running, finally reaching the edge of the largest tent.
“Hahaha! This is as far as I go, but you bandits are going down with me!” Instead of the expression of a person on the brink of death, a maniacal grin spread across StealthPeanut’s face for his mission was completed.
In that moment, the Dreadbeak Birds that had been chasing him throughout the forest like there was no tomorrow, finally reached the chasm. Their screeches echoed through the air as they closed in toward the encampment…
Author Note:
This actually happened between chapter 105 and chapter 106.
