[Candidate 145 eliminated]
Thud*
The body of Candidate 145 landed with a loud, heavy thud against the cold ground, dust rising slightly upon impact—but it didn't just end there.
His hand gave way, loosening its grip, and the grenade that he was about to throw—still clutched moments ago—rolled out of his hand, bouncing softly on the rough surface before spinning to a halt, its metallic body glinting faintly in the dim light as it attracted the sharp eyes of Socrates.
It was at that exact moment Socrates knew he had fucked up.
'Shit... I should've aimed from a distance.'
Instantly, he retreated backward at full speed, his boots scraping against the ground as urgency surged through his body. At the same time, he retrieved an item from his inventory and deployed it without hesitation.
Tik Tik!
GLOO WALL!
EXPLOSION!
Everything happened in an instant—as just as Socrates had deployed the reinforced white fluffy wall, the grenade detonated violently, consuming everything around it in a burst of roaring fire and scorching heat.
The white fluffy wall was destroyed almost immediately under the force of the explosion, fragments dispersing like torn foam, and the blast sent Socrates hurtling backward over a far distance, his body thrown helplessly through the air before crashing hard onto the ground.
The fire engulfed his previous location completely—but fortunately, it didn't reach him.
Mr. Jaggers, who had been watching this entire exchange with sharp eyes, simply shook his head slowly.
'The boy is still too green. Hopefully, he's fine.'
One of his hands was placed firmly on the ground to support himself, while the other clutched his stomach tightly, where blood continued to drip out steadily, dark and thick, as his health point decreased with each passing second.
He heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Socrates rise from the ground, albeit slightly staggered, before rushing toward the explosion site, which had almost died down, leaving behind smoke and faint embers.
'I hope he finds something valuable.' Mr. Jaggers prayed inwardly as he watched Socrates ransack the items left behind by the two dead candidates, his movements hurried yet focused, before the boy turned and rushed back toward him.
"Senior! Senior! How are you faring?"
"I've never been so close to death," Mr. Jaggers answered with a low, strained sigh as he watched his HP drain right before his eyes.
"I found something valuable in the body of Candidate 146," Socrates said before flinging an item toward his direction.
Mr. Jaggers caught the item mid-air, his grip firm despite his condition, and the wristband on his wrist flickered immediately with a soft blue light.
[Item Detected — Life Inhaler.. Can be used twice.]
[Usage — 0/2]
Mr. Jaggers didn't hesitate. He brought the inhaler to his nose and inhaled deeply, taking in everything the device had to offer.
A soothing sensation spread through his body almost instantly, like a cool wave washing over heated metal, as he felt his vitality and energy surge upward in folds.
His HP, which had been steadily decreasing, suddenly reversed direction and began increasing, the green bar rapidly filling up before his eyes.
The wounds on his body sealed up gradually, flesh knitting back together, as his strength rose beyond what it had been moments ago. His eyes regained their luster, no longer dull but sharp and alive again, as he stood up sharply from the ground before removing the inhaler from his nose.
"This is a lifesaver. Had it been I had not one-shot that candidate, probably our heads would've been sent rolling by now," Mr. Jaggers stated with a visible smile tugging at his lips.
"Yes.. because with this, even if he was badly damaged.. he could recover quickly."
"What are you waiting for? Take it and heal yourself.. The item still has one use."
Mr. Jaggers threw the Life Inhaler back to Socrates, who caught it reflexively, his expression filled with surprise.
Initially, he had thought the middle-aged man would keep the item for himself due to its heaven-defying ability and its usefulness in precarious situations. After all, the loot rightfully belonged to him, since he was the one who killed the candidate.
"Senior... I..."
"What? You don't want it? Then I'll—"
"No.. No.."
Socrates immediately plugged the Life Inhaler into his nose, inhaling deeply as a soothing stream of energy flowed into his system.
His vitality surged instantly, and his stamina returned to peak condition.
All the sluggishness and wounds he had accumulated since his fight with Alee were cleansed away, leaving him feeling light, refreshed, and far more capable than before.
"Hmm... Now you look more capable.. Unfortunately, the Life Inhaler couldn't fix your broken meridians, but its effect is still great. You could actually kill a Bermutha Wolf with ease now."
Socrates' face turned beet red as he was appraised by Mr. Jaggers. He recalled his near-death experience with a Bermutha Wolf and reflected on how far he had come in such a short time.
"You flatter me, Senior.. Everything I've accomplished is due to your help."
Socrates bowed slightly, lowering his head, while Mr. Jaggers waved him off dismissively.
"You don't have to be overly polite. You're also a reliable companion.. C'mon, let's move on.. We still need to hunt for a token."
