Alex's reflexes kicked in instantly.
He tilted his head to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack, then leaped back to create some distance.
The forest rustled ominously, and more vines sprang forth.
They erupted from the ground, slithered down from branches, and shot toward him in every direction like striking serpents.
These weren't ordinary vines.
They were thicker than his arm, unnaturally fast, and moved with intelligence.
Alex didn't flinch. He reached into his storage, pulling out several Blast Shards and with precise aim, he threw the shards at the incoming vines.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The explosions ripped through the air, tearing apart the vines in fiery bursts.
Shredded plant matter rained down, smoldering as it hit the forest floor.
Alex landed in a crouch, his eyes scanning for the next wave.
But then, a piercing, ear-grating screech erupted around him.
"WIEEEEEEE!!!"
The sound was deafening, a high-pitched wail that seemed to come from the forest itself.
Alex winced and staggered, instinctively covering his ears.
The noise was unbearable, like nails on a chalkboard amplified a thousand times.
His vision blurred slightly from the pain, but he forced himself to focus.
"Is that... you screaming?" he muttered through gritted teeth, addressing the forest as if it could hear him.
The screech echoed from every direction, reverberating through the trees.
The forest seemed to shake in protest, leaves trembling, branches snapping, and the air itself vibrating with hostility.
Alex gritted his teeth, the adrenaline surging through his veins.
If the Beast Lord's throwing this much of a tantrum, I must be doing something right.
Blowing up the entire forest was the right call. Alex was sure of it.
There was no time to dwell on the bad outcomes or second-guess his choice.
This was the only way to end it.
Alex pulled out multiple Blast Shards, each glowing faintly in his hands, and began amping their power to the max.
The faint hum of energy intensified with every second, the shards growing brighter and hotter as they charged.
The forest wasn't going to make it easy.
Vines lashed out from all directions, slithering and snapping like hungry snakes.
Alex darted across the treetops, leaping from branch to branch with agility born of sheer adrenaline.
Gotta keep moving.
The vines grew faster and more aggressive, cutting through the air with unnatural precision.
Alex narrowly avoided one, twisting mid-air before landing on another tree branch.
But as soon as his feet touched down, a wave of exhaustion slammed into him like a freight train.
"Ugh—what the…?" Alex stumbled, his balance wavering. His body felt unnaturally heavy, his limbs sluggish.
The drowsiness hit him hard, fogging his mind and pulling him toward unconsciousness.
Before he could steady himself, Alex slipped.
He fell from the branch, landing on the ground with a hard thud.
The impact jolted him, but it wasn't enough to snap him out of the haze.
He groaned as thick vines slithered toward him, coiling around his legs.
Their touch was cold and sapping, draining what little resistent he had left to the drowsiness he felt..
"Damn it…" Alex muttered weakly.
He felt his eyes grow heavier with each passing second.
His vision blurred, darkness creeping into the edges.
He couldn't fight it.
Sleep was taking him.
"Fuck…" he whispered under his breath, frustration lacing his voice.
He didn't know what awaited him in this so-called dream world, and the thought terrified him.
The unknown was always the scariest part.
His eyes finally closed and his body succumbed to the forest's power.
Alex flinched as a cool droplet of water landed on his cheek.
His eyes shot open, and he squinted against the dim light of his surroundings.
The sky above was dark and vast, with raindrops falling steadily, their rhythm soothing yet surreal.
But what really caught his attention were the two moons glowing faintly in the distance.
"What the hell…?" Alex muttered, his voice weak and groggy.
His mind scrambled to process what he was seeing.
It's raining… in the tutorial?
The thought didn't make sense, and yet the steady patter of rain on his skin told him otherwise.
He let out a tired breath and shut his eyes again, feeling the weight of exhaustion still pressing down on him.
The rain wasn't something he expected, but it wasn't entirely unwelcome.
Alex inhaled deeply, the cool, clean air filling his lungs.
The droplets rolled down his face and arms, soaking into his clothes.
Despite everything, he couldn't help but feel a strange satisfaction in the rain's touch.
He squirmed slightly where he lay, his body instinctively reacting to the soothing sensation.
I always did love the rain.
Memories of watching it from his bedroom window floated through his mind, moments of peace amidst chaos.
Something about it always managed to calm him, pulling his thoughts to a quiet, relaxing place.
After a moment, Alex forced his eyes open again.
His vision was blurred, and his thoughts felt sluggish like his brain was wading through a thick fog.
He became more aware of his surroundings.
His body was rocking gently back and forth, almost like he was being cradled.
He squeezed his eyes shut again, trying to block out the growing confusion swirling in his mind.
This can't be the tutorial, he thought, a knot tightening in his stomach.
But then, a sound—deep and haunting—reached his ears.
It sounded like a distorted cry of a whale, which reverberated like a deep, bone-shaking growl of a massive tiger.
The sound rumbled low and violent, echoing through the sky with unnatural resonance, as the boat swayed on the ocean waves with Alex on it.
It wasn't like anything Alex had ever heard before and it sent chills down his spine, making his heart race.
His eyes snapped open, and he shot up, pushing himself to his feet.
But as soon as he did, the ground beneath him shook.
The platform he stood on wobbled dangerously, tilting beneath his weight.
For a split second, he thought he was going to fall.
But reflex kicked in, and with a quick adjustment, he managed to steady himself.
His hands clenched the sides of the platform as he raised his head, slowly, cautiously.
And then, he saw it.
His breath caught in his throat as his surroundings became clear.
He was on a small boat, tossed around by violent waves.
Lightning crackled in the sky, lighting up the dark, storm-churned ocean that stretched out endlessly in all directions.
The water around him churned, black and wild, like the very sea itself was alive.
The cold, torrential rain hammered down on him. It didn't feel so soothing anymore but rather felt like stinging needles.
And then it came again—the deafening, distorted cry.
The noise made Alex's skin crawl, and a cold sweat broke out across his forehead. The terrifying echo seemed to claw at his bones, sending a shiver deep into his core.
Alex's breath came out in short, shallow gasps.
Confused, shocked, and terrified.
His body trembling.
"What…what the hell is this? "
His voice was barely a whisper, as if speaking too loudly might make the hellish scene even worse.
Your next chapter awaits on My Virtual Library Empire
This...this was indeed a nightmare.