Anna gently shook Noah's shoulder, her voice low but urgent.
"Anna: Noah… Noah, wake up. We have to keep moving."
Noah slowly opened his eyes. The dim morning light filtered through the dense canopy above them, thin beams of sunlight barely managing to reach the temple floor. His body felt heavy, every muscle still aching from the previous day.
"Noah: Already…?"
He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes, still half asleep. Around him, the rest of the group was already beginning to gather their things.
Karoschi stood a short distance away, carefully examining the ground. He pointed deeper into the jungle where the vegetation seemed unusually disturbed.
"Karoschi: We should head this way. The tracks of the Jungle Titan lead in that direction."
Johann shifted uneasily, glancing toward the path Karoschi had pointed out.
"Johann: Uh… are we really sure about this? I mean… according to those tracks and the information you gave us, that thing is thirty meters tall. I'm not exactly convinced we can actually defeat something like that."
For a moment, the group fell silent.
Then Noah stood up fully, straightening his back despite the exhaustion that still clung to him. He looked at Johann with a calm but determined expression.
"Noah: I believe in us. If we stay together… we can do this."
His words were simple, yet something about the way he said them made the tension in the air loosen slightly. One by one, the others nodded. A small sense of determination replaced the creeping fear that had been building.
With renewed resolve, the group continued deeper into the jungle.
The forest quickly grew thicker and more oppressive. Massive trees towered above them, their branches forming a living roof that trapped the humid air beneath. Every breath felt heavy.
"Heinrich: Ugh… it's so stuffy here. How is anyone supposed to breathe in this place?"
Johann wiped sweat from his forehead, scanning the strange plants surrounding them.
"Johann: Oh wow… that plant actually looks kind of cool. It looks like something might be hiding inside it."
He leaned slightly closer.
Suddenly the plant burst open.
A grotesque head shot out from within the thick leaves, its jagged mouth snapping forward in an attempt to bite him.
But before it could reach him—
A sharp flash of steel.
Karoschi's blade cut cleanly through the creature's neck, severing the head in a single motion. The plant collapsed instantly.
"Karoschi: Careful. This is a Verius field. Stay away from the plants. They have no problem eating humans."
As if triggered by his words, dozens of nearby plants began to move.
All around them, the twisted heads of the Verius plants emerged from their leafy traps, opening their mouths and waiting patiently for their prey to come closer.
The group immediately slowed their pace.
Step by careful step, they began navigating through the dangerous field, making sure to keep as much distance from the plants as possible.
But Barry had a much simpler solution.
The young Titan Golem walked forward without hesitation.
CRUNCH.
The massive weight of his stone feet crushed the plants beneath him like brittle twigs.
One after another, the Verius plants were flattened instantly.
Karoschi's eyes widened slightly before he quickly turned to the others.
"Karoschi: Everyone—behind Barry! He can crush them without even getting scratched!"
Johann threw his hands up in disbelief.
"Johann: And you're only realizing that now?!"
Despite the danger, a small wave of relieved laughter moved through the group.
They followed closely behind Barry, who calmly continued walking forward, clearing a safe path through the entire Verius field.
After a few minutes, the deadly plants were finally behind them.
"Karoschi: Alright… we made it. Let's keep moving."
As they continued walking, Johann quietly leaned closer to Heinrich.
"Johann (whispering): I still don't trust Karoschi. What if he's leading us straight into a trap?"
Heinrich frowned slightly but didn't answer.
Hours passed as they marched through the endless jungle.
Eventually, the thick forest opened up slightly.
Before them lay a calm, shimmering lake.
The surface of the water reflected the golden afternoon light, creating a peaceful scene that felt almost unreal compared to the dangerous jungle surrounding it.
Exhausted, the group decided to rest there for the night.
They began setting up their simple stick tents while Barry stood watch nearby.
At the edge of the lake, several Hell Beetles were drinking from the water.
The moment they noticed Barry's massive shadow looming over them, they panicked and scattered, rushing back into the jungle.
The group took the opportunity to wash themselves in the cool water. They changed into their spare clothes while cleaning their dirty garments from the journey.
Meanwhile, Heinrich and Johann struggled to start a fire.
Anna soon returned from the jungle carrying several ripe mangos… and the bodies of a few dead Hell Beetles.
"Anna: I found some food. Did you manage to start the fire yet?"
Heinrich scratched the back of his head.
"Heinrich: Uh… not exactly. Maybe you could help us with that?"
Anna smiled faintly and knelt down beside them.
Together, they finally managed to ignite the fire.
They carefully removed the shells from the Hell Beetles and roasted the meat over the flames while washing the mangos in the lake.
Soon, the delicious smell of roasted food filled the air.
"Anna: Alright. The food is ready."
Heinrich immediately grabbed a portion.
"Heinrich: Finally!"
Everyone gathered around the fire, eating quietly after the exhausting journey.
"Johann: Wow… real food again. I almost forgot what that feels like."
For a brief moment, the group felt something close to peace.
But the jungle never truly slept.
Later that night, the ground suddenly trembled.
A violent rumble shook the earth beneath them.
Everyone woke up instantly.
They looked around in panic as the trees swayed and distant animals fled in terror.
Then they heard it.
A deep, echoing breath.
It rolled through the jungle like thunder.
Karoschi's expression instantly turned serious.
"Karoschi: Shhh… stay quiet. He's close. Don't move."
The group froze.
Then, slowly—
A colossal shadow appeared between the distant trees.
The enormous silhouette of the Jungle Titan emerged from the darkness.
Even from far away, its towering form dwarfed the forest around it. Thirty meters of living wood and twisted vines moved silently through the jungle. The massive figure seemed almost part of the forest itself.
The Titan stopped.
Its head slowly turned, scanning the area as if searching for something.
Karoschi whispered urgently.
"Karoschi: Everyone… slowly lie down on the ground. Carefully. Even you, Barry."
Without making a sound, the group lowered themselves onto the forest floor.
No one dared breathe too loudly.
For a terrifying moment, the Jungle Titan turned directly toward their direction.
The entire group held their breath.
Seconds passed.
Then the Titan turned away again.
Its massive steps echoed through the jungle as it slowly disappeared back into the darkness of the forest.
Only when the sound of its footsteps had completely faded did anyone dare move again.
One by one, they slowly lay back down.
But sleep did not come easily.
Fear lingered in every heartbeat.
Yet eventually, exhaustion overcame even their terror.
And one by one…
they drifted back into an uneasy sleep.