Mr. Jaggers finalized as he picked up his Thompson, the weapon resting naturally in his grip, while Socrates pulled out his SMG. The two aspirants then continued their journey into the darkness, their figures gradually blending into the night.
Not long after they left the scene, three creatures suddenly appeared there at a terrifying speed, their movements swift and almost ghost-like as they emerged from the shadows.
Their glowing red eyes scanned the surroundings, sharp and predatory, taking note of the recent commotion, while their noses twitched as they caught the lingering scent of the red liquid that had only just been spilled.
HOWL..
A deep, chilling howl filled the air as they recognized the scent—it was blood.
And not just any ordinary blood, but one that carried faint traces of their own kind.
HOWL..
The creatures cried out again, their voices reverberating through the deep night, echoing across the terrain as if sending a signal to unseen allies lurking within the darkness.
HOWL..
They howled once more, louder this time, the sound layered with fury. The Bermutha Wolves were enraged that one of their own kin had been killed.
After letting out the third howl, their bodies tensed, muscles coiling—
Then they tore forward, sprinting at full speed, claws digging into the ground as they chased after the fading trail of blood.
...
Mr. Jaggers and Socrates relied solely on the monocle to navigate through Bermutha Island, their vision enhanced as they moved through uneven terrain and shadowy paths.
They tried their best to avoid engaging in direct conflict with other aspirants, choosing caution over unnecessary confrontation, while also searching for supplies that would aid them in their journey.
They moved in absolute silence, their five senses heightened to the extreme, every sound and movement carefully processed, their grips tight on their weapons, fingers close to the trigger.
As they traversed deeper into the island, they eventually found themselves standing before a building with a worn inscription carved above its entrance.
"BERMUTHA WAREHOUSE."
The duo read it out and then turned toward each other, exchanging a brief glance.
"Should we explore or pass?" Mr. Jaggers asked, his tone measured.
"The warehouse is located at a strategic position on the island. A lot of aspirants must have already discovered it.. And again, we are crazily equipped, so I think we should find out what's in there," Socrates analyzed, his gaze steady.
"Good analysis, boy. Let's go explore.. Who knows, we might get a token."
Mr. Jaggers chuckled lightly at the thought as he took the lead, approaching the entrance with caution.
He carefully pushed open the warehouse door, the hinges producing a faint creaking sound, and the duo stepped inside—
Only to find out that it was empty.
There was nothing left in the warehouse. Shelves were overturned, crates broken open, and every possible item had already been ransacked.
"Shit. We are late," Socrates cursed their luck under his breath.
"There are a lot of candidates.. So this is expected. Let's leave before others get here," Mr. Jaggers replied, already turning back.
Socrates nodded, and the two of them began to leave—
When they suddenly caught sight of a small doorway tucked at the far end of the warehouse, faintly illuminating a strange, soft light.
"There's a pathway over there, and something seems to be behind it."
"Let's go check it out."
The two followed the narrow pathway, their footsteps echoing softly against the walls, and arrived at the other end—
Only for them to witness a sight that was too good to be true.
"That's...." Mr. Jaggers exclaimed, the word hanging on his throat as his eyes locked onto the sight before him.
"A Token..." Socrates completed, his blue eyes flashing with excitement and disbelief.
His gaze reflected the golden object suspended mid-air before them.
The token was a tablet—a palm-sized square tablet with smooth edges—engraved with faint black runes that pulsed subtly, all while emitting a steady golden glow that illuminated the small enclosed space.
"What a great luck we have.." Socrates smiled sheepishly, his eyes shining with anticipation as he took a step forward.
Meanwhile, Mr. Jaggers rubbed his temple slowly as he stared at the token, his expression tightening.
'Something is fishy. A token isn't that easy to acquire.'
The moment he snapped out of his thoughts, he realized Socrates had already begun advancing toward the token without hesitation.
"Wait. Boy.. Don't...."
He couldn't complete his sentence.
Socrates' leg stepped onto the tile directly beneath the token—
—and in that instant, the golden light vanished completely, plunging the entire room into total darkness.
Boom.. Boom. Boom.....
Lock. Crick...
Different mechanical noises began originating from various parts of the room as the entire space went into lockdown, unseen mechanisms activating within the walls and floor.
Both men instantly heightened their alertness, their weapons raised and ready, their breathing controlled but tense.
Then—
Within the suffocating darkness—
Pairs of blazing green eyes began to emerge.
Not one...
Not two...
Not three...
Not a dozen—
—but dozens.
They hovered at different heights and distances, shifting slightly, surrounding them from all directions like a living wall of predators.
At that moment, both men knew for certain—
They had fallen into a trap.