Zael didn't stop running.
Void Step.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Each jump shorter than the last.
Not by choice—
By strain.
The forest blurred past him in broken flashes. Twisted trunks, uneven ground, shadows that didn't sit right. His breathing stayed controlled at first, but the deeper he pushed, the more the cracks began to show.
"…Not yet."
He forced another step.
Another shift.
But his body didn't respond as cleanly this time.
The surge—
That overwhelming spike in power—
Was fading.
He felt it.
Not suddenly.
Gradually.
Like something being pulled out of him piece by piece.
His movements slowed just a fraction.
His senses dulled slightly.
The tight control he had over his energy—
Loosened.
"…Damn."
He landed from another Void Step—
And this time—
His foot slipped.
Just slightly.
Enough.
Zael stumbled forward, catching himself on a tree trunk.
His breathing deepened.
No longer perfectly controlled.
The system flickered faintly in his mind.
---
[Temporary Enhancement Expiring]
Remaining Duration: 00:18… 00:17… 00:16…
---
Zael exhaled slowly.
"…Of course."
He pushed off the tree.
Forced himself forward again.
Not running blindly now.
Measured.
Careful.
Because if they caught up now—
Like this—
It would be over.
He slowed.
Not fully stopping.
But no longer sprinting.
His perception stretched outward.
Listening.
Feeling.
Nothing immediate.
No crushing pressure.
No overwhelming presence.
But that didn't mean safety.
It just meant distance.
For now.
Zael moved through the forest more cautiously.
Step by step.
His blade remained in hand.
Ready.
Always ready.
The countdown ticked.
---
00:05… 00:04… 00:03…
---
He felt it before it ended.
That final drop.
That last piece of strength—
Leaving.
---
00:00
---
It hit him all at once.
The boost vanished.
Not gently.
Not gradually.
Gone.
His body lurched forward.
Zael caught himself—
Barely.
His knee hit the ground.
Hard.
"…Tch—"
His muscles tightened painfully.
His breathing broke rhythm for a second before he forced it back under control.
The difference—
Was immediate.
Heavy.
His reserves dropped.
His endurance dipped.
That overwhelming presence he had just moments ago—
Felt distant now.
Like it had never belonged to him.
Zael stayed there for a second.
One knee on the ground.
Head slightly lowered.
Breathing.
Recovering.
"…That's the drawback."
Fifteen minutes of power—
Followed by this.
He pushed himself up slowly.
Not rushing it.
Because rushing now—
Would be stupid.
His body wasn't at its peak anymore.
Not even close.
But it was enough.
It had to be.
Zael looked around.
And paused.
"…This place…"
The forest had changed again.
Subtly.
But noticeably.
The trees—
Were thinner here.
More spaced out.
The ground—
Smoother.
Almost… level.
No roots breaking through.
No uneven terrain.
And ahead—
A clearing.
Perfectly circular.
Too clean.
Too quiet.
Zael didn't step in immediately.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Suspicious."
There were no signs of struggle.
No beasts.
No tracks.
No broken branches.
Nothing.
Like the forest itself avoided this place.
Or—
Respected it.
Zael exhaled slowly.
His grip on his blade tightened just a bit.
"…Which means something's here."
Or something had been.
Either way—
Not normal.
Not safe.
But—
He needed a moment.
Just a moment.
To stabilize.
To recover.
To think.
Behind him—
Far behind—
Danger still moved.
Closing.
Searching.
He looked back once.
Then forward again.
At the clearing.
"…No good options."
A quiet breath.
Then—
He stepped in.
The moment his foot crossed the edge—
Something shifted.
Not violently.
Not loudly.
But enough.
Zael stopped.
Completely.
"…Yeah."
His eyes sharpened.
"…Definitely not normal."
The air felt different.
Denser.
Heavier.
Not like pressure—
But like presence.
Old.
Silent.
Watching.
Zael didn't move further.
Didn't speak.
Didn't react.
Because right now—
Every instinct he had—
Was telling him the same thing.
He hadn't just found a place to rest.
He had stepped into something—
That had been waiting.
-----
Zael didn't move at first.
The clearing was too quiet.
Not just silent—
Empty.
Like sound itself didn't belong here.
His eyes swept the area slowly, taking in every detail again. The smooth ground. The unnatural spacing between the trees. The absence of any life.
Then—
It appeared.
No warning.
No sound.
One moment—
Nothing.
The next—
A stone structure stood at the center of the clearing.
A stele.
Tall.
Worn.
Ancient.
Zael's eyes narrowed immediately.
"…I didn't miss that."
It hadn't been there before.
Which meant—
It hadn't revealed itself until he stepped in.
The surface of the stele was rough, cracked with age, but not broken. Faint markings ran across it, too faded to read, too complex to ignore.
And at its center—
A depression.
Shaped perfectly—
For a palm.
Zael didn't approach.
Not immediately.
His body remained still, but his mind moved quickly.
Trap?
Test?
Transport?
All possible.
All likely.
"…Too obvious."
Anything in a place like this—
Was never simple.
He took a slow step forward.
Then stopped again.
Watching.
Waiting.
Nothing happened.
No pressure spike.
No hidden attack.
No reaction.
Just the stele.
Standing there.
Silent.
Waiting.
Zael exhaled slowly.
"…Of course."
Behind him—
Far off—
That faint pressure again.
Not close.
But not gone either.
They were still searching.
Still moving.
Still hunting.
He didn't have time to circle around this.
Didn't have time to investigate every possibility.
His options were limited.
Stay—
And risk getting caught.
Or—
Take the unknown.
Zael clicked his tongue softly.
"…I hate this kind of choice."
He stepped forward again.
Closer this time.
Until he stood right in front of the stele.
Up close—
It felt different.
The air around it wasn't heavy—
It was still.
Completely still.
Like nothing here moved unless it was allowed to.
Zael raised his hand slightly.
Then paused.
Just before touching it.
His eyes lingered on the palm-shaped depression.
"…If this kills me, that'll be annoying."
No response.
Of course.
A brief exhale.
Then—
He pressed his hand against the stele.
Contact.
Instant.
The moment his palm settled into place—
The world shifted.
Not violently.
Not explosively.
Quietly.
Zael's eyes sharpened—
But he didn't have time to react.
Space folded.
Sound disappeared.
The clearing—
Vanished.
The trees—
Gone.
The ground—
Gone.
Zael—
Gone.
Like he had never been there.
And just as suddenly—
The stele faded.
The clearing blurred—
Then dissolved back into the forest.
Natural.
Untouched.
Empty.
As if nothing had ever appeared.
As if no one had ever entered.
Minutes later—
A presence passed through.
Heavy.
Sharp.
Searching.
It paused briefly where the clearing had been.
Lingering.
Then—
Moved on.
Because there was nothing there.
Nothing to find.
Nothing to follow.
And far away—
Somewhere else entirely—
Zael opened his eyes.