He had just crossed a little over 20 kilometers when the first interruption appeared. Another of the arthropods.

He hadn't seen it coming—only now, as it charged at him, did he register the ground's vibrations.

"How are you feeling?" Houston asked, a tinge of worry in his voice. He had no way of knowing what the toxic gases might be doing to Alonso's mind—and no way to fix it either.

"It's fine," Alonso replied. "I think I'm better now. It was the high energy expenditure under these conditions that really hit me. Right now, my body seems able to flush the toxins out if I keep a slower pace."

"Good," Houston replied, a note of relief in his tone. "So, what's the plan with this big guy? Outrunning it isn't an option, so—"

"Wait until it's right next to me, then we go to 40% Overdrive," Alonso said, his voice serious, a faint sickly edge to it. "I'll finish it in seconds, then drop back down to minus 15%."

"And remember—"

"The antenna. Yeah, it's not gonna happen again," Alonso said, still running straight, barely acknowledging the creature now less than a hundred meters away.

He closed his eyes for a moment, focusing on the vibrations rolling through the ground.

Overdrive 40%

The shift was immediate. Going from negative to the peak of his decoupling threshold felt like waking from a deep slumber, energy surging through him.

With his eyes closed, he fortified his mind with a protective barrier, holding Overdrive against the jamming signal. Then, tuning into the faint sounds, he began to echolocate, mapping the arthropod's every move.

This time, he pushed off hard with his right foot, propelling himself into a high, calculated arc. He moved swiftly, with no wasted motion, aiming for maximum control and speed.

He was airborne, three meters above the ground, directly over the creature's head as it barreled forward at nearly 90 kilometers an hour.

He soared, body held steady as he brought his blade down in a precise arc, slicing cleanly through both antennae in one fluid strike.

The massive creature's momentum sent a gust of air rippling over him, forcing him to brace midair. He twisted slightly, letting the wind carry him just over the creature's head before landing on the other side, steady and balanced. The severed antennae fell in slow motion, green blood suspended in the air.

The creature thrashed, disoriented, veering side to side in confusion.

Alonso watched it stagger, steadying his breathing and taking in as little of the toxic air as possible.

The huge arthropod began to wander off, but then… it turned back, locking onto him.

So, it works.

Even without the antennae, the creature's brain could still sense the ambient EM field. In its disoriented state, all that was needed was a slight nudge, and it would be guided straight to it.

Alonso rolled his sword, letting it spin smoothly around his arm. Is this how the matadors feel? he wondered as the heavy creature barreled toward him once again.

This was going to hurt, but he was ready to end it.

He charged toward the creature, timing his movement perfectly. Just before impact, he jumped, pulling his body into a tight position, and brought down the pommel of his sword like a sledgehammer. The strike landed with brutal precision, hitting a single vulnerable spot near its head and maximizing the impact with his full momentum.

The shell split instantly, the crack echoing as the hard carapace fractured under the force. Alonso absorbed the recoil by pivoting his body, letting the shock flow through his muscles as he angled himself away. He landed smoothly on the ground beside it, muscles relaxed, eyes focused.

The creature stumbled, swaying from the blow. Without hesitation, Alonso climbed up, gripping one of the gaps in its segmented shell with his free hand, steadying himself against its jerking movements.

He aimed at the exposed fracture, driving his blade deep with a controlled thrust, twisting it to widen the damage. Satisfied, he withdrew the blade, then leapt down, flicking remnants of brain tissue off with a swift motion.

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"Reduce Overdrive to -15%."

"Huh? Oh… okay," Houston replied, slightly taken aback but complying.

Overdrive -15%

He suddenly felt sleepy, almost drugged. The difference was ridiculous, but he was prepared.

Watching the creature's final moments, he waited calmly for it to finally collapse. And… it took some time. Even without a brain, they were resilient. However…

He began walking forward as the massive creature slumped to the ground, never to rise again. Alonso climbed over its skull and pushed his arm deep into the brain tissue.

Stage 1 - 3.152%

He jumped off, and without waiting a moment longer, resumed his run in the same direction he'd been heading. Barely a minute had passed since the encounter.

"Well, that was… different from the first time," Houston remarked, still a bit taken aback.

"I guess Overdrive, the environment, and a bit too much excitement to show off my skills led to a sloppy display," Alonso admitted. "But… it won't happen again. Sorry about that earlier."

"Well, good to have that sorted. Still, that was one energy-efficient kill—kudos for that," Houston replied. "Let's keep heading east, then. Maybe we'll come across a safer zone, something like the Oasis or maybe closer to the sea… assuming the trial even has those."

Alonso nodded, keeping his pace steady at 38 km/h. Given he'd prepared well, fully fed and hydrated, running for two days straight wouldn't be a problem… under normal conditions. In this environment, though, with the toxins and occasional creature ambushes, he figured he'd max out around 20 hours.

"With the boosts from the orbs, that limit may even stretch," Houston added thoughtfully. "In any case, let's hope we've chosen the right direction. I'll keep trying to track the EM field's patterns, see if anything hints at where we're headed."

And so he went, the landscape passing in a blur as he raced over the barren, ash-covered ground. The terrain stretched flat and wide, broken only by scattered stones and occasional patches of rough, bristling plants.

The air hung dense and dry, carrying the faint scent of minerals and something sharper, metallic. Thin layers of gray dust coated everything, kicked up into faint clouds with each step he took.

He encountered four more creatures as he continued. All were identical to the first, and he finished them swiftly.

Stage 1 - 3.176%

Stage 1 - 3.197%

Stage 1 - 3.215%

Stage 1 - 3.230%

After covering nearly 90 kilometers, the atmosphere shifted subtly. The air lost some of its oppressive weight, replaced by a cool, damp sensation that hinted at water nearby.

Finally.

A faint saltiness lingered, filling his lungs with each breath. The stillness of the barren land gave way to a distant sound up ahead—a rhythmic crash, steady and unmistakable.

His eyes caught sight of a rocky cliff emerging on the horizon. As he approached, it rose sharply, forming a natural wall that separated the dry inland plains from what lay beyond.

He slowed as he neared the edge, and the view opened below him.

Vast, rugged terrain stretched down toward a churning sea, waves crashing against rocks that lined the coastline. The water was a dark, murky blue-green, broken by jagged rocks jutting up along the shore. Foam gathered and broke with each wave, sending a cool mist into the air that drifted up toward him.

The change in landscape was striking. Behind him lay the flat, dusty terrain, while ahead, everything felt sharper and wilder. Sparse greenery clung to the rocky edges here, primitive trees and hardy shrubs that leaned out over the cliffside, their roots twisting down toward the water below.

For a moment, Alonso stood still, letting the cool, sea-touched air fill his lungs. Even in its harshness, this place held a raw beauty.

We don't know the value of what we have until we lose it. And breathing fresher air? Definitely one of those things.

"Looks nice," Houston remarked, his tone was noticeably more relaxed. The worry of being on a timer in the previous zone had left them both tense.

Alonso smiled. "Alright, set me to 40%. Let's see how fast I can get down this cliff."

"There are easier ways to descend," Houston replied. "We can't rule out the existence of flying or long-range creatures down there, and as much as you love rock climbing, I'd suggest finding a route that doesn't make you an easy target…"

"You just had to raise the red flags," Alonso said, shaking his head. He looked out over the vast view once more, appreciating the vastness of the rugged coastline, the rhythmic waves crashing below, the raw edge of the land fading into mist over the ocean's stretch. "Still, it'd be cool to just drop down and fly using my sword or something."

"Well, as of now, your magnetization skills barely levitate your sword on its own, so good luck carrying yourself on it," Houston replied dryly.

Alonso grinned, picturing it. "The future, Houston. I'm just looking at the future."

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