Extra's Descent-Chapter 360: Timeless [8]

"What's going on?"

"Didn't they just fail the exam?"

"Why aren't they being ejected?"

A sudden rise of panic began to fill the monitoring room, as the cadets who stayed behind spoke with tension in their tone.

On the monitor, displayed Brandon and Raven, who were running for their lives, trying to dodge the towering creature's attacks.

"...."

Amelia stood frozen, staring at the scene blankly.

"Ah."

Her mouth parted open, her hands trembling.

"He's doing it again…."

Brandon had broken his promise.

His promise to never fight recklessly again.

Every fight, it looked as if he was throwing his life on the line.

She clenched her fist in frustration.

"...."

She didn't want to see him in pain.

In suffering.

"...."

Amelia turned around at the moment and strode off, her bangs obscuring her face.

She was quite aware of what was going on.

They weren't in the simulation. It was obvious from what she had heard from the officers.

She had no idea where the tower was, but her mind was in a fog.

Panic rose within her when she realized the ring that connected her and Brandon wouldn't activate.

As if something inside the location was tampering the ring's ability.

The moment she reached for the doorknob, another hand appeared on top of hers.

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"...."

"...."

It was Belle, who had just reached for the doorknob as well. Her expressions were blank, and she looked like she was out of it as well.

"Where are you two going?"

A deep voice resounded from behind them. Turning around, what met their sight was Bellion.

"This exam is a mess."

Amelia muttered.

"I got the gist of what's happening."

Belle too had shared her own thoughts.

After all, Belle was the second cadet to have passed, only five minutes after Amelia.

They had seen the officers operate. Some were leaving the room alternately. Amelia had sneaked a couple of glances, realizing they were heading for the interrogation rooms.

There were a lot of things that made no sense whatsoever, such as the streaming function.

Clearly, Brandon and Raven were facing a life or death situation. But for some reason, they were able to watch the entirety of it.

Lots of things didn't add up, and the Imperial Army withheld concealed information.

"Tell us, Field Marshal. What exactly is going on?"

And….

"Why aren't they in the simulation?"

Thud!

A resounding thud echoed from right behind Bellion.

It was Amy. Her expressions were grim, and she had just dropped her phone.

"What…."

Her brows raised, her shoulders trembling.

"Is that true—"

"Holy shit!"

"Why are they bleeding!? They're not supposed to bleed inside the simulation…!"

Gasps and concern resounded from the cadets, who were watching the monitor in horror.

Amelia and Belle exchanged glances, and immediately rushed. As soon as they arrived, they blatantly stared at the screen. Amy too had joined along.

"Hua…!"

Amelia gasped, covering her mouth.

***

Brandon and Raven rushed outside the vast expanse of withered flowers. The exit portal, which most likely headed for the lower floor, was just up ahead.

Swoosh—!

Brown tendrils and vines swiftly pierce the air. Behind them, the seed had completely turned into a horrifying towering treant.

Its body was twisted and malformed, made of darkened, withered bark, with a gaping maw split across its torso.

Swoosh—!

The treant's brown tendrils lashed out, slicing through the air like whips. Raven dodged, leaping to the side.

"Shit."

But Brandon, already drained, wasn't quick enough.

"Brandon!"

Raven shouted, horror evident in his expression.

Thud—!

The vine wrapped around Brandon's leg, yanking him back. His body hit the ground with a painful thud.

He groaned, struggling, trying to sever the vine with his bare hands. But it tightened, thorns digging into his skin, and he felt his blood starting to drain.

Brandon tried to muster the flames, his figure ablaze, trying to scorch the vines.

"Fuck, fuck!"

But it was to no avail.

His mana output wasn't enough.

Raven skidded to a stop, eyes widening as he saw Brandon struggling.

"No…. Brandon!"

Raven cursed, sprinting back toward Brandon.

Another vine lashed toward him, but Raven ducked low, dodging just in time.

He leaped, his daggers glowing faintly with [Reflection], aiming at the vine coiled around Brandon's leg.

Slash—!

The vine split apart, loosening its hold on Brandon. Raven grabbed Brandon's arm, pulling him up.

"Come on!"

Raven urged, his eyes frantic.

Brandon stumbled to his feet, his leg still bleeding, pain shooting up his body with every step.

The treant roared behind them, a guttural, deep sound that reverberated across the field.

Ba… Thump! Ba… Thump!

A ringing sound echoed in his ear, drowning out all the sound as all he could hear was the frantic pace of his heartbeat quickening.

"Go, go!"

Raven yelled, practically dragging Brandon forward.

The treant raised its massive arm, the withered bark twisting grotesquely, and swung at them.

Boom—!

The ground erupted, dirt and debris flying everywhere as they narrowly avoided the attack, diving to the side.

Brandon's breaths were ragged, his body feeling like it was on the brink of collapse. He could barely stand, let alone run.

Thud!

And he stumbled, his legs were practically screaming from the backlash of everything that had happened thus far.

But it couldn't be helped. Raven was too weak to even tackle any of the floors by himself.

Brandon had to exert his all in assuring they would ascend every floor.

Furthermore, Raven had no chance against any of the withered flowers, who relentlessly attacked them like mindless zombies earlier.

[Reflection] only worked to distort magic. It wouldn't cut a living creature down.

But now that his thoughts were cleared, that was when he started deducing everything.

'Why are we bleeding?'

'Why are the pain receptors real?'

'Why haven't we been ejected after failing?'

'Why are we on the 32nd floor?'

These questions confirmed his suspicions.

'It really is the real tower.'

Now that he thought about it, the floors after the first floor didn't have portals upon accomplishment.

That stark difference only became obvious to him now.

The Dimensional Tower may have had exit portals, but it never had entrance portals.

Just that, the scenery would change upon completion. However, the simulation had no way to replicate the scenery change without a portal.

'I should've noticed this detail sooner….'

That after the first floor, they had most probably been thrusted inside the real tower.

It didn't make any sense at all.

"...."

A sudden chill ran down his spine as soon as he realized Raven might've died for good if he had actually killed him on the second floor.

A lot of theories flooded his mind in that brief instance.

And in the next.

Spurt——!

Something warm seeped from his chest, trickling down—a certain dripping sound harrowing in his thoughts.

"Brandon!"

Raven screamed, extending his hand out, complexions turning abysmally pale.

Blood trickled down Brandon's mouth as he was yanked away from the vine that had just latched onto him.

Clank—!

A metallic sound rang out as the blade attached to his chest fell on the ground.

The floor was too difficult, especially for the two of them.

The field, the flowers…. the treant….

They had fed off their negative emotions, empowering the treant by this much.

[Phantasm] could've been possible. But he had expended too much mana for it to even be effective.

By estimation, the mist's coverage wouldn't expand enough to even be useful.

It would be nothing but a waste of mana. And currently, Brandon was trying to save as much mana as possible.

Brandon's mouth parted open, staring at him with a blank expression.

But no words would come out.

His voice wouldn't come out.

He couldn't smile, nor mirror the look Raven was giving him.

But if Raven could read his lips, he had told him only one word, trying to mouth it with his lips instead.

'Go.'