Alex waited with bated breath, hidden behind the cave's wall. He waited there, watching as the bright daylight faded and the world outside transformed into a landscape painted in shades of orange and golden yellow, the dusk gently settling over everything.
"Grrrrr," Alex's stomach growled loudly. He was so hungry that he could eat even the most bitter vegetables. He had to venture out before nightfall, since he had nothing to eat and would have to search for food quickly before everything turned dark.
By now, he was fairly certain that the weapons he had been eyeing were not a trap, because he had been waiting since his arrival and already more than a couple of hours had passed with no one emerging from the trees that stood just beyond the cave's entrance.
All he had seen were the grass and the leaves of the trees swaying in the wind, and he had not noticed any sign of a being that might be hiding behind the grass or among the trees.
If someone is hiding there, then so be it.
He would run at weapons, grab a weapon as quickly as possible, and then hide behind the large stone that stood beside the pile, shielding himself and the weapon from the direct view of the cave entrance.
After making his decision, he took a long, deep breath to steady himself. He tied any loose shoelaces, filling his lungs to the brim with air, and then dashed forward with all his strength.
No one attacked him, and no one appeared from the woods. He reached his destination and found a long sword, dozens of daggers, and a gray-colored suit of armor without a helmet. Without hesitation, he stored them all in his dimensional space and dashed behind a massive rock that concealed the spot from anyone looking into the cave from outside.
He peeked out from behind the rock and saw no one approaching; there was no sound of footsteps. Only the wind howled, and the grass rustled softly against itself.
Alex let out a loud sigh, releasing the breath he had been unknowingly holding. He took the armor out from his dimensional space and examined it with his status window.
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[STATUS WINDOW]
Weapon Name: Protective Armor
Grade: Rare
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Alex was shocked to find rare-grade armor so quickly and so close to his drop location. He examined the armor in his hands; it was gray in color and surprisingly light, unlikely to hinder him if he needed to run. It had no helmet and only covered his body below the neck, but it was more than he could have hoped for, and he knew it would help him survive an attack from others. He was very much pleased with the armor.
Alex immediately put on the armor, enveloping his body in the metallic suit. To his surprise, it was not heavy at all, and he found he could even squat comfortably in it. There was not much of a clinking sound as he practiced jumping. The oddest part was how perfectly it fit his body, as if it had been made just for him. Perhaps it was designed with the examinees' average age and size in mind, as most he had seen so far were around his height, with only a difference of a few inches for most, although some were very tall and others quite short—the short ones were dwarves.
Alex gave his armor one last examination and twisted his body to try to look at his back. Although he could not see it completely, he could at least tell that the armor was strong enough to protect him from an attack from behind. Next, Alex took out the long sword and checked its rank using the status window.
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[STATUS WINDOW]
Weapon Name: Long Metallic Sword
Grade: Rare
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"What? Another rare-grade weapon?" Alex shouted in shock. He never imagined he would be so lucky as to find two rare-ranked weapons this early in the examination. Immediately, he took out the daggers and began examining them with eager anticipation, his heart beating wildly in his chest.
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[STATUS WINDOW]
Weapon Name: Short Black Dagger
Grade: Enchanted
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[STATUS WINDOW]
Weapon Name: Short Black Dagger
Grade: Enchanted
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Alex's excitement soon faded as he examined each of the daggers he had acquired. There were quite a few of them, all similar in appearance and all of enchanted grade. The daggers were short, about half the length of his forearm, their blades and handles painted a dark color. Alex lifted one dagger to study its blade.
As expected, it is very sharp, but alas, all of them are of enchanted grade only.
Alex could not help but wish for rare-rank weapons, which were higher than enchanted grade and possessed more power and stronger builds. Still, he was at least satisfied with the daggers' blades, which he could use to throw at an enemy from hiding in a bush or behind rocks. If the blade struck a critical point, he might even be able to kill an enemy in one shot. He put the daggers back into his dimensional space.
Alex lifted his long sword, its length only a few inches shorter than his arm. The blade was even sharper than the daggers, and Alex did not dare to put his finger near its tip, wary of being cut.
With his sword in his right hand, Alex slowly made his way toward the exit, still cautious of being attacked from the front by someone who might be hiding. But before anyone could spring upon him, he heard the sound of the cave's roof crumbling. A small rock struck his head as it fell from above.
Alex groaned in pain and turned around, his eyes soon filled with horror as he looked back. It was an absolute horror.
"Run!" he shouted at himself, bolting forward with every ounce of strength he could muster. The cave was being swallowed by a dark, void-like gap, like a circle devouring the very cave within it. It was shaking the very foundation of the cave and causing the roof to collapse. The roof, even in areas far from the dark, void-like gap, was beginning to collapse. There was still some distance left before he could escape—just a few more meters, and he would be free from this hellish experience.
He ran, shielding his head with his left hand and slashing away any falling debris with the sword gripped tightly in his right.
***
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