Eyes snapped open as Socrates rose up once again, his mind shuddering from constant pain that lingered like phantom fire in his nerves..
If he hadn't died instantly and just maybe a second more in that forest where those blades of grass had pierced into his body, he might have not been able to psychologically continue.
The pain was far worse than death...
"Aaah.." Socrates instinctively turned around to the scream of Mr. Jaggers as he watched a nail being driven into his toenails, the sharp metallic sound echoing faintly through the chilling air of the mountain summit...
The driver of the nail was unknown, hidden beyond sight, but he could clearly see the nail being driven in, as if an invisible hand carried out the cruel punishment..
It was as if he's viewing a scene in 5k quality.. The scream and everything was there, vivid and merciless, every twitch of pain carved into his memory..
Socrates' mind went into a turmoil of madness as he wanted nothing more than to destroy those carrying out this extreme act..
"You want to destroy us and you can't even get past the forest... Such a fool..."
The voice drifted into his ear once again, cold and mocking, as Socrates gritted his teeth until his jaw tightened painfully..
"I've to get past this forest no matter what." Socrates ran again with high speed as he got past the first kilometer with ease, his bare feet pounding against damp soil and fallen leaves...
"The speed, the air is getting into my eyes.. I've to rely more on my senses..."
Socrates stretched his ears to their very limits as he sped past the leaves and trees, weaving through arrows with stronger precision, the wind brushing sharply against his skin..
He's predicting the movement of the arrows as he ran and then veered right when suddenly three arrows were lunged at him.. He dodged two which he accounted for but the third one killed him instantly, piercing clean through his chest..
This happened, kept happening.. It kept happening as arrows multiplied at every death interval, the forest becoming deadlier each time..
..
[Total death — 47]
[Life remaining 963]
Socrates woke up again and didn't even look up at Mr. Jaggers...
Something had started shaping in his mind... and that's emotions...
Anytime he saw the pain Mr. Jaggers goes through.. He got overwhelmed with emotions and couldn't concentrate..
"The summit of the mountain is very far.. How can I vividly see what's happening to Mr. Jaggers.. This is what they want.. For me to fall in despair because with despair.. I won't be able to get out of this forest no matter what... I've to concentrate.. I've to..."
Socrates knew he can't back down.... There's no way he can give up now...
With extreme concentration and an accurate mind.. Socrates rushed into the forest, traversing through paths, weaving through arrows and dodging plants with extreme precision, his breathing steady despite repeated deaths..
He was not only careful but high on alert as what seemed like impossible for him before, he was now starting to dodge with ease..
He got to the halfway mark of the forest when suddenly everywhere went dark...
The sky darkened and Socrates couldn't see the arrows anymore, the forest swallowed in heavy darkness like a suffocating blanket..
He stopped for a moment as he tried to pick his ears when an arrow lunged into his back, killing him instantly..
...
"Fuck.." Socrates screamed out as he woke up, frustration boiling inside him..
"When I start adapting to one setting, they bring out new things.. What's really going on?" Socrates screamed out in horror, his voice echoing faintly through the empty clearing..
He's getting used to dying by arrows and that's because his death was just coming too easily... He's already dead before he could feel the pain of dying.
It was nighttime all through, the sky didn't brighten at all as Socrates traversed through the forest in the silent night, dodging arrows which were coming from both back and front..
With every death he adapted and by the time his death count crossed the 100 mark... It was already morning and Socrates was mentally exhausted, sweat clinging to his skin despite the cold air..
"You're a failure.. A big failure.." The voice whispered into his ear as Socrates' whole body shook..
"Look at your Senior.. Take a look at him..." The voice urged but Socrates refused...
He refused to look at the old man or his emotions would get the best of him.
"I can't linger here or I'll die..."
With all the exhaustion, Socrates continued but this time it was very easy to get past the 75km marks... The reason was because of the extreme running in the darkness... It had made him adapt to the forest like the back of his hands..
He veered right again when he suddenly found a large hole and to cross the hole, he had to walk past a rope stretched tightly across the gap..
He slowed down significantly as he carefully tried to cross the rope, arms extended slightly to maintain balance, but he couldn't get halfway when an arrow was suddenly lunged at him..
He tilted his head leftward but this caused him to lose his balance as he fell into the hole but quickly grabbed the rope with his hands....
Socrates tried to pull himself up when he suddenly noticed an arrow tearing down from the sky above..
"What the fuck..." Before he could even move, the arrow pierced into his head killing him instantly...
He died, resurrected and reached this mark again but still couldn't get past it...
Socrates had to maintain his balance on the rope... Any slight movement, he'll fall off..
Arrows were being shot at him which he must dodge...
Falling into the cave would result into instant death..
Socrates died here more than 30 times before he was finally able to cross the rope but as he got to the end of it, the rope cut by itself causing him to fall deep into the cave..
....
[Total death — 146]
[Life remaining — 854]
"Cheating... This is cheating.. I clearly passed that stage.." Socrates vomited while clutching into his stomach, bile rising from repeated strain..
"FAILURE .. FAILURE .. You're nothing but a FAILURE .."
"I'm not a FAILURE ... I'm not... I'm Socrates, the son of Trueblood."
Socrates roared instantly as he sped into the forest with new resolution.. He won't allow the voice get into him.. He won't allow Mr. Jaggers suffer anymore..
With newfound speed and sharpened senses, he dodged and weaved past arrows, traps, holes and dangers lurking in the forest... He ran past the rope bridge with great precision.. Dodging arrows from above, behind, front with calculated precision till he finally jumped out of the forest..
BOOM..
Socrates landed on the open field, dust erupting beneath his feet.. This time, he could clearly see the mountain in front of him, towering and silent beneath the pale sky..
But it was still many kilometers away...
"This is still isn't the basement? Do I have to run again?" Socrates asked himself as he stopped to catch his breath, chest rising and falling rapidly, when a dark shadow suddenly covered him from the sky.
Socrates instinctively looked up to see a bald vulture flying in the sky.. The vulture had black feathers but a red-blood head as it stared at Socrates with a predator gaze that sent chills down his spine..
"Those talons..." Socrates recognized them instantly.. It was the talons that had struck him the first time he refused to move..
"SCREECH.." The bird cried loudly as every part of Socrates' body screamed for him to move..
He couldn't even take two steps when the talon of the bird pierced into his chest, killing him instantly